New River Medical Center Wins State Patient Safety Excellence Award
New River Medical Center’s Birthing Center received the Safe Count Award from the Minnesota Hospital Association. The award honors the successful implementation of the standards established by national and state best practices to prevent objects, such as sponges, from retention during labor and delivery.
The Safe Count award demonstrates our commitment to patient-centered care. New River Medical Center’s Director of Women’s Services, Jennifer Herbold, explains, “The safety of our patients is our main priority. We have developed educational programs for the staff and physicians in order to ensure consistency in following the safety protocol that has been established by the Minnesota Hospital Association. The Safe Count standards are a part of our practice, and we are very proud that we have not had one report of a retained object.” In addition to staff education, New River Medical Center has also developed an auditing process to safeguard against adverse health effects and confirm that the Safe Count protocol is followed.