Always Our Number One Priority

You are important to us, and providing quality, safe care to every patient every time is at the heart of what we do. That's why our staff, clinical and non-clinical alike, is fully committed to excellent care and a positive patient experience. At MidState, we are always looking for ways to improve your care. We are on the cutting-edge of all best practices and participate in all national endeavors that promote quality and patient safety. We strive to be the best we can be to ensure the best possible outcome. You can find quality in:

• All private rooms. MidState is the only hospital in the state to offer all private patient rooms. This reduces the risk of spreading infections and enhances your comfort while you are with us.
• Our expert physicians. Our doctors are among the very best, and are all board certified or board eligible in their fields.
• The way we communicate. We pay attention to the details, and your entire healthcare team interacts with each other to discuss your care and decide with you on your best treatment plan.

In independent patient satisfaction surveys, MidState Medical Center consistently ranks among the best hospitals in the state and the nation. And, as further testament to MidState's longstanding commitment to quality and excellence, the Hospital continues to be the proud recipient of a variety of awards and commendations.

Here is a list of our most recent awards.

Patient Safety

When you're in the hospital, you expect quality, safe care. And you should. But do you know what's going on behind-the-scenes to ensure that your care is as thorough as possible? MidState's Patient Safety Council meets monthly to discuss and evaluate ways to enhance the care of our patients. This interdisciplinary team focuses on matters such as fall prevention, proper patient identification, medication management, and various others. MidState is committed to improving patient safety through the implementation of several best-practice initiatives:

• Fall Precautions

Falls are the leading cause of injury to patients in hospitals. The primary goal of healthcare workers at MMC is to identify patients at risk to fall and keep them safe from harm.

Why am I on Fall Precautions?
Every patient admitted to MMC is assessed by a nurse. Your nurse determined that placing you on Fall Precautions would keep you safe from harm during your hospitalization.

What increases my risk of falling?
There are many reasons why patients are at risk to fall in a hospital. These reasons may include:

1. Poor vision or hearing
2. Difficulty with balance, walking or foot problems
3. Weakness
4. Confusion
5. Use of multiple medications or certain medications for sedation, pain, sleep, or blood pressure control
6. Environmental hazards such as wet floors, IV tubing, oxygen tubing, catheters, phone cords, or clutter in your room
7. Procedures or surgery that affect your balance or ability to walk

What can I expect?
When you are placed on Fall Precautions, you can expect to see an apple on the door frame of your room.

You can also expect that staff will use bed and chair alarms to help us keep watch over you. This equipment will be used when staff is not in the room, even if you have family or other visitors in the room.

Staff will be sure that your call bell and personal items are within reach before they leave the room.

Did you know that the most falls occur when patients try to get to the bathroom without assistance?

What can I do to decrease my fall risk?

• Never get up without staff assistance - "Call before you fall"
• Wear safe shoes or non-skid slippers when out of bed
• Tell staff about your daily routine and bathroom habits

What can family/visitors do to decrease the patient's risk of falls?

• Bring in glasses, hearing aids, and safe shoes
• Share with staff any history of falls, confusion or if you notice new confusion/dizziness. Suggest ways to keep the patient safe.
• Call a staff member to the room if the patient needs repositioning or assistance to the bathroom - do not assist the patient yourself
• Do not turn off the bed or chair alarm

Home Safety
MMC also wants you to be safe at home as your chances of falling are high during the first month home from the hospital

What Else Should I know?
Talk with your nurse, your home care provider or your doctor about ways to prevent falls at home. There are many things that can be done to keep you safe.

Remember: spending time with your loved one in the hospital can help decrease falls.

• FAST Team

The mission of the FAST Team is to reduce the death and disability that can occur as a result of a stroke. When someone suffers a stroke, every minute counts. Quickly recognizing the warning signs and symptoms of a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) may make all the difference in someone achieving a more favorable outcome. This highly trained team is able to promptly evaluate the patient and conduct specific laboratory and imaging tests, which allow for a diagnosis to be made along with the administration of the latest stroke therapies.

• Medication Reconciliation

Medication reconciliation is the process of comparing a patient's hospital medication orders to all of the medications that the patient has been taking at home. This reconciliation is done at hospital admission and discharge to avoid medication errors. Our patients hold a vital role as a member of the healthcare team in the medication reconciliation process. Each patient discharged to home receives an updated wallet card with a list of all their medications to take at home. This wallet card should be carried with the patient, and when admitted, will be used as the primary source for the patient's medication history

• Rapid Response Team

The Rapid Response Team is in place to assist patients, families, visitors and staff when emergency assistance is needed. Should a patient's condition change dramatically, extension 8400 is dialed and a team consisting of a nurse manager or nursing coordinator, advanced practiced registered nurse, and respiratory therapist responds immediately to perform an assessment and any necessary treatment. This year MidState implemented the family-activated Rapid Response Team, allowing a patient or a patient's family member the ability to call a Rapid Response Team if there is a change in patient status.

• Skin collaborative

The longer you lay in a hospital bed, the greater your risk for skin problems, or bed sores. MidState has specific protocols in place to help prevent the occurrence of bed sores. All patients are evaluated for their risk of skin breakdown on hospital admission and continuously throughout the day. For patients whose mobility is compromised, nurses reposition the patient every two hours. Staff may also use special cushions, creams and products to maintain the skin's condition. An Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, who specializes in skin care, is also available to evaluate any concerns with a patient's skin.

• "Time out" before surgery

Before any surgery or invasive procedure at MidState, the entire team takes a "time out" to review several items including: verifying your name, the procedure to be performed, any allergies you may have, and the correct side or site of surgery. This process begins when you are first interviewed by the MidState staff and continues into the procedure room.

Resources for you

MidState Medical Center is committed to partnering with consumers to improve health and safety. Hospitals engage in many activities to keep patients safe, but there are many things you can do to help.

• Medication Wallet Card

MidState is working with partners including the Connecticut Hospital Association, Connecticut Department of Public Health, and others to promote awareness of patient safety strategies and empower patients to be more active partners in their care. As the first step in this statewide effort to engage patients in safety, we have developed a wallet medication card in order to assist consumers in maintaining an accurate record of the medicines they take and other important information. It is critical that your healthcare providers have complete information about your medical history and current medications, and we encourage all consumers to use the wallet medication card or a similar tool to track this information. The wallet medication card and instructions are available in two formats by clicking on the links below.

Click here for Wallet Medication Card (PDF version).

Click here for Wallet Medication Card (Microsoft Word version).

The first format (PDF) is for consumers who will print the card and complete it by hand. The second format (Microsoft Word) is for consumers who would like to download the card as a Microsoft Word document and save it to their own computer for filling out electronically before printing.

• Digital Mammography

In this test, X-ray film is replaced by solid-state detectors that convert x-rays into electrical signals similar to those in digital cameras. Electrical signals used to produce images of the breast can be seen on a computer screen.

To get the most out of your mammogram, you should know your risk for breast cancer.

• Care Givers Guide
• First-Aid Kits Can Save Lives

A well-assembled first-aid kit can be help you respond quickly and effectively in the event of an emergency. That's why the American Red Cross advises you to keep one kit in your car and at least one at home, stored in an easy-to-retrieve location that is out of the reach of small children. Children old enough to know the purpose of the kit should be informed about its whereabouts.

How to Assemble Your Own First-Aid Kit

You can purchase an assembled first-aid kit at your local drugstore, or you could put one together yourself. A proper kit should include:

• Adhesive tape
• Aluminum finger splints
• Antibiotic ointment
• Antiseptic solution or towelettes
• Bandages, including a roll of elastic wrap (Ace, Coban, others) and bandage strips (Band-Aid, Curad, others) in assorted sizes
• Instant cold packs
• Cotton balls and cotton-tipped swabs
• Disposable latex or synthetic gloves, at least two pair
• Gauze pads and roller gauze in assorted sizes
• Eye goggles
• First-aid manual
• Petroleum jelly or other lubricant
• Plastic bags for the disposal of contaminated materials
• Safety pins in assorted sizes
• Save-A-Tooth storage device containing salt solution and a travel case
• Scissors, tweezers and a needle
• Soap or instant hand sanitizer
• Sterile eyewash, such as a saline solution
• Thermometer
• Triangular bandage
• Turkey baster or other bulb suction device for flushing out wounds
• Cell phone and recharger that utilizes the accessory plug in your car dash
• Emergency phone numbers, including contact information for your family doctor and pediatrician, local emergency services, emergency road service providers and the regional poison control center
• Small, waterproof flashlight and extra batteries
• Candles and matches for cold climates
• Mylar emergency blanket
• First-aid instruction manual
• Sunscreen

Give Your Kit a Check-up

Check your kits every three months to make sure that batteries are still operating and expired supplies are replaced. Prepare children for medical emergencies in age appropriate ways. The American Red Cross offers several programs designed to help children understand and use first-aid techniques in case of an emergency. -source Mayoclinic.com

• Local Community Links

You can browse our list of community resources to learn more about the towns we serve. The following links will provide you with information on the economic and lifestyle landscape of the Greater Meriden community.

Local Chambers of Commerce

• Cheshire
• Meriden
• Southington
• Quinnipiac 

Local Citys and Towns

• Cheshire
• Meriden
• Southington
• Wallingford

Local Newspaper

• Record Journal

State Resource

• State of Connecticut
• MidState Ready

No one likes to think about the threat of an emergency, but planning for a potential crisis is vital for your safety and well being. To aid in emergency preparedness planning, MidState Medical Center is providing you - the community - with a variety of tools to ensure that, in the event of an actual emergency, you know what steps to take.

This information comes to you as part of a larger initiative, entitled MidState Ready, in which the hospital strengthens its emergency procedures and protocols. It is our hope that by providing these tools to you, you will take an active role in your own safety.

Below you'll find information on emergency supply kits, communication plans, and a variety of other materials to assist in your preparation. Together we can make our community stronger. MidState's ready. Are you?

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security provides information on what to include in an emergency supply kit, how to formulate a family plan, and what to consider when planning for special populations like children. Click each of the links below for more information:

• Basic Emergency Supply Kit
• Family Emergency Plan
• Preparing for People with Disabilities and Special Needs

How prepared are you? Not sure. Find out your Readiness Quotient (RQ) brought to you by The Council for Excellence in Government. This brief assessment helps you gauge what still needs to be done to protect yourself.

Test your Readiness Quotient

The American Red Cross has made available a list of necessary tips to consider when preparing an evacuation plan. They also have created an emergency contact card to carry in your wallet in case of an emergency.

Preparing an Evacuation Plan

Emergency Contact Card - Wallet Size

The Connecticut Department of Homeland Security has produced a list of all local emergency management contacts in the state. Organized by town, it is a great resource if you have any questions or concerns on your town's emergency plans.

• Using Medications Correctly

Experts report that 50% of all patients make potentially dangerous mistakes when taking their medications. Here are some tips to follow. Keep track of the names (both generic and brand names) and dosages of any medications you take. If you need large print directions, ask. If the directions are confusing, ask your doctor or pharmacist for an explanation. Even if you don't receive special instructions, avoid common medicine mistakes like crushing or chewing medications without checking with your doctor or measuring doses with a kitchen spoon instead of a measuring spoon. Ask about the potential for drug interactions. Even a glass of grapefruit juice can hinder the effectiveness of certain medication. Keep on the directed dosage schedule for best results.

For more information or to receive a free medication-tracking card, contact MidState Medical Center at 203.694.8735.

Visit The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services website for further information on how we compare with other hospitals.