BMC’s Scales ‘International Hero of Infection Prevention’

SPRINGFIELD — Mary Ellen Scales, RN, director of Baystate Medical Center’s Infection Control Program, has been honored as a 2009 Hero of Infection Prevention by the Assoc. for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

The award, which recognizes infection prevention and patient-safety initiatives, draws from an international pool of applicants; Scales is one of two winners from the New England chapter of APIC, of which she is president.

“Each hero has been recognized by their peers for the significant strides they’ve made against life-threatening health care-associated infections, and for their achievements in the area of patient safety worldwide,” said Denise Graham, vice president of public policy for APIC.

“It’s truly an honor to receive such an important and prestigious award —especially one that raises awareness of a crucial safety issue for health care workers and patients,” said Scales, who has worked at Baystate since 2002. “Keeping infections out of the hospital is one of the most important ways of delivering top-quality care, so it’s a top priority at Baystate Medical Center. Preventing infections promotes health, shortens hospital stays and reduces health care costs.”

Scales’ work at Baystate to prevent infections — and thereby keep patients safer and allow them to go home sooner — will be featured on APIC’s 2009 “Heroes” calendar, distributed to health care institutions around the world.

Scales’ award-winning infection-prevention initiative centered on increasing influenza immunizations among Baystate’s health care workers. By training staff in nursing units and ambulatory sites about the impact of influenza, prevention of flu, and the benefits of providing the flu vaccine to their colleagues in the course of a typical workday, Scales made it easy for Baystate health care workers to get immunized — and in doing so achieve an immunization rate almost double the national average. Health care workers also protect their families and loved ones from the flu by getting vaccinated at work.

Scales has presented her approach to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta at a national immunization conference, and at the Massachusetts annual immunization conference. Her innovative program, including online education and a rigorous survey process, is being considered as a model by Masspro, the organization that monitors and promotes health care quality in Massachusetts on behalf of the federal government, and by the Mass. Department of Public Health.

“By effectively promoting an influenza vaccination program that is free, easily accessible, and focusing on patient and employee safety, the flu champion program has surpassed what others have done nationally to provide a safer environment during flu season. Mary Ellen is exerting a direct positive influence on patients’ outcomes at Baystate Medical Center,” said Dr. Evan Benjamin, vice president of Health Care Quality for Baystate Health. “We see the results of her hard work in Baystate’s excellent quality and safety rankings among U.S. hospitals. We’re very proud of this latest recognition, and of all the nurses whose immunization efforts made it possible.”

Scales’ award is the latest in a string of recent honors for Baystate. This year, the hospital was again named one of America’s top hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, and also became the only hospital in the nation to win the Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence four consecutive times. In 2005, Baystate was designated a Magnet hospital for nursing excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement has designated Baystate as a mentor hospital in its 5 Million Lives Campaign for superior performance and willingness to share innovations and practical ideas.

Baystate reaffirmed its leadership in quality of care with the establishment this year of a new Center for Quality and Safety Research. The center is collaborating with a wide range of partners inside and outside the Baystate system to achieve a deeper understanding of patient experiences and outcomes — and to leverage that understanding to bring higher-quality and safer care to patients everywhere.