Client News: Wisconsin Healthcare Executive Will Serve as New President of Gettysburg Hospital and Senior Vice President of WellSpan Health

Source: WellSpan Health Pess Release

Officials at WellSpan Health have announced the appointment of Jane E. Hyde, a Wisconsin health care executive with more than 35 years of experience, as a senior vice president for the health system and president of Gettysburg Hospital.

Hyde, who will officially join Central Pennsylvania’s largest health care organization in September, was selected through a national search process, which included participation by members of the Gettysburg Hospital Board of Directors and members of WellSpan’s senior management team.  She succeeds Kevin H. Mosser, M.D., who became WellSpan’s executive vice president and chief operating officer in January 2011.

Since 2000, Hyde has served Agnesian HealthCare in Fond du Lac, WI, an integrated health care organization that includes three hospitals, a long-term care facility, eight retail pharmacies, 140 physician practices and other ambulatory health care centers and services.  Most recently, Hyde held the position of senior vice president of strategic development and community affairs.  She has also served as chief executive officer of Agnesian HealthCare Enterprises, a retail subsidiary of Agnesian Healthcare, and as chief operating officer of Sun Home Health/Hospice Services in Northumberland, Pa.

In addition to her leadership responsibilities at Agnesian HealthCare, Hyde has been an active member of her local community, having served on the boards of directors for St. Mary’s Springs High School, the Fond du Lac Area YMCA, the Windhover Center for the Arts and the Women’s Fund of the Fond du Lac Community Foundation.  She has also served as a volunteer for Hospice Home of Hope in Fond du Lac.

“We are fortunate to have the opportunity to welcome into our community and organization a health care leader as talented and committed to the general mission of non-profit health care as Jane Hyde,” said Mosser.  “We believe that the values that Jane holds are consistent with those of our organization and we are happy to have her join our health system.”

As president of Gettysburg Hospital, Hyde will assume responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the community hospital, which serves the residents of Adams County and northern Maryland.  She will also maintain relationships with community organizations, agencies and stakeholder groups in support of Gettysburg Hospital and WellSpan Health’s mission to improve the health and quality of life of the greater Adams County region.  As a senior vice president of WellSpan Health, Hyde will actively participate in the operating leadership of the integrated health system.

“The members of the search committee are excited to welcome Jane to Gettysburg Hospital and to our community,” said Ronald Hankey, chairman of the Gettysburg Hospital Board of Directors and member of the search committee.  “We think she will be an outstanding representative of the hospital and will serve our community well in her leadership position."

Hyde holds a bachelor’s degree from Lock Haven University, Lock Haven, Pa., and a master’s degree in public administration from Marywood University, Scranton, Pa.  She is currently in the dissertation phase of the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Leadership Studies at Marian University, Fond du Lac, WI.

About WellSpan Health WellSpan Health is a regional integrated health system that serves more than 650,000 people in south central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland. With more than 8,500 employees, the organization includes Gettysburg Hospital; York Hospital; the 500-member WellSpan Medical Group; WellSpan VNA Home Care; and regional referral services in cardiovascular, oncology, orthopedics, behavioral health, women’s services, neurosciences and Level I trauma.  The organization also includes an ambulatory care network with 32 locations and South Central Preferred, a preferred provider organization and third party administrator.

Client News: CPOE at WellSpan Marks the Beginning of Care Transformation

Source:  Around WellSpan Online



Leo Motter, M.D., a hospitalist at York Hospital, uses Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) to enter discharge instructions for a patient. Physicians also use CPOE to directly enter medication orders, tests and procedures into a computer system, which then transmits the order to the pharmacy or appropriate department.

“CPOE (Computerized Physician Order Entry) marks the biggest change for physicians in the history of our organization,” said Charlie Marley, D.O., vice president of medical affairs at Gettysburg Hospital.

“If affects their workflow and requires them do things totally different than in the past.”

Despite the immensity of the change, the implementation of CPOE, first at Gettysburg Hospital in November 2010 and recently at York Hospital, has gone remarkably smooth.

“Early feedback from physicians has been positive,” said Geoff Nicholson, M.D., hospital informatics specialist. “We recognize that CPOE has some challenges, but it is a great system that gives us a lot of opportunities to optimize the care we deliver.”

Nicholson said the implementation of CPOE touched nearly every staff member at the two acute care hospitals. He added that the cooperation was excellent and much was learned from the initial implementation at Gettysburg Hospital, contributing greatly to the success of the project.

“CPOE is one of the capstones of the electronic health record,” offered R. Hal Baker, M.D., chief information officer for WellSpan.

“The implementation of CPOE marks the two-thirds mark of our journey to the electronic health record,” he added.
CPOE refers to any system in which clinicians directly enter medication orders, tests and procedures into a computer system, which then transmits the order to the pharmacy or appropriate department.

CPOE has the potential to greatly reduce errors by ensuring standardized, legible and complete orders.  A study of inpatient medication errors found that approximately 90 percent occurred at either the ordering or transcribing stage.

Recent research shows that if CPOE was implemented in all urban hospitals in the U.S., more than three million serious medication errors could be prevented every year.

Studies also have shown that CPOE reduces the length of stay; repeat tests; turnaround times for pharmacy, laboratory and radiology requests; and cost savings.

“Orders are instantly transmitted and processing can begin immediately,” said Peter Hartmann, M.D., vice president of medical affairs, York Hospital.  “It used to take up to two hours from the time an antibiotic was ordered to when it reached the patient.  Now, it’s 20 minutes.”

Baker added, “CPOE cuts out a number of non-value-added steps.  Medication requests have gone from 59 minutes to 13 minutes.” Additionally, fewer phone calls are required to clarify orders. Verbal orders have been decreased 75 percent, according to Baker.

Another benefit of CPOE is that serves as the basis for Clinical Decision Support (CDS), which checks for a variety of errors, including contraindications, drug allergies, drug-drug interaction as well as the absence of care.  It also prompts physicians for best practices. 

“CPOE and CDS have a tremendous potential to significantly improve patient safety,” said Nicholson.  “We will continue to optimize their capabilities over time.”

Nicholson emphasized that the implementation of CPOE is the beginning of care transformation, not the end.  There is still work to do.

Client News: WellSpan's Gettysburg Hospital to Host 16th Annual Women's Health & Wellness Conference

Source: Around WellSpan Online

Gettysburg Hospital Women’s Services will host the 16th annual Women’s Health and Wellness Conference on Saturday, March 12, in Gettysburg College’s Union Building. The Gettysburg event features two keynote speakers — Kimberly Wilson, an author and yoga enthusiast, and Bobbe White, an author and certified laughter leader.

Both women will share their lessons of creativity, stress management and confidence-building skills. Attendees also will choose from a variety of breakout sessions. This year’s topics include team-building with a rock climbing wall, recognizing digestive disorders, coping with food cravings, benefits of yoga and labyrinth meditation, young women and sports, home repairs, choosing native plants for your garden, sexting and cyber bullying.

The conference also includes a continental breakfast and lunch, exhibits, gifts and educational materials. Four Bitchin’ Babes—Diva Nation, Where Music, Laughter and Girlfriends Reign at the Majestic Theater is an optional Friday event. Discounted tickets are $32.

Cost to attend the women’s conference is $45 through Friday, Feb. 25, and $50 up to the March 4 registration deadline. For more information or to receive a registration booklet, call (717) 337-4272, ext 1 or visit http://www.wellspan.org/.

Client News: Gettysburg Hospital Begins Construction of a New Emergency Department

Source: Around WellSpan Newsletter

A 19,000-square foot addition to Gettysburg Hospital will provide patients with a private, patient-centered care experience and meet the needs of the community well into the future.  The new emergency department will feature 18 private treatment 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.

Construction of the new emergency department is Gettysburg Hospital's biggest project in 20 years. It is expected to cost $18.1 million. The new emergency department is scheduled to open in February 2012. The project should be entirely completed by August 2012. The hospital's emergency department currently cares for 28,000 patients per year. It was originally designed to treat 15,000.

Client News: Gettysburg Hospital joins Campus Kitchens Project

Source: WellSpan Website

Gettysburg Hospital recently became the first medical facility in the country to be a formal partner with The Campus Kitchens Project, a national leader in community service for students and anti-hunger programs for communities around the country.

Working with Campus Kitchen at Gettysburg College and the hospital’s food service partner, Nutrition Management Services, the hospital is donating unused food to support The Kitchen’s efforts to provide hot meals to people in the local community who are economically disadvantaged.

By the end of 2010, Gettysburg Hospital will likely have donated more than 500 pounds of food items that include soups, casseroles and leftovers from various catering events to the college’s Campus Kitchen.

“The hospital’s dietary department reviews its production system to make sure it’s utilizing all food items possible. In the past, there were cases in which food was produced but couldn’t be utilized and it resulted in the item being discarded,” said Kevin Scritchfield, director of Gettysburg Hospital Dietary Services.

“There are strict regulations through the Pennsylvania Department of Health that govern how food is handled, temperature guidelines and rules related to safety and sanitation.

“Since the hospital’s dietary department meets all of these guidelines, we are able to donate unused food items to Campus Kitchen and help others in the process.”

Nationally, The Campus Kitchens Project empowers thousands of students each year to recycle food from cafeterias, turn these donations into nourishing meals and deliver those meals to people who need it most.

“While the Campus Kitchen helps families close the food gap, it also works to establish relationships that break down barriers and stereotypes. The result is the stronger, more united community. We are grateful that Gettysburg Hospital has become a partner,” said Kim Davidson, associate director of the Center for Public Service at Gettysburg College.

Students at each of the 25 Campus Kitchens around the country are responsible for running the program’s operation, including menu planning, collecting food, managing cooking and in some cases teaching culinary skills to unemployed adults.

The students also manage all records, organize fundraisers, develop nutrition curriculum and recruit new students to get involved.

The Campus Kitchen at Gettysburg College, the first in the state, began in November 2007. The project is managed by the College’s Center for Public Service and student program coordinators.

As it reaches its third year in operation, the Campus Kitchen has recovered more than 28,000 pounds of food and served more than 15,000 meals to local residents in need.

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: 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

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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