www.adph.org/hai.

“The law requiring hospital infection reporting was passed in 2009 with cooperation from Alabama’s hospitals, ADPH, and the state’s legislature, most notably its sponsor, retired Sen. Bobby Denton,” said Dr. Donald Williamson, state health officer. “Since that time we have worked with our advisory council comprised of hospital executives, infection practitioners, physicians, business leaders and other key stakeholders to develop a program that will provide good information to consumers and will allow providers to have comparisons for benchmarking.  I am proud of the work and know it will be helpful in continuing to decrease the rate of healthcare-associated infections in our state.”

Dr. Williamson added that the report should not take the place of discussions between patients and their physicians when choosing a hospital. “While this report is important and helpful, it should not be used as the sole factor in the selection of a hospital,” Dr. Williamson stated.
 

“Our advisory council suggested we begin the infection reporting program with categories of infections reported from certain units in the hospital,” said Dr. Williamson. “The categories included: surgical site infections of the colon and abdomen, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and central line-associated blood stream infections. We believe these provide a good base for our program and cover infections that are important to good patient care.”
 

Keith Granger, CEO of Trinity Medical Center and chairman of the Alabama Hospital Association’s Quality Task Force, expressed support for the legislation, stating that hospital leaders were pleased to have been a part of this important work and remain committed to a strong infection prevention program. 
 

“Our first report is very positive,” added Dr. Williamson. “When compared to the rest of the nation, Alabama’s hospitals performed better than the national average on three of the four categories reported and similar to the national average on the other. We congratulate hospitals’ infection practitioners for their diligence in combatting the spread of infection and providing a safe environment for patient care.”
 

Granger added that hospital leaders understand that their work on infection prevention will never be done and emphasized that hospitals are on a continual journey to provide better care. “Today, we’re also launching a new website designed to provide healthcare consumers with information on how they can get more involved in their own care,” said Granger. “The site is www.jointhehealthjourney.comand it provides links to this infection report, as well as other sources for Alabama-specific hospital data.  It also has glossary of healthcare terminology, suggested information to discuss with your doctor and many other helpful resources.”

Preventing Infections Video Link

Challenge

Beth Beck, Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Springhill Medical Center, said that this recognition shows the progress the hospital is making.

For the 2010-11 flu season, JCR challenged Springhill Medical Center and other health care organizations across the country to achieve seasonal flu vaccination rates of 75, 85 or 95 percent among their staff to attain a Bronze, Silver or Gold Recognition Award, respectively. Of the organizations that submitted data (n=826), two thirds (66 percent) met the challenge by achieving a 75 percent or higher seasonal flu vaccination rate among staff. Seventeen percent achieved a Gold vaccination level, 22 percent achieved a Silver vaccination level, and 27 percent achieved a Bronze vaccination level.  With help from the Flu Vaccination Challenge, approximately 780,000 health care workers across the country were vaccinated against the flu, including 978 health care workers at SMC.

Flu vaccination of health care workers is important not only to help protect themselves, but also to reduce the likelihood that patients or the individuals served will be exposed to the flu. The current national flu vaccination average among health care workers is nearly 64 percent, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Influenza vaccination of adults has shown to be cost-effective by reducing both direct medical costs and indirect costs from absenteeism. Several studies demonstrated that the vaccination of adults less than 65 years of age resulted in fewer healthcare provider visits, fewer lost workdays, fewer days working with reduced effectiveness, and a decrease in antibiotic use.

The flu is a contagious and potentially deadly infection. Flu viruses are mainly spread from person to person via droplets from coughing or sneezing. Transmission may also occur through direct or indirect contact, such as when touching something already laden with the flu virus, then touching the eyes, nose or mouth. Every year in the United States, between 5 and 20 percent of the population may become infected with the flu. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on average, more than 200,000 people in the United States are hospitalized each year for respiratory and heart illnesses associated with seasonal flu infections. Additionally, over a period of 30 years, between 1976 and 2006, estimates of flu-associated deaths in the United States ranged from a low of approximately 3,000 to a high of approximately 49,000 people.

According to the CDC, annual flu vaccination is the most effective method for preventing flu virus infection and its complications. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends annual flu vaccination for all individuals 6 months of age and older. While flu vaccination benefits all age groups, certain people have a higher risk for flu complications, such as individuals 50 years of age and older and people with chronic medical conditions. It is important that these people and those in close contact with them – including all health care personnel – continue to be a primary focus for vaccination efforts.

Joint Commission Resources (JCR), a not-for-profit affiliate of The Joint Commission, launched the Flu Vaccination Challenge during the 2008-09 flu season to help increase flu vaccination among health care workers.  Now entering its fourth year, JCR continues to challenge health care organizations to achieve at least a 75 percent flu vaccination rate among staff during this flu season. The 2011-12 Flu Vaccination Challenge will continue through spring 2012.  Health care organizations can visit FluVaccinationChallenge.com to participate in this year’s Challenge and find additional resources.

Funding and other editorial support for the Flu Vaccination Challenge has been provided to JCR by GlaxoSmithKline.

Springhill President/CEO Mr. Jeff St. Clair said, “Steve is so deserving of this award because he truly cares about his patients and has raised the bar on our program here.  He is constantly making improvements that benefit his programs, our patients, the hospital, and the community.  He takes on a multitude of additional responsibilities with a smile and is always looking for more ways to help patients.”

There was also one physician selected as the state’s Hospital Physician Hero, John M. Kerr, II, M.D., of Marion Regional Medical Center in Hamilton.
 

“The men and women we have honored truly represent the best in health care,” said J. Michael Horsley, FACHE, president of the Alabama Hospital Association. “Each of these dedicated individuals views their profession as more than a job; they consider it a calling.”
 

In addition to Goren, the other Heroes recognized included: Darryl Nevell Searcy, grounds consultant, D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital, Brewton; Libby Junkin, R.T., (R)(CT) (ARRT), radiology department advanced registry technician, DCH Regional Medical Center, Tuscaloosa; Deborah Owen, M.Ed., LPC, director of psychiatric services, East Alabama Medical Center, Opelika; Bobbie Edwards, central sterile technician, Flowers Hospital, Dothan; Jerria Carter, RN – Radiation Oncology, Gadsden Regional Medical Center, Gadsden; Tiffany Watkins, RN, neonatal intensive care unit, Huntsville Hospital, Huntsville; Kay Walters, MBA, RRT-NPS, AE-C, director, respiratory care, Jackson Hospital, Montgomery; Samuel Curtis Shortt, RN, telemetry, Southeast Alabama Medical Center, Dothan; and Sherry Cole, RN, MSN, CCRN, CCNS, cardiovascular clinical nurse specialist, Trinity Medical Center, Birmingham. The 2012 Hospital Physician Hero was John M. Kerr, II, MD, family practice physician, Marion Regional Medical Center, Hamilton.

The Alabama Quality Award Team Showcase is a highly sought after and prized designation and Springhill’s teams brought home an award in every category entered; an outstanding accomplishment. “Taking home five quality awards shows how committed we are to constantly improving and staying focused on our productivity and quality,” said Mr. Jeff St. Clair, President and CEO of Springhill Hospital. “It is rare for a Hospital to take home this many awards, and we are all incredibly honored.”
 

The Award is based upon performance criteria that include the following: excellence in leadership, strategic planning, attention to customers and other stakeholders, market focus, process management, and analysis of organizational performance.
 

Springhill’s Medication Error Committee team, Hospital 30-Day Readmissions-Process Improvement team, NIMS (infection) Reduction 2006-2010 team, and the Postoperative Blood Sugar Management team were all recognized as Silver Level winners.  The Newborn Screenings team won the Bronze Level award.
 

Teams recognized at the silver level illustrate an intermediate use of quality tools and display a more systematic team approach to continuous improvement and/or lean. At the Bronze Level a team illustrates the use of some quality tools and the use of a team approach to continuous improvement.
 

Team Showcase Awards recognize a team’s performance and efforts to educate other organizations throughout the state about the potential benefits of empowered teams.

The awards were presented in December to all of the Alabama Quality Award Team Showcase winners during the AQA conference and ceremony, administered by the Alabama Productivity Center and held at the Bryant Conference Center and the Hotel Capstone in Tuscaloosa. Additionally, Team Showcase winners presented during the Conference their innovative and creative approaches to the continuous quality improvement process.
 

The Alabama Quality Award is administered by the Alabama Productivity Center, an Alabama Technology Network center and a nonprofit outreach component of The University of Alabama. The Center’s mission is to find ways to use University research and educational resources to enhance the competitiveness of Alabama business and industry.

• What changes in practice have led to your success?
• What is the "one thing" that made a big difference?
• Do you feel that a change in attitude of your staff has contributed to the improvement? If so, how did this change in attitude come about?

By CASANDRA ANDREWS
Staff Reporter

The possibilities of a healthy immune system fascinate Leslie James. After all, it is likely the reason some people rarely get sick and others seem to pick up every bug that comes along. The way James sees it, a diet rich in certain vitamins, minerals and herbs can boost a body’s natural defenses and even fight off some illnesses. Trouble is, she says, most Americans don’t eat enough of the right foods they need—such as garlic, citrus fruits, berries and nuts—for optimum immune system health. Which is why the local dietician spent two years and much of her savings developing a formula for a dietary supplement, 4th Qtr Seasonal Defense, that she recently introduced to the Mobile market.

James, 38, said she evaluated other supplements on the market and found them lacking: “I just saw that there was such a need for it out there.” The product includes a complete combination of immune boosting ingredients, James said, so those who take it “can have a fighting chance at having a healthy immune system.” After much thought, James said she chose the name because flu season typically begins in the fourth quarter of the year. “And your first line of defense against catching the virus is having a healthy immune system,” she said. James’ supplement is featured in a catalog called Sleep Solutions that is mailed to about 650,000 people across the U.S.

“The upfront cost has been a lot but I so believe in this product and know there is nothing out there like it,” James said.  “I have put heart and soul and every drop of money I have so far into this.” For nearly two decades the Hospital Dietitian encountered patients hospitalized with diseases including influenza.  Eventually she began to wonder if those same people would get as sick if they’d had a stronger immune system before exposure to the disease. The quest to find that answer led James to spend more than two years researching and ultimately creating the formula.  

In 2002, the American Medical Association released findings on how vitamins affect chronic disease prevention.  According to a review of other studies, the AMA found that some group of patients are at higher risk for vitamin deficiency.  “Many physicians may be unaware of common food sources of vitamins or unsure which vitamins they should recommend for their patients,” according to the findings. The AMA study noted that vitamin excess is possible with supplementation, “particularly for fat soluble vitamins. 

Inadequate intake of several vitamins has been linked to chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis.” James maintains that proper vitamin levels are crucial.  The Clinical Nutrition Manager at Springhill Medical Center in Mobile, she earned a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Auburn University, and has spent more than 17 years working in the field of nutrition. After searching the Internet for a manufacturer, James settled on a Vitamin maker near Atlanta.  In late July, James said, she finished the formula, had the name trademarked, then submitted it to the vitamin maker. 

She received the first shipment of 450 bottles in September.  Along the way she paid a local company to film a commercial and asked a friend to build a Web site.  She’s in the early stages, she said, of pitching the product to chain drug stores.The supplement, now available on her Web site, www.4thQtrSeasonal.com, sells for just under $25 for a 30-day supply. “I’ve sold out my first shipment,” James said.  “I’m working on the second one.”