Dignity Health North State Hospitals Recognized for Commitment to Safe Opioid Care

REDDING, Calif. (September 21, 2022) - Dignity Health Mercy Medical Center Redding and Mercy Medical Center Mt. Shasta has earned the highest possible honor roll recognition for its commitment to appropriate opioid use and safe treatment by Cal Hospital Compare. St. Elizabeth Community Hospital was also recognized for its commitment to safe opioid care.

“Hospitals play a significant role in the prevention and intervention of the opioid crisis. More than ever before we are responding in strategic and innovative ways ranging from effective medications for opioid use disorder, evidence-based prescribing guidelines to substance use rehabilitation support,” said G. Todd Smith, President, Mercy Medical Center Redding. “To mitigate opioid use and its consequences we work with community partners to provide outreach and support and we continue to implement effective opioid management practices. This recognition proves our dedication to our top priority - our patients,” said Rodger Page, President, Mercy Medical Center Mt. Shasta and St. Elizabeth Community Hospital. 

Mercy Medical Center Redding and Mercy Medical Center Mt. Shasta achieved ‘Superior Performance’ along with 40 other California hospitals. The ‘Superior Performance’ category was given to hospitals that have implemented advanced, innovative opioid stewardship strategies across multiple service lines, consistently achieving the highest level of performance and actively measuring and monitoring performance for the purpose of continuous quality improvement.

Cal Hospital Compare recognized 76 hospitals for their progress and performance. Participating hospitals answered eight questions across four key domains of care including safe and effective opioid use, identifying and treating patients with opioid use disorder (OUD), overdose prevention, and applying cross-cutting opioid management best practices.

The California Opioid Care Honor Roll Program was created to accelerate hospital progress in building systems to treat hospitalized patients with OUD and train health care professionals in opioid safety practices. The goal of the program is to increase access to addiction treatment for hospitalized patients and reduction of opioid-related deaths.

About Dignity Health

Dignity Health is a multi-state nonprofit network of 10,000 physicians, more than 60,000 employees, 41 acute care hospitals, and 400-plus care-centers, including community hospitals, urgent care, surgery and imaging centers, home health, and primary care clinics in Arizona, California, and Nevada. Dignity Health is dedicated to providing compassionate, high-quality, and affordable patient-centered care with special attention to the poor and underserved. Dignity Health is a part of CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit health system committed to advancing health for all people and dedicated to serving the common good. For more information, please visit our website at www.DignityHealth.org.