CELEBRATING YEARS OF NCH - NCH Healthcare System

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NCH COMMUNITY NCH ranks among the top five percent in the country For the second year in a row, the NCH Healthcare System has been ranked in the top five percent of all hospitals in the nation for overall clinical excellence by HealthGrades, ® the independent Vince Foglia, whose donation made NCH’s quality healthcare interventional stroke program possible, receives rating service. award from Ed Morton “We are very, very pleased,” says Allen Weiss, M.D., President of NCH. “We are being recognized for continuing the journey of providing the highest quality care available.” For its annual study, “Hospital Quality and Clinical Excellence,” HealthGrades analyzed data on the diagnosis and treatment of 39 million Medicare patients hospitalized at 5,122 acute care hospitals for any of 26 conditions and procedures performed between 2002 and 2004. Such factors as the degree of patients’ illness and individual risk factors were taken into account, and adjustments were made so as not to penalize those hospitals treating a greater percentage of high-risk patients. HealthGrades determined that hospitals scoring in the top five percent of this study had a 27 percent lower risk of mortality for 17 of the 26 procedures and/or conditions, and lowered their mortality rates during the study period 36 percent faster than did lower-ranking hospitals. Moreover, patients at a facility in the top five percent had a 14 percent lower risk of post-operative complications associated with orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, vascular surgery, prostate surgery, and gall bladder surgery. In addition to the top five percent ranking for overall clinical excellence, NCH also received top marks for its cardiac, lung, and stroke care. This was the third year that HealthGrades so recognized NCH’s superior cardiac care. The additional recognition for lung and stroke care is an impetus for NCH to continue to improve across the board, Dr. Weiss believes. “These rankings have come about because of our standardization of processes—that is, finding the best way of treating diseases,” Dr. Weiss explains. “We are trying to do that in all areas. It is easier in some areas than in others, but we want to add more areas to this top five percent. Since 2004, we have broadened our excellence to three distinct areas, and we have proven we can achieve overall clinical excellence again and again. This is great news for the entire community.” NCH is one of only 277 hospitals nationwide to receive recognition as a “Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence.” The complete study is available on the HealthGrades website (www.healthgrades.com) for those who wish to view it. Health services continue as seminars wind down The free health seminars, presented by NCH Healthcare System and Collier County Medical Society, in cooperation with the Collier County Public Library System, come to a seasonal close in April. However, NCH continues to provide valuable health information throughout the year. Cholesterol and blood sugar screenings are available monthly for a nominal charge at the North and South Wellness Centers. Results are provided within 15 minutes. For more information and/or to schedule an appointment, call (239) 436-5430. Those looking for a physician may call the NCH Access Healthline at the same number or visit www.NCHmd.org, where profiles of NCH physicians are listed. The website also contains general health news, updates, and detailed medical information on a wide variety of clinical subjects. LOOKING FOR A PHYSICIAN? CALL THE NCH ACCESS HEALTHLINE (239) 436-5430 OR VISIT www.NCHmd.org 6 PROGRESSIVE MEDICINE • SPRING 2006
NCH COMMUNITY A physician’s gift of time, talent, and spirit Richard Roland, M.D., a specialist in critical care and pulmonary and internal medicine, exemplifies the “above-andbeyond” drive of NCH physicians and staff. On staff with NCH since 1996, Dr. Roland became Chair of the Critical Care Committee after only two years, willingly increasing his responsibilities. “My interest in serving on Dr. Richard Roland this committee stemmed from wanting to ensure the unit runs with maximum efficiency and a high quality of care,” Dr. Roland explains. The success of his efforts is reflected by the HealthGrades ® ranking, which once again named the NCH Healthcare System among the nation’s top five percent of hospitals for clinical excellence. Dr. Roland also contributes time as a member of the NCH Board of Trustees. Currently serving his second three-year term, he joined the board to offer a physician’s perspective on how the system can best meet its mission. “This is a true community hospital,” Dr. Roland says. “And it requires all members of the community, with all their different backgrounds and skills, to contribute to make it as good a place as it can be. Quality health care is a very important factor for quality of life, no matter where you live. And we have the best quality care in the world.” Because of that belief, Dr. Roland readily supports the capital campaign to expand the system—something he encourages everyone to do. “Our hospital is different from others,” he explains. “I am not just an employee. I am working for and with a hospital that started with the will of the community. “Everyone in our community has a stake in this hospital,” Dr. Roland continues. “It is important to volunteer your skills to make the healthcare system work. People giving whatever they can in time or resources is how we have been able to achieve what we have achieved.” Battling COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a term referring to two lung diseases, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and is characterized by an obstruction to airflow that interferes with normal breathing. These conditions frequently co-exist, therefore physicians prefer the term COPD. It does not refer to other obstructive diseases such as asthma. Smoking is the primary risk factor for COPD. Approximately 80 to 90 percent of COPD deaths are caused by smoking. Female smokers are nearly 13 times as likely to die from COPD as women who have never smoked. Male smokers are nearly 12 times as likely to die from COPD as men who have never smoked. Other risk factors of COPD include air pollution, second-hand smoke, a history of childhood respiratory infections, and heredity. Occupational exposure to certain industrial pollutants also increases the chances of contracting COPD. A recent study estimates that the fraction of COPD attributed to work is 19.2 percent overall and 31.1 percent among those who never smoked. What to watch for: The signs and symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) include: • Coughing • Sputum (mucus) production • Shortness of breath, especially with exercise • Wheezing (a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe) • Tightness in the chest A chronic cough and coughing up a lot of mucus are common signs of COPD. These often occur years before the flow of air in and out of the lungs is reduced. However, not everyone with a cough and sputum production contracts COPD, and not everyone with COPD develops a cough. The severity of symptoms depends on how much of the lung has been destroyed. If one continues to smoke, damage to the lung occurs faster than for one who stops smoking. What to do: If you notice any of the preceding warning signs, contact your physician. To help detect COPD, the doctor will evaluate your medical and smoking history. If the diagnosis is COPD, he or she will want to learn what stage the disease is in before planning a course of treatment. Source: American Lung Association www.NCHmd.org • PROGRESSIVE MEDICINE 7
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