CATONSVILLE, MD – Charlestown’s home health team has been awarded two Medicare Excellence Awards by the Delmarva Foundation, Medicare’s quality improvement organization for Maryland and the District of Columbia. Charlestown received the Delmarva Foundation Home Health Quality for the second year in a row. The purpose of the home health quality excellence award is to recognize local home health agencies that have among the lowest acute care hospitalization rates nationwide. Winning agencies must rate within the top fifth percentile of all agencies nationwide for the period of March 2005 to February 2006. Charlestown was the only regional recipient of the award this year.

In addition, Charlestown’s home health team was awarded the Delmarva Foundation Home Health Improvement Award. The award goes to those agencies that saw an acute care hospitalization improvement of at least 25 percent and completed a baseline immunization survey. Others receiving this award included Berhan Home Health Agency, Heartland Home Care, HHCD, Inc., and Spectrum Home Health Care Services.

“Charlestown home health team is honored to receive these awards. The group has worked hard to keep our acute care hospitalization rate low through diligent nursing care, team management and frequent communication with the campus medical center staff,” said Michele Varholy-Charlsen, Charlestown home health manager. “We use a team approach to every case that focuses on the well-being of our patients.”