Overview of Services

S

1

SBy continuously responding to the needs of the community, University Health Care System has grown into one of the largest, most comprehensive health care providers in Georgia. University provides compassionate and skilled care through inpatient and outpatient services, two extended care nursing facilities, home health services, prompt care and rehabilitative care programs.

• UniversityHealthCareSystemisanchoredonitsmaincampusbyUniversityHospital,a 581-bed acute care hospital.

• SatellitemedicalcampusesinMartinez,EvansandSouthAugustadeliverqualityoutpatient health care closer to peoples’ homes.

• UniversityHomeHealthprovidesphysician-directed,in-homecare,includingskillednursing, occupational therapy, physical and speech therapy, social work and home healthaideservicesin14countiesinandaroundtheCentralSavannahRiverArea.

• AtKentwoodExtendedCareFacility,thestaffstrivestomakeresidentsfeelathomeand part of an extended family during their stay. This facility operated by University ExtendedCareoffers20personalcarebedsand80nursinghomebeds.

• UniversitycontinuesitscommitmenttoColumbiaCounty’soutpatientneedswithfourmedical office buildings, a state-of-the-art Diagnostic Imaging Center, the Surgery Center of Columbia County, Sleep Center, Speech and Hearing Center, Prompt Care, OccupationalMedicineservicesandmorethan20privatepracticephysiciangroups.AlsofeaturedontheUniversityHealthCareSystemEvansCampusarethefollowing:

–WestwoodExtendedCareFacilityoffersresidentsacomfortableenvironmentdesigned to enhance their self-image and preserve their dignity. Westwood alsohasaseparateAlzheimer’sUnittoprovideadditionalcareforpeoplewithAlzheimer’sDisease.

– BrandonWilde,University’s250-unitretirementcommunityinEvans,offersindependent living, personal care and nursing accommodations. Residents are assured of care for life, as they may move from one level of care to another as their conditions warrant. Brandon Wilde has become one of the most respected retirement communities in the nation, having been selected five times by New Choices Magazineasoneofthetop20retirementcommunitiesinthecountry.

• Aphysician-hospitalpartnershipisessentialtoanintegrateddeliverysystemofhealth care, so University and physician leaders formed University Health Link in 1994.ThisPhysician-HospitalOrganization(PHO)isjointlyownedbyUniversityHealthCareSystemandUniversityPhysicianAssociates,P.C.,anindependentpractice association owned by its physician stakeholders. University Health Link maintains managed care contracts with area health plans that provide access to a comprehensive system of services for thousands of local employees and dependents.

• UniversityHealthCareSystemandUniversityHospitalaregovernedbyvolunteerboards, whose trustees are composed of physicians and respected business leaders within our community. They unselfishly give their time and talents to help University exceed its commitment to the community it serves.

Setting the Standardin Health Care

1

2

Since1999,UniversityhasbeennamedtheConsumerChoiceAwardwinnerforoverallqualityandimage.TheConsumerChoiceAwardisbasedonanindependent survey of consumers conducted by the National Research Corporationtorecognizethemostpreferredhospitalsinmetropolitanareasacross the country. This places University in an elite group of hospitals nationwide.

University Hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission, an independent, not-for-profitorganization,establishedmorethan50yearsago.JointCommission is governed by a board that includes physicians, nurses andconsumersandsetsthestandardsbywhichhealthcarequalityismeasured.Thisrecognitionisanationwidesymbolofqualitythatreflectsourcommitment to meeting the very highest standards. These standards guide ourcommitmenttoprovidesafe,high-qualitycareandassistinongoingmonitoring of our performance.

UniversityHospital’snursesarerecognizedamongthebestintheregion.TheAmericanNursesCredentialingCenterhasrecognizedUniversityHospitalwithitsprestigiousMagnetdesignationfornursingexcellence,anationalaward considered the highest nursing honor.

UniversityHospitalhasbeenamedicalpillarintheAugustacommunityfornearly200years.Inthattime,we’vestayedattheforefrontoftechnologyand set the standard for health care in the region.

Our medical staff of independent primary care physicians and specialists who practice at University provide everything from routine preventive and diagnostic care to comprehensive cardiovascular and oncology services, and so much more.

Excellence2

the roots of University Hospital grow deep within our community. Founded in 1818, University is a not-for-profi t community hospital that receives no local funding. With 581 licensed beds, this acute care hospital serves a 25-county region in Georgia and South Carolina.

Everything a Hospital Should Be

5

Cardiovascular ServicesAtUniversity,wearecommittedtostayingontheleadingedgeoftechnologyandtreatments.That’swhywehavealongtraditionof“firsts.”Wedevelopedthearea’sfirstcardiaccatheterizationlabin1974,performedtheregion’sfirstangioplastyin1980,andinearly2003,becamethefirsthospitalinGeorgiato use the drug-eluting stent. Today, generations of cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons that practiceatUniversitycontinuethistradition.Knownthroughouttheregionforitsopen-heartsurgeryprogram,Universityperformsmorecardiaccatheterizationproceduresandopen-heartsurgeriesthanall other area hospitals combined.

• allcardiovascularservicestogetherundertheroofoftheexpansivefour-story,188,000-square-footstructure

• cardiacandvascularinterventionallaboratoriesequippedwithleading-edgedigitaldiagnostics

• operatingroomsjustafewfeetawayfromthelabs

• 12,000-square-footCardiopulmonaryRehabilitationCenter,thelargestandbestequippedintheregion

• integratedDiabetesServicesdepartmentforuseinamulti-disciplinaryapproachtocombatingheartdisease

• theabilitytobringcaretopatientsinoneroomratherthanmovingthemfromroom-to-roomastheirmedical conditions change

• transformableenvironmentsthatappearhomelikebutcontainthetechnologyneededforcriticalcare

• familyzones,allowingfamilymemberstotakeanactivepartinthehealingprocess

• bedsthattransformintochairsandcanberolledintoothersareas,eventhebathroom

• bar-codingtechnologytohelpensuremedicationaccuracyandbedsidecomputerizationtoincreasecharting efficiency

• technologythatintegratespatientcommunication,educationandentertainment

University’s Heart & Vascular Institute, the centerpiece of University’s $93 million renovation and expansion project, offers a new generation of cardiac and vascular diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. Highlights include:

This new, state-of-the-art facility allows for a more efficient delivery of care in 72 Universal Patient Rooms. These rooms are large and homelike to accommodate family members, while equipped for clinical care and staffed by nurses trained to care for patients at all levels in their recovery. The rooms include the following:

5

Thiswonderfulcenteroffersafullrangeofobstet-rical and gynecological services for women of all agesandfeaturesfullyequipped,all-in-onelaborand delivery suites, traditional birthing rooms, and aLevelIIInurserystaffedandequippedtocarefor high-risk and premature infants. Through the center’sGreatExpectationsSociety,thousandsofarea families – more than any other area hospital – have prepared for the births of their babies and learned about infant care.

W.G.Watson,M.D.,Women’sCenteristhelargestintheareawithmorethan3,000birthseachyear.

• Guestshavetheirchoiceoftraditionalbirthingrooms or all-in-one suites that convert for labor, delivery and recovery in the same location

• One-on-onenursingcarefordeliveries

• Named“MostPreferred”intheareaforobstetrical and gynecological services, according to an independent survey conducted by the National Research Corporation

• Surgicaloperatingsuitesdevotedexclusivelyto women for Cesarean sections and women’s surgeries

Women’s Services

A place where miracles happen daily, our Women’s Center is named for obstetrician W.G. Watson, M.D., who delivered more than 15,000 babies.

7

Cancer ServicesUniversity’scancerprogramisaccreditedwithcommendationbytheAmericanCollegeofSurgeons’Commission on Cancer. The multi-disciplinary team of the Cancer Services program at University emphasizespreventionandearlydetectionandoffersstate-of-the-artdiagnostics,treatmentandsupportservices.Ourmedicalstaffincludesindependentmedicaloncologists,radiologists,surgeons,pathologists,diagnostic radiologists and radiation oncologists.

• ThemanyamenitiesofUniversity’s21-bedinpatientcancerunit,namedforHarryW.JerniganJr.,offerscomfort and convenience to cancer patients and their family members.

• University’scancerprogramhasalonghistoryofinvolvementintheNationalInstitutesofHealthandothermajorresearchorganizations’clinicaltrials.

• TheSoutheasternHereditaryColorectalCancerRegistry,foundedatUniversityin1987,providesamechanism for the systematic identification of individuals at risk for familial polyposis and hereditary colorectal cancers.

• AmultidisciplinaryteamofphysiciansandsurgeonsconductsregularCancerConferencestocoordinate individual treatment plans so each patient benefits from multiple specialties involvement.

“Care with dignity” is the guiding philosophy of University’s Breast Health Center. Designed especially for women, this center provides a nurturing environment for women to receive breast health education, timely diagnostic testing, emotional support and coordinated care. The center also provides support services for patients, their spouses and children, and even houses theRenewalatSecondtoNatureboutique,whichoffersa full array of image-enhancing services and products for women undergoing cancer treatment.

University’s40-footmobilemammographyunit,theonlyoneofitskindinthearea,isequippedwithstate-of-the-art digital mammography and travels throughout the greaterAugustaareaprovidinglifesavingscreeningsandeducation to thousands of women.

AndthroughtheBuddyCheck6SM program, University, Dillard’sandWJBFNewsChannel6continuetofightbreast cancer by providing educational materials that stress the importance of early detection of breast cancer through regular breast self-exams, clinical exams and screening mammography.

Breast Health Center

The da Vinci® Surgical System enables surgeons to perform even the most complex and delicate procedures through very small incisions with unmatched precision.

9

University invests millions of dollars each year to ensure its patients have access to state-of-the art technology. In fact, University has the most-advanced da Vinci® Surgical System in the region. The da Vinci® Surgical System provides surgeons with an alternative to both traditional open surgery and conventional laparoscopy, putting a surgeon’s hands at the controls of a state-of-the-art robotic platform. The da Vinci® System enables surgeons to perform even the most complex and delicate procedures through very small incisions with unmatched precision.

Forthepatient,benefitsmayinclude:

• Significantlylesspain

• Lessbloodloss

• Lessscarring

• Shorterrecoverytime

• Afasterreturntonormaldailyactivities

• Andinmanycases,betterclinicaloutcomes

• Enhancedandexpandedall-digitalsurgicalsuitesto accommodate all levels of robotics and other emerging technology.

• Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scanner that allows physicians to pinpoint cancer cells and determine how they respond to treatment, resulting in moretargetedandeffectivecare.

• 64-slice Computerized Tomography (CT) Scanner technology that provides images with astonishing clarity and detail in a matter of seconds.

• Horizon Physician Portal and Patient Folder. These remote access, real-time decision-making tools allow physicians to view images and test results from wherever they have internet access, saving patients critical treatment time.

• Admin Rx Bar Code Medication Administration System. Nurses use hand-held bar code readers to scan the medication and patient arm band to increase medication administration safety through verification of the recipient, medication, amount, manner and time frame.

•Digital mammography. Digital mammography provides high contrast so the details of the images are more obvious, helping to identify smaller and less traditional looking cancers.

When Science Meets Skill and Expertise

Other Advanced Technology at University Includes:

9

10

Quality

Universitytakesprideindeliveringhigh-qualitycare,andmonitorsthequalityofthatcarebytrackingspecificqualitymeasuresandcomparingthem to national benchmarks. University was the first hospital in the region to make this information public on its own Web site so consumers could make informed decisions regarding their health care.

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement selected University Hospital as one ofonly27MentorHospitalsacrossthecountrytosupportotherhospitalsimplementingtheIHI’s100,000Livesqualityimprovementinitiative.

Intensivist Program. University successfully sought to improve care in its Intensive Care Unit with intensivists, a move instituted by leading hospitals in the nation. Intensivists are internal medicine physicians with additional training and board certification in critical care medicine. These physicians make daily ICU rounds, review and monitor each patient’s conditionandarereadilyavailabletothestaffwhenneeded.

Medical Emergency Team. This multi-disciplinary clinical team is called for additional expertise and early intervention when patients experience an unexplained worsening of their conditions.

Hospitalists. University has a team of hospitalists on duty in the hospital 24hoursaday.Theseboard-certified/eligiblephysiciansarespecificallytrainedtocareforhospitalizedpatients.Theyspendextratimelearningabout each patient, and work in concert with each patient’s primary care physician to provide the best possible care.

Quality Care is Our Culture

10

12

Morethan65,000patientsannuallychoosetoseekandreceivecareintheUniversityEmergencyDepartment.All22roomsinthemainEmergencyDepartmentarestaffedandequippedtocare for a variety of emergency medical conditions such as chest pain, heart attacks, stroke, respiratory issues or any other acute medical situation. Patients remain here until they are stabilizedandadecisionismadetoadmitthem,sendthemhomeorreferthemtotheirpersonalphysicians’offices.TheEmergencyDepartmentworksinacoordinatedmannerwithUniversity’sfullrangeofdiagnosticandtreatmentdepartmentstoprovidethemostcomprehensivemedical/surgical care possible. Since children have very special physical and emotional needs, University’s PediatricEmergencyDepartmentisdesignedtocomfortourtiniestpatients.Childrenuptoage17maybeseeninthePediatricEmergencyDepartmentbyboard-certifiedpediatricianswithemergency experience.

When Emergencies Arise

T

13

TUniversity’sOutpatientCenteroffersanaccessible,coordinatedandoverallpositiveoutpatient experience.

Featuresofthecenterinclude:

• AnexpansiveflatparkinglotrightoutsidethefrontdoordedicatedtotheOutpatientCenter, with wheelchair assistance and security attendants

• Adedicatedparkingareaforpatientdrop-offandpick-up

• Agreetertoassistpatientswithdirections

• Acall-aheadservicesopatientswithstandinglaboratoryordersdon’thavetowaitonpaperwork when they arrive

• Mechanicalbedsinthepre-optestingareathatcanbeloweredorraisedtomakeiteasier for elderly patients or patients with other physical limitations

• Sevenregistrationareasonthesecondfloortohelpexpeditepaperwork

The Second Front Door

13

14

UniversitysupportstheLamarMedicalCenter,BelleTerraceHealth& Wellness Center, Christ Community Clinic and St. Vincent DePaul healthclinic.Eachyear,theseprogramsprovideprimarycare,medical screenings and educational programs for thousands of medically underserved residents.

University’sdiseasemanagementservices–CongestiveHeartFailureProgram,Asthma/COPDClinicandRetroviralDisease(HIV)Program– provide medical care, regular follow-up, medication assistance and qualityoflifecounselinginanefforttoenhancethelivesofpeoplewith chronic conditions.

Asthefifth-largestemployerintheAugustaMetropolitanArea,Universityhasamajorimpactonboththelocalandstateeconomies.Universityemploysmorethan3,000menandwomenandeachofthe600-plusphysicianswhopracticeatUniversityaresmallemployerswhocreatethousandsofadditionaljobswithinthehealthcarefield.

Asoneofthecommunity’sleadingcorporatecitizens,Universityalsosupportsavarietyoforganizationsthatfosterphysical,emotionaland spiritual health.

Anextensivecommunityoutreachprogramassistsmembersofour community in caring for themselves and their families through educational programs, health screenings and special events on topics such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, childbirth and wellness.

University also fosters community wellness through a spectrum of publications, broadcasts and programs that deliver health information, encourage wellness and stress the importance of regular screenings. University’s Web site, www.universityhealth.org, is the region’s most robust and most preferred medical site.

In addition to investing excess revenue back into the hospital and its operations, University also delivers millions of dollars in indigent and charity care every year with no local funding. This includes coverage of hospital and physician services, support of community health clinics and funding for Project Access, a program designed to help people who cannot afford insurance but do not qualify for other assistance.

Community Benefit

through the University HealthService Center, registered nurses talk confi dentially 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to members of our community about their health concerns. nurses with experience in various specialties use physician-approved guidelines to assist more than 220,000 calls each year in reaching the most appropriate level of care or fi nding a physician.

ASK-A-NURSE

16

VMorethan300membersofthecommunitydonatemorethan30,000hoursof their time each year to University through the Volunteer Board of University Hospital, improving their own lives and the lives of others. These dedicated men and women operate the hospital’s Hair Salon and Sunshine Gift Shop in the hospitalandonline.TheysponsortheFoodCourt,vendingmachines,Women’sCenternurseryphotographicservice,uniformshop,theNewMoonCaféintheHeart&VascularInstituteandtheRenewalatSecondtoNatureBoutiqueintheBreast Health Center.

TheVolunteerBoardalsosponsorstheBorn-to-ReadPrograminconjunctionwiththeAugustaStateUniversityLiteracyCenter.Volunteersvisiteachnewfamily in the Women’s Center with items that encourage reading and give parents tips on how to read to babies.

Everyyear,UniversityHealthCareFoundationworkswithUniversityHospitalto identify and meet the special needs of the hospital and patients through philanthropy.Eachyear,theFoundationdistributesthousandsofdollarstohelpbuild a healthier community. They sponsor several events each year to benefit patientsandsupportcriticalhospitalservices,includingtheJerniganMemorialGolfTournament,theArtPatchinJr.CelebrationandTreeofLove.

Volunteering to Make a Difference

Giving Opportunities

16

• Competitivesalariescommensuratewithexperience

• Opportunitiesforgrowthandadvancement• Attractivebenefitpackagethatincludesflexible

medical and dental plans, employer-matched re-tirement savings plan, long-term disability, paid timeoff,accruedleaveandlifeinsurance

• Flexibleworkenvironment

• Sign-onbonusforselectpositions• Tuitionassistance• Wellnessprogram• Fitnesscenter• Employeereferralbonusprogram• Onsitechildcareinoneofthefirstemployer-

based child care centers in the nation

To combat the growing shortage of health care professionals, University has made signifi cant monetary commitments to local technical schools and colleges to ensure we are educating and training the best candidates to be tomorrow’s caregivers. We also work cooperatively with students and graduates through scholarship programs, internships and mentoring. In addition, University trains the region’s leading graduates in the fi elds of radiography, dietetics and cardiovascular technology.

University seeks highly motivated, self-directed, customer service-oriented individuals to work in both patient care and non-patient care areas. Because they care for our patients and other customers, our employeesareourmostvaluableresource.Forthatreason,asanemployerweofferthefollowing:

Employer of Choice

Educating Tomorrow’s Caregivers

17

University Hospital is located in downtown Augusta, the hub of the 18-county Central Savannah River Area, which includes counties in neighboring South Carolina. As the second largest and oldest city in Georgia, Augusta is a city with pride in its past and a well-founded faith in its future. Augusta’s metropolitan community offers dozens of shops and restaurants, cultural attractions and entertainment venues.

FReqUently CAlled nUMbeRS

University Hospital General information 706/722-9011

ASK-A-nURSe 706/737-8423 or toll free 800/476-7378

brandon Wilde life Care Community 706/868-9800

diabetes Services 706/868-3241

employment 706/774-2217

evans Prompt Care 706/854-2222

Home Health 706/774-4160

Kentwood extended Care Facility 706/863-1188

Speech and Hearing Center 706/774-8666

University Health Care Foundation 706/667-0030

University Health link 706/774-7744

Westwood extended Care Facility 706/863-7514

Location