Long before Governor Hogan declared a state of emergency in the state of Maryland, CalvertHealth Medical Center was already taking major steps to address the opioid crisis in Calvert County. On November 7, those efforts were recognized by the Health Quality Institute.
CalvertHealth is among seven health care organizations in Maryland and Virginia selected as a Health Quality Innovator of the Year and the only local medical center selected. Presented by Health Quality Innovators (HQI), the awards recognize innovative efforts to improve health in four categories: Collaboration, Health IT, Patient-Centered Care and Population Health.
Each of the recognized organizations displays a strong commitment to providing the best care to their patients and implementing quality improvement strategies that align with the Triple Aim: better care, better population health and lower health care costs.
The award review committee was especially impressed with the CalvertHealth’s commitment to collaboration as it pertains to their Opioid Stewardship Program, which began in December 2015. Upon implementation of the Dilaudid-free Emergency Department initiative in March 2017, Dilaudid prescriptions as a means of treating pain are down 94 percent and overall opioid prescriptions [as a means of treating pain] are down 26 percent. Working in tandem with the Calvert County Health Department and various other community organizations, CalvertHealth’s Opioid Stewardship Program continues to be instrumental in creating a safer and more responsible medical center.
“Through diligence and unwavering commitment to address the opioid crisis in our state, and right here – in Calvert County, we are seeing results. I’m incredibly proud of our team at CalvertHealth and we will continue to be a leader and a resource for opioid stewardship locally, statewide and nationally, said CalvertHealth President and CEO Dean Teague. He continued, “And this award, along with The Joint Commission’s recommendation to add our Opioid Stewardship Program to their Leading Practices Library, is validation that we are on the right track.”
“We commend CalvertHealth for their commitment to helping patients and families improve their health and quality of life,” said Donald A. Glozer, MHA, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of HQI. “These organizations are demonstrating innovative approaches to solving our most pressing health care challenges.”
About CalvertHealth
CalvertHealth a private, not-for-profit, community health system. Founded in 1919, CalvertHealth has been taking care of Southern Maryland families for nearly a century. In addition to the medical center campus, medical office buildings in Dunkirk, Twin Beaches, Prince Frederick, Lusby and Solomons ensure that quality care is no more than 15 minutes from anywhere in Calvert County. CalvertHealth’s trusted team provides residents with safe, high quality health care and promotes wellness for a healthy community – all while making a difference in every life we touch.
About HQI
Since 1984, HQI has been leading the way to better health care for providers and other clients by offering expertise in quality improvement, practice transformation, provider payment programs and electronic health record optimization. Better clinical performance, patient outcomes and cost savings are among the results. In addition to its role as the QIN-QIO and the PTN, HQI is a partner in two national Hospital Improvement Innovation Networks. Visit
www.hqi.solutions to learn more.
Drs. Kara Harrer and Drew Fuller (left) who lead the CalvertHealth Opioid Steward Program were presented with the HQI Innovator of the Year Award for Collaboration on Tuesday, November 7. From HQI are Sheila McLean, Vice President and Cynthia L.W. Warriner.