National Recognition

In yesterday's national publication, AHA News, WMHS was recognized for our RN Transitionist Program.  This initiative was the brainchild of Dr. George Garrow, Chief Medical Officer, and Carol Everhart, Director of Care Coordination, at WMHS.  We now have two nurses dedicated to the program and they visit patients who will be going to a nursing home after discharge.  They coordinate their discharge between the hospital and the nursing home then visit the patient upon their arrival at the nursing home.  The RN then returns on subsequent days to ensure that the patient--now nursing home resident--remains well enough to stay in the nursing home and not be readmitted to the hospital.  Certainly if the resident needs to be readmitted, they are; however, through this program and improved coordination of the patient's discharge, nursing home readmissions have been reduced dramatically.  It is great when our efforts to keep people healthy and out of the hospital are recognized and especially when it is national recognition.  Thank you, Dr. Garrow and Carol.