Healthcare Directory

2017 Medical & Dental Directory | 55 patient safety from The Leapfrog Group. The hospital watchdog group rates U.S. hospitals for patient care with a simple letter grading system. Ranging from "A" to "F," grades are based on research of each facility's approach toward patient safety. Less than 30 percent of all hospitals nationwide received an "A" last year. Cape Fear Valley was the only hospital in southeastern North Carolina to receive the superior grade. No one is happier about the "A" than Cape Fear Valley's CEO. "We earned that letter grade," Nagowski said, "because over the last four to five years, our employees have been on a journey, making this grade of 'A' occur. I want to congratulate them. Very few hospitals accomplished what we did." The Joint Commission Recognition The most important honor Cape Fear Valley Health received last year may have come from The Joint Commission. The national healthcare accrediting body ranked the health system as a Top Performer in six treatment categories: Heart Attack, Heart Failure, Pneumonia, Surgical Care, Stroke and Perinatal Care. Top Performer status means Cape Fear Valley provides the most up-to- date, scientific evidence-based care, as compared to anywhere else in the nation. The recognition comes on the heels of The Joint Commission bestowing eight different Disease- Specific Care certifications upon the health system in recent years. Launched in 2002, the Disease-Specific Care certification program evaluates hospital clinical programs across the continuum of care, not just for one or two areas of a patient's stay. To date, Cape Fear Valley has received certifications for Hip Replacement Surgery, Knee Replacement Surgery, Heart Failure, Advanced Stroke, Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI, or heart attack), Pneumonia, Wound Care and Sepsis. Bladen County Hospital also received Sepsis certification. It is the first critical access hospital in the nation to do so. All the certifications help rank Cape Fear Valley Health among the top 25 hospitals in the nation for patient care quality. The certifications didn't come by chance. Over the years, Cape Fear Valley has created various Centers of Excellence that focus on the very treatment areas for which it received certifications. One of the first was for the health system's award-winning hip and knee replacement surgery program. Bradley Broussard, M.D., is an orthopedic surgeon and Cape Fear Valley's Chief of Staff. He says joint replacement surgery is fairly standardized now, but every patient recovers differently. Having nurses, physicians and physical therapy staff on the same page when treating patients helps ensure the best outcome. "Everyone strives for excellence here," Dr. Broussard said. "Not only in the area of patient care, but also in the results. Our crew does a good job of providing personalized care to everyone who comes here for surgery." Jose Delgado, M.D., Associate Medical Director at Highsmith-Rainey Specialty Hospital, agrees with the teamwork sentiment. He works with the hospital's wound care program and says the staff works closely together for a reason. Treating extensive or lingering wounds can be extremely complicated. Everyone from dietitians and pharmacists to physical therapists and pastoral care staff may be called upon. "These kinds of wounds are so complex they simply require a more intensive approach," Dr. Delgado said. Patients suffering from advanced diabetes, vascular disease or traumatic injuries can require months of treatment. Even more specialty care, such as wound vacuum or hyperbaric oxygen therapy, may be necessary if wounds are infected. Kelly Steere is Highsmith-Rainey's Nursing Director. She said obtaining Disease Specific Certification for Wound Care through The Joint Commission has galvanized her staff.

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