Beechwood Memorial has long been a leader in infection control with infection rates far below the national average. We meet or exceed all recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for preventing infection in healthcare settings. These stringent guidelines are voluntary, and are being followed by only a few of the nation’s hospitals.
In fact, aggressive infection control measures at Beechwood Memorial earned the hospital the State of Idaho “Qualis Health Award of Excellence in Healthcare” for reducing the spread of MRSA, a virulent strain of antibiotic-resistant staph. We were the only Idaho recipient of that award.
Hand washing is the first line of defense in the war against infection and is recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Beechwood Memorial as the best way to prevent the transmission of disease. We ask all visitors to wash their hands both before and after contact with patients. The waterless hand sanitizer, found throughout the facility, is an acceptable alternative to soap and water.