FirstHealth Hospitals earn an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group; Pharmacy Residency Programs earn prestigious accreditation

By Staff Report, posted Nov 26, 2024 on BizFayetteville.com

FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital (MRH), MRH-Richmond and MRH- Hoke have earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns a letter grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them.

“We’re thrilled to be recognized by Leapfrog for excellence in safety, underscoring our collective mission across the FirstHealth system to provide safe, compassionate and high-quality care,” said Jonathan Davis, MPH, FACHE, chief operating officer for FirstHealth and president of Moore Regional in a press release. “This achievement highlights the exceptional work of our staff across the organization, and we remain dedicated to maintaining the highest safety standards for the communities and patients we serve.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

Pictured are (top from left) William Markle, PGY-2 Resident; Matthew Bamber, Pharm.D., MBA, BCCCP, emergency department pharmacy supervisor and director of the PGY-2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency Program; Drew Kessell, Pharm.D., MBA, M.S., director, clinical pharmacy services at FirstHealth; Christina Thurber, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCCCP, pharmacy clinical coordinator and PGY 1 Pharmacy Residency Program coordinator; (bottom from left) Shayan Tavassoli, PGY-1 Resident; Kristin Lanier, PGY-1 Resident; Sarah Seward, PGY-1 Resident; Sydney Hege, PGY-1 Resident. Photo provided by" FirstHealth.

FirstHealth’s pharmacy residency programs also recently achieved significant milestones following a thorough survey conducted by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) earlier this year.

FirstHealth achieved the following accreditations:

PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program: Granted reaccreditation
PGY-2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency Program: Awarded initial accreditation

ASHP’s accreditation process is comprehensive, evaluating both the academic and experiential quality of the training provided to residents, as well as the overall pharmacy services available to FirstHealth patients. Accreditation is granted based on rigorous standards designed to ensure

high-quality learning environments that prepare pharmacists for advanced clinical practice.

“These accreditations reflect the dedication of our pharmacy team and our commitment to providing exceptional care and education,” said Drew Kessell, Pharm.D., MBA, M.S., director, clinical pharmacy services at FirstHealth, in a press release. “ASHP’s endorsement underscores the strength of our residency programs and the services we offer to patients and the broader health care community.”

The PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program, established in 2011, provides foundational training to pharmacy graduates and has a longstanding history of excellence. The reaccreditation confirms the program’s continued ability to meet ASHP standards and support residents in developing the

skills necessary for clinical and leadership roles.

“I have been part of the pharmacy department and the PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program at Moore Regional for eight years,” said Christina Thurber, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCCCP, pharmacy clinical coordinator and PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program coordinator, in a press release. “Participating in the program in various roles and watching it grow and change into the strong entity it is today has been a rewarding part of my career. I have always known the pharmacy residents that we produce are a head above the rest but to have that reaffirmed by ASHP this year is a great honor. We couldn’t have accomplished this full accreditation without the preceptors, pharmacists and technicians that help us mold our residents into the skilled practitioners they become.”

The PGY-2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency Program launched in 2023 and offers specialized training for pharmacists seeking expertise in emergency care settings. This year’s initial accreditation reflects the program’s success in delivering high-level education and clinical

practice opportunities for residents.

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