During his annual presentation before the hospital board in the fall, Warren General Hospital CEO Rick Allen highlighted awards, both received and given, by the hospital in the previous year.

AWARDS RECEIVED

Allen noted the hospital received the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania’s Optimal Operations award in May. It was one of 12 organizations recognized out of 82 nominees.

The hospital was recognized for a financial turn-around that preserved access to healthcare in a rural community.

“I am very proud of the board, management, and all 642 staff at Warren General Hospital and Warren Medical Group,” Allen said at the time. “We have achieved much success since I arrived back in Warren in December 2014 culminating with this ‘optimal operations’ award.”

He also highlighted WGH receiving the association’s patient safety award in January. The hospital was one of 21 in the state honored with the award.

HAP recognized the hospitals “for their stellar performance ensuring patients’ safety,” according to a release on the award. “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.”

AWARDS GIVEN

Allen also recognized recipients of DAISY and BEE awards throughout the year.

DAISY award winners included Emily Colvin, Kathy Kesterholt, Kerri Sturdevant and Jennifer Larson.

DAISY awards are given to registered nurses nominated by patients, their families or colleagues for exceptional care. A committee at WGH determines whether a nominee will receive the award.

The hospital is a participant in the DAISY Foundation award program. The nonprofit DAISY Foundation was created in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died in 1999 from auto-immune disease; and was inspired by the care Barnes received from nurses during his illness. The name is an acronym for diseases attacking the immune system.

BEE award winners were recognized as well.

BEE awards winners included Mary Posker, Dominic Dell, Joe Horner and David Lemay.

The award honors hospital employees that are not licensed nurses. Nominations may be made by patients, their families or coworkers. Recipients are chosen by a WGH committee. The name is an acronym for Be Exceptional Every day.