SJLH receives performance recognition

St. John’s Lutheran Hospital recently was awarded the Montana Rural Healthcare Performance Improvement Network’s Quality Improvement Award for its work in sepsis early-detection program.

Sepsis is an advanced result of any infection that is released into the blood stream, including pneumonia or urinary tract.  It can be extremely difficult to diagnose because its major symptoms mimic the symptoms of other critical-care conditions.   

St. John’s program includes specific lab tests that help to identify sepsis, invasive monitoring, and aggressive treatment through antibiotics, fluids, and perfusion support. 

“With these in place, patients have a much better chance of surviving a systemic infection,” said Mike Julius, Emergency Department manager at St. John’s.  

“Statistically, one in six deaths from sepsis is prevented through early recognition and aggressive treatment.”

The Montana Rural Healthcare Performance Improvement Network (PIN) is a voluntary membership of 48 critical access hospitals throughout the state.  

Through this network, member hospitals are able to benchmark their performance with their peers on a variety of financial, utilization, and direct patient care measures that encourage safe, effective, patient-centered care delivery in even the most remote communities of the state.  

PIN quality of care measures are based on national benchmarks but are tailored to reflect the realities of the state’s rural population.