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Aspen Valley Hospital is available 24/7 to provide you with the expert care that you need!

Phone:

970-925-1120

Get In Touch:

Send us a message

Address:

Aspen Valley Hospital
0401 Castle Creek Road
Aspen, CO 81611

Sign up for the Newsletter to receive the latest News & Events from Aspen Valley Hospital.

  • Hidden
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Aspen Valley Hospital is available 24/7 to provide you with the expert care that you need!

Phone:

970-925-1120

Get In Touch:

Send us a message

Address:

Aspen Valley Hospital
0401 Castle Creek Road
Aspen, CO 81611

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Patient Quality

Patient Safety

Aspen Valley Hospital considers your safety a top priority while you entrust us with your care.

As such, Aspen Valley Hospital has voluntarily chosen to participate in an accreditation process to help ensure you that safety is important to us. The Joint Commission (TJC) is that accrediting body that measures a hospital’s commitment through National Patient Safety Goals for Critical Access Hospitals. These goals are revised annually and focus on practices that help ensure hospitals are providing quality, safe care. Each goal specifies evidence-based practices shown to decrease errors.

Patient Safety Goals
  1. Patient Identification: Methods to safely identify patients receiving care, including administration of blood products.
  2. Communication Among Caregivers: Transfer of patient care from one provider to another safely (“handoffs”), and communicating to providers when test results are out of the normal (critical value reporting).
  3. Using Medications Safely: Best practices in administering medications (labeling), extra precautions for patients that take medications to thin their blood, and correctly passing along information about patient medications from one area to another, including at discharge.
  4. Infection Prevention: Effectively preventing infections in our organization through proper handwashing, using evidence based guidelines to prevent infections from tubes and catheters, in surgery, and to prevent infections that are difficult to treat.
  5. Safe Surgical Practices: Methods to ensure the correct surgery is done on the correct patient, at the correct place on the patient’s body, and pausing before surgery to make sure all staff is prepared (time-out processes).
Associations & Memberships

Aspen Valley Hospital is a member of the Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) and is an active participant in the Hospital Engagement Network. CHA also has a Colorado Report Card that uses standardized quality data and outcome measurements endorsed by national organizations to report clinical outcomes in a clear and usable manner.

Aspen Valley Hospital also participates as a member of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement to continually look for ways to improve care.

Hospital leadership is committed to safety at all levels within the organization and has a robust program to oversee quality and patient safety.  Employees are empowered to take a “time out” when they believe actions may lead to harm.  Patients are encouraged to be active participants in their care through our “speak-up” program if you see or believe anything is not safe.

Patient Safety & Security Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I recognize Aspen Valley Hospital staff?

All Aspen Valley Hospital employees are required to wear a photo identification badge while on duty. Badges include the employee’s photograph, name, department, and the hospital logo. If someone refuses to show you identification, please let your nurse know immediately.

How do you control infections?

Infections pose serious risk to patients who are already ill or undergoing surgery and can lengthen a patient’s hospital stay. Infection control means taking active measures to prevent illness in people receiving—or giving—care in hospitals. You will see employees, and sometimes visitors, wearing masks, cover-gowns, eye protection, and gloves. Hand washing is the most important means of infection prevention.

Standard precautions are used with all patients. This means treating everyone’s blood and other body fluids as infectious—at all times. Added precautions may be used for patients who have certain known, or suspected, contagious illnesses.

What if I am taking medications?

Medications you take while in the hospital are prescribed by your doctor, dispensed by the hospital pharmacy, and administered by a nurse. Please be sure to notify your doctor or nurse of all medications you take at home, including herbals, vitamins, and prescription drugs. Your doctor may write an order allowing you to administer these on your own.

What if I need a wheelchair?

Wheelchairs are available on all nursing units, but getting in and out of them without assistance may be hazardous. Please ask for help from a member of the hospital staff.

Can I smoke at the hospital?

Cigarettes and smoking materials are not sold at Aspen Valley Hospital, and smoking is strictly prohibited throughout the hospital. Your nurse can direct you or your visitors to designated smoking areas outside the hospital.

Does Aspen Valley Hospital have a safety plan?

Yes, our facility has diligent processes in place to assure national and regulatory safety goals are met, including “correct site” surgery protocols. If you have any concerns, please call (970) 544-1100, and let your nurse know. Also, please follow the fall prevention guidelines as outlined by your nurse.

Does Aspen Valley Hospital hold fire drills?

To keep our staff well trained in unusual emergency situations, Aspen Valley Hospital conducts fire and disaster drills on a regular basis. Please don’t be alarmed when your door is closed during one of these practice drills. This is standard hospital procedure. You will not be asked to leave your room or participate in the drill. If a real emergency were to occur, staff members would keep patients and visitors informed and assist as necessary.

What if I lose something at the hospital?

Patients are asked not to bring items of value to the hospital. If you do bring a valuable item, it should be deposited in the hospital safe. You will be given a written receipt for all items, which must be presented when you withdraw them. The hospital does not accept responsibility for items of value unless they are deposited in the safe. If you lose something, please notify your nurse immediately, and we will make every effort to help you find it. Unclaimed articles are turned in to the Security Department. To inquire about lost articles, call (970) 544-1339.