BCH receives top honor from Blue Cross

By KATHY NUSSBERGER

Managing editor

Boundary Community Hospital received notice of its achievement for receiving the highest score in the small hospital category in Blue Cross of Idaho's first annual Hospital Quality program for 2005.

"We received the highest score of all participating hospitals," Craig Johnson, CEO of Boundary Community Hospital said. "Our score was 90%, which was the highest score throughout the state. They kept calling and asking us to attend a two-hour conference in Boise, but had no idea at that time why they wanted us to attend and with the Festival of Trees, costs for the trip, and so on, we just couldn't fit it into our schedule."

Johnson added that in hindsight it would have been a good idea to make the trip.

"They wanted to present us with an award and an extra $10,000," he said. "We had already received a check in November for $7,200 as an incentive award for the Blue Cross Inaugural program, so we thought it was done."

Johnson said he believes the most significant thing about this is that Boundary Hospital was number one in the Blue Cross Quality Assurance program in Idaho.

"I think this is a huge feather in our cap," Johnson said. "Geri Garten, Director of Patient Services, is in charge of all that, and it is just one of many hats she wears.

This is a very significant achievement for our hospital. We are not

only the most northern hospital but also probably the smallest in the state."

Garten said there was several criteria to meet in a wide range of medical conditions to ensure the hospital was using best practices in all areas of its care to patients. "I think we have an awesome medical and nursing staff, which is why we are able to maintain good quality programs and provide great care for our community."

Johnson added that with this program, Blue Cross is advocating for the highest quality of care for their customers. "They set these goals and criteria for all hospitals to try and achieve, and it takes a strong medical team that is deeply involved to provide this level of care to all our patients."