Quality

Quality and performance improvement is a responsibility of all departments in our organization, facilitated by our Quality/Risk Manager. We stress safety and customer service in all we do. We are striving to provide high-value healthcare to our patients and their families in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible. Measuring how we provide patient care allows us to evaluate and improve not only the health of our patients, but also the health of our community as a whole.

As a rural Critical Access Hospital (CAH), BCH voluntarily participates in several national quality projects and programs.

  • Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP) is a national quality improvement program specifically for CAHs where we report to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  In MBQIP, BCH submits quality measure data for inpatients and outpatients plus patient satisfaction survey results, and our quality outcomes may be compared with those of all Idaho and national hospitals. Data is submitted for:
    • Chest Pain/Acute Myocardial Infarction
    • Pain Management
    • Stroke
    • Outpatient Surgery
    • Inpatient Heart Failure
    • Inpatient – Pneumonia
    • HCAHPS – patient satisfaction survey for inpatients admitted to the hospital 
  • CDC/National Health Safety Network – BCH monitors for hospital-acquired infections through our Infection Prevention program. We submit data to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention on any catheter-acquired urinary tract infections (CAUTI), central line bloodstream infections (CLABSI), surgical site infections of certain surgical procedures, and infections having to do with MRSA bloodstream infections or Clostridium difficile which causes diarrhea.
  • Hospital Engagement Network – Since 2012, BCH has participated in the Hospital Engagement Network. This three-year national quality program has as its goal a 40% reduction of any patient harm that occurs during a patient’s hospital stay as well as reducing preventable readmissions by 20%. BCH monitored and submitted data that showed:
    • No CAUTI for 3 years
    • No CLABSI for 3 years
    • No Early Elective Deliveries (from 37 – 39 weeks gestational age) since June 2012.
    • Maintenance of our 30-day readmission rate for all causes at about 5% (compared to national rate of nearly 20%)
    • No hospital-acquired Pressure Ulcers (Stage 2 or greater) in 3 years
    • No hospital-acquired Venous Thromboembolism (pulmonary embolism or deep vein blood clots that develop in the hospital)

Please inform us of your feelings and opinions

During your hospital stay:

If you have a concern during your hospital stay, please allow us the opportunity to assist you immediately. You may talk with any caregiver or request to speak with the Charge Nurse, Risk Manager, or any member of Administration. You may call the hospital switchboard operator at (208) 245-5551 for assistance in contacting the appropriate person to speak with.

If your concern has not been satisfied please notify:
Benewah Community Hospital
229 South 7th Street
St. Maries, ID 83861
(208) 245-7676

You may click on this link, and print out a form for your convenience >>

For Medicare patient concerns, you may also contact:
Livanta LLC, at (877) 588-1123

For all patients and visitors, you may contact the following:
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Bureau of Facility Standards
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0036
(208) 334-6626

Your comments and constructive concerns will help us in our goal to continually improve the quality of our services. Please be assured that your comments will not affect your care at Benewah Community Hospital. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

If you have any further questions, please contact BCH’s Risk Manager at (208) 245-7676.