Client News: "100 Leaders of Great Hospitals"

Congrats to our clients that are recognized in the "100 Leaders of Great Hospitals" by Becker's Hospital Review!

• Richard Afable, MD. - President & CEO
  Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian (Newport Beach, CA)
• L. Reuven Pasternak, MD. - CEO
  Inova Fairfax Hospital (Falls Church, VA) 
• Glenn Waters - President & CEO
  Morton Plant Hospital (Clearwater, FL)

View the full article here.

Client News: Inova Fairfax Hospital's Prematurity Program Awarded Joint Commission Certification

Inova Fairfax Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s first ever Gold Seal of Approval™ for Prematurity (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for healthcare quality and safety in premature birth care. The certification awarded Inova Fairfax Hospital, part of the world-class healthcare provider Inova Health System which had in excess of 20,000 birth’s in 2010, recognizes the hospital’s dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s state-of-the-art standards.

"This Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval™ validates that the care premature babies receive in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit not only consistently meets but exceeds the national standards leading to the best care possible," commented Reuven Pasternak, CEO of Inova Fairfax Hospital and SVP, Inova Health System.  "To be the first in the United States to achieve this certification is a tribute to the multidisciplinary team of enthusiastic and knowledgeable professionals who are truly dedicated to improving the health of the diverse community we are privileged to serve through excellence in patient care."

The Joint Commission’s Disease-Specific Care Certification Program, launched in 2002, is designed to evaluate clinical programs across the continuum of care. Certification requirements address three core areas: compliance with consensus-based national standards; effective use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to manage and optimize care; and an organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities.  A team of Joint Commission expert reviewers evaluated Inova Fairfax Hospital for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients and families, including infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management.

"This certification is a tribute to the care and commitment of our doctors, nurses and staff who, over many years, have developed a neonatal program offering a full spectrum of services available from the time of  delivery until discharge.  This includes advanced clinical procedures for treating premature babies as well as newborns suffering from birth defects, injury, illness or life-threatening conditions," according to John M. North, MD, Medical Director, NICU, Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children.  "We are proud to provide excellence in patient care, which ranks among the best in the nation."

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States as well as providing certification of more than 1,700 disease-specific care programs, primary stroke centers, and health care staffing services.

"In achieving this Joint Commission certification, Inova Fairfax Hospital has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for its premature birth patients" observed Jean Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q. executive director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, The Joint Commission. "Certification is a voluntary process and I commend Inova Fairfax Hospital for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves."

An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.

Unibased Clients Ranked by U.S. News & World Reports

Source: U.S. News & World Report

We at Unibased want to extend congratulations to the following client hospitals for being named by U.S. News & World Reports as  Best Hospitals for 2010 - 2011:

Inova Fairfax is ranked as the #2 hospital in the DC Metro area, and is ranked #24 in Gynecology nationally.

Baylor University Medical Center is #2 in Dallas as well as being nationally ranked in the following specialities:  #43 in Gastroenterology; #39 in Kidney Disorders; #47 in Urology.

Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's Healthcare is ranked #1 in Louisville.

Florida Hospital is ranked #1 in Orlando.

Mount Sinai Medical Center is ranked #3 in Miami and ranked #40 in Geriatrics nationally.

Norton is ranked #2 in Louisville, and Kosair Children's Hospital (part of the Norton family) is ranked #26 nationally in the following speciality, Pediatrics: Pulmonology.

Client News: Inova Health System Ranked Among Washington, DC Region Best Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report

Souce: Inova Press Release

Inova Health System’s five hospitals have been ranked among the best hospitals in the Washington, DC region in U.S. News & World Report's first-ever Best Hospitals Metro Area rankings.

The rankings for Inova’s hospitals are as follows:

Hospital                                U.S. News DC Area Ranking
Inova Fairfax Hospital                           2
Inova Loudoun Hospital                        8
Inova Alexandria Hospital                    13
Inova Fair Oaks Hospital                     15
Inova Mount Vernon Hospital               21

To be ranked in its metro area, a hospital had to score in the top 25 percent among its peers in at least one of 16 medical specialties. Inova Fairfax Hospital has been ranked among U.S. News’  “America's Best Hospitals” fourteen times in the past 15 years.

“The physicians, nurses and staff at Inova are fully dedicated to providing quality patient care,” said Loring Flint, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Inova Health System. “We consistently work to bring the latest technologies and techniques to serve the community, and it’s very rewarding to see our hospitals named among the best.”

Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. With that mission in mind, Inova is positioning itself at the forefront of genetics-based personalized medicine and is on the leading edge of bringing new treatments from the “bench to the bedside” safely and quickly. 

“The new Best Hospitals metro rankings can tell you which hospitals are worth considering for most medical problems if you live in or near a major metro area,” said Avery Comarow, health rankings editor, U.S. News & World Report.

Client News: Inova Fairfax Hospital Maintains National Recognition for Nursing Excellence

Source: Inova Health Systems Press Release

Inova Fairfax Hospital is proud to announce it has been redesignated as a Magnet hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). This status is considered the highest institutional honor awarded for nursing excellence, with only 378 of the nation’s 6,000 hospitals having earned this designation. Inova Fairfax Hospital was among the first in the country to be recognized as a Magnet hospital in 1997 and is now one of just seven hospitals to have been redesignated four times.

“This is a true testament to the hard work and dedication of the nursing staff,” said Maureen Swick, RN, MSN, PhD, NEA-BC, Interim Chief Nurse Executive, Inova Fairfax Hospital. “This is such an incredible accomplishment and truly reflects on the clinical leadership, excellence and collaboration that take place on a daily basis throughout this campus.”

The ANCC developed the Magnet Recognition Program® to recognize healthcare organizations that provide nursing excellence. Inova Fair Oaks and Inova Loudoun hospitals have also attained Magnet status. Hospitals must demonstrate benchmarks in nursing leadership, excellence in patient care, quality clinical standards and a commitment to continued quality review and improvement. The benefits to patients include improved medical outcomes, shorter in-hospital stays and lower mortality rates.

To continue reading this article, click here.

Client News: Inova Fairfax Hospital Celebrates 50 Years of Medical Excellence

Today was a day of celebration at Inova Fairfax Hospital as staff and community supporters gathered to mark 50 years of the hospital’s dedication and service to the community.

“When I came here three years ago, what I was impressed with was the sense of history and pride that people had in this hospital,” said L. Reuven Pasternak, MD, CEO, Inova Fairfax Hospital. “The people who founded it, its sense of mission, its sense of commitment is something that we keep to this very day.”

At 8 a.m. on Feb. 6, 1961, the 96-bed hospital opened its doors for the first time. Fifty years later, the hospital has transformed into a world-class, regional medical and research center with 833 beds. Its campus includes Northern Virginia’s only Level 1 trauma center, a nationally-ranked cardiac program, the fifth busiest obstetrics program in the country and Northern Virginia’s only Children’s Hospital.



Supervisor Pat Herrity, Springfield District; Chairman of the Board Sharon Bulova; Knox Singleton, CEO, Inova Health System; Supervisor Penny Gross, Vice-Chair, Mason District; L. Reuven Pasternak, MD, CEO, Inova Fairfax Hospital 



Sharon Bulova, Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Penny Gross, Mason District Supervisor and Member of the Inova Board of Trustees, and Pat Herrity, Springfield District Supervisor, presented Knox Singleton, CEO, Inova Health System, and Dr. Pasternak with a resolution honoring the hospital’s long history of offering Fairfax County top quality healthcare.

The hospital marked its 50-year milestone with a celebratory cake cutting by Dick Foster, who was the Associate Administrator of The Fairfax Hospital in 1961, and Mary Brown, a nurse who was the first Director of Obstetrics. 

Dick Foster, Associate Administrator of The Fairfax Hospital in 1961, and Mary Brown, RN, the hospital's first Director of Obstetrics, cut the cake to celebrate 50 years.

Also on hand was Jack Lucas, the son of the late Grace Lucas. She is credited with organizing the Fairfax Hospital Association which guided and planned the original hospital. Lucas is carrying on his mother’s legacy and currently works for Inova Heart and Vascular Institute.

One of the most significant changes over the past 50 years has been the growth of the obstetrics program, from about 1,500 deliveries in 1961 to more than 10,000 in 2010. As part of the 50th celebration, the hospital wants to hear from its Fairfax babies. If you were born at Inova Fairfax Hospital, join our Facebook group “I was born at Inova Fairfax Hospital.”

Client Visit - Inova Fairfax Hospital

During a recent trip to Inova Fairfax Hospital (Falls Church, VA), Cynthia Borders and Peggy Pittenger visited the Inpatient Rehab Scheduling Department to review the unique requirements surrounding the use of Unibased products in an inpatient rehabilitation setting. The staff at Inova have done an outstanding job in being creative and successful in their approach to using RMS to meet their needs. Each day the rehabilitation department at the Fairfax campus schedules and treats over 300 inpatients. The large number of patients, combined with patient care (sometimes patients can only see one therapist based on their diagnoses) and the complexities of running a rehabilitation unit speaks to the creativity and dedication of those who maintain these daily schedules. To support Inova's scheduling needs, they use RMS Provider Schedules along with 9 custom Crystal Reports, and have had great success. If you have questions about how RMS can be used to support your hospital's inpatient rehabilitation center, please call:

Cynthia Borders ext 120.

Client News: Patrick Christiansen named COO of Inova Fairfax Hospital

Christiansen named COO of Inova Fairfax by Jennifer Lubell
Source: Posted August 30, 2010 - 11:00 am ET - http://www.modernhealthcare.com/

Patrick Christiansen, senior vice president of not-for-profit Inova Health System, Falls Church, Va., has been named COO of Inova Fairfax Hospital Campus. As COO, Christiansen will be responsible for operational procedures, participating in a collaborative team responsible for strategic decisions for the hospital and Inova Health System. He began his new duties Aug. 18, according to a statement from Inova.

Christiansen joined Inova Fairfax in 2007 as administrator of Inova Heart and Vascular Institute. Two years later he was named senior vice president with Inova Health System, taking on responsibility for additional service lines within Inova.

“Patrick has a proven track record of achievement and has become an innovative team leader,” L. Reuven Pasternak, CEO of Inova Fairfax Hospital Campus, said in a written statement. “I am confident in his excellent leadership qualities and look forward to working with him as we continue to expand and strengthen our programs to meet the needs of the community.”

Before joining to Inova, Christiansen served as vice president of operations at St. John’s Mercy Health Care in Creve Coeur, Mo., and served as vice president at St. Edwards Mercy Health Network in Fort Smith, Ark.

Rod Huebbers preceded Christiansen as COO. He recently left for an opportunity with Vanguard Health in San Antonio.

Inova declined to provide Christiansen's age

Copyright Crain Communications, Inc. - All rights reserved.

Inova Fairfax Hospital Ranked Among the Nation's Best by U.S. News & World Report

Source: Inova Health System
July 15, 2010

Hospital Ranked Among Top 25 in Gynecology

Falls Church, VA – Inova Fairfax Hospital has again been selected by U.S. News & World Report as one of "America's Best Hospitals." The hospital was ranked 24th for gynecology, the seventh straight year the hospital has made the list in that specialty.

"During the past 50 years, Inova Fairfax Hospital has created a women's program that offers a full spectrum of services, from delivering newborns to performing the most advanced surgical procedures," said L. Reuven Pasternak, MD, CEO, Inova Fairfax Hospital Campus. "This ranking solidifies Inova’s place as a leader in women's care and we're proud to offer this level of quality care to our community."

"Being ranked among the best in the country is a testament to the care and dedication of our doctors, nurses and staff," said Patricia Schmehl, Administrator, Women's Services, Inova Fairfax Hospital. "We've worked hard to build a program that provides the very best care for women and their families. Whether our patients are facing a serious gynecologic illness or experiencing the joy of a new baby, we’re here to provide help every step of the way."

U.S. News & World Report uses rigorous standards in compiling its list of the nation's best hospitals. Hospitals are ranked by specialty and not by specific procedures. Of the 4,852 hospitals evaluated, only 152 scored high enough to be ranked in at least one specialty.

In 12 of the 16 specialties, U.S. News ranked hospitals on hard data, including death rates, procedure volume, patient safety, and balance of nurses and patients. Hospitals must have seen a specified minimum number of Medicare inpatients from 2006 to 2008 who had certain procedures and conditions in a specialty. Or, a hospital could be recommended by physicians in recent U.S. News reputation surveys.

This is the 14th time in the past 15 years that Inova Fairfax Hospital has been ranked among the nation's best hospitals. The 2010 edition of U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Hospitals" will be available on newsstands Tuesday, July 27.

Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.

Client News: Inova Fairfax Hospital Breaks Ground on New 11-Story Patient Tower

Pictured above: Inova Health System and Inova Fairfax Hospital executives join community leaders and politicians for the groundbreaking of the South Patient Tower.

Source: Inova Fairfax Hospital
Press Release, June 28, 2010

Falls Church, VA – Inova Fairfax Hospital is excited to announce plans to construct a new 11-story South Patient Tower on the campus. The tower will consist of 174 all-private intensive-care and medical/surgical patient rooms. The additional 216,000 square feet will enable the hospital to meet future inpatient and outpatient needs and will allow for flexibility if there is a surge in patients during a disaster or pandemic event. Total cost of the project is estimated at $161 million. (For more information, watch a video overview, go to Inova’s newsroom or download images.)

"With increased demand for healthcare services in this area, it is critical for a hospital like Inova Fairfax, which serves as the hub of a community healthcare system, to expand to meet the future needs of our community," said L. Reuven Pasternak, MD, CEO, Inova Fairfax Hospital Campus. "This outstanding new space will provide a place where caregivers and patients can work together to ensure excellent patient care and a positive experience for the patient. The expansion also signals that Inova Fairfax continues to be a center for innovation in medical education and research, attracting the best talent in the country."

Construction of the South Patient Tower will begin this summer and is expected to be completed in the fall of 2012. The tower will stand at the entrance of the existing main hospital, and the two structures will connect on all 11 levels. The patient units were designed with the input and ideas of doctors, nurses and staff to develop rooms that enable caregivers to deliver the best patient care possible.

The design of the intensive-care units (ICUs) concentrates ICU specialties in areas by floor. For example, the neurosciences ICU is directly linked to the neurosciences intermediate-care unit (IMC), which leads directly to the existing main hospital. So, as a patient recovers, they will be transferred from one unit to the next but remain on the same floor. The concentrated areas also enable staff to work with those in their specialty and to form cohesive clinical teams.

"The design and equipment in the ICU rooms in the new tower will really allow us to take critical care and trauma care to the next level," said Christopher Michetti, MD, Trauma Surgeon, Inova Fairfax Hospital. "One of the best features will be 360-degree access to patients. As trauma surgeons, we’ll have the tools and proper lighting to perform procedures right at the bedside and be able to access the patient from all angles."

The medical/surgical units are designed to create an environment that is conducive to healing, while structured for ease of use by staff. There will be workstations outside of patient rooms so staff can monitor patients while giving them a sense of privacy. Also, each medical/surgical floor will have telemetry capability for patients who require cardiac monitoring, enabling patients to remain in their rooms rather than being transferred to a separate telemetry unit.

"When we sat down to design the medical/surgical units, we took into account our patient population and their specialized needs," said Mary Dixon, RN, Senior Director, Medical/Surgical Services, Inova Fairfax Hospital. "More than half of the patients we see are over the age of 65, so we're really focusing on creating a safe healing environment that works for the older population. We consulted with design experts on all aspects of the room, from the placement of the bathrooms to the color schemes and patterns, to create not just a room, but a healing environment."

In keeping with Inova's commitment to sustainability, the design of the South Patient Tower includes many environmentally sustainable aspects and is seeking Silver Certification from the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) building certification system. Patients will see elements such as a "green" roof, water cisterns and rain gardens. The design also incorporates a highly efficient energy system and insulation, as well as paints, carpets and furniture with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The project was designed by Wilmot Sanz Inc., an award-winning architecture and planning firm. After a competitive contractor-selection process, Turner Construction -- a nationally recognized healthcare builder -- has been awarded the contract for construction. Both firms have previously completed a number of successful projects for Inova Health System.

Established in 1961, Inova Fairfax Hospital is a recognized leader in clinical care. It has been named one of "America’s Best Hospitals" for 14 consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report magazine and one of "America’s 50 Best Hospitals" four years in a row by independent healthcare-quality ratings firm HealthGrades, Inc. With 833 beds, Inova Fairfax Hospital is the largest hospital in Northern Virginia. It is Northern Virginia’s only Level I trauma center and serves as the hub for the region’s hospitals. The campus is home to the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute and Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children, the only children’s hospital in Northern Virginia.

Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.


Copyright ©2010 Inova Health System

Client News: Inova Fairfax Hospital takes part in World's Largest Paired Kidney Exchange

by Brenna Smith -(WUSA) -- Fourteen total strangers received a second chance at life after Jennifer Whitford, a young mother of two, died unexpectedly on May 26.

Whitford, 24, started a domino effect resulting in the world's largest paired kidney exchange. The record-setting swap happened over a period of nine different days this spring at Georgetown University Hospital, Washington Hospital Center, Children's National and Inova Fairfax.

"Unlike transplant exchanges that have taken place at Georgetown and the Washington Hospital Center in the past, this exchange was kicked off thanks to the generosity of (Jennifer)", says Dr. Keith Melancon, surgeon and director of the kidney/pancreas transplant program at Georgetown.

Whitford's kidney was flown to Georgetown where Dr. Melancon transplanted it into Brenda Wolfe, 44. Wolfe's husband, Ralph, was slated to donate his kidney to someone as a part of the exchange and could have rightfully declined to continue with his donation.

He chose to stay in the exchange. "I felt that if I backed out, I'd be going back on my word that I had given to someone I didn't even know," he said. "I know God had a plan for me to stay in this. It was the right thing to do."

As a result of Ralph's choice to continue, twenty-six more surgeries took place between June 1 and June 12, and thirteen more kidneys were successfully transplanted into new bodies.

Denise Milliken, Whitford's mother, made the choice to donate her daughter's organs.

"Life is short. Life is special," she said. "I think people should be willing to give absolutely everything that's possible."

The list of donors included people who weren't a match for their own loved one and two strangers who just wanted to help.

Gary Johnson received a kidney from Ralph Wolfe.

"You can't imagine how fortunate I feel that someone from somewhere in the universe came and gave me a kidney," he said.

Over 80,000 people currently sit on the kidney transplant waiting list, but exchanges like this shorten the wait for everyone.

Doctors also have a new blood-cleansing technique that makes people more compatible. "We used to say to about a third of the patients, 'Sorry, your donor is incompatible. You'll need to go on the waiting list'," says Dr. Jimmy Light, director of transplantation services at Washington Hospital Center. He adds, "Now, there is no such thing as an incompatible donor."

Giving a kidney as a living donor is easier than ever. The surgery is performed through tiny incisions, and doctors say donors can expect a completely normal lifespan with one healthy kidney.

Source: http://www.wusa9.com/rss/local_article.aspx?storyid=102555
Copyright ©2010 WUSA9.com. All rights reserved.

A related article on ABC World News, "World's Largest Kidney Exchange Gives 14 People New Chance at Life" can be viewed here:
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/worlds-largest-kidney-exchange-14-people-chance-life/story?id=10924241

In memory of donor
Jennifer Whitford, 24
Sebring, Florida

Client News: Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children Opens Pediatric Surgery Center - Child-Friendly Center is First of its Kind in Northern Virginia

Children who come to Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children for surgery will soon have their own dedicated surgery center – the only one of its kind in Northern Virginia. This month the hospital is opening a Pediatric Surgery Center, a child-friendly suite of rooms designed to meet the inpatient and outpatient surgical needs of children and adolescents.

Grand Opening of Pediatric Surgery Center
Thursday, March 25, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children
Ambulatory Surgery Center
Ground Floor, 3300 Gallows Road
Falls Church, VA

The new Center is a licensed, Joint Commission approved facility. It includes a surgical waiting area, private consultation rooms, a pre-op holding area, operating rooms, procedure rooms and recovery rooms. A centralized nurses' station, which allows for open communication among staff, enables nurses to directly see all of the patients. To ensure patient safety, recovery rooms are equipped with pediatric stretchers with side rails, oxygen regulators and airway equipment that is configured according to patient size and weight. The rooms are also larger than standard recovery rooms, to accommodate families.

Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children performs more than 4,000 pediatric surgeries each year. Click here for more info!

Client News: Inova Fairfax Hospital Named One of America's 50 Best Hospitals

For the fourth year in a row, Inova Fairfax Hospital (Falls Church, VA) has been named one of America's 50 Best Hospitals by HealthGrades, an independent healthcare-quality ratings organization that analyzed patient outcomes at all 5,000 of the nation's non-federal hospitals. Inova Fairfax Hospital's outcomes places it in the nation's top 1 percent.

According to HealthGrades, a patient admitted to an America's 50 Best Hospital is 27 percent less likely to die, and 8 percent less likely to suffer from a major complication. Inova Fairfax Hospital is the only hospital in the Washington, DC, region to make the Top 50. In addition to naming Inova Fairfax Hospital among the Top 50 hospitals, HealthGrades has also ranked the hospital number one in Virginia for cardiology services for 2009-2010 and among the top 5 percent in the nation for treatment of stroke.

Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes.