VHA Connecting members. Delivering results.Congratulations to Community Hospital Anderson and The Indiana Heart Hospital for being selected to receive 2008 Leadership Awards for Clinical Excellence from VHA Inc., a national health care alliance based in Irving, Texas.

Community Anderson and The Indiana Heart Hospital were recognized at the VHA Leadership Awards Recognition Banquet on Sunday, May 4, at the 2008 VHA Leadership Conference in Philadelphia.

  • Community Anderson received an award for Clinical Excellence for Acute Myocardial Infarction Care
  • TIHH received awards for Clinical Excellence for Congestive Heart Failure Care and Surgical Care

See how Community Health Network compares! See Community Health Network's quality indicator data for heart attack, congestive heart failure and pneumonia care at www.eCommunity.com/qualityThe 2008 VHA Leadership Award for Clinical Excellence honors VHA member organizations that have distinguished themselves by meeting or exceeding national performance standards in specific clinical activities. To be selected for a Clinical Excellence award an organization’s composite score must be in the top 10 percent for at least the core measure category beginning third quarter 2006 through fourth quarter 2007. All information was based on data from the Joint Commission. VHA serves more than 1,400 not-for-profit hospitals nationwide.

Community Anderson: Acute Myocardial Infarction Care

See how Community Health Network compares for heart attack care >>

Community Anderson is one of 16 VHA member hospitals nationwide to receive a 2008 Leadership Award for excellence in treating heart attack patients.

For heart attacks, best practice standards include:

  • Aspirin prescribed at time of patient’s arrival
  • Aspirin prescribed at time of patient’s discharge
  • ACE inhibitors or beta blocker administration for left ventricular systolic dysfunction
  • Adult smoking cessation advice/counseling provided to patient prior to discharge
  • Beta blocker prescribed at time of patient’s arrival
  • Beta blocker prescribed at time of patient’s discharge
  • Amount of time until thrombolysis administered
  • Amount of time until PCI administered

"At Community Hospital Anderson and throughout Community Health Network, we treat common health care problems uncommonly well, always focusing on quality and safety, which leads to better outcomes for our patients." says Bill VanNess, M.D., president and CEO of Community Hospital Anderson. "We are proud to be recognized for these high standards and to provide exceptional health care in Madison County and across Central Indiana."

TIHH: Congestive Heart Failure Care

See how Community Health Network compares for congestive heart failure care >>

TIHH is one of 20 VHA member hospitals nationwide to receive a 2008 Leadership Award for excellence in treating congestive heart failure. The best practice standards for treating congestive heart failure include:

  • ACE inhibitors or beta blocker administration for left ventricular systolic dysfunction Detailed discharge instructions provided to patient
  • Left ventricular function assessment performed on patient
  • Adult smoking cessation advice/counseling provided to patient prior to discharge

"Our participation in VHA helps us achieve a higher level of performance both operationally and clinically, and we are pleased to receive recognition from VHA for our work in cardiac care," says Tom Malasto, president of TIHH.

Surgical care

TIHH is one of 13 hospitals nationwide to receive a 2008 Leadership Award for surgical care. These steps toward quality include:

  • Administering antibiotic within one hour prior to surgical incision
  • Selecting appropriate antibiotic for surgery patients
  • Discontinuing antibiotic administration within 24-hours after surgery (within 48 hours for cardiovascular procedures)

"The award validates the dedicated focus of our clinical staff and physicians to pursuing excellence in the care provided to our surgical patients," Malasto says. "Preventing infections following surgery is a key objective of our surgical team. To ensure the proper outcome, our staff focuses on national indicators of quality."