Client News: Rockford Health Systems President & CEO Elected Chair of IHA Board of Trustees

Source: Rockford Health Systems Press Release
Pictured: Gary Kaatz, President and CEO of Rockford Health System

Gary Kaatz, President and CEO of Rockford Health System, has been elected to serve as chair of the Illinois Hospital Association’s (IHA) Board of Trustees for 2011. Kaatz was elected at IHA’s annual meeting held September 23-24 in Galena, Ill. He will assume chairmanship of the 29-member board on January 1, 2011. It is the first time in 15 years that a representative from Rockford has assumed the position as chair. It was held by Dr. Robert Klint, President and CEO of SwedishAmerican Health System, in the 1990s and by Hal Maysent, former CEO of Rockford Memorial Hospital in the late 70s.


Active in IHA since 1987, Gary has been a member of the Association’s Board of Trustees since 2005 and currently serves as chair-elect. He has been a member of the IHA Advocacy Council; Medical Liability Reform Steering Committee; Strategic Planning Committee; Blue Ribbon Panel on Certificate of Need; Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO) Committee; and several other committees and task forces. Gary succeeds Patrick Magoon, President and CEO of Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Gary’s health care career spans nearly 40 years.


The Illinois Hospital Association, with offices in Naperville, Springfield, and Washington, D.C., is an advocate for 200 Illinois hospitals and health systems and the patients and communities they serve. For more information, see www.ihatoday.org.

Client News: Oakwood wants to build $23M facility

Source: The Detroit News
Written by: Melissa Burden

Detroit -- Oakwood Healthcare Inc. wants to build a $23 million medical building near the Southfield Freeway and West Outer Drive, a project that would significantly expand its presence in the city.

The Dearborn-based health care system received preliminary approval from the Detroit Economic Development Corp. board to tap federal bonds to help finance the project

Plans call for a 70,000-square-foot building that would include a surgery center, space for medical services, radiology and clinical programs, according to EDC documents.

Oakwood wants to lease six acres on the northwest campus of Wayne County Community College, and the facility would serve as an education site for health students, according to the EDC. The project would create 162 job, according to EDC documents.

Paula Rivera-Kerr, a health system spokeswoman, had no information to share about the project Tuesday because "the approval process is a long way away and the project is really in the very early stages."

The college has been in discussions with Oakwood, but an agreement has not been reached, said Mike Dotson, the college's vice chancellor for campus operations.

Dotson said the college partners with all the major Metro Detroit health care systems to offer health students practical work experience.

"Any time we can partner with any of the health care systems going forward, it benefits our students, it benefits our communities," he said.

Oakwood wants to use up to $20 million in recovery zone facility bonds to fund the project, said Scott Veldhuis, a project manager for the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., which provides staff services to the EDC. The city was allocated $74.5 million in federal stimulus money for the bonds.

The project must go through more approval steps before the bonds can be issued, though it's expected that could happen by year's end, Veldhuis said.

An official with the Michigan Department of Community Health said Oakwood has not yet filed a certificate-of-need application for a surgery center in Detroit, which must be approved by state health officials before construction can begin.

Oakwood owns four hospitals, 45 primary care/specialty care sites and employs more than 9,200 employees in Metro Detroit. It has owned Midwest Health Center, an occupational medicine clinic in Midtown, since 2009.

Client Visit - Bay Area Hospital

Early September marked a milestone for Bay Area Hospital (Coos Bay, OR). Jon Castner, Senior Vice President of Product Delivery & Support, recently completed the conversion of over 13,000 case files from Bay Area Hospital's legacy surgery system into ORMS compatible files. This gives Bay Area Hospital access to all of their historical case files with just a few clicks of a mouse. Why is this exciting news? The industry norm, when replacing an old system, tends to be that all the old data will be lost, converted into an Excel spreadsheet, and, in some cases, left in the old system running in the background somewhere to house historical data. As far as we know there are no other companies in the marketplace that provide this service at the data element level. In the future this service will be offered as a contract option for new clients. For more information, contact:

Jon Castner ext. 122.

Client Visit - Baptist St. Anthony's Health System

Early this month, Joshua Bell made a scheduled product development visit to Baptist St. Anthony’s Health System (Amarillo, Texas). Recently, BSA adopted a new focus aimed towards improving the patient's experience. They realized that patients have choices, so BSA launched anew hospital-wide policy of "It isn't about you; it is all about the Patient." One of the primary goals was to increase patient satisfaction within their facilities. Through patient questionnaires, BSA found their largest area of complaint: long wait times. Long wait times are a universal complaint that companies from local coffee houses to hospitals have to think about and adapt to in order to keep customers happy. BSA performs just over 6,000 inpatient and nearly 7,000 outpatient surgeries a year, and wanted to shrink the amount of time each patient spends in the workflow while ensuring a high level of care. Using Unibased's RMS, BSAcut the average time a patient spends in Pre-Admission Testing (PAT) by approximately 50%, helping cut down the overall time a patient spends in the workflow. That is a spectacular number, and a great example of utilizing our solutions to achieve corporate goals. If you would like to evaluate your current usage of RMS or ORMS to identify areas in which you can leverage our solutions, contact:

Joshua Bell RN, CNOR ext. 149
Peggy Pittenger ext. 147
Cynthia Borders ext. 120

Customer Update: Patient Portals - The Future of Healthcare

According to a 2010 survey of healthcare consumers conducted by Buzzback Research, 79% of respondents are more likely to choose a healthcare provider that gives them the option to manage various elements of the healthcare experience, such as appointment scheduling, registration and bill payment, over the Internet, on a mobile device or at a self-service kiosk. The most recent Access Management Journal (Vol. 34, No. 2), indicates that offering online services for consumers lends a great advantage for providers. Some of the benefits, such as reduced paperwork and streamlined processes, are obvious. Others come into focus over time: decreased paper and administrative costs, increased market share, enhanced physician satisfaction and loyalty, and most importantly, accelerated payments. Providers, however, are not the sole beneficiaries of this technology. For patients, online consumer access simplifies the scheduling and payment process, and provides a convenience that encourages loyalty. Today, patient portals have become a technological convenience for an enhanced online consumer experience that patients want, and increasingly expect.

Unibased’s patient portal, Consumer Access and Scheduling for Healthcare (CASH), offers many benefits, including increased patient satisfaction and convenience with decreased cost and provider workload…even providing a jumpstart on meeting meaningful use requirements with complete 24/7 consumer access and transparency.

With CASH, patients receive pre-visit questionnaires and preparation instructions as well as out-of-pocket expense estimation, self-service direction finding and check-in, and regular automatic preventative health reminders, including a link to scheduling so patients can immediately schedule care. This improved ease of access not only helps hospitals meet the growing patient demand, but also builds loyalty and leads to increased market share by creating a competitive advantage, making health systems more attractive for patients and physicians (directly resulting in increased patient volumes), by simply giving consumers the ability to personalize their healthcare experience and be more active participants in their care. According to a recent Health Management Technology article, “While traditional paper-based processes can make patients feel detached from the treatment they receive, patient-facing technologies immediately engage patients at check-in and set the tone for a care process that actively engages them at every step of the way.”

Access Management Journal, Volume 34, Number 2, “Online Bill-Pay: The Payment Option Patients Want – and Providers Need”, by James J. Moynihan, with Hop Wechsler.

Health Management Technology, September 2010, “Patients seek meaningful use, too”,by Ryan Sorrels and Theresa McGillvray-Dodd

Client News: Annual Taste of The Hudson Valley to Benefit Saint Francis Hospital

Source: Saint Francis Hospital Press Release

Poughkeepsie - Planning is already under way for the 22nd edition of the Taste of the Hudson Valley, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, November 7 at The Grandview in Poughkeepsie. Proceeds will help fund a variety of ongoing projects at Saint Francis Hospital. Tickets are now on sale.

The Saint Francis Health Care Foundation-sponsored international wine and epicurean arts festival features exquisite food and exclusive wines. The event also offers live music provided by the Michael Dell Orchestra, and live and silent auctions, including autographed memorabilia from such diverse personalities as baseball's Mariano Rivera and Broadway's Richard Rodgers.

The auctions will also offer unique travel excursions, fine gifts, and world-class wines - highlighted by a Taste Sampler consisting of one bottle of every wine poured at the event, more than 80 bottles.

Over 40 top restaurants and purveyors from the Hudson Valley and beyond will participate in the hospital's largest annual fund raiser where wine is paired with cuisine prepared by the region's top chefs. All wine is procured by Viscount Wines and Liquor. The Taste typically sells out, with more than 700 attending in 2009. More than $160,000 was netted.

The continuing success of the annual event is evidence of the hospital's support in the community it has served for 96 years, said Nick Shannon, the hospital's special events coordinator. "The healthcare industry may be going through a tough time," he said, "but the Taste helps send the message that Saint Francis Hospital is here in the community to stay."

To purchase tickets priced at $200 each and for information about sponsorship opportunities call 845-431-8707 or visit http://www.tastehv.org/.

Client News: York Hospital's Spook-ta-cular Safety Event

Source: Wellspan Newsletter

Children ages three to seven will like “The Spook-tac-cular Safety Event,” 6 to 7:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 25, at the Women and Parent Education Center at 1101 S. Edgar St., York.

Children will “trick or treat” while learning how to be safe during Halloween. Pedestrian safety, stranger safety, a healthy snack demonstration and much more will be included.

Children are encouraged to wear their costumes. Prizes will be awarded.

Registration is required. Please call (717) 851-2241.

23rd Annual Managing Today’s OR Suite® Conference

Managing Today’s OR Suite® Conference
The Walt Disney World Dolphin, Orlando FL
September 29-30, 2010

We will be available for consultations, just stop by booth #522! If you prefer to schedule an appointment in advance, please contact Stephanie Speth at 314-878-6050, ext. 143.

Managing Today’s OR Suite®, the premier conference on OR management, is sponsored
by OR Manager®, Inc. This conference is for operating room directors and managers, physicians, ambulatory surgery managers, chief financial officers, materials management personnel, hospital purchasing agents, and others concerned with OR management.

Conference Description:

There is a clear theme in this year’s program for Managing Today’s OR Suite. OR directors are making things happen, and they want to talk about them. They are changing the OR culture, improving patient safety, increasing efficiency, managing costs, and generally getting things done. They are pushing teamwork and building better communication and collaboration with physicians. If you want to make things happen in your OR, come to Managing Today’s OR Suite conference. You’ll listen to OR directors and managers talk about their accomplishments. You’ll compare notes and network with colleagues. You'll take home information and strategies that you can use to make positive changes in your OR.

Here are some of the highlights from the general sessions:

• What would Florence do? Joe Tye will talk about what Florence Nightingale might do as she faced today’s health care challenges.

• Health care faces continuing change. David C. Goodman, MD, director of the Center for Health Policy Research at Dartmouth, will provide some insight on what you can anticipate in surgical services.

• Disney Institute offers outstanding management programs, and you’ll hear Disney’s take on quality service.

• Get beyond the coffee mug gift to show that you appreciate your employees. S. Max Brown is back with more on creating a positive work environment.

Best of all, we will be at the Walt Disney World® Resort in Orlando. At the welcoming reception, Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters will be available for photo ops. What could be better fun?! We look forward to welcoming you to Orlando!

View the conference brochure (PDF) here.

Client News: St. Joseph's Hospital's 2010 Cruising To A Cure

Join us for an event like no other. Watch culinary talents from three Tampa Bay restaurants compete for the title of "Tampa Bay's Top Chef" aboard Holland America's cruise ship the ms Ryndam. Each chef will have 15 minutes to prepare and present their restaurants' signature dish to Tampa Bay area food critics inside the ms Ryndam's state-of-the-art Culinary Institute. Just like a Food Network kitchen set, the Culinary Institute is set up theatre-style with a camera over the Chef's shoulder so that the audience is part of every slice, dice and puree. Once the competition is over, guests will proceed to the dining room for their own taste test and wine service while waiting to hear who will be named "Tampa Bay's Top Chef."

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Children's Cancer Research Group (CCRG), which helps fund childhood cancer research at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital. St. Joseph's Children's Hospital is the only community hospital in Florida, and one of a very few non-university hospitals in the United States, with a research laboratory dedicated exclusively to pediatric cancer research.

Individual tickets are $75 and sponsorships begin at $500. It's not to late to reserve your seat today! For more information, please contact the St. Joseph's Hospitals Foundation at (813) 872-0979.

WHEN: Sunday, November 7, 2010; 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

WHERE: Holland America ms Ryndam, Cruise Terminal, Port of Tampa

Healthcare Reform Provisions Begin

By Janice Simmons, for HealthLeaders Media , September 23, 2010
Source: HealthLeaders Media

The new healthcare reform law turns six months old on Thursday, and with it come new key coverage requirements that go into effect. Healthcare consumers are more likely to feel the impact of these new measures, but healthcare providers could see some changes, too, such as more patients—including those with pre-existing or chronic conditions—seeking their services.

The rollout of these reform measures, though, may be confusing because their actual start date will depend on when a particular health insurance plan year starts, or when it started. While the new requirements go into effect Sept. 23, these requirements for health plans will be implemented when their actual year of coverage begins (such as Jan. 1, the start of the calendar year).

In addition, "grandfathered" plans--or those plans in existence before the healthcare reform legislation was signed into law— may have to meet only some of the requirements. Other plans—specifically new healthcare plans and those that make significant changes in benefits, deductibles, copayments, or share of premium contributions—will be required to comply with most of the law's changes.

Here is an overview of the provisions that take effect September 23:

Young adult coverage: Young adults can stay on or be added to their parents' health insurance plan through age 26. These young adults do not need to live with their parents and they can be married. However, that child's spouse or children is not required to be covered under the rule.

Grandfathered plans can exclude an adult child under 26 if that child is eligible to enroll in another employer-sponsored health plan, such as a plan through his or her job unless it is the plan of the other parent's employer. But, beginning in 2014, that exclusion will not be available to them.

Approximately 2.4 million young adults are expected to be eligible for coverage under their parents' plans. In 2011, roughly 1.24 million (using mid-range estimates) are anticipated to enroll for dependent coverage; this number is expected to rise to 1.6 million in 2012 and 1.65 million in 2013.

Coverage for sick children: Insurers are prohibited from denying coverage and treatment for children under age 19 with pre-existing medical conditions, such as asthma or cancer. This impacts group plans or "non-grandfathered" individual plans.

The plans can limit when children are signed up to certain open enrollment periods. Plans, though, are not required to sell policies individually to children. (Several plans in California, Illinois, Florida, and Connecticut announced in the past week that they will not be individually selling this particular coverage option.)

Preventive care: Plans must cover a wide range of recommended preventive services, such as immunizations, well-baby care, mammograms, and colonoscopies, while no longer charging co-payments, co-insurance, or deductibles for those services. This requirement applies, though, only to new plans—and not grandfathered plans.

Lifetime and annual coverage limits: This will impact those individuals with expensive and ongoing medical treatments. Lifetime limits are banned for all plans; for those who have hit their lifetime limits, they'll be able again to access coverage.

Those plans with annual limits on health benefits coverage will be phased out: Initially, the annual limit will be no less than $750,000, but it will rise to $1.25 million in September 2011 and $2 million in 2012. The annual limits are prohibited in 2014.

The annual limits apply to new individual and group plans, along with grandfathered group plans. They will not apply to grandfathered individual plans or to so-called "mini-med" plans that offer limited benefits.

Primary care and emergency care. Plans now must allow pediatricians and obstetrician/gynecologists to obtain primary care physician status: This will eliminate requiring patients to get prior-authorization from their insurers or a primary care physician to see a pediatrician or OB/GYN.

Also, emergency services can be provided without prior approval from the plan: insurers can't charge higher co-payments or co-insurance for using out-of-network ER providers.

Rescission: While the effective date was moved by insurers to May 2010, rescission—when an insurance company retroactively cancels a policy—is now banned, except when cases of "fraud or intentional misrepresentation of material fact" occur. Patients are required to be notified before cancellation. The provision applies to all types of health insurance plans.

Appeal rights: Patients will have the right to appeal insurers' decisions through their plans' internal review processes or independent, third-party reviewers. All health plan, except a grandfathered plan, must meet new standards. With urgent medical cases, the insurer must make a decision on the appeal within 24 hours—and has to continue covering the treatments while the appeal is pending.

Janice Simmons is a senior editor and Washington, DC, correspondent for HealthLeaders Media Online. She can be reached at jsimmons@healthleadersmedia.com.


Copyright © HealthleadersMedia, 2010

Client News: Bay Area Hospital Reaches Milestone In Data Conversion

Early September marked a milestone for Bay Area Hospital (Coos Bay, OR). Jon Castner, Senior Vice President of Product Delivery & Support, recently completed the conversion of over 13,000 case files from Bay Area Hospital's legacy surgery system into ORMS compatible files. This gives Bay Area Hospital access to all of their historical case files with just a few clicks of a mouse. Why is this exciting news? The industry norm, when replacing an old system, tends to be that all the old data will be lost, converted into an Excel spreadsheet, and, in some cases, left in the old system running in the background somewhere to house historical data. As far as we know there are no other companies in the marketplace that provide this service at the data element level. In the future this service will be offered as a contract option for new clients. For more information, contact Jon Castner at ext. 122.

About Bay Area Hospital: Bay Area Hospital has more than 1,000 employees, 130 physicians on its medical staff, 100 volunteers, and is governed by a five-member Board of Directors who are elected officials. As the Medical Center for Oregon's South Coast, Bay Area Hospital offers a comprehensive range of diagnostic and therapeutic services. The hospital's inpatient and outpatient services include medical, surgical, behavioral health, pediatric, critical care, home health, outpatient psychiatric, oncology, obstetrical, and other specialties.

Website: www.bayareahospital.org

Client News: Gettysburg Hospital Improving Patient Care

Source: Gettysburg Times
Improving Patient Care: Hospital Unveils Expansion Plans
BY MARK WALTERS Times Staff Writer

(Photo Credit: Daryl Wheeler/Gettysburg Times)
Kevin Mosser, M.D., president of Gettysburg Hospital & senior V.P. of WellSpan Health.

Plans for an expansion to Gettysburg Hospital’s emergency room were revealed Wednesday morning.

The expansion will feature three additional private rooms, an extra triage care area, patient treatment areas dedicated to patients with minor injuries and illnesses among other amenities.

While the $18.1 million project will not be complete until 2012, hospital employees are very excited in anticipation for what they believe will provide improved patient service.

“Our goal is to make the emergency department much more patient-centered,” Gettysburg Hospital President Dr. Kevin Mosser said during a press conference at the WellSpan Adams Health Center at 40 V-Twin Drive in Straban Township. “This addition will provide added privacy as well as speed and efficiency of care.”

The 19,000-squarefoot project will not only provide larger patient rooms but also the means for “easy expansion” with what Mosser referred to as “shell space” that should take care of the community for the next 20 to 30 years.

“We feel confident that with just adding three beds that we’re going to be able to handle increasing numbers of patients,” said emergency department Medical Director Dr. William Steinour. “We looked at a three-prong approach. We’ve looked at training our people, changing our process to be more effficient and building a facility that will work with that process.”

The trauma rooms, which reflect nursing and physician input, will be equipped with flat-screen televisions, remote-operated straps and slings to help lift patients as well as a state-of-the-art IV pump, which according to emergency services Nurse Manager Leslie Brown, is capable of sending patients’ medical information into the hospital’s electronic records and programming them through the pharmacy.

Brown said that the expansion has allowed the hospital to increase its staffing, as it was approved to hire a full-time and part-time registered nurse in the emergency department in addition to four full-time technicians and four full-time paramedic positions.

“We had to (increase) our staffing to accommodate the construction, but those hired will be staying with us after the expansion is complete,” Brown said.

Mosser noted some challenges to the Gettys Street campus such as reduced parking and a different entrance to the emergency room, but remained optimistic.

“We’ll be challenged logistically as a campus with noise and other effects, but it will be well worth it,” Mosser said.

The current hospital’s emergency department, most recently renovated in 1992, cares for nearly 28,000 patients per year in a facility originally designed to treat 15,000.

The new emergency department is expected to begin seeing patients by February 2010, with project completion by August 2012. For more information on the project, visit www.wellspan.org.

Mark Walters may be reached at mwalters@gburgtimes.com

Client News: AHA Chairman and Jewish Hospital President/CEO and COO to be Dunked

Source: Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's HealthCare Press Release

(Louisville, KY) Jewish Hospital team members including Marty Bonick, President & Chief Executive Officer and Brian Doheny, Chief Operating Officer, both with Jewish Hospital, will hit the dunk tank for a fundraising event leading into the American Heart Association’s (AHA) annual Heart Walk. Bonick is serving as the this year’s AHA chairman of the 2010 Heart Walk campaign. Donations give onlookers the opportunity to dunk Jewish Hospital employees.

WHO: Marty Bonick, Jewish Hospital President/CEO; Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare

Senior Vice President; American Heart Association 2010 Chairman Brian Doheny, Chief Operating Officer

WHAT: Heart Walk Dunking Booth

WHERE: Jewish Hospital Entrance, 200 Abraham Flexner Way

WHEN: Wednesday, September 22 10a.m.-4p.m.

NOTE: Bonick will be in the dunking booth from 3-4 p.m.; Doheny will be in the booth from 12-1 p.m.;

The event is sponsored by Cardiothoracic Surgical Associates.

Client News: Gettysburg Hospital to begin construction of new ED this month

Pictured: An artist's rendering illustrates the entrance to the new Gettysburg Hospital Emergency Department.

Source: Wellspan - "Around WellSpan, 9/20/2010"

New facility will feature 18 private treatment rooms plus patient amenities

Gettysburg Hospital (located in historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) will begin construction this month on a new emergency department that will provide patients with a private, patient-centered care experience and meet community needs well into the future.

The nearly 19,000-square foot addition that will extend from the hospital's current emergency department entrance will cost $18.1 million. The new ED is expected to open in February 2012, with project completion by August 2012.

The new emergency department will feature 18 private treatment rooms (13 stretcher rooms, two crisis rooms, three chair rooms) as well as new patient amenities such as a vending area, café seating, pediatric waiting area and an increase in patient and visitor restrooms.

The hospital's current emergency department, most recently renovated in 1992, cares for nearly 28,000 patients per year.

The facility was originally designed to treat 15,000. Today's patients also tend to have more serious conditions when they arrive for emergency care.

"As our communities continue to grow and age, the number of individuals needing emergency services is only going to increase," said Kevin Mosser, M.D., president of Gettysburg Hospital.

Mosser said the new emergency department will strengthen Gettysburg Hospital's ability to provide care to individuals who are seriously injured or ill as well as those who require treatment for minor conditions.

The project's guiding principle is to create an environment that promotes patient-centered care, patient safety, efficiency and employee satisfaction while meeting the needs of the community now and in the future.

In addition to the improvement to the facility, the hospital's emergency department staff continues to focus on process improvements. Efforts underway are already having a significant impact on improving the patient experience, including the reduction of patient wait times that occur during a typical visit.

"Offering a new emergency facility will be a great achievement for the hospital," said William Steinour, M.D., medical director, Gettysburg Hospital Emergency Department. "Beyond the bricks and mortar and all the amenities, the emergency department staff are working now to improve our processes and patient flow so that our patients notice a difference in the care they experience today as well as on day one of our new facility."

The hospital's existing emergency department will continue to serve patients during the construction project.

Funding for Gettysburg Hospital's new ED will be provided through WellSpan's capital budget. Wilmot Sanz of Gaithersburg, Md., is the project architect and Alexander Building Construction of Harrisburg will manage construction.

Special features of the new emergency department:

Gettysburg Hospital's new emergency department will offer patients a private care experience in a modern facility staffed by skilled physicians and clinical staff. Special features will include:

• Private rooms (13 stretcher rooms, two crisis rooms, three chair rooms)
• Two triage care areas
• Patient treatment areas dedicated exclusively to patients with minor injuries and illnesses
• Two trauma resuscitation rooms
• Two designated bereavement/consult rooms
• Multiple work pods for staff and providers, hospitalists and specialists with touchdown space for nursing supervisor, crisis workers and registration
• Improved staff support facilities, including lounge, locker room and conference meeting space
• Financial counselor presence
• Improved registration and checkout area
• Patient/visitor vending area along with café seating
• Pediatric waiting area
• Increased patient/visitor restrooms

_________________________________

About Gettysburg Hospital:

147 Gettys Street, PO Box 3786
Gettysburg, PA 17325-0786
(717) 334-2121

Located in historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Gettysburg Hospital has been serving the communities of Adams county and northern Maryland for more than 80 years.

Beyond the acute care hospital, it has grown to be a comprehensive health-care provider with family health centers across the region, a very special maternity center, heart center, home health services, preventive health education and screening programs, and 24-hour emergency services. As a WellSpan Health hospital, Gettysburg Hospital and all of its facilities serve the community with the highest quality of care, compassion, and excellence.

www.wellspan.org

Client News: BayCare Behavioral Health's Rockin' Recovery 2010

Rockin' Recovery 2010

In recognition of National Recovery Month, BayCare Behavioral Health is hosting the 2010 Rockin' Recovery on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at Higgins Hall in Tampa, Florida. Rockin' Recovery is an evening filled with dinner, dancing and a silent auction. Hosted by CBS News Channel 10 News Anchor Ginger Gadsden, the event will feature keynote speaker and emcee, Baseball Legend Darryl Strawberry, and entertainers Early Clover, the lead vocalist of Cornell Gunter's Coasters and Amanda Mason & MoBetta live in concert.

The purpose of National Recovery Month is to raise awareness of the benefits of alcohol and addiction treatment to communities and to recognize the dedicated professionals in the field. Your support will help the BayCare Behavioral Health's Veterans Initiative and help meet the recovery needs of local veterans and their families.

Individual Ticket Special Limited Time Discounted Rate: Now $25. It's not too late to reserve your seat today! Register online now!

WHEN: Saturday, September 25, 2010, 6-10 p.m.
WHERE: Higgins Hall, 5221 N. Himes Avenue, Tampa, FL

Fore more info, click here.

Client News: Oakwood surgeons rated as Top Docs

Source: Oakwood Press Release

Eight Oakwood physicians have been named as top cardiac doctors in a recent Consumer Reports article.

The physicians were chosen based on data from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), a nonprofit organization that represents approximately 5,400 surgeons worldwide who operate on the thorax, including the heart, lungs and esophagus.

The eight are:

Timothy Sell, MD, Reza Dabir, MD, and Ali Kafi, MD, from the Great Lakes Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons group in Dearborn

Bruce Washington, MD, and Joseph Bassett, MD, with the Oakwood Medical Offices in Dearborn

M. Salik A. Jahania, MD, of the University Physician Group Surgery office in Dearborn

Christopher Liakonis, DO, with Greater Michigan Cardiovascular Surgeons in Dearborn

Jonathan Hoffberger, DO, whose office is in Dearborn

The STS uses 11 standardized measurements to rank the physicians; those measurements fall into four broad categories:

Patient Survival – based on the chance that a patient will survive at least 30 days after surgery and will be discharged from the hospital

Absence of Surgical Complications – meaning that a patient will not experience any of five serious complications of heart bypass surgery during hospitalization. Those are extended breathing support on a ventilator; an infection in the breastbone incision; kidney failure; stroke; or repeat operation for post-op bleeding or other causes.

Recommended Medications – based on the chance that a patient will receive all of the following drugs: a beta-blocker before the procedure and aspirin, a beta-blocker, and a statin to lower LDL.

Optimal Surgical Technique – based on the chance that a patient will receive at least on graft involving an internal mammary artery, which improves long-term survival compared with grafts taken from the veins.

For additional information on the article, click here.

Client News: Inova Health System Named Among Nation's Top 500 Most Innovative Companies

Source: INOVA Press Release

2010 InformationWeek 500 List Highlights Top Technology Innovators

Falls Church, VA – Inova Health System has been named one of America’s top 500 most innovative companies, as part of the 2010 InformationWeek 500, an annual listing of the most innovative users of business technology. Now in its 23rd year, this year’s ranking placed special emphasis on companies and technology executives focused on generating new sources of revenue, new relationships with customers and new business models.

“Being named among the top 500 companies in the nation for IT innovation further validates that our investment in technology has been prudent and successful,” said Geoff Brown, SVP, Chief Information Officer, Inova Health System. “We continually strive to implement leading-edge technology that ensures our patients will get the best and safest care possible.”

InformationWeek identifies and honors the nation's most innovative users of information technology with its annual 500 listing and also tracks the technology, strategies, investments and administrative practices of America’s best-known companies. Top winners have included CME Group, Conway, National Semiconductor, Kimberly-Clark, Hilton Hotels and Unum. The InformationWeek 500 rankings are unique among corporate rankings as it spotlights the power of innovation in information technology, rather than simply identifying the biggest IT spenders.

For more on the InformationWeek 500, visit www.informationweek.com

Client News: Surgeon Provides Update on Region’s First Double Hand Transplant Recipient at Jewish Hospital

Pictured: Dr. Richard Edwards' left hand after surgery.

Source: Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's HealthCare Press Release

Louisville, Kentucky – Dr. Richard “Rich” Edwards, the nation’s third double hand transplant recipient, is back in the intensive care unit at Jewish Hospital after complications in his right hand resulted in surgery last week.

Dr. Warren Breidenbach, with Kleinert Kutz Hand Care Center provided an update on Edwards’ condition on Monday, September 13 at Jewish Hospital in Louisville, Ky.

Breidenbach, a partner at Kleinert Kutz Hand Care Center and assistant clinical professor of surgery at the University of Louisville led a team of surgeons from Kleinert Kutz, Christine M. Kleinert Institute, and the University of Louisville who performed the first surgery on the 55 year-old Oklahoma resident during a 17 ½ hour surgical procedure August 24-25, 2010 at the Jewish Hospital Hand Care Center.

“We had a scare last week during an examination prior to a routine therapy session when we discovered blood flow to the hand was blocked,” Breidenbach said. “Any episode like this is never necessarily good for the hand.”

Edwards was taken back into surgery on Wednesday, September 8, 2010 to restore blood flow, being blocked by clots, to his right hand. Breidenbach said no definitive cause for the clots was determined, though many theories were considered.

After monitoring the temperature in the fingers on the right hand for several days, Breidenbach said preparations were made for a third surgery on Saturday. However, pre-operative examinations showed marked improvement and the surgery was canceled.

Since Wednesday, Edwards has been in the ICU so that blood flow to his hand can be closely monitored. Breidenbach expects to move Edwards from the ICU to a regular hospital patient room on the orthopaedic floor on Tuesday, September 14.

Breidenbach had previously thought the burned skin covering the vessels may need to be replaced, but today said the team is hoping for no further surgeries for at least one year.

Edwards’ left hand continues to show improvement. He can move his wrist and each finger and can make nearly a full fist with his left hand. He continues to undergo physical therapy on his left hand, but will not have therapy on his right hand for approximately two weeks to allow for healing of the vessels repaired in the most recent surgery. Breidenbach said that statistically complications of this kind more than two weeks post-surgery are unusual.

“Unfortunately, this episode may downgrade the results with the right hand because of stopping therapy and the increased possibilities for scarring,” Breidenbach said. “However, I still think he’ll have better results than any patient to date.”

Edwards’ post-surgery treatment continues to include an immunosuppressant drug regimen of four medications for anti-rejection, including steroids.

Edwards worked as a chiropractor before losing both hands when his truck caught fire on February 11, 2006. Unable to escape the burning vehicle, he was severely burned on his face, back, arms and hands, leaving very little tissue left in both hands.

Since his injury, Edwards had multiple reconstructive surgeries and skin grafts, but remained with very little hand function. He requires assistance with all activities of daily living and is nearly completely dependent on his wife and others for help.

The Composite Tissue Allotransplantation program is a partnership of physicians and researchers at Jewish Hospital Hand Care Center, Kleinert Kutz, and the University of Louisville. The group developed the pioneering hand transplant procedure and has performed five other hand transplants since 1999. Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates coordinated the hand donation for the team’s hand transplant procedures.

The hand transplant is sponsored by the Department of Defense, Office of Naval Research and Office of Army Research to further research in the composite tissue allotransplantation program.

Patient and physician information, photography and video are available at www.handtransplant.com and http://www.jhsmh.org/hand. To watch the press conference, click here.

Events: Greater St. Louis 2010 HFMA Annual Golf Outing

The Greater St. Louis 2010 Healthcare Financial Management Association Annual Golf Outing at Wing Haven Country Club is TODAY! Bob Grass and Phil Amelung will be representing Unibased Systems Architecture...the defending champions! Woot!! :-)

Client News: LGH is an ENERGY STAR

Source: Lancaster General Press Release

Lancaster General Hospital (LGH) is the only hospital in Pennsylvania and one of only 12 hospitals in the United States to earn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) prestigious ENERGY STAR designation to date in 2010.

This national mark of excellence in energy performance means LGH performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency. The hospital received an overall rating of 76 on an energy efficiency scale of zero to 100.

"In 2009, with looming electrical deregulation and the uncertainty of healthcare reform, we decided to initiate a major review of the hospital's infrastructure with ENERGY STAR in mind," said John Hartman, senior director, Facilities Management, LGH. "We partnered with GE and other business partners to perform an intense three-day energy 'treasure hunt' uncovering more than 100 opportunities for improvement."

Commercial buildings earning the ENERGY STAR, or label, use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. LGH improved its energy performance by managing energy strategically across the entire organization and by making cost-effective improvements to the hospital.

With leadership team support, LGH took on the ENERGY STAR challenge and has set the goal of reducing energy consumption by 10 percent. A variety measures led to success:

Developed a lighting control and water conservation program

Re-insulated piping to prevent heat loss

Identified opportunities to recycle water sources and implemented a steam trap replacement program

Replaced a 1964 low-efficiency chiller (air and equipment cooling system) with a higher efficiency

Collaboration with hospital colleagues to identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption in individual areas.

"Using ENERGY STAR benchmarking gave us easy access to the tools and resources EPA provides that are needed to measure our facilities,” said Larry Dunn, director, Facilities Management. “We look forward to carrying out our energy reduction initiatives while providing a safe, sustainable environment for our patients, families, visitors and staff."

To continue reading the article, click here.

Events: Circle of Care Classic Golf Outing

7th Annual Circle of Care Classic!
(AM and PM Sessions)
Monday, September 13, 2010

Unibased Systems Architecture is proud to sponsor this event, join us for a fabulous day of golf, food and fun while supporting the Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s Foundation.

Larry Grossman & Jon Castner will be participating - good luck guys!

The tournament has two flights and is played in a 4-person scramble format. Prizes are awarded for the top team in both sessions and excellent play by individuals throughout the day. Teams are set on a first come, first served basis, with a maximum of 24 teams per session.

Proceeds from this event support the mission and services of Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare, a leading healthcare provider that is vital to the health and well-being of people across Kentuckiana. The Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s Foundation focuses on making a real difference in the health of our community by building new patient care facilities, acquiring new technologies for better provider care, providing educational opportunities for healthcare students, and research to discover life saving medical breakthroughs.

For more info, go to:
http://www.jhsmh.org/AboutUs/Events/EventDetails.aspx?id=60&begin=9/13/2010

UPCOMING EVENTS

We would like to visit with you if you are attending any of the events below! If you prefer to reserve some time in advance, please contact Stephanie Speth at
314-878-6050, ext. 143.

2010 Amerinet Member Conference
September 14-17, 2010 - Booth #325
Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV
For more information, go to: http://memberconference.amerinet-gpo.com

Managing Today’s OR Suite Conference
September 29-30, 2010 - Booth #522
Walt Disney Swan & Dolphin, Orlando, FL
For more information, go to: http://www.ormanager.com/mtors

2010 Fall Educational Conference presented by Michigan Alliance of Healthcare Access Professionals & the Michigan Patient Accounting Association - Region I
October 6-8, 2010
Comfort Inn Hotel & Conference Ctr., Mt. Pleasant, MI
Click Here to View Conference PDF

ANESTHESIOLOGY 2010
October 16-20, 2010
San Diego Convention Center - San Diego, CA
For more information, go to: http://anesthesiology2010.com

Northeast Regional NAHAM Conference
October 18-19, 2010
Holiday Inn, Stamford, CT

Client News: Annual Brake for Breakfast October 6 at Foster J. Boyd, MD, Regional Cancer Center

WILMINGTON, Ohio--On Wednesday, October 6, from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m., more than 500 women are again expected to drive through the parking lot at the Foster J. Boyd, MD, Regional Cancer Center for the Third Annual Brake For Breakfast

Employees of The Boyd, decked out in pink, will team with the American Cancer Society and other volunteers to encourage women to take a few minutes out of their busy morning routine to pause and consider their risk for breast cancer.

This drive-through public event is simple and takes only a few minutes. Women drive through the parking lot at the cancer center and make three stops:

1. To pick up a healthy to-go breakfast.
   
   
2. To receive breast cancer awareness information, including an appointment card that explains how to schedule a mammogram at Clinton Memorial Hospital. Anyone scheduling their mammograms at CMH during the months of October or November will be entered into a drawing for a prize.
   
   
3. To receive some free takeaways.

A screening mammogram can be scheduled, without a physician’s referral, by patients who are 35 years of age or older. Patients must be symptom free, not pregnant or breast feeding. This exam is considered a routine screening procedure and an appointment can be made by calling Clinton Memorial Hospital at (937) 382-9595.

Client News: 11th Annual WellSpan Health Benefit Golf Tournament

Monday, Sept. 20, 2010
7:45 a.m. & 1 p.m.
Shotgun Starts Regents' Glen Country Club
York, Pennsylvania

In 2010, the proceeds from this tournament will be used to fund community health programs for children and adults.

Download Brochure

In the past 10 years, the WellSpan Charity Golf Tournament has benefitted many programs. Specifically, proceeds from this event have helped to fund:

• Telehealth monitors for chronically ill, home-bound patients to help monitor their health
• The purchase of special giraffe beds used by the smallest infants at York Hospital in the Neonatal Intensive CareUnit (NICU)
• Cribs for Kids, a program that provides safe-sleeping cribs for babies in need
• Chronic Disease Care Programs for children, including children with diabetes and asthma, to help them better manage their lives and to promote healthier lifestyles
• The Healthy Beginnings Plus Program for at-risk infants in our communities
• Project Smiles, a dental sealant program to help protect children's teeth

Client News: WNBA Star Will Describe Her Treatment for Breast Cancer

Pictured: Edna Campbell of the WNBA Sacramento Monarchs.

Source: ETMC Press Release.

A free one-day retreat for breast cancer patients is planned Oct. 1 in the ETMC Pavilion. 903-535-6302

It's hosted by the ETMC Cancer Institute and Breast Care Center with support from JCPenney, Dr. Sherilyn and Patrick Willis, Tyler Professional Firefighters and the ETMC Foundation.

Edna Campbell, who played for the Sacramento Monarchs and three other teams will be the speaker. She was diagnosed with breast cancer during her second season in the WNBA.

She received treatment and was welcomed back by the fans and the league. She then became the WNBA's national spokesperson for its anti-cancer efforts and received the league's Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award in 2003.

A panel of physician specialists will also be presented for questions and answers, and other sessions include lymphedema management and a survivor make-up demo.

Registration

Registration deadline for this event is Sept. 24.
Please call Sandy Campbell at 903-535-6302 or email slcampbell@etmc.org.

Download the flyer for this event.

Client News: 15th Annual Golf Classic & Singer Songwriter Showcase

Pictured on left: Singer Songwriters Casey Beathard, Paul Overstreet and Scotty Emerick share a moment of humor as they entertain the crowd at last year's Singer Songwriter Showcase.

The 14th Annual Golf Classic and Singer Songwriter Showcase was held October 1-2, 2009, at the Corpus Christi Country Club. Award winning singer/songwriters Paul Overstreet, Scotty Emerick and Casey Beathard entertained an enthusiastic crowd with their music and stories, playing numerous hit songs - as well as ones that have never been recorded. A standing ovation and an encore performance at the insistence of the crowd topped off a fantastic evening.

Lunch and a shotgun start kicked off the Golf Classic the following day. The rain stopped before the tournament began, leaving perfect golfing weather in its wake. Forty-eight teams came out to play golf and support the kids, and the day concluded with awards and gifts for the winning teams and sponsors. A very special thanks to all of our dedicated sponsors, donors and volunteers who help make this a stand-out event year after year. One hundred percent of the $140,000 raised will help with the most critical needs of Driscoll Children's Hospital.

15th Annual Golf Classic & Singer Songwriter Showcase

* DATE: Thursday, September 30, 2010 - Singer Songwriter Showcase;
* DATE: Friday, October 1, 2010 Golf Classic
* LOCATION: Corpus Christi Country Club
* TIME: TBA
* CONTACT INFO: (361) 694-6402 for sponsorship information
* Click here for featured 2010 Singer Songwriters

For more information on this event, please call Development Foundation at (361) 694-6401