Quality at ECMC

Accomplishments – 2024

January

• ECMC’s Employee Health and Hepatology teams were both awarded $250,000 each ($500,000 total) in grant funding from Erie County and the Erie County Department of Health to aid in the community’s response to the opioid crisis. Employee Health will use the funds to create employee assistance programs for both ECMC and the community, and the Hepatology team will work on a community-wide approach with a focus of addressing the needs of criminal justice-involved persons and the needs of pregnant or parenting women and their families.
• Lucia Rossi’s (MA VP of Ambulatory Services & Population Health) and Amanda Farrell’s (BSN,RN,CMSRN,AMB-BC, Population Health Clinical Data Analyst) submission, Addressing Perceived Control of Chronic Condition was accepted to be presented on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 within the Innovation in Healthcare track at America’s Essential Hospital’s annual meeting VITAL2024 in San Diego. Chronic conditions are a leading cause of global mortality. Many patients lack self-management skills due to low perceived behavioral control, leading to poor health outcomes. Perceived behavioral control reflects a patient’s view of how easy or difficult it is to execute a behavior, like a lifestyle modification. ECMC incorporated a patient empowerment intervention into chronic condition management programs. This intervention aims to measure perceived behavioral control, and address perceived difficulty related to self-management through intensive case management. Data revealed that the intervention has had positive impact on perceived behavioral control. These findings are promising indicators of the program’s effectiveness in promoting compliance and improving health perceptions among patients.
• In addition, Amanda Farrell also submitted another abstract, Optimizing Diabetes Management: A Comprehensive Care Model, which was accepted for America’s Essential Hospital’s VITAL2024 poster session that will be held during the conference’s opening reception, showcasing Amanda’s work to the participants including the association’s leadership and board of directors. According to AEH, abstracts like Amanda’s highlight our members’ outstanding, innovative work to deliver efficient and effective care to those in greatest need.

 

February

• ECMC awarded a NYSDOH Vital Access Program and Safety Net Provider grant of $8,279,008.

• U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced ECMC will receive $14,624,938 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to cover costs associated with emergency protective measures and increased staffing taken for their COVID responses dating back to the start of the pandemic in Spring 2020. This funding is provided at a 100% federal cost share.

 

March

• Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX) recently announced that ECMC is among the inaugural class of its “Supply Chains of Distinction Award for 2023,” which recognized 75 top performing hospitals and health systems in North America. The Supply Chains of Distinction Award honors GHX Exchange-connected provider organizations that excelled in driving best-in-class supply chain operations. The award is based upon a set of “perfect order” metrics for a calendar year, rated as a percentage of PO lines sent across the GHX Exchange that are touchless and completely automated, from purchase through payment. The line must satisfy all requirements to be rated as “perfect.”

• ECMC will receive $13.6M from FEMA to upgrade and modernize our emergency generators. We applied for this grant in​June of 2022.  Thanks to the support of our Congressional delegation, this grant will enable ECMC to acquire and install six new state-of-the-art emergency generators that will protect ECMC for many years to come. Special thanks to Jon Swiatkowski and the grants writing team who, as the Board knows, have been very successful recently in securing significant FEMA grant funding, as well as grant funding from other federal, state, and local sources.
• On Saturday, March 9th, ECMC and the ECMC Foundation held its seventh annual Rehab Symposium, titled “A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Acute Care Patient.” For this conference, many of the region’s most experienced clinicians were invited to speak on a variety of topics pertaining to rehabilitation on acute and critical care services. Area therapists, rehab professionals, and therapy students from the community were invited to learn about some of the specialty services that are available at ECMC.
• ECMC’s Material Management team were honored recently by the Buffalo Purchasing Initiative for achieving Highest Outreach and Engagement for local MBE vendors. Their successful effort resulted in ECMC generating $924k in direct spending with local businesses owned by an MBE.
• In March, ECMC was awarded $8,279,008 through New York State’s Vital Access Provider Program (VAP). The VAP program was implemented to fund operational costs for turnaround initiatives to help financially distressed New York State healthcare entities seeking to: Improve facility financial viability; meet community service needs; improve the quality of care; and increase health equity for populations at risk. With this funding, ECMC will expand our Comprehensive Transition of Care program to further understand the needs of underserved patients at the highest risk of readmission, avoidable admission, and extended length of stay. By deploying interdisciplinary clinical care across the continuum, improved access to primary care, and community support ECMC will be equipped to better address SDOH and reduce readmissions, avoidable admissions, and length of hospital stays. The funding spans over a period of three years.

 

April

• At the recent American Academy of Oral Medicine Annual Conference in Orlando, FL (4/17-4/20/24), ECMC’s Drs. Elizabeth Kapral and Jennifer Frustino presented at the event’s Meet the Expert Sessions. Dr. Kapral spoke on ‘Special Patient Care’ and Dr. Frustino spoke on ‘Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer: Screening and Prevention’. In addition, Drs. Brooke Kolber and Nicole Piscatelli were granted fellowship into the Academy based on passing the fellowship examination in 2023.

 

Accomplishments ECMC – 2023

January

• The Joint Commission granted ECMC three-year Comprehensive Accreditation.

 

February

• The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) has processed a payment in the amount of $1,640,522.39 from FEMA. This payment is related to Disaster 4480 COVID-19 declared on Mar 20, 2020.
• Successful reaccreditation by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) of Transplant program, housed in ECMC’s Regional Center of Excellence for Transplantation and Kidney Care.

 

March

• Opened the new ECMC Center for Dental Care at the People Inc. Health Services Building on Hertel Avenue in North Buffalo. The new dental office was built with advanced equipment to support the complex dental health of special needs patients, from throughout Western New York. This practice will provide adult and pediatric dental care to the local community as well. The Division is the only large, accredited hospital-based dental residency program in Western New York.

 

July

• Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) issued three-year accreditation to ECMC’s Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation Programs (through June 30, 2026) stating that this “achievement is an indication of [ECMC’s] dedication to improving the quality of the lives of the persons served.”
• ECMC’s Laboratory Services received another two-year accreditation for ECMC’s Transfusion Services following bi-annual on-site assessment by the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB).

• Erie County Medical Center has again been recognized by the Lown Institute for outstanding social responsibility, receiving an “A” grade on the 2023-24 Lown Institute Hospitals Index.  ECMC achieved this honor through strong performance across metrics of health equity, patient outcomes, and value of care, out of more than 3,600 hospitals nationwide.  In 2021, ECMC was ranked among the top 100 hospitals in the United States for racial inclusivity by the Lown Institute; in 2022 ECMC was ranked in the top 50 hospitals in the country for racial inclusivity.
• ECMC launched a new summer internship opportunity for high school students in 10th, 11th and 12th grades called “Healthcare Explorers.”  This immersive summer internship experience allows students to have hands-on learning opportunities across the ECMC health campus.  Students explore such health system areas as: ambulatory services, critical care, emergency services, hospital public safety, inpatient pharmacy, IT security, laboratory medicine, medical/surgical nursing, radiology, surgical services, and transplantation services.

 

September

• Terrace View Long-Term Care Facility has been recognized on Newsweek’s Best Nursing Homes 2024 list.  This prestigious award is presented by Newsweek and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. Only four percent of nursing homes nationwide received this distinction.  Of the 600 skilled nursing facilities state-wide that operate, 42 received this recognition.  It is a distinct honor to be ranked amongst the best nursing homes within both the state and the nation. This is the fourth consecutive year Terrace View has received this recognition.
• Erie County Medical Center has been awarded the Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence (CoE) designation by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. The designation recognizes institutions that have created stewardship programs led by infectious disease-trained clinicians that advance science in antimicrobial resistance. The core criteria for the CoE program place emphasis on an institution’s ability to implement stewardship protocols by integrating best practices to slow the emergence of resistance, optimize the treatment of infections, reduce adverse events associated with antibiotic use and to address other challenging areas related to antimicrobial stewardship. A total of 179 programs nationwide have received the designation since the program’s launch.

 

October

• ECMC earned platinum recognition for its efforts to increase organ and tissue donor registrations across the country, through the DoNation Campaign.  DoNation is a national initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to educate our community about the crucial need for organ and tissue donation and to encourage people to sign up as organ and tissue donors. Since 2011, this campaign has encouraged more than 60,000 donor registrations nationwide.  Between October 2022 and September 2023, ECMC has actively participated in this campaign to earn this federal recognition.
• ECMC announced it has again achieved numerous five-star ratings for specialty care, according to new research released by Healthgrades, the leading resource consumers use to find a hospital or doctor.  ECMC was honored with a Five-Star rating in Total Knee Replacement for 3 years in a row (2022-2024), a Five-Star rating for Hip Fracture Treatment for 14 years in a row (2011-2024) and a Five-Star Distinction in Total Hip Replacement (2023-24).

 

November

• The American College of Emergency Physicians, implemented the Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) program to recognize those emergency departments that provide excellent care for older adults. Communicating with our institution, representatives of GEDA stated, “…we are excited to announce that Erie County Medical Center’s Emergency Department has achieved the bronze standard – Level 3 GEDA accreditation.”
• BRAVE (Buffalo Rising Against Violence at ECMC) achieved designation/certification as Western New York’s only Trauma Recovery Center. Our program is only the second NYS Office of Victims Services(OVS)-funded program in the state to attain that distinction from the National Alliance of Trauma Recovery Centers; the other is located across the state in Brooklyn. It’s a successful model that treats victims of violence holistically and proactively through comprehensive case management and assertive outreach. The goal is to meet people where they are and ensure they have basic needs met (stable housing, food, healthcare), so they can move from surviving the trauma to healing. Developed in 2001, the evidence-based Trauma Recovery Center (TRC) model is designed to provide emergency support, clinical care, and wraparound case management to help survivors in communities most impacted by violence stabilize in moments of crisis, heal from trauma, and address their needs in the wake of victimization.

 

December

• Announced December 14, 2023 by Governor Kathy Hochul, ECMC’s SNUG program was awarded a $2.8M state grant. ECMC’s SNUG program was one of 16 different community-based organizations and hospitals funded across NYS. Administered and supported by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services, the SNUG Street Outreach program employs outreach workers, social workers, case managers and hospital responders who work in neighborhoods experiencing elevated

 

Accomplishments at ECMC – 2022

January

• National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) informed ECMC that its ECMC Family Health and Internal Medicine Centers have again achieved recognition status for “Patient-Centered Medical Home™ (PCMH™), Recognized–Level 3.”

 

March

• Erie County Medical Center named among the top 50 hospitals in the United States for racial inclusivity. The Lown Hospital Index has developed the first ranking to examine the racial inclusivity of over 3,200 hospitals in the country to assess their success at serving the people of color living in their communities.
• ECMC one of 496 national healthcare institutions to earn an “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader” designation from the Human Rights Campaign; more than 2,000 healthcare facilities nationwide evaluated for their dedication and commitment to LGBTQ inclusion.

 

April

• ECMC has been reverified with zero deficiencies as a Level 1Trauma Center by the Verification Review Committee (VRC), an ad hoc committee of the Committee on Trauma (COT) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS).
• ECMC recognized by the Buffalo Purchasing Initiative for superseding its goal in 2021for spending with businesses owned by people of color by 44%. In addition, Nicholas Long was recognized with a Best of BPI Award for the great work he is doing to reach out to new vendors and providing them with resources and support for strengthening and certifying their businesses.

 

May

• Synergy Bariatrics/Center for Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery was accredited for a third consecutive three-year period as a Comprehensive Center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP®) – a joint program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).  This accreditation extends from 3/27/2022 through 3/27/2025.

 

August

• ECMC announced that its hip replacement surgery service has been ranked in the nation’s top 7% by US News & World Report. ECMC earned the highly respected publication’s High Performing ranking, placing it among 437 hospitals out of 6,000 evaluated for the service.
• The Commission on Dental Accreditation adopted a resolution granting the ECMC maxillofacial prosthetics fellowship program the accreditation classification of “initial accreditation.” There are currently only five domestic and two military CODA-accredited 12-month Maxillofacial Prosthetics certificate training programs in the United States: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), Mayo Clinic, MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Alabama, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), United States Air Force & United States Navy.  In the past 20 years, multiple maxillofacial prosthetics fellowship programs have closed, making the training less accessible to residents and the care less accessible to patients.   The new program will be opening in July 2023 at ECMC.
• ECMC was awarded its first NIH grant as the prime institution. The grant, totaling $900,368 over two years, was awarded to ECMC under National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health. The principal investigator for the grant is Dr. Jennifer L. Frustino, DDS. The goal of the research, “HPV and HIV Coinfection: Clinical, Socio-Behavioral, and Microbiome Implications”, is to identify markers that will help predict, prevent, and ultimately treat HPV infection and its resulting conditions in people living with HIV.

 

September

• Terrace View Long-Term Care Facility has been recognized on Newsweek’s Best Nursing Homes 2023 list.  This prestigious award is presented by Newsweek and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. Only four percent of nursing homes nationwide received this distinction.  Of the 600 skilled nursing facilities state-wide that operate, 42 received this recognition.  It is a distinct honor to be ranked amongst the best nursing homes within both the state and the nation. This is the third consecutive year Terrace View has received this recognition.

 

November

• The Commission on Cancer (CoC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has granted Three-Year Accreditation to the cancer program at Erie County Medical Center. To earn voluntary CoC accreditation, a cancer program must meet 34 CoC quality care standards, be evaluated every three years through a survey process, and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive patient-centered care.
• ECMC announced that it is one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery, according to new research released by Healthgrades, the leading marketplace connecting doctors and patients.  This achievement reflects ECMC’s outstanding clinical outcomes for Orthopedic Surgery and puts ECMC in the top 5% of hospitals nationwide for overall Orthopedic services.  ECMC was also honored with the 2023 Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award™, a Five-Star rating in Total Knee Replacement for 2 years in a row (2022-2023), a Five-Star rating for Hip Fracture Treatment for 13 years in a row (2011-2023) and a 2023 Five-Star Distinction in Total Hip Replacement.
• Erie County Medical Center named among the top 100 hospitals in the United States and #5 in New York State for racial inclusivity by the Lown Hospital Index. ECMC also received  ‘A’ Grades in: Social Responsibility, Health Equity, Value of Care, Community Benefit, Inclusivity, Avoiding Overuse. The Lown Hospital Index developed the first ranking to examine the racial inclusivity of over 3,200 hospitals in the country to assess their success at serving the people of color living in their communities.

 

Accomplishments at ECMC – 2021

January

• ECMC recognized by BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York with a Blue Distinction® Centers+ for Bariatric Surgery designation, as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated healthcare facilities that show a commitment to delivering high quality patient safety and better health outcomes, based on objective measures that were developed with input from the medical community and leading accreditation and quality organizations.
• Trauma Intensive Care Unit (TICU) has been awarded a silver-level American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) Beacon Award for Excellence, which is a three-year designation highlighting the Unit’s achievement of exceptional care through improved outcomes and greater overall patient satisfaction.

 

February

• Dr. Anthony Martinez’s clinic received $1,500,000 over 5 years grant from the NYS AIDS Institute/NYS Department of Health for ECMC’s program: Eliminating Hepatitis C by Improving Access to Hepatitis Care and Treatment.
• National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) informed ECMC that its ECMC Family Health and Internal Medicine Centers have again achieved recognition status for “Patient-Centered Medical Home™ (PCMH™), Recognized–Level 3.”

 

April

• The Leapfrog Group, an independent, national not-for-profit organization founded more than a decade ago by the nation’s leading employers and private health care experts, rated ECMC’s overall patient safety score at ‘B’. The Leapfrog patient surveys assess: medical errors, accidents, injuries, infections and patient experiences.

 

June

• Erie County Medical Center named among the top 50 hospitals in the United States for racial inclusivity. The Lown Hospital Index has developed the first ranking to examine the racial inclusivity of over 3,200 hospitals in the country to assess their success at serving the people of color living in their communities.

• Erie County Medical Center is among the top 10 percent in the nation for Orthopedic Services, according to new research by Healthgrades, the leading resource that connects consumers, physicians and health systems. Each year, Healthgrades evaluates hospital performance at nearly 4,500 hospitals nationwide for 32 of the most common inpatient procedures and conditions using Medicare data.

 

August

• Terrace View received an overall 4-star rating from a recent survey conducted by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The overall rating is based on a nursing home’s performance on 3 sources: health inspections, staffing, and quality of resident care measures.

 

October

• Terrace View Long-Term Care Facility recognized on Newsweek’s Best Nursing Homes 2022 list. The Best Nursing Homes 2022 ranking lists the best nursing homes in the 25 states with the highest population size according to The United States Census Bureau. The list evaluates the best nursing homes according to key performance data, peer recommendations, and the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

November

• Erie County Medical Center Corporation received the 2021 Buffalo Niagara Business Ethics Association Crystal Award in the large business category (over 100 employees) during the 15th Annual Buffalo Niagara Business Ethics Association awards ceremony. The award highlights the importance of ethical behavior by celebrating companies that consistently demonstrate ethical conduct in everything they do — particularly during these challenging times for business.

 

December

• ECMC MWBE Team honored by NYS Governor Kathy Hochul with the MWBE Champion Award at the Annual NYS MWBE Forum. The MWBE Champion Award honors New York State Agency and Authority staff for their support of the State’s MWBE program. In the state’s fiscal year 2020-21, ECMC was responsible for $14.5 million to NYS Certified MWBEs, representing 34.73% utilization, well exceeding the NYS goal of 30%.

 

Accomplishments at ECMC – 2020

January

• ECMC awarded inaugural IDEA award from Business First as one of eight companies in Western New York who prioritize the importance of diversity and inclusion, champion equitable human resources practices and develop inclusive cultures.
• ECMC designated as a Pathway to Excellence® organization by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. To qualify, organizations must meet six Practice Standards essential to an ideal nursing practice environment.  Applicants undergo a review process to fully document the integration of those standards in the organization’s practices, policies, and culture.  Pathway designation can only be achieved if an organization’s nurses validate the data and other evidence submitted, via an independent, confidential survey.

 

February

• ECMC Internal Medicine Center received a Certificate of Recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance for “systematic use of patient-centered, coordinated care management processes.”

 

April

• The Leapfrog Group, a trusted independent, national not-for-profit organization founded more than a decade ago by the nation’s leading employers and private health care experts, rated ECMC’s overall safety score at ‘A’.

 

June

• Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) awarded a silver-level American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) Beacon Award for Excellence, which is a three-year designation highlighting the Unit’s achievement of exceptional care through improved outcomes and greater overall patient satisfaction.

 

July

• Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) issued three-year accreditation to ECMC’s Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation Programs (through June 30, 2023) stating that this “achievement is an indication of [ECMC’s] dedication to improving the quality of the lives of the persons served.”

 

September

• ECMC has earned platinum level national recognition for its efforts to increase organ, eye, and tissue donor registrations across the state through the Workplace Partnership for Life (WPFL) Hospital Organ Donation Campaign. The WPFL is a national initiative that unites the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the organ donation community with workplaces across the nation in spreading the word about the importance of donation. The WPFL Hospital Organ Donation Campaign challenges hospitals and healthcare organizations to “let life bloom” by educating their staff, patients, visitors, and communities about the critical need for organ, eye, and tissue donation, including offering opportunities to register as organ donors. ECMC earned points for conducting awareness and registry activities between October 2019 and April 2020.

 

October

• Roger W. Seibel, MD, Burn Treatment Center awarded a silver-level American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) Beacon Award for Excellence, which is a three-year designation highlighting the Unit’s achievement of exceptional care through improved outcomes and greater overall patient satisfaction.

 

Accomplishments at ECMC – 2019

February

• The American College of Radiology’s Commission on Quality and Safety designated ECMC a Diagnostic Imaging Center of Excellence. The three-year designation Diagnostic Imaging Center of Excellence (DICOE) award signifies that ECMC delivers the highest levels of imaging quality, safety and care.

 

June

• ECMC received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.  The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment and success in ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.
• ECMC’s Victim Assistance Program awarded $1,237,757 grant from NYS Office of Victim Services. Grant, disbursed over three years, will support hiring program director, 3 social workers, full-time psychologist and patient facilitator.

 

July

• The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has determined that ECMC’s Terrace View Long-Term Care Facility has earned a Five-Star Rating for Overall Quality, marking the first time in its history that Terrace View received the highest CMS rating.
• NYS Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development MWBE Program Performance Report graded ECMC’s participation as an ‘A’ for Fiscal Year 2018-19, achieving 33.30% participation. The Report Cards are designed to gauge the effectiveness and success of each state Agency and Authority’s MWBE efforts.

 

November

• The Leapfrog Group, an independent, national not-for-profit organization founded more than a decade ago by the nation’s leading employers and private health care experts, rated ECMC’s overall patient safety score at ‘B’. The Leapfrog patient surveys assess: medical errors, accidents, injuries, infections and patient experiences.
• The Joint Commission granted ECMC three-year Comprehensive Accreditation.
• ECMC Family Health Center received a Certificate of Recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance for “systematic use of patient-centered, coordinated care management processes.”

 

December

• YOU Center for Wellness at Erie County Medical Center receives NYS Department of Health Commissioner’s Special Recognition Award for World AIDS Day. Providing HIV/AIDS services since 1984, the Center uses a systematic model to envelope patients with supportive services necessary to achieve an overall viral suppression rate of 90%, compared to the national average of 59.8%.
• ECMC designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement 2019 BlueCross/BlueShield of Western New York.

 

Accomplishments at ECMC – 2018

February

• ECMC received the national Women’s Choice Award® for both Bariatrics and Orthopaedics. The Bariatric Surgery award signifies that ECMC is in the top 9% of 4,812 U.S. hospitals reviewed.  The Orthopaedics award signifies that ECMC is in the top 11% of 3,230 U.S. hospitals offering orthopaedic services.

 

April

• ECMC verified as a Level 1Trauma Center by the Verification Review Committee (VRC), an ad hoc committee of the Committee on Trauma (COT) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This achievement recognizes ECMC’s dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients. Established by the American College of Surgeons in 1987, the COT’s Consultation/Verification Program for Hospitals promotes the development of trauma centers in which participants provide not only the hospital resources necessary for trauma care, but also the entire spectrum of care to address the needs of all injured patients. This spectrum encompasses the prehospital phase through the rehabilitation process.
• Successful 5-year reaccreditation by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) of Transplant program, housed in ECMC’s Regional Center of Excellence for Transplantation and Kidney Care.
• The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) conferred Three Stars on ECMC’s Outpatient Dialysis services.

 

May

• The American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA) honored Anthony DePinto, Administrator of ECMC’s Terrace View Long-Term Care Facility with the 2018 Eli Pick Facility Leadership Award.
• NYS Department of Health Commissioner, based on American College of Surgeons’ recent verification of ECMC as Level 1 Trauma Center, designates ECMC as a Level 1 Adult Trauma Center, stating “This is a significant achievement not only for your institution and for the New York Trauma system as a whole, but for the community you serve.”
• ECMC received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.  The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment and success in ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.
• Synergy Bariatrics / Center for Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery has been accredited for a second consecutive three-year period as a “Comprehensive Center” under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP®) – a joint program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).  This accreditation extends from 3/27/18 to 3/27/21.

 

June

• CARF International (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) awarded three-year accreditation to ECMC’s Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit.

 

July

• New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) re-issued full, three-year operating certificates ECMC’s inpatient and three outpatient chemical dependency treatment service locations.

 

September

• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (DOH) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ranked ECMC’s Terrace View Long-Term Care Facility #1 in its Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program out of 15,421 skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) nationwide.

 

October

• Commission on Dental Accreditation (CDA) for ECMC’s Advanced Education Program in General Practice Residency was “approval without reporting requirements.”   The CDA visiting committee concluded that the program was in compliance with Commission on Dental Accreditation policies and procedures. Based on a review of the program’s outcomes assessment process and resident achievement measures, the visiting CDA committee found the program has demonstrated positive programmatic resident achievement outcomes through the American Board of General Dentistry Outcomes Assessment Examination, end-of-year evaluation of program by residents, resident evaluations, and graduating resident placement.

 

November

• The Leapfrog Group, an independent, national not-for-profit organization founded more than a decade ago by the nation’s leading employers and private health care experts, rated ECMC’s overall patient safety score at ‘B’. The Leapfrog patient surveys assess: medical errors, accidents, injuries, infections and patient experiences.
• Annual Medicare/Medicaid survey by the NYS Department of Health for Terrace View reported only 3 low-level care related deficiencies. This marks 5th year of improved survey scores and the best survey performance in the history of Terrace View.

 

December

• ECMC Hepatology Clinic at Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) presented the New York State Department of Health Commissioner’s Special Recognition Award. The award recognizes individuals or teams in New York State committed to eliminating hepatitis C by promoting testing, ensuring timely linkage to care and improving access to hepatitis C care, treatments and cures.

 

Accomplishments at ECMC – 2017

March

• ECMC Grider Family Health Center achieved recognition status for “Patient-Centered Medical Home™ (PCMH™), Recognized–Level 3.” The effective dates of this Recognition begin March 29, 2017 and expire March 29, 2020. The Patient-Centered Medical Home program reflects the input of the American College of Physicians (ACP), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and others in extension of the Physician Practice Connections Program. It was developed to assess whether physician practices are functioning as medical homes and recognize them for these efforts.

 

April

• The Leapfrog Group, an independent, national not-for-profit organization founded more than a decade ago by the nation’s leading employers and private health care experts, rated ECMC’s overall patient safety score at ‘A’, which places it among one of only 14 hospitals out of 139 in New York State to receive ‘A’ Patient Safety Score. The Leapfrog patient surveys assess: medical errors, accidents, injuries, infections and patient experiences.

 

May

• The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has determined that ECMC’s Terrace View Long-Term Care Facility has earned a Four-Star Rating for Overall Quality. The newly assigned CMS ratings for Terrace View include: Four Stars for Overall Quality, Five Stars for Quality Measures, Four Stars for Staffing, and Four Stars for RN Staffing. Terrace View is one of only 12 nursing homes out of 102 in Western New York rated by CMS with 4 Stars for Overall Quality.

 

June

• ECMC received the Get With The Guidelines©-Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association (AHA)/American College of Cardiology Foundation’s secondary prevention guidelines for patients with heart failure.
• ECMC received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.  The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment and success in ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.
• Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) awarded a silver-level American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) Beacon Award for Excellence, which is a three-year designation highlighting the Unit’s achievement of exceptional care through improved outcomes and greater overall patient satisfaction.
• The NYS Department of Health concluded its annual survey of Terrace View Long-Term Care.  The DOH survey indicated tentatively four deficiencies in the facility (it could be reduced to three deficiencies), which is an improvement from five deficiencies in 2016 and 12 deficiencies in 2015. This survey, coupled with the CMS determination in May that ECMC’s Terrace View Long-Term Care Facility earned a Four-Star Rating for Overall Quality, is further evidence of the high quality care delivered for the Terrace View residents by their dedicated and hard-working caregivers. It is also important to note that the surveyors stated that they continue to be impressed by the amount of improvement that has been achieved there.

 

July

• Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) issued three-year accreditation to ECMC’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Programs (through June 30, 2020) stating that this “achievement is an indication of [ECMC’s] dedication to improving the quality of the lives of the persons served.”

 

Accomplishments at ECMC – 2016

March

• Women’s Choice Award® as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Patient Safety. This evidence-based designation is the only patient safety award that identifies the country’s best healthcare institutions based on robust criteria that considers female patient satisfaction and clinical excellence.

 

April

• The Leapfrog Group, a trusted independent, national not-for-profit organization founded more than a decade ago by the nation’s leading employers and private health care experts, rated ECMC’s overall safety score at ‘B’.
• NYS Department of Health survey of Terrace View Long-Term Care stated that the facility has demonstrated a continuing, positive level of improvement for the care of its residents.

 

May

• The second-best score in the region from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for preventing hospital-acquired conditions.
• Awarded a three-star rating out of five by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for patient experience. The ratings are based on 11 publicly reported measures in the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. The latest update, released this week, is based on HCAHPS survey data collected between July 1, 2014, and June 30, 2015.
• The Gold Plus award from the American Heart Association for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure patients.
• American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines^®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment and success in ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.

 

June

• Earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Opioid Treatment Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal of Approval® is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective care.
• Board of Directors of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) unanimously approved the release of ECMC’s living donor transplantation program from probation and restored all privileges for the program.
• In doing this, a UNOS rep stated, “[ECMC] demonstrated commendable improvements in quality management and training and [has] successfully addressed the concerns that led to the earlier action.”

 

September

• NYS OMH survey produced three-year operating certificates, demonstrating the skill, expertise and hard work of our clinicians in Behavioral Health.

 

November

• ECMCC earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval^® for its full Hospital Accreditation for a three-year period by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal of Approval^® is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care.
• ECMC is one of two hospitals in Western New York to receive an updated ‘B’ Hospital Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group.
• National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) informed ECMC that its ECMC Family Health Center achieved recognition status for “Patient-Centered Medical Home™ (PCMH™), Recognized–Level 3.” The effective dates of this recognition begin November 18, 2016 and expire November 18, 2019.
• ECMC recognized by Apogee Physicians as “Hospital of the Year” during a national meeting in Phoenix, AZ.

2016 Medical Service Line Recognition

April 2016
The Leapfrog Group, a trusted independent, national not-for-profit organization founded more than a decade ago by the nation’s leading employers and private health care experts, rated ECMC’s overall safety score at ‘B’.

April 2016
NYS Department of Health survey of Terrace View Long-Term Care stated that the facility has demonstrated a continuing, positive level of improvement for the care of its residents.

May 2016
The second-best score in the region from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for preventing hospital-acquired conditions.

May 2016
The Gold Plus award from the American Heart Association for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure patients.

American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines^®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.
The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment and success in ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.

June 2016
Earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Opioid Treatment Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal of Approval® is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective care.

June 2016
Board of Directors of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) unanimously approved the release of ECMC’s living donor transplantation program from probation and restored all privileges for the program.

In doing this, a UNOS rep stated, “[ECMC] demonstrated commendable improvements in quality management and training and [has] successfully addressed the concerns that led to the earlier action.”

September 2016
NYS OMH survey produced three-year operating certificates, demonstrating the skill, expertise and hard work of our clinicians in Behavioral Health.

November 2016
ECMCC earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for its full Hospital Accreditation for a three-year period by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards.  The Gold Seal of Approval® is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care.

November 2016 
ECMC is one of two hospitals in Western New York to receive an updated ‘B’ Hospital Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group.

November 2016
National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) informed ECMC that its ECMC Family Health Center achieved recognition status for “Patient-Centered Medical Home™ (PCMH™), Recognized–Level 3.” The effective dates of this recognition begin November 18, 2016 and expire November 18, 2019.