| September 14, 2009: Nationally recognized for quality and service, Banner Heart Hospital, in partnership with Tri-City Cardiology, Banner Home Care & Banner Hospice today was named the first Accredited Heart Failure Institute in Arizona. One of only seven Accredited Heart Failure Institutes in the nation, the designation signifies the hospital's superior care for patients with heart failure. Heart failure is the number one reason for hospital admission for those over 65 according to Mike O'Meara, M.D. of Tri-City Cardiology. "Most patients prefer not to be hospitalized. Banner Heart Hospital recognizes that hospitals must go beyond how they did things in the past. Heart failure is a chronic disease requiring an approach that includes hospital care and what happens outside of the hospital." "Washington can learn from Banner Heart and Tri-City Cardiology." said the Colloquium's Tony Joseph, MD. Heart failure is the number one Medicare inpatient budget item exceeding 30 billion dollars annually. Banner Heart Hospital and Tri-City Cardiology, a private practice group, are a highly effective team. Nurses and doctors work collaboratively together including the patient and family in the care process right from the start. The Tri-City Cardiologists who will care for the patient after they go home becomes a familiar face to the patient and family while in the hospital. Banner Heart and Tri-City are pioneering "transition planning" replacing the older 20th century care model of "discharging" the patient who had "instructions" but was largely on their own. "Our physicians, nurses, and staff have set high standards." said Laura Robertson, CEO of Banner Heart Hospital. "Integrating the inpatient and outpatient care makes a difference helping patients manage their heart failure and live longer, more fulfilling lives." The accreditation process is modeled after well-established process improvement methods and includes a study of current practices, a gap analysis, in depth interviews, clinical process mapping, an onsite review, and a comprehensive milestone report with specific action steps. Other benefits of accreditation include: - Streamlined processes that improve patients' quality of care
- A patient focused approach to "transition planning" that takes place throughout the entire hospital stay that prepares the patient for a successful return home and their visit to the doctor's office
- Patient and family caregiver education enabling individuals to participate in their own care giving them more independence and avoiding frequent hospitalization
Banner Heart Hospital, one of the largest free-standing heart hospitals in America, is among the nation's 100 Top Hospitals® for cardiovascular care by Thomson healthcare business for three consecutive years. Since 1980, Tri-City Cardiology has a reputation for excellence in heart services. Many of its physicians are recognized among the best in the Phoenix metropolitan area. For more information on Banner Heart Hospital, visit www.bannerhealth.com/. |