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Staff at Claxton-Hepburn in Ogdensburg get safety and quality-improvement training

Posted 6/29/12

Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center’s senior leadership is, from left, back, are David Ferris, chief nursing officer; Kelly Tiernan, chief financial officer; Dr. Gary Hart, chief medical officer; Vicki …

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Staff at Claxton-Hepburn in Ogdensburg get safety and quality-improvement training

Posted

Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center’s senior leadership is, from left, back, are David Ferris, chief nursing officer; Kelly Tiernan, chief financial officer; Dr. Gary Hart, chief medical officer; Vicki Perrine, vice president of clinical services and chief operating officer; Steve Krauz, vice president of surgical services and materials management; front, Laura Shea, director of community relations and planning; Jennie Flanagan, corporate compliance officer; Mark Webster, president and chief executive officer; Cindy Clusen, foundation executive director; and Lou-Ann McNally, director of human resources and education.

OGDENSBURG – Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center’s senior staff has completed the Institute for Healthcare Improvements (IHI) Open School for Healthcare Professionals program.

The program was developed to teach patient safety and quality improvement skills to health care professionals. IHI Open School reaches health professionals with a website and in-person events.

Estimates of the number of patients who die from medical errors every year ranges from 44,000 to 98,000. Americans, at a rate of 22 percent, report that they or a family member have experienced a medical error. The annual cost to the American economy due to medical errors is estimated at between $17 billion and $29 billion.

The IHI Open School is open to health professionals. Drawing on faculty who are recognized as health care quality leaders, students can enroll on a voluntary basis and learn skills like quality improvement, patient safety, teamwork, leadership and patient-centered care.

IHI named CHMC as a “chapter” site for the Open School program. There are only 10 “chapter” sites in New York State.

Although Claxton-Hepburn is not a teaching hospital, the IHI recognized the ability of Claxton-Hepburn to serve as a resource to the community and staff. Commitment by Claxton-Hepburn senior leadership and department managers went through a 13-course curriculum. Other Claxton-Hepburn staff, including, physicians, nurses, pharmacist and other allied health professionals, have also been enrolled in the Open School program.

Jennifer Shaver, RN, BSN, clinical informatics analyst at Claxton-Hepburn, along with Chief Medical Officer Dr. Gary Hart and board of directors member Linda Fay, RN, BS, MEd, were instrumental in bringing the IHI program to Claxton-Hepburn.

For more information about the IHI visit them on the web at www.ihi.org.