Caring for the whole person

Ascension Takes A Holistic Approach To Care For Those With Diabetes

Ascension is dedicated to engaging the persons we serve by providing seamless, holistic care across their health journey. For those living with diabetes, this approach to care is essential in improving their health not only today, but in the years to come.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 37 million people in the U.S. live with diabetes. And 96 million adults — or more than 1 in 3 — have prediabetes.

Diabetes is a complex group of diseases marked by high blood glucose due to the body’s inability to make or use insulin. Left unmanaged, it can lead to serious complications, including heart disease, stroke, hypertension, blindness, kidney disease, disease of the nervous system, amputations and premature death.

Last fiscal year, Ascension achieved its short-term clinical priority goal to strengthen care for the whole person for Ascension Medical Group (AMG) patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The goal aimed to provide holistic care by focusing on a comprehensive measure set for diabetes including hemoglobin A1c testing, hemoglobin A1c control, controlling high blood pressure, statin use and kidney disease monitoring.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Ascension exceeded its goal and saw an increase of 4.8% compared to the previous year. This equated to more than 8,504 AMG patients successfully meeting all the measures in our diabetes standard of care composite.

“To be successful in diabetes care, we must consider additional facets in addition to closing gaps in care,” said Melinda Mackey, Senior Director, Quality, Ascension. “Proper diabetes management is essential to not only controlling blood glucose, but to reducing risks for complications and ultimately prolonging life. By taking a holistic approach to care, we can help our patients better self-manage their diabetes, take their medications as prescribed, eat healthier, quit smoking and reduce barriers to resources.”

A team approach is a key driver in ensuring success. This team may include a patient’s AMG primary care clinician, specialists, a social worker, a care manager and a pharmacist.

“For many of our patients, a diabetes diagnosis is life changing,” said Tricia Killingsworth, RPh, National Director of Pharmacy

Services Integration, Ascension. “It is a chronic condition that requires a dedicated care team to help our patients navigate the disease. Managing their medications such as statins, insulin and other chronic medications is a large component of this work.”

Rebecca Hopper, PharmD, BSPharm, BCACP, CDCES, BCADM, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, AMG Tennessee, is one of many pharmacists at Ascension dedicated to delivering care for persons with diabetes.

“As pharmacists, we play a pivotal role in supporting our patients, especially in the time between visits with their doctor,” Dr. Hopper said. “With the help of virtual care, we are now providing real-time feedback to help our patients adhere to their medications. We check in on how they are feeling, update dosing as appropriate and connect them to resources to help them better self-manage their disease.

“Recently, one of my patients shared with me that she was not taking her medications because she could not afford it,” she said. “I was able to connect her to a patient resource program for Medicare members, which helped her obtain her medications. By addressing barriers to her care, we helped decrease her A1c level, or her average blood glucose level, from 11% to 6.8% — roughly the healthy A1c level we aim to achieve for most of our diabetes patients.”

Addressing Social Determinants Of Health

Additionally, clinicians can refer patients to care management programs designed to help give them the confidence they need to self-manage their diabetes. For example, Ascension SmartHealth offers an enhanced disease management (EDM) program for members with diabetes. Care managers can help members recognize the signs of low and high blood glucose levels, provide nutrition coaching, assist with scheduling annual recommended screenings, and more.

SmartHealth member Keith Nelson was a recent participant who saw success with the program. He reduced his A1c level from 8.3% to 7.3% and lost more than 30 pounds during the four-month program.

“For more than 30 years, I have had diabetes,” Keith said. “As the EDM program was available at no extra cost to me through the medical plan, I had nothing to lose by enrolling. My care manager, Silvia Freyre, worked closely with me and held me accountable in achieving my health goals. She provided me with a positive mindset and offered healthy recipe ideas to help

Meet Marty

Example patient Marty has diabetes. By working collaboratively across care teams, Ascension clinicians can help Marty control 100% of these key diabetic health measures and provide high-quality and holistic care.

Diabetic retinal screening

Tobacco cessation

Hemoglobin A1c control

Immunizations (influenza and pneumococcal)

Kidney disease monitoring

High blood pressure control

Hemoglobin A1c testing

Medication adherence

Statin therapy

Foot exam

SHARE YOUR ‘MARTY MOMENT’

How are you delivering holistic care to help those with diabetes? Share your story by scanning the QR code at right.

HOLISTIC CARE

Patient has control of all measures

100% manage my nutrition. Since finishing the program, my A1c level continues to decline and I’ve lost more than 79 pounds now. My wife has also lost weight as we’ve made lifestyle changes together. Silvia’s help has made a huge difference in my life.”

SmartHealth members can learn more about the EDM program and how to enroll by visiting bit.ly/3LqOF7P.

“Our clinicians are not only treating the complications patients are facing today, but they are providing proactive care that will keep them healthy tomorrow, too,” said Maria Mupanomunda, MD, PhD, MBA, Director, Quality - Health Equity, Ascension.

Alabama

125th anniversary

Ascension St. Vincent’s marks 125 years as a ministry this year and began celebrations with a special Mass officiated by Bishop Steven Raica. Four Daughters of Charity were instrumental in opening Birmingham’s first hospital in 1898. Their calling was to build a hospital and healthcare community to ensure those living in poverty had access to lifesaving care. The hospital was named for St. Vincent de Paul, a Daughters of Charity founder.

BALTIMORE Healing Hands honorees

Ascension Saint Agnes held its Healing Hands Society ceremony and reception and inducted these doctors into the group’s 2022 class: Drs. Sambandam Baskaran, Damian Birchess, Robin Li and Robert Ross. This honorary membership group celebrates those who have excelled in clinical excellence, innovation, leadership and service to the community.

Leaders discuss challenges

Ascension Saint Agnes hosted a legislative breakfast on the state of healthcare and the challenges hospitals are facing. Attendees included some of Maryland’s top elected officials. Ascension Saint Agnes CEO Ed Lovern discussed the state of the hospital, especially the heroic work of the hospital’s 69 doctors listed in Baltimore magazine’s Top Docs as well as a collaboration with Morgan State University’s new medical school.

FLORIDA AND GULF COAST ER concierge program begins

Six Ascension Florida and Gulf Coast hospitals launched a concierge program to support emergency department patients who need follow-up care after discharge. The ER concierge can set up appointment reminders for patients and schedule transportation if needed. The program is available at no additional cost.

Living-donor kidney transplant program

Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola expanded its kidney donor program to include living donors. As the only hospital in Northwest Florida with a kidney transplant program, the expansion helps Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola continue to address a service need in the region.

Illinois

Vaccines for vulnerable persons

Hospitals throughout Ascension Illinois collaborated with local organizations to provide an estimated 3,000 flu vaccines at 100 different clinics from October to December. The effort helped meet the needs of the most vulnerable, for whom protecting themselves against the flu isn’t as easy as heading to the nearest pharmacy or doctor’s office.

Patients receive prayer blankets

For the 14th consecutive year, associates at Ascension Alexian Brothers worked with community faith organizations to create and distribute prayer blankets to hospital patients most in need.

Indiana

Ceremonies celebrate new facilities

A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Ascension St. Vincent Brain and Spine Hospital. A groundbreaking ceremony was also held for the Ascension St. Vincent West Lafayette micro-hospital adjacent to Purdue University in that town. This facility is the first development of what will become a larger medical complex focused primarily on outpatient care.

Team completes 100,000 procedures

The Ascension St. Vincent Heart Center Cath Lab team completed its 100,000th cardiac catheterization/ electrophysiology procedure since the Indianapolis hospital opened in 2002.

Police, security officers commissioned

Ascension St. Vincent is the first Ascension ministry with an in-house police department. Indiana was one of the first states to pass a statute allowing hospitals to have their own police departments.

Ascension Medical Mission

In collaboration with St. Monica Catholic Church in Indianapolis, Ascension St. Vincent held a successful Medical Mission event providing medical, dental and diabetes screenings and COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations, and distributing coats, winter accessories, boxes of food and personal care items.

KANSAS

Groundbreaking mitral valve replacement

A Hutchinson, Kansas, patient became the first person in the world to undergo a transcatheter mitral valve replacement addressing both severe mitral stenosis and mitral valve regurgitation using a new minimally invasive mitral valve replacement system. The procedure was performed at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis, one of only five centers worldwide selected to participate in a feasibility study of the system.

Center reaches safety milestone Wamego Health Center celebrated its fifth consecutive year without any serious safety events. “This is a huge accomplishment and I’m so proud of our team for being the reason we are able to celebrate this significant milestone,” said Brian Howells, hospital administrator.

MICHIGAN Medication take-back day

Ascension Genesys Hospital hosted a medication take–back day with an estimated 100 pounds of oral, liquid and topical medications, and controlled substance injectables and patches, collected.

Mammograms go mobile

Through the generosity of Ascension St. Mary’s Foundation, a $1 million mobile 3D mammography breast cancer screening center will begin to travel across the mid, northern and thumb regions of Michigan. The state-of-the-art clinic on wheels helps early detection of breast cancer, which is prevalent in rural communities without access to mammography services.

Dr. Nishtha Sareen recognized

Nishtha Sareen, MD, MPH, FACC, interventional cardiologist and Medical Director for the women’s heart health program in Ascension Michigan, was named to the 2022 Crain’s Detroit Business 40 under 40 leader list.

Trauma Day event

The Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital Trauma department, Emergency Services and Surgical Services held their first Trauma Day. To create a collaborative experience and day of learning, 40 medical residents from the emergency room and surgery, midlevel providers, and medical students attended lectures and hands-on stations.

BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK

New pavilion opens Lourdes held a ribbon cutting for the new Lourdes Pavilion Health Center. The center offers primary, specialty and urgent care, lab services, imaging, and rehabilitation. A full-service drive-thru pharmacy will open later in 2023.

Oklahoma

Nurses honored Ascension St. John nurses were honored at the Great 100 Nurses of Oklahoma celebration: Liz Bell, Madison Cruise, Abelina Garcia Dean, Joni Randleman, Stacey Welch and Courtney Wolski. Nurses are selected for their concern for humanity, contributions to the profession of nursing and mentoring of others.

Security receives federal grant

Ascension St. John Security received three grants from the Department of Homeland Security. The grants will provide for mobile radios and camera monitoring systems for Ascension St. John Jane Phillips and Ascension St. John Broken Arrow and an interactive officer training system housed at Ascension St. John Medical Center, which will include instruction for active shooter response and peaceful resolution to critical events.

Tennessee

New facilities

Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown celebrated the opening of the new Surgery & Critical Care Tower and The Spine Institute. This event marked the most recent completion in the Midtown modernization that will distinguish it as a clinically and technologically advanced healthcare destination.

Foundation and community donation

Ascension Saint Thomas West and Midtown campuses received a $15 million donation from the Ascension Saint Thomas Foundation and community donors for investing in the long-term health of the Nashville community, which includes projects supporting oncology, the emergency department and mental health services.

Milk drop depot opens

The Mothers’ Milk Bank of Tennessee (MMBTN) and Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown opened MMBTN’s 15th Milk Drop Depot at the hospital’s Breastfeeding Clinic. MMBTN provides safe, pasteurized donor human milk to the most vulnerable babies.

Texas

Geronimo Rodriguez honored “CBS This Morning” featured the 40th anniversary of the College Assistance Migrant Program of St. Edward’s University in Austin, and Geronimo Rodriguez, Chief Advocacy Officer of Ascension Texas, was included. More than 30 years ago, while a migrant worker, Geronimo was chosen for a scholarship to attend St. Edward’s, changing the trajectory of his life. During national and local CBS stories, Geronimo talked with gratitude about his journey through undergraduate and law school, cuidense (taking care of each other), and giving back. The Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce presented him with its Lifetime Award, which recognizes exemplary community leaders.

Ascension Providence recognized

Ascension Providence in Waco was named the state’s Large Employer of the Year by the Texas Workforce Commission and its Workforce Solutions partners.

Nurse training program

Ascension Texas is supporting The University of Texas at Arlington with a $150,000 gift to its Accelerated Online Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, designed to spread the impact of nursing. Students can complete their facultysupervised lab and clinical experiences through partner hospital systems and healthcare facilities around the country, allowing nursing professionals to earn degrees from the largest producer of registered nurses in Texas and one of the largest in the country.

Wisconsin

Dental services expand

Ascension Seton Dental Services opened a new urgent care location at Ascension St. Francis Hospital on Milwaukee’s South Side to provide services for children and adults who are uninsured and underinsured, and will open another facility on Milwaukee’s North Side.

Notable heroes in healthcare

BizTimes recognized the accomplishments of Ascension Wisconsin team members for making a positive difference on the front lines of healthcare. Its 2022 “Notable Heroes in Healthcare” included Brenda Buchanan, RN; Charles Kosowski, DDS; Karen Watson, MD; Bhupendra Khatri, MD; and Ascension All SaintsFamily Health Center.

Ascension Global Mission

Susan Huber appointed Board Chair

At its November 2022 meeting, the Global Solidarity Fund (GSF) Board of Directors approved the appointment of Susan Huber, President, Ascension Global Mission, to her second, three-year term on the board and elected her to her first, one-year term as Board Chair. Susan succeeds Anthony R. Tersigni, EdD, FACHE, who completed his second year as Board Chair. GSF was founded by Ascension through Ascension Global Mission and seven international foundations in 2019.

Ascension Investment Management

Impact investment funding achieved Ascension Investment Management successfully aggregated an additional $100 million from Catholic institutional investors to fund impact investments, which are intended to generate a beneficial social and/or environmental impact, while seeking a market-based return.

Ascension Living

Lionel Taylor honored Lionel Taylor, Assistant Administrator, Ascension Living Carroll Manor, was named an Infection Control Hero by DC

Health, the Department of Health for Washington, D.C. He was also honored by the Ceca Foundation for finding new and creative ways to promote the Ceca Award to staff and residents. The Ceca Award recognizes the work of exceptional caregivers in healthcare communities.

8 facilities among nation’s best Eight Ascension skilled nursing facilities were named by U.S. News and World Report as some of “America’s Best Nursing Homes.” “This designation is a testament to the dedication, personalized care and service provided by every member of our care teams, who are driven by a commitment to delivering quality care and living out our Mission,” said Lisa Musgrave, MHA, BSN, RN, Senior Vice President of Post-Acute and At-Home Services, Ascension.

Ascension Rx

Dual accreditation

Ascension Rx has received a second accreditation for its Specialty Pharmacy services in Michigan. Already accredited by URAC (formerly the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission), the pharmacy achieved accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care. Specialty pharmacies are designed to improve clinical and economic outcomes for patients with complex conditions.

Ascension Technologies

Ascension among ‘most wired’ Ascension was named a “Most Wired” healthcare organization by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives. Ascension received the Quality award and Level 8 certification in recognition of technology, data and experience strategies that expand access to care and improve health outcomes. The awards benchmark Ascension technology capabilities against 38,000 other national healthcare organizations.

Ascension Ventures

Senior investment team changes Ryan Schuler, a 20-year veteran of Ascension Ventures, was promoted to Senior Managing Director, Firm Lead. John Kuelper, with the firm since 2014, was promoted to Senior Managing Director and heads its healthcare IT investment practice. New Managing Directors are Sean Cheng, Pooja Goel and Taha Jangda.

Community Health Ministries

Seton Center welcomes Molly Turner Molly Turner was named Executive Director of Seton Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Molly has 20 years of experience in the nonprofit and public sectors. She previously served as Executive Director of the Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired in Kansas City.

The Resource Group

Providing inclusive supplies

The Resource Group’s ABIDE Council supports integration of the ABIDE hallmarks across initiatives and day-to-day business practices. The council’s work inspired a review of contracted personal and bedside patient care items (e.g., bandages, hair products, hygiene products) to promote inclusion by respecting differences across cultures and ethnicities. With review of 14 items complete, and additional items in process, The Resource Group aims to improve the patient experience by providing choice and comfort for each patient’s care journey.