System Hospital News: April 2019

Atrium Medical Center

Atrium Medical Center’s Wound Care Center and Hyperbaric Services has been recognized with a national award for clinical excellence. The Robert A. Warriner III, M.D., Center of Excellence award was presented by Healogics, the nation’s leading and largest wound care management company. The award recognizes outstanding clinical outcomes for at least two consecutive years, including patient satisfaction higher than 92 percent, and a wound healing rate of at least 91 percent in less than 30 median days. The award for the center, which opened in 2015, landed news coverage in the Journal-News and on WCPO-TV Channel 9 in Cincinnati. 

Atrium managers interviewed prospective employees at a March 6 job fair for registered nurses, patient care technicians, medical assistants and respiratory therapists at the hospital. Prior to the event, news coverage of Atrium’s hiring push, including how employees can advance from entry-level roles, was featured in Cincinnati and Dayton media markets. 

During the March management forum, Atrium Medical Center President Keith Bricking, MD, launched the first Atrium Medical Center Hand Hygiene Challenge. All Atrium departments are creating videos as part of a friendly competition to reinforce Premier Health’s “Are You Gelling?” message. A special committee has also been formed to focus on efforts to improve hand hygiene among all Atrium employees. 

Atrium participated in the inaugural #ThisIsWE Latino Night, an event that drew nearly 300 people to Middletown High School on March 6. Several Atrium representatives were on-hand to distribute information about hospital services in both English and Spanish. 

Miami Valley Hospital

Wound Care Center and Hyperbaric Services at Miami Valley Hospital South recently received the Center of Distinction Award, which was given by Healogics, the nation’s largest provider of advanced wound care services. The Center achieved outstanding clinical outcomes for 12 consecutive months, including patient satisfaction higher than 92 percent, and a minimum wound healing rate of at least 91 percent within 30 median days to heal. There were 621 Centers eligible for the Center of Distinction award and 423 achieved the honor. Leading edge treatments at the Wound Care Center at Miami Valley Hospital South include negative pressure wound therapy, total contact casting, bio-engineered tissues, biosynthetic dressings and growth factor therapies. The center also offers hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which works by surrounding the patient with 100 percent oxygen to help heal the wound. 

Premier Health hosted a Joint Pain Seminar at the Miami Valley Hospital Outpatient Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine in Springboro. The seminar included information on a variety of joint health topics, such as innovative surgical and nonsurgical treatment options to help restore mobility and reduce pain caused by arthritis and other conditions. Presenting were Michael Herbenick, MD, orthopedic surgeon, and John Horvat, MPT, physical therapist. 

The Samaritan North Surgery Center converted from an ambulatory surgery center to a hospital outpatient department of Miami Valley Hospital on April 1. Current services and providers will remain the same; in addition, new outpatient services will be added. At Miami Valley Hospital North, the Samaritan North Surgery Center location will be Surgery Center A (Main Street entrance), while the surgery center at the inpatient entrance will be Surgery Center B. New signage within the hospital will reflect these new references. All medical records from the Samaritan North Surgery Center will be transferred and maintained by Miami Valley Hospital in accordance with applicable law.

The latest employees honored with the “you are an inspiration” Trendsetter Award were announced. This leadership recognition program honors employees who embody the hospital’s values and possess the ability to inspire people to reach great heights of performance and success through passion, purpose, listening, and meaning. The honorees were: Lisa Blevins, associate nurse manager, operating room; Justin Rowland, manager, consumer relations; and Matt Suber, associate nurse manager, nursing staffing pool. 

Miami Valley Hospital’s chief operating officer, Mikki Clancy, was selected to speak at the 2019 Leadership Summit that took place in Philadelphia on March 14. Three event chairs were selected from the American Heart Association’s five state affiliates that were true examples of a “best practice” chair. Mikki was selected as the best practice chair for the Go Red for Women campaign. She was interviewed and asked several questions about her involvement with the Go Red campaign, what she has learned, and what advice she can offer. The video played before board presidents and board chairs at the conference in Philadelphia.  

Upper Valley Medical Center

At the March 19 Piqua City Commission meeting, Upper Valley Medical Center presented the city’s Lock Nine Park Fund with a $280,000 gift from the UVMC Board of Directors’ Community Benefit Fund. The project includes redevelopment on the city’s east/southeast side to remold the area into an economic and recreational hub designed to promote vitality with outdoor recreation and entertainment activities to enrich the lives of residents and visitors. 

Also in March, UVMC was recognized for funding instructional lab equipment for Edison State Community College’s medical laboratory technician and clinical laboratory assistant programs. The equipment, a chemistry analyzer system, was made possible via a $24,000 grant from the UVMC Board of Directors’ Community Benefit Fund.

UVMC executives and Premier Health government affairs leaders met with State Representative Jenna Powell of Ohio House District 80 and her aide on March 14 at the hospital. The meeting included an overview of UVMC, discussion of local health care issues, and a hospital highlights tour.    

UVMC’s SpringMeade Health Center joined with Ohio’s Hospice of Miami County to honor veterans with an American Pride flag and pinning ceremony March 29 at SpringMeade for patients, residents and staff who have served in the armed forces. The ceremony and continuing programs at SpringMeade earn the health center the designation as an American Pride Veteran Centric facility, indicating their commitment to education and engagements geared toward recognizing and thanking veterans     

UVMC’s Koester Pavilion long term care center presented a program entitled “Enhancing the Quality of Life of Individuals with Lung Disease” on March 13 featuring Emily Speelmon, MD, of Pulmonary and Critical Care Consultants. The program was part of Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week in March. 

The UVMC Sleep Center presented a National Sleep Awareness Month program on common sleep disorders March 6 at the hospital. The event, attended by approximately 40 people, featured a presentation by M. Mazen Dallal, MD, medical director for sleep services at Miami Valley Hospital. The presentation was followed by a Q&A session and tour of the UVMC Sleep Center. Also as part of Sleep Awareness Month, Travis Grasley, director of the UVMC Sleep Center, presented a program on sleep disorders and the impact of sleep on overall health March 28 at the Piqua YWCA.

Back to the April 2019 issue of Premier Pulse