The Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) announced that Summit Pacific Medical Center’s medication-assisted substance abuse treatment clinic was awarded its 2020 Rural Quality Everyday Extraordinary Award.

The award recognizes outstanding improvement in the safety and quality of rural healthcare. Summit Pacific received the award for its work in starting a medication-assisted clinic for people dealing with substance use.

“I appreciate all that you do to ensure the high quality of care at Summit Pacific,” said Sue Bergmann, WSHA senior director of safety and quality. “Your dedication and attention to safety and quality is what helps make Summit Pacific an outstanding healthcare facility. Our rural members often demonstrate exceptional resourcefulness, teamwork and creativity when tackling quality improvement aims.”

In February of 2019, Summit Pacific Medical Center started a low-barrier, walk-in MAT initiation clinic that has seen success in engaging those struggling with opioid use disorder, according to a statement from the center.

The effort is among the most successful clinics supported by the state opioid response effort. Summit Pacific’s MAT Clinic serves as a major part of the Grays Harbor Opioid Response Consortium and the lead for the federal grant to support it in an ongoing effort to coordinate opioid efforts throughout the county.