Winter 2009/2010 - Promise Healthcare

A quarterly newsletter dedicated to informing and enlightening staff, associates, and colleagues of Promise Healthcare, Inc. WINTER 2009/2010
Making a Difference
For Life’s
Most Serious
Illnesses
And Injuries
Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles collects food and toys for 1st Annual Toy and Food Drive
Despite the economic challenges facing all of
us, at work and at home, Promise continues
our focus of providing quality healthcare to
our patients and giving back to our communities.
By doing so, we make a difference in
the communities we serve.
Promise Participates in Adopt-A-Family
The management team at Promise Hospital
of Vicksburg came together to make a
donation of a Wal-Mart gift card and a full
Thanksgiving meal for a former patient.
The day before Thanksgiving, Promise staff
presented the gift and received heartfelt
appreciation from the family. “At the end of
the day, when you are able to give something
back, we are the ones that receive the
blessing,” says Mike Harrell, VP of Physician
Relations and Education at Promise Hospital
of Vicksburg.
Promise Hospital of San Diego adopts several
needy families each holiday season. This
past year five families from Eunime – Por
Tijuana, A.C., an organization that provides
social and support services to children living
with HIV/AIDS and their families, and one
single parent family from the hospital staff,
benefited from the Hospital’s generosity.
Promise employees collected and donated
clothing, toys, food and other items for the
families and delivered the gifts directly to the
families’ homes.
In San Antonio, Promise employees joined
together to adopt a family of five through the
Salvation Army’s “Angel Tree” program.
The children sent a wish list consisting
of various toys and clothing. After raising
over $750, there was more than enough to
buy everything on the children’s list as well
as extra toys, clothing and warm pajamas.
The parents also received gifts including a
certificate for Christmas dinner and gift cards
for family night at the movies, complete with
popcorn and drinks. All in all, Promise
Hospital of San Antonio delivered 5 large
bags of gifts that were handed out to the
family at the Salvation Army’s Christmas Eve
party.
Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles
participated in their 1st Annual Toy and
Food Drive in conjunction with their local
Fire Departments. They collected and gathered
food and gifts that were then distributed
to needy families in each campus’s
surrounding communities.
Continued on Page 11
Page 2
Keeping Our Promise
Promise’s Year End In Review
Page 3
Teamwork
Page 4
PRE Team Sets In Motion The Promise Formula
For Success
Let’s Dance – A Collaborative Approach To
Quality Monitoring
Page 5
Sharing Exchange Calendars With Colleagues
Page 6
Medical Identity Theft
New Corporate Director of Pharmacy
Nish Patel, PharmD, BBA
Page 7-9
PROMISE BUZZ From Our Hospitals
Page 10
A Wellness Message From Promise Healthcare
Page 11
Making A Difference (Cont’d)
Page 12
Promise Healthcare Launches New Website
W H A T ’ S I N S I D E
P R O M I S E P U L S E

MANAGEMENT MESSAGE
KEEPING OUR PROMISE
As we settle into the new year, we also reflect back on 2009. Although
the economic climate continues to impact all of us at home and at
work, Promise has stayed true to its mission:
• We continue to focus on providing the highest quality patient care
as our number one goal.
• We continue to be a good corporate citizen by giving back to the
communities we serve.
• We continue to support and empower our employees.
• We continue to improve our operations and effectively manage our
resources so that we are a more effective and efficient provider.
Despite the challenging financial environment we faced in 2009,
we were able to accomplish a number of milestones. They include
building a new hospital in Vidalia, opening a new campus in Baton
Rouge, and starting construction on our first hospital in Florida. We
have implemented our PRE strategy, launched new training programs,
upgraded our systems and improved our communication tools. This
past year we recorded the most patient days in our company’s history.
2010 will continue to put challenges in front of us. But if we stay true
to our mission during this new year as we did during the past year,
new milestones will be reached and our Promise will be kept.
Peter R. Baronoff
Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer
Howard B. Koslow
President and
Chief Operating Officer
Larry Leder
Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer
Dr. Mark H. Dawson
Medical Director
OPERATIONS MISSION
I am pleased to report that during 2009, we
achieved a number of milestones while fulfilling
our mission of providing “…the highest quality
of professional and compassionate healthcare for
patients in need.” These include:
• The opening and construction of three new
facilities.
• Promise Hospital of Miss Lou relocated to its
new 49,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility
on the Vidalia waterfront.
Promise’s Year End in Review
• Promise Hospital Baton Rouge expanded its
service to the greater Baton Rouge community
by adding 54 beds and relocating its main
campus into a new 48,000 square foot building
on Mancuso Lane.
• Promise Hospital of Florida moved forward with
construction of its new 56,000 square foot state
of-the-art facility at The Villages in central
Florida, marking Promise’s expansion into its
home state.
• Our H.R. department introduced its “Wellness
For Life” program to promote the physical and
mental well being of all our employees.
• Our Corporate Communications department
launched our new corporate website and
updated our marketing and promotional tools.
• Our I.T. department continued to upgrade
its systems, including Meditech and our e-mail
system, providing us with more reliability and
functionality.
• Our Legal and Compliance Department
expanded and improved our corporate
compliance program and training to insure we
continue to meet all regulatory guidelines.
• Our Clinical and Quality department’s key
performance measures, including slot
percentage, pressure ulcers and ventilator
weaning rates, continued their improvement.
• Our PRE department completed its first full
year by positively impacting our communities
and our physicians.
These milestones are all reflected in our
Company having achieved its highest number of
patient days last year.
Although the economic challenges in healthcare
continue into 2010, we remain optimistic
about achieving new milestones in the coming
months. We will grow our business through the
process of continual process improvement - by
continuing our quality initiatives; by improving
our systems and programs; by continuing to
manage our business using the Promise formula
for success [QH+S=S]; and by maintaining our
focus on our mission of being the best healthcare
providers we can be.
Richard Gold
EVP of Operations
Promise Healthcare, Inc.
2 P R O M I S E P U L S E

HR NEWS
Teamwork
Teamwork can be defined as a cooperative
effort by the members of a group or team to
achieve a common goal and should be an important
aspect of every employer and employee
relationship. But how does teamwork relate
to hospitals, physicians, nurses and hospital
medicine? How does it impact the care of our
patients, and how does teamwork affect the
systems within a hospital, and our role in it?
Hospitals have traditionally been places where
departments and healthcare professionals
often have their own way of functioning,
frequently without the understanding of, or
cooperation with, other departments. Today,
however, there are new technologies, tools and
opportunities for the collaborative delivery of
quality patient care. As a result, teamwork has
become a critically important component of
working in healthcare.
In order to become an effective team player
at your facility, there are five key guidelines to
follow:
1. Communicate: Communication is the
key to effective teamwork. If one can’t share
ideas and get their point across in a supportive
environment, then it will be difficult to get
anything accomplished. If people don’t agree
or have a problem, they need to be able to tell
the other members on the team in a constructive
manner. Each member needs to stay
informed about any decisions or progress so
that everyone is working together in the same
direction.
2. Listen: Effective communication is a twoway
street. While you may be able to communicate
your point well, do you really listen to
what the other team members, administration
or other clinical staff have to say? To truly listen
one must focus on what the other party is
saying, without pre-judging or thinking about
how they might change or counteract it. One
person doesn’t always have all the answers.
3. Know Your Role: For a team to work
effectively everybody needs to have a role.
This may be a formal setup or it may just be
recognizing each other’s strengths and how
you interact best with each other. If everyone
is vying to be top dog or arguing over what
they want to do, then nothing will actually
get done. In a team setting, there is not any
one job that is less important than another, as
they all contribute to the overall success of the
team. Allocating roles will help the team function
successfully.
4. Plan: Everyone needs to understand what
their individual and team goals are, as well as
the given parameters to act within, in order
to be successful. Without clear objectives and
guidelines, your resources and skills cannot be
utilized in the most effective manner. In turn,
your outcome may not be focused or
productive.
5. Don’t Blame: Attributing blame within a
team is never helpful and only leads to resentment
and arguments. If there is a problem, it
is best to deconstruct the occurrence as a team
to learn where you may have gone wrong and
take responsibility for the mistakes as a team
rather than laying it on an individual. You
would all take credit for any success so you all
need to do the same for your mistakes.
According to the Joint Commission, an
organization that accredits and certifies
healthcare organizations, teamwork is essential
for optimizing quality and safety in patient
care. Teams whose members have experience
working together know each other’s strengths
and weaknesses; therefore they can better
support each other and compensate for one
another, even under stressful conditions. At
Promise Hospitals, our focus should be on
working together as a team so that we can
continue to move the organization forward
and to provide the utmost quality care to our
patients each and every day.
P R O M I S E P U L S E
3

PHYSICIAN RELATIONS
PRE FOCUS & EDUCATION
PRE Team Sets In Motion
The Promise Formula For Success
The Physician Relations & Education (PRE)
department is a key element of the Promise
formula for success, QH +S = S [Quality Healthcare
+ Sales = Success]. This strategy allows our
clinical departments to concentrate on patient
evaluation, admittance and treatment while our
PRE department focuses on service to physicians
and other referral sources. We are tasked with
two functions: develop and manage our hospital’s
relationships with those healthcare professionals
that refer patients to us [the ‘Relations’]; and
educate the community at large as well as those
physicians and other healthcare providers who
are not yet aware of our specialized services [the
‘Education’].
This past year, the PRE department’s first full
year, was successful as measured by our yardsticks
of case mix index, slot percentage and referrals.
By improving our communications with and
service to our referral sources, we are increasing
our patient volume while continuing to provide
outstanding quality of care to our patients.
While some of our markets have had more success
than others, overall we are confident that our PRE
strategy is correct, as the feedback we get from
physicians has been positive. Looking ahead, we
will continue to improve our PRE training. The
key to getting referrals is [1] by providing the
highest quality healthcare and [2] by educating
and providing the best possible service to physicians,
case managers, and other referral sources.
As we move into 2010, we also remind our coworkers
that we ALL are ambassadors for Promise.
By “giving back to our community”, not
only is it the right thing to do, it also expands our
exposure and helps educate the community about
Promise. In this manner, we are all “PRE’s”.
CLINICAL & QUALITY UPDATE
Let’s Dance – A Collaborative
Approach to Quality Monitoring
Have you ever watched two dancers perform during a dance competition
and observed how they move in synchronization as they step and sway
to the music? In the beginning, the duo’s dancing is not perfect. It takes
rehearsal after rehearsal, practice and more practice, a change here and
there, restructuring, disappointments and restarts, but the end product
turns out magnificent and consistent. So there you are, the observer, after
their performance, standing and clapping your hands shouting “Bravo” to
the end product of their hard work.
Quality and the zest to achieve perfection is all around us. It is ingrained
in our lives with everything we do, see and touch. How is quality
achieved, how is it maintained and how can we achieve quality in our
workplace? The answer is focusing on the quality process.
1. Since it is human nature not to want to hear you made an error,
quality audit reports may not be readily embraced and push back can
occur. Driving the fear and push back out of the audit and monitoring
process is a task for leadership as well as the one conducting the audit or
monitoring.
2. The purpose and benefits of the audit must be constantly emphasized to
ensure collaboration in the quality improvement process.
3. We should embrace the audit or monitoring results and accept them as
a learning tool and an opportunity for innovation and change. Management
and employees must be committed to the audit process as a tool to
ignite improvement.
4. Audits should focus on the process not the individual. Drilling an
inconsistency down to the lowest level is similar to conducting a root
cause analysis and may reveal areas for process improvement and innovation.
Utilizing staff work groups in developing methods to correct inconsistencies
is beneficial because they are the essence of the process.
5. We make audits and monitoring meaningful by integrating clinical audits
into daily staff activities and processes. Information from audits must
be discussed during staff meetings so that meaningful improvement can
take place. Bulletin boards and posters in employee break rooms or conference
rooms are useful in informing the staff of their progress.
6. We all must commit to monitoring as a tool for improvement of patient
care. Doing so will change the view of audits and monitoring and
improve their effectiveness.
We must constantly
remember that by
using our simple and
effective clinical
monitoring tools
we deliver on “Our
PROMISE # 1:
Quality Patient Care”.
4 P R O M I S E P U L S E

I.T. TIME
Sharing Exchange Calendars with Colleagues
Promise Healthcare’s new Exchange system provides us with increased
capabilities on our computers, including the ability to share our calendar
with our co-workers. There are two methods by which you can do so. The
first method allows others to simply view it. The second method allows
them to view and modify it.
Option 1 - Reviewer/Viewing Rights Only
Use the following instructions to give someone the ability to only view your
calendar.
1. Open Outlook and if asked, enter your Username and Password.
2. Go to the Calendar module of Outlook.
3. In the left pane, click the link to Share My Calendar.
4. A message similar to an email will open. Click the “To”... button.
Search the Global Address List to find the person or persons you want to
share your calendar with. Click their name to add them to the “To”->
field at the bottom, and then click OK.
5. You will return to the email like screen. The “To”: field will now be filled
with the name(s) of the person (or people) you selected. Make sure the
check box for Allow recipient to view your calendar is CHECKED. You
may also choose to CHECK the box for Request permission to view
recipient's calendar. You can also choose to type a message into the body
below. Then click Send.
6. They will now be able to view your calendar in their outlook under
Other Calendars in the left pane.
Option 2 - View, Modify, and/or Additional Advanced Rights
Use the following instructions to give someone the ability to view and
modify your calendar.
1. Open Outlook and if asked, enter your Username and Password.
2. Go to the Calendar module of Outlook.
3. Right-click on your Exchange calendar (Calendar), and choose
Properties. (it is listed in the left pane under My Calendars)
4. From the Calendar Properties dialog, go to the Permission tab. The
Default permission for anyone in Exchange is to be able to view
your Free/Busy time - meaning that they cannot see details about your
meetings, only that your time is blocked.
If you want to grant specific permission to specific individuals, click the
Add button.
If you wish for EVERYONE to see more details about non-private
meetings and events, select Default from the Name list, and change the
Permission Level drop down to Reviewer.
5. Search the Global Address List to find the person or persons you want
to share your calendar with. Click their name to add them to the
Add-> field at the bottom, and then click OK.
6. You will return to the permissions tab. Make sure to select the name of
the individual whose permission level you want to adjust, and select
the appropriate Permission Level from the drop down menu.
7. If you need to add others to the list of permissions, click the Add
button and repeat steps 5 and 6. Once you have finished adding
individuals and adjusting the permissions, click OK.
8. They will now be able to access your calendar in their outlook under
other calendars in the left pane.
9. We would also suggest that you email the individuals to which you
have granted permission so they know you have given them those
rights to your calendar.
If you have questions, please contact the IT department by sending an
email to the help desk at help@promisehealthcare.com.
P R O M I S E P U L S E
5

LEGAL & COMPLIANCE MATTERS
In 2008, the Federal Trade Commission’s “Red
Flag and Address Discrepancy Rule,” more
commonly known as the “Red Flag Rule,” went
into effect. The rule was written with financial
institutions and creditors in mind, however, it
also applies to health care providers who bill for
services.
The purpose of the Red Flag Rule is to protect
consumers through the detection, prevention,
and mitigation of identity theft.
A “Red Flag” is defined as a pattern, practice,
or specific activity that could indicate identity
theft. Some of the most obvious and most
frequently encountered are:
- a complaint or question from a patient, based
on the patient’s receipt of:
• a bill for another individual,
• a bill for a product or service the patient
denies receiving,
• a bill from a health care provider the
patient has never seen, or
Medical Identity Theft
? DID YOU KNOW
• an Explanation of Benefits or other notice
for health services never received.
- records showing medical treatment inconsistent
with a physical examination or medical
history as reported by the patient, such as
discrepancies in age, race, and other physical
descriptions,( i.e., an “amputee” who has miraculously
regrown a limb.)
- a patient whose friends and family consistently
call him/her by a name other than what is in
his/her medical records, or who does not answer
to the name in the medical record.
As providers of health care, we must be alert to
such “red flags” in order to protect our patients
from Medical Identity Theft. It can cause erroneous
information to be entered in an individual’s
records such as the wrong blood type, a lack
of allergies, or an inaccurate medical history.
Policies and procedures related to Identity Theft
and the Red Flag Rule were recently issued to
all facilities. Employees should become aware of
and familiar with these policies.
We should also be alert to our own red flags. If
you receive a bill for a product or service you
never received, or any of the other items listed
above, notify the authorities immediately as you
may be a victim of Medical Identity Theft.
New Corporate Director of Pharmacy
Nish Patel, PharmD, BBA
Nish Patel brings 14 years of pharmacy experience in retail and acute care hospital settings to his
new position as Corporate Director of Pharmacy. For the past four years, he has served as the
Director of Pharmacy at Promise Hospital of San Antonio, ensuring compliance with patient care
quality standards and implementing clinical programs to promote appropriate use of medications.
His previous leadership roles include Clinical Coordinator/Manager for multiple hospitals within
the Baptist Health System and the Methodist Healthcare System in San Antonio, where he managed
formularies and implemented protocols and guidelines for improving care and reducing cost.
Nish earned his Doctor of Pharmacy and a Bachelors of Business Administration from the
University of Texas at Austin. He has published over a dozen abstracts on drug therapies and has
presented his findings at national and state pharmacy conferences. Nish also served as a Director
of an accredited Pharmacy Practice Residency program and he continues to be a practitionerfaculty
member with the University of Texas at Austin. His dedication to pharmacy earned him a
distinguished award from the Texas Society of Health-System Pharmacists for his achievements in
his first five years of practice.
Nish has lived in San Antonio for over 25 years with Mona, his wife of 15 years, and their two
children, Anaya (7 years old) and Arianna (4 years old). When not working, he likes to cycle,
travel and spend time with his family working on creative projects.
6 P R O M I S E P U L S E

PROMISE BUZZ
FROM OUR
HOSPITALS
Promise Hospital of Louisiana Staff Spotlight:
John Kight, Chief Clinical Officer
Promise Hospital of Louisiana would like to recognize John Kight for his exceptional performance as Chief
Clinical Officer.
Remembering his first position as a Respiratory Therapist, Kight credits the nurses, therapists, and doctors for “…
taking a ‘kid’ under their wing and teaching me what healthcare was all about,” he says. While continuing his career
in Respiratory Therapy, Kight went on to become a Registered Nurse and Nurse Practitioner. The late Shirley
Cotton, LPN became his mentor. “I saw the dedication and care she extended to every patient” says Kight. “It was
because of her that I knew I made the right choice by becoming a nurse and pushing myself to continue my education.”
John’s parents laid the foundation for his work ethic and dedication to his patients. “My mother and father instilled in me the need to always do my
best no matter what duty or job I was assigned,” he recalls. Committed to putting patients first and providing quality patient care each and every day,
John proudly says “I am excited to work with some of the finest healthcare professionals in the state of Louisiana who daily strive to meet the needs of
our medically complex patient population.” At Promise, we are very proud to have such a dedicated person on our team.
Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles Celebrates
a Month of Cultural Diversity
During the 2009 holiday season, Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles came together to put on a month-long of
festivities for the entire hospital staff.
Each week in December, the senior leadership team provided special lunches and dinners for employees,
incorporating traditional themes from a different cultural celebration. Beginning with Hanukkah, employees
feasted on traditional Jewish dishes and were educated on the history of the holiday. In the following weeks, the
employees similarly celebrated Kwanzaa and Christmas.
Promise Hospital of East LA also conducted their 2nd Annual Door Decorating Contest. Teams were selected and
were each given a section of the hospital at each campus to decorate. It was another big hit with our patients and
families!
Promise Hospital of Miss Lou’s Food Service Staff Brightens
The Day for Patients, Employees, and Local Residents
Great attitudes, beautiful smiles, wonderful dispositions: the food service employees at Promise Hospital of Miss Lou exhibit ALL of the above! They
make a positive difference not only in our patients’ lives, but also in the lives of our employees and the public who come every day to eat in our cafeteria.
At our new freestanding state-of-the-art hospital, employees have a place to take a break from
work and unwind, enjoy delicious meals and are often found engaging in friendly conversation
with co-workers, patient families, etc. Human Resources Manager Roxan Houghton elaborated,
“Having time away from the hospital floor for lunch or a break makes for better patient care and
job performance. Having friendly employees with positive attitudes in the cafeteria makes it that
much better.”
Director of Food Services, Tammie Cothren, is very proud of her staff: “They work so hard
every day to make sure our patients and family members, our hospital staff, and the public are
pleased with the food and the service. It is not always easy to please so many people, but my
staff does an incredible job of doing so!”
CEO Lee Huckaby commented, “We cherish every opportunity to entertain someone from
the public in our hospital. Each positive experience created at our cafeteria can then be shared
with a neighbor who in turn may have a relative who could benefit from an LTAC hospital stay.
It’s the best advertising you can ask for.” Huckaby added “A friendly smile and kind words is
meaningful to the families of our patients who are often struggling and frightened of the
situation they are facing. The cafeteria is often a haven, providing a break or an opportunity to
get away and relax. It is readily apparent this staff goes the extra mile by taking time to mingle
with customers and making sure everything is just right.”
Promise Hospital of Miss Lou Food Service Team
P R O M I S E P U L S E
7

PROMISE BUZZ
FROM OUR
HOSPITALS
On the front line: A Hero Returns to Promise Hospital of Phoenix
In Fall of 2007, Esmat Ullah joined the Promise team as a Respiratory Therapist. Quickly earning
a reputation as a dedicated and hard worker, it came as no surprise when he signed up to help with
the war in Afghanistan. As an Afghan-American, Esmat felt obligated to help with the war. He
knew his ability to speak five different languages, Pushto, Dary, Farsy, Urdu and English, and his
knowledge of the area could help fight the insurgents and help save lives.
Esmat was sent to Uruzgan and Helmand in the central region of Afghanistan, expecting to be
sitting behind a desk in the security of a military base. To his surprise, he found himself traveling
with the soldiers on the front line, with the enemy only 100 meters away and visible to the naked
eye. He was caught up in the war that most of us only hear about and see pictures of. Esmat recalls
of the experience, “It was cold, muddy, and it rained constantly. Sometimes it took us three to four
hours to go one mile. There wasn’t a bed to sleep on, a kitchen to make food in, there were no
comforts whatsoever.”
When the soldiers learned he was a Respiratory Therapist, they informed a doctor who approached Esmat requesting his assistance in the field. He
agreed and was transferred to travel and work with the medics. He assisted doctors in the field treating gun shot wounds, incubating, bagging and
performing CPR. Not only was he saving lives and assisting the war effort by intercepting and translating enemy radio communication; he was also
saving lives by utilizing his respiratory training.
Esmat stayed in Afghanistan for seven months. Upon his return to the United States and to Promise Hospital of Phoenix, Esmat was promoted to
the Respiratory Lead position. He continues to be a great asset not only to our company, but also to our country.
Promise Hospital of Salt Lake Takes On ‘The Biggest Loser’ Challenge
With the holidays behind us, Promise Hospital of Salt Lake’s staff has made a commitment to get healthier
and shed those extra pounds. They recently kicked off their very own version of “The Biggest Loser”
competition with a few added twists.
Participating staff will weigh in weekly and earn points for engaging in healthy behaviors, such as structured
and continuous exercise, eating at least 5 servings of vegetables and/or fruits a day, and for using the stairs
instead of the elevator at the hospital. Each participant will also earn 10 points for each percentage of body
weight lost.
The point system makes the competition equal and fair for all and the competition promotes a healthier
lifestyle which will continue long after the competition ends. Our Dietitian Barb Sherwood is overseeing
the program and Brad Lewis, our Physical Therapist, has also offered to put together tailor-made physical
fitness programs for the staff.
Everyone who elected to participate donated $10.00 and the winner will receive the amount in full as a cash
prize. May the biggest ‘loser’ with the most points win!
Promise Hospital of Vicksburg Staff Spotlight: Lekisha Berry, LPN
Promise Hospital of Vicksburg would like to recognize Lekisha Berry,
LPN, for her outstanding contributions to the Promise team. Lekisha
has always exemplified a sound work ethic and is always ready and
willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need, whether it’s a
patient or a fellow co-worker. She always takes an active role in
ensuring everything runs smoothly, including filling in when staffing
is short. Her documentation sets her apart as one of the best in the
field.
Lekisha is hardworking, dependable, and maintains a positive
attitude at all times. Promise applauds Lekisha Berry for a job well
done. Keep up the good work!
8 P R O M I S E P U L S E

PROMISE BUZZ
FROM OUR
HOSPITALS
Promise Hospital of San Diego Celebrates US Navy Sailor’s Homecoming
Promise Hospital of San Diego joins employee
Ronna White in welcoming home her husband,
Corpsman Anthony White, from the USS Ronald
Reagan. For the past five and a half months,
Corpsman White has served in combat missions
in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in
Afghanistan.
The sailors made it back home in time to spend
the holidays with their families and will not
deploy for the next several months.
Promise would like to give a heartfelt thank you
to Corpsman White and all the men and women
who are courageously serving our country.
Corpsman White embraces daughter after serving
over 5 months overseas.
Ronna White, Materials Manager at Promise
Hospital of San Diego, welcomes home husband
from his return on the USS Ronald Reagan.
Promise Hospital Baton Rouge Named As Host Facility
for Continuing Educational Seminars
Promise Hospital Baton Rouge recently co-hosted two continuing educational seminars along with the Baton Rouge Area Speech-Language
Pathologists (BRASLP) and Baton Rouge Dietetic Association (BRDA). Facilitated by Leigh Anne Baker, M.S. CCC-SLP, and April Cintron,
MS LDN, RD, both on the staff of Promise Hospital Baton Rouge, more than 85 speech-language
pathologists, dietitians and graduate students from Baton Rouge and surrounding areas attended
both events.
Baker who currently serves as the President of BRASLP and Cintron as the vice-president of BRDA
organized the events with seminars entitled “Understanding Treatment Approaches and Diet Modifications
for Head and Neck Cancer” and “Pediatric Dysphagia and Nutritional Management”.
Based on all positive feedback from local Baton Rouge professionals who attended the sessions,
Promise Hospital Baton Rouge will host all future events held by both organizations.
April Cintron, MS LDN RD, and Leigh Anne Baker,
MS CCC-SLP, at Promise Hospital Baton Rouge
If You Have News, Contact Your Promise Pulse Coordinator
We want to share it!
Baton Rouge & Gonzales – Laura Begnaud
Phone: 225-236-5440 • Email: lbegnaud@promisehealthcare.com
East Los Angeles – Lauren Troxel
Phone: 562-408-7402 • Email: ltroxel@promiseeastla.com
Louisiana – Deborah Havens
Phone: 318-934-0536 • Email: dhavens@promisehealthcare.com
Miss Lou – Sarah Smith
Phone: 318-336-6500 • Email: ssmith@promisehealthcare.com
Phoenix – Cora Blouch
Phone: 602-716-5123 • Email: cblouch@promisehealthcare.com
Salt Lake – Paula Hildy
Phone: 801-505-5234 • Email: phildy@promisehealthcare.com
San Antonio – Karen Pitcher
Phone: 210-921-3562 • Email: kpitcher@promisehealthcare.com
San Diego – Megan Hayashi
Phone: 619-582-3800 • Email: mhayashi@promisesandiego.com
SE Texas – Jondralyn Hamilton
Phone: 409-726-8703 • Email: jhamilton@promisehealthcare.com
Vicksburg – Mike Harrell
Phone: 601-883-3445 • Email: mharrell@promisehealthcare.com
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CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
A Wellness Message From
Promise Healthcare
As part of its 2010 National Patient Safety Goals released earlier this
year, The Joint Commission is increasing efforts to reduce the risk of
health care associated infections. A big part of this effort is focused
on the implementation and use of hand hygiene guidelines from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Staying ahead of the curve, Promise Healthcare introduced its Wellness
Message Campaign in Fall 2009. Titled “Handwashing is Good
For Your Health”, the campaign focused on the preventive measures
of frequent handwashing for illnesses and infections.
Posters were hung throughout the Promise hospitals as well as in
local physician offices as a reminder of the importance of handwashing.
Physician offices were also supplied with informative rack cards
and Promise branded hand sanitizers from our PRE representatives.
Promise’s Wellness Campaigns create unique opportunities for our
PRE staff to keep Promise Healthcare top of mind to our physicians
and referral sources while providing them with useful and relevant
information for their patients.
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Continued from Page 1
Promise Hospital of Miss Lou Gives Back To One Of Their Own
Promise Hospital of Miss Lou recently participated in the construction
of a Habitat for Humanity home for one of its employees. Michelle
Mayfield has been a Certified Nursing Assistant at Promise since July
09. Excited about her new home, she had been working tirelessly
alongside volunteer crews. When Promise learned of Michelle’s plight,
a group of employees quickly got together and spent a day working on
Michelle’s future home. Lee Huckaby, CEO of Promise Hospital of
Miss Lou, commented, “I am very excited that we could be a part of
helping an organization that has made such a difference here locally and
across the world. At the same time, we are able to help one of our own
employees. What a blessing!”
Promise Hospitals Support Local Centers
In 2009, Promise Hospital of Salt Lake set out to make a
difference for the families at the Children’s Justice Center.
The Center is a homelike facility which serves children and
families who are experiencing the crisis and chaos that comes
with the disclosure of significant physical or sexual abuse of a
child. Throughout the year, staff participated in fundraising
activities ranging from donation jars to bake sales, and a chili
cook off. Collectively they raised $1,500. Senior Leadership at
Promise Hospital of Salt Lake added another $1,000 to make
a total contribution of $2,500 for the Center. Members from
the Employee Council were able to supply almost every item
listed by the children on their holiday wish list, plus additional
bikes, helmets and locks for the children. The families were
overwhelmed with tears of gratitude as the gifts were delivered.
“My family has never had a Christmas like this,”expressed one
mother.
Promise Hospital of Southeast Texas made a monetary donation and gave
gifts to The Hospitality Center in Port Arthur. The Hospitality Center is
an organization that feeds and shelters the homeless. They also donated
several boxes of food to their local food bank.
At Promise Healthcare we take great pride in our communities and value
every opportunity to give back and make a difference in the lives of our
patients, their families and our neighbors. Promise would like to thank all
of those who gave so generously of their time, talents and means in order
to make the 2009 holiday season special and memorable for so many.
Keep up the good work … and keep making a difference!
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WHAT’S NEW
Promise Healthcare Launches New Website
Promise Healthcare has launched our new and upgraded website. While the
site keeps the same web address (www.promisehealthcare.com), it provides
dramatic improvements in navigation, appearance and accessibility.
Most importantly, it provides viewers with an inside look at “all things
Promise”, serving as an online brochure for our hospitals. It explains how
and where we fit on the healthcare continuum, what patients can expect at
our hospitals, and outlines our mission and values. Whether the visitor is a
patient, family member, doctor, case manager, referral source, someone else
who might otherwise be associated with Promise, or the general public, they
will find the new website informative and helpful in understanding the important
role Promise Healthcare plays in treating life’s most serious illnesses
and injuries.
In making the Promise Website more visitor friendly, not only have we
created a new look, we have also added several new features.
• Visitors can view “up close and personal” video testimonials from
patients, their families and hospital staff, all talking about the quality
of care we provide to our patients and the support we give to their
families.
• Another new home page feature is a news feed linked to WebMD, the
leading website for consumer healthcare information. Through this
portal, visitors can access timely healthcare information and news
that is updated by WebMD regularly. By providing visitors with easy
access to useful healthcare information in general as well as information
about our LTACs, we encourage them to return to our website.
We have also upgraded the Careers component on our website. Not only
can we update our job postings more quickly and easily than previously,
candidates can now apply online directly to each facility and/or through the
corporate site for job openings.
The corporate site also provides a link to the updated sites for each facility
where facility specific information is presented.
“i-Promise”, the intranet site for employee communication and information,
is also being updated and upgraded and will soon be available through the
Corporate site.
Now, when someone asks you about Promise, after you have answered their
question, you can direct them to the new Promise website to get the Promise
story. If you haven’t visited it yet, go now! It is ready to be shared with your
colleagues, friends and community members!
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