Update from Karen Cole, CEO

“Big Thank you to all departments that were

there for me at the time of my accident. You are all a great

bunch of professionals Thanks Again”

Nancy Collins

Note of thanks from a patient!

SMC Volunteer informa-tion contact jbillin@q.com

SMC Auxiliary

Visit us at

www.smchosptal.com

“The closest thing to being cared for is to care for someone else.”

Inside this issue:

A note from Karen 1 -2

SMC Star Award for Dec. 2

A Culture of Safety 3

SHS Job Shadows 3

SMC Awards/Birthdays 4

Sharing with you the News and Events from the SMC Team

A Look Back and a Sneak Peek Forward

The beginning of each new year brings with it the opportunity to reflect on the past

year and vision for the year to come. This is true for individuals, as well as organiza-

tions such as our Shenandoah Medical Center family.

Like most healthcare organizations of any type, SMC experienced a great deal of

change. And, like our colleagues across the country, most of these changes have either

been a response to current legislative or regulatory change, or actions taken to

prepare for new models of care delivery and payment. The tightrope the healthcare

industry is walking might best be described as the need to develop and implement new

models of care while being paid for services in the traditional model. If we don’t get on

that tightrope and walk out a distance, we won’t be prepared when the payment

systems change. To that end, one of our most significant changes occurred just a year

ago.

At the beginning of 2013 SMC along with Medical Staff achieved an integrated model of

care delivery that many health systems are still attempting to achieve. This change posi-

tions us to begin the development of new care delivery models and proposed payment

systems. The goal of this change is to increase emphasis on prevention of illness and

improve the overall health of the community we serve. Leading us through a transition

to Electronic Health Records, the certification as a Rural Health Clinic and the devel-

opment of numerous clinic processes was the combined efforts of the co-medical

directors for the Shenandoah Physicians Clinic: Dr. Floyd Jones and Dr. John Bowery,

in collaboration with the 2013 Chief of Staff, Dr. Don Bumgarner.

As the year moved forward, Dr. Santosh Kumar assumed responsibility for Medical

Leadership of the Emergency Department. Under his direction this service has been

transitioning from one primarily staffed by an outside agency to care delivered by our

own SMC Medical Staff. This change fosters a consistency of staff who understands the

services provided and community we serve. It will improve quality by fostering

continuity of service between providers and care coordination for our patients.

In 2013 SMC was also the recipient of four significant achievements and recognition.

First, Radiology staff achieved a perfect score on their annual national survey. Most

inspections of this type receive some recommendations, if not deficiencies. It is highly

unusual to receive a perfect score. We are grateful for the leadership of Dr. Linda

Head and Chris Isaacson in attaining this accolade. SMC is the recipient of a patient

safety award by the Iowa Hospital Collaborative as the result of efforts by volunteer,

Millie Pepples; Utilization Nurse, Judy Andersen; and CNO, Scott Garland, for

Cont…….next page

development of a program that significantly reduced readmission rates. SMC was also recognized in 2013 by iVantage

Health Analytics for care delivery above all rural hospitals in the state. SMC also celebrated the 4 STAR award given to

Elm Heights by U.S. News and World Report.

In 2013 SMC was able to once again extend its scope of services with the addition of four new providers – the linch-

pins of health care delivery. Dr. Michael Woods, Obstetrician Gynecologist, Urogynecologist, helped to develop and

subsequently was one of the first physicians to pass the urogynecology subspecialty boards. Dr. Catherine Wolff, Inter-

nist, not only provides her special adult medicine services to Shenandoah, but has extended SMC’s reach in the region

by retaining her previously established clinic. Lila Lassen, APN, joined our staff to pilot a model of care utilizing a team

approach to primary care with Dr. Jones. And this December we welcomed Dr. Richard Bean to full-time Emergency

Services practice with Dr. Kumar.

Technology was in the forefront of all SMC physicians and staff with the expansion of the use of the electronic health

record in all aspects of service. And while clinical imaging at SMC took a huge leap into cyber space as the fourth 120

slice CT scan in the country was installed, laboratory equipment was enhanced with the addition of a new temperature

monitored Laboratory refrigerator Chemistry Analyzer, and the areas only Illumigene DNA Analyzer. SMC is exceed-

ingly grateful to the Shenandoah Healthcare Foundation and the SMC Auxilians for their financial contributions that

helped to make many of these purchases possible.

A new SMC website and a presence in social media was initiated and strengthened throughout the year. SMC’s com-

munity presence was enhanced in 2013 with the development of an action plan in response to the Community Health

Needs Assessment available on the SMC website.

So what about that “sneak peek” into 2014?

A number of items for 2014 will flow from work begun in 2013: new models of care and continuing process improve-

ment in the clinic; on boarding a new general surgeon, Dr. Rebecca Rose, and a third full-time Emergency Services phy-

sician, Dr. John Moskaitis; expansion of specialty clinic services; and completion of a Master Facility Plan that addresses

a number of patient service needs.

The great unknowns for 2014 relate to the continuing implementation of The Accountable Care Act and the rules and

regulations emanating from this industry changing piece of legislation. Potentially the federal deficit, the general state

of the economy, Medicaid expansion in Iowa and technology advancements all have the potential to effect unforesee-

able change. Oh, I think I forgot to mention global warming – kind of easy to forget this January.

So, no real predictions for the New Year – but one. Shenandoah Medical Center remains, as ever, committed to its

mission of providing excellent patient care.

My best regards,

Karen Shining Star Awards for December

Mable Nenneman was our employee Star

for the month of December and was nomi-

nated by the pharmacy staff for going

above and beyond in her delivery of

patient care.

The Star Award for outstanding depart-

ment for the month goes to Maintenance

for the work they have performed to

make the accommodations for patients

more pleasant. The ER Dept. as well as

staff at 300 Park nominated Maintenance

for this award.

If you recognize Star performances please

send nominations to Bill Billings

wbillings@smchospital.com

Keep reaching for the stars!

The Institute of Healthcare

Improvement reports that

in a culture of safety, peo-

ple are not merely encour-

aged to work toward

change; they take action

when it is needed. Inaction

in the face of safety prob-

lems is prohibited. There

is no room in a culture of

safety for those who use-

lessly point fingers and

say, Safety is not my re-

sponsibility, so I’ll file a

report and wash my hands

of it”.

An Organization can im-

prove upon safety only

when leaders and staff are

visibly committed to

change and when staff is

enabled to openly share

safety information. When

an organization does not

have such a culture, staff

members are often unwill-

ing to report adverse events

and unsafe conditions be-

cause they fear reprisal or

believe reporting won’t re-

sult in change.

Shenandoah Medical Cen-

ter’s leaders are committed

to safety and providing the

resources to achieve results.

SMC’s message about

safety must be consistent

and sustained, as it takes a

long time for culture to

change. Surveys that measure

staff perceptions about the

organization culture regarding

safety are useful tools to as-

sess the presence and level of

that safety culture. Many of

you completed a safety survey

in recent past. The survey

results were submitted to the

Iowa Hospital Association for

tabulation. SMC will have the

results soon and will develop

action plans based on the

findings and best practice.

Thank you for your help in

making SMC a safe place

and for keeping our patients

and families safe.

is a result of months of work

on “Preventing Avoidable

Readmission” This team of

dedicated individuals

brought their talents and

ideas to the table with the

goal of delivering our pa-

tients healthcare at the high-

est level. We are working

daily in addressing changes

in healthcare that are being

required of hospitals across

the country. We have a dedi-

cated team and staff at SMC

that make it happen” said

CNO Scott Garland. “The

medical and hospital staff of

Shenandoah Medical

Center has been recog-

nized by the Iowa Health-

care Collaborative with its

“Patient Safety Award for

Excellence in Care Transi-

tions”. The Shenandoah

Medical Center Team that

worked on this project was

CNO Scott Garland, Reg-

istered Nurse Judy Ander-

son, Retired Nurse Practi-

tioner Millie Pebbles,

Quality Services Director

Phil Marburger and Safety

Coordinator Becky Bald-

win. s recognition of SMC

Shenandoah Medical center

are dedicated to achieving the

best outcomes for our patients

and improving the health of

this community. We are

pleased that the work of the

Readmission Team is being

recognized state wide and are

happy to be able to share our

process with others in Iowa.

This is just one example of

the many efforts by the staff

of SMC to deliver the best

care and value to our pa-

tients.” said CEOKaren Cole.

with the help of SMC’s

own Jason Franklin in

scheduling and assigning

shadow duties. These

students have been shad-

owing OB, Radiology,

Dialysis, ER, Physical

Therapy and other clinical

areas of the hospital and

clinics in an effort to promote

healthcare as a great career

choice. The students have had

fun as well as learned many

of the workings of our

departments and staff. Thank

you to all who helped make

this a great experience for

them.

SMC has had some new

shadows in the hall this

semester, job shadows that

is. These students have

been job shadowing our

departments at SMC under

the guide of SHS School

Nurse and SMC Board

member Linda Laughlin

Page 3 “The closest thing to being cared for is to care for someone else.”

New Faces at SMC enjoy Job Shadowing

SMC, Leader in Readmission Reduction

Developing a Culture of Safety, A Note from Scott Garland, CNO

From L to R

Serena Parker, Abby Wiegel

Alisha Woodyard, Jaime

Runyon, Kylie Stanbrough

From L to R

Bailey Stanley, Seana

Perkins, MacKenzie Balm,

Adrian Ruzek

SHS Job Shadowing

Pictures From SMC Staff Holiday Party Spirit Awards , Thank you for your dedicated service to the patients of SMC

Our Volunteers and staff are dedicated to caring for our patients; with years

of dedication. We recognize those who make a difference.

2013 Spirit Award Winners.

Renee Kimpson

Mable Nenneman

Kurt Hinsdorf

Bill Billings Sr.

Jan Billings

Dr Floyd Jones ( at Winter Lights)

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

ADAMS ALYSON 1/10 PHYSICAL THERAPY

BERGEN KIMBERLY 1/22 HEALTH INFO MANAGEMENT

BLANE NICHOLLE 1/5 EH - NURSING SERVICE

BOZWELL JEAN 1/8 SURGERY

BROOKS LESLEY 1/8 FISCAL SERVICES

BRUNER CAROL 1/19 FOOD SERVICE

DUNKESON MORGAN 1/26 CLINIC

HOLMES CONNIE 1/9 CLINIC

JOHNSON KATIE 1/26 AMBULANCE SERVICE

KISBY DANIELLE 1/1 OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

LINDBURG JOY 1/4 FOOD SERVICE

MARBURGER PHILIP 1/18 QUALITY ASSURANCE

MCELROY BRANDI 1/17 OBSTETRICAL UNIT

MICK LONNIE 1/18 MAINTENANCE

OLDHAM PAMELA 1/3 HOME HEALTH

ROBERTS KARI 1/2 EH - NURSING SERVICE

ROST LINDA 1/4 SOCIAL SERVICES

SELLS MATTHEW 1/31 FISCAL SERVICES

SELLS ALICIA 1/31 EMERGENCY SERVICE

SMITH JOHN 1/2 HOME HEALTH

SMITH SUSAN 1/25 FOOD SERVICE

SMITH ASHLEY 1/2 EH - NURSING SERVICE

STURDEVANT JANET 1/5 LABORATORY

TAYLOR MICHELE 1/29 LABORATORY

WESTON RONALD 1/14 AMBULANCE SERVICE

WHITAKER MICHAEL 1/24 HOUSEKEEPING

ZOGLEMAN LINDSAY 1/24 AMBULANCE SERVICE