System News: April 2023
Atrium Medical Center
Atrium Medical Center’s echocardiography lab has been recognized with a special 20-Year Bronze Accreditation Milestone Recognition by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC). In celebration of its 30th anniversary of granting accreditation to echocardiography facilities, IAC launched an accreditation milestone recognition program for facilities achieving a long-time commitment to quality patient care. Atrium was first accredited in 2001, received the special bronze recognition for first achieving accreditation at least 20 years ago, and was accredited in 2023.
Atrium’s Senior Emergency Department has been re-accredited through the American College of Physicians, showing its dedication to providing older patients with well-coordinated, quality care. The voluntary Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) program, which includes three levels similar to trauma center designations, provides specific criteria and goals for emergency clinicians and administrators to target. The accreditation process provides more than two dozen best practices for geriatric care. The GEDA accreditation level depends on how many of these best practices an emergency department can meet. As a Level 3 emergency department, Atrium must incorporate many of these best practices, along with providing inter-disciplinary geriatric education while having geriatric appropriate equipment and supplies available.
Leadership Warren County’s class of 2023 toured Atrium as part of its “healthcare day.” The group of leaders representing businesses and governments throughout Warren County toured a CareFlight helicopter and Mobile Intensive Care Unit vehicle, practiced hands-only CPR with Atrium cardiology clinicians, and learned about the behavioral health program for first responders struggling with anxiety, post-traumatic stress, drug/alcohol abuse, or other mental health issues.
More than 60 students and educators toured Atrium and heard from employees representing some of the most in-demand careers across Premier Health. The tours are part of workforce development efforts and featured panels with representatives from Premier Health Learning Institute, nursing, respiratory therapy, patient access, and surgical technology. Monroe High School, Lebanon High School, Mason High School, and the Warren County Career Center participated.
In other community relations news: Atrium was a sponsor of the West Chester-Liberty Chamber Alliance’s annual dinner, where Atrium Foundation president Mike Stautberg served as the event’s emcee; Atrium was a sponsor of The Urology Group’s 50th anniversary tribute to Vietnam veterans held at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati; and a Community Blood Center blood drive at Atrium collected 55 donations to meet 105 percent of its goal.
Miami Valley Hospital
Premier Health sponsored successful Big Hoopla/NCAA First Four series events and games. Premier Health had representation on the local organizing committee, and the sports medicine team participated in the Hoopla STEM challenge. Through this sponsorship with GDAHA, some employees were provided tickets to the NCAA First Four tournament games as part of ongoing employee recognition.
Premier Health participated in the annual Centerville High School college and career fair. Careers represented at the event were for jobs in high demand. Miami Valley Hospital South hosted approximately 80 Centerville High School students for a panel discussion and campus tour. The Learning Institute, Workforce Development, Facilities, Respiratory Therapy, Patient Care Tech, and Surgery provided representatives on the panel.
Miami Valley Hospitals hosted retirement celebrations for Marc Belcastro, DO, and Mary Garman.
Doctors Day was celebrated on all Miami Valley Hospital campuses.
Upper Valley Medical Center
Upper Valley Medical Center received the Healthgrades 2023 Patient Safety Excellence Award™. This is the seventh consecutive year for UVMC to earn this distinction, which places the hospital among the top 10 percent of all short-term acute care hospitals as evaluated by Healthgrades. This award recognizes hospitals for preventing serious patient injuries, avoiding preventable complications and mortalities, and eliminating harm throughout the hospital.
Dr. Scott Kanagy, chief medical officer, UVMC was joined by gastroenterologist Kenneth Reed, MD, for Troy and Piqua radio morning show interviews on March 20 to discuss topics related to National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
The UVMC Patient Flow Project and other 2023 highlights were featured in the annual Progress Edition published by the Miami Valley Today in February.
During the first quarter, UVMC launched free monthly health screenings for the community at sites throughout Miami County for a year. The screenings include blood pressure and glucose checks provided by Premier Community Health. The UVMC Foundation, Miami County Foundation, Piqua Community Foundation, and Troy Foundation are helping to fund the screenings.
In other community engagement activities, UVMC sponsored Lincoln Community Center’s Annual Jazz and Soul Food Night at the end of February for Black History Month and also sponsored the Piqua Community Foundation PITCH Piqua event March 2 at the Piqua Plaza Banquet Center, as well as the Troy Chamber of Commerce EmpowHer program for women March 3 at Edison State Community College. Marketing handouts were provided at these events.
UVMC Emergency Medical Department clinical nurse Charles Oduro, RN, was named the hospital’s 2023 Cameos of Caring Nurse.
Administration hosted an appreciation breakfast for UVMC employees, providers, and volunteers on March 8 in the hospital cafeteria.
Premier Physician Network
Welcome to our new PPN providers who joined us in March! Please help us welcome (L-R) Manish Sheth, MD, Premier Blood and Cancer Center; Melissa Meyer, NP, Premier Blood and Cancer Center; Lindsey Hammett, PA, Premier Health Urgent Care – Springboro; Marie Crouchley, PA, Associated Specialists of Internal Medicine; and Devon Cook, PA, Premier Vascular Surgeons. (Hammett is not new to PPN, having formerly served with Beavercreek Family Medicine. She is now taking on a new urgent care role.)
PPN has two new surgeons at Cardiothoracic Surgery Associates: Nnamdi Azie, MD, and Joseph Houda, MD. Dr. Azie has a special interest in aortic surgery, minimally invasive heart surgery, transcatheter aortic valve replacement, complex adult cardiac surgery, valvular heart surgery, endovascular surgery TEVAR, carotid endarterectomies, and lung resections. Dr. Houda has a special interest in robotic surgery, minimally invasive surgery for gastroesophageal reflux and benign esophageal disorders, lung and esophageal neoplasms, and video-assisted thoracic surgery. Both are accepting new patients. Call the Cardiothoracic Surgery Associates at (937) 208-3220 with any questions.
Back to the April 2023 issue of Premier Pulse
