Some residents of Mt. Royal Towers in Birmingham recently completed a six-week chronic disease self-management program sponsored by AQAF. The program taught participants ways to better manage their health conditions and take more control of their lives. The program is part of the drug safety component of the Patient Safety theme of the 9th Scope of Work.

A study conducted by Stanford University found that program participants, when compared to a control group, demonstrated significant improvements in physical activity level, cognitive symptom management, communication with physicians, self-reported general health, health distress, fatigue, disability and social/role activities limitations.

Pictured in the photo are: (left to right, seated): Helen Lyons, Jack Ledford, Jane Mitchell, Cindi Carroll. Standing are Wanda Sandlin, Matt Allison and Beth Greene of AQAF's Patient Safety team, and Ronald Morton of Mt. Royal Towers.

Program participants not pictured are Betty Moulton and Helen Nichols.

An important component of the Patient Safety theme in AQAF's current 9th Scope of Work, is our work with Alabama hospitals to reduce the rate of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Now the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has issued a report that says MRSA infections have decreased "dramatically and significantly." From 2005 to 2008, the rate of MRSA decreased by 9.4 percent per year. Additionally, the report found a 5.7 percent per year decline in the incidence of healthcare-associated or community-onset MRSA infections.

For the study, JAMA collected lab reports from nine diverse metro areas representing 15 million people. According to the authors, the findings complement those from several smaller studies of infection prevention interventions. A subset analysis, limited to bloodstream infections, showed a 34 percent decrease in all hospital-onset cases and a 20 percent decrease in healthcare-associated or community onset cases. Read more: http://tinyurl.com/33bn477.

Ms. Opaline Harper, was crowned Ms. Alabama Nursing Home 2010 during the 28th annual Ms. Alabama Nursing Home Pageant held at The Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover on August 9.

Wanda Bartschat, a member of AQAF's patient safety team, seen in the photo with Ms. Harper, served as one of the preliminary judges.

Ms. Harper, age 84, is a resident at Hanceville Nursing and Rehab Center in Hanceville where she leads a Bible study every Wednesday and participates in a number of other activities.

As Ms. Alabama Nursing Home, Ms. Harper will travel to various nursing homes and community events to share her experiences. She will also serve as an ambassador for nursing home residents at several Alabama Nursing Home Association events throughout her reign.

The runners-up are:

1st Runner-up: Hilda Slaton, Ms. Northside Healthcare, Gadsden
2nd runner-up: Evelyn Daugherty, Ms. Lineville Health & Rehab, Lineville
3rd runner up: Frances Franklin, Ms. Haleyville Health Care Center, Haleyville
4th runner up: Janet Shoemaker Ratliff, Ms. Shelby Ridge Rehab Select, Alabaster

"All of the ladies who participated are wonderful ambassadors of their individual nursing homes and long-term care in our state," Alabama Nursing Home Association Executive Director Louis Cottrell said. "Each lady is a winner because she is actively involved in the life of her nursing home and shares her optimistic outlook on life with her fellow residents."

Rashann Anderson of AQAF's Care Transition team was in Northport recently to meet with residents of the Presbyterian Apartments.

More than 40 Medicare beneficiaries heard Anderson talk about the important role each of them must play in managing their health care including: Communicating with their health care providers and asking question; following a low-salt diet; understanding what heart failure is and what high blood pressure means; using CMS' discharge preparation checklist; the importance of keeping a personal health record and using a pill planner.

This event was part of AQAF's Care Transition special project to reduce unnecessary hospital readmissions, one of 14 similar projects being conducted around the nation.