Washington Health System Earns HAP achievement award
Washington PA (May 2018)—Washington Health System (WHS) earned an Achievement Award from The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) for its outstanding efforts to improve health care in Pennsylvania.
Each year HAP recognizes hospitals from around the state that develop “innovative programs to improve the quality of care, patient experience and technology to meet the needs of the communities that they serve.” Recognition is provided through its esteemed Achievement Awards Program, which began in 1978.
Washington Health System was chosen as one of three winners in the “Excellence in Care” category for our program: Ambulatory Heart Failure: Pathway to a Better Life. Winners were also chosen in the categories of Community Champions, Optimal Operations, In Safe Hands, and Living the Vision. Altogether there were 12 winners, including WHS, from among 91 entries. Entries were evaluated by a 16-judge panel. The panelists, drawn from Pennsylvania and across the nation, represented the public and private sectors, business organizations, consumer groups and renowned health care quality institutes.
WHS’ Ambulatory Heart Failure Pathway was developed by a multidisciplinary team approximately two years ago. The team was led by WHS Cardiovascular Care physician Dr. Jim Richardson and by Maureen Smith, RN, director of clinical integration for the Washington Physician Hospital Organization (WPHO). The goal of the program is to help each patient follow best medical care practices for their disease, thereby improving the patient’s quality of life by keeping the patient out of the hospital.
“It truly takes a team to accomplish this kind of result, said Gary Weinstein, President and CEO of WHS. Our team includes our WPHO, our cardiology practices, our nephrology physicians, our primary care practices, our outpatient observation unit, our Emergency Department, our inpatient units, our pharmacy, Dr. Paul Cullen, our Information Systems team and many others, who have contributed to the ongoing success of this program. My thanks to everyone on our team.”
HAP President and CEO Andy Carter said “A hospital’s work extends far beyond the four walls of its building. These facilities constantly are working to find ways to lift up their communities and revolutionize health care inPennsylvania. This year’s HAP Achievement Award recipients represent the cutting edge of hospital innovation. We congratulate the winners and thank all of the hospitals that submitted entries.”
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About Washington Health System:
Employing more than 2,300 highly trained medical professionals, Washington Health System provides health care services at more than 40 off-site locations throughout three counties. In addition to its flagship 260 licensed bed hospital in Washington, PA, WHS operates Washington Health System Greene, a community centered 49-bed hospital, in Waynesburg Pennsylvania. Washington Health System’s integrated system of care also consists of diagnostic centers, outpatient care facilities, the WHS Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center and Greenbriar Treatment Center all seamlessly working together to provide excellent patient-and-family-centered care. whs.org
About HAP:
HAP is a statewide membership services organization that advocates for nearly 240 Pennsylvania acute and specialty care, primary care, subacute care, long-term care, home health, and hospice providers, as well as the patients and communities they serve. Additional information about HAP is available online at www.haponline.org.