MEDITECH Customer Porter Adventist Hospital Receives Highest Award for Nursing Excellence
(2/18/2009)

Porter Adventist Hospital, a Centura Health facility based in Denver, CO, has achieved Magnet™ designation for excellence in nursing services by the American Nurses Credential Center's (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®.

"The Magnet recognition is a tremendous accomplishment for Porter, and a testament to the excellent work our nurses do each day," says Sharon Pappas, RN, PhD, chief nursing officer at Porter. "We are proud to acknowledge our entire nursing staff, and it reflects their commitment to serve as a team, providing the highest quality care possible for the people of our community."

The Magnet Recognition Program recognizes health care organizations which demonstrate excellence in nursing practice and adherence to national standards for the organization and delivery of nursing services. Applicants undergo a rigorous evaluation which includes extensive interviews and review of nursing services.

In December of 2007, Centura completed an ongoing project to convert 12 separate facilities with at least 12 disparate work processes and hand-written paper order entries into one electronic information system. "In an effort to standardize our health care delivery processes, terminology, and order sets, Centura implemented MEDITECH's Health Care Information System at all of our facilities," says Amy Feaster, VP of information technology at Centura. "The involvement of key stakeholders and the teamwork of the nursing staff during the implementation exemplified the values required to achieve this designation.

"The nursing staff at Porter Adventist is extremely insightful, involved, and gladly shares their input when needed. Sharon was a terrific leader, as she was very engaged during the MEDITECH implementation and upgrade, and remains involved and supportive as we continue to enhance the capabilities of our system."

ANNC designed a new model to provide a framework for nursing practice and research in the future, as well as serving as a road map for organizations seeking to achieve Magnet recognition. The new model configures the 14 Forces of Magnetism into 5 Model Components: Transitional Leadership; Structural Empowerment; Exemplary Professional Practice; New Knowledge, Innovation and Improvements; and Empirical Outcomes. The new, simpler model reflects a greater focus on measuring outcomes and allows for more streamlined documentation, while retaining the 14 Forces as foundational to the program.

Porter is the first hospital in the Centura Health system to achieve this national status, and lays the ground work for the organization's future. "Sharon has shared lessons learned along the way to achieving this distinction, and provided encouragement to the other hospitals within the system," says Feaster. "By sharing best practices learned to improve patient outcomes and the health of the communities we serve, Sharon has illustrated what it is to be leader at a Magnet designation facility."

"We're proud of Porter Adventist for achieving Magnet status," says Howard Messing, president and COO at MEDITECH. "This accomplishment shows that our clinical implementations, combined with exceptional teamwork and leadership at the sites, are helping Centura achieve its patient safety goals."

ANCC is the largest and most prominent nursing credentialing organization in the United States. The recognition is valid for four years.


About Porter Adventist Hospital
Founded in 1930, Porter Adventist Hospital is a full service, 368-bed acute-care facility located in the University of Denver/Harvard Park area of Denver. Known for its compassionate care and the latest technology, Porter is designated a Magnet hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and is rated a 100 Top Hospital. As a referral center for complex medicine and surgery patients/cases, Porter specializes in cardiac care, cancer care, joint replacement, spinal care and transplant. Porter is recognized by several national rating agencies as providing some of the top-rated quality of care in the nation. Porter is a not-for-profit hospital sponsored by Adventist Health System and is a member of Centura Health, Colorado's largest health care provider.

 

MEDITECH
Medical Information Technology, Inc.
MEDITECH Circle
Westwood, MA 02090
781-821-3000
www.meditech.com