Edina Medical Services Passes State Survey with Zero Deficiencies
By Alisa Kigar, SCH Communications Specialist
If you heard a few hoots and hollers coming from the east side of Edina a few weeks ago, the staff from Edina Medical Services was celebrating passing the rigorous survey to be a fully accredited Rural Health Clinic (RHC). To become a certified Rural Health Clinic, the Edina Medical Services team had to complete a lengthy and detailed survey to make sure they are compliant with strict state regulations. With so many details to check, the chances are high to find something out of line. But the surveyor found all areas of the new clinic to meet the criteria and pass inspection.
In 2020, Edina Medical Services opened as a partnership between Blessing Health Services in Quincy, IL, and Scotland County Hospital in Memphis, MO. The purpose of the Rural Health Clinic program is to increase access to primary care services in rural communities.
“The survey itself has 30 pages worth of questions, so there are a lot of opportunities to get marked with a deficiency, but when the surveyor left she told us we didn’t have any. We’re waiting to see it in writing, but it looks really positive,” says Lori Nelson, RN, Clinics Manager for Scotland County Hospital.
“In order to prepare for and pass our first state survey, we were naturally a bit nervous, but everyone did a great job. We had everything she needed to review on hand and she was able to get through it all in one day,” said Tabitha Rohr, Family Nurse Practitioner. Tabitha is the lead clinician at the Edina clinic and collaborates with Dr. Jeff Davis, who is the Medical Director of the clinic. Shannon Rudd, RN, is the clinic nurse and LaDonna Stauffer, MA,
The surveyor did a top-to-bottom walk through of the facility, looking at everything from ceiling tiles for safety, supplies for proper storage, patient files for appropriate care, personnel files for proper credentials and up-to-date certifications, and more. “She opened all draws to make sure we were storing things appropriately, checked drug and supply packages for expiration dates and proper labeling, checked our emergency exit plan, questioned our nursing staff on their knowledge on different topics, and scoured through our policy and procedure manuals. She said it looked like we had everything in place as needed,” said Nelson.
“Passing our first state survey for certification as a Rural Health Clinic has been our goal from day one. But, we set the bar pretty high for ourselves and see the regulatory standards as the minimum. We aim to go way above and reach for excellence in all that we do because this community deserves that,” says Jeff Davis, DO, CMD, Medical Director, Edina Medical Services. “There is a saying with runners, ‘The race is easy, it’s the preparation that will kill you.’ The same can be said for preparing for the RHC Certification Survey. If you prepare thoroughly, then the survey can be uneventful,” said Davis. The zero deficiency rating sends a strong message to the community: You can feel confident of the care you receive at Edina Medical Services.
