Kim Pardini-Kiely, director of quality improvement and patient safety, told physicians at the Nov. 15 Medical Staff Meeting about SHC’s upcoming flu season preparations [see related article]. She also reinforced that the Joint Commission is focused on medical staff accountability for both quality and physician competency. [See vice president’s column]. Pardini-Kiely also noted that a new National Patient Safety Goal for next year involves assessment of every patient at risk of suicide.

 

Bryan Bohman, vice president/president elect of the Medical Staff talks about governance. See Bohman's column.

And Mike Peterson, chief operating officer, noted that SHC’s new ambulatory surgery center is slated to open in January on the 3rd floor of the Compehensive Cancer Center. The new facility will include 12 operating rooms and three interventional radiology suites in a state-of-the-art design maximizing natural light. The ASC offers increased patient privacy, expanded dictation and consultation facilities for physicians, as well as equipment in each suite to broadcast surgeries worldwide for educational purposes.