Teaching Hospital Earns National Award for Safety

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SAVANNAH – Memorial Health University Medical Center, one of the major teaching hospitals affiliated with Mercer University School of Medicine, has been ranked No. 23 in a Consumers Digest list of “50 Exceptional U.S. Hospitals.” The list, published in the April 2005 issue of the magazine, is derived from a nationwide survey conducted by The Leapfrog Group, an organization that works to promote “leaps” in safety, quality and affordability in healthcare. The list ranks hospitals based on their implementation of 27 proven quality and safety practices.

“One of the goals of Mercer University School of Medicine is to educate the next generation of physicians and health professionals to serve Georgia and to insure that Mercer graduates are highly competent and knowledgeable in the areas of patient safety and providing high-quality clinical care to their patients,” said Ann Jobe, dean of Mercer University School of Medicine. “As one of two major teaching hospitals for the medical school, Memorial Health – recognized as an exceptional hospital on several ranking lists – provides an excellent clinical environment where our students can learn the best ways to care for patients.”

The “50 Exceptional U.S. Hospitals” are recognized for using proven patient safety programs, such as computerized physician order entry (CPOE), employee training and communication initiatives, and the use of board-certified “intensivist” doctors to oversee care in intensive care units.

Memorial Health is a two-state healthcare organization serving a 35-county area in southeast Georgia and southern South Carolina. The system includes its flagship, Memorial Health University Medical Center, a 530-bed tertiary medical center; CareOne, its two-state home care division; Memorial Health primary and specialty care physician networks; a major medical education program; business and industry services; and NurseOne, a 24-hour call center. Memorial Health has been named a Distinguished Hospital by J.D. Power and Associates two years in a row, and is also one of Fortune magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For.

About Mercer University and the School of Medicine:

Mercer University’s School of Medicine was established in 1982 to educate physicians and health professionals to meet the primary care and health care needs of rural and medically underserved areas of Georgia. Students entering Mercer University School of Medicine will be graduated from a school that utilizes a problem-based medical education program that provides early patient care experiences. Such an academic environment fosters the early development of clinical problem-solving and instills in each student an awareness of the place of the basic medical sciences in medical practice.

Founded in 1833, Mercer University has campuses in Macon and Atlanta as well as three regional academic centers. With 10 schools and colleges, the University offers programs in liberal arts, business, engineering, education, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, law and theology. For 15 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has named Mercer University as one of the leading universities in the South.