St. V incent TimesJUNE 2012 publication of St. Vincent Medical Center

Respect Compassionate Service Simplicity Advocacy for the Poor Inventiveness to InfinityVINCENTIAN VALUES:

• Case Management to Pilot CMS Care Transitions Project• St. Vincent Cardiac Care Institute to

Open This Summer• New Radiology Imaging Equipment

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COVER STORYKeeping patients healthy and out of the hospital is our goal as a medical community. St. Vincent Cardiac Care Institute will open this summer to provide comprehensive cardiovascular care and follow-up. Page 4

CARE TRANSITIONS MODEL PILOTCase Management has won a grant to pilot a CMS-sponsored program targeting hospital readmissions. In partnership with a skilled nursing facility, a senior outreach agency, and two other area hospitals, SVMC is one of only 24 CMS Community-based Care Transitions sites nationwide. Page 3

NEW RADIOLOGY TECHNOLOGYThe new Angiography Suite and 64-slice CT scanner room are both under construction on the 1st floor. Page 8

St. Vincent Times is a publication for St. Vincent Medical Staff and Associates. Please submit articles as soon as possible prior to or after an event for the earliest inclusion in the newsletter by e-mailing information to SharonGreengold@DOCHS.org or by calling (213) 484-5593. Medical Staff submissions may also be sent to SusanLauzier@DOCHS.org. Or call (213) 484-5525.

Ronald S. Fishbach, MD – chief of medical staff

Cathy Fickes – president/chief executive officer Sr. Mary Hale, DC – chairman of the board

JUNE 2012

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ur local health ministry is one of the nation’s first-choice sites to pilot the national CMS Community-based

Care Transitions Program (see article on page 3). Kudos to our Case Management team for qualifying as one of only 24 sites in the country. This project aims to reduce hospital readmissions by making sure that we take care of patient needs at the hospital and prepare them and their caregivers for going home.

At the same time, Business Development is making strides with its Senior Program, working with skilled nursing facilities toward our mutual goals of lowering readmissions to the hospital and improving outcomes. Nursing Home Networking events are held quarterly at SVMC, bringing senior living facility operators together with SVMC physicians, social workers and case managers to focus on improvements to the delivery of care for senior patients.

The opening of St. Vincent Cardiac Care Institute on the 3rd floor of the POB will provide complete care for patients with circulatory illnesses. With early management of cardiovascular problems, patients should require fewer hospital stays.

Maintaining good health at home is the theme guiding everything that we do, including our continual health screenings in the community. The Asian Pacific Liver Center (APLC) was selected as the site for a national Hepatitis Testing Day news conference. Speeches were given by leaders of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and hepatitis B outreach groups, plus our own APLC Medical Director Ho Bae, MD and nurse practitioner Mimi Chang, who also won the Sherri Ziegler Community Service Award on May 23 for her leadership in viral hepatitis education and advocacy.

We are ever mindful of the patient experience. One of the newest spinoffs of nurse-patient rounding is a roving rounding team of EVS associates. The Brighten Your Day Committee knocks on patient doors on Wednesday afternoons, asking about the housekeeping service. Spontaneous efforts like this show that we’re really on a roll with regular rounding. And it works. Last but not least, we’re staying true to the charitable mission of our sponsors. Associates kept tradition alive in May by holding the fourth annual Healthcare Week Food Drive, collecting 3,888 lbs of packaged food for church and school pantries. Thanks to all of you for your daily efforts and kindnesses. SVT

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g o t c o n c e r n s ?Physicians may report safety or quality of care concerns:

physician Quality hotline: (213) 207-5783.

Call the values line at (800) 371-2176 or go online at www.dchsvaluesline.org to report concerns

confidentially and anonymously.

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C a r e Tr a n s i t i o n s M o d e l f o r C a s e M a n a g e m e n t

“ B r i g h t e n Yo u r D a y ” G o e s D o o r - t o - D o o r

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SVMC has been approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for a Community-based Care Transitions Program grant to reduce hospital readmissions. SVMC and its partners in the program: Jewish Family Services ( JFC), Good Samaritan Hospital, Olympia Medical Center, a skilled nursing facility and a home health agency yet to be determined have received a grant for $1.8 million per year for two years with an option to extend for up to five years. This partnership is one of only 24 participating in the CMS program.

The CMS program will connect providers along the continuum of care in order to manage and reduce readmissions to acute

care hospitals. SVMC will have a JFC social worker stationed at the hospital who will follow high-risk patients at home for 30 days, thus empowering them, motivating them and connecting them to appropriate resources in the community.

With new healthcare models and projects – like the accountable care organization and the Dual Eligibles Coordinated Care Demonstration – hospitals, physicians, and long-term care facilities are working to ensure that their patients receive high quality care and do not need to return to the

hospital for at least 30 days.

Another Related Program

Nursing Home Networking events have been sponsored by SVMC since 2011, a community-based approach that enables long-term care administrators to collaborate with one another and with SVMC Case Management, ER and physicians in order to identify best practices and discuss how to provide care and high quality transfers.

Senior Healthcare CollaboratorsSeveral local senior healthcare providers are working to promote best practices and keep patients healthy in the nursing home setting by collaborating at quarterly educational forums at SVMC:

Alcott Rehabilitation HospitalAmbuServe AmbulanceBurlington Convalescent HospitalCountry Villa Rehabilitation & Nursing CenterHancock Park RehabilitationOlympia Convalescent HospitalRoyal Oaks Convalescent HospitalSerrano North Convalescent HospitalSerrano South Convalescent HospitalSkyline Healthcare & Wellness CenterSycamore Park Care CenterWestside Health Care Center

Case Management will help pioneer the Care Transitions Program, a new national quality effort to keep patients well at home and to reduce hospital readmissions. Our team of case managers and social workers is an integral part of the hospital team, delivering guidance and support to patients and their caregivers at home.

C a r e Tr a n s i t i o n s M o d e l f o r C a s e M a n a g e m e n t

Nursing Home Networking events, hosted by St. Vincent Medical Center, bring together healthcare workers who share best practices in caring for seniors. The next Nursing Home Networking event will be held at SVMC on June 28.

“ B r i g h t e n Yo u r D a y ” G o e s D o o r - t o - D o o r Rounding is firmly rooted in the culture at SVMC and has given rise to a new offshoot, the Brighten Your Day Committee.Brighten Your Day visits are done on Wednesday afternoons by small groups of EVS associates wearing yellow shirts and beige skirts and pants. They concentrate on the units that have been identified in patient satisfaction surveys as needing a little more rounding.EVS Director Edwin Martinez says that associates willingly participate in the committee rounding. “It’s not a mandate,”

he said. “They are really engaged. It’s the right thing to do.”Teams first knock at patient doors and ask for permission to enter. Then they inquire about the cleanliness of the room and whether the patient is getting his/her needs met. EVS Manager Espy Gonzalez explained: “This is all about caring for the patient. These are the values of St. Vincent and we are taking this very seriously.”Operations Manager Victor Ayala said the patients really seem to appreciate the rounding visits and

have been giving good evaluations about the housekeeping, the overall environment, and their positive experiences with EVS associates. During rounding at the end of May, one patient called SVMC “the best hospital” she had been to. SVT

St. Vincent Cardiac Care Institute, a one-stop center for total cardiovascular care, is scheduled to open this summer. Experienced Los Angeles cardiac and vascular specialists are coming to the institute to practice wellness and disease prevention and to provide minimally invasive intervention when necessary.

The opening of this new hospital clinic is well-timed and relevant to the entire community. Patients will get the very best comprehensive service specific to their individual needs. The institute will have six exam rooms on the 3rd floor of the Physicians Office Building. There will be an echocardiography room on the premises. Patients who require imaging studies or procedures will stay on campus and be taken care of in the hospital Cath Lab, which includes four cardiac cath labs and a combination cardiac/vascular cath lab.

Best patient outcomes and lifestyle preservation are the purposes of the institute. In treating a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases, physicians will play a major role in disease management and help champion lifestyle modifications. The physicians at St. Vincent Cardiac Care Institute will be proactive with their patients, educating them about healthful behaviors and measuring their progress.

Patients who come to St. Vincent Cardiac Care Institute will be provided a continuum of care, designed for real clinical benefit and increased quality of life. Long-term progress means that patients should require less hospitalization. With education, provided by physicians and staff, plus access to an online education station in the

institute, patients will learn about the cardiovascular system and how to take better care of themselves so as to delay interventions.

“The philosophy of St. Vincent Cardiac Care Institute is simple. We provide good comprehensive medicine for our patients and do everything possible to keep them well,” said Marc Girsky, MD, medical director of St. Vincent Cardiac Care Institute.

Physicians who have joined the institute include medical cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, electrophysiologists, cardiac surgeons, endovascular and peripheral vascular specialists.

When patients require procedures, they may be sure that well-tested techniques and technologies are used. The specialists all have experience and participate in ongoing education so that they are capable of choosing the best procedures and tools in the arsenal of care. As cardiac care evolves, St. Vincent Cardiac Care Institute represents the standard of care and an ongoing commitment to the values of good medicine. SVT

GE Cardiac Assessment System for Exercise Testing

S t . V i n c e “ A n o u n c e o f p r e v e n t i o n i s

S t . V i n c e n t C a r d i a c C a r e I n s t i t u t e t o O p e n S o o n

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B o n e M i n e r a l D e n s i t y S c r e e n i n g N e w a t S p i n e I n s t i t u t e

GE Mac 5500 Diagnostic Cardiology Machine

Phillips iE33 Echocardiography System

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w o r t h a p o u n d o f c u r e .” – B . F r a n k l i n

St. Vincent Spine Institute has expanded to include rheumatology and bone mineral diagnostics and treatment. Patients may be referred for a bone mineral density screening so their physicians will be able to treat them for prevention of fracture.

Physicians from throughout the community attended a May 31 open house and tour of St. Vincent Orthopaedic Institute and St. Vincent Spine Institute, both located in the S. Mark Taper Foundation building, 2200 W. 3rd St., Suites 120 A & B. Surgeons from the Joint Replacement Institute upstairs also attended the open house.

The cluster of orthopaedic services – including rheumatology, general orthopaedics, orthopaedic spine, neurosurgery, and joint replacement – is a collaborative environment, not only for physicians in the institutes, but also for physicians external to the institutes. Internists, pain management specialists, skull base neurosurgeons, neurotologists, cardiologists, emergency medicine physicians, and physiatrists were among the attendees at the open house. Case managers of skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities also toured the institutes to meet physicians and learn about services that may be useful for seniors with orthopaedic problems. SVT

B o n e M i n e r a l D e n s i t y S c r e e n i n g N e w a t S p i n e I n s t i t u t e

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Physicians may refer their patients for a bone mineral density scan to determine if they are at high risk for fracture. Rheumatologist Brian N. Huh, MD operates the DXA scanner in St. Vincent Spine Institute.

SVMC associates held their fourth consecutive annual food drive during Healthcare Week, collecting 3,888 lbs. of packaged and canned food for distribution to people in the community. All items were donated by associates, and weighed and sorted by associates. The collection was even larger than

last year’s. Drivers from church and school pantries came to collect the food on May 16. Recipients of the food included: Our Lady of Talpa School and Parish pantry, St. Vincent’s Church pantry, Mother of Sorrows School pantry, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Parish pantry, and Casa de Amigos. SVT

Blanca PerezHealth Benefits Resource Center

Vincentian Spirit Award WinnerMarch 2012

Blanca Perez of the Health Benefits Resource Center is a tireless client advocate and goes out of her way for each and every person who comes to the HBRC in the POB, Suite 405. She is considered one of the most approachable persons, greeting everyone with respect and enthusiasm. SVT

Jomar Lee, RN works the night shift and does wonders for his patients. He was commended recently by a patient for his patience and gentleness in assisting the patient to the bathroom. He also offered the patient’s visitor a pillow and blanket. Jomar is attuned to the patient experience. SVT

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Jomar Lee, RNMed-Surg – 6th

Vincentian Spirit Award WinnerApril 2012

Vincentian Spirit Award awards

Sonia AlvarezPatient Services Technician

Vincentian Spirit Award Winner May 2012

Sonia Alvarez works in the Cath Lab and communicates very well with the patients. She calms them down prior to a procedure by answering their questions and setting their expectations. Sonia is also praised by her team for being versatile and helpful wherever she is needed in the Cath Lab. SVT

From left, Robert Amaro and Will Valencia in Materials Management, and Sr. Patricia Miguel, DC bring pallets of food for collection by church and school food pantry volunteers. Volunteers from food pantries express gratitude for the bounty that was collected by SVMC associates.

Associates Donate 3,888 lbs. of Food

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A news conference was held at the Asian Pacific Liver Center on May 18 to declare May 19 National Hepatitis Testing Day. APLC leaders have raised awareness about chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and the importance of educating, screening and treating the community. Leaders from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and hepatitis B outreach groups participated at the news conference.

Hepatitis Testing Day

APLC Medical Director Ho Bae, MD speaks to the media about the signifiance of having an annual Hepatitis Testing Day and about ongoing outreach to affected communities.

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awards

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n t T i m e sg i v i n g & r e c o g n i t i o n

Patients Give Gifts in Recognition of Guardian Angels

Lee Nam, RN, 6th floor, receives Guardian Angel recognition on April 26.

General surgeon Charles Hunter, MD receives Guardian Angel recognition on May 2.

Heart surgeon Taro Yokoyama, MD receives Guardian Angel recognition on May 23.

Multi-Organ Transplant Center nephrologist and expert nutritionist Tariq Shah, MD receives Guardian Angel recognition on May 8.

6th floor nurses receive Guardian Angel recognition on May 31.

Gynecologist Bruce McLucas, MD talks about fibroids to a group of Los Angeles Unified School District school nurses during a MHAP Center event in Seton Auditorium on May 8.

Linda Nguyen-Flores, RN receives the DAISY Award on March 28.

DAISY Award

Cardiology

Hematology/Oncology

Internal Medicine

Neurosurgery

Internal Medicine

Pulmonary Diseases

Anesthesiology

Internal Medicine

Anesthesiology

Gastroenterology

Internal Medicine

Welc om e Ne w P hy si ci ans Richard Hart, MD

Stephen Huang, MD

Sterling L. Malish, MD

Donald Miller, MD

Lorenzo Munoz, MD

Robert Rothbart, MD

Robert Schuster, MD

Tomas Sevilla, MD

Swapneel Shah, MD

Timothy Simmons, MD

Daniel Virnich, MD

technology: radiology & robot ics

2131 W. 3rd St.Los Angeles, CA 90057www.StVincentMedicalCenter.comwww.facebook.com/stvincentmedicalcenter

Imaging Services/Radiology will soon have a new Angio Suite with a state-of-the-art robotic system. The department selected the Siemens Artis Zeego, which will bring flexibility to interventional procedures. Today, the Radiology team performs angioplasty, thrombectomy, stenting, embolization, vertebroplasties, and kyphoplasties.

“This is state-of-the-art 3D angiography that incorporates ultrasound. We can see tiny vessels better by getting the three-dimensional view,” said St. Vincent interventional radiologist Juan Lois, MD. “We can get a quality image in less time and recanalize the vessel more quickly. We use less radiation, which is better for the patient and protects us too.”

St. Vincent Medical Center’s interventional radiologists are the only ones in the Los Angeles area who perform the high acuity cases, like embolization of liver metastases and the difficult endovascular cases. Dr. Lois and Carlos Echeverria, MD perform these and other endovascular procedures.

Outpatients use Radiology services if they need ultrasound studies, laser vein ablation, and uterine embolization.

Inpatients also are taken care of in Radiology, avoiding open surgical procedures and enjoying faster healing.

Imaging Services Manager Mel Bumanglag said the new Angio Suite comes with a DynaCT package that offers cross-sectional imaging and images from rotational angiography. It is truly a one-stop shop because the system also has its own ultrasound capability. “It’s got all the bells and whistles,” Mel said.

CT replacement is also underway. The old 4-slice CT will be replaced with Siemens Somatom Definition AS64. This 64-slice system offers the ability to maximize clinical outcomes, minimize radiation dose and increase productivity. This flat form, when needed in the future, has full on-site upgradability up to 128 slices. SVT

Siemens Artis Zeego