Foundation Newsletter

A PERFECT SMILE FOR PATIENTS As AtlantiCare’s Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) marks its 20th year, it too is looking to the future and its ability to provide comprehensive healthcare. “We know that oral health is an integral part of overall health,” says Sandy Festa, executive director, FQHC. “Good oral health decreases the likelihood of infection and facilitates better access to nutrition. Poor oral health is often linked to heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, osteoporosis, and other chronic illnesses.” To help combat dental access issues in the community, AtlantiCare is opening a dental clinic, which will be housed in its Medical Arts Pavilion on Ohio Avenue, set to open January 2024.

MAKING THE GRADE Grades aren’t everything. But they can be useful indicators, and AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center’s (ARMC) recent national evaluations all point directly to excellence. In 2022-2023, ARMC earned an “A” Spring Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group; earned four stars in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Quality Star Ratings annual update; and attained Magnet recognition for the fifth consecutive time. “For me, these accolades point to the ability of ARMC nurses, techs, doctors, surgeons, analysts, and staff across our hospital campuses to work together,” says Tom Blanco, AVP Quality and Accreditation. “The quality of care patients receive, the ability of providers to collaborate across departments, the healing environment we foster, our efforts to connect patients with resources in and outside of AtlantiCare – these all contribute to the health, wellbeing, and outcome of each patient.” The Magnet credential is the highest national honor for professional nursing practice. ARMC first achieved Magnet status 15 years ago and has since maintained its status. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

(CMS) Hospital Quality Star Ratings annual update accounts for more than 100 quality measures. ARMC’s four star rating makes it the highest rated acute care hospital in southern New Jersey. Leapfrog’s designation recognizes ARMC’s priority in maintaining patient safety by protecting patients from preventable harm, errors, accidents, and injuries. Blanco notes that the new grades primarily reflect performance during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that Leapfrog generally saw deterioration in patient safety in hospitals across the nation.

The clinic is comprised of nine operatories and will treat children and adults of all ages. “We know there is huge need,” says Festa. “AtlantiCare’s Emergency Departments see patients with dental emergencies, and we know that we can do more to help increase access to preventative treatment for those who do not get regular dental care, so these patients don’t have emergencies.”

“Preventative care such as dental cleanings and oral education, as well as extractions and cavity restorations will help improve the oral health of our community,” Festa says. “This is the next step for us in caring for the whole person.”

“Our ability to provide quality care and protect our patients from preventable harm during an especially challenging time speaks to our value of safety,” he says. “We are immensely proud of all of these accomplishments – not only for the recognition but really in that these evaluations reflect our commitment to patient care excellence across AtlantiCare.”

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