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Huntersville, N.C. VHA, Inc., a national health care alliance, has recognized Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville for providing excellent care to patients in its intensive care units (ICU). The 2008 VHA Leadership Award for Clinical Excellence honors organizations that have distinguished themselves from other VHA members by meeting or exceeding national performance standards in specific clinical categories. The hospital was honored at VHAs Leadership Conference in Philadelphia on May 4.

VHA serves more than 1,400 not-for-profit hospitals nationwide, and Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville is one of 49 VHA-member hospitals to be recognized for preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia in patients in the intensive care unit.

"This award validates the dedicated focus of our clinical staff and physicians in pursuing excellence in the care provided to our intensive care patients," said Jeff Lindsay, president of Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville.

"Intensive care patients are extremely vulnerable to infections," said Trent Haywood, M.D., J.D., chief medical officer at VHA. "Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville has achieved what was once thought of as unattainable, zero cases of VAP over a long period of time. Thats quite an accomplishment."

"Our participation in VHA helps us achieve higher levels of performance in all areas, both operationally and clinically, so we were pleased to be recognized for our efforts in the ICU," Lindsay said.

Patients in the ICU are often sicker than other patients, and therefore, more susceptible to developing complications, such as ventilator-associated pneumonia. Providing better care to these patients can reduce the likelihood for complications that could lengthen hospital stays, or even increase morbidity for ICU patients.

To receive the award in this category, Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville had to demonstrate its ICUs applied specific processes to eliminate or reduce the risk for ventilator-associated pneumonia.