Gibson Area Hospital & Health Services | Gibson gets it! | Fall/Winter 2018

Gibson gets it! 3 Putting patients first, always Dr. Kerber is 2018 IRHA Rural Physician of Excellence A special reception was held in October to honor Gibson Area Hospital & Health Services (GAHHS) Radiologist Gary Kerber, MD, as the recipient of the 2018 Physician of Excellence Award from the Illinois Rural Health Association (IRHA). Commenting on Dr. Kerber’s nomination and award, IRHA Executive Director Margaret Vaughn stated: “What struck me was that he has been able to bring high tech to rural communities. Without Dr. Kerber’s leadership in radiology at Gibson Area Hospital, patients would not receive this level of care.” Dr. Kerber is a physician who truly places patient care first and foremost. “He has a passion for rural and a passion for his patients. He is a genuine good guy,” said Rob Schmitt, GAHHS CEO. Patients knowDr. Kerber by his calm and approachable demeanor, top-notch skills, and compassionate nature. Over the past nine years, Dr. Kerber has worked to ensure that the hospital has the best imaging equipment available, allowing patients to be cared for here instead of making a long drive to another facility. Dr. Kerber has had an immense impact on GAHHS, evident in his ongoing pursuit of excellence for the care of his patients, demonstrated by his desire to bring a hybrid operating room to GAHHS, a project which will come to fruition in early 2019. In accepting the award, Dr. Kerber acknowledged the exceptional support and skill of the radiology staff, as well as the vision of hospital administration and board members who make it possible for him to provide the highest standard of radiologic care for patients in rural Illinois. The model of excellence Gibson Area Hospital Receives 2018 Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award™ ABOVE: Front row, from left: Rob Schmitt, GAHHS CEO; Gary Kerber, MD; Margaret Vaughn, IRHA Executive Director; back row, from left: Susan Bence, GAHHS Community Liaison, IRHA Board of Directors; Ken Ryan, IRHA Executive Board & Past- President; Robin Rose, GAHHS COO, IRHA Past-President Healthgrades, a leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals, has recognized Gibson Area Hospital & Health Services (GAHHS) among its recipients of their 2018 Patient Safety Excellence Award™, which included 458 hospitals across the United States. This award places GAHHS among the top 10 percent of all short-term acute care hospitals that report patient safety data. The Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award™ recognizes hospitals for their excellent performance in safeguarding patients from serious, potentially preventable complications during their hospital stay. According to Healthgrades, patient safety measures how well a hospital prevents injuries, infections, and other serious conditions based on information related to 14 preventable adverse events. Methodology used by Healthgrades to identify these hospitals includes inpatient data from the Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR) database and software from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). In addition to being among the top 10 percent in the nation for patient safety, GAHHS was one of 26 Illinois hospitals to receive the Healthgrades honor and the only Illinois Critical Access Hospital to be recognized for the award. Upon learning of the Healthgrades announcement, GAHHS CEO Rob Schmitt commented, “This award is a result of the hard work, dedication, and compassion each and every member of the care team has for our patients. Our highly skilled and caring staff is passionate about patient care and dedicated to making Gibson Area Hospital THE MODEL OF EXCELLENCE in rural health care. It’s what every patient deserves.” Gibson news