Confluence Health earns state's top rural quality award

WENATCHEE — Confluence Health Hospital has received the Washington State Hospital Association's highest recognition for quality improvement, earning a Rural Hospital Achievement of Quality Excellence Gold Award for its work to improve patient safety and clinical care.

The association presented the award during its Rural Hospital Leadership Conference in Chelan on June 28.

The gold designation recognizes hospitals participating in the Washington State Healthcare Authority's Medicaid Quality Incentive Program that demonstrate exceptional performance in quality improvement. This year's evaluation focused on measures including fall prevention, sepsis care and opioid harm prevention.

According to Confluence Health, quality improvement efforts over the past year have included strengthening care for high-risk patients, expanding safety event reporting and follow-up, increasing multidisciplinary collaboration and continuing initiatives aimed at reducing preventable harm throughout the hospital.

"This recognition reflects the dedication of teams across our hospital who are constantly looking for ways to make care safer, more reliable, and more effective for our patients," said Dr. James Murray, chief physician executive for Confluence Health Hospital. "Quality is not a single project or initiative. It is the result of thousands of decisions, improvements, and acts of collaboration across our organization."

Hospitals receiving the recognition must participate in statewide quality data reporting through the Medicaid Quality Incentive Program, which is administered by the Washington State Hospital Association.

"We are incredibly proud of our Rural Hospital Achievement of Quality Excellence recipients," WSHA Senior Vice President of Clinical Excellence Darcy Jaffe said. "Everyone, no matter where they live in the state, should be able to access quality healthcare, and our members help make that possible."

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media