A Week In Business

A Week In Business
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Bridal Boutique To Open

BERLIN — The Berlin Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the grand opening of Bustle, Berlin’s very first bridal boutique, on Friday, June 8 with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 3:30 p.m.

Located at 9 South Main Street, Bustle is a mother-daughter vision come to life. Owners Jennifer Davis and Kathy Walsh feel the dress buying experience is just as important as finding that perfect dress and they hope that brides and their bridal parties will enjoy the intimacy of private appointments and appreciate the service and attention that Bustle provides.

“We are very excited about opening our business in this charming town and helping make Berlin a wedding destination.” said Davis.

Members of the community are invited. Refreshments will be served.

Hospital Earns Honor

BERLIN — Atlantic General Hospital was one of nine organizations to be included in the Circle of Honor for Patient Safety Innovation this year. The honor was presented at the 8th Annual Maryland Patient Safety Conference in April. A total of 60 Maryland healthcare organizations were considered for the honor.

AGH received the award for the Emergency Department’s Triage Throughput Process Improvement project that was originally piloted during the summer of 2011.

“At the height of tourism season, it has been more difficult to meet our 30-Minute ER Promise to the community,” said Andi West-McCabe, director of emergency services as Atlantic General Hospital. “We wanted to change that and hopefully reduce the number of individuals who leave without receiving treatment.”

On average, the 30 Minute ER Promise is met 95 percent of the time during the off season. During peak volumes in the summer, it has dipped as low as 75 percent of the time.

In addition to increasing staff during this time, the emergency department expanded its triage area. Triage is where patients are initially assessed, and it was identified as a significant bottleneck in the care process.

Once this and other process improvements were made, in June 2011, the 30 minutes or less commitment was met more than 92 percent of the time, compared to 83 percent in June of the previous year. The reduction in wait times continued throughout the summer, and coincided with a roughly 50 percent decrease in the number of individuals leaving the ER without being treated.

Discovery Center Study Near

POCOMOKE CITY — The Delmarva Discovery Center has retained BEACON (Business Economic and Community Outreach Network), a division of Salisbury University’s Perdue School of Business, to conduct a study of the effectiveness and efficiency of the center, its staffing needs, programs, exhibits and community relations.

BEACON will use a systematic method known as the "3E Model" to collect, analyze and use data and information to answer questions about the efficiency and effectiveness of the programs, projects, processes and policies. The third "E" is evidence to be used for planning purposes and ongoing evaluation.

According to Nancy Goldsmith, board president, "this study will help the board learn what the Center is doing well and what can be improved. We couldn’t be more pleased to be working with Dr. Memo Diriker, BEACON Director, and his staff on this important and timely study.  We look forward to maximizing its findings and continuing to move the Center to its full potential."

"In both the public and private sectors, stakeholders will want to know if the programs they are funding, implementing, voting for, receiving or objecting to are actually having the intended effect" says Dr. Diriker.