Each project is touching the lives of patients and their families. Many providers have shared touching patient stories with us, and now we want to share them with you! Take a look at the stories we have received, and be sure to send us more as you impact the lives of so many people! Click here to see Patient Impacts.
As the projects progress through their different implementation phases check back here regularly for updates on their progress. Click on RHP 9 Performance Updates for the most recent updates.
2020:
Parkland Health & Hospital System:
Parkland Health & Hospital System receives Honorable Mention for the 2020 Award for Quality in the 2020 Gage Awards from America’s Essential Hospitals:
Improved Access to Penicillin Allergy Testing Impacts Quality of Care
Click here to see the video
Although penicillin allergy is the most reported drug allergy nationwide, approximately 90 percent of history-positive patients actually tolerate penicillin. Patients who report a penicillin allergy receive higher doses of other antibiotics and have higher health care–associated infection rates. Through a section 1115 Medicaid waiver, Parkland trained pharmacists to work with allergists to conduct penicillin allergy testing. In four years, Parkland tested 961 patients compared with 22 patients the four years prior; of these patients, 92.5 percent were allergy free.
“This program provides an innovative and easy-to-implement approach to improve patient safety and lower costs,” said Fred Cerise, MD, MPH, president and CEO of Parkland Health & Hospital System. “Beyond its impact at Parkland, the program is an important contribution for the entire health care sector searching for strategies to reduce antibiotic resistance. We are proud to see this work recognized by the Gage Awards.”
Summary (by America’s Essential Hospitals)( https://essentialhospitals.org/general/hospital-association-honors-four-members-quality-improvement-population-health/
Denton County Health Department:
Denton County Public Health (DCPH) has received recognition from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Model Practice Program as a 2020 National Promising Practice. NACCHO selected DCPH's Diabetes Education and Case Management (DECM) program as a promising practice and has recognized the DECM's team at the 2020 NACCHO Annual Conference virtually July 7-9, 2020. https://www.taccho.org/Home . The designation of this program as a Promising Practice means that it demonstrates exemplary and replicable qualities in response to a local public health need. The program reflects a strong local health department role, collaboration, and innovation. The application went through a vigorous peer-evaluation process over several months by NACCHO’s Workgroup members. This program has also been featured in American Nurse , the official, clinically and career-focused journal of the American Nurses Association: https://www.myamericannurse.com/how-denton-county-is-addressing-the-diabetes-epidemic/. Click here to learn more about Denton County Public Health’s Diabetes Education and Case Management program.
