The University of Maryland Shore Medical Centers at Chestertown, Dorchester and Easton are part of a group that received a prestigious national award from the American Hospital Association (AHA) in December, 2014.
AHA selected the Maryland TPR Collaborative, which includes 10 hospitals in predominantly rural regions of the state, to receive the 2014 Carolyn Boone Lewis Living the Vision Award. This award recognizes institutions or individuals living the AHA’s vision of a society of healthy communities where all individuals reach their highest potential for health. Hospitals must be nominated by others in the health care field in order to be considered for this award.
Maryland TPR Collaborative includes all hospitals involved in the Maryland Total Patient Revenue Project, which is a fixed revenue system that encourages hospitals to focus on decreasing unnecessary hospitalizations and readmissions. In addition to the three UM Shore Regional Health medical centers, the Collaborative includes hospitals in Calvert, Carroll, Cecil, Garrett, Washington and Worcester counties.
“One aspect shared by all hospitals in the TPR Collaborative is that we are the sole providers in our respective areas,” explains JoAnne Hahey, chief financial officer for UM Shore Regional Health. “The Collaborative was formed to help us reshape our approach to health care. Members share best practices and data, and work together to improve population health and reduce the need for acute care.”
Successful strategies implemented by UM Shore Medical Centers and other TPR Collaborative hospitals include:
- creating partnerships with physicians, pharmacists and community groups;
- adding primary care practices where vulnerable patients reside;
- developing clinics for high-risk patients;
- expanding home care and community resources;
- focusing on appropriateness of admissions;
- improving discharge procedures and follow-up;
- increasing health and wellness activities; and,
- partnering with urgent care centers and increasing collaboration with federally qualified health centers (FQHCs)
“We are proud that our hospitals are among those to receive this national award,” says Ken Kozel, president and CEO of UM Shore Regional Health. “The TPR Collaborative has made very significant contributions to the advancement of health care in Maryland. It is really gratifying to see that smaller hospitals in rural communities can play a leadership role in the national healthcare arena.”
Mary Wood says
Is the former Kent and Queen Anne’s County Hospital in Chestertown really serving the neighborhood when it has eliminated Maternity and Pediatric care?