(OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. – April 20, 2009) The Joint Commission and the American Case Management Association (ACMA) today announced that Carolinas Medical Center (CMC) in Charlotte, North Carolina, is the winner of the 2009 Franklin Award of Distinction.
CMC is distinctive in their investment in staff through formalized mentoring programs, education and training, including online access to support materials. CMC’s 24-hour on-site care management services of both social work and clinical staff demonstrate further evidence of a strong commitment to patient care.
“The Clinical Care Management Department at Carolinas Medical Center offers a distinct shared governance model that includes policies, mentoring, research and certification requirements that address new, current and future staff development – which ensures the evolution of their care management,” says L. Greg Cunningham, CEO, ACMA. “Additionally, their executive support, the clinical care management department’s representation in decision making, and their management and staff accountability for outcomes substantiates the importance and influence of the clinical care management department in the organization.”
“The Joint Commission congratulates Carolinas Medical Center for demonstrating how effective case management can improve the quality of health care,” says Jean Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q., executive director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, The Joint Commission. ”Their use of data goes beyond outcomes, and is utilized to gain a better understanding of progression of care issues. Their initiatives improve and promote solutions to advance case management practices.”
A panel of national experts, including nurses, social workers and other health care
professionals identified by ACMA and The Joint Commission, carefully reviewed the nominations and selected CMC for the award. The organization was evaluated on its ability to demonstrate their commitment to a collaborative philosophy and an interdisciplinary process for case management.
“This is one of the most coveted awards of its type at the national level,” says Roger Ray, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Carolinas HealthCare System. “Barb DeSilva and the other members of our team work extremely hard to ensure that best practices in patient care are a part of our DNA. We know that positive outcomes happen when everyone who has a hand in patient care has an opportunity to get involved in case management. You always get better problem-solving and better results when cooperation and good communication are part of the daily routine.”
An on-site evaluation of CMC’s case management service model validated that the services met or exceeded the award’s criteria for excellence. Criteria included:
- The case management service demonstrates that practice is interdependent and not the function of one person or discipline;
- The service model demonstrates respect for distinct professional identities and skills;
- The practice of case management is the catalyst for stronger relationships to achieve the best care for patients and families;
- The practice of case management provides leadership, competence and expertise in the solution or resolution of identified problems;
- The case management service has evolved through evaluation and innovation;
- The patient care provided achieves clinical, operational and/or quality outcomes;
- Case management practice is validated by measurable and reportable outcomes; and
- Improved clinical outcomes are documented to the extent that improvement can be replicated in other hospitals or health systems.
The award is named for Benjamin Franklin, the co-founder of the first organized hospital in the United States. His personal character, integrity and credibility, as well as his reputation as an entrepreneur and inventor, represent the type of leadership and forward thinking that distinguish the hospitals or health systems recognized as Franklin Award recipients.
The ACMA and The Joint Commission formally presented the Franklin Award to Carolinas Medical Center on April 20 at the 16th annual National Institute for Case Management (NICM) Clinical Case Management Conference and 10th annual ACMA meeting in Boston, Massachusetts.
For more information, contact:
The Joint Commission – Ken Powers, 630-792-5175
ACMA – Randall Archer, 501-907-2262
Carolinas Medical Center – Raymond Jones, 704-355-3141