Hays Daily News
1/29/2015
By MAGGIE GEBHARDT

Extra precaution is being taken after visitor restrictions were implemented Wednesday at Hays Medical Center.
Due to a highly contagious flu season, visitors displaying symptoms will not be permitted on patient floors within the facility.

“One of the main concerns has been that the vaccine wasn’t as effective as first expected,” said HaysMed Infection Prevention Officer Bevra Brinkman.

Symptoms of influenza including headache, fever, body aches, weakness, sore throat, cough and a runny or stuffy nose are considered dangerous.

Age restrictions also are being enforced at the medical center. The flu can cause serious complications, or even be fatal, for the very young and elderly. Children are also more likely to spread influenza. Therefore, visitors 12 years old or younger will not be allowed on patient floors.

“Usually, young children carry a lot of germs around,” Brinkman said. “We don’t want any children at inpatient areas in and around the facility.” Brinkman said it is important for children to stay away from family members who have been admitted for influenza. “They should stay away from anyone who has symptoms,” she said.

Happy Days Childcare, Hays, realizes the importance of keeping their 3- to 5-year-old children healthy.
“When we have kids get sick, they stay home for at least 24 hours after the symptoms have cleared,” said Tiffanie Thiede, Happy Days Childcare teacher.

Thiede said the daycare has not yet had to implement additional restrictions, but they are continuing to remain careful to keep their childcare facility sanitized and germ-free.
“We spray down everything with a disinfectant,” she said. “We are always wiping things down, and if toys go in mouths, we disinfect.”

Across the country, there has been a significant rise of influenza A and B, according to HaysMed.
Therefore, precautions are necessary to protect patients, family and hospital employees. “We increased restrictions because we saw an increase of patients admitted to the facility with influenza,” Brinkman said. “We typically do this every year. It’s nothing new.”

Visitor restrictions will stay in place until the end of flu season, according to the infection prevention officer.
“They should be lifted by March 31,” she said.

In the meantime, HaysMed visitors are to pay close attention to restriction postings around the facility.
“We have them at all entrances,” Brinkman sa

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From left to right:   Michele Clark, Kansas Healthcare Collaborative, Melanie Urban, RN, BSN, NACP, Patient Quality Services Director at HaysMed and Paul Carrington, RN, CNO, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital discuss HEN at a recent meeting at HaysMed.

HAYS, Kan. (Jan 20, 2015) HaysMed, Hays, has been recognized by the Kansas Healthcare Collaborative (KHC) and the Kansas Hospital Association (KHA) for its participation in a three-year national Partnership for Patients initiative known as the Hospital Engagement Network (HEN).

On December 2, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that HEN efforts to improve patient safety resulted in a 17 percent decline in hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) such as adverse drug events, pressure ulcers, and surgical site infections among others. HHS had set an ambitious goal of reducing HACs by 40 percent and readmissions by 20 percent by the end of the 2014.

HaysMed and 99 other hospitals in the Kansas HEN collectively prevented an estimated 3,800 safety events (including readmissions) at an estimated cost savings of more than $23.2 million, as calculated by the Health Educational Research Trust (HRET). HHS reported that national efforts to improve patient safety resulted in an estimated 1.3 million fewer patient safety events, 50,000 lives saved and $12 billion in health spending avoided.

“Our health care team is devoted to safe, high quality care delivery,” said Dr. Larry Watts, Chief Medical Officer.  “We are proud of our collaboration with our peers across the state, our patients, and the impact our work has made to improve patient safety. We appreciate the physicians, nurses and other key staff who contributed to this successful initiative.” Watts said.

The statewide collaborative, led by the Kansas Healthcare Collaborative, allowed hospitals to learn from state and national subject matter experts, plus work together to share best practices and resources to rapidly achieve progress in technical and cultural aspects of patient safety.

“KHC congratulates Kansas hospitals for their extensive contributions and work together to improve quality and patient safety throughout Kansas,” said Kendra Tinsley, KHC executive director. “These reductions are the result of a deep commitment to patient safety and have a demonstrable impact on patients’ lives.”

“These phenomenal results across the state and nation represent major strides in patient safety thanks to a strong collaboration among our hospitals,” said Tom Bell, president and chief executive officer of KHA.  “We congratulate and thank all Kansas hospitals and our many partners for their leadership and hard work now and into the future.”

In 2015, many Kansas hospitals will continue their collaboration through the Kansas HEN. KHC will sustain and support the improvement infrastructure created for Kansas hospitals by offering education and technical assistance, as well as providing resources and opportunities for peer-to-peer learning.

For more information about HaysMed and our patient safety initiatives, please contact Melanie Urban, Director Patient Quality Services at 785.623.5590.. For more information about the Kansas HEN, visit www.khconline.org.