CHECKUP. NMMC Earns National Honors Business as usual at North. April 17, the 100 Top Hospitals national balanced

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1 April 17, 2009 Volume 17 Number 4 Student Volunteers...2 NHW Refreshment Schedule...3 Step Out...4 Retirement...5 Honor Guard...5 EOM...6 Pontotoc Rehab...6 Service Pins...7 Award...8 Dr. Robison...8 inside A CHECKUP PUBLICATION FOR NORTH MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER EMPLOYEES Earns National Honors Business as usual at North Mississippi Medical Center has netted the hospital two prestigious national awards recognizing overall organizational performance: Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals and the newly created Everest Award for National Benchmark Winners. Both honors are determined by a rigorous evaluation of publicly available performance data and were not solicited by the organization. Winners were selected based on their results in the 100 Top Hospitals National Balanced Scorecard that evaluates performance in nine areas: mortality, medical complications, patient safety, average length of stay, expenses, profitability, cash-to-debt ratio, patient satisfaction and adherence to clinical standards of care. This annual study identifies the nation s top organization-wide performers, using the two most recent years of data. was one of 23 hospitals nationally recognized for the newly introduced Everest Award. According to Thomson Reuters the Everest Award winners have reached the highest level of accomplishment on the 100 Top Hospitals national balanced scorecard benchmark performance combined with the fastest rates of long-term improvement. This marks the first time the Top 100 Hospitals benchmarks have been integrated with data reflecting long-term performance trends to identify the top-performing hospitals that are improving at the faster rate. is the only Mississippi hospital recognized as one of the Top Hospitals. These accomplishments reflect years of dedication by our physicians and staff, said John Heer, North Mississippi Health Services president and chief executive officer. Being at the top of the 100 Top Hospitals reflects the innovative ways that is working to enhance patient safety and quality. Jean Chenoweth, senior vice president for performance and 100 Top Hospitals Programs at Thomson Reuters agrees. The board, administrative staff and physician leaders of the Everest award-winning hospitals developed long-term strategies and Continued on page 2

2 National Honors Continued from page 1 executed them with extraordinary skill and extraordinary results, she said. The Everest award winners have reached the point at which innovation is a must to improve further. If all Medicare inpatients received the same level of care as patients treated in the 100 Top Hospitals: More than 107,500 additional patients would survive each year. Nearly 132,000 patient complications would be avoided annually. Expenses would decline by $5.9 billion a year. The average patient stay would decrease by nearly half a day. Thomson Reuters researchers evaluated 3,000 short-term, acute care, non-federal hospitals and used public information to conduct the 100 Top Hospitals surveys. is a past recipient of the Top 100 Performance Improvement Leaders honor. For more information on the awards, log on to What Does 100 Top Hospitals Honor Mean To Health Care Consumers? According to Thomson Reuters, having a 100 Top Hospitals national winner in the community is very important to consumers. Just as local sports teams are measured by performance, this award means that a local hospital has been measured against all of the hospitals just like it in the nation. Each hospital is being recognized as a top performer in one of five separate hospital categories: major teaching, teaching, large community, medium community and small community. was recognized in the teaching category. A 100 Top Hospitals national winner ranks above the top 90 percent on hospital-wide performance Student Volunteers Wanted when compared with its national peers. The winners were scored on nine performance measures and judged how they performed overall, not merely for one specific disease or surgical procedure. A winning hospital uses a team approach, including its board of directors, management, doctors, nurses and other employees, to constantly measure performance in many areas of the hospital to make it a better place for patients to be treated. Hospital-wide teamwork produces a greater likelihood of a better outcome, higher satisfaction and more reasonable cost, as well as a lower likelihood of a medical error. What Does Top 100 Hospitals: Everest Award National Benchmarks Mean To The Community? According to Thomson Reuters, having an Everest Award hospital in your community is beneficial because: The hospital is performing in the top 10 percent across all measures of performance and is an organization the community should be proud of as a provider of care and as an employer. The hospital is raising the bar for performance and setting new standards that other hospitals are trying to emulate. The hospital s leadership team is committed to bringing higher value to patients and the community every year through sustained improvement and superior performance. Well-balanced clinical and business performance over five years results in efficient care at a reasonable comparative cost. This elite group is setting new standards in quality, efficiency, patient satisfaction rating and financial stability. The Volunteer Services Department is currently interviewing and placing student volunteers to work throughout facilities in Tupelo, Baldwyn and Pontotoc this summer. Students can help answer phones, run errands, file and other helpful tasks. If your work area would like to be assigned a student volunteer, call Carla Enis at (662) or carla.enis@nmhs.net by May 1. April 17, 2009 Page 2

3 National Healthcare Week Refreshment Schedule Main Unit Monday, May 4 2:30-4:00 p.m. Food Court 10:00-11:30 p.m. Food Court Wednesday, May 6 2:30-4:00 p.m. Food Court 10:00-11:30 p.m. Food Court Women s Hospital Wednesday, May 6 2:30 p.m. Ed. Conf. Rm 8:30 p.m. Ed. Conf. Rm Thursday, May 7 2:30 p.m. Ed. Conf. Rm 8:30 p.m. Ed. Conf. Rm Accounting & Business Services Friday, May 8 2:30-3:30 p.m. Child Care Center Wednesday, May 6 1:00-2:00 p.m. Break Room Clinic Administration Thursday, May 7 2:30-3:30 p.m. Regional Clinics Distributed at clinics discretion (Sent by courier Monday, May 4) Baldwyn Nursing Facility Thursday, May 7 2:00-3:00 p.m. Baldwyn Wellness Center Thursday, May 7 2:00-3:00 p.m. Bariatric Clinic Tuesday, May 5 10:00-11:30 a.m. Behavioral Health Center Tuesday, May 5 2:30-3:30 p.m. 10:00-11:00 p.m. Thursday, May 7 2:30-3:30 p.m. 10:00-11:00 p.m. Breast Care Center Wednesday, May 6 11:30-12:30 p.m. Cancer Center & Monday, May 4 2:00-3:00 p.m. Outpatient Infusion Center for Monday, May 4 9:00-10:00 a.m. Digestive Health Community Health Monday, May 4 1:00-2:00 p.m. Emergency Response CenterTuesday, May 5 10:00-11:30 a.m. Employee Pharmacy Monday, May 4 2:30-3:30 p.m. Family Medicine Residency Center Tuesday, May 5 Noon-1:00 p.m. Page 3 April 17, 2009

4 Step Out To Improve Your Health, Join The National Walking Challenge Employees throughout the North Mississippi Medical Center organization will hit the pavement April as part of the national Steppin Out for a Lifetime National Walking Challenge. The National Walking Challenge encourages everyone to get up and move by striving for 70,000 steps in seven days. Free pedometers will be available to the first 120 participants to register at the Wellness Center, or employees can find their own pedometers and pick up a fresh battery from the Wellness Centers in Tupelo, Baldwyn or Pontotoc. By using their old pedometers, employees also qualify for an additional drawing. Walking logs can be downloaded from the Intranet. To participate, wear a pedometer from the time you wake up until going to bed during that week. Every employee who turns in a completed walking log by May 1 will be entered into a prize drawing. Walking logs may dropped off at the Tupelo Wellness Center, sent via courier or faxed to (662) In addition, the community that achieves the most steps and the highest average of steps per participant will be recognized nationally by the Medical Fitness Association. While everyone is encouraged to strive for at least 70,000 steps to meet the CDC recommendation for physical activity, walking logs should be turned in regardless of the number of steps so that all efforts get counted. National Healthcare Week Refreshment Schedule Continued from page 3 Home HealthAdmin. Monday, May 4 8:00-9:00 a.m. Branch Offices/Garfield Clinic Distributed at offices discretion (Sent by courier on Monday, May 4) IMA-Tupelo Thursday, May 7 2:30-3:30 p.m. Imaging Centers Monday, May 4 9:00-10:00 a.m. (616 Crossover/891 Mississippi Drive) Longtown Medical Park Wednesday, May 6 Noon-1:00 p.m. Logistics Center Wednesday, May 6 2:00-3:00 p.m. MIS/Health Link Gloster Creek Village Wednesday, May 6 2:00-3:00 p.m. Pontotoc Wellness Center Thursday, May 7 Noon-1:00 p.m. Service Center Wednesday, May 6 2:00-3:00 p.m. Surgery Center Monday, May 4 9:00-10:00 a.m. Tupelo Service Finance Thursday, May 7 2:30-3:30 p.m. Wellness Center Tuesday, May 5 Noon-1:00 p.m. April 17, 2009 Page 4

5 Working With Professionals Brings Pleasure Dot Barrett was honored for her 34 years of service to North Mississippi Medical Center at a retirement reception Feb. 20. Barrett began her career in 1975 at -Iuka. She worked in admissions in the Emergency Department there until transferring to - Tupelo in Barrett worked in Business Services until 2007, when she moved to Pathology, where she worked in laboratory outreach until her retirement. It s been a pleasure working with such professional coworkers, said Barrett. They re caring, kind and considerate to patients and truly live up to our mission and vision. Health Link Employee Earns Honor Guard Award Kelly Terry, senior credentialing specialist with Health Link, received the Commander s Award for Excellence from the National Honor Guard Academy in Clearwater, Fla. Terry, along with Barbara Evans from s Home Health Agency-Amory Branch, graduated from the academy in January. This is a prestigious award for several reasons, said Jimmy Clemons, commander of s Honor Guard. This is from the Kelly Terry holds the Commander s Award for Excellence that she received from the National Honor Guard Academy. Dot Barrett poses with a congratulatory bouquet given to her in honor of her retirement Feb. 20. National Academy, not a local academy like most schools are. The recipient is chosen by the commander and senior drill instructor, both former Marines who have military Honor Guard experience. They know the cream of the crop when they see it. This award is rarely given to a rookie. Most recipients are experienced guards. s Honor Guard was established in 2003 to provide funeral honors for fallen employees. The Honor Guard also serves as Guardian of the Colors for, presenting the colors of the United States and for various ceremonies within the community. Terry joined s Honor Guard in November I just felt like it was something that I wanted and needed to do for my fellow employees and our community, Terry said. The Honor Guard s values are based on honor, dignity and respect, and those are values that I believe in and try to live by each day. Being a member of the Honor Guard requires a great deal of volunteered time and effort, but once you really get a true understanding of its purpose, you are proud of the honor to serve in such a worthwhile organization. Terry and Evans both received promotions to sergeant and certification awards for graduating from the National Academy at a pinning ceremony Feb. 7 at the Cora Fields Auditorium in s North Education Center. Page 5 April 17, 2009

6 If Cake Were a Job, People Would Be the Icing Vanessa Kennedy, office coordinator for Home Health Psychiatric Services/Utilization Review, has been named North Mississippi Medical Center s Employee of the Month for March. Kennedy, who joined in 2005, is an Amory High School graduate. She received an associate s degree in office administration from Itawamba Community College in Fulton and earned a bachelor s degree in office systems and technology from Mississippi State University in Starkville. The Amory resident said she enjoys the people she works with as well as her job. There are two things I love most about my job, the people and the variety, Kennedy said. The people are the best to work with they are compassionate and loving at the office and out in the homes with their patients. I enjoy the variety of work as well. One minute I might be on the phone with a psychiatric nurse or patient, the next I might be doing chart audits, then later I might be working on an accreditation project. Kennedy was praised for her attitude and her job performance. Vanessa has a rare gift for anticipating the needs of others and going beyond that to exceed your expectations, said Leslia Carter, director of s Home Health Agency. What makes Vanessa so worthy of Employee of the Month is not only her skill and expertise, but the attitude with which she performs her duties. Vanessa is fully engaged and always looking for ways to improve not only her work but the lives of those she works with. I am very impressed by Vanessa s skills but I am even more impressed by her consistent attitude and manner, a coworker said in her nomination. She is always positive, calm, pleasant and friendly to everyone. She never gets frustrated by any situation or with anyone. She always treats her coworkers and customers with care, compassion and respect. Kennedy attends Bethel Apostolic Church in Amory, where she works with family ministries, children s ministry, college and career group and the decorating committee. Vanessa Kennedy (third from right), 's March Employee of the Month, is congratulated by coworkers (from left) Stephanie Inmon, Quality Assurance care manager; Leslia Carter, Home Health Agency director; Barbara Kitchens, regional manager; Anita Ambrose, Quality Assurance care manager; and Laura Brower, vice president of Professional Services/Chief Nurse Executive. Cassie Angle Named Pontotoc Rehab Services Director Cassie Angle, OTR/L, has been named director of Rehabilitation Services at North Mississippi Medical Center-Pontotoc. Angle joined -Pontotoc in The Calhoun City High School graduate attended Mississippi State University and finished her occupational therapy training at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Angle worked for 1½ years as an occupational therapist with s Home Health Agency. I am excited to have the opportunity to better serve the hospital and community, Angle said. We have an excellent rehab staff here at -Pontotoc. It is a wonderful place to work and I look forward to being here for many years to come. April 17, 2009 Page 6

7 The following employees recently received service pins in recognition of five-year service milestones. Service Pins Awarded Fifteen Years Baldwyn Nursing Facility Barbara McGaughy Five Years Baldwyn Nursing Facility Gaberial Taylor -West Point Irene Holman, Annie Robinson Clinics Dr. William Edmonson, Jean Flippo, Julia McClelland -Iuka Kimberly Koehlinger, Catherine Taylor NMHS Michelle Barnes, Cherra Pittman Shirley Armstrong, Patricia Blakely, Joley Carter, Timothy Dunahue, Tarka Field, Robert Foster, Wanda Gann, Lekesia Gates, Van Gibson, John Goff, Patricia Gosa, David Jackson, Crystal Jumper, Patrenia Miller, Devin Pack, Mark Palmer, Brandon Partlow, Amy Phipps, Athena Shelley, Mitchell Stanford, John Webb, Carol Wigginton -Eupora Elizabeth Johnsey Women s Hospital Andrea Calvery Ten Years Clinics Angela Kelly, Melanie Lindley -Hamilton Hugh Stephenson Jr. Marilyn Harrison, Rodney McCoy, Jimmy Raper Women s Hospital Patricia Sturm Home Health Linda Bramlitt, Faye Oglesby NMHS James Boyle, Beverly Sparks Joey Anderson, Zandria Bell, Kristie Gholson, Melanie Harrison, Carlos Hopper, Donna Humble, Stacey Rogers-Lowry -Eupora Sara Jane Curry Twenty Years Home Health Sally Farrell -Iuka Brenda Edmondson NMHS Deborah Cook, Sonya Leach Angela Nanney, Stephanie Rye, Douglas Smith Women s Hospital Brenda Brassfield, Pamela Clark, Martha Myatt Twenty-five Years Claudine Miller Thirty Years -Iuka Alisa Parsons NMHS George Parada Alice Cole Page 7 April 17, 2009

8 Acute Stroke Unit Earns Bronze Service Award Earl C. Coleman Jr., quality improvement initiatives director with the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association, presents the Bronze Performance Award to, from left, Donna Lewis, administrator for Medicine Services at North Mississippi Medical Center; Sam Newell, M.D., neurologist and medical director of s Acute Stroke Unit; and Karen Koch, director of s Patient-Focused Improvement Department. The Bronze Performance Award recognizes 90 consecutive days with at least 85 percent compliance with seven core measures. Get With The Guidelines-Stroke is the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association s collaborative performance improvement program, offering four levels of hospital recognition that reflect the amount of time the hospital demonstrates performance with at least 85 percent compliance in each of the core measures. Saltillo Physician Celebrates 80th Birthday At Work R.B. (Rud) Robison, M.D., was honored with a party in honor of his 80th birthday on March 23 at the Saltillo Medical Clinic, located at 353 Mobile St. A native of Tupelo, Dr. Robison has been practicing medicine for 55 years. He came to Saltillo Medical Clinic and joined North Mississippi Medical Center s medical staff in Really and truly, I think I ve been very fortunate, Dr. Robison said. I ve also been lucky to be physically and mentally able to continue to practice medicine. I have not thought about retirement. Dr. Robison is a graduate of Mississippi State University. He completed his medical studies at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, his internship at Mobile County Hospital in Mobile, Ala., and two years orthopedic service through the U.S. Army at Fort Benning, Ga. When I came here, it was to stay two years and then I was going to leave to finish my orthopedic training. I didn t mean to stay in family medicine that long, Dr. Robison said. But this is a nice community. They re really good people to deal with. Dr. Robison and his wife Nancy have been married for 35 years and reside in Belden. Their children include R.B. Robison, Jr., R. Andrew Robison, Stacy Price, Kim Lannom and Wendy Morrow. Their oldest daughter, Angela White, passed away in February. They also have eight grandchildren. April 17, 2009 Page 8