Download Stethoscope, Holidays 2011 - Enloe Medical Center

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YOUR EXPERIENCE IS OUR NO. 1 PRIORITYAt Enloe Medical Center, our goal is togive each patient a high-quality experiencewith compassionate and cost-effective care.We have an opportunity to find out howsatisfied our patients are with their healthcare experience at Enloe via the HealthcareConsumer Assessment of HospitalProviders and Systems (HCAHPS) survey,which is the national standard for collectingpatients’ perspectives on care. Randompatient surveys at Enloe placed us in thetop 25 percent of the nation’s hospitals thissummer. Over the past four years, we havemade double-digit advances in our abilityto satisfy patients. This incredible leap inresults is outstanding, and every employeeand physician at Enloe can be proudof this fast progress. We appreciate thetremendous support from our communityfor recognizing, through their surveys,the care that each employee and physicianprovides.In this issue of Stethoscope, we highlighta few of the many ways that we work toensure that top-quality patient experience.We do it in traditional ways, such as withthe latest and greatest medical technologylike our new linear accelerator forcancer care, as well as through variouscertifications, such as our Stroke Centeraccreditation.We also use less traditional – but no lesseffective – methods to provide a nurturingenvironment that promotes healing of thebody, mind and spirit. Our animal-assistedtherapy and PAWS volunteer programs arewonderful examples. These two programshelp alleviate the fear and anxiety thatsome patients feel in a hospital setting byintroducing them to specially trained dogsthat offer physical therapy and emotionalcomfort. Read more on page 4.We hope to continue to make improvementsto patient care over the years – but onething we’re committed to keeping thesame: our steadfast focus on you.Mike WiltermoodPresident/Chief Executive OfficerPowerful cancer caretechnology to be unveiledStethoscope is published by EnloeMarketing and Communicationsand the Enloe Foundation for friendsof Enloe Medical Center throughoutNorthern California.Laura Hennum, Vice President,Professional Services andBusiness DevelopmentChristina Chavira,Communications SpecialistMark Thau, PhotographyThomas Del Brase, PhotographyFor additional copies or information,or to be removed from this mailinglist, please call Enloe Marketing andCommunications at 530.332.6745.This publication does not constitute professionalmedical advice. Although it is intended to beaccurate, neither the publisher nor any other partyassumes liability for loss or damage due to relianceon this material. If you have a medical question,consult your medical professional. Images may befrom one or more of these sources: ©Thinkstock,©iStock, ©Fotolia. ©2011 Enloe Medical CenterPhysicians on Enloe’s Medical Staff areindependent licensed practitioners notemployed by the medical center.Printed on recycled paper10% post-consumer waste.The Enloe Regional Cancer Center’s RadiationOncology department is undergoing a $4 milliontechnology upgrade. A new state-of-the-art linearaccelerator will be available for use in December.And recently implemented software enables faster,more targeted treatment planning.“The new linear accelerator delivers a faster doserate than most typical linear accelerators, and cantarget tumors even as they move and change overtime,” says Michael Baird, MD, Executive Directorof the Enloe Regional Cancer Center. It can reducetreatment times by at least 50 percent.Enloe will be the fifth medical center in California tooffer this new system, called TrueBeam TMfrom Varian Medical Systems. It is also availableat Stanford Hospital, Sutter Medical Centerin Sacramento, U.C. San Diego and UCLAMedical Center.Linear accelerators deliver X-rays to a tumor todestroy cancer cells while sparing the surroundingnormal tissue. The new machine will replace oneof the two linear accelerators at the center andwill add new services that previously requiredout-of-the-area referral.TrueBeam offers a different approach to treatingcancer. It features a built-in CT scanner thatA new linearaccelerator helpsreduce treatment timesand more accuratelytarget tumors.enables moreprecise radiationtherapy. A CT scanis conducted prior toeach treatment, and the machine automaticallymoves the patient to the exact position to targetthe tumor. Precision of the system is measuredin increments of less than a millimeter. Improvedaccuracy can shorten the duration of a course oftreatment from weeks to days.At the Enloe Regional Cancer Center, medicaldirector Dr. Grace Yuh and radiation oncologistDr. Anne Dawson diagnose, treat and managecommon cancers and unusual and rare tumortypes. They administer treatments with closecollaboration of radiation therapists, nurses,physicists, dosemetrists and other staff membersat the Cancer Center. Learn more about theEnloe Regional Cancer Center’s services atwww.enloe.org/cancer or call our CancerAccess Line at 530.332.3808. z2 Stethoscope - HOLIDAYS 2011
PATIENT SATISFACTION, STROKE CARE, BABY CARE AND FLIGHTCARE GARNER RECOGNITIONEnloe delivers high-quality patient experienceAt Enloe Medical Center, our unwavering focus on providing a high-qualityexperience for patients has recently been recognized in the following ways.PATIENT SATISFACTION LEAPS DRAMATICALLYEnloe Medical Center has reached a milestone in patient-centered care.In four years, our patients’ satisfaction rating has risen dramatically: fromthe 2 nd percentile nationally to the 75 th percentile nationally. That puts ourmedical center in the top 25 percent of hospitals in the nation in terms ofpatient satisfaction. For fiscal year 2011, we were in the top 36 percent.These rates are based on a random survey of inpatients who have beendischarged home. The survey, which federal law requires hospitals to give,is called Healthcare Consumer Assessment of Hospital Providers andSystems (HCAHPS), pronounced “H-Caps.” It asks patients if they had goodcommunication from physicians and nurses, if their room was clean andquiet, and if their pain was appropriately managed, among other questions.STROKE CENTER RECEIVES ACCREDITATIONEnloe Medical Center has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal ofApproval TM for certification as a Primary Stroke Center. The certificationmeans Enloe has proven its ability to provide effective, timely care tostroke victims. For the third consecutive year, Enloe also received theAmerican Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s 2011 Get WithThe Guidelines ® -Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The awardrecognizes our commitment and success in implementing excellent care forstroke patients, according to evidence-based guidelines. Quick and expertcare can significantly improve outcomes, so getting immediate care – ideallyat a certified stroke center – is vital. See “Signs of Stroke” at right. Enloe isthe first hospital in Butte County to receive this accreditation.BABY-FRIENDLY HOSPITAL DESIGNATIONEnloe is proud to announce that we’ve earned certification from the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, a program of the World Health Organization(WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Thisdemonstrates that Enloe’s policies and practices create the best possibleenvironment for mothers to successfully breastfeed their babies.“In California, approximately 90 percent of mothers enter a birthing hospitalwith the goal of exclusive breastfeeding. Yet by discharge the number ofinfants being breastfed exclusively drops to approximately 50 percent,” saysCathy McLendon, BSN, IBCLC, lactation consultant. “Most new parents areaware of the profound benefits of breastfeeding for the infant’s as well as themother’s health. But they often need skilled guidance in the beginning toassure success.”SIGNS OF STROKELearning the signs of stroke can save a life or help prevent a disability.If you think you or someone you are with is having a stroke, it’s importantto act FAST and call 911.Face – Ask the person to smile. Does the face look uneven?Arms – Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift down?Speech – Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase, for example,“The sky is blue.” Does their speech sound strange?Time – If you observe any of these signs, then it’s time to call 911.ENLOE FLIGHTCARE RECERTIFIEDAccreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of MedicalTransport Systems (CAMTS) of Enloe’s ambulance helicopter wasrenewed in October. The accreditation of Enloe FlightCare recognizesthat the service provides highly skilled flight nurse and paramedic teamsto care for adult and pediatric patients.The air ambulance service touches many lives by responding to medicalemergencies in the growing mountain communities surrounding Chico,including those in Butte, Tehama, Glenn, Plumas, Colusa, Sierra, Yuba andparts of Lassen counties. zNEW PATIENT TOWERTO OPEN IN 2012UPPER CRUSTCOMING TO ENLOEThe medical center is abuzz withexcitement over the forthcomingopening of our new patient towerat 5 th and Magnolia Avenues. TheMagnolia Tower is a five-story,191,000-square-foot building with233 patient rooms, a surgical centerand new medical equipment as wellas beautiful touches designed tocomfort our patients and visitors. Weare planning a grand opening in early 2012.We will communicate the exact date of the opening, which will include a community healthfair, at www.enloe.org and in the media. After the tower opens, we will immediately beginconstruction to greatly expand our Emergency Department.In the first extension of its popular downtownlocation, Upper Crust will offer fresh fareand respite for guests and hospital staffalike inside our Magnolia Tower. The cafeis expected to open after the new tower’sgrand opening. It will be located just off themain lobby and have indoor and outdoorseating. Co-owners Laura Powers and RebeccaShadd and general manager Eric Brooksare currently developing a special menu.“We want to create a welcoming space foreveryone,” says Powers. Upper Crust will be inaddition to the existing Allspice Café in thebasement of the medical center.www.enloe.org 3
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