Hospitals in pursuit of excellence

Safety Net for Critical Care

Careful planning and multidisciplinary teamwork were keys for Bethesda Hospital, a 140-bed long-term acute care hospital (LTACH) in St. Paul, MN, as it converted from an acute care inpatient facility. Part of the HealthEast Care System, Bethesda serves as a safety net for post-ICU patients throughout Minnesota, according to Rahul Koranne, M.D., medical director. Hospitalists and multiple specialists provide care at daily rounds and 24/7 coverage. Physician leaders work closely with executives to implement strategic quality initiatives. Bethesda also has developed intensive educational programs for physicians and nurses to ensure they have the skills to treat complex patients. As a result, in 2010 Bethesda exceeded its performance targets. The ventilator weaning rate increased to 76 percent, ventilator-associated pneumonia decreased to 0.33 per 1,000 vent days, and central line-associated blood stream infections decreased to 0.75 per 1,000 central line days. Dashboard data is posted in every unit, along with comparisons to national benchmarks. This LTACH also has forged partnerships with short-term acute care hospitals to improve patient transfers and with home health providers and skilled nursing facilities for post-discharge follow-up care. For more information, contact Dr. Koranne at rkoranne@healtheast.org.