By Ron Rocky Coloma
Guam Memorial Hospital recently received a Bronze medal award from Health Quality Innovators (HQI) through the Health Quality Improvement Contractors
(HQIC) Recognition Program for its "success in improving the quality and safety of healthcare."
According to GMH, medals were awarded based on performance
in over 30 focus areas, including:
Improvement or sustainment of performance in quality and patient safety measures.
Overall engagement and participation during the contract.
Sharing lessons learned and best practices through newsletter articles, featured speakers and affinity groups.
Implementation of key leadership, person/family engagement and health
equity structural measures.
“This award highlights the commitment of our incredible team of people at GMH who work fervently to improve the health, safety, and wellness of patients we serve in this community," said Lillian Perez-Posadas, GMH administrator.
The HQIC award was the latest in a series of recognitions received this year by the government-run GMH, which is often a target of criticisms, legislative scrutiny and political bickering.
Underfunded and understaffed, GMH fights for adequate subsidy every year as self-paying patients make up the largest segment of its client base.
For fiscal 2025, GMH stands to receive only $37 million, which is half the amount it requested. The aging hospital relies on federal assistance to acquire new equipment and meet its improvement needs.
While good news is typically hard to come by for GMH, some of its achievements in healthcare services received attention from medical organizations this year.
In July, GMH received the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines - Resuscitation Bronze Quality Achievement Award for its up-to-date, research-based guidelines for treating in-hospital cardiac arrest.
“Guam Memorial Hospital is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest resuscitation guidelines,” Perez-Posadas said. “Get With The Guidelines provides our clinical teams with proven knowledge and evidence-based guidelines to work with on a daily basis."
“Studies show these guidelines help patients increase their survivability from a cardiac arrest,” she added.
Each year, more than 300,000 adults and children experience in-hospital cardiac arrest in the United States. Survival from cardiac arrest largely depends on the timely response of medical emergency teams and effective CPR.
GMH was recognized for following guidelines that contributed to better survival rates, ensuring that more lives are saved when every second counts.
In addition to the Resuscitation Award, GMH has also been honored with the Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Quality Achievement Award, recognizing the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines.
“Get With The Guidelines sets the standard for stroke treatment which establishes a level of excellence for our teams to put empirical knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, proven to help patients improve and recover better," Perez-Posadas said.
“The end goal is to ensure more people in Guam can experience longer, healthier lives,” she added.
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States. Early detection and treatment are crucial to improving survival rates and reducing long-term disabilities.
In August, the U.S. News & World Report designated GMH as "a high-performing hospital," placing it among the nation's top hospitals based on performance across various medical conditions and procedures.
GMH achieved a high-performing rating in five critical areas: cardiology, diabetes and pulmonary care. Specifically, the hospital was lauded for its exceptional treatment of heart attacks, heart failure, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia.
“This national and worldly recognition is truly an extraordinary pat on the back for our deserving and dedicated employees," said Perez-Posadas.
U.S. News & World Report evaluates approximately 4,500 hospitals annually across the United States. Of these, only 38 percent earn a "high-performing rating in a single category.
In 2022, the hospital’s Skilled Nursing Facility was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the Best Nursing Homes for Short-Term Rehabilitation.
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