SALINAS, CA — America’s Essential Hospitals (formerly the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems) has announced its 2013 Larry Gage Awards for quality-of-care improvements. These national awards were given out in June at the organization’s annual conference in Hollywood, Fla. 

Jane Finney, NMC’s Director of Quality Services, was on hand to accept the award and national recognition for the “Know Your Physician” program.

“Knowing your physician is a very big deal in this age of ‘hospitalists,’ and in teaching hospitals where the physician may be changing every 8 or 12 hours of the day or night,” explains Natividad Medical Center CEO Harry Weis. “We are proud of all of our NMC team members who make us a better and safer healthcare provider for all of our residents.”

The “Know Your Physician” program was developed by a multidisciplinary team at the hospital.  It is a communication improvement program developed to ensure that every caregiver on the medical/surgical floor knows the roles and responsibilities of each attending physician and resident as well as their patient assignments and call schedules. The new program includes well-defined physician roles and responsibilities, a master call schedule, and assignment tool.

In presenting the award, the organization noted that NMC’s patient satisfaction scores, as reported through the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS), have improved since the creation of the “Know Your Physician” program.  

About Natividad Medical Center

Based in Salinas, Calif., Natividad Medical Center is a 172-bed, acute-care hospital providing health-care services to the Monterey County residents for more than 127 years. Owned and operated by the county, NMC offers inpatient, outpatient, emergency, diagnostic and specialty medical care. NMC provides more than 34,000 patient days each year and more than 47,000 emergency department visits per year. NMC is ranked No. 1 in newborn deliveries in Monterey County. It is the only teaching hospital on the Central Coast, through its affiliation with the University of California, San Francisco. With a medical staff of more than 228 physicians, Natividad’s mission is to continually improve the health status of county residents through access to affordable, high-quality health-care services. For more information, please call 831-755-4111 or visit https://www.natividad.com.

About America’s Essential Hospitals (formerly the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems)

America’s Essential Hospitals represents the nation’s safety-net hospitals and health systems, which provide high volumes of care to low-income individuals. These facilities offer high-quality health services for all patients, including the uninsured and underinsured, regardless of ability to pay. In addition to helping ensure access to health care for all Americans, safety-net hospitals provide many essential communitywide services, such as primary care, trauma care, and neonatal intensive care. Safety-net hospitals also train many of America’s doctors, nurses, and other health-care providers. Since its inception in 1980, America’s Essential Hospitals has cultivated a strong presence on Capitol Hill, with the executive branch, and in many state capitals. America’s Essential Hospitals advocates on behalf of its members on such issues as Medicaid, Medicare, and access to health-care services for vulnerable populations. For more information, visit http://www.naph.org.