www.advocateanddemocrat.com/story/16246 -
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Published on: 12/19/2008
Last Visited: 1/16/2009
SHA's Home Health Director Karen Clark, RN, is proud of the staff and effort put forth to garner such a high ranking.
She is particularly proud of the organization's consistently high ranking in all 12 categories.
The rates were based on episodes of care from April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008.
"We put a lot into this," she said.
"When you are good in all 12 you are doing very well."
The areas of measurement include: percentage of patients who get better at walking or moving around, percentage of patients who get better at getting in and out of bed, percentage of patients whose bladder control improves, percentage of patients admitted to the hospital as well as other areas.
SHA's Home Health was established in 1983.
Twenty-five employees work hard to service an average of 80 to 100 home health patients a month in five counties (Monroe, McMinn, Meigs, Loudon and Roane), Clark said.
She said there are several keys to Sweetwater Home Health's success, including assessing the patient's needs right off the bat.
"When a patient calls, we actually make a home visit," Clark said.
The home health center has a nurse dedicated to overseeing the day-to-day services for patients providing consistent care, all under the leadership of Medical Director Dr. Thomas Evans, Clark said.