SCHA Celebrates 2022 Certified Zero Harm Award Winners
SC Hospitals Advance Patient Safety on Their Journey to Zero Harm
(Columbia, South Carolina –November 7, 2022)
The South Carolina Hospital Association (SCHA) is proud to announce that 60 SC hospitals collectively won 295 Certified Zero Harm Awards for demonstrating a relentless commitment to clinical safety in 2022. As hospitals continue to recover from the pandemic that severely impacted workforce levels and supply chains, these results illustrate the extraordinary strides the state’s hospitals are making to improve the quality of care in South Carolina, even in the most trying of times.
The program also recognizes hospitals with the Drive to Zero Harm Suicide Award. Given in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, this award recognizes facilities that are embracing Zero Harm through the adoption of specific Zero Suicide strategies, from policy and screening enhancements to better data tracking and developing formal relationships with community mental health centers. Last year, 20 hospitals were recognized in the inaugural year of the Drive to Zero Harm Suicide program, and we are proud to announce a 50% increase in award winners with 30 hospitals receiving the distinguished designation in 2022.
The clinical-focused Certified Zero Harm Awards remains a unique statewide program thanks to SCHA’s collaboration with the South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control (DHEC), who independently validates the hospital data. The program is also sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, which helps support the work and recognize hospitals for their clinical achievements. These awards are based on real healthcare outcomes in South Carolina, demonstrating that patient safety and highly reliable care are cornerstones of the state’s hospital community. Learn more about the program here.
“The Zero Harm program is a significant tool for advancing high-quality healthcare and a culture of safety in the state’s hospitals,” says Karen Reynolds, Executive Director of Innovation and Acceleration at SCHA. “South Carolina has developed a blueprint for reducing avoidable harm in our healthcare facilities by encouraging hospitals to develop a network for communicating and sharing best practices.”
The Zero Harm program began in 2014 to recognize hospitals that are on the forefront of preventing medical errors, which is a leading cause of death in the United States. Thanks to support from BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, the state’s hospitals and health systems have engaged in numerous statewide efforts to create a culture of high reliability and reduce harm in our facilities by implementing robust, evidence-based practices that are making a positive impact on patients and the safety and quality of care.
For a full list of this year’s award winners, click here.
###
About the South Carolina Hospital Association
SCHA is committed to making South Carolina one of the nation’s healthiest states by helping our hospitals and health systems provide the best care possible. We advocate for sound healthcare policies and legislation, facilitate collaboration to tackle problems that none of us could solve alone, find and share innovations and best practices, and provide data, education, and business solutions to help our members better serve their patients and communities. Together, we are leading South Carolina to a better state of health. Learn more about SCHA at www.scha.org.