Bonner General earns third Qualis Award of Excellence

Bonner General Health has earned a Qualis Award of Excellence in healthcare quality for the third year in a row.

This year, BGH received the Qualis Award of Excellence in Healthcare Quality for antibiotic stewardship by creating a program in a critical access facility. In 2017, BGH received the Qualis Award of Excellence in Healthcare Quality: Critical Access Hospital – for its project “Code Stork,” a protocol for emergency cesarean sections. In 2016, the hospital received the Qualis Award of Excellence in Healthcare Quality: Critical Access Hospital for its telestroke program in the Emergency Department.

Overuse, misuse and inappropriate use of antimicrobial therapy can lead to significant consequences in a critical access facility, including hospital-acquired infections, increased morbidity and mortality, antimicrobial resistance and increased hospitalizations. Additionally, patients often lack understanding of the consequences that can arise as a result of inappropriate antibiotic use.

To create greater awareness and spread best practices, Bonner General Health created an antibiotic stewardship program focused on prescribing practices, drug-bug matching, screening and prescriber and patient education. The team focused initial efforts on two commonly prescribed medications with potential for increased consequences, piperacillin/tazobactam and vancomycin. For each patient and medication order, staff reviewed the appropriateness of the drug, dose and duration. Protocols were also created in which specifically trained pharmacists were able to substitute, discontinue or alter therapy as appropriate to the patient.

After 18 months, the use of piperacillin/tazobactam had decreased by 50 percent, and vancomycin by 25 percent. The team anticipates sustained success and improvement as the program continues and broadens.

Since 2002, Qualis Health has presented the annual Awards of Excellence in Healthcare Quality to outstanding organizations in Idaho and Washington. Winners have demonstrated leadership and innovation in improving healthcare practices, reflecting the very best in healthcare quality improvement. The awards recognize those who demonstrate outcomes to the three broad aims outlined in the National Quality Strategy:

- Better healthcare (for individuals)

- Better health (for populations)

- Reduced costs through improvement

Winners of the 2018 Idaho Awards of Excellence in Healthcare Quality in Idaho are selected by a panel of Idaho expert stakeholders and patients. Awards are presented at the Idaho Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Conference on April 19, 2018.

Qualis Health is one of the nation’s leading population health management organizations, and a leader in improving care delivery and patient outcomes, working with clients throughout the public and private sector to advance the quality, efficiency and value of healthcare for millions of Americans every day.

Information: QualisHealth.org