Evangelical Community Hospital Selected as a 2023 Health Quality Innovator of the Year

John Devine, DO, FACP, CPE, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Evangelical Community Hospital

LEWISBURG, PA – Evangelical Community Hospital has been recognized as a Health Quality Innovator for 2023. The Health Quality Innovator Awards is the annual awards program created by Health Quality Innovators (HQI) that recognizes and celebrates organizations that are using successful, evidence-based approaches to improve healthcare quality and outcomes.  

The Hospital was selected as a runner-up in the Health Equity category for its work through its Patient and Family Advisory Council. This award category recognizes organizations that have successfully implemented interventions to address disparities by race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geographic location, disability, and/or sexual orientation across a range of conditions.

“We’re incredibly proud to be recognized for the Hospital’s dedication to improving health for all,” said John Devine, DO, FACP, CPE, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Evangelical Community Hospital.

“We truly believe to optimize health quality; we need to know first-hand how our care is being received and perceived. The Patient and Family Advisory Council brings together key individuals from all walks of life to give us feedback on what we are doing well and to address where we could be even better.”

The Council consists of current and former patients, their friends/family members and caregivers. Through regular meetings the Advisory Council and the Hospital have been able to make inroads in the Hospital’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives including recognizing, celebrating, and learning about various cultures, backgrounds and histories of various colleagues and communities in its service area and beyond.

In addition, the Advisory Council has informed improving access to patient resources for an exceptional healthcare experience. Council members were invited to share in design input regarding the recent Hospital expansion including patient room functionality and comfort, provided feedback in the patient handbook that is given to each patient requiring an overnight stay, and examined areas of enriching racial and ethnic diversity within the culture of the Hospital including addressing disparities in healthcare outcomes.

In 2018, the Hospital created Mobile Health of Evangelical to bring preventive and primary care services to more rural locations within the Hospital’s service area, providing health screenings, primary and specialty care, dental hygiene, and health education.

Council members have played a role in proposing possible locations and outreach of this service. In calendar year 2023, Mobile Health of Evangelical provided services to 747 individuals. In addition to that number, health education was made available to 407 individuals at community events.

“We continue as a Hospital to keep a forward vision for our community,” said Devine. “We continually evolve to ensure high-quality services and through efforts, like that of the Patient and Family Advisory Council and others, we are able to stay in tune with what is most needed by the people choosing Evangelical for their healthcare.”

Learn more about the 2023 Health Quality Innovators of the Year at https://hqi.solutions/2023-awards/.