NORWAY — Katherine Bonney, RN, MSN, vice president of performance improvement at Stephens Memorial Hospital, has announced that Stephens Memorial Hospital was one of three hospitals to benefit from MaineHealth’s receipt of a Cardinal Health Foundation Grant.

Stephens Memorial, along with Maine Medical Center and Miles Memorial Hospital in Damriscotta, will share a $35,000 grant and will begin working together this fall to develop and implement best practices in the area of discharge planning.

Bonney said a SMH multi-disciplinary team of registered nurses, physicians, a social workers and registered nurse case manager will be appointed to lead the improvements in discharge planning.

Bonney said, “This grant is all about improving discharge planning and home medication use for patients going home. The ultimate goal is to help reduce hospital re-admissions. Re-admission rates are a problem nationwide.”

Stephens Memorial Hospital is an affiliate of Western Maine Health, which is part of the Maine Health® family. Visit Western Maine Health on the Internet at www.wmhcc.org.