Jameson Health System Receives APEX Award
for Excellence in Patient Care from VHA Inc.

November 30, 2009 – The Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania office of VHA Inc., the national health care alliance, has recognized the Jameson Health System for demonstrating excellence in patient care. Jameson Hospital is one of a few qualifying VHA member hospitals to receive VHA Pennsylvania’s Achieving Patient Care Excellence (APEX) award. The award was presented to Douglas Danko, President/CEO of the Jameson Health System on November 23^rd  for demonstrating extraordinary levels of clinical performance by eliminating Symptomatic Catheter-Associated Hospital-Acquired Urinary Tract Infections for several consecutive three-month periods hospital wide.  This covered the period from April through June 2008, from September through November 2008, and from January through June 2009.  

“This impressive award emphasizes the dedicated focus of our clinical and non-clinical staff to improve the care provided to our patients” said Douglas Danko, President & CEO of Jameson Health System.  “With a focus on quality-based performance, our patient care teams are additionally encouraged to enhance productivity and reduce costs associated with delivering care, which in turn enables us to reinvest resources into our patient care services.”

          The APEX award is designed to honor organizations that have differentiated themselves by demonstrating extraordinary levels of clinical performance. The recognition program is open to all members of the VHA Pennsylvania region, and hospitals are evaluated in several areas that include infection control, cardiac care and patient safety.

        “We are pleased to honor the Jameson Health System with this award,” said Marilyn Rudolph, RN, BSN, MBA, vice president of performance improvement at one of two VHA offices in Pennsylvania . “VHA is working with hospitals across the nation to help them improve clinical performance. In fact, our members are some of the best performers in the country. This award validates their commitment, as well as ours, to improve clinical quality and patient care.”

            Debbie Perretta, Director Quality Management Services, commented “I thank the dedicated professionals with whom I work who are continually striving to improve patient care and outcomes.  Our participation in VHA’s Clinical Excellence program provides added support toward achieving a higher level of performance in this aspect of patient care through sharing of proven best practices.”

           The APEX award program was launched in March 2007.  Data for APEX Award criteria is reviewed by VHA Pennsylvania staff on a quarterly basis.  VHA Inc., based in Irving, Texas, is a national net work of not-for-profit health care organizations that work together to drive maximum savings in the supply chain arena, set new levels of clinical performance, and identify and implement best practices to improve operational efficiency and clinical outcomes. Formed in 1977, VHA serves more than 1,400 hospitals and more than 24,000 non-acute care providers nationwide.