Peachtree, NC  –   Murphy Medical Center has announced that Good Shepherd Home Health and Hospice Agency has been named to the 2008 HomeCare Elite, a compilation of the most successful Medicare-certified home health care providers in the U.S. The annual review identifies the top 25 percent of agencies, ranked by an analysis of performance in quality outcomes, quality improvements and financial performance. The data used for this analysis was compiled from publicly available information.

Good Shepherd Manager Towanna Roberts credits her staff for the agency’s ability to rank as one of the HomeCare Elite.  She said, “I am ecstatic that our small agency is ranked in the top 25% of home health care agencies in the United States. This designation proves what a small group of clinicians can accomplish when they focus first on quality patient care and performance improvement.”

The HomeCare Elite is the only performance recognition of its kind in the home health industry. The 2008 analysis was undertaken by OCS, Inc., a provider of healthcare information, and DecisionHealth, publisher of home healthcare newsletter …home health line.

“The 2008 HomeCare Elite winners exemplify a commitment to providing their patients with optimum care while performing at the highest level,” said Nancy Buller, Senior Director of Marketing Communications at OCS, Inc. “We congratulate Good Shepherd on being one of the top home care agencies in the country.”

Past awards Good Shepherd has earned include Significant Achievement in Improvement of Any Emergent Care from the Medical Review of North Carolina (2003-2004); Recognition as a National Leader in Outcome Based Quality Improvement for 6 years (2004); and Certificate of Excellence in the National Campaign for Home Health Quality Improvement (2007).

About Good Shepherd Home Health and Hospice Agency:
Good Shepherd Home Health and Hospice Agency is a department of Murphy Medical Center. It provides skilled nursing, physical and occupational therapy, in-home aide services, medical supplies, bereavement counseling and support groups, emergency response call button service, CAP case management, and various other services for those in need of home health care or hospice care in Cherokee, Clay and Macon counties.                          

Cutline: Front Row (L to R):  Rebecca Wood, RN;  Patti Shuttleworth, RN;  Barbara Cruse, RN.
Second Row (L to R): Julie Yonce, RN; Towanna Roberts, RN; Tammy Ledford, RN; Kendra Waldroup, CAP; Case Manager Sharon Carpenter, RN.
Nurses not pictured: Lisa Waters; Rebecca Chambers; Patricia Brady; Gretta Farmer; Diane Morse; LaCinda O’Steen; Donna Stone; Jill Long; Patricia Schaaf;  Beth Decker; and Vicky Derreberry.
Ancillary Staff not pictured: Debbie Mills NA; Brenda Grindstaff NA; Tammy Pullium NA; Heather Totman NA; Diane Hughes NA; Kathleen Haack, MSW;  Arnaldo Lugo, Chaplain;  Amanda Mashburn, CAP; Angela Campbell, CAP; Teresa West; Tina Plemmons; and Tammy Roberts.