System News: March 2021

Atrium Medical Center

Atrium Medical Center is one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for prostate surgery, according to new research released by Healthgrades. The hospitals that have achieved the Healthgrades America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Prostate Surgery Award™ have demonstrated superior clinical outcomes in prostate removal surgery and transurethral resection of the prostate. Healthgrades found men treated at these hospitals have a 57.1 percent lower average risk of complications compared to men treated at other hospitals.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio has, for the third time, recognized Atrium Medical Center with a Blue Distinction^® Centers+ (BDC+) for Maternity Care designation, as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated health care facilities that show a commitment to delivering high quality patient safety and better health outcomes, based on objective measures that were developed with input from the medical community and leading accreditation and quality organizations.

Premier Health has been a major force in helping its school partners execute COVID-19 vaccines. In Warren County, 18 school districts (public, private, and charter) partnered with Premier Health to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to their staffs.

Jamie Yunger, MD, medical director of Atrium’s critical care unit, has hosted several talks about COVID vaccines throughout the community. Among the groups to whom he has presented are Warren County Career Center staff, Blue Star Families – Dayton Chapter, and the Great Miami Valley YMCA. In his talks, Dr. Yunger gives a detailed overview of the vaccines and dispels common myths.

Andre Harris, MD, chief medical officer at Atrium, was a featured panelist for the Dayton Daily News’ latest Community Conversation. The Facebook Live event explored the question, “Does Your Race Affect the Quality of Your Healthcare?” A replay of the forum can be accessed via the Dayton Daily News Facebook page.

The City of Franklin Division of Fire & EMS recently brought its newest member, Demeter – a 1½-year-old black Labrador – to visit Atrium staff. Demeter is part of the fire department’s pilot project focusing on first responder mental health. Demeter’s visits can help decrease anxiety and emotional distress, and provide comfort, according to the fire department.

Miami Valley Hospital Campuses

Miami Valley Hospital has been recognized by Healthgrades® as one of the nation’s 100 best hospitals for a sixth straight year. The distinction places the hospital among the top two percent of 4,500 hospitals analyzed in the nation for demonstrating clinical excellence across a broad spectrum of care. It includes Miami Valley Hospital North in Englewood and Miami Valley Hospital South in Centerville. Miami Valley Hospital was the only recipient of the award in the Dayton area. Patients at “America’s 100 Best Hospitals” are more likely to have a successful treatment without major complications. The award is based solely on the hospital’s clinical quality outcomes for the years 2017 through 2019, according to Healthgrades.

Premier Health acquired and implemented aviation-specific masks for CareFlight Air and Mobile Services. The P100 Tiger Performance Masks are utilized industry wide for air medical transport. CareFlight Air and Mobile is the first in the Dayton region to implement these masks program-wide. The high-quality, aviation specific, reusable P100 respirator masks filter out up to 99.97 percent of airborne particles. The masks are fitted for each crew member and are comfortable to wear for extended periods of time during transport in the aircraft and in the mobile intensive care unit (MICU), CareFlight’s ground transportation.

February was American Heart Month. Funded by foundation donors, Miami Valley Hospital expanded its Remote Patient Monitoring Program. The system-wide program places remote patient monitoring tablets with Bluetooth assessment devices in the homes of patients with cardiopulmonary diseases including COPD, diabetes, pneumonia, congestive heart failure, and COVID-19. The monitors are provided at no cost to patients who meet program criteria. In addition to providing education in self-care management, the monitors assist patients in staying connected with their health care providers while helping to prevent or reduce avoidable readmissions.

K-12 COVID-19 vaccine clinics were held throughout the greater Dayton community for school administrators, teachers, and staff. Media events were held for clinics involving Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School, Trotwood-Madison City Schools, Beavercreek City Schools (as well as other Greene County districts), Mason City Schools, and Troy City Schools, Tipp City Schools, and other Miami County schools. The vaccine clinics were covered by multiple media outlets in the Dayton and Cincinnati markets.

Through the Helping Hands program, the foundations continue to coordinate and distribute donations from the community. This month, hundreds of meals were donated by Sinclair Community College for staff at all Miami Valley Hospital campuses. Sinclair has donated 150 lunches once a week at each campus throughout January and February.

Upper Valley Medical Center

In late February, Upper Valley Medical Center installed a new three Tesla system MRI that will allow for enhanced images and expanded overall capabilities. The only three Tesla system in Miami County, it can be used for any MRI procedures, including prostate and breast imaging. This new Siemens Vida unit replaces an Avanto unit installed in 2009.

Scott Kanagy, DO, MBA, chief medical officer, Upper Valley Medical Center, and Jacqui Rose, imaging and telecommunications director, were interviewed by Troy WTJN 107.1 and Piqua WPTW 98.1 radio stations Feb. 22 to provide a monthly health care update focused on the local COVID-19 status and the installation of the new 3 Tesla MRI system at UVMC.

Joshua Klepinger, MD, emergency department physician at Upper Valley Medical Center, was named new medical director of the Health Partners Free Clinic in Miami County and was featured in a news story in the Dayton Daily News on Feb. 25.

The Upper Valley Medical Center Cancer Program underwent a triennial site review by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer on Feb. 22. The event, held virtually due to COVID-19, involved the cancer team, cancer committee members, and UVMC leaders participating in a day-long survey to verify that the program continues to maintain standards necessary for CoC accreditation. Sarah Jones, cancer program manager, reports the survey went well and positive results of the review are anticipated by the end of March.

The Patient Flow Project was featured in a half-page article and renderings in the annual Miami Valley Today Progress Edition on Feb. 19. Launched in 2019, and now in its final stages, the renovation project is designed to provide greater ease of access, comfort, and convenience for patients and visitors as they enter the hospital, as well as greater efficiencies for staff.

Kevin Harlan, president, Upper Valley Medical Center; Tim Snider, chief operating officer, Upper Valley Medical Center; and Steve Staley, chair of the Upper Valley Medical Center Parent Board, toured new construction at the Lincoln Community Center and the Miami County Family Abuse Shelter in Troy on Feb. 15. Both construction and expansion projects received major support from the UVMC Board’s Community Benefits Fund.

Back to the March 2021 issue of Premier Pulse