LVMC Earns BETA Healthcare Awards for Commitment to Patient Safety and Care

Lompoc Valley Medical Center has been recognized for its commitment to patient safety and care, recently earning three BETA Healthcare Group awards.

LVMC was among the California hospitals recognized at the organization’s annual symposium for achieving BETA HEART validation as well as OB Quest and Emergency Department Quest designations for reducing preventable harm.

BETA is California’s largest provider of professional liability coverage for hospitals and provides coverage to more than 600 hospitals and healthcare facilities.

To achieve BETA recognition, all members of specific hospital teams complete rigorous training and education with evidence-based programs.

“We are fortunate to partner with a program like BETA – one that not only strengthens the care we provide, but also enhances safety, reduces risk and equips our staff with the education and tools they need to uphold best practices,” said Chief Nursing Officer Melinda DeHoyos, MSN, RN, C-ENP. “Our nursing leaders take great pride not only in meeting the program’s requirements, in in using them as a foundation for meaningful, positive changes within their units.”

LVMC’s OB Quest for Zero validation for 2024-25 “is a truly remarkable testament to your unwavering dedication to patient safety and to the delivery of exceptional care to mothers and newborns,” according to the recognition acknowledgement. “The Lompoc Valley Medical Center Perinatal team’s commitment to achieving the highest standards of care is truly commendable.”

All LVMC OB providers and the nursing team successfully met the Tier One and Tier Two requirements, including completing personalized learning modules for fetal heart monitoring, continued work on OB Triage and Shoulder Dystocia elements. The organization commended the team for having “strong clinical awareness and effective teamwork,” particularly during critical events.

BETA also recognized LVMC’s labor and delivery unit for its “innovative work” such as launching the “Labor of Love” fundraiser in February to support families in need by collecting donations of essential items such as car seats, swaddles, clothing and safe sleep supplies. BETA called it an “inspiring example of compassion and collaboration in action.”

LVMC’s Emergency Department earned the Quest for Zero recognition for its commitment to patient safety and excellence in emergency care.

“Thank you to every nurse and provider at Lompoc Valley Medical Center for their hard work, vigilance, and unwavering focus on continuous improvement,” the BETA commendation stated.

The Emergency Department successfully completed personalized learning modules, including Nursing Management of Sepsis and Medical Management of Sepsis. Additionally, the department successfully implemented early screening for sepsis, timely antibiotic and fluid administration and more.

“This work was supported by nurse and provider training, monthly quality reviews, individual feedback, and integration of compliance data into ED and medical staff committee oversight,” the award noted.

The Emergency Department’s “efforts over the past year have shown the power of dedication, collaboration and a shared vision for quality care,” the BETA recognition stated.

LVMC’s Quality Department met criteria for BETA HEART in two domains, Rapid Event and Response Analysis and Communication and Transparency.

“This year, we plan to extend the program to cover all five (BETA) domains,” DeHoyos said. “We are excited to continue to build our skills of communication and transparency with our patients and their families.”

BETA HEART stands for a commitment to healing, empathy, accountability, resolution and trust. The recognition program acknowledges hospitals that successfully sustain a transparent and reliable culture of safety.

“Validation in one or more domains of BETA HEART represents evidence of your ongoing commitment and intentional effort to achieve our shared goals,” the BETA notation indicated. “You should feel proud of your team’s accomplishments.”

In this photo, shown showcasing BETA awards are, from left, Critical Care Unit Manager and Bariatric Program Coordinator Cristina Ortega, RN; Perinatal Services Manager Angela Fichtner, BSN, RNC-OB and Emergency Department Director Ryan Stevens, RN.