War Memorial

Hospitalwarmemorialhospital.org MAY 2016

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In appreciation of Advanced Practitioners

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WMH HEALTHBEAT 2 MAY 2016

For YourConsideration

A messagefrom President and CEODavid Jahn

The healthcare industry continues to

evolve rapidly with more focus on safe patient care, quality patient care and patient satisfaction. Our team at WMH has focused on these three areas for many years and we have seen significant improvement in all of these categories during the last few years.

Our patient satisfaction scores have consistently been in the 90th percentile in the nation over the last year and our quality scores have been above average over that same period. All of this information is available on-line at the Hospital Compare website.

We also just received our final audited financial statements for 2015 and they showed a positive financial position for WMH for the year. These results, along with our continued increase in market share, have allowed us to remain as an independent hospital while many others in the state and nation are joining larger organizations in order to survive. Our goal remains to be independent so that local healthcare

decisions can be made by local people.

None of the results above could have occurred without the great healthcare team that we have at WMH. The 900+ employees and 50+ physicians and advanced practitioners are focused on saving lives each day. Our community hospital is here to provide high quality healthcare to our families, friends and neighbors and we all take great pride in making a difference for our community.

This month we celebrate National Hospital Week. I would like to thank the great team we have at WMH for their service and dedication to the patients and the residents that we serve!

A major upgrade to the servers and software that power the War Memorial Hospital electronic health record will occur later this year, improving efficiencies for the hospital’s physicians and ultimately benefiting patients.

“We want our patients to tell their story once, in a single patient record. We will achieve that goal through this upgrade because the physician office and inpatient data will be on a single platform at the physician’s fingertips,” said Sandy DePlonty, WMH Senior Director of Clinical Services.

DePlonty and her team will work through the upgrade with Meditech, the hospital’s long-standing healthcare technology partner. The process will begin in October and, when all is said and done, come at a price upwards of

Hospital invests in improving electronic health record

$4 million. Software, hardware, servers, and on-going training and consulting services all figure into the expenditure.

“This could actually be described as more than just an upgrade. They have actually re-created the whole system, working with physicians to design it so it is more patient and physician friendly,” DePlonty explained.

One of many features is a new quality module that will focus on how conditions are managed. If, for example, a patient has been treated for congestive heart failure, the system will prompt providers to make sure a follow-up appointment has been made at the time of discharge.

“The system will help our providers to catch things up front before the

patient experiences a problem,” she explained. “It helps them implement preventative care measures and actively manage chronic conditions, which is a key part of our quest to keep our community healthy.”

During the transition, patients should experience no change to their personal use of the WMH Health Portal.

On The CoverAll total, more than 14 advanced practitioners treat patients at War Memorial Hospital facilities. Some of the team were able to attend a photo shoot for our cover. They are Left row back to front: Andrea Donmyer, Nurse Midwife; Danielle Paquette, NP; Lisa Tetzlaff, NP; Ashly Ellis, NPRight row back to front: Ben Gier, PA; Scott Bartz, PA; Kristen Sawruk, NP; Wendy Jamros, NP.

WMH HEALTHBEAT 3 MAY 2016

“The c-section itself was the same, but I was draped and when they were ready to pull the baby from my body, they lowered the drape and then brought the baby to my chest. In the past, I didn’t see anything and the baby was whisked away and eventually came back wrapped in a blanket. This time, I had a connection right away. I had a bond right from the start and I didn’t miss out on the start of my child’s life,” she recalls.

Lindsey explains she also needed less medication during the process and credits the gentle approach for that, too.

Lindsey Sherlund and baby Trenton just moments after her c-section on Nov. 13, 2014.

*J Am Board Family Medicine September-October 2014 vol. 27 no. 5 690-693

“I think it helped with my nausea. My mind wasn’t focused on being nervous about the surgery. I was focused on the baby and when the baby isn’t with you, you focus on what’s happening to your body,” she explained. Less nausea medication and a reduced need for sedation meant she was more alert and, along with Michael, could enjoy the birth of her baby.

“You get some of the experience of natural birth and, instead of feeling cheated, you get to decide for yourself. It gives you a little more control and I recommend it,” said the happy momma.

Lindsey was the first gentle c-section at WMH, but other families have taken the same path since her experience. In consultation with their surgeon and the OB staff at WMH, parents now have the option to choose this approach or stay with traditional c-section.

Pregnant with her third child, Lindsey Sherlund had delivered the first two by caesarean and wanted this delivery by c-section to be different. Although she and her husband, Michael, had two healthy children at home in Dafter, the expectant mother felt like she had missed out on something.

As it turns out, Lindsey is not alone when she explains “I felt like I missed out on that skin-to-skin bonding,” which is why many hospitals, including WMH, now offer something referred to as Gentle C-Section or Family-Centered C-Section.

An article in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine explains the importance of what had previously been missing from the c-section experience.

“Early skin-to-skin contact has numerous documented benefits in the context of vaginal birth, including improved maternal perception of the birth experience and maternal–infant bonding, stability of the infant’s temperature, and initiation and duration of breastfeeding.”*

With the supportive efforts of the OB unit’s nursing staff and the blessing of her surgeon, Dr. Nelu Cristof, and family physician, Dr. John Ockenfels, Lindsey got her wish and instead of a surgical experience, she had a birth experience.

The Birth of Gentle C-SectionDafter mom explains her labor of love

WMH HEALTHBEAT 4 MAY 2016

They have delivered expert care in our community for decades, but how much do you know about the training, work, and philosophy of advanced practitioners? War Memorial Hospital’s Physician Assistants (PA), Nurse Practitioners (NP), and Midwife contribute significantly to the health of the Eastern Upper Peninsula.

“Because of the ongoing shortage of primary care physicians, advanced practitioners play a major role in providing access to primary care services,” explained WMH CEO David Jahn. “We need these providers so that patients can be seen in a timely fashion, without having to wait weeks for an appointment,” he added.

The hospital employs 14 advanced practitioners, plus more on a contingent basis. Training varies among the different types of advanced practitioners and all are

Advanced Practitioners:A vital part of our medical team

board certified in their respective areas.

Physician Assistants generally get an undergraduate degree in a science or medical field and then get a Master’s Degree. That graduate program takes 24-27 months and is followed by board certification testing.

Nurse Practitioners get their undergraduate degree in nursing and typically work as a registered nurse for a period before getting a Master’s Degree in nursing and national board testing. They may also pursue additional training in a particular specialty.

Midwives typically get an undergraduate degree in nursing, followed by a Master’s Degree in nurse midwifery and board certification.

PA Scott Bartz, who started his career in Saginaw, has been at WMH for

nearly 16 years. His early career was in the laboratory, but “I was more of a people person and really wanted to get involved treating patients,” he explained.

As a PA, Bartz can write prescriptions and order tests and physical therapy for the patients he sees at the Community Care Clinic, Occupational Health department, and LSSU Health Clinic. For each location, Bartz has a collaborative relationship with a supervising physician.

“PAs work under the authority of a supervising physician and within his/her scope of practice. Normally the physician may review some of our charts but there is no law that states they need to review any certain number,” he explained.

Nurse Practitioner Kristen Sawruk explains that NPs also have a collaborating physician and, as part of that arrangement, they review a certain amount of charts each year. For both PAs and NPs, the relationship with a supervising physician provides an opportunity for consultation on more difficult cases.

“Generally speaking, we practice independently and can order tests, diagnose, treat, and prescribe medications,” she explained, adding that the environment at WMH between advanced practitioners like herself and the physicians has been tremendous.

“WMH has really created a team approach and I think nurse practitioners and physician assistants have been very well accepted by physicians and other colleagues,” said Sawruk. Currently she sees patients in internal medicine and in medical weight loss at WMH.

WMH HEALTHBEAT 5 MAY 2016

A healthy serving of expert advice and a side of encouragement are just what many people crave when

Nutritional Coaching: Help for a healthier life

explained. “They can determine whether they see us once or multiple times, but we can typically develop a meal plan for them in our first meeting.”

Lest anyone think a Nutritional Coach is just about dieting, registered dietitians can help people with weight loss, but also with other

What is Healthy Eating? Experts tell us a healthy eating pattern includes: • A variety of vegetables from all subgroups • Fruits, especially whole fruits • Grains, at least half of which are whole grains • Fat-free or low-fat dairy • A variety of protein foods • Oils

A health eating pattern limits: • Saturated fats • Trans fats • Added sugars • Sodium

web.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines

“Being a dietitian is more than being a weight-loss counselor,” Frazer-Martinchek explained. “I see patients in the hospital who are comatose and, in order for them to heal, I must make recommendations about how to best fulfill their nutrition needs.”

Registered dietitians typically have a science-related undergraduate degree followed by a one-year post-graduate internship in a hospital setting. After, they take a national exam to become registered. Frazer-Martinchek believes it is particularly important for patients to know that registered dietitians are focused on evidence-based medicine.

“Trend diets may work for some people, but they often don’t have scientific research behind them. Our work isn’t focused on what’s popular right now, but instead on what has scientific evidence to back it up,” she said.

Anyone who meets with a Nutritional Coach will be charged a flat rate of $40 per hour, with payment required at the time of service. If appropriate, patients are asked to bring a three-day diary of their eating habits, but for those addressing a new diet, a food journal isn’t necessary.

For hospital administration, that team approach is critical.

“The advanced practitioners and physicians work hand in hand,” said Jahn. “The advanced practitioner can take care of the routine business, return checkups, less critical patients, so that the physician can focus on the sicker patients with more complicated

medical issues. It benefits both types of patients.”

But just because they deliver excellent care doesn’t mean NPs or PAs are striving to be doctors. Both Sawruk and Bartz said that’s a common misperception.

So what is the most important thing

for people to know about WMH’s advanced practitioners?

“Think of seeing a PA or Nurse Practitioner like seeing a doctor. Don’t be afraid to approach us because if we can’t treat it, we’ll get you to the person who can. We’ve got the training and we are your first line of healthcare,” said Bartz.

it comes to creating better eating habits. That’s why the three registered dietitians at WMH now offer a new service – Nutritional Coaching. Spend an hour with a Nutritional Coach and you can develop a brief meal plan, get answers to questions, and find support for reaching your nutrition goals.

Danielle Frazer-Martinchek, RDN is the Director of Medical Nutrition Therapy at WMH and worked to develop the program as an option for those who seek help but lack insurance coverage to see a registered dietitian.

“We wanted people to get the information they need but at an affordable cost,” the director

To make an appointment, call (906) 253-1075. No physician referral is required.

diet issues. For instance, some conditions may require a patient to eliminate something from their diet. In other instances, a patient may have a diagnosis that impairs their nutritional intake.

WMH HEALTHBEAT 6 MAY 2016

Thank you for entrusting us with your gifts. Your support will make a difference for you, your family and the Eastern Upper Peninsula for generations to come, improving the health of our communities into the future.

The total amount raised in 2015 was $336,379. This includes revenue from corporate and foundation giving, annual giving, and special events. Highlights include $10,544 from the Considine Foundation to purchase infusion treatment chairs for patients in our new Cancer Care Center; $5,000 from an anonymous donor to our Dialysis unit; and $3,000 from the Sault High Poms (a dedicated group of young ladies) to our

By Teresa Armstrong Director of Community Relations and Development Fund Cancer Care Center. As always, contributions are used

only as specified by our donors.

Please consider a gift to the WMH Development Fund in 2016. Whether you think of yourself as rich or poor or somewhere in between, you can make a legacy gift. Even a small amount can have a big impact over time. You can leave money to your family and to your favorite charity. In fact, some gifts may actually save your family money by decreasing estate taxes. Please consult your financial professional for advice on your specific situation.

Thank you for your continued support.

Every Patient MattersEvery Gift Makes an Impact

Donations to WMH are made through our Development Fund and are fully tax deductible as allowed under the law. Gifts may be made by:

• Credit card (donations can be made securely online)• Cash or check• Stocks, securities or property• Through many types of bequests and additional estate options.

For your benefit…Sign up for the

WMH Health PortalThe Patient Health Portal is an online tool that goes a step beyond simply displaying information by helping you manage your healthcare easily and securely.

Use it to: View Lab ResultsGet Radiology Reports

Track Your Visit HistoryGet Discharge Instructions

See Upcoming Visits, and more!

Enroll today by visiting warmemorialhospital.org and click the Health Portal button. Have additional questions? Call (906) 635-4370 for information.

Due to space limitations, we are unable to list all the areas where support has made a difference. Please know that your gift has made an impact.

Healthbeat is a publication of Chippewa County

War Memorial Hospital, Inc. Stories by Angela Nebel, Summit Public Relations Strategies, LLC

Design and printing by Paul Ignatowski and Sault Printing Co.Selected graphic elements by Freepik.comCover photo by Picture This Photography & Design

Pursuant to the authority granted to Det Norske Veritas Healthcare, Inc. by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, this organization is deemed in compliance with the Medicare Conditions of Participation for Hospitals (42 C.F.R. §482). This certificate is valid for a period of three (3) years from the Effective Date of Accreditation. Effective Date of Accreditation: October 26, 2014

War Memorial is an equal opportunity provider and employer.facebook.com/WarMemorialHospital

Follow us on Twitter@WarMemorial

is On Linewww.warmemorialhospital.org

WMH HEALTHBEAT 7 MAY 2016

Frenchie LaJoie honored for 23 years of service

After a distinguished 23 years of service, W.W. “Frenchie” LaJoie concluded his career on the WMH Board of Trustees in December when his most recent term was complete.

LaJoie said some serious health challenges convinced him it was time to retire, but he did so knowing he had achieved everything he wanted on the board and more.

Asked what he was most proud of, the life-long banker ticked off a long list of major projects: the rehab center, the new medical office building, a brand new emergency room, the overhead walkway that connects the parking garage to the medical office building and the hospital, as well as the millions of dollars in new equipment that has been purchased.

“I’ve enjoyed working with the board members over the years. I think it’s a good board and they have the community in mind in everything they do,” he said. “Anything that comes before the board, the first question is how will the community benefit.”

Board Chairman Frank Sasso said LaJoie was a productive member of the board in many ways, but in particular as that of finance chairman for the length of his service.

“He did a lot to put together banks to finance projects and showed us ways to save on interest, which can really add up. He was an excellent board

member and I was personally pleased to have him on the board,” Sasso said.

Hospital CEO David Jahn said LaJoie’s contribution to the community through his service on the board will never be forgotten. “Frenchie was always focused on

“I have learned a lot from Frenchie over the years. He’s been a great mentor and friend. His no-nonsense, get to the point approach has always kept discussions relevant and to the point,” Kalchik said.

For his part, LaJoie praised Jahn as “a good leader” and “someone you can trust” and said Kalchik is “a talented person.”

He heaped extra praise on the more than 900 people who work at the hospital and its clinics.

“As far as I’m concerned, the staff basically is the hospital because doctors can’t operate without them. It doesn’t matter where you go at the hospital, you get treated excellently. The attitude of the employees is just great and that is something that management has to be aware of and management has to be certain it continues because those people are what make our hospital,” he said emphatically.

The hospital hosted an informal celebration of LaJoie’s service in March. Look for a future Healthbeat article on the Board’s newest members – Tony Andary and Dr. Paula Rechner. making sure that we provided quality

healthcare service to our community. He was a big part of the building projects and expansion of services that we have witnessed over the last few years,” Jahn remarked.

Thanks to his long tenure as finance committee chairman, Chief Financial Officer Kevin Kalchik worked extensively with LaJoie.

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EMERGENCY SERVICES *T.G. Adams, MD *J.M. Neri, DO *M. Oates, MD *B. Samuel, MD *A. Seidner, MD *K. Raycraft, MD GENERAL SURGERY K.L. Mc Cullough, MD (906) 635-1048 Advanced Surgical Care *J. Adair, MD *P. Rechner, MD (906) 253-9770INFECTIOUS DISEASEWMH Infectious Disease *A. Luka, MD (906) 253-2665INTERNAL MEDICINE E.J. Ranta, MD (906) 632-6823Lakeview Internal Medicine T. Chander, MD (906) 635-9090WMH Internal Medicine *C. Rivera, MD *K. Sawruk, NP (906) 253-2665NEPHROLOGYWMH Nephrology *M. Haider, MD (906) 632-5824NEUROLOGYWMH Neurology *V. Giger, MD (906) 632-5824OB/GYNECOLOGY Sault Women’s Healthcare *S. Amo, MD *N. Cristof, MD *A. Donmyer RN, CNM *M. Guevara, DO (906) 635-3002ONCOLOGY WMH Oncology *B. Arango, MD *J. Brow, NP (906) 253-2685OPHTHALMOLOGY

Grand Traverse Ophthalmology M. Madion, MD D. Thuente, MD P. vonKulajta, MD J. Wentzloff, MD (906) 635-9802ORTHOPEDIC SURGERYWMH Orthopedics *R.W. Ganzhorn, MD *S.M. Woolever, DO (906) 632-4740PAIN MANAGEMENTUpper Peninsula Pain Institute *Andrew Alshab, MD (906) 632-5849PATHOLOGY C. Liu, MD (906) 635-4434PEDIATRICSSault Pediatrics *R. Beckman, DO (906) 253-2605PODIATRIC SURGERY R. Sehgal, DPM (248) 553-4040PULMONARY/CRITICAL CAREWMH Pulmonology *E. Al-Ghandour, MD *A. Ellis NP (906) 253-2652RADIOLOGYCedar Straits Medical Assoc., PC R.J. Duman, MD S. Bailey, MD (906) 635-4438SLEEP MEDICINEWMH Sleep Medicine *J. Sand, DO *F. Siddiqui, MD (906) 253-2788UROLOGYWMH Urology *L. M. McCormick, DO (906) 632-5808

Drummond Island Family Health Care, PC C. Cordray, CFNP, MSN (906) 493-6644Drummond Island Medical Center *S. Aldridge, MD *S. Daniels, PA (906) 493-5221ALLERGIST/ASTHMA Great Lakes Allergy & Asthma Center, PC P. Ranta, MD (906) 253-0400ANESTHESIOLOGY *Joe Beccario, CRNA *D. Marjomaki, CRNA *N. Newhouse, CRNA *N. Sattar, MD *J. Slade, MD *F. Winkler, MD *E. Woolever, CRNA (906) 635-4589BARIATRIC (WEIGHT LOSS)Advanced Surgical Care *J. Adair, MD (906) 253-9770BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICESBlue Water Behavioral Health *L. Armstrong, NP *P. Sorgi, MD *D. Wilson, NP (906) 495-2209CARDIOLOGY Michigan Heart & Vascular R. Alkiek, MD W. Doghmi, MD D. Miranda, MD N. Overton, MD Jason Ricci, MD (906) 253-0668DERMATOLOGYWMH Dermatology *I. Siniakov, MD (906) 253-2652EAR, NOSE & THROATSault Otolaryngology M. Wallace, DO (906) 259-0244

FAMILY PRACTICE P.W. Niemi, DO (906) 632-1100Bay Mills Health Center D. Maloney, MD D. Furr, NP A. Rivard, NP (906) 248-5527Bridgeview Family Medicine T.E. O’Connor, MD J. Garlinghouse, MD J. Peterman, MD (906) 253-9374Community Care Clinic *S. Bartz, PA *R. Brand, NP *B. Gier, PA *W. Jamros, NP *T. Marino, NP *M. Millette, PA *D. Paquette, PA *L. Tetzlaff, NP (906) 635-4401LSSU Health Care Center S. Bartz, PA-C M. McLeod, NP-BC (906) 635-2110Riverside Medical Associates M. Crawford, CFNP R.H. Mackie, MD T. Malloy, FNP-BC P. Nichols, CFNP J.P. Ockenfels, DO T.N. Tetzlaff, DO (906) 632-1800 Sault Tribe Health Center C. Behling, CFNP E. Javellana, MD G. Maloney, MD V. Sherman, MD L. Styer, MD R. Werner, MD (906)632-5200Superior Family Medical J.M. Pahn, MD T. Siesel, NP (906) 632-0370 VA Community BasedOutpatient Clinic Colleen Burton, NP (906) 253-9383WMH Community Care - Kinross *C. Harris, MD *J. Sommers, NP (906) 495-1344WMH Family Care – Cedarville *B.M. Slater, DO *S. Daniels, PA (906) 484-2295WMH Family Medicine *E. Baccari, DO *P. Gunasekera, MD (906) 253-2665

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* Services provided by War Memorial Hospital