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Dr. Tam: Beebe’s Commitment to You, Because You Deserve It

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Dr David Tam

 

The relentless pursuit of quality and safety is an aspect of healthcare that truly does not get enough attention, although the COVID-19 pandemic has shed some light onto the subject.

During the pandemic, quality and safety measures and infection control have become critical to communicate to our patients and community. Everyone needs to know it is safe to seek care, especially here at Beebe.

There’s scientifically-based evidence behind each decision healthcare leaders have made during the pandemic. Some decisions are visual, like Plexiglas barriers or a face-covering mandate, but many have long been a part of infection control protocols, including requiring clinical team members to wash their hands before visiting each patient room.

It is a lifelong journey for those in the healthcare industry. We must hold ourselves accountable for every moment of the day and each decision – like many other high-reliability organizations: air traffic control, nuclear power, aircraft carriers, and many more. The actions that lead to success cannot take a day off and must be consistent to an organization as a whole.

That is the commitment we make in healthcare and that is what our community deserves.

There are many watchdog organizations and independent groups that are committed to overseeing quality and safety in healthcare across the United States.

You recently may have heard of the Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization committed to healthcare quality and safety. Team Beebe was awarded an “A” in the spring hospital safety report, for a second straight time period. 

Achieving these results means reductions in hospital-acquired infections and post-operative complications, for example. Overall, it means we have institutionalized processes for safety and quality throughout Beebe. 

These and other quality and safety measures naturally extend to many other departments within Beebe and come from different healthcare groups.

Healthgrades has recognized Beebe for its high achievements in Pulmonary Services, Joint Replacement, Critical Care, and Surgery. Healthgrades’ analysis places Beebe Healthcare in the top 5% of hospitals for Pulmonary Services and in the top 10% of hospitals for Joint Replacement. Additionally, Beebe was named a five-star recipient for Spinal Fusion Surgery.

Beebe has been awarded The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval in Joint Replacement – Hip, Joint Replacement – Knee, Spine Surgery, Stroke, and Heart Failure.

And most recently, Beebe received three awards from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association for meeting specific quality measures for those who have heart failure, stroke, or a heart attack at a hospital. 

I am proud of Team Beebe for the culture we have and continue to foster, asking how we can do better next time – every time. We are striving to always learn new ways to be an organization constantly improving excellence in quality and safety – this is our commitment to you.

We celebrate these awards momentarily, and then get right back to work on being even better. Beebe Healthcare is not perfect – we have so much to do. But we will strive to continue working on excellence in quality and safety – because you, our community, deserve it.

Dr David Tam

David A. Tam, MD, MBA, CPHE, FACHE

David A. Tam, MD, MBA, CPHE FACHE, assumed the role of Beebe Healthcare President & CEO on March 17. He is a distinguished and accomplished administrator and has experiences as an officer in the United States Navy and in large public health systems. He completed his pediatrics residency at the US Naval Hospital in Oakland, California, and a pediatric neurology fellowship at the Medical College of Virginia.