Dayton-Medical.com

Improving patient safety was a key factor to the University Hospital Rapid Response Team receiving a certificate of achievement.

The recognition was given at the third learning session of the Academic Rapid Response Collaborative Dec. 7 in Baltimore, sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the Delmarva Foundation for Medical Care.

The award recognizes innovative and inspirational practices. It was based on votes from hospitals such as Baylor University Medical Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Albert Einstein Healthcare Network and University of Michigan Medical Center.

The response team was formed in 2005 to try to avert cardiopulmonary arrests.

Mary Clare Hill, chair and founder of the hospital’s Rapid Response Team, said research shows that quickly identifying and treating patients with early signs of a cardiac arrest significantly improves outcomes.

In one year, University Hospital’s team has decreased the number of cardiac arrests that occur outside of the Intensive Care Unit by 50 percent, Hill said.

She said the team has also been a catalyst for improved diabetes recognition and management and other quality improvement initiatives.

“It has been shown that patients in non-ICU beds who suffer arrests have a worse outcome than similar patients in ICU beds,'’ Hill said. “Therefore, if a patient who is deteriorating and exhibiting these signs can be identified early and either treated or moved to an ICU, the chances of a good outcome for that patient are significantly improved.'’

The Rapid Response Team consists of the patient’s primary nurse, nursing supervisor, ICU nurse, respiratory therapist and resident or attending physician.

GIFTS FOR THE CHILDREN

A truck loaded with 330 gifts arrived at St. Joseph Orphanage’s Care Case Management Center in Hamilton last week for the children served by the agency.

Santa Claus was ProSource, a provider of document imaging and document management solutions in the Cincinnati and Dayton area.

ProSource, named Small Business of the Year by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber of Commerce in 2006, adopted St. Joseph Orphanage this season.

Ben Russert, president and owner of ProSource, said the company wants to extend its generosity to the community.

“We recognize and accept the responsibility to be active citizens for the greater good, and we are very proud of the benevolent generosity of our employees,'’ Russert said.

The company filled a bag at its Blue Ash office for 110 children, ages 3 to 18, who are served by St. Joseph Orphanage.

Pure Concepts Salons joined ProSource and filled bags for 40 children at its Kenwood and Deerfield Township offices.

St. Joseph is a comprehensive children’s mental health, educational and residential treatment agency that helps abused, and emotionally disturbed children and their families.

NEW TOWNHOMES IN EVANSTON

The first new major housing development in more than 50 years is going up in Evanston, a joint partnership between the Avondale Redevelopment Corp. and the Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation.

The development is called Jonathan Meadows Townhomes on Jonathan Avenue, near Walnut Hills High School and Xavier University and five minutes from Interstate 71.

There will be 22 townhomes, each 2,000 square feet.

Source