PUTNAM —  A recently released report from the CT Department of Public Health (DPH) that provides information about adverse events at the state’s hospitals and outpatient surgical facilities shows that there were zero adverse events for patients at Day Kimball Hospital in 2014. Day Kimball was the only acute care hospital in the state to achieve zero adverse events that year, and one of only five hospitals in the state to do so in any of the last five years. At this time, Day Kimball continues to have zero adverse events for 2015 as well.

The report, DPH’s Adverse Event Reporting document, covers all adverse events reported in 2014. An adverse event is a reportable incident that caused harm to a patient, such as bed sores, falls, perforations or errors occurring during surgery, and other events. DPH releases this report annually.

Hospitals and outpatient surgical facilities are required to report adverse events to DPH using the National Quality Forum list of Serious Reportable Events in Healthcare, plus additional events as defined by DPH. According to DPH, items on the list are of concern to both the public and healthcare professionals, are clearly identifiable and measurable, and are often, though not always, preventable.

 “This is a significant achievement,” said DKH Chief Medical Officer and VP, Medical Affairs and Quality Dr. John Graham. “It speaks not only to the skill and expertise of our physicians and entire staff, but to our collective dedication to continual process and performance improvement.”

Dr. Graham noted that such reports are just a snapshot of one particular period in time and that vigilance around quality and safety procedures and processes must always remain a constant priority.

“Of course ensuring the quality of care we provide is always at the forefront of all our efforts and we will always continue to look for ways to improve. This latest achievement represents that concerted effort on the part of everyone on our hospital staff in what is a continuous and ongoing process of quality monitoring and improvement,” Dr. Graham said.

DKH President and CEO Robert Smanik also praised the hospital’s physicians and staff for the achievement. In a memo to the entire organization Smanik wrote, “Your commitment to hold yourselves and each other to the highest standards so that together we may deliver the highest standard of care for our patients is the centerpiece of our services. Everyone in the Day Kimball family should take a moment to celebrate this achievement and to recognize the important role that each and every one of us plays in providing high quality care to the community. Congratulations on a job well done and thank you for all of your hard work and continued dedication. This is what Day Kimball is all about.”