During 2010 Suburban Hospital had the opportunity to further its commitment to safe medication practices and build on the success of other medicine/pharmacy initiatives by aligning a dedicated pharmacist with the hospitalist group (physicians who care for many of our hospitalized patients). Thanks to a $25,000 grant from Cardinal Health, this model program is improving medication reconciliation for a core group of patients who are discharged to long-term care.
Collaborating to Care for Haiti
In response to the earthquake devastation in Haiti, several Suburban Hospital emergency/trauma physicians and other critical care staff joined support teams from Johns Hopkins Medicine and other organizations to help provide on-site medical relief. Back home, hospital employees contributed more than $1,600 into a fund for the American Red Cross/Haiti Relief and Doctors Without Borders, while a plea for crutches, walkers, and other orthopedic splints resulted in more than 200 donations from the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rotary Club and other members of the community.Clinical Advances, many fueled by generous contributions and donor support, allowed Suburban Hospital to enhance the level and quality of care available to patients during 2010. Ongoing charitable investments in programs and people, cutting-edge technology, and innovative initiatives helped to make the difference between ordinary and extraordinary in several critical care areas. Meanwhile, other targeted and unrestricted dollars bolstered the services of well-established programs, helping them earn national recognition.
NIH Heart Center
Now in its 5th year of operation, the NIH Heart Center at Suburban Hospital is leading the region in cardiac surgery by continuing to surpass national quality outcomes. The strength of this program could not have been realized without the support of many generous donors whose funding during 2010 also supported enhancements in endovascular, vascular, and electrophysiology services. Ongoing funding of outreach services enabled the MobileMed/NIH Heart Clinic at Suburban Hospital to celebrate its 3rd anniversary of service to the community in conjunction with being named a finalist in the 2010 Hospital Charitable Service Awards, a national initiative to recognize best practice programs.For a comprehensive look at our Heart Center outcomes and to learn more about the future of cardiac surgery, check out our Heart Book online!
Emergency/Trauma Center
While an outpouring of community resources during 2010 primarily supported staff training and the acquisition of needed emergency department equipment, a single anonymous donor enabled Suburban Hospital to help equip county ambulances with LIFENET, a web-based technology that allows emergency responders to save critical time and lives by transmitting vital cardiac data directly to the hospital. Financial support from the federal government and other generous donors also continued to bolster Suburban Hospital's role in the Bethesda Hospitals' Emergency Preparedness Partnership and supported CMAX-10, a collaborative multiagency exercise designed to test the national model's readiness for regional disaster response.
Cancer Program
Generous funding from individual donors, organizations like the Sidney J. Malawer Memorial Foundation and the Ottenstein Center for Prostate Care, and events such as the Saks Fifth Avenue Key to the Cure™ continue to strengthen Suburban Hospital's oncology services, with significant emphasis on clinical expertise, research, prevention education, psychosocial support, and outreach. Together, these components enabled the Cancer Care Program to receive Accreditation with Commendation during 2010 – recognition awarded to fewer than 25 percent of hospitals across the nation.
Joint Replacement Center
Recognized as the largest program in Montgomery County and among the top 5 in Maryland, during 2010 Suburban Hospital's Joint Replacement Program also received the Blue Distinction designation from CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield. This award is reserved for organizations that have demonstrated their commitment to quality care, resulting in better overall outcomes for patients.
Click here to view a video about Suburban Hospital's Joint Replacement Center.