Sweetwater Hospital Acquires 24 Hour Monitoring System for All Patients Sweetwater Hospital Association recently added the Nihon Khoden monitoring system to all the patient rooms. The $450,000 purchase will allow nurses and physicians to monitor patients vital signs and heart rhythms 24 hours a day with minimal interruption to the patient. Sweetwater Hospital is one of the first hospitals in East Tennessee to include this technology in every patient room. Andrea Henry, Director of Nursing, states, The monitoring system will allow nurses to monitor and trend patients throughout their stay, which, in essence, gives the nurse a live view of the patient s vital signs. If a patient s oxygen saturation and blood pressure start to decline, nurses can intervene and notify the patitent s physician before a life threatening event can take place. Physicians will also have access to the patient s vital signs and heart rhythms via their smart phone, home computer or ipad. This connectivity will allow physicians to make decisive and critical decisions about the patient s current condition. This system will aid and equip the physician and the nursing teams to intervene in a timely and, possibly, life saving manner. Sweetwater Hospital continues to strive to add technology that enhances the patient s care and safety throughout the organization. By adding this technology, SHA is offering the highest quality of care of any medical/surgical floor in East Tennessee. SHA Opens New Administration & Ancillary Building SHA has opened their new main entrance, which contains a new state-ofthe-art laboratory, imaging department, and administration offices. The new entrance will allow patients to easily gain access to outpatient services such as x-ray, lab, or registration for other services that might be utilized during their visit. Did you know? Sweetwater Hospital is a licensed general commercial contractor which allows SHA to do the construction and renovation work at the hospital. Many are surprised to find that SHA does most of its own work. Sweetwater Hospital also focuses on keeping the subcontracting work available to those who reside within the Monroe County area.
Sweetwater Hospital Donates $10,000 to Help Kids Get Out and Play Sweetwater Hospital Association through its Long Range Planning Committee and Board of Directors donated $10,000 to Sweetwater s playground grant fund. SHA s commitment to the community and its concern for lifestyle related diseases, such as childhood obesity, prompted the organization to support the community in a way, which would give parents alternatives in motivating their children to become physically active. SHA s community health assessment prompted the Long Range Planning Committee to put into action the organization s vision for our community. Giving this donation to match the grant funds that Sweetwater City had received was the right thing to do according to the hospital s administrator, Scott Bowman. The matching funds that Sweetwater Hospital donated helped the park become a reality for the community and we are very proud to be able to do this for the families we serve. Many organizations in health care are struggling; however, SHA is financially strong and debt free, which allows us to make better long-term decisions for the organization and the community, stated Bowman. Scott Bowman and Melissa Harris, MSN, with Mayor Doyle Lowe in presenting a check for $10,000 to the playground fund. Sweetwater Hospital Provides Extraordinary Women s Health Services with The Imaging Departments State-of-the-art Technology in 4D Ultasound, Digital Mammography, Bone Density Exams, Breast MRI & Biopsy Example of the 4D technology available at Sweetwater Hospital. Above, is a breast MRI. The ability of the MRI technology is unprecedented. One can clearly see questionable areas. Sweetwater Hospital s Outstanding Performances for 2013 Advanced Practitioner of the Year Bill Dawson, PA-C, MS Award of Excellence Shelia Yarber Employee of the Year Cindy Dexter, Certified Pharmacy Technician Doctor of the Year Chris Shamblin, MD Volunteer of the year Jerri Hauk
New Main Street Conference area and Home Health Offices Being Renovated and Revitalized Before... Sweetwater Hospital Donates Life Saving AED to Coral Veal Sweetwater Hospital continues to grow and impact the community positively. SHA continually makes acquisitions that benefit not only the organization, but also the community as a whole. Seeing growth in SHA s nationally ranked and recognized Home Health Department, SHA seized the opportunity to acquire the old FSG Bank. Since that time SHA has been working to totally renovate the bank into office space for Home Health and Physical Therapy Home Health. In addition, the hospital has renovated the bank lobby area Into a conference area that will accommodate 60 people. The conference area is equipped with two large screens and projectors to be used for presentations and educational symposiums. SHA Celebrates with the City of Sweetwater at Small Town Christmas Pictured L to R: Brooke Veal, Joe Anderson,Ben Camp, Melissa Harris and Bobbie Arp. Sweetwater Hospital celebrated with the City of Sweetwater during the city s small town Christmas After After After Before celebration. Hospital employees handed out five hundred Rice Krispie treats during the event. SHA is proud to support and participate in local events that promote the community. Pictured LtoR: Lucretia Santelli, Emily Allen and Bobbie Arp Sweetwater Hospital recently donated an automatic external defibrillator (AED) to the Cora Veal Center in Madisonville. Members of the Cora Veal Center will be trained to use the AED by Monroe County Ambulance Service in case of an emergency. The Center has over 300 members and is very active in providing activities for seniors in Monroe County. What Our Patients are Saying! On October 18, 2013, my daughter was taken to SHA emergency room with a very serious condition. The nurses and doctors in the ER, ICU, OR and Little Bill could not have been more compassionate and professional. We are lucky to have a hospital like Sweetwater Hospital in our community. Milly Bryant Post Sweetwater's Christmas Parade, I ended up in the emergency room with a kidney stone. I knew immediately what the problem was; I was glad to have the Sweetwater Hospital so close to my home! I just wanted to take a minute to thank nurse Debbie Albright in the emergency room. She was professional, caring, and worked promptly to help me! What more could anyone ever ask? Nurses and staff like Ms. Albright are what has made and continues to make SHA the crown jewel of Sweetwater. Lance Cavett
Sweetwater Hospital's Commitment to Education Continues to Grow New Equipment Expands Capabilities Sweetwater Hospital s commitment to education continues to grow as SHA partners with many higher learning programs, colleges and universities in the region. SHA had 152 students in health related fields train within the organization this past year. Tennessee Technology Center: LPN Students 20 Pharmacy Tech Students 4 Cleveland State Community College: RN Preceptors 7 Transcription Program 1 Roane State Community College: Radiology Tech 2 Physical Therapy Assistants 2 Health Information Technology 4 ETSU: Physical Therapy 1 South College: Physical Therapy Assistants 3 Physician Assistants 24 Pharmacy Students 3 LMU/DeBusk School of Osteopathic Medicine: Medical Students 20 Pelissippi State Community College: RN Students 30 LMU: RN Students 30 Sweetwater High School: Health Occupation Class: 10 students Samford University: Pharmacy 4 Kaplan: Health Information Technology 1 Monroe County Summer Youth: Workers 6 OB Staff Congratulated on Successful Campaign of Reducing Early Elective Deliveries SHA OB Staff The Research Sweetwater Hospital joined the national initiative to reduce elective early deliveries. Research has shown that early elective, induced or c-section deliveries, increase the risk of brain injuries and long-term neurodevelopemental abnormalities. 35 weeks 39-40 Weeks A baby s brain at 35 weeks weighs only two-thirds of what it will weigh 39 and 40 weeks. Sweetwater Hospital continues to invest in technology that will improve the care and lives of those in Monroe County and the surrounding area. In the first quarter of this year, Sweetwater Hospital has invested $1 million in equipment to update and provide the best and latest technology. SHA s Latest Additions Philips Veradius C-Arm will be used for vascular, urological and orthopedic procedures. The Epiphany Cardio Server is a state of the art storage and retrieval system for EKG s, pulmonary function test, sleep studies and Holter monitor studies. It also allows physicians to access EKG s, interpret and document their findings via secure Internet access any where in the world. The system also allows physicians to access EKG s via their smart phone which can speed up critical decisions that need to be made about a patient s care and treatment. The new Stryker HD 1488 camera system will give surgeons involved in laparoscopic procedures the clearest and best definition of internal anatomy available. The enhanced definition will enhance the safety and outcomes of the simplest to the most complex laparoscopic and arthroscopic procedures performed.
The Continued Growth and Changes at Sweetwater Hospital Association New Physician Office Building Starting April 2014
Sweetwater Hospital Welcomes New Medical Staff Sweetwater Hospital Association and the Board of Directors are proud to welcome and announce the appointment of Dr. Terry Adams and Dr. Thomas Layman to the Medical staff at Sweetwater Hospital. Dr. Adams is a Board Certified General Surgeon who has been practicing general and vascular surgery in Knoxville for over 25 years. Dr. Adams performs all general surgery with an emphasis on minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery, vascular surgery (including carotids), aortic aneurysms and leg arteries. Dr. Adams is a Monroe County native where he graduated from Vonore High School and then attended Hiwassee College and King College for his undergraduate degrees. He received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee at Memphis and trained at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Dr. Terry Adams General & Vascular Surgery Being a Monroe native, Dr. Adams still has friends and family in the area. His mother, Betty Ruth Adams, resides in the Hopewell Springs Community in Madisonville, while his grandmother, Maude Owenby, lived in the Tellico Plains area. Dr. Adams has three children; Shari, Nicole and Amber. Dr. Adams looks forward to serving the citizens of Monroe County and the surrounding areas for any of their surgical needs. Dr. Layman is a Board Certified General Surgeon who has been practicing general surgery in McMinn County for over 18 years. Dr. Layman performs all general surgery. Dr. Thomas Layman General Surgery Dr. Layman is a McMinn County native where he graduated from McMinn County High School and then attended Tennessee Wesleyan College for his undergraduate degree. He received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee at Memphis and trained at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Dr. Layman resides in Etowah and has three children James, Ryan and Elizabeth. Dr. Layman looks forward to serving the citizens of Monroe County and surrounding areas. Appointments for these surgeons can be made by calling their respective numbers below: Dr. Terry Adams (865) 218-7470 Dr. Thomas Layman (423) 745-2344 Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD): Do you have trouble walking because of pain in your legs? Sweetwater Hospital and Dr. Terry Adams are working to bring to the area the latest and most advanced treatment for peripheral arterial disease. Sweetwater Hospital has invested in state-of-the -art equipment to bring minimally invasive endovascular procedures to its facility. Peripheral arterial disease or PAD, affects up to 12 million Americans. Many do not even know they have the disease. PAD occurs when arteries in the legs become clogged with fatty deposits. If left untreated, PAD may lead to a poor quality of life, disability, or even amputation. Show Me Your Feet! Dr. Terry Adams, with years of experience performing minimally invasive endovascular procedures, is bringing those services to Sweetwater Hospital. Dr. Adams expertise and Sweetwater Hospital s state-of- the art equipment will bring to the region an outpatient procedure that will improve many lives in Monroe and surrounding counties.
Community Service and Continuing Education Continuing Education January February Ultrasound Seminar Physics and Specialty Birmingham, Alabama Sherry Vogt - CPSI Physician Documentation Webinar THA Webinar Applying Critical Thinking skills at the Bedside and Beyond Live Audio conference Injections and Infusions for Hospitals Substance Abuse for Employees and Supervisors DVD (to be used for mandatory annual training) HHC Teleconference Conditions of Participation Sanctions Presented by The Tennessee Association of Home Care March Regional networking Meeting Tennessee Center for Patient Safety Knoxville, Tennessee Dawn Carpenter, Shannon Anthony and Andrea Henry THA CMS Mandated Reporting Update for PTs, OTs, and STs Physical Therapy Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy Deana Duggan and Millie Knight Therapeutic Taping, Posture, and Positioning Techniques Knoxville, Tennessee Flu Vaccine Reporting Webinar Shannon Anthony and Bobbie Arp APIC Meetings Shannon Anthony and Bobbie Arp 1 st Tuesday of each month March - June Academy of Nutrition and Dietetic 2013 Symposium: Charleston, SC - Darla Warfield - June 7 and 8. Premier Regional Food Service Meeting Charlotte, NC Frankie Blackwell. University of Tennessee 36 th Annual Pharmacy Update Patti Thompson April 6 and 7. Outpatient Therapy, CPT Coding, Billing, and Documentation for Rehab Reimbursement Knoxville Susan Atkins, Roger Evans, Leslie Lindsey. Monthly APIC Meetings Knoxville Shannon Anthony and Bobbie Arp. Meeting the RAC Challenge Webinar Dawn Carpenter April 9. Critical Care Nuts and Bolts In-service Chattanooga Alex Mahery May 29 and 30. 2013 G Codes Webinar for Physical Therapy April 24. Tenn.Care Training Session Transitioning to the Right Care after Hospital Stay Knoxville Sheila Yarber April 30. TSHHRA State Conference (Human Resources) Gatlinburg Lucretia Santelli Dysphasia in the Trach/Vent Population Journal for CEU Credit Heather West. Smoky Mountain APIC (Infection Control) Fall Conference Pigeon Forge Shannon Anthony and Bobbie Arp AHIMA (Health Information Management) Convention and Exhibit Atlanta Dawn Carpenter. The Supervisor Toolkit for Training Lucretia Santelli. CPR Instructor Renewal Shannon Anthony and Carol Ware. Community Service Shannon Anthony United Way Board Meeting SHA provided $500 sponsorship to the United Way 5K MedVance MLT Advisory Board Meeting in Cookeville Lacey Teague and David Wiggs Bonnie Furrow Scholarship Presentations were made at Sequoyah High School by Shannon Anthony, Sweetwater High School by Bob Wilkins, and Tellico Plains High School by Kassie Gregory. Congratulations! Dawn Carpenter CDIP (Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner) earned March 30, 2013 Dawn Carpenter CHDA (Certified Health Data Analyst) earned February 28, 2014 Lorrie Viar CCS (Certified Coding Specialist) earned November 8, 2013 Megan Boles RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician) September 28, 2013 In Need of Making an Announcement? Sweetwater Hospital is offering space on its digital sign to non-profit organizations for making announcements to the public. If you have an announcement, you can e-mail your announcement and/or artwork to Joe Anderson at material@sweetwaterhospital.org
Sweetwater Hospital Association 304 Wright Street Sweetwater, TN 37874 Scott Bowman, Administrator NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID SWEETWATER TN PERMIT NO. 7 We are Proud to Announce... The Opening of our Newest Additions April 2014 Sweetwater Hospital Association s continued growth has been seen outwardly for the past few years by watching the hill side community hospital transpose itself into a modern regional facility. In the last five years, Sweetwater Hospital Association has constructed a new sixteen bed state-of-the-art emergency room, new operating rooms and materials management area. This year, the hospital completed a new main entrance, laboratory, imaging center and administrative addition. Several million dollars have been invested in providing a modern, comfortable and safe environment for the patients in this region. Nevertheless, the investments don t stop there; healthcare technology continues to be added to provide advanced services at a local level. New state of the Art Lab Enhanced Radiology Area New Administrative Offices New Registration Area w w w. s w e e t w a t e r h o s p i t a l. o r g 8 6 5. 2 1 3. 8 2 0 0 Gauzette Publication Committee Joe Anderson, MHA Bobbie Arp, RRT Patti Montooth Millie Knight, PTA Shannon Anthony, RN Debbie Thompson Scott Bowman