Sidney Health Center Announces New Standards At Ceremony

With improving patients' care always their desire, Sidney Health Center employees held a celebration regarding new standards of performance and being selected a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital in America.

Sidney Health Center CEO Rick Haraldson thanked employees for their part in making SHC a top 100 critical access hospital. He said there are more than 1,300 critical access hospitals in the country.

"It's a big deal," Haraldson told those gathered for the celebration.

He thanked the Quality Impact Team for developing the new standards of performance.

"There was a lot of work for the committee who put this together," Haraldson noted.

After the standards were read, each Sidney Health Center signed to follow the new ICARE standards that include:

Integrity: Being honest, sincere and trustworthy; Doing what is right even when no one else is watching; Actively seeking information by asking questions rather than making assumptions and to encourage questions from others; Supporting team decisions 100 percent; and being the face and reputation of Sidney Health Center on campus and in the community.

Compassion: Displaying care, concern and kindness; Smiling and greeting people warmly while walking throughout the facility; Displaying patience and concern when communicating with others; Using AIDET (Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation, Thank you) to meet the needs of others; Caring for myself so I can care for others; and showing co-workers you care by thanking them for their contributions on a regular basis.

Accountability: Accept responsibility for actions, decisions and results; Solving problems and focusing on the process not the individual; Using Service Recovery Program to act on patient complains and problems in the short term. Be part of the solution to fix problems long term. Commit to learning and following all safety policies, procedures and guidelines; Being financially responsible when using Sidney Health Center resources; Caring for equipment and the environment; and taking pride in personal appearance and dressing professionally.

Respect: Treat people how you want to be treated; Be humble and kind when interacting with others; Using courtesy when communicating; Coach in private, praise in public; Responding to others in a timely manner. When delays occur, update about wait time and provide comfortable alternatives; Promote peace of mind and dignity in what you say and do; and ensure privacy and confidentiality.

Excellence: Do your job with pride and go above of what is expected; Continuously improve personally and professionally; Always provide safe, quality, professional care in a confidential manner; Commit to excellence based care and procedures; Escort others to their destination when appropriate. If you can't escort, give specific directions; Because you may be the first or last impression, make it a good one.