Published: April 8, 2022
IONIA, MI – A Sparrow Ionia Hospital physician, who helped uncover a severe bacterial infection in a patient, has been honored with the Sparrow Speak Up award for speaking up on behalf of patient and caregiver safety.
Adriss Faraj, M.D., a hospitalist at Sparrow Ionia, was lauded for pushing for answers and taking extraordinary steps to assist a male patient in his 50s admitted to the hospital for cellulitis, a serious bacterial skin infection. The man complained of worsening pain, but testing wasn’t conclusive beyond the infection.
Dr. Faraj reached out to colleagues to review the patient’s scans, which revealed the bacterial infection called Fournier’s Gangrene. The infection is a medical emergency that’s extremely aggressive and can be fatal if untreated or missed. The patient underwent surgery and he recovered.
Adriss Faraj, M.D., displays the Sparrow Speak Up award he received for taking extraordinary steps to advocate for a patient at Sparrow Ionia Hospital.
Adriss Faraj, M.D., a hospitalist at Sparrow Ionia Hospital, accepts his Sparrow Speak Up award from (from left) Linda Reetz, Sparrow Ionia president; Kira Carter-Robertson, Sparrow Health System senior vice president, regional hospitals; and Paul Entler, D.O., vice president of quality and performance improvement.
“Thankfully, Dr. Faraj did what he does every day, raises the bar to treat every patient with individualization to provide safe, effective care and to speak up when needed to get the right care,” said Steve Dexter, director of operations at Sparrow Ionia. “This type of care mattered to this patient, and possibly saved his life. So, thank you Dr. Faraj for being on our team, giving the outstanding care and speaking up to provide safe care that matters.”
Dr. Faraj is one of Sparrow’s highly skilled physicians practicing leading-edge medicine every day.
The Speak Up Award is given quarterly to a Sparrow caregiver or team who demonstrates a commitment to speaking up on behalf of our patients and caregivers, and who uphold and advance our culture of safety and quality improvement.
For more information about Sparrow’s quality care, go to Sparrow.org.
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Sparrow is Mid-Michigan’s premier healthcare organization and includes hospitals in Lansing, Carson City, Charlotte, Ionia, and St. Johns, as well as Sparrow Specialty Hospital, Physicians Health Plan, Sparrow Care Network, Sparrow Medical Group, Michigan Athletic Club, and AL!VE. Sparrow is affiliated with Michigan Medicine through the Sparrow Children’s Center and with Michigan State University’s three human health colleges. Through these partnerships and the dedication of our 10,000 caregivers, Sparrow pursues a vision to be nationally recognized as a leader in quality and patient experience. For more information, visit Sparrow.org.