SILVER SPRING, Md. and KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 20, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and Cerner Corporation (Nasdaq:CERN), a global supplier of healthcare solutions, announced Poudre Valley Hospital of Fort Collins, Colorado as the winner of the 2009 Magnet Prize at the National Magnet Conference(R) in Louisville, KY. This award recognizes innovative nursing programs and practices in ANCC Magnet-recognized organizations.
The Magnet Recognition Program(R) was developed to recognize healthcare organizations that provide the very best in nursing care and uphold the tradition of professional nursing practice. The Magnet Prize is awarded only to Magnet-recognized organizations. Winning organizations must meet specific criteria such as extraordinary nursing activities that have been sustained over an extended period of time, innovations that are beyond the characteristics of Magnet organizations, and positive outcomes that have been demonstrated and empirically linked to the innovation.
The winning entry from Poudre Valley Hospital highlighted their Community Case Management Program, which was selected as a pioneer in the area of community outreach for its track record of reducing costs and improving outcomes in managing complex patients with chronic conditions.
This unique program provides a continuum of care, focuses on preventative care, and improves the ability of patients, families, and providers to work together to manage chronic disease. Nurses and social workers at this facility have worked together for 14 years to develop and sustain the Community Case Management Program. The program targets patients with inadequate support systems and financial resources, and provides them with a safety net to deal with complex issues that may otherwise result in avoidable visits to the Emergency Room or healthcare provider.
The Community Case Management Program helps patients with disease management and life skills so that they can continue living in their own homes. But, what sets this program above others of its kind is that it is financially supported by the health system without grants or limitations on services. By reducing unnecessary ER visits and hospital stays, this program has shown a cost savings that is well above the cost to maintain the program.
"Our community case management program has been a magnificent win-win situation for our patients and our hospital," said Craig Luzinsk, Poudre Valley Hospital's chief nursing officer. "Thanks to the program, patients can remain in their homes, skilled nursing facilities or more appropriate environments. Meanwhile, the program helps us contain patient-care costs by reducing unnecessary emergency department, inpatient and physician office visits."
ANCC Executive Director Jeanne Floyd, PhD, RN, CAE, says, "We are very pleased to recognize Poudre Valley Hospital with this honor. The Community Case Management Program embodies the spirit of the Magnet Prize -- a program that truly goes above and beyond the expected in every way."
"As the costs of treating chronic conditions rise, it's ever more important for healthcare organizations to seek out innovative ways to help patients effectively manage their health needs," said Roy L. Simpson, RN, DPNAP, FAAN, Cerner vice president of nursing. "Cerner congratulates the clinicians and leaders at Poudre Valley Hospital for finding an effective way to control costs associated with chronic conditions and improve the health of its patients."
About the Magnet Prize(TM)
In 2002, the ANCC board of directors established the Magnet Prize to encourage the pursuit of excellence. The Magnet Prize recognizes organizations with unique programs where innovative action transforms nursing practice. The interventions and outcomes benefit the nursing profession as a whole, and have direct impact on patients in various settings. This award serves as a means for acknowledging peak performance within credentialed Magnet organizations and is the highest honor ANCC bestows within the Magnet community.
Cerner Corporation has sponsored the $25,000 award since 2007.
About Poudre Valley Hospital
With more than 900 registered nurses, Poudre Valley Hospital (PVH) provides a full range of healthcare services to northern Colorado, Wyoming, and southwestern Nebraska. In 2000, PVH was the 18th hospital in the nation to be designated as a Magnet facility; the hospital achieved re-designation in 2004 and 2009. PVH has been frequently named in annual national Best 100 U.S. Hospitals listings. In 2008, PVH was recognized by the American Nurses Association / National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators program as the first recipient of the Outstanding Nursing Quality Award. PVH was recognized with the same award in 2009. The high quality of the services, staff and business processes at PVH played an instrumental role in the hospital's owner, Poudre Valley Health System, being named as the only healthcare organization in the U.S. to receive the 2008 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, an annual honor created by congress to recognize the nation's top performing organizations.
About Cerner Corporation
Cerner is transforming healthcare by eliminating error, variance and waste for healthcare providers and consumers around the world. Cerner(R) solutions optimize processes for healthcare organizations ranging in size from single-doctor practices, to health systems, to entire countries, for the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, and for the healthcare commerce system. These solutions are licensed by more than 8,000 facilities around the world, including approximately 2,100 hospitals; 3,300 physician practices covering more than 30,000 physicians; 500 ambulatory facilities, such as laboratories, ambulatory centers, cardiac facilities, radiology clinics and surgery centers; 600 home-health facilities; and 1,500 retail pharmacies. The following are trademarks of Cerner: Cerner and Cerner's logo. (Nasdaq:CERN). For more information about Cerner, please visit our Web site at www.cerner.com
About ANCC
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA), provides individuals and organizations throughout the nursing profession with the resources they need to achieve practice excellence. ANCC's internationally renowned credentialing programs certify nurses in specialty practice areas; recognize healthcare organizations for promoting safe, positive work environments through the Magnet Recognition Program(R) and the Pathway to Excellence(R) Program; and accredit providers of continuing nursing education. In addition, ANCC's Institute for Credentialing Innovation(R) provides leading-edge information and education services and products to support its core credentialing programs. www.nursecredentialing.or