Hawkins County Memorial named among country's cleanest by national publication

     ROGERSVILLE – Hawkins County Memorial Hospital, which has provided high-quality care to the community for more than 50 years, has been included in a national publication’s list of the 49 cleanest hospitals in the United States.

     Becker’s Spine Review recognized hospitals with the highest percentage of patients who reported in a Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey conducted between July 2011 and June 2012 that their room and bathroom were always clean. Ninety percent of responding patients reported that their room and bathroom at Hawkins County Memorial were constantly in this condition.

     Karen Mullins, environmental services supervisor at Hawkins County Memorial, said staff members consider cleanliness a top priority in caring for patients. She said her team follows strict policies and procedures for cleaning the hospital, which include checking with patients every morning to determine whether they have any specific cleaning needs and then following a seven-step cleaning process.

     “Our department is trained to disinfect all high-touch surfaces, including restrooms and floors; change all linens; clean windows; and even check curtains for cleanliness,” Mullins said. “We work hard every day to provide a healthy and healing environment for our patients and for family members who may be visiting in support of these patients.”

     Mullins said she learned about the hospital's appearance in the Becker’s list from Fred Pelle, the hospital's interim president. He praised her staff for outstanding performance and said the score Hawkins County Memorial achieved is a reflection of the respect co-workers show patients and their loved ones.

     “I was thrilled our hospital and co-workers were recognized for their dedication and hard work,” Pelle said. “We are focused on providing the safest and the cleanest hospital environment for our community and are grateful for this external validation of our efforts.”

     To view the full list of the 49 hospitals, please visit http://beckersspine.com/lists/item/16490-49-cleanest-hospitals-in-the-u-s.

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