HARRIS – Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills, formerly Catskill Regional Medical Center, is pleased to announce it is a recipient of the Healthcare Association of New York State’s (HANYS) 2021 Pinnacle Award for Quality and Patient Safety.

“The work of our staff during the COVID-19 surge at Garnet Health Medical Center-Catskills was both impeccable and impressive,” said Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Schiller. “This award is a testament to their unwavering dedication to the health and safety of our community.”

The Pinnacle Award for Quality and Patient Safety recognizes and encourages broad dissemination of successful quality improvement and innovative patient safety initiatives in four categories based on organization size and type. Award honorees are members of HANYS’ Commitment to Excellence, a statewide program designed to recognize HANYS’ member commitment and ongoing efforts to improve quality and patient safety.

Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills is the second of four honorees to be announced for this prestigious award in New York State.

In March 2020, when COVID-19 first peaked in New York City, Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills encountered surging volumes of patients with the virus. In the first two weeks of April 2020, cases in Sullivan County were the highest per capita of anywhere in the United States. Focused on patient and staff safety and the continual use of quality improvement methods, Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills rose to the challenge by creating a rapidly evolving response plan to the global pandemic.

At the peak of the pandemic, the hospital increased acute care capacity by 125% of normal, with 72% of the capacity occupied by COVID-19 patients. Despite the significant surge, the hospital maintained high quality outcomes for patients and a notably low rate of infection among staff, all while improving culture of safety and staff engagement measures.

To view the video ‘A Surge Like No Other – How a Sole Community Provider Overcame All Odds’ which was filmed about Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills’ COVID-19 surge response, visit https://youtu.be/CyNe-Gs488E

To join our team of professionals whose mission is to provide exceptional healthcare to our community, please visit garnethealth.org/careers.