Warren General Hospital was among a group of Pennsylvania hospitals recently recognized for patient safety.

The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) recognized 21 Pennsylvania hospitals “for their stellar performance ensuring patients’ safety,” according to a release. “The Excellence in Patient Safety Recognition program honors Pennsylvania’s top-performing hospitals that have demonstrated low rates of health care-associated infections.”

The infections in question include “central line-associated bloodstream infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and Clostridioides difficile infections,” according to the release. “HAP identifies top-performing hospitals using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Healthcare Safety Network.”

The 2022 honorees are based on performance in 2021.

“We are proud of the care team’s efforts in maintaining a safe patient environment,” WGH Chief Nursing Officer Joe Akif said. “During the last three years, despite the pandemic and all of the challenges hospitals have faced, our patient care team has created an environment that minimizes hospital acquired infections.”

“We are proud to have had no infections in the majority of the categories in the last five years and improvement in the one category that has been positive,” Akif said. “I believe that this a source of pride for the patient care team.”

While the patient care team may get the immediate kudos, the whole staff plays a role and gets credit the achievements.

“The hospital has Key Performance Indicators that are monitored and reviewed monthly,” he said. “They consist of eight initiatives that each department monitors, with the result contributing to the overall success of Hospital indicators. Quality is one of the eight categories.”

“This effort includes every employee in the organization at all departmental levels,” he said.

“HAP is proud to recognize the hospital teams and leaders who demonstrated extraordinary work to protect patient safety — even as they were strained by the COVID-19 pandemic and a historic health care workforce crisis,” HAP President and CEO Andy Carter said. “These talented teams exemplify the commitment that all health care professionals make to ensuring patients receive safe and high-quality care.”