As community hospitals struggle with financial viability and consider cost cuts, Chicago-based Saint Anthony Hospital, a 151-bed hospital that provides care for some of the city's most underserved communities, is keeping high quality patient care at its core.
The Illinois Health and Hospital Association recently recognized the hospital, which serves patients in Chicago's south and west side areas, for its quality improvement project. The project saved the hospital approximately half a million dollars in costs and contributed to a 90-percent decrease in hospital-acquired infection rates.
"During fiscal year 2017, we were able to make a 10-percent revenue improvement during the most challenging reimbursement year-to-date," said Guy A. Medaglia, president and CEO of Saint Anthony Hospital. "We instilled a necessary culture of change and looked for efficiencies across the entire organization."
Saint Anthony also earned its Perinatal Care Certification from The Joint Commission, making it the first Illinois hospital to be recognized for its commitment to patient-centered care for mothers and their newborns. The hospital continues to have the lowest C-section rate in Chicago.
To improve access to specialized patient services, Saint Anthony partnered with Chicago-based Northwestern Memorial Hospital, UI Health and the University of Chicago Medicine for service lines ranging from pediatric specialties to on-site neurology care.
"With more financial challenges on the horizon for community hospitals like Saint Anthony, it is important to remain focused on high levels of care and successful patient outcomes," said Eden Takhsh, MD, vice president and chief quality officer at Saint Anthony.