Pillars of Quality and Our Champions

We bring our best in everything we do. Healthcare networks across the county are guided by best practices – known as systems or pillars of safety – in order to provide the highest level of care. In fact, quality in a hospital setting is measured by a variety these systems that anticipate and prevent a medical error before it causes harm to a patient. These systems follow six domains identified by The Institute of Medicine to ensure quality of healthcare: safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient and equitable.

As the trusted champion for kids in the Central Valley, we work collaboratively across all disciplines to identify new and innovative ways to enhance these systems to ensure families can continue to count on us. At Valley Children’s, everyone makes a personal commitment to safety, is accountable for clear and complete communication and supports a questioning attitude.

Each quarter, we focus on projects and progress our teams are making within one pillar of quality. This quarter, we're focusing on safe care by looking at how Valley Children's has reduced surgical site infection (SSI) rates. Surgical site care at Valley Children’s is among the safest in the country, according the American College of Surgeons.
 

Our Featured Quality Champions: Surgical Site Infection Prevention Taskforce Committee

The surgical site infection prevention taskforce at Valley Children’s is comprised of professionals from all areas of the hospital who are involved with clinical care. Together, they ensure surgical site infection prevention by reviewing, enhancing and implementing the most effective processes regularly.

The interprofessional team on Valley Children’s Surgical Site Infection Prevention Taskforce Committee are dedicated to preventing surgical site infections.

A surgical site infection (SSI) occurs in 2%-5% of patients across the country who undergo inpatient surgery, according to the Centers for Disease Control. In fiscal year 2021, Valley Children’s reached a 95% reduction in SSIs monitored by the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP).

A surgical site infection can occur when germs infect the surgical area of a patient. There are many reasons for this including touch, instruments or even germs in the air. To ensure the safest care for our patients, Valley Children’s participates and collaborates in the NSQIP through the American College of Surgeons. NSQIP compares us to other surgical programs across the United States. After review of this data, Valley Children’s results for SSI were among the best in the country.

Valley Children’s has gone beyond the standard recommendations for infection prevention. By adding more elements to the process of care, such as appropriate skin antisepsis and antibiotic re-dosing, we can ensure that kids in the Central Valley have the safe care they deserve.