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Hallmark Health System recognized with prestigious Magnet® recognition

April 23, 2014 – Hallmark Health System, which includes Lawrence Memorial Hospital of Medford and Melrose-Wakefield Hospital, has achieved Magnet® recognition as a reflection of its nursing professionalism, teamwork and superiority in patient care. Only eight hospitals in the state, and less than 7 percent of hospitals in the United States, have Magnet recognition. Hallmark Health System is the only system in New England to receive this recognition.

 

“I am very proud that our organization has received Magnet recognition,” said Michael V. Sack, president and chief executive officer of Hallmark Health System. “Our staff worked tirelessly and diligently to bring our organization to this high level of excellence for our communities. To be a part of such an elite group of hospitals across the country is a true honor.”

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Magnet recognition is determined by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®, which ensures that rigorous standards for nursing excellence are met. With this credential, Hallmark Health System joins the Magnet community, a select group of 401 health care organizations out of nearly 6,000 U.S. health care organizations.

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The Magnet appraisers and commission reported that it was clear from the “board room to the bedside” that Hallmark Health System has set a vision and focus on quality and safety. They applauded Hallmark Health System for being a role model for other Magnet hospitals in the following areas:

 

·        Hospital programs dedicated to helping newly licensed nurses successfully transition to specialty areas of practice including the residency programs in Maternal-Newborn Services, Emergency Departments and the Medical-Surgical Telemetry Float Team.

·        The hospital’s commitment to providing programs and services that serve the health care needs of our communities.

·        The extensive use of research by nurses at all levels, noting that a culture of clinical inquiry is evident throughout the system.

 

“Magnet recognition provides our community with the ultimate benchmark to measure the quality of patient care,” said Judy Thorpe, MS, RN, NE-BC, interim chief nursing officer for Hallmark Health System. “Achieving Magnet recognition reinforces the culture of excellence that is a cornerstone of how we serve our community. It’s also the tangible evidence of our nurses’ commitment to providing the very best care to you, our patients, of which we are extremely proud.”

 

Magnet recognition has become the gold standard for nursing excellence and is taken into consideration when the public judges health care organizations. In fact, U.S. News & World Report’s annual showcase of “America’s Best Hospitals” includes Magnet recognition in its ranking criteria for quality of inpatient care.

 

To achieve Magnet recognition, organizations must pass a rigorous and lengthy process that demands widespread participation from leadership and staff. The process begins with the submission of an electronic application, followed by written documentation demonstrating qualitative and quantitative evidence regarding patient care and outcomes. If scores from the written documentation fall within a range of excellence, an onsite visit will occur to thoroughly assess the applicant. After this rigorous onsite review process, the Commission on Magnet reviews the completed appraisal report and vote to determine whether Magnet recognition will be granted. Hallmark Health’s designation was achieved with a unanimous vote of approval by the Commission.

 

In particular, the Magnet Model is designed to provide a framework for nursing practice, research and measurement of outcomes. Through this framework, ANCC can assess applicants across a number of components and dimensions to gauge an organization’s nursing excellence. The foundation of this model is composed of various elements deemed essential to delivering superior patient care. These include the quality of nursing leadership and coordination and collaboration across specialties, as well as processes for measuring and improving the quality and delivery of care.

 

Magnet recognition has been shown to provide specific benefits to hospitals and their communities, such as:

·        Higher patient satisfaction with nurse communication, availability of help and receipt of discharge information

·        Lower risk of 30 day mortality and lower failure to rescue

·        Higher job satisfaction among nurses

·        Lower nurse reports of intentions to leave position

 

For more information about HHS, visit www.hallmarkhealth.org or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/hallmarkhealth.

 

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Hallmark Health System is the premier, charitable provider of vital health services to Boston's northern communities. The system includes Lawrence Memorial Hospital of Medford; Melrose Wakefield Hospital, Melrose; Hallmark Health Hematology and Oncology Center, Stoneham; The CHEM Center for MRI, Stoneham; Hallmark Health Medical Center, Reading; Hallmark Health VNA and Hospice; Lawrence Memorial/Regis College Nursing and Radiography Programs, Medford and Hallmark Health Medical Associates, Inc. Hallmark Health is a Magnet® recognized health system and is affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital for cardiology, Tufts Medical Center for neonatology and the Joslin Diabetes Center for diabetes care.

 

About the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®

The Magnet Recognition Program® administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the largest and most prominent nurses credentialing organization in the world, recognizes healthcare organizations that provide the very best in nursing care and professionalism in nursing practice. The Magnet Recognition Program serves as the gold standard for nursing excellence and provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark for measuring quality of care. For more information about the Magnet Recognition Program and current statistics, visit www.nursescredentialing.org/magnet.



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