FARIA: Hard work paid off for the Coliseum hospitals

I read in the news with great jubilation that one-third of Georgia hospitals earned an "A" grade on patient safety. Overall, Georgia was rated at No. 10 "among states with the highest percentage of top-performing hospitals." Even more apropos, Middle Georgia was not left in the boondocks by Metro Atlanta. In Macon, both Coliseum Medical Centers and Coliseum Northside Hospital received "A" ratings for autumn 2015. Unfortunately, the Medical Center, Navicent Health, did not fare well and earned a "C" rating.

The report rekindled not only jubilation but also pride and satisfaction. The well-deserved achievements of the Coliseum systems did not occur in a vacuum or overnight: Physicians, nurses, therapists, administrators and hospital personnel at all levels worked hard over the years to make this happen. I remember when I was chief of staff at CMC, how we spent evening hours attending both executive and board of trustees meetings going over data and strategies to improve patient safety and advance the quality of care. I personally researched and wrote the ethical and scientific criteria for the determination of brain death for CMC, but I could not have done it without the team effort, particularly the intensive care nurses with whom I spent countless hours. The answer was and remains putting patients first, safety, keeping up with medical advances and team effort.

It also took fighting political battles. CMC administrators fought for relaxing Certificates of Need regulations so that CMC could be permitted to perform much needed procedures, such as open-heart surgery and angioplasty. Former CMC CEO Mike Boggs was instrumental in these negotiations, and my friend Dr. Sam Shaker and I wrote editorials in The Telegraph in support of CMC. Efforts paid off and CMC continued to advance providing greater and more efficient medical care. The addition of CNH to the system has enlarged the outreach program to serve even more patients in Middle Georgia. But new political battles will have to be fought, even as medical care continues to improve, particularly with the coming regulations of Obamacare, regulations which may impact adversely on both nonprofit and for-profit hospitals, as well as patients.

I congratulate and tip my hat to Coliseum Medical Centers CEO Charles Briscoe and Coliseum Northside CEO Steve Daugherty, their staff and their doctors and nurses for a job well done.

Dr. Miguel A. Faria is an associate editor in chief and world affairs editor of Surgical Neurology International.

This story was originally published November 12, 2015 at 10:02 PM with the headline "FARIA: Hard work paid off for the Coliseum hospitals ."