2018 was a remarkable year for NHRMC for all those we helped, all that we accomplished and how we united and persevered during an epic natural disaster.
In 2018, our health system expanded the notion of Leading Our Community to Outstanding Health. Our Mission Corps, Diversity and Outreach teams volunteered in schools, collected food for schoolchildren, and delivered health information and screenings where nobody expected it.
Forbes recognized NHRMC as the 47th Best Large Employer in the United States, and No. 3 in North Carolina.
We adjusted our pay rates for nurses and hired 346 nurses, more than ever before. The largest class of graduate nurses (140) in the history of NHRMC started in the summer and onboarded using a new training program, StaRN.
As work was humming along on our new orthopedic tower, Hurricane Florence stormed into Wilmington and parked for days, dropping record amounts of rain, flooding roads in every direction and turning Wilmington into an island.
Our employees rose to the needs of our community, fulfilling the needs of our patients and community and far surpassing the expectations of what a health system can do to help our community partners and our entire region. When the storm passed and the floodwaters receded, our generous employees helped each other and others in the community, donating money and precious time, often in the midst of their own personal obstacles.
Here are some other highlights across the NHRMC system in 2018:
- NHRMC introduced new strategic plan with focus on improving access to care, healthy equity and value.
- Forbes Magazine named NHRMC one of America’s Best Employers of 2018, ranking NHRMC 47th among the nation’s large employers.
- Physician Quality Partners achieved top quality results:6th in US and 1st in NC.
- NHRMC began offering 24/7 neuro-interventional coverage to treat patients suffering from stroke and other cerebrovascular emergencies.
- Established new departments for Clinical Excellence and Consumer Experience, Health Equity, and Innovation.
- Opioid harm-reduction efforts continued, with guidelines preventing more than 800,000 opioid pills from entering the community. Also taking medication back through disposal events – two tons returned in just the last event.
- NHRMC Employee Campaign raised a record $330,000
- The Leapfrog Group awarded NHRMC an ‘A’ Fall 2018 Hospital Safety Grade, recognizing efforts in protecting patients from harm and meeting the highest safety standards.
- NHRMC achieved the Healthgrades 2018 Outstanding Patient Experience Award and receives five stars in stroke care from Healthgrades.
- NHRMC opened the Surgery Navigation Center to evaluate all surgical patients through a coordinated prescreening process and educate patients on their surgical procedure.
- NHRMC volunteers finished our 8th Habitat for Humanity home.
- Cape Fear Heart Associates launched an Atrial Fibrillation Clinic.
- NHRMC won seven Touchstone Awards at Atrium Health’s Sharing Day – representing quality improvements made throughout the organization.
- Raised RN salaries across network – a $7 million investment added to the $17 million announced in late 2017 for the healthy community wage, merit and market increases.
- Launched Our Community Link to connect people in our community with resources.
- Implemented several strategies to improve Flow and Throughput, including interdisciplinary rounding, the establishment of the observation unit and the discharge lounge, and the implementation of a real-time location system, being tested now for full roll-out in February.
- Recruited to improve diversity in our provider ranks: 29% of new providers recruited in 2018.
- Extremely successful DNV Survey.
- Began virtual visits, self-scheduling and e-visits through MyChart.
- Achieved $41 million in savings through G4G initiatives.
- Seamlessly upgraded Epic, allowing for improved EVS and Transport turnarounds, and the ability to capture SOGI information.
- Improved access through extended hours and new NHRMC ExpressCare in NHRMC Physician Group practices.
- Implemented Verge for better variance reporting.
- Received American Heart Association Mission: Lifeline EMS Gold Plus Award, Mission: Lifeline Gold Plus Receiving Quality Achievement Award, and Mission: Lifeline NSTEMI Gold Achievement Award.
- Received American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get with the Guidelines Stroke Honor Roll-Elite Plus Award.
- Pender Memorial Hospital Skilled Nursing Earns AHCA NCAL National Quality Award and the 2018 Commitment to Quality Award from the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living.
- Cape Fear Cancer Specialists received re-certification by QOPI Certification Program.