The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has joined with Santa Clara Valley Medical Center to take on two significant challenges in healthcare today: reducing medication errors and enhancing the professional nursing practice. This is the largest grant received by the VMC Foundation and will bring new pharmacy technology and support for a renowned nursing program to Santa Clara County's largest hospital.
"Santa Clara Valley Medical Center thanks the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation for such a important contribution to our organization," said Kim Roberts, acting Executive Director of SCVHHS. "This grant recognizes the hospital's role as critical resource for this community and will help us continue to enhance our activities around quality patient care and safety."
The first grant, $2.2 million, will provide new bar-coding technology to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center's pharmacy services. Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC) will be the first public hospital in California with this bar-coding technology.
"Medication errors are one of the major problems facing all U.S. hospitals. Fortunately, this problem can be dealt with by technology," commented Dr. Narinder Singh, Director of Pharmacy Services, SCVMC. "This grant, with the bar-code system it buys, will bring the highest degree of patient safety, accuracy and efficiency to administering medications."
Because Santa Clara Valley Medical Center is Santa Clara County's busiest hospital, the impact of this grant will be considerable. The new bar-coding system will enhance patient safety for the 1-out-of-10 county residents seen at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and it's clinics.
The second grant of $2.1 million (over three years) will be used to assist the hospital in obtaining “Magnet Status” from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Magnet Status, the highest level of nursing designation, is given only to hospitals that meet rigorous standards and demonstrate the safest, most efficient and best nursing practices. Only seven California hospitals have achieved Magnet Status. Currently, no public hospital in California has this designation.
"The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation is committed to improving patient safety and quality of care through best nursing practices in the Bay Area. We believe that our grant and work with the VMC Foundation will help Santa Clara Valley Medical Center implement new processes and systems that will improve the quality of care for the patients they serve in Santa Clara County," said Helen Kim, Chief Program Office for the Betty Irene Moore Nursing Initiative.
"Santa Clara Valley Medical Center is committed to quality care and enhancing our excellent nursing practice," stated Joan Smith, Director of Nursing, SCVMC. "The process of obtaining magnet status will bring enhancements and innovation to advancing our nursing environment. Magnet status will help us attract even more outstanding nurses to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center."
"The VMC Foundation is proud to accept this grant,"said Chris Wilder, Executive Director, VMC Foundation. "This funding helps Santa Clara Valley Medical Center obtain new technology and assists us in reaching the highest standards in nursing. It also demonstrates support for our mission of dedication to the health of this community."
About the VMC Foundation
The Valley Medical Center Foundation supports the work of the Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System (SCVHHS), which includes Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC). SCVMC is the busiest hospital in Silicon Valley and the only one with a 100% open-door policy, providing excellent healthcare care to everyone, regardless of ability to pay. The VMC Foundation, one of the first private foundations established to support a public hospital, was formed in 1988, and has raised millions of dollars for SCVMC’s programs and facilities.
About the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation seeks to develop outcome-based projects that will improve the quality of life for future generations. Funding is concentrated in environmental conservation, science, and the San Francisco Bay Area. As part of the San Francisco Bay Area focus, the Betty Irene Moore Nursing Initiative was established in 2003 with the goal of improving the quality of nursing-related outcomes in adult acute care hospitals in the San Francisco Bay Area (Alameda, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties).
Related Link: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2006/10/30/daily10.html