 A Blog from Gene Woods for SJHS Employees
June 1, 2010
This week I had an opportunity to round in London and Berea.
With the grand opening in London for our new facility less than 60 days away, it is amazing how well the team has worked together to build what will be one of the finest hospitals in any rural community in the country. In the past couple years, London has demonstrated some of the best quality scores in the nation, phenomenal climate assessment scores, and excellent stewardship. Soon the community will have a hospital that looks as excellent from the outside, as the care provided on the inside.
Below is a picture of Ginna (President), Peggy (CNO/COO); and Robert (VP Finance and Business Development) inside of the chapel being built. The cross will soon be adorned with beautiful stained glass. I really can't wait until it opens and couldn't be more proud of Ginna and the team in London for what they have accomplished.
 And if you haven't visited Saint Joseph - Berea recently, I would encourage you to do so! It seems like a completely different place with beautiful artwork from the community throughout the facility (including patient rooms). They also have an artist in residence program to help patients express themselves creatively through art - a very holistic approach to healing. And recently the executive team created crosses out of broken chards of pottery and worked with Berea College students who created the woodwork which displays our values. There inscription reads that "Jesus wants to take the broken pieces of our lives. He wants us to gather them up, bring them to Him and let Him take them and touch them with His amazing healing power." What an inspirational message to patients and employees alike.
But in addition to the healing environment being created, there have been some wonderful new services that have just launched including the Saint Joseph Wound Center, Saint Joseph Senior Renewal Center and the Berea Health Ministry. Kudos to Greg and the team for leading Berea through a transformation!
March 24, 2010
This has certainly been a week of new beginnings!
This morning, we celebrated the opening of The Women's Hospital at Saint Joseph East. This hospital is a shining example of the wonderful things that result when our physicians, our patients, and our employees all collaborate to design the ideal healing environment in which to celebrate new life.
Over the course of the year we will have many new beginnings such as we had today with the opening of The Women's Hospital. Later this summer we will launch our comprehensive cancer centers in both Lexington and Bardstown; and in the fall our new Saint Joseph - London medical center we will open; followed by our brand-new hospital in Mount Sterling next year.
It is fitting that this past Friday was a day of Solemnity for Saint Joseph. Our vision is that whenever the communities we serve see our system's namesake, Saint Joseph - who was the protector of the Holy family - that we too are seen as protectors of our patients so that they feel safe and cared for as part of our family.
And as we celebrate these new beginnings, we also celebrate this historic day in the signing of health care reform law that marks a new chapter in our industry.
As I watched the intense and passionate debate over the Bill in the House of Representatives on TV, my nine-year-old asked me what all the yelling was about. Try explaining an extraordinarily complex health care reform bill to a nine-year old!
What I told him was that half the country wanted healthcare reform to pass and half did not. Those that did were very concerned with all those people who do not have the money to take care of themselves or their family when they got sick, and felt that this would help them. Those who were against it were very concerned that it would eventually cost so much money that it would lead to people not having enough jobs. But I shared that both sides were just as concerned about how things would be in this country when he and his friends grew up.
As a Catholic organization, we clearly we support strengthening the language with respect to clarifying that no public monies can go to fund abortions. We also clearly support the fact that 32 million Americans in this nation, or 400,000 Kentuckians, will now have access to life saving care irrespective of their ability to afford it.
Jesus said, whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me.
From the very first day we were founded by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and of Cincinnati, we have always lived by that as our creed, through caring for the poor and the very "least" among us.
Now the entire nation has the opportunity to do so.
November 21, 2009
The current edition of Modern Healthcare includes an article that talks about how a few well-publicized cases of medical errors have led those hospitals to transform how they approach patient safety. The article highlights a story of a 15 year old at a hospital in Charleston, who complained of belly pain after his elective surgery, and how his mother tried to have his care escalated but no one listened. Tragically, that 15 year old, Lewis Haskell, died from a perforated ulcer that caused internal bleeding.
My point is that we at Saint Joseph, notwithstanding our national reputation for quality excellence, are no exception to the stories of patients that have had bad outcomes that were preventable. And each of those patients has a name and was beloved just like Lewis Haskell.
So while I take comfort, for example, knowing that our hand washing rates are at 90% when the average among others hospitals is sadly below 60%, I have to ask, why not 100%. I tell my sons to wash their hands EVERY time before dinner - and not that it is OK if they only do it 90% of the time.
One infection caused by forgetting to wash one's hands, putting it as candidly as possible, can lead to someone's death; as can the failure to treat a time-out before surgery as a sacred and holy moment; as can not calling our rapid response team when your gut tells you something doesn't quite seem right with a patient.
Could this thing called culture have anything to do with it? I assert it can and does.
One of the key elements of our culture is reverence and respect for each other and our patients. Anything taken to extreme can be problematic, and in this regard, we sometimes fall into what is referred to as "Catholic nice". But when it comes to patient safety we can not mistake being polite and nice with importance of speaking directly (though respectfully) to others who are not following best practices. Our commitment born out of reverence for those who have entrusted their lives to us means we must have the type of conversations that lead to a culture free of preventable errors. Difficult...yes. Impossible? Not at all. We have done it before by eliminating ventilator acquired pneumonias in most of our intensive care units. In fact, our goal is to eliminate all preventable errors within 3 years.
That is what I believe a Culture of Safety means.
Going back to my hand washing example, when you see a co-worker or physician or administrator not wash their hands, do you point it out directly and clearly? When someone seems distracted during "time-out" do you remind that person of the sacredness of the moment; when a patient or their family expresses a concern, however vague, do you truly listen and seek to understand?
I know that we do it most of the time...a "Culture of Safety" to me means that we reliably do it ALL of the time.
This year we will be launching standardized evidence based practices at all our hospitals because the unfortunate reality is that some processes in hospitals are no more reliable than baggage claim in an airport.
This and the other initiatives we will be rolling out this year are key to our journey of becoming a reliably great organization ALL the time.
These are vitally critical initiatives for us on our journey to being a reliably great organization all the time. But the glue that holds this together is our culture and how each of us acts daily to protect the lives entrusted to us. As a faith based organization, it is both our vocation and avocation.
I could fill a book with all of the wonderful stories I hear about the lives each of you have touched and healed whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually. But there are still too many chapters where we didn't get it quite right.
I am asking each of us to recommit today to a "Culture of Safety" first, and if you see ANY unsafe practice, you are empowered to address it directly or immediately escalate to your supervisor.
Act as if what each of you does matters every single day....because it does. Truly.
August 21
Healthcare reform is currently the most discussed topic in Washington, the media and homes across the country. With all of the misinformation that is out there, it is sometimes difficult to make sense of what impact the reform will have on all of us. As Saint Joseph Health System, and as part of CHI, we are working closely with many involved in the process to strengthen our health care system in this country.
Universal access has been the number one legislative priority of CHI (Catholic Health Initiatives) and Saint Joseph Health System since we were founded. Last year, the President of CHI, Kevin Lofton, was also the chair of the American Hospital Association, and launched the Health for Life initiative which had "Health Coverage for All - Paid For By All" as one of its primary goals. So it is exciting that we seem to be closer to healthcare reform than ever before and that it is receiving the priority attention it deserves.
We at Saint Joseph Health System have all seen firsthand how devastating it can be for a family when a loved one can't afford to see a doctor. And there are millions of people in that situation. In fact, the Surgery on Sunday program that we have supported provides free surgery for those who can't afford it. Otherwise, they can end up in our emergency rooms with much more severe conditions. So we are doing our part, but the need in the country and Kentucky remains profoundly underserved. The bottom-line is that we are the richest country in the world, but the only developed nation without universal coverage for its citizens. I strongly believe that access to quality health care should definitely be a right; not a privilege.
That said, many are justifiably concerned over costs. The American Hospital Association and Catholic Health Association have voluntarily agreed to a 155 billion dollar reduction in reimbursement for hospitals over ten years, which will mean 2.8 billion dollar less for Kentucky Hospitals. So we are doing our part as hospitals on the cost side for the larger good, and hopefully insurance companies and others will too. At the same, we don't want to make false promises to the uninsured regarding increased access while crippling the very hospitals who will have to care for 50 million more people. So it will be a very delicate balance to go about health reform in the right way without unintended consequences.
I encourage each of you, as healthcare employees, to stay informed with accurate information about the proposed plan, and talk with your family, friends and neighbors throughout the process. Americans agree that we need reform in healthcare, and it is my hope that we can reach a solution that is equitable to all.
July 27
During my visit to Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling a couple weeks ago, I was able to celebrate the many improvements that the wonderful team has made over the last year.
As you read in inCommon, Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling was recently selected to receive a Kentucky Hospital Quality Program "Successful Practice Program Award" for their approach to Total Joint Care. The need was identified for a patient-centered, multidisciplinary team approach for total joint replacement care due to the diverse population served by the hospital. While building the program, key team members visited Saint Joseph East for knowledge sharing of best practices. This is another perfect example of how Saint Joseph Health System continues to strengthen as a family with the ultimate goal of the best quality care for our patients.
As I spent time with the team that day, they also told me about the incredible work around reducing day of surgery cancellations. From 2007 to 2008, Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling reduced cancellations by 83%. Another tremendous effort by the family of employees and physicians at Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling!
The team at Mount Sterling has also been very successful in the 11 a.m. discharge initiative that we are currently working toward across Saint Joseph Health System. They worked together along with a physician champion, Dr. Butros (Hospitalist), and clearly outlined and communicated a plan to improve the success rate of the 11 a.m. discharge. This includes communicating early and frequently with the patients.
Finally, last week the President's and I had the opportunity to serve the employees a free meal for being the first to reach the 100% employee climate assessment participation rate. It was great to see all the smiling faces.
So in this blog note, I just wanted to congratulate our team there for all the good things going on!
June 8
During my recent visit to Saint Joseph - Jessamine RJ Corman Ambulatory Care Center, I had the opportunity to make rounds with Chris Bowe, Administrator. It is very exciting to see the pride that employees take in their beautiful new facility, and I wanted to mention a few of them specifically:
Tiffany Pelfrey and Carol Patterson are both Patient Access employees who came to Saint Joseph with airport experience. They both have a wonderful smile when they greet patients and according to Chris, they take customer service to a new level.
Today I had the opportunity to round at Saint Joseph - London and toured the new hospital we have under construction. As you can see from picture at the site taken today, notwithstanding the recent rain, the team there is making phenomenal progress. The hospital is truly beginning to take shape and will be quite impressive when it opens a little over a year from now.
While in London, I also joined the outdoor hospital week festivities which included some of the team doing karaoke. Believe me when I say we have some serious singing talent in London, and I look forward to buying the DVD of all the performances when it is put together as part of their fundraiser! Congratulations to "Estie Ella Vation and the Stentations" for being the first place winners with their version of “Thriller”! Can you guess by their name that it was the heart team? 
Early this week, we also held our Leadership Development Institute Conference on Stewardship. What shone were all the examples of successfully working together as a system across facilities. You will hear more about the highlights from your Presidents and Managers, including my friendly challenge regarding the upcoming climate assessment survey - which includes a free meal for the facility with the highest survey completion rates.
The final note to share is I recently was blessed to have been one of the CHI National representatives selected to attend the Catholic Health Association's Ecclesiology Program in Rome which included a visit to the Vatican to learn more about the responsibilities of lay leaders in Catholic health organizations. There were too many highlights to count, but among them was the opportunity to be just 10 rows from Pope Benedict XVI as he said Mass in Saint Peter's Square!
The Program was a reminder about the responsibility we all have to maintain spirituality in our work place and to use our God given gifts for the benefit of the communities we serve. One of the memorable quotes that resonated with me along these lines was "A Religion that ain't no good on Monday ain't no good on Sunday."
I am proud to be in an organization that lives our faith as demonstrated by how we care for each other and our patients every single day.
Thanks for all you do.
Emergency Department manager Melinda Stumbo showed me her impeccable communication board. She had a graph of the tremendous clinical improvements made since Saint Joseph – Martin achieved chest pain accreditation. For example, a year ago 26% of chest pain patients were getting aspirin on arrival and it was taking about 26 minutes on average to get the results from their EKG.
Fast-forward to today… 97% of chest pain patients are getting aspirin upon arrival with an average of an incredible seven minutes from door to EKG. When I asked the excellent team of clinicians (Dr. Helwani, Jenny Twiss, RN, Jan White, LPN, Lisa Little, RN, Lora Goble, Receptionist) what made SJM so special, they said first and foremost was their commitment to compassionate care. Jenny highlighted that sometimes patients with no insurance come in with their heads low - and that it is those patients that many times are surprised by the kindness that they are shown irrespective of their ability to pay. So in addition to high quality marks we are seeing in the ED in Martin... they are truly living our value of compassion. Yet another example of why Saint Joseph Health System is so special.
March 11
Today’s live system-wide town hall meetings are a first for Saint Joseph Health System. Through our videoconferencing technology, we can connect across the state on a regular basis to discuss issues that are important to all of us. In this same spirit of connecting all of us through technology, I felt that this was the perfect opportunity to also launch my new blog, “Words from Woods.” At least every two weeks, I will post an entry on this page that will highlight the work that the wonderful Saint Joseph employees are doing across the state. From time to time, I may also include some information on how the national economy and health care reform initiatives are affecting all of us at Catholic Health Initiatives, and specifically, Saint Joseph Health System. But most of all, I want this page to focus on the wonderful interactions that I have with many of you as I travel to all eight facilities within Saint Joseph Health System. There are many stories of collaboration across the system that I hope you are as inspired by reading them as I am when I hear about them.
One recent example of this collaboration is a critical situation with a vascular patient at Saint Joseph – Martin. The patient was transferred to Saint Joseph Hospital, and underwent a lengthy procedure with Drs. Halpin (who wasn’t on call at the time, but gladly accepted the patient) and Randhawa. If this isn't a shining example of the benefits of coming together, I am not sure what is! From the seamless transfer to a physician not on call, to the use of the best technology available...all to put the care of the patient above everything else. Wow!
These are the moments that we need to celebrate, appreciate, and recreate as real-life evidence of the value of being One. Speaking of the Value of One, following this post, you will see links to two new videos that I hope you will take few moments to view and enjoy. The first is the brand new Saint Joseph Health System video that celebrates our unique heritage and histories of all eight facilities, and how important it is that we came together. This video will be used in the new employee orientation process across the system. Additionally, there is a video from Kevin Lofton, CEO of Catholic Health Initiatives, who illustrates the importance of One CHI through details of the new CHI strategic plan.
Saint Joseph Health System Video
CHI Strategic Plan Video
March 27
I had a great visit today at Saint Joseph - Martin.
Kevin Cobb is the facilities supervisor and came to SJJ after working at Saint Joseph Hospital for many years. He has enjoyed the transition to a smaller campus and is working on the ‘finishing touches' as the facility nears completion of all projects.
Dan Andrews is the unit manager for the ED; Dan worked as a flight/trauma nurse in the past and has done a great job of building and maintaining relationships with the local life safety teams (police/fire/EMS). He was also the cook for a recent EMS cookout, which drew over 70 local life safety team members to the SJJ campus.
Saint Joseph - Jessamine also recently partnered with Jessamine Christian Church to hold the first Community Health Fair on the campus on May 30. It was a beautiful day, and the team estimates the crowd at more than 500. Congratulations to Saint Joseph - Jessamine on a very successful first six months!
May 15
It's been an exciting couple of weeks since I last connected with you on this blog and I wanted to share several of the latest updates on happenings within our system.
From left: Sheila Barnes, OR manager; Donna Rhodes, quality manager; Shelly Sanders, same day surgery manager; and Saint Joseph Health System CEO Gene Woods celebrated Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling's "Successful Practice Program Award."
November 12
This has certainly been a week of new beginnings!
This morning, we celebrated the opening of The Women's Hospital at Saint Joseph East. This hospital is a shining example of the wonderful things that result when our physicians, our patients, and our employees all collaborate to design the ideal healing environment in which to celebrate new life.
Over the course of the year we will have many new beginnings such as we had today with the opening of The Women's Hospital. Later this summer we will launch our comprehensive cancer centers in both Lexington and Bardstown; and in the fall our new Saint Joseph - London medical center we will open; followed by our brand-new hospital in Mount Sterling next year.
It is fitting that this past Friday was a day of Solemnity for Saint Joseph. Our vision is that whenever the communities we serve see our system's namesake, Saint Joseph - who was the protector of the Holy family - that we too are seen as protectors of our patients so that they feel safe and cared for as part of our family.
And as we celebrate these new beginnings, we also celebrate this historic day in the signing of health care reform law that marks a new chapter in our industry.
As I watched the intense and passionate debate over the Bill in the House of Representatives on TV, my nine-year-old asked me what all the yelling was about. Try explaining an extraordinarily complex health care reform bill to a nine-year old!
What I told him was that half the country wanted healthcare reform to pass and half did not. Those that did were very concerned with all those people who do not have the money to take care of themselves or their family when they got sick, and felt that this would help them. Those who were against it were very concerned that it would eventually cost so much money that it would lead to people not having enough jobs. But I shared that both sides were just as concerned about how things would be in this country when he and his friends grew up.
As a Catholic organization, we clearly we support strengthening the language with respect to clarifying that no public monies can go to fund abortions. We also clearly support the fact that 32 million Americans in this nation, or 400,000 Kentuckians, will now have access to life saving care irrespective of their ability to afford it.
Jesus said, whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me.
From the very first day we were founded by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and of Cincinnati, we have always lived by that as our creed, through caring for the poor and the very "least" among us.
Now the entire nation has the opportunity to do so.
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