Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital named Mended Hearts’ 2019 National Hospital of the Year

ALBANY — Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital was recently named National Hospital of the Year and, for the second year in a row, Southern Regional Hospital of the Year, by Mended Hearts.

The awards are given in recognition of Phoebe’s support for Mended Hearts Southwest Georgia Chapter No. 165 in its effort to inspire hope and improve the quality of life for heart patients and their families through peer-to-peer support and educational opportunities.

“We are incredibly honored to receive this award, as it is a testament to our continued commitment to provide the highest quality of care and support to our cardiac patients in the region,” Tom Sullivan, senior vice president of operations at Phoebe, said. “Mended Hearts does an outstanding job here at Phoebe — mentoring patients and providing an opportunity for people who have undergone the same life-changing experience to come together.

“They help make our program stronger.”

In early 2017, the southwest Georgia chapter of Mended Hearts and Phoebe worked together to evaluate and revise procedures to positively impact patients. Over the last two years, access to patients and total patient visits by chapter-accredited visitors has increased to nearly 20,000 total visits due to the implementation of the new procedures.

In 2018, there were 5,624 in-room hospital visits and nearly 3,000 mailings or phone calls to patients, caregivers and families.

Phoebe was selected out of more than 460 hospitals in North America. A selection committee looked at a variety of criteria, including hospital support of visits between Mended Hearts volunteers and heart patients in hospital units and catheterization lab; provision of spaces for meetings, events, visitor supplies and literature; volunteer coordination; volunteer recognition; provision of speakers and personnel for Mended Hearts, and in-kind support.

Phoebe recognized Al Voss, assistant regional director of the Southern Region for Mended Hearts Inc. and a Phoebe volunteer, for being named Mended Heart of the Year for his service to the organization.

Mended Hearts is the largest heart patient support network in the world, with 20,000 members and 300 chapters. Recognized for its role in facilitating a positive patient-care experience, Mended Hearts partners with hospitals and cardiac rehab clinics to offer support through visiting programs, group meetings and educational forums.

Earlier this year, Mended Hearts moved its headquarters to Albany to be closer to the patients and families it serves every day. The Southern Region covers Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana and Puerto Rico.

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