Monroe County Hospital, an Atrium Health Navicent Partner, Wins Patient Safety Award for Infection Prevention
Monday, February 27th, 2023
The Georgia Hospital Association Partnership for Health and Accountability (PHA) has presented a prestigious Patient Safety and Quality Award to Monroe County Hospital, an Atrium Health Navicent Partner, for a project demonstrating a reduced risk of contamination in the collection of blood cultures used to diagnose infection. These annual awards recognize Georgia health care organizations for achievement in reducing the risk of medical errors and improving patient safety and medical outcomes.
“Patient safety and infection prevention are top priorities in Atrium Health Navicent’s ongoing mission to provide excellent health care for all,” said Atrium Health Navicent Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Sanford G. Duke. “We applaud the team at Monroe County Hospital for their work, and this much-deserved recognition.”
The project “Reducing Blood Culture Contamination: A Pathway for Blood Culture Diversion Devises,” won third place in the Critical Access Hospitals category.
Despite recent advancements in microbiological technologies, blood cultures remain the primary method of diagnosing blood stream infections. Although an effective diagnostic tool, the collection of blood cultures is associated with the risk of contamination. This contamination presents significant risk to the patient population, given that it leads to unnecessary medical procedures and increased cost of care.
Using a blood culture diversion device, the Monroe County Hospital team was able to reduce contaminated cultures to within 1 percent in just three months without negatively affecting other quality measures.
“This project is an example of how our teammates are innovating to better the now and to create the future while providing high-quality care close to home,” said Monroe County Hospital CEO Lorraine Smith. “Thanks to the Georgia Hospital Association for recognizing our team’s commitment to quality and patient safety.”