GMC Chosen as a Leader
Launch the media gallery 1 playerHealthcare is changing and the Kansas Foundation for Medical Care (KFMC) has recognized Girard Medical Center as one of the Kansas Critical Access Hospitals leading the way in best practices when inpatient quality reporting (IQR) is compared. By incorporating the best-practice medicine and empowering the patient to be part of that care, KFMC stated “Girard Medical Center is leading the way and sharing successful strategies with other facilities within the state. Thus, improving care for all Kansans.”
The Hospital IQR Program is intended to equip consumers with quality of care information to make more informed decisions about healthcare options. It is also intended to encourage hospitals and clinicians to improve the quality of inpatient care provided to all patients. Girard Medical Center volunteers to participate in this program.
GMC’s scores on all measures are favorable compared to state and national averages (to see them visit medicare.gov/hospitalcompare) and the hospital is especially proud of its “overall arrival to departure time” in the Emergency Department which is 40% better than the national average.
A Critical Access Hospital is a hospital certified to receive cost-based reimbursement from Medicare.This benefits the hospital because many expenses of providing healthcare to Medicare recipients in a rural area are covered.This designation is also of great value to the communities and patients served.
Since Girard Medical Center became a Critical Access Hospital in 2005, it has fully complied with Medicare Conditions of Participation regulations.A review of services provided include (but are not limited to):
- Working with KFMC on Hospital Quality Indicators --This is an ideal way to benchmark quality, financial and employee information against other Critical Access Hospitals across the country and continue to strive to improve.
- Service Excellence -- Girard Medical Center’s patient surveys use the HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) format, as required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.Girard Medical Center was above the state and national average on all measures as reported on www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov.
- Community Outreach – Outreach is a vital part of Girard Medical Center. Some things Girard Medical Center has provided and participated in this past year include (but aren’t limited to):
- Introduced various different school children (at area schools and the hospital) to the medical world and healthy practices
- Provided 346 free sports physicals to school children in Arma, Frontenac, Cherokee and Girard
- Provided several CPR and First Aid Classes
- Provided flu shots to area community members and business employees
- Checked blood pressures and body mass indices (BMIs) at the Crawford County Fair
- Participated in area Homecoming Parades and provided educational materials
- Students – Numerous Community College and University students and instructors visit Girard Medical Center as part of their clinical education. Several students also job-shadow Girard Medical Center staff. This is an excellent opportunity for these young adults to explore careers in the healthcare field.
“We are committed to not only providing exceptional service to our patients,” said Mike Payne, CEO of Girard Medical Center, “but to also be compassionate to those patients and their families who entrust us with their care.We are confident that patients will find here a full array of high quality services in a very caring atmosphere.”