july-august 2011 I Vol. 41, No. 7 - Mecklenburg County Medical ...

At the HospitalsMED-1 Helps Indian Hospitalin PhoenixCarolinas MED-1, CMC’s mobilehospital, was deployed in May for thefourth time in its history when it helpedPhoenix Indian Medical Center (PIMC)provide emergency care while the hospitalwas closed for renovation. Medicalpersonnel from PIMC cared for patientswith the assistance of advisors fromMED-1’s medical team.The medical center is part of the U.S.Dept of Health and Human Services’ IndianHealth Service and serves as a referralcenter for more than 350 tribes in Arizona,Utah and Nevada. The hospital buildingunderwent major electrical infrastructurereplacement, in addition to central sterilizerand air handler unit replacements thatsignificantly impacted hospital operations.MED-1 is the first mobile hospital thatwas developed and is owned by CMC. Itutilizes a 53-foot trailer with expandablepods that create a 1,000-square-footemergency department, featuring 14 beds anda two-bed surgical suite. It was previouslydeployed to Waveland/Bay St. Louis, Miss.,and New Orleans in the wake of HurricaneKatrina, as well as to Columbus, Ind.,following Midwest floods. It has providedcare for more than 10,000 patients.Kidney Treatment Programat Levine Children’s HospitalRanked in Top 50 byU.S. News & World ReportLevine Children’s Hospital (LCH) wasrecently ranked by U.S. News & WorldReport as being among the top 50 “BestChildren’s Hospitals” in the nation forpediatric care in nephrology. This is thesecond time LCH has been recognized inthe “Best Children’s Hospitals” rankings forexcellence in pediatric nephrology. LCH isthe only hospital in the Charlotte area, andone of only 76 hospitals nationwide, to berecognized in the 2011-2012 rankings.“We are proud of the work that ourphysicians and staff do every day to deliverthe highest level of care to patients,” saysLeonard G. Feld, MD, chief medical officerand chairman of Pediatrics at LCH. “It is aprivilege to be counted among a very selectgroup of peer institutions for this type ofclinical excellence.”According to Dr. Feld, the nephrologyprogram at LCH is distinguished by acomprehensive approach to the care ofchildren with kidney problems on aninpatient and outpatient basis. Since thehospital first opened in late 2007, thenephrology team has grown to include fivephysicians; nurses with specialization innephrology, dialysis and transplant; andother specialists. An LCH board-certifiednephrologist is available 24/7 to provideinpatient consultation and care. Thehospital also offers the only in-hospitalpediatric dialysis unit in the Carolinas.Mecklenburg EMS AgencyLaunches New ProgramAimed at Providing MoreOptions for PatientsOfficials with Mecklenburg EMSAgency (Medic), Carolinas HealthCareSystem, Presbyterian Healthcare andMecklenburg County recently launcheda patient-driven response program calledOMEGA. The OMEGA program givespatients with minor medical problemsmore options to better meet their specifichealthcare needs.The new program provides a safe,tested healthcare option that gives patientspresenting specific maladies a choiceto either speak with a nurse or continuetheir request for an ambulance response.OMEGA only will be offered to thosepatients who present minor injuries orillnesses and fall within a specific setof parameters. Medic never will denya patient an ambulance response; theprogram is designed to give patientswithin the community the right care at theright time.OMEGA utilizes a successful, establishednurse help-line system that has been inoperation for over a decade and is managedand staffed by both area hospital systems.Medic spent the past four yearsresearching OMEGA by collectingand analyzing data to ensure theprogram could be safely implementedin Mecklenburg County. Medic’sMedical Control Board, QualityManagement Committee and AgencyBoard of Directors reviewed andapproved the OMEGA research andMedic’s recommendations. Each ofthese oversight boards is comprised ofphysicians and administrators from bothhealthcare providers in MecklenburgCounty and the County Manager’s office.Carolinas HealthCare SystemReceives National OutstandingAchievement Award for QualityCancer CareFour Carolinas Medical Centerhospitals in Charlotte recently received theOutstanding Achievement Award from theAmerican College of Surgeons (ACoS)Commission on Cancer (CoC). The awardrecognizes CoC-accredited cancer programsthat demonstrate a continued level ofcommitment to providing excellence incancer care.Cancer programs at CMC, CMC-Mercy,CMC-Pineville and CMC-Universitycomprise the ACoS-CoC cancer networkthat received the award. This is the onlynetwork program in the Charlotte areaand one of only 90 cancer care programsnationwide to receive the OutstandingAchievement Award in 2011. All four ofthese hospitals are now part of LevineCancer Institute.The Institute, established in 2010, willserve as a catalyst in sharing preventivestrategies and best practices with CHSaffiliatedcare facilities across the regionto reduce cancer care disparities. Clinicalactivity at the Institute will focus onmulti-disciplinary care in conjunctionwith extensive educational and researchendeavors, including clinical trials.In 2009, CMC, CMC-Mercy, CMC-Pineville and CMC-University treated atotal of 4,664 cancer patients. Accordingto CoC officials, receiving care at a CoCaccreditedcancer program ensures a patientwill have access to the full spectrum ofcomprehensive cancer care. CoC-accreditedprograms also report data to monitor thequality of patient care delivered and toimprove cancer care outcomes at both localand national levels.12 July-August 2011 • Mecklenburg Medicine