Pocahontas Memorial Hospital hosted an Employee Appreciation Picnic in October 2011 to celebrate the positive changes that had taken place at the facility.
PMH CEO Barbara Lay told employees on Monday that following last year’s event, she had hoped to have another celebration this year. And several positive reports led to Monday’s celebratory luncheon.

 “In the last two years, a lot of changes have been made,” Lay told the employees. “A whole lot of changes in just the past year.”

And those changes led to the removal of the term “Going Concern” from PMH’s annual Audit Report from Arnett and Foster.

Having the “Going Concern” issue removed from that report is a significant accomplishment and affirms the success of the execution of PMH’s goals. Without change, the facility may well have shut its doors in the first six months of 2011.

“It has taken everyone here, along with action, alignment and accountability, to bring about changes in improving the quality of care for our patients, and the work environment for employees,” Lay said.

Lay and PMH CNO Kerry Ridgeway attended the Studor conference in Nashville, Tennessee, last week where PMH was recognized for improvements in patient care.

PMH is just one among 800 clients of the Studor Group.

That Groups’ website states: “Studer Group® works with more than 800 healthcare organizations in the U.S. and beyond, teaching them how to achieve, sustain and accelerate exceptional clinical, operational and financial outcomes. We help set them up to be able to execute quickly. And with the rapid changes occurring in our industry due to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ushering in the pay-for-performance era, this ability has never been more critical.”

PMH received an Excellence in Patient Care Award at the conference.

 “Nurses providing information to patients upon discharge raised our score so much in one year that we were recognized for that.” Lay told the employees.
To show the facility’s appreciation, each employee received a sweatshirt at Monday’s event.

“We chose the color –maroon – so it can also be worn to PCHS football and basketball games,” Lay said.

On the back of the sweatshirt is a quote from Henry Ford which reflects the on-going work at PMH:

“Coming together is a beginning.
“Keeping together is progress.
“Working together is success.”