French promoted to hospital patient safety and quality director.

Jody French

French promoted to hospital patient safety and quality director. 

#MasonCountyNews.

LUDINGTON – Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital has combined its patient safety and quality initiatives under the leadership of Jody French. French’s promotion to patient safety and quality director was announced by Helen Johnson, chief nursing officer.

French previously headed the clinical quality department. Her new position includes those functions, with expanded responsibility for quality risk management and the hospital’s medical staff office.

“Our hospital has received significant recognition this past year for its performance in patient safety,” said Johnson. “Many worked hard to make that happen, and Jody has been in the forefront of helping us achieve that level of quality.”

“This allows Ludington Hospital to have a more coordinated and centralized approach to the intersection of all of these functions,” Johnson added.  “Jody will also continue to be part of our nursing management team.”

Earlier this year the Leapfrog Group, a national patient safety watchdog group, awarded Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital an “A” grade for patient safety in both its spring and fall rating periods.

Healthgrades, another prominent national ratings organization, gave the hospital its 2016 Patient Safety Excellence Award^™, placing Ludington Hospital in the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation.

“I’m excited to take on these additional functions and added responsibility,” said French. “As a lifelong Ludington resident, the opportunity to oversee all of the functions that serve to ensure patient safety and quality of care is something that is very important to me.  While we treat thousands of visitors every year, we are also caring for friends and neighbors.  I take that responsibility seriously and want the very best care for every patient we see here.”

French joined the hospital in 1994 and has held several roles of increasing responsibility, while simultaneously advancing her nursing education.  She earned her masters of science in nursing from Ferris State University in 2014.