Quality Initiatives

Providing the best possible healthcare in a safe, compassionate environment is a commitment Saint Margaret Mercy has kept in the communities it serves for more than 100 years. Furthermore, improving the quality of the care and service that patients receive remains a top priority for our healthcare team each day.

Our physicians, nurses and healthcare support team work tirelessly to provide care and service that is safe, effective and responsive. This section of our Web site provides information on how Saint Margaret Mercy's healthcare team has worked to:

• Prevent the risk of becoming infected with pneumonia in patients on a ventilator, known as ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)
• Reduce the length of a patient's stay in the Intensive Care Unit as a result of VAP prevention
• Reduce patient wait times in the Emergency Department
• Schedule patients more quickly and conveniently
• Reduce the time it takes to be discharged from the hospital

As a Sister of St. Francis Health Services, Inc., hospital, Saint Margaret Mercy uses a methodology called Lean Six Sigma to review and redesign business practices and processes. It is a rigorous and systematic methodology that uses process data and statistical analysis to measure and improve quality, operational performance, practices and systems. Six Sigma techniques make Saint Margaret Mercy more effective in anticipating and exceeding the expectations of our customers. For more information on Lean Six Sigma, please visit www.isixsigma.com or the American Society for Quality at www.asq.org.