U P F R O N T W I T H P R O V I D E N C E M O N T A N A
Health & Hope is a publication of Providence Health & Services Montana, 500 W. Broadway, Missoula, MT 59802. Copyright © 2018
by MANIFEST LLC. All rights reserved. Information in this publication is not intended for the purpose of diagnosing or prescribing. Consult your
physician before undertaking any form of medical treatment and/or advice contained in this publication. If you have questions about this
publication, please call 406-329-5742. Cover photo by Mark Bryant.
Going to the Dogs:
PAWS PET THERAPY
PROGRAM
Pet Assisted Wellness Services
(PAWS) at Providence St. Patrick
Hospital began last fall in the
mornings in the fth and third
oor waiting rooms.
Animals can create a sense
of calm in dif cult circum-
stances, such as a hospital
setting. Patients, visitors,
family members and caregivers
welcome the distraction away
from waiting or anticipated
medical procedures. Research
shows that a person's blood
pressure decreases and sense
of well-being increases when
touching, talking to and
petting a dog during a brief
visit. The program aligns
with the healing Mission of
Providence by sharing the
unique bene ts of the human-
animal bond with patients,
visitors and employees.
The handler, Marcene
Coburn, works with brother
and sister Labrador-golden
retrievers, both certi ed
through Pet Partners, a
national organization that
provides training for therapy
animal handlers.
QUALITY
MATTERS
Providence Montana
continues to excel
in safety, quality
and patient satisfac-
tion—and the proof
is in high ratings on several national
reporting platforms.
For the third time in a row, Providence
St. Patrick Hospital earned an "A" safety
grade from The Leapfrog Group. St. Pat's
was one of 823 hospitals nationwide
to earn the distinction, demonstrating
caregivers' commitment to reducing
errors, infections and accidents that can
harm patients.
Both St. Pat's in Missoula and Providence
St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson ranked
highly in the Star Ratings report published
in December by the Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services. The report scores
hospitals on quality, safety and patient sat-
isfaction. St. Pat's was one of two hospitals
in Montana to earn a score of ve out
of ve stars. St. Joe's earned four out
of ve stars—one of ve hospitals in the
state to achieve this level.
For the 10th time, St. Pat's was named
one of the Watson Health 50 Top
Cardiovascular Hospitals (formerly a
Truven Health Analytics program) for its
delivery of high-quality, cost-effective
cardiac care.
St. Pat's was also named one of
Healthgrades' America's 100 Best
Hospitals for Specialty Care in spine
surgery in 2017, in recognition of perfor-
mance in the top 5 percent nationally in
the specialty.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
For details about the PAWS program at St. Pat's, call Diane
Lanning, manager of volunteer services, at 406-329-5801,
or email her at diane.lanning@providence.org.
Going to the Dogs:
The PAWS puppies—
Polly in pink, Charlie
in blue—are ready
for their close-up!
DOGS:
MARK
BRYANT;
STETHOSCOPE:
GETTY
IMAGES
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HEALTH & HOPE SPRING 2018
