NORTHFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the current healthcare landscape of fee for value, acute care referral partners are expecting two critical elements from nursing homes: superior quality and reduced hospital readmission rates. As nursing home administrators navigate their way through new regulations, changing demography of the long-term care market and complex resident needs, well-rounded staff education is critical to improving care and preventing unnecessary hospitalizations.
But nursing home staff cannot do it alone. They must partner with resources that can help them remain competitive and effective. So when a local hospital asked St. Patrick’s Home for the Aged in New York about its use of quality improvement programs, the nursing home turned to its partner Medline to learn more about its exclusive INTERACT eCurriculum education program. In less than a year, this Bronx-based facility achieved 100 percent completion from housekeeping and rehabilitation staff to CNAs, nurses, administrators and medical director. In recognition of this achievement, St. Patrick’s was awarded Medline’s INTERACT eCurriculum facility certificate of completion.
“Our residents are like family and we don’t want to send anyone unnecessarily to emergency rooms,” says Joan Deignan, staff educator, St. Patrick’s Home for the Aged. “The role-specific modules were a natural fit with our mission to bring compassion, interest and care to everything we do. Medline helped us every step of the way so we can continue delivering high quality, person-centered care.”
Overcoming Obstacles
According to Nursing Home Compare data, the percentage of short-stay residents being readmitted to a hospital from St. Patrick’s is below state and national levels. Yet, the facility made program implementation a priority to drive even greater results. The online training provided a flexible learning environment for nearly 400 employees in round-the-clock shifts. Teams also worked closely with Medline to establish champions, coordinate timelines and analyze training and proficiency reports to keep staff aware of areas of progress and improvement.
“Quality improvement must be a team effort and getting an entire facility fully trained is a significant accomplishment,” says Shawn Scott, senior vice president, corporate sales, Medline. “It speaks to St. Patrick’s dedication to residents, family and staff and demonstrates they are a viable referral partner.”
“For anyone having contact with residents, I’ve seen a greater sense of observation and curiosity when it comes to identifying changes,” says Lurline Ferdinand, director of nursing, St. Patrick’s Home for the Aged. “The eCurriculum has also sparked more engaged and empowered staff and even stronger relationships with those they care for.”
Commitment to Quality
St. Patrick’s is a member of The Carmelite System. After realizing the impact of the tailored eCurriculum, the organization is now working on plans for all of its facilities across the country to achieve 100 percent completion. This achievement not only provides proof of INTERACT proficiency for state surveyors and acute-care partners, each staff member also receives certification for each module completed. In addition, it is a differentiator for facilities in the competitive, post-acute care market and helps emphasize to their acute care referring partners their commitment to high quality staff education.
Learn more about ways to improve quality of care and survey results by visiting www.medline.com/INTERACT. Check out “The Voices of Healthcare” blog for more ways to market to referral partner at http://mkt.medline.com/advancing-blog/tips-and-best-practices-for-successful-marketing-to-referral-partners/.
About Medline
Medline is a global manufacturer and distributor serving the healthcare industry with medical supplies and clinical solutions that help customers achieve both clinical and financial success. Headquartered in Northfield, Ill., the company offers 350,000+ medical devices and support services through more than 1,200 direct sales representatives who are dedicated points of contact for customers across the continuum of care. For more information on Medline, go to www.medline.com or http://www.medline.com/social-media to connect with Medline on its social media channels.
