WICHITA, Kan. — Hutchinson Regional Medical Center was well represented as a result of presentations from several hospital staff members at the sixth annual Kansas Healthcare Collaborative Summit on Quality on Oct. 17 in Wichita.
The idea for the day-long meeting saw its inception in 2008 when the Kansas Medical Society and the Kansas Hospital Association joined forces to form the Kansas Healthcare Collaborative. Founders of the Collaborative established a long range goal of engaging and aligning healthcare providers to insure the state as a role model for the nation in the area of healthcare quality.
Physicians, hospital administrators, nurses, quality improvement directors, risk managers and infection prevention officials from healthcare facilities throughout the state were in attendance at the Wichita meeting.
Julie Wiens, RN, MSN, WCC; Skin/Wound Care RN at Hutchinson Regional, presented a poster entitled: “Targeting Zero: Preventing Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcers,” sometimes referred to as bed sores.
She said pressure ulcers are a significant concern for the nation’s acute care facilities, but is a medical issue on the decline as the result of a prevention program established at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. The program, according to Wiens, has far exceeded expectations.
Wiens’ poster detailed components of the Hutchinson Regional Medical Center program which she shared with other healthcare contemporaries in attendance. Following the presentation, Wiens was available for one-on-one consultation with other delegates to respond to questions.
Courtney Eales, RN, ICU Charge Nurse; Shana Eaves, RN, ICU; and Lori Pauls, RN, BSN, ICU Charge Nurse; delivered a poster presentation entitled “Surviving Sepsis.” Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening infection that can trigger inflammation that may potentially damage multiple organ systems, causing each to fail.
A program established at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center in January 2014 has produced favorable results and an education program for hospital staff has significantly improved treatment methods, including early detection.