Hospital highlights-Hospital association honors WHMC

The Best Hands on Care Award for 2010 was presented to Whitman Hospital by the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) at its annual meeting in Seattle recently. The award recognizes the staff’s dedication to stopping the spread of infection by strictly observing hand washing guidelines.

“When patients come to us, they can trust us to do everything possible to prevent infection,” said Dorcy Chenard, WHMC Infection Prevention Officer.

“This award demonstrates one of our hospital’s core values – trustworthiness,” she added.

Studies have shown that for every inpatient there should be 72 staff hand-washing events per day. WSHA monitors this by the amount of hand cleanser used. For all hospitals that meet or exceed this amount, WSHA validates the staff’s actions by conducting a no-notice visit to observe and question staff members.

David E. Womack, CEO

WHMC