Cooley Dickinson has the lowest readmission rate in the Commonwealth for congestive heart failure, according to data (2008-2009) from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). (2010)

Cooley Dickinson earns distinction from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts has designated Cooley Dickinson Hospital as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement. Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement are part of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association’s expansion of its Blue Distinction® designation. Cooley Dickinson Hospital is one of several facilities that has achieved the Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement in Massachusetts. (2010)

CDH represented at international meeting of infectious disease physicians
Dr. Joanne Levin presented CDH’s results in reducing hospital acquired MRSA by 70 percent at the 2010 international meeting of infectious disease physicians in Atlanta. Dr. Levin says this conference, assembled just once every decade, examines the prevention efforts of physicians, nurses and the Centers for Disease Control. Cooley Dickinson is one of only a few hospitals in western Mass. that offers a proactive and comprehensive screening program that has resulted in a 70 percent decrease in hospital-acquired MRSA. (2010)

Cooley Dickinson completes successful Joint Commission survey
In December, Cooley Dickinson Hospital underwent a four-day, unannounced Joint Commission accreditation survey. This week, the hospital received notification that it had successfully achieved re-accreditation through March 2013. Over the four days, a four-member survey team inspected all clinical areas of the hospital including the ER, the Kittredge Surgery Center and inpatient units, and visited the laboratory, rehabilitation sites and other outpatient facilities. The surveyors interviewed staff to evaluate how care is delivered at Cooley Dickinson. They also reviewed the organization’s protocols in patient safety, patient rights and responsibilities, infection prevention, emergency preparedness and management, performance improvement and documentation. (2009)

CDH program receives award from Mass. DPH
In late November, the Western Massachusetts Center for Healthy Communities (WMCHC), a program of Cooley Dickinson Hospital, received the Massachusetts Public Health Association’s Public Service Award. The award is given for an organization’s commitment to public health and social equality in Western Massachusetts. WMCHC received the award for its work in creating 10 substance abuse prevention coalitions. (2009)

Joint Commission Recognition
The Joint Commission Recognizes Effectiveness of Clinical Microsystems at CDH. In the October 2008 journal issued by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, CDH is noted as one of two hospitals in the nation breaking new ground in quality improvement. The Clinical Microsystems method involves teams of front-line staff identifying problems and solutions in order to achieve the greatest results in improving patient-centered care.  (2008)

Cooley Dickinson received the Betsy Lehman award for patient safety for efforts to eliminate hospital-associated infections.

Betsy Lehman Patient Safety Recognition Award
Cooley Dickinson received the 2007 Betsy Lehman Patient Safety Recognition Award, a prestigious statewide award that recognizes CDH’s initiatives to eliminate hospital-associated infections. (2007)

CareScience
CareScience, an independent company that provides clinical analysis of care at hospitals across the nation, recognized Cooley Dickinson as one of only six hospitals in the country to achieve both Select Practice National Quality Leader status, a distinction given to the top 1 percent of hospitals nationwide, and designation as a top-performing hospital in three out of seven disease-specific categories. In addition to being in the elite National Quality Leader group, Cooley was rated by CareScience as providing model care in the categories of heart failure, ischemic stroke and pneumonia. (2006)

Institute for Healthcare Improvement
Institute for Healthcare Improvement names CDH a Mentor Hospital as part of a two-year, nationwide movement to improve patient safety and prevent avoidable patient deaths. CDH was one of just two hospitals in the state to achieve mentor status in three clinical care areas, and one of only 100 hospitals nationwide to have earned the designation. CDH participates in the Institute’s 5 Million Lives campaign, a nationwide movement to improve patient safety and prevent avoidable patient deaths.  (2006)

Newsweek Magazine
Cooley Dickinson was featured in Newsweek for Advancing Patient Safety. The October 16, 2006, issue included CDH as one of 10 healthcare institutions around the country “using innovation, hard work and imagination to improve care, reduce errors and save money.”  (2006)

American Hospital Association’s Trustee Magazine
Craig N. Melin, CDH president/CEO, is quoted in the article “A Campaign for 100,000 Lives – The Time is Now for Boards to Lead Quality and Safety Efforts”.   The article highlights a national trend that finds hospital governing bodies, commonly called boards of trustees, taking a more active role in quality and patient safety, and propelling hospitals toward best practices in patient care.  In 1999 CDH’s board of trustees decided to focus on two areas:  quality and the community’s health. (2005)

Hospitals for a Healthy Environment, H2E Award
Cooley Dickinson was awarded the H2E Partners for Change award. “H2E” is a joint program of the American Hospital Association, the Environmental Protection Agency, Health Care Without Harm, and the American Nurses Association.  The award recognizes hospitals that have made significant and sustainable progress toward reducing waste, preventing pollution, and eliminating mercury.  Cooley Dickinson recycles more than 50 percent of its total waste.  Paper recycling efforts have helped the hospital save an average of $900 to $1,000 per month on destruction of confidential material.(2005)

University of Massachusetts Chancellor’s Medal
Cooley Dickinson Hospital received the University of Massachusetts’ highest honor – the Chancellor’s Medal – for Cooley Dickinson’s nurse education partnership with the University’s School of Nursing.  Designed to address the nationwide nursing shortage, the partnership works to increase recruitment and retention of nurses by fostering ties among nursing faculty, students, and experienced staff.  (2002)

100 Top Hospitals - Regional Benchmarks for Success
Cooley Dickinson Hospital was named one of The Health Network and HCIA Sachs’s 100 Top Hospitals - Regional Benchmarks for Success award winners.  The award was based on quality of care, efficiency of operations, and sustainability of overall performance.  (1999)

Great Comeback Hospital
The American Hospital Association and Coopers & Lybrand recognized Cooley Dickinson Hospital’s financial turnaround and named CDH the “Great ComeBack” hospital of the year for mid-sized hospitals. The award recognized financial and managerial excellence among the nation’s then 6,000 hospitals.  (1995)