SAFE Center of Excellence

I am extremely happy to report that the New York State Department of Health has approved WCA Hospital’s application to become a 24-hour Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) Center of Excellence. In her approval letter to WCA Hospital President and CEO Betsy Wright, Dr. Rachel de Long, M.D., Director of the Division of Family Health, applauded the leadership WCA has shown in achieving SAFE Center of Excellence designation. WCA opened its dedicated SAFE Center on August 1. This designation is the culmination of more than 18 months of work by STHCS and WCA. Utilizing our leadership and SAFE program expertise, WCA hospital brought SAFE services to Chautauqua County. We also assisted with WCA's SAFE Center of Excellence application to the Department of Health. I want to congratulate Betsy, the WCA Board of Directors and WCA Director of Nursing and Emergency Department Nurse Manager Emelia Lindquist on achieving SAFE Center of Excellence designation.

Jones/WCA Honored

I’d also like to congratulate Jones Memorial Hospital and WCA Hospital on receiving awards from the Department of Health for participating in a statewide effort to reverse the trend of early scheduled deliveries. The NYS Perinatal Quality Collaborative named Jones and WCA among its 12-month Obstetrical Improvement Project's Quality Improvement Award recipients this week. The Department of Health created the statewide program to discourage early scheduled births by induction or cesarean when no medical reason exists for the proceedure. Research has shown that early deliveries can lead to health and developmental problems. Ninety-seven of New York's 127 birthing hospitals participated in Perinatal Quality Collaborative to reduce early scheduled deliveries. The 12-month award is the highest level of achievement possible for the project.

EMS Longboard Protocol

SEMAC’s Spinal Motion Restriction Technical Advisory Group (TAG), led by our local WNY Medical Director Dr. Joseph Bart, proposed a change to the NYS BLS protocol during this week's SEMAC/SEMSCO meeting in Troy. The current protocol requires almost universal use of longboards when a spinal injury is suspected. The TAG found that long spine board immobilization may not be the best method to use in every case and can actually do more harm than good. The TAG's report, presented by Dr. Joseph Bart, found that in most cases with ambulatory patients, the use of a cervical collar and positioning a patient on an ambulance stretcher is sufficient to minimize spinal movement. The report was supported unanimously by SEMAC and the State Emergency Medical Services Council (SEMSCO). This still needs the approval of the Department of Health as will a formalized educational component. I will keep you updated as things progress.