BMC Touted by Leapfrog Group

SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Medical Center is one of the top 45 hospitals in the U.S. for quality and efficiency, according to the Leapfrog Group’s 2009 survey of 1,206 hospitals across the country. Baystate is one of 34 urban hospitals to achieve this recognition, along with eight children’s hospitals and three rural hospitals, according to Dr. Evan Benjamin, vice president of Healthcare Quality for Baystate Health. Benjamin noted that the Leapfrog recognition is an affirmation of the hospital’s efforts to bring results to the best-practice level. Top hospitals in urban settings fulfilled criteria including meeting stringent performance standards for complex, high-risk procedures; meeting standards for staffing the ICU, shown to reduce mortality by 40% or more; meeting Leapfrog standards for implementing computer physician order-entry systems; and passing Leapfrog’s test of their system. The Leapfrog Hospital Recognition Program incorporates quality outcomes, length of stay, readmission rates, and incidence of hospital-acquired conditions and infections. The efficiency standard applies to heart-bypass surgery, heart angioplasty, heart attack, and pneumonia patients. The Leapfrog Group is a voluntary program aimed at mobilizing employer purchasing power to alert America’s health industry that big leaps in health care safety, quality, and customer value will be recognized and rewarded. In other news, Baystate Medical Center was recently honored in the Thomson Reuters Top 100 Cardiovascular Hospitals rankings.

MassMutual Attracts, Retains Call Center Employees

SPRINGFIELD — The MassMutual Retirement Services Division’s Call Center recently earned the ‘Gold Award’ for the Best Recruitment Campaign in the World by the North American arm of ContactCenterWorld.com. MassMutual’s call-center employee-recruiting campaign was selected from a global field of organizations from the Americas, Asia/Africa/Australia, and Europe. MassMutual’s program was distinguished for its partnership with local colleges near its headquarters in Springfield and its second site in Memphis, Tenn. MassMutual’s overall recruiting campaign also provides scholarship opportunities to local students and has co-developed a special college curriculum to help prepare students for new positions in all MassMutual call centers. The specially designed curriculum includes training on the topics of customer service and financial services as well as FINRA Series 6 test preparation. MassMutual’s call centers are staffed with professionals who are trained to assist individuals in managing a vast array of retirement planning and saving needs, from questions about investment options to taking full advantage of matching contributions. Call center associates also offer roll-in service so customers can consolidate savings from other qualifying retirement accounts to achieve a more holistic picture of their overall retirement savings.

DiGrigoli School Honored by Vets Council

WEST SPRINGFIELD — DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology was recently awarded the 2009 Business of the Year award by the West Springfield Veterans’ Council for its ongoing free hair services to area veterans. Since 2007, cosmetology students, under the supervision of licensed instructors, have provided more than 500 free haircuts to veterans at DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology on Riverdale Street. The school originally offered the free services on Veterans’ Day, but, because of an overwhelming response, increased the frequency to every eight weeks, according to Paul J. DiGrigoli, owner and president of DiGrigoli Salon and DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology. Six times per year, veterans visit the school by the busload and enjoy a morning or afternoon of pampering and conversation with students, added DiGrigoli. The DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology, offering hair, nail, and skin services to the public Tuesday through Saturday, is nationally accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts & Sciences.

Baystate Rug and Flooring Recognized

CHICOPEE — Mohawk Floorscapes has named Baystate Rug and Flooring its Northeast Flooring Store of the Year. Mohawk awarded the local firm with the prestigious honor based on criteria including sales, growth, marketing techniques, and best practices. Baystate Rug and Flooring, a family-owned company, conducts both retail and commercial operations in the Western New England region.

Springfield Armor Launches Coaches Show, Partners With YMCA

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Armor recently launched a weekly coaches show with partner CBS 3 Springfield, called The Dee League, featuring head coach Dee Brown and NESN host John Chandler. Chandler is also the play-by-play announcer for all Armor home games, which are broadcast on ESPN Radio 1450 AM WHLL. The Dee League airs Sundays through April 4 at 11 a.m. Each week’s show includes highlights of the previous week’s games, as well as conversation about the upcoming games. Throughout the show, fans will meet members of the team and get to know the coaching staff. The Springfield Armor has a 50-game schedule through April 2, including 24 home dates at the MassMutual Center. In other Armor news, the organization teamed up with the YMCA of Greater Springfield and Playing It Forward on Dec. 10 to collect new and used sports equipment for disadvantaged children in Greater Springfield. The primary benefactor of all of the equipment donated that evening was the YMCA’s Youth & Teen Drop-In Centers, used by nearly 600 youth.

Windsor Federal Savings Named Box-office Sponsor

WINDSOR, CT — The SS&C SummerWind Performing Arts Center (SSCSPAC) has selected Windsor Federal Savings as the 2010 season box-office sponsor. The SSCSPAC is a 10-acre campus featuring a signature tent covering the stage and 1,500 luxury seats. A sloping lawn seats an additional 2,500 to 3,500 guests. SSCSPAC Board President Peter R. DeMallie thanked the staff of Windsor Federal Savings for their “outstanding commitment” to the rebirth of this cultural institution. DeMallie added that the nonprofit is embarking on a $1.3 million capital campaign in advance of its 2010 summer season, and recently received a $500,000 leadership grant from William and Mary Stone. William Stone is the CEO of SS&C Technologies.

Quality Printing Co. Wins Awards

PITTSFIELD — The Printing Industries of New England (PINE) recently announced that Quality Printing Co. won a Pinnacle Award for its 25th annual full-color calendar, “A Closer Look at the Berkshires.” The firm also won an Award of Recognition for a full-color brochure it printed for Bard College of New York. PINE’s annual Awards of Excellence competition attracted more than 200 entries from 34 printing and imaging companies in New England. PINE is the largest trade association to serve printing and graphic communications companies throughout New England.