Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - Community Healthcare - (Page 2)

Community Message Quality Through the Eyes of Our Patients COmmuniTy HEalTHCarE SySTEm President and CEO, Vice Chairman of the Board Donald S. Powers Board of Directors Frankie L. Fesko, chairman of the board; James J. Richards, secretary; David E. Wickland, treasurer; Steven Beering, M.D.; David Bochnowski; Joseph E. Costanza; Daniel Dumezich; William Hasse; Richard S. McClaughry; Joseph T. Morrow; Sister Kathleen Quinn; William K. Schenck; Monsignor Joseph Semancik; M. Nabil Shabeeb, M.D.; Donald Torrenga; Robert J. Welsh; Edward L. Williams, Ph.D.; Joe Williamson; Jay Zandstra H Learn how we’re working to improve the patient experience every day Executive Staff John Gorski, chief operating officer; Carole Bezat, senior vice president of administration; Mary Ann Shacklett, senior vice president of finance and CFO; Donald P. Fesko, O.D., CEO, Community Hospital; Jo Ann Birdzell, CEO, St. Catherine Hospital; Craig Bolda, COO, St. Catherine Hospital; Janice Ryba, CEO, St. Mary Medical Center John Gorski ospitals talk a lot about quality—you’ll see many references throughout this magazine. Oftentimes when hospitals talk about quality, they refer to specific clinical data, measurements and outcomes. I would say that when patients refer to quality, they talk about their experience—the nurse’s response time, communication with the doctor, a clean room, good food. So, which is it? It is both, and there is emerging evidence that hospitals with a strong emphasis on providing high-quality patient experiences have better outcomes, lower costs and shorter hospital stays. Improving the experience involves looking at every aspect of how care is delivered, seeing it through the eyes of patients and their loved ones. How patients feel about the care they receive—were their needs and values met, and were they treated with respect?—factors into their perception of care. The focus on the patient experience has been a cultural shift for many hospitals. As a healthcare executive, it is difficult to hear that we may not have provided the best service, as I know that people who work at our hospitals are caring and compassionate. But we’ve taken a hard look at ourselves. Understanding how patients see quality is key to delivering high-quality, patient-centered services. The government has also weighed in on this question with a new initiative that rewards hospitals for the quality of care they provide to people with Medicare. Authorized by the Affordable Care Act, the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program will pay for inpatient hospital services based on the quality of care. The measures of quality that will be used for this program include clinical processes of care as well as patient satisfaction. In fiscal year 2013, an estimated $850 million will be allocated to hospitals based on how closely hospitals follow best clinical practices and enhance the patient experience. Hospitals will be rewarded for keeping their patients healthy and happy. The value-based purchasing program represents a significant change in thinking about hospital quality. It makes providers of healthcare accountable for both quality and cost. Contrast this strategy with efforts to negotiate price discounts that reduced costs but did little to bring about improvements in care. With these incentives on the table, healthcare providers will be highly engaged in delivering a great patient experience. Patients and families know quality care when they see it. How well providers see what their patients see will be crucial to their bottom line, driving further improvements in the quality, safety and affordability of healthcare. John Gorski Chief Operating Officer Community Healthcare System regional Editors Mylinda Cane, regional director, marketing and corporate communications Elise Sims, public relations and publication specialist PrODuCTiOn Editorial V.P./Strategic Content: Beth Tomkiw Editor-in-Chief: Shelley Flannery Editors: Erin Feeney, Sam Mittelsteadt, Matt Morgan, Ellen Olson, Tom Weede Copy Editor: C.J. Hutchinson Design Managing Art Director: Adele Mulford Art Directors: Kevin Goodbar, Rod Karmenzind, Monya Mollohan, Kay Morrow, Tami Rodgers Production Senior Production Manager: Laura Marlowe Ancillary Production Manager: Casey Jones Imaging Specialist: Dane Nordine Production Technology Specialists: Julie Chan, Sonia Washington Circulation V.P./Business Intelligence Group: Patrick Kehoe Postal Affairs & Logistics Director: Joseph Abeyta CliEnT SErViCES V.P./Sales & Product Development: Chad Rose, 888-626-8779 V.P./Client Services & Strategy: Andrea Parsons Account Managers: Carey Ballard, Barbara Mohr, Paul Peterson aDminiSTraTiOn Vim & Vigor Founder: J. Barry Johnson Chairman: Preston V. McMurry Jr. President/Chief Executive Officer: Christopher McMurry Chief Financial Officer: Clarke Rea President/Content Marketing: Fred Petrovsky Attention: Marketing, 901 MacArthur Blvd., Munster, IN 46321 If you prefer not to receive our magazine or other health and wellness information from Community Healthcare System, please call us at 219-836-4582 or write to Community Healthcare System, 905 Ridge Road, Munster, IN 46321. Vim & VigorTM, Spring 2012, Volume 28, Number 1, is published quarterly by McMurry, McMurry Campus Center, 1010 E. Missouri Ave., Phoenix, Arizona 85014, 602-395-5850. Vim & VigorTM is published for the purpose of disseminating health-related information for the well-being of the general public and its subscribers. The information contained in Vim & VigorTM is not intended for the purpose of diagnosing or prescribing. Please consult your physician before undertaking any form of medical treatment and/or adopting any exercise program or dietary guidelines. Vim & VigorTM does not accept advertising promoting the consumption of alcohol or tobacco. Copyright © 2012 by McMurry. All rights reserved. Subscriptions in U.S.: $4 for one year (4 issues). Single copies: $2.95. For subscriptions and address changes, write: Circulation Manager, Vim & VigorTM, McMurry Campus Center, 1010 E. Missouri Ave., Phoenix, Arizona 85014. 2 Vim & Vigor • SP R I N G 2 012 http://www.comhs.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - Community Healthcare

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - Community Healthcare
Contents
Community Message
Community Briefs
Care When You Need It
Saving Time, Saving Lives
Get Real
How Far We’ve Come
Patient Survival Guide
Perfect Attendance
A New Day
Lean on Me
Intimidated by the Gym?
What Is Your Volunteer Style?
A Prescription for Relief
Creating Comfort and Convenience
SPOTLIGHT ON: St. Catherine Hospital
SPOTLIGHT ON: St. Mary Medical Center
SPOTLIGHT ON: Community Hospital
Valuable Connections

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - Community Healthcare