System and Hospital News: March 2019
Premier Health Works Closely with Local EMS Agencies to Improve Relay of Patient Information
Premier Health is the first health system in the region to roll out a new interface that allows first responders to directly enter medical information into a patient’s electronic medical record while out in the field or during transport. Dozens of agencies across Premier Health’s nine-county service area are taking part in a 6-month pilot of the program, which involves integrating EMS charts into EPIC. In addition to hospital caregivers receiving pre-hospital information in this way, first responders will also receive health information regarding the patients they transported.
Premier Health Announces Membership Match Program for Gem City Market
Premier Health recently announced the creation of a Membership Match program for surrounding neighbors of the Gem City Market, as well as Premier Health employees. This contribution will provide $50 vouchers (half of the cost of a membership) for 800 families – a total gift of $40,000. Eligible participants must live in select ZIP codes – 45402, 45405, 45406, 45416, 45417 and 45426 – and/or be a Premier Health employee. Applications can be found at www.gemcitymarket.com.
The Gem City Market is scheduled to open in 2020 on Salem Avenue just across the Great Miami River from Downtown. The grocery store’s opening comes at a crucial time for Dayton: A 2018 report from the Food Research and Action Center ranked Dayton in the bottom quartile (26th worst out of 120 cities) for “food hardship” among families with children, with one of five families reporting trouble obtaining enough healthy food. “Food hardship” means that, at some point during the year, the household had limited access to an adequate supply of food due to a lack of resources.
This latest gift is in addition to a five-year, $400,000 commitment that the health system made to the Gem City Market in late 2017.
Premier Health Launches Barbershop Partnership
Premier Health has partnered with three barbershops in Montgomery County to increase awareness of chronic health conditions and promote healthy lifestyle choices within the African-American community.
This new program will offer free health screenings and health fairs at Serenity Salon, Deeez Cuttz Barbershop, and Man Up Barber Shop on select Saturdays from March 16 through October 26. Voluntary health screenings will feature free blood pressure, height and weight measurements, along with a body mass index calculation and fingerstick test for A1c. The health fairs will be even larger events that also offer total cholesterol, HDL, and blood glucose screenings. Additionally, events in September and October will have a limited number of free flu shots available.
Premier Health CEO Named to Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Women Leaders List
Premier Health is proud to announce that its president and CEO, Mary Boosalis, has been recognized by Modern Healthcare as one of its 2019 Top 25 Women Leaders. This highly selective award program, which recognizes female health care executives from across the country every two years, acknowledges executives who are influencing policy and care delivery models nationwide.
Mary has held numerous leadership roles at Premier Health since joining Miami Valley Hospital in 1986. She became the first woman to lead Premier Health upon being named president and CEO in 2017. Under her leadership, the percentage of Premier Health vice presidents who are women increased to 60 percent in 2018 from 52 percent just a few years earlier.
New Self-Referral Program for Premier Health Heart CT
The Heart and Vascular Institute has re-introduced Premier Health Heart CT. This updated program allows patients to self-refer for coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) to uncover early or advanced heart disease, sometimes before symptoms develop. The test is fast and easy – taking less than 30 minutes – and involves no needles, dyes, exercise, or even changing clothes. It is a self-pay test that costs $99, payable at the time of the scan. Testing is offered at seven locations across Butler, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, and Warren counties.
Patients can schedule themselves by calling central scheduling at (855) 887-7364(855) 887-7364 to be screened for appropriateness. Primary care providers listed in EPIC for the self-referred patient will be notified of the results and recommendations. All patients are instructed to follow up with their PCP regarding their results – and are told that it is their responsibility to initiate this appointment.
Premier Health Insurance Plan members are eligible for 100 Healthy Living wellness incentive points for participation.
Cardiac Catheterization Services at Miami Valley Hospital North
Cardiac catheterization services opened at Miami Valley Hospital North in January. The cath lab will supplement other cardiac services already available at Miami Valley Hospital North, such as Heart CT, cardiac MRI, cardioversions, cardiac and pulmonary rehab, and the heart failure clinic. Additional heart services will come throughout 2019, including TEEs and interventional procedures.
Cardiac Catheterization Services at Miami Valley Hospital South
Miami Valley Hospital South has received approval to open a Level 1 cardiac catherization lab. The goal is to be ready to open in March.
Diabetes Wellness Center in Middletown Now Closed
The Diabetes Wellness Center in Middletown has closed as Atrium Medical Center works to streamline patient care. As of February 15, patients of the Diabetes Wellness Center at 4218 Grand Avenue are able to receive education and support from within Premier Physician Network practices and Premier Health’s Perinatal Partners locations in Middletown and Mason.
Offering diabetes services within physician practices is part of Premier Health’s effort to streamline health care for patients, part of a broader strategy to optimize the configuration of the health system to best meet the communities’ health care needs in the future.
Miami Valley Hospital South Expansion
Miami Valley Hospital South has opened the doors of a major expansion to keep pace with growing demand for its services. With a series of weekend events in December, officials with Premier Health and Miami Valley Hospital South gathered to officially launch the $60 million expansion on its campus in Centerville.
A joint and spine center is the cornerstone of the project, which features expanded sports medicine, sports performance, and pain center services. Other expanded services will be emergency medicine, cardiology, and primary care. The expanded hospital will for the first time have a cardiac catheterization lab, as well as enough medical office space for dozens of additional physicians. Six operating rooms have been added, bringing the site’s total to 16. The expansion also includes 20 additional inpatient beds.
Premier Health Expands Employment Opportunities to Teens
Premier Health is now inviting local teens to fill positions at various facilities and keep up with the ever-growing workforce demands in health care. This is the first time that job opportunities will be marketed to high school students; most open positions traditionally have been filled by individuals over the age of 18. Various jobs have been identified within areas such as environmental, nutrition, and linen services that can be filled by high school students. Applicants are required to be at least 16 years old and must be attending a vocational or high school.
Some students may have the unique opportunity to become a patient care technician (PCT). Students interested in becoming a PCT must qualify by meeting certain standards, including enrollment or completion of a State Tested Nurses Assistant (STNA) course.
Sports Services Expanded at Local Schools
Premier Health is partnering with two local companies as part of an ongoing effort to expand sports and human performance program offerings at several local schools. The agreements with Orion Sports Medicine and Enhance U Sports Performance Academy will result in several enhancements at 22 local school districts that have agreements with Premier Health. These partnerships will give school districts greater access to sports performance programs, including the opportunity to hire a strength and conditioning specialist to work with entire sports teams.
Premier Health treats more student athletes than any other health system in Ohio through partnerships with more than 40 school districts and the Dayton region’s only two Division I universities, the University of Dayton and Wright State University.
Atrium and Madison Local Schools Sign Naming Rights Contract
Atrium and Madison Local Schools have signed a naming rights contract to name the athletic field house and surrounding sporting areas the Atrium Medical Center Sports Complex. Atrium will donate $300,000 to Madison Local Schools sports programs as well as supply the school with an athletic trainer for the next 15 years.
Warren County Workforce Development Program
Atrium is participating in a new workforce development program with several Warren County high schools through United Way of Warren County. The program engages students in Lebanon, Kings, Franklin, Waynesville, and Little Miami school districts to explore potential career pathways at the hospital. The students will take tours of Atrium and hear from hospital leaders in some of the most in-demand job areas.
New Upper Valley Medical Center Foundation President and Board Chair
The Upper Valley Medical Center Foundation welcomed a new president and board chair in January. Duanna Osting was named president, succeeding Kathleen Scarbrough, who retired last year. Duanna, a Miami County native and graduate of Wright State University, has served as chief development officer for Daybreak Dayton for the past 10 years. Craig Bundschuh of Covington is the new UVMC Foundation board chair, succeeding Michael Gutmann of Piqua. Craig has been associated with the foundation for more than 20 years. He retired from the UVMC Board of Directors in December after serving on that board for 20 years, most recently as chair in 2017 and 2018.
Bundle of Joy
Miami Valley Hospital South welcomed the first baby to be born in Montgomery County in 2019. Jamie William Burns Jr. entered the world at 12:01 am to parents Jamie William Burns and Laniya Gresham, who told local news that they will never grow tired of telling him his birth story. Not only did nurses encourage Gresham to hold off a moment to have the baby on January 1 – the date is also the couple’s anniversary.
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