Grace Medical Center Patient Affairs

At Grace Medical Center, nothing is more important to us than providing quality care for our patients in a safe and nurturing environment. It is our reason for being. In every encounter with every patient at Grace Medical Center, our focus is on achieving the highest level of clinical quality and safety.

We are proud of our staff for the compassionate and personalized care they provide. Ultimately, however, we know that it is the quality of care and a safe environment that best serves our patients and our community. That is why everything we do is driven by our commitment to quality and safety.

Our standards for clinical quality flow from the evidence-based best practices of medical facilities nationwide. These best-practice guidelines are designed to minimize variation in our clinical processes and improve outcomes for our patients.

Working in conjunction with our administration and board, we set yearly patient safety goals and create plans at both the LifeBridge Health corporate and local levels to meet or exceed these goals. But reaching our performance goals is not an end in itself; we do this because of our unwavering commitment to providing the highest-quality service and safest possible environment for our patients and visitors.

Certified Quality

Grace Medical Center is accredited by The Joint Commission, an independent, not-for-profit organization that is among the most prominent accrediting bodies in the health care industry.

Our most recent on-site survey by The Joint Commission occurred in 2019. During the two- and half-day visit, a team consisting of a nurse, an admin, an engineer and a physician surveyor conducted a thorough examination of our facility, our records and our practices, and interviewed several medical center staff members. As a result of that visit, we received the organization’s maximum three-year accreditation.

Safety Tips and Tools for Patients and Families

As our patient, you are the most important member of the healthcare system, we all work together to make your care safe. Here is how you can participate:

• Ask questions.
• Ask a trusted family member or friend to be your advocate.
• If you don't understand something, ask again. Also, speak up if something doesn't seem right.
• Review instructions with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. You can say, "I want to make sure I know how to care for myself at home."
• Repeat the instructions given to you as you understood them.

For your safety, you will be asked your name, your date of birth, what brought you here, what procedure you are having, and what site is being operated on multiple times during your stay and before your surgery or procedure.

What you can do to help

Pre-Procedure Checklist

• Bring an up-to-date list of all medication you take with you to the hospital. The list should include all over the counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins and dietary supplements you take.
• Do NOT shave near your surgical site. Shaving can cause irritation, which may contribute to infection.
• Make sure your care providers are asking your name, date of birth. Please speak up if someone forgets to ask you.

Preventing Infection: Handwashing

To protect yourself and your family, especially during cold and flu season, use soap and water or hand sanitizer. Below are the steps you should take when washing your hands with:

Soap:

• Turn on water to a lukewarm temperature.
• Hot water is not recommended as it dries the skin and increases the risk for contact dermatitis.
• Rings, watches and other hand jewelry should be removed.
• Wet hands with running water and apply soap and spread over all surfaces of the hands.
• Hold hands and forearms lower than the elbows during the procedure.
• Wash hands and wrists vigorously for at least 15 or more seconds, paying particular attention to areas between fingers, thumbs and around and under fingernails.
• Rinse hands thoroughly under running water to remove soap.
• Pat dry hands thoroughly with paper towel.
• Use paper towel to turn off faucet to avoid re-contaminating the hands.
• Discard towel in a regular trash can.

Waterless Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer:

• Apply to intact, dry hands that are free of visible debris and/or organic matter.
• Apply sufficient amount into palms to cover all surfaces of hands, fingers and thumb thoroughly.
• Rub hands together, covering the entire surface of the hands and fingers, including nails until dry.
• Allow the alcohol to totally evaporate from the skin to maximize effectiveness and decrease irritation.
• Do not wipe off with a paper towel or rinse off with water or fan the hands to speed drying.
• If there is no running water, remove visible soil with a wipe, then use the alcohol-based hand rub.