St. Patrick’s Home for the Aged Enhances Quality by Implementing Tailored, Online Staff Training Program

Collaboration with Medline leads to 100 percent staff completion and
proficiency in less than one year

NORTHFIELD, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In the current healthcare landscape of fee for value, acute care
referral partners are expecting two critical elements from nursing
homes: superior quality and reduced hospital readmission rates. As
nursing home administrators navigate their way through new regulations,
changing demography of the long-term care market and complex resident
needs, well-rounded staff education is critical to improving care and
preventing unnecessary hospitalizations.

But nursing home staff cannot do it alone. They must partner with
resources that can help them remain competitive and effective. So when a
local hospital asked St.
Patrick’s Home for the Aged in New York about its use of quality
improvement programs, the nursing home turned to its partner Medline
to learn more about its exclusive INTERACT
eCurriculum education program. In less than a year, this Bronx-based
facility achieved 100 percent completion from housekeeping and
rehabilitation staff to CNAs, nurses, administrators and medical
director. In recognition of this achievement, St. Patrick’s was awarded
Medline’s INTERACT eCurriculum facility certificate of completion.

“Our residents are like family and we don’t want to send anyone
unnecessarily to emergency rooms,” says Joan Deignan, staff educator,
St. Patrick’s Home for the Aged. “The role-specific modules were a
natural fit with our mission to bring compassion, interest and care to
everything we do. Medline helped us every step of the way so we can
continue delivering high quality, person-centered care.”

Overcoming Obstacles

According to Nursing Home Compare data, the percentage of short-stay
residents being readmitted to a hospital from St. Patrick’s is below
state and national levels. Yet, the facility made program implementation
a priority to drive even greater results. The online training provided a
flexible learning environment for nearly 400 employees in
round-the-clock shifts. Teams also worked closely with Medline to
establish champions, coordinate timelines and analyze training and
proficiency reports to keep staff aware of areas of progress and
improvement.

“Quality improvement must be a team effort and getting an entire
facility fully trained is a significant accomplishment,” says Shawn
Scott, senior vice president, corporate sales, Medline. “It speaks
to St. Patrick’s dedication to residents, family and staff and
demonstrates they are a viable referral partner.”

“For anyone having contact with residents, I’ve seen a greater sense of
observation and curiosity when it comes to identifying changes,” says
Lurline Ferdinand, director of nursing, St. Patrick’s Home for the Aged.
“The eCurriculum
has also sparked more engaged and empowered staff and even stronger
relationships with those they care for.”

Commitment to Quality

St. Patrick’s is a member of The
Carmelite System. After realizing the impact of the tailored
eCurriculum, the organization is now working on plans for all of its
facilities across the country to achieve 100 percent completion. This
achievement not only provides proof of INTERACT proficiency for state
surveyors and acute-care partners, each staff member also receives
certification for each module completed. In addition, it is a
differentiator for facilities in the competitive, post-acute care market
and helps emphasize to their acute care referring partners their
commitment to high quality staff education.

Learn more about ways to improve quality of care and survey results by
visiting www.medline.com/INTERACT.
Check out “The Voices of Healthcare” blog for more ways to market to
referral partner at http://mkt.medline.com/advancing-blog/tips-and-best-practices-for-successful-marketing-to-referral-partners/.

About Medline

Medline
is a global manufacturer and distributor serving the healthcare industry
with medical supplies and clinical solutions that help customers achieve
both clinical and financial success. Headquartered in Northfield, Ill.,
the company offers 350,000+ medical devices and support services through
more than 1,200 direct sales representatives who are dedicated points of
contact for customers across the continuum of care. For more information
on Medline, go to www.medline.com
or http://www.medline.com/social-media
to connect with Medline on its social media channels.

Contacts

Medline
Vivika Panagiotakakos, (847) 643-3311
vpanagiotakakos@medline.com