Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 6B
Reporter
January 21,2009
Hospital wins patient safety award
For the third year in a
row Monroe County
Hospital has won a presti
gious award for quality
improvement.
Christa Garner, 0. J.
Booker and Emily White
accepted second place in
the Critical Access
Hospital Division of the
Georgia Hospital
Association's Partnership
for Health and
Accountability Patient
Safety and Quality award
competition. The same
award was won by the hos
pital in 2006 and 2007.
The 2008 project was to
reduce patient falls. The
hospital team developed
four mechanisms to suc
cessfully cut the number of
falls in half over two years.
"The nursing staff really
pitched in to improve this
aspect of patient care,"
said Christa Garner, RN,
Director of Quality
Management. "Once we
started to collect data and
organize a way to look at
why patients fell, it
became easier
to spot solu
tions."
The team
studied fall
data beginning
in 2005 and
analyzed all
patient falls
using Failure
Mode and
Effects
Analysis pro
cedures. Over
20 employees
participated in
the study. The
new fall pre
cautions were
implemented
mid-2008 and
are now a part
of the semi
annual nurs
ing competen
cy training for
all nursing
staff.
"This quality
improvement
team had a big
impact on quality of
patient care," said O. J.
Bottom, L to R: O. J. Booker, CEO, Monroe County Hospital; Emily
White, RN, MCH Surgical Services, Christa Garner, RN, Director of
Quality Management, Joe Parker, President, Georgia Hospital Associ
ation. Back: Chuck Orrick, Chairman, Georgia Hospital Association
Booker, CEO. "We have
achieved an overall level of
quality that puts us in the
top ten percent of all small
hospitals in the state. are a big priority at
Patient safety and quality Monroe County Hospital."
Don't Neglect Your
Dental Health!
• 3 out of 4 American
adults have periodontal
disease.
• Taking care of teeth
and gums may reduce
your chances of heart
disesae. ;
• Gum disease can more
than double a persons
risk of pancreatic cancer.
Stanley J. Hickman, D.M.D.
Family Dentistry
Quality Treatment In A Home Town Atmosphere
“We Cater To Cowards”
Emergencies Seen Same Day
Prevent the flu this season
• Cosmetic Dentistry • Crown & Bridge
• Prevention Oriented • Nitrous Oxide
• Insurance, Medicaid, VA & Charge Cards Accepted
When the colder weather
begins to rear its ugly
head, so, typically, do the
common ailments associat
ed with the dropping tem
peratures. For
many, the notion
of winter as the
holiday season
has been replaced
and instead
become the cold
and flu season.
And that's not just per
ception, it's reality.
According to the Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), more
than 200,000 people in the
United States are hospital
ized from flu complications
each year. Of those, 10 per
cent are children younger
than 5.
For many people, the flu
shot has helped make win
ter far more enjoyable.
However, many more peo
ple either cannot get a flu
shot because of allergies or
simply forgot to get one.
For those who weren't able
to get a flu shot this sea
son, the following preven
tion-focused tips could be
the key to avoiding the flu.
* Wash your hands with
soap and hot water.
Perhaps the best preventa
tive measure you can take
on a daily basis is to regu
larly wash your hands with
soap and hot water, espe
cially after you cough or
sneeze. Germs can easily
spread from someone else's
hands to yours, and you
never know if a coworker
you've shaken hands with
has the flu virus or germs
that could make you sus
ceptible.
* Avoid touching your
eyes, nose or mouth. Germs
on your hands can easily
spread to your
eyes, nose or
mouth when you
frequently touch
these parts of
your body. Avoid
doing so at all
times, even if you have
thoroughly cleansed your
hands.
* Routinely clean any
shared surfaces. Viral
germs can live on the sur
faces of counter tops, door
knobs, computer key
boards, and telephones for
up to an hour. To combat
the spread of these germs,
routinely clean surfaces
that are shared with oth
ers, and use antibacterial
soaps and cleaners that
prevent the spread of
germs.
* Avoid those who cur
rently have the flu. The flu
is easily spread from one
person to another, and the
viral germs cane be air
borne. Whenever you're
exposed to a person with
the flu, be sure to wash
your hands frequently and
do your best to minimize
your exposure to them.
* Parents, teach your
kids. For parents, the
chances of catching the flu
are often heightened
because it's hard to know
who your children are com
ing into contact with at
school every day. Because
schools have so many chil
dren, it's almost impossible
Georgia Dermatology
Serving Georgia Since 1969
We at Georgia Dermatology are proud to introduce
our new Physician Assistant, Misty Banknell, PA-C,
who has recently joined our team.
Misty joins Dr. Mark Bonner and Deborah Moore, PA-C
at our Forsyth office.
Georgia Dermatology accepts most insurances, and our
services include the removal of skin cancers and the
treatment of all types of skin disorders as well as treatment
of diseases of the hair and nails.
Please call 994-5281 today to schedule an appointment.
We are located across from the hospital at 101 MLK Jr Drive
and are now accepting new patients and referrals.
(Lto R) Dr. Mark Bonner, Deborah Moore, PA-C, Misty Banknell, PA-C
for children to avoid being
exposed to the flu virus at
one point or another. To
decrease the likelihood of
getting the flu through
your children or their
classmates, teach the kids
the same flu prevention
tips as well. Tell them to be
sure to wash their hands
regularly, and avoid share
food or beverages with
their friends as well.
* Eat healthy and get
your sleep. A poor diet and
a lack of sleep, whether
together or simply on their
own, can weaken the
immune system. A weaker
immune system makes us
more susceptible to the flu,
as well as other ailments.
Be sure to eat a healthy,
balanced diet, and make
sure you make time to get
the proper amount of rest.
Article courtesy Dr.
Goodwin and Dr. Caldwell.
• Senior Citizen Discount • New Patients Welcome
• Fillings • Partials & Dentures • Extractions
HOURS: MON-FRI BY APPOINTMENT
John O. Bowcock Jr., DDS PC
Stanley J. Hickman, D.M.D.
103 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive • Forsyth
478-994-2070
www.forsythfamilydental.com
Heritage Healthcare
OF FORSYTH
Committed to Caring
FORMERLY KNOWN AS FORSYTH HEALTHCARE
Were Still the Hometown Facility You Trust!
Voted “Best Aged Healthcare” in Monroe County
Received the “Georgia Quality Award” by GHCA and GMCF
521 Cabiness Road • Forsyth, GA 31029 • 478-994-5671
Heritage Healthcare of offers Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy. Sometimes
after a recent surgery, Physical and/or Occupational Therapy is needed. Therapy maybe
needed due to the type of surgery of a decreased level of functional ability. Here at
Heritage Healthcare of Forsyth, we offer rehabilitation services for short-term patients
or even long term patients.
• IjiipnA'ed mu^^ulai’strength and joint motion
- - ■ - ^ | j v
Therapy programs are designed after an evaluation of the patient is completed. Short
term and long-term goals are set to meet the patient's need by a licensed therapist in
accordance with the physician's order.
Other services provided are:
• I.V. Therapy • Oxygen Therapy
• Wound Care Management • Pain Management
For more information please give us a call at 478-994-5671 or come by for a
tour of our facility.