Highest Magnet Prize Awarded To Bassett's School-Based Health Program, A 20-Year Success Story
Cooperstown, N.Y. – Bassett Medical Center is the winner of the 2011 Magnet Prize awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and Cerner Corporation for its longstanding successful School-Based Health Program. The Magnet Prize is the highest honor ANCC bestows within Magnet-recognized organizations, which Bassett has been since 2004, and recognizes innovative nursing programs and practices. Cerner encourages cutting-edge nursing programs and practices by sponsoring the $25,000 purse attached to the Magnet Prize.
“The Magnet Prize identifies and recognizes one of the most creative programs that we have at Bassett,” said Bassett’s President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. William F. Streck. “In our school-based programs, it’s everything in a package that meets so many societal needs. It’s one of our greatest successes.”
School-based health care is an innovative model for delivering comprehensive primary health care, as well as mental and dental health care, where children are - - in the schools. “School-based health centers are the ideal way to address health care needs in kids," said Dr. Chris Kjolhede, pediatrician and Bassett’s School-Based Health Program director. “It’s where the kids are and it’s where they’re comfortable.”
“We’re so proud of the work that the school-based health center teams do,” said Bassett Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Bertine C. McKenna, Ph.D. “Parents have told us that without our school-based health center staff they would not have gotten health care, so for Bassett, that’s our mission.”
Bassett’s School-Based Health (SBH) centers have been providing convenient quality health care to students in grades K-12 in rural school districts since 1991. There are currently 18 Bassett school-based health centers operating in four counties, serving 6,000 students.
“The SBH program was designed by a nurse, actually my predecessor Barbara Curran, R.N., and Jane Hamilton, R.N.,” said Bassett Healthcare Network Chief Nursing Officer Connie Jastremski, R.N. “Nurse practitioners and physician assistants - - as advanced practice clinicians - - provide total health care in the centers. For many of these kids, there would be no health care for them if they didn’t have a school-based health center. It’s an excellent way for students to stay healthy.”
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“We have been able to build a program that’s sustainable,” said Bassett’s Chief of Pediatrics Dr. Philip Heavner. “It’s really a new paradigm of health care.”
The Magnet Prize was established to encourage the pursuit of excellence and recognizes organizations with unique programs where innovative action transforms nursing practice. The award serves as a means for acknowledging peak performance within credentialed Magnet organizations. Cerner has sponsored the award since 2007.
Bassett’s School-Based Health Program has grown into the largest school-based health program in New York State and is one of the largest rural programs in the country. Last year, there were 22,000 visits at Bassett’s school-based health centers.
