PITTSBURGH, Sept. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of
her exceptional efforts to protect and enhance patient health for
the past 14 years, Jean Williams, an
environmental services professional at Fairfield Medical Center in
Lancaster, Ohio, has received the
2016 Heart of Healthcare Award.
"Jean is dedicated to maintaining a clean and sanitary
environment and is kind beyond measure," said Chris Chong, Environmental Services (EVS)
director, Fairfield Medical Center. "Her unit is always pristine –
she even goes so far as to use a toothbrush to clean every nook and
cranny. She is dedicated to her patients and their families and is
always willing to help others."
The Heart of Healthcare Award is presented annually by the
Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE), a personal
membership group of the American Hospital Association (AHA), and
Kimberly-Clark Professional. Now in its fifth year, the award
honors outstanding environmental services professionals who make a
difference in the lives of patients and residents.
"By caring for the healthcare environment, environmental
services professionals like Jean
Williams help ensure the highest levels of patient care, as
well as patient safety and satisfaction," said Patti Costello, AHE executive director. "Jean is
appreciated by both nurses and patients. She is an outstanding
example of how today's healthcare environmental services teams
strive to create a healing atmosphere that leads to better patient
outcomes."
The award is an integral part of the Heart of Healthcare
program, developed by AHE and Kimberly-Clark Professional to
recognize the critical role that environmental services
professionals play in enhancing patient safety in the healthcare
environment. The program focuses on continuing education for
environmental services professionals and enhancing the patient
experience. Tools include:
- Education and training guides
- Employee recognition certificates
- Patient discharge and room calling cards
All Heart of Healthcare program tools and educational materials
can be customized to include a healthcare facility's logo. The
materials are available through the AHE website, www.ahe.org.
The program has improved the patient experience, according to 83
percent of environmental service managers who have implemented it
at their facility. More than 700 healthcare facilities now
participate in the program.
Nominations for the Heart of Healthcare Award are submitted each
year by managers, supervisors, co-workers and members of
departments in hospitals and senior care facilities. The AHE
Recognition Committee reviews all submissions and selects the
winning applicant.
"We are proud to continue our involvement with this important
program, which recognizes the tremendous contributions of
healthcare environmental services professionals," said Sarah Happel, healthcare segment leader,
Kimberly-Clark Professional. "This year's honoree exemplifies the
professionalism of environmental services professionals and the
important role that they play in achieving exceptional patient
outcomes and enhancing patient satisfaction."
Williams, who joined Fairfield Medical Center in 2002, is a
perfect example of this. The Press Ganey scores in her unit reflect
her outstanding performance as indicated by patient feedback. The
mean score for cleanliness in her unit was 91.7 percent, courtesy
of the person cleaning the room was 95.8 percent while staff
attitude toward visitors was 95 percent and promptness of response
to calls was 93.8 percent.
The Heart of Healthcare Award is not the only recognition that
Williams has received.
Last year she was selected from more than 2,000 employees to
receive Fairfield Medical Center's 2015 Excellence in Service
award.
About AHE
The Association for the Healthcare
Environment (AHE) is a personal membership group of the American
Hospital Association. AHE is the professional organization of
choice for professionals responsible for caring for the patient and
resident care environment across all care settings; including
hospitals, long term care, continuing care retirement communities
and ambulatory care. AHE shapes professional practice, advances and
promotes the profession and promotes awareness for over 2,000
professionals working to ensure a clean and safe healthcare
environment and equality outcomes. www.ahe.org.
About Kimberly-Clark Professional
Kimberly-Clark
Professional partners with businesses to create Exceptional
Workplaces, helping to make them healthier, safer and more
productive. Key brands in this segment include: Kleenex,
Scott, WypAll, Kimtech and Jackson Safety. Kimberly-Clark
Professional, located in Roswell,
Georgia, is one of three Kimberly-Clark business sectors. To
see how Kimberly-Clark Professional is helping people around the
world to work better, please visit www.kcprofessional.com.
About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and
its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for
people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of
the world's population trust Kimberly-Clark's brands and the
solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and
well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups,
Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds No. 1 or No. 2 share
positions in 80 countries. To keep up with the latest news and to
learn more about the Company's 144-year history of innovation,
visit www.kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or
Twitter.
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