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Broward Health 
Imperial Point Recognized
by 2016 Patient Safety
Excellence Award

H

ealthgrades, the leading online
resource for comprehensive

information about physicians and
hospitals, recently announced Broward
Health Imperial Point as one of the
recipients of the 2016 Healthgrades
Patient Safety Excellence Award™.

Patient Safety Excellence Award
recipients were determined by
evaluating the occurrence of observed
incidents and expected performance
for 14 Patient Safety Indicators as
defined by the Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality (AHRQ). 

“We are truly honored to be
recognized as one of the nation’s top
hospitals for excellence in patient
safety,” said BHIP CEO Alice Taylor.
“I am very proud of our clinicians and
staff for their continuous dedication
and commitment to delivering
exceptional care that ensures the
safety and well-being of each and
every patient.” 

In 2016, there were 466 hospitals
across the nation that achieved the
Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence
Award™. The distinction places this
elite group of hospitals within the top
10% of all hospitals evaluated for their
excellent performance in safeguarding
patients from serious, potentially
preventable complications during their
hospital stays.

On average, 270,457 patient safety
events could have been avoided if all
hospitals, as a group from 2012 to
2014, performed similarly to hospitals
performing better than expected on
each of 13 patient safety indicators
evaluated by Healthgrades, as well as
zero instances of foreign object left
during procedure.

Emergencies – Attention
Seniors: What if?

Serious medical emergencies are time-
sensitive and seniors often call a family
member first. Unfortunately, this may
actually delay medical care. The
following is a list of special tips that can
help save the lives of our senior citizens: 

• Invest in a touch-tone phone with
large, easy-to-read numbers. 

• Put a 911 reminder near the phone.
Dialing "0" will not always connect
you with an operator nearby. It may
connect you with an operator
hundreds of miles away.

• Call if you're having a medical
emergency. Many seniors don't want
to be a bother or are unsure about
whether they should call 911. 
Medical emergencies include:

- Trouble breathing
- Chest pain
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Major fall

Most seniors have enough 
experience to know when 
something is wrong, so call 
911 and let the first 
responders help.

• Landline phones allow the dispatcher
to "know" where you are calling from
even if you cannot speak. For instance,
if you are experiencing a stroke or if
there is an intruder in your home, just
dial 911 and leave the phone off the
hook. Do not hang up.  (see LRA
President's Message regarding your
disconnected residential line, it may
still work for 911!)

• Keep your medical history taped to
the refrigerator in an envelope clearly
marked with your doctor's phone
number(s).

The following can also help save
critical time after calling 911:

• Putting animals in another room

• Turn on lights

• Ensuring your house number can be
seen easily

• Unlock and open the front door

• Clear a path to the patient, both
inside and outside - leave room for the
ambulance in the driveway if possible.

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