Awards celebrate rural hospitals driving better outcomes
Chelan, Wash. — The Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) has recognized WhidbeyHealth and PeaceHealth United General Medical Center with Rural Quality Everyday Extraordinary Awards. The honors celebrate innovative quality improvement initiatives that are delivering safer care and better outcomes for patients. The awards were presented June 28 during WSHA’s Rural Hospital Leadership Conference in Chelan.
WhidbeyHealth was recognized for implementing TeamBirth, an evidence-based maternity care model developed by Ariadne Labs that strengthens communication and shared decision-making during labor and delivery. The initiative added new patient communication boards, regular care team huddles and a focus on what mattered most to each patient. The effort led to higher ratings for communication, care planning, pain control, respect and the overall birth experience.
PeaceHealth United General Medical Center earned the award for a comprehensive catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) prevention program that combined High Reliability Organization principles with frontline quality improvement. The effort reduced catheter days, eliminated CAUTI cases, improved use of prevention steps and increased staff ownership.
“These programs show how rural hospitals are finding innovative ways to improve care and deliver better outcomes for patients,” said Darcy Jaffe, WSHA senior vice president of clinical excellence. “Both organizations achieved measurable results that can serve as models for hospitals across Washington.”
WSHA’s Rural Quality Everyday Extraordinary Award honors rural hospitals whose quality improvement initiatives demonstrate measurable results, strengthen patient safety and provide approaches that can be replicated by other hospitals across the state.