Springfield Standard

Citizens Memorial Hospital and Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation have awarded Rebecca Brown the inaugural Patient Safety Award. The award was presented on March 10 to recognize her contributions to maintaining a safe environment at Colonial Springs Healthcare Center, a skilled nursing facility in Buffalo.

Rebecca Brown, a restorative certified nurse assistant at the center, was praised by Roy Pace, the facility's administrator. In his nomination, Pace highlighted Brown's dedication to safety: “Rebecca has shown a tremendous amount of dedication to ensuring that we have a safe environment here at CSHCC,” he stated. He noted her consistent attendance at safety committee meetings and her proactive approach in addressing any concerns related to safety for residents and co-workers.

Brown played a significant role in implementing and monitoring the door alarm system for the Memory Care Unit. This system helps staff remain alert when residents exit courtyard or other doors. “She has truly shown me that she is committed to safety,” wrote Pace. He commended her two-decade-long service and continued efforts toward making improvements daily.

As part of her role as the facility’s safety champion, Brown is one of over 50 front-line staff members focused on patient safety within CMH facilities. These champions advocate for their peers and help resolve issues related to employee or patient safety—a program initiated in 2022 aimed at enhancing patient care standards.

“I want to make sure my patients, residents and staff are safe,” Brown said about her commitment as a safety champion.

Her nomination was among nearly 30 submitted for this first-time award during Patient Safety Awareness Week from March 9-15. This week serves as an opportunity to raise awareness about patient safety initiatives already underway.

Patient safety efforts at CMH include daily leadership huddles, action plans fostering a culture of safety, departmental huddles, and vision boards tracking progress towards set goals.

Lisa Hogan, CMH’s patient safety and regulatory compliance coordinator emphasized: “At CMH our commitment to patient safety is at the heart of every patient and resident interaction; we continually strive to achieve zero preventable harm.” She added that performance improvement initiatives like those led by Rebecca Brown are vital in pursuing these objectives while aligning with CMH's mission, vision, and values.