Good Day Ascension - Spring 2019

Good Day Ascension For Associates of Our One Integrated Ministry

We’re listening VOICES OF THOSE WE SERVE INSPIRE CARE AND CAREGIVERS

INSIDE: AscensionConnect transforms healthcare delivery / Our patients share their thanks / Overcoming sepsis

Spring 2019

WELCOME

A word from our Sponsor

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ur ministry has consistently transformed itself to meet the needs of all we serve. I am inspired by the many creative ways that we make our transformation a reality. The core of this transformation is our shared Mission, to care for those people who are poor and vulnerable in our midst.

The impetus of our Mission-inspired Transformation calls us to listen with a renewed ear toward the needs of the individuals, communities and the whole environment in which we serve. As we take in and absorb what is needed, we can focus in a new direction.

In this issue, you will read about some of the approaches we have adopted as a way to ensure we remain receptive to those needs. On behalf of the Ascension Sponsor, I want to thank you for the ongoing role you play in helping us realize our profound Vision.

Sr. Mary Kay Hadican, CSJ — Chair, Ascension Sponsor

View from the Board

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he world is changing rapidly, and as it does, we encounter both countless challenges and opportunities. I am encouraged to see how we, as One Ascension, have come together to bring about the transformation of healthcare, as we continue to find new ways to sustain our Catholic health ministry.

During this time of unprecedented transformation, it is more important than ever to pace ourselves and listen carefully so we can compassionately hear the needs and ideas of others.

The Board of Directors is grateful that you answered the call to lead during this important time of Mission-inspired Transformation. May we draw upon our Values of Service of the Poor, Reverence, Integrity, Wisdom, Creativity and Dedication as we serve others and work together to find solutions to the complex concerns of our day.

Stephen Dufilho, CPA — Chair, Board of Directors

We’re listening

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appy spring, everyone. You may notice a theme that runs through this edition. The art and science of listening has become integral to our Ascension way. You’ll learn how Ascension is gathering the voices of the people we serve throughout our service line work. Knowing the value of physician well-being, you’ll read about Ascension Medical Group’s efforts to enhance the experience of providers. We also shed light on our market intelligence research and how we’re truly listening to consumers to ensure we provide the right message and the right care in the right place at the right time, as well as explore the Person and Family Engagement model and how listening has been so central to our success.

As always, we are listening and welcome your feedback at GoodDay@ascension.org.

Nick Ragone, Esq. — Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Ascension

Our Mission: Rooted in the loving ministry of Jesus as healer, we commit ourselves to serving all persons with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable. Our Catholic health ministry is dedicated to spiritually centered, holistic care which sustains and improves the health of individuals and communities. We are advocates for a compassionate and just society through our actions and our words.

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CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS Ascension Wisconsin leaders and associates discuss feedback from patients and families: clockwise from left, Faye Kamrath, BS, CNMT; Carmen Woods, BSN, RN; Heather Schimmers, MBA, BSN, RN, FABC; Monica Hilt; Mike Hofmann; Heather Willner, MSN, RN; and Loraine Carley, BSN, RN.

FEATURES 16 We’re listening Persons receiving care may not have clinical expertise or knowledge of healthcare administration, but they’re experts on what it’s like to be our patients. Learn why input from those we serve is important.

19 Voices of those we serve Bill, Jim, Trinka, Kara, Ryan and Dick share their gratitude for the compassionate, personalized care they received.

4 Mailbox Feedback from associates, and patients and families share letters of thanks to caregivers.

5 Inspiration Our Ascension Values form the character and substance of our culture, actions and service.

6 Up front Celebrations mark new names, logos in Kansas, Michigan and Wisconsin. … U.S. Surgeon General shares Ascension’s focus on social determinants of health. … Widespread adoption of a new tool is improving treatment of stroke. … Ascension Medical Group seeks to reduce physician burnout, boost engagement. … Marketing’s advanced research techniques discern what patients really want. … Ascension Living’s enhanced memory care services help residents with dementia.

14 Getting to know you

22 Ascension focuses on overcoming sepsis

Meet Baligh Yehia, MD, MPP, Chief Medical Officer, Ascension Medical Group.

Ascension is taking a System-wide approach against sepsis.

What is the best place to receive the healthcare you need, based on your health situation?

26 AscensionConnect: Creating the future of healthcare delivery Ascension provides a single point of contact for a variety of services that enhance the consumer experience.

Good Day Ascension For Associates of Our One Integrated Ministry

We’re listening VOICES OF THOSE WE SERVE INSPIRE CARE AND CAREGIVERS

INSIDE: AscensionConnect transforms healthcare delivery / Our patients share their thanks / Overcoming sepsis

On the cover:

15 Wellness now 29 News from the ministries What’s happening at Ascension’s health ministries, community health centers and subsidiaries.

35 The last word A few stories you might have missed from GoodDay.Ascension.org.

Spring 2019

Associates from Ascension St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Appleton, part of Ascension Wisconsin, asked former patients and family members what matters most when it comes to their care, then took the information to daily huddles so those closest to the patient can take meaningful action. Pictured, from left, clockwise: Heather Willner, MSN, RN; Alyssa Schommer, MBA, CPXP; Scott Fischer, RN; Alicia Evensen, MBA, M (ASCP)cm; Rob Johnson; Wendy Brickner, BS-MT(ASCP); Keochai Voung, BSN, RN; Cathy Vertz, BSN, RN; Alexis Annis, BSN, RN; and Heather Schimmers, MBA, BSN, RN, FABC.

Back cover St. Vincent Anderson Mission Coordinator Elizabeth Hart started a school-based weekend food program. It’s working.

SPRING 2019

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M AI LBOX

THE GOOD DAY ASCENSION TEAM WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU ABOUT WHAT YOU LIKE IN THIS MAGAZINE AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE EDITIONS. SEND YOUR LETTERS TO THE EDITOR TO GOODDAY@ASCENSION.ORG.

Letters from those we serve Your Pediatric ER team upholds the skill, professionalism, genuine kindness and concern for their patients that any parent could wish their child receive.

The initial registration personnel, triage nurse, my son’s primary nurse and the PA all showed genuine care and concern; all smiled, took the time to listen to my concerns and clearly verbalized a care plan for my son’s visit. Even through his cries (during insertion of an IV), the nurse was kind and reassured him. … All I could see on the faces of your team was love for the job!

Mother of patient, Sacred Heart Health System, Ascension Florida

My story is one of gratitude. I spent the entire water boil crisis as a patient at Seton Medical Center. For five days … I was bedridden and mostly helpless as I recovered. There was no potable running water. Chemical wipes, fluid sanitizers and other alternatives were employed as substitutes. My care never suffered. Seton staffers, from surgeons and nurses to maintenance, were outstanding. They were prepared, coping, and made the best of the circumstances that were undoubtedly very difficult for them to manage.

Patient of Ascension Seton Medical Center, Ascension Texas

… I am sorry that I could not make this more personal by remembering names, but please know I will forever remember their kindness. Thank you all so very

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much for helping my family and I get through this. And thank you for the tenderness and kindness you showed my sister who was the most caring, thoughtful person I have ever known.

She was scared to let go and scared to leave us all, especially her son, but you all helped her take that step and eased her pain. I hope you all have someone in your lives that treats you all with the kindness and love that you show to others.

Letter to St. Mary’s Healthcare, Amsterdam, New York

I attended all of the birth classes that the NewLife Center at Via Christi Hospital St. Joseph provides. My husband and I were very impressed with all that we learned. … I also cannot say enough about your Breastfeeding Clinic, where I spent many days of the first few weeks after having my baby. Deb was such a great help in the clinic and would even call to make sure everything was going OK if she hadn’t seen me in a few days. When my daughter wasn’t gaining weight, Toni and Deb came in to allow me to get a weight check on her. Having that support allowed me to be more successful with my breastfeeding experience.

We are so grateful for you and the help that you provide new moms.

First-time mom, Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph, Ascension Kansas/Oklahoma

… I showed up at the ER with extreme chest pain and EVERYONE did an amazing job of doing their job and taking care of me. They triaged me

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immediately and started ruling out what could possibly be wrong. I came in just before midnight … and was diagnosed via a CT scan with a Type A aortic dissection. … I was told over and over that if I had waited 30 more minutes, I would not be here.

Patient of St. Vincent’s Birmingham, Ascension Alabama

I want to thank the doctors and nurses at Ascension St. Mary’s Hospital who cared for me while I was sick in the hospital. The [Department of Veterans Affairs] transferred me to your hospital, and my experience was outstanding due to the caring and understanding staff.

Thanks a bunch!

Patient of Ascension St. Mary’s Hospital, Ascension Michigan

Each time I was in the ER, I was taken to a room immediately and taken care of by the best nurses and doctor, as well as the X-ray tech. Once in my room after being admitted, I had the best doctors, nurses, nurse assistants, housekeeping, dietary, respiratory therapists, X-ray techs (and I can’t leave out the lab lady, she never hurt me one time!). … The patient advocate did everything in her power to get oxygen approved by our insurance. …

I can’t brag enough about the care and kindness I received.

Patient of Jane Phillips Medical Center, Ascension Kansas/Oklahoma

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Deepening our Ascension Values as we listen to our stories

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his year, our Ascension community is celebrating and deepening our Values as a way of returning to our roots and embracing the future. Our Values capture the experience others have as we live our Mission and keep our promises to one another and to those we serve. Often the simplest encounters are where the Values are most deeply at work. One of our associates recently shared an experience that reflects what it means to live out our Values: “It’s important that you listen with your eyes and not just your ears. You look at people, look at their facial expressions, you watch whether or not they’re engaged, whether or not they’re interacting. And usually you can find out what’s wrong without them even having to say a whole lot. I had a staff member this morning that’s usually always very bubbly, always very bright, lively. And I said, ‘Let’s go get us a cup of coffee.’ But I found out that there were some other issues that were going on, and it was interfering with care. That’s the kind of person I want to be. I don’t want to be so caught up in the work that I forget why I’m here; it’s not just to take care of the patients, but it’s to take care of my team. Sometimes we can get so busy doing the work that we forget to interact with one another.”

— SONDREA AMBROSE, RN, NURSING ADMINISTRATION, ST. VINCENT’S BIRMINGHAM, ASCENSION ALABAMA

To see and hear Sondrea, go to ascension.org/GDAlinks Sondrea showed Reverence for her colleague by taking the time to honor the issues her team member was facing. With Integrity, she inspired trust by leading with compassionate care. Even in the simplicity of her invitation to coffee, she showed Dedication as she took time to support her team member.

This is what living our Values is about. They shape our “why” and define what we cherish as One Ascension — remaining steadfast alongside our Mission and Vision, empowering us to journey into the future with confidence, hope and inspiration.

Sometime this week, tell someone a story about an associate who inspired you to deepen your practice of our Values.

Service of the Poor: Generosity of spirit, especially for persons most in need Reverence: Respect and compassion for the dignity and diversity of life Integrity: Inspiring trust through personal leadership Wisdom: Integrating excellence and stewardship Creativity: Courageous innovation Dedication: Affirming the hope and joy of our ministry

SPRING 2019

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Top: Ascension St. Mary’s Hospital associates in Saginaw, Michigan, gather to celebrate and make a meaningful connection to what it means to be Ascension during the Christmas season.

Middle: Associates gather at Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph in Wichita, Kansas, with Ascension Executive Vice President of Mission Integration Sister Maureen McGuire, DC, (front row, third from left); Ascension Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Nick Ragone (first row, second person right of logo); and Todd Conklin, interim leader for Ascension Kansas (fourth person right of logo). This was the first of 10 One Ascension celebrations held across the state in February.

Bottom: Ascension Chief Executive Officer Anthony R. Tersigni, EdD, FACHE, and Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Nick Ragone join Ascension Wisconsin leaders and associates in celebrating the launch of Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s in Milwaukee.

Brand new ASSOCIATES CELEBRATE NEW NAMES, LOGO

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scension associates across three states have been celebrating the launch of the Ascension brand in their communities. As legal names change and signs are installed in Kansas, Michigan and Wisconsin, hospital staff are gathering to share what it means to be Ascension and connecting to our founding story, including reflecting on why our historical sponsors chose the trinity symbol logo and the name Ascension.

“The Ascension is the moment in Scripture when Jesus placed his ministry into the hands of his followers, sending them forth to be vessels of transformation,” Ascension Chief Executive Officer Anthony R. Tersigni, EdD, FACHE, said at a celebration in Wisconsin. “This is what our historic sponsors saw themselves

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doing with the creation of Ascension: entrusting us with the healing ministry they established so we can continue their Mission now and into the future.

This is our calling, and we are making that calling evident with a shared name across the country.”

There are already early signs that the Ascension brand is making a positive impact. Visibly connecting our care makes it easier for people to find us and access the care they need, and it also seems to be lifting quality perceptions.

According to Ascension’s market research, people who are aware of Ascension give our local cares sites higher quality scores. Ascension’s Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Nick Ragone, said that means our strategy

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is working, but our brand promise will always be kept one patient and one caring associate at a time.

“As One Ascension, we now speak with a unified voice with a single promise of compassionate, personalized care that is of the highest quality, the most affordable and the most accessible,” he said in Wisconsin. “It’s up to all of us — everyone across our integrated health ministry — to keep that promise every single day to the communities we are privileged to serve.”

Hospitals and care sites in Ascension Texas, Ascension Florida and Ascension Living are adopting their Ascension names now and will hold community celebrations as visible changes take shape. The rest of the ministries will soon follow.

UP FRONT

Building solid foundations U.S. SURGEON GENERAL SHARES ASCENSION’S FOCUS ON SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH

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Surgeon General Vice Admiral Jerome Adams, MD, MPH, interned at St. Vincent in Indianapolis, part of Ascension Indiana, early in his career. It was there that he and his peers learned that healthcare is more than an individual patient interaction, but an opportunity to lift people up in the environment in which they live. Dr. Adams returned to Ascension to share this message at the 2018 Leadership Convocation, where he spoke about improving the nation’s health by addressing social determinants.

“We know these factors — housing, transportation, education, jobs, access to healthcare, healthy food and safe neighborhoods — have a profound

impact on health behaviors,” Dr. Adams told the Ascension leaders assembled at the biannual meeting. “Everyone has a stake in the health of a community, and finding out what the needs are starts with being better listeners and servant leaders.”

“Dr. Adams challenged Ascension to find ways to build up the communities where we provide care by looking at the factors that cause health inequities, but to first listen to our communities — where those we serve work, live, play and pray,” said Tamarah Duperval-Brownlee, MD, MPH, MBA, FAAFP, Vice President, Care Excellence.

His message came at an opportune time as Dr. Duperval-Brownlee is leading efforts to reframe Ascension’s

community health efforts with closer alignment to healthcare delivery and achieving the aim of enabling individuals and communities to thrive.

“In engaging and meeting with community health leaders across our ministry, Ascension has identified an extraordinary opportunity to build a socially integrated system to address social and health inequities in our communities based on what our patients tell us they need,” Dr. Duperval-Brownlee said. “Community health is an integral part of healthcare delivery. It’s about ensuring that those we care for in our sites of care and the community have education and other resources readily available to help them achieve their goals, whether via referrals, navigation or partnerships.”

Dr. Adams also shares Ascension’s commitment to overcoming the opioid epidemic. He reflected on the need for understanding people in their limitations in overcoming addiction. To that end, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has compiled “Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Spotlight on Opioids” and an informational postcard.

To read Dr. Adams’ report and watch his presentation at the 2018 Ascension Leadership Convocation, visit ascension.org/GDAlinks.

U.S. Surgeon General Vice Admiral Jerome Adams, MD, MPH, addresses the 2018 Ascension Leadership Convocation.

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UP FRONT

When you need a miracle TRANSFORMING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH STROKE

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f you or a loved one has suffered a major stroke, you may have learned that caregivers can’t always offer compelling treatment options. In fact, for the better part of the 20th century, clinicians lacked effective remedies for acute ischemic stroke, a blockage in the arteries of the brain that is one of the world’s leading causes of death and disability.

Even the game-changing discovery of the clot-busting drug alteplase (commonly known as tPA) in 1995 yielded a drug that is not for every patient, has limited effectiveness against the worst strokes, and must be administered within a few hours.

Other than tPA, there have been few developments.

Fortunately, a new treatment has emerged that is transforming the way we care for stroke patients. Known as “mechanical thrombectomy,” the procedure involves highly trained subspecialists making a tiny incision, typically in the leg, and inserting clot-retrieval devices into the brain to open the blocked artery. When successful, the procedure is nothing short of miraculous. Patients who arrive at the hospital paralyzed and unable to talk may recover completely, returning home to be with their family.

“We began hearing there were new treatment options in the pipeline at the 2015 International Stroke Conference in Nashville,” said E. Frank Lafranchise, MD, Neurohospitalist, Saint Thomas West Hospital in Nashville, part of Ascension Tennessee. “For instance, the

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ability to safely put a catheter into an artery in the brain and pull a clot out to restore blood flow. Very, very exciting!

And now, we have studies that show this is safe and effective.”

Thrombectomy was initially believed, like tPA, to benefit only those patients who arrived at the hospital soon after their stroke. Just last year, new evidence emerged from clinical trials showing that select patients may benefit from this procedure much longer than initially thought. By using a technology known as RAPID to process perfusion imaging (a way of looking at the pattern of blood flow in the brain), critical clinical information that previously took 30 minutes to obtain could now reach the care team in 30 seconds.

This enabled clinicians to identify and successfully treat patients with the most severe types of stroke even as late as 24 hours after the beginning of symptoms.

Believing the treatment of stroke to be fundamental to our Mission of providing care for those who are poor and vulnerable, Ascension quickly embarked on aggressive deployment of this new technology.

Led by the Ascension Neurology Affinity Group and with the support of Ascension clinical leaders David Pryor, MD, and Ziad Haydar, MD, the ministry began identifying every hospital with a potential need for RAPID technology. In September 2018, Ascension Chief Medical Informatics Officer John Pirolo, MD, organized an implementation team led by Clinical Informatics Director Carol Joseph, RN, Ascension Clinical Research Institute; Clinical Products Director John Choriatis, Ascension Technologies; and Program Manager Johna Ledlow, Ascension Technologies Project Management Office, to deploy the infrastructure and software necessary to provide RAPID diagnostic capability in every Ascension facility that requested it. Their work will culminate this spring when RAPID technology becomes available in 66 Ascension hospitals.

“The RAPID project illustrates the impact of clinically led enterprise collaboration — an approach accelerated by our One Ascension journey. Clinical leadership identified a vital technology and, in partnership with stakeholders across Ascension, secured and deployed that technology across the nation’s

“ W hat just a few years ago was effectively a death sentence is now a curable disease. ... The technology can support virtual consultations for ministries that don’t have the needed subspecialists on staff.

Without this technology, emergent large-vessel occlusion would remain grossly undertreated at Ascension.”

— DANIEL GIBSON, MD, DIRECTOR OF NEUROINTERVENTIONAL SURGERY FOR ASCENSION WISCONSIN

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largest nonprofit healthcare system at significant cost savings and in a fraction of the time typically associated with large-scale enterprise solution implementation,” Dr. Pirolo said. “As a result, thousands of patients who trust their lives to Ascension will benefit in the decades to come.”

“Within seconds of a scan, RAPID can alert the entire care team on their mobile devices when a patient is suffering from a potentially reversible stroke. What just a few years ago was effectively a death sentence is now a curable disease. And the technology can support virtual consul-

tations for ministries that don’t have the needed subspecialists on staff,” said Daniel Gibson, MD, Director of Neurointerventional Surgery for Ascension Wisconsin. “Without this technology, emergent large-vessel occlusion would remain grossly undertreated at Ascension.”

Concurrent with the RAPID rollout, Ascension Vice President of Clinical Service Lines Jim Palazzo is bringing together neurologists from across Ascension to develop standardized clinical protocols for effectively using this new technology to triage and treat stroke victims.

“We definitely want to capitalize on this important work and the investment in this new technology by bringing together the neurology experts from our Ascension community. With RAPID, we have a remarkable opportunity to share knowledge and learning among peers with a breadth and depth of expertise on stroke prevention and management,” Jim said.

“With widescale adoption of RAPID, Ascension is spearheading the future of stroke treatment in the United States,” Dr. Gibson said.

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UP FRONT

Preventing burnout AMG FOCUSES ON CLINICIAN ENGAGEMENT AND WELLNESS

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scension Medical Group (AMG) is committed to creating an environment and community that supports clinicians in their calling to provide compassionate, personalized care to patients, families and communities. By focusing on clinician engagement and well-being, AMG is working to become the best place for clinicians to practice medicine and the best place for patients to receive care.

Over the last decade, burnout — a syndrome characterized by exhaustion, cynicism and reduced effectiveness — has increased among clinicians and is two times higher than it is for workers in other fields. In 2018, the Advisory Board surveyed more than 13,371 employed, affiliated and independent physicians around the country and found that 15.2 percent were considered at high risk and 35.3 percent at moderate risk of burnout. Unsurprisingly, physicians at high risk were more likely to report plans to leave their job than those at low risk.

Burnout impacts not only clinicians (leading to conditions such as depression

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and substance use) but also their families, patients and the health organizations with which they are aligned. Burnout has been linked to: • Increased medical errors, malpractice suits, clinician turnover, and costs to recruit and replace clinicians • Decreased quality of care, patient satisfaction and clinician productivity AMG clinicians, like their peers around the country, face many of the same factors that contribute to burnout (see accompanying graphic). These include workload and job demands, control and flexibility at work, work-life integration, social support and a community at work, organization culture and values, efficiency and resources, and the need for meaning in work.

To reduce burnout and improve engagement, AMG has developed a comprehensive approach focusing on the three domains of wellness, as identified in the Stanford Model, a clinician well-being model developed by researchers at Stanford University:

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a culture of wellness, efficiency of clinician practice and personal resilience. Each domain influences the others, so a balanced approach is key to drive sustained improvements in clinician well-being and ultimately lead to better performance of healthcare organizations.

“It is important to note that burnout and professional satisfaction are not solely the responsibility of the clinician,” said Baligh Yehia, MD, MPP, AMG Chief Medical Officer. “While it would be easy to pursue a narrow list of ‘solutions’ such as stress management workshops and individual training in mindfulness/ resilience, studies have found that such strategies neglect the organizational and practice-environment factors that are the primary drivers of physician burnout.”

Therefore, AMG’s comprehensive strategy and actions are focusing on the three domains of wellness. This balanced approach is intended to promote an environment that supports and enriches clinicians. As such, AMG is investing in the following:

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• Identifying best practices that nurture clinician engagement, well-being and empowerment. AMG has established a national Clinician Engagement and Well-Being Council, composed of leaders from all Ministry Markets.

The council is developing a playbook that will serve as a comprehensive resource for leaders who seek to better understand not only the root causes of clinician burnout but also practical tactics that can mitigate these factors.

The resources in the playbook will include best practices that have been identified by Ministry Markets as well as national organizations.

• Assessing and monitoring clinician well-being. By implementing the Well-Being Index, an anonymous, webbased assessment tool invented by the Mayo Clinic, AMG will assess and

monitor clinician well-being through a brief survey. The index allows individuals to calibrate their well-being relative to their peers and provides on-demand supportive resources.

The index also allows Ascension to benchmark with peer organizations; it is planned for deployment in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019.

• Investing in leadership development.

In 2017, AMG launched a Leadership Development & Formation Program.

The program seeks to improve leader and associate engagement and experience while fostering ongoing formation and personal and professional development. More than 200 physicians have participated in the program since its inception.

According to Joseph Cacchione, MD, Senior Vice President, Ascension, and Chief Executive Officer, AMG, maintaining a healthy work environment and culture has numerous advantages.

“We are intent on improving our clinician burnout and improving clinician satisfaction,” he said. “I think a lot of that comes from empowerment and in allowing physicians to have professional autonomy. We are going to continue to empower them and to treat them as the professionals they are. I ultimately believe that will distinguish us as a medical group.”

It is AMG’s goal that by working together, ministries can begin to create a tangible cultural change that supports and celebrates AMG’s clinicians, ultimately restoring the joy of medicine.

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UP FRONT

From data to intelligence MARKETING USES ADVANCED MARKET RESEARCH TECHNIQUES TO DISCERN WHAT PATIENTS REALLY WANT

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t has been said that a brand is a promise; a great brand is a promise kept.

After researching the promise people want from Ascension, Chris Manley, Senior Director of Market and Communications Intelligence, is now looking at how we keep it.

Chris Manley “Everyone agrees on what Ascension should stand for,” Chris said. “Are we compassionate?

Do we listen to those we serve so they get what’s right for them? But to work, that has to be suffused through every touch with someone, and through the way we treat our associates and physicians.” More Anne Butler and more, his team is seeking insights that apply beyond marketing.

For example, Chris and his team had people watch doctors describe their practices in “get-to-know-me” videos through an online research system that tracks emotional reactions.

“We worked out that a consumer is around 10 percent more positive about working with you if you’re enthusiastic and smiling than if you’re calm, cool and collected,” he said. ”The next step is sharing these insights with providers.

They see patients every day and will have creative ideas for integrating what we’re learning into the real world.”

The biggest source of raw data, though, is the 54,000-plus reviews, posted online by patients, collected in a partnership with a Silicon Valley tech startup. That’s about the length of “War and Peace” — five times over. “It’s a gold mine,” said Anne Butler, a linguistic analyst on the Market and Communications Intelligence team. Anne regularly scours the reviews for clues to what would make a patient’s experience better.

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In 175,000 words of emergency room reviews There are 439 negatve reviews

And 362 positve reviews

Complaints about waitng are twice as likely to show up as complaints about how people are treated by staf

But praise of a compassionate, welcoming staf are about twice as likely as praise of a fast or efcient visit

Time words: waitng, speed, forever, quickly Staff words: rude, kind, cared. ignored

Leading us to conclude that short waits are necessary to go from bad to OK, but compassionate, personalized care is necessary to go from good to great.

In a recent study, Anne analyzed patterns in reviews of emergency departments. “In some ways,” she said, “it’s what you expect: complaints about waiting.” But digging deeper shows more. “When you look at people singing our praises, the focus changes,” she said. “Fewer people mention speed in good reviews.

These happy reviewers usually identify a specific moment when someone was especially kind or sympathetic.” Conclusion?

Efficiency can get an ED to good, but compassion gets it to great.

What’s next?

“We’re only starting to match consumer data to the big storehouses of operational and clinical data,” said Nick Ragone, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. “There’s more than one way to listen. Everyone we serve tells us something with their actions.

The more we track, the better we can hear what they want.”

“The future of our work is better integration between us as the gatherers of this intelligence and the caregivers who can use it,” Chris said. “When you know what resonates, you can adapt it in whatever ways are right for those you serve.”

In a recent research session, 500 people looking for a new doctor watched 10 physician videos, including one with John Luk, MD, a pediatrician in Austin affiliated with Ascension Texas. Their positive and negative reactions were charted to create a feedback database on words, phrases and arguments.

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A new approach ASCENSION LIVING ENHANCES HOW IT SERVES THOSE WITH DEMENTIA

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eflecting a refreshed approach to caring for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, Ascension Living is elevating the memory care services it offers in skilled nursing facilities and retirement communities across the nation through enhanced education, experience training and new life-enrichment offerings. The person-centered program is designed to provide a secure, comforting and supportive environment for these residents.

“Our new look at memory care allows us to improve the experience of the residents in our memory care neighborhoods,” said Joy Dukart-Benefiel, Regional Director of Clinical Operations, Ascension Living, and one of the key team members behind the revitalized program.

“It encompasses four basic components — knowing dementia, knowing the person, knowing the role of life enrichment, and knowing the resources.”

To ensure all components are fully understood by memory care team members, the foundation of the program is the education of all associates who engage with residents and their family members.

Over the course of three months, five memory care teams participated in an extensive educational and experiential training program, called Dementia 101, to help them better understand dementia, how a resident may be impacted by dementia, the importance of completely knowing the resident, and how they can support the resident in living to his or her highest abilities.

The powerful Dementia 101 training provided caregivers a unique inside-out

Enrichment activities use new interactive tools that increase engagement with residents at every stage of dementia, including lifelike computerized pets.

look at what it’s like to live with dementia, helping staff members understand the impact of the disease, limitations, and the reason behind residents’ change in behavior. Staff learned about dementia and how to help residents live with less distress and “behavioral expressions” — expressions of unmet needs, such as agitation or resistance to personal care — through compassionate touch, music and other activities.

One important aspect of the program includes the new Life Story tool, which is designed to help caregivers understand the resident as a person, not just someone with dementia. Working with each resident’s family members, memory care teams now create a custom Life Story with history, photos, family stories and

more. Teams also make a Top 10 Personal Comforts list to help when the resident is exhibiting a behavioral expression.

“By knowing the person, we can customize the resident’s plan of care and create personalized life-enrichment activities for each resident,” Joy said.

Parts of the Life Story tool are new interactive enrichment tools that increase engagement with residents at every stage of the disease, including lifelike computerized pets. A mobile computer unit called It’s Never 2 Late can provide music for activities, play games or connect with families. Each resident will have a personal profile that can be customized with his or her favorite activities and pictures.

While training and equipment are essential to the program, staffing each community with certified, compassionate caregivers is just as important.

“The very core of the program are our team members,” Joy said. “We need our team members to have the right heart and the right knowledge, to provide the right support, so that the resident living with dementia can have the best day possible.”

“Our goal is to take the resources and education created for the memory support program to the full continuum that we serve,” said Gayle Trupiano, President and CEO, Ascension Living.

“We want every resident living with dementia, regardless of where they live, to benefit from a person-centered, life-enriching environment that allows them to live gracefully.”

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UEPRFSROONNATL P R O F I L E P

Getting to know you BALIGH YEHIA, MD, MPP, JOINED ASCENSION MEDICAL GROUP IN JULY 2018 AS CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER. IN THIS ROLE, DR. YEHIA IS LEADING AND IMPLEMENTING AMG’S CLINICAL DIRECTION, DRIVEN BY A CULTURE OF COLLABORATION. engagement is key, moving quickly toward solutions and action is important in today’s fast-paced healthcare environment.

Q: Why did you go into leadership?

A: Through my advocacy efforts, which started in medical school, I learned that it was critical for physicians to help shape how healthcare is delivered and medicine is practiced. Physicians are central to improving the health of our communities and need a seat at the table.

Q: Why did you decide to take on your AMG role?

A: Delivering care in clinics, at home and in our communities is the future of healthcare. AMG is helping lead that transformation for Ascension, and it’s exciting to be part of that team. In addition, my passion is taking care of communities and populations, and there’s no better place to work toward those goals than by partnering with our physicians across the country.

Q: What led you to pursue medicine as a career?

A: A big influence in my decision to pursue a career in medicine was my mom, who was a nurse. Hearing her stories and commitment to her patients and how that made a difference in people’s lives shaped my decision to enter healthcare. I was also drawn to the multiple ways that you could contribute in medicine. This includes everything from taking care of patients, to advancing research and science, to improving population and community health. This prospect was very exciting to me.

Q: How would you describe your leadership style?

A: My leadership style is based on a foundation of collaboration and empowerment. I think that being open to ideas from others is crucial and often improves the solutions we develop. It is also important for me to understand what drives individuals and empowers them to achieve their own goals as well as that of the organization. While

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G O O D DAY A S C E N S I O N / A S C E N S I O N .O R G

Q: What are your near-term priorities for AMG? A: Promoting clinician engagement and well-being; developing new, innovative models of care; and ensuring a strong, robust physician workforce are my key priorities this year.

Q: What do you want AMG providers to know?

A: I want them to know that they’re part of a national community. Building that community is key. It not only allows for the sharing of best practices and solutions but also creates an environment that supports physician engagement and empowerment. We are going to do everything within our ability to support them in their personal and professional development.

WELLNESS NOW

Location, location, location WHERE TO GO FOR CARE To find providers in your area, go to mySmartHealth.org

Do you know the best place to get care? This spring, get educated on the best place to receive the care you need, based on your health situation.

Choosing the right location can help you get care efficiently and be cost effective. Learn more about these locations below.

Cost

Tips

When

What

Healthcare when I need it now

Your doctor’s office

Retail-convenience clinics

Urgent care centers

Hospital-based emergency departments

Your first call

Easy in and out

When your doctor can’t see you

For life-threatening illnesses or injuries

• Your first call for anything not life-threatening • Your primary care physician (PCP) knows you and your medical history • O ften offers same-day or nextday service

• O ften located in grocery stores or pharmacies • Take walk-ins • Biggest benefit is convenience

• Usually located in stand-alone buildings • Accept walk-ins • Take many kinds of insurance

• For treating traumatic or very serious illnesses/injuries • Should not be used for “routine” care, such as earaches and sore throats; this could result in an unnecessarily large bill

Can treat: • Almost any kind of injury or illness that is not life-threatening • All preventive/well-care visits and routine care • Vaccinations • Prenatal care • Management of asthma

Can treat: • Illnesses such as the flu and bronchitis • Sinus, ear and urinary tract infections • Provide vaccinations and physicals for camp or school • Do not provide X-rays, stitch wounds/cuts or set broken bones

Can treat: • Sports injuries • Sprains and strains • Minor cuts and broken bones • Illnesses such as the flu and bronchitis • Sinus, ear and urinary tract infections

Can treat: • Chest pain • Head injuries • Heavy bleeding/deep cuts • Shortness of breath • Seizures • Broken bones

• Make sure your doctor’s office accepts your insurance • Find out ahead of time what kind of same-day service the office offers

• Search on mySmartHealth.org to find a clinic near your home or call Automated Benefit Services Customer Service at 888-492-6811

• Search on mySmartHealth.org to find a clinic near your home or call Automated Benefit Services Customer Service at 888-492-6811

Call 911 for help with a true health emergency.

$ Most co-pays or co-insurance costs for an office visit range from $15 to $50

$ Cost likely will be similar to what you pay for a regular doctor’s office visit, depending on your insurance and if you have tests and/or lab work

$$ Depending on your insurance plan and if you have tests, your costs could range from $40 to $150

$$$$ The full amount of an ED visit can be $1,200 and up.

Depending on your insurance plan, after a deductible has been met, your co-pay may be a tenth of that

Know ahead of time which hospitals are: • Closest to your home and/or work • Certified trauma centers (Level One is the highest level)

Details apply to Ascension SmartHealth members but are applicable to most insurance plans.

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We’re listening VOICES OF THOSE WE SERVE INSPIRE CARE AND CAREGIVERS

16

A

t Ascension, we are called to develop lifelong, meaningful relationships with the persons we serve and their families, ensuring exceptional experiences for all. With every interaction, we start with an empathy that translates to deep understanding, reverence and respect for every individual — first as a person, then as a patient.

While hospitals and health systems have long devoted energy to surveying patients, Ascension has been moving away from merely measuring patient satisfaction and toward an emphasis on directly engaging persons and family members in clinical and operational decision-making.

“Truly listening to the voices of those we serve allows us to better deliver on our Ascension promise to provide compassionate, personalized care,” said Ascension’s Senior Director for Person and Family Engagement, Marie Judd, MBA, FACHE, SPHR, CPXP. In 2015, representatives from across the care continuum, including person and family advisors, joined a multidisciplinary, ministry-led Person and Family Engagement Steering Committee (PFESC), which developed a national model for engagement with input from many stakeholders.

The model is grounded in evidence-based best practices as well as local ministry innovations and takes the form of a feedback loop with three components: Listen, Take Action and Learn Together.

“It is by listening — and making a true connection with each person — that we begin to understand what matters most to them,” Marie said.

Why is input from those we serve on how we deliver care important?

Persons who receive care at our facilities may not have clinical expertise or knowledge of healthcare administration, but they are experts on what it’s like to be our patient. They have ideas, both innovative and practical, about how to redesign processes so they’re centered on the needs of the person.

They can teach us about barriers that persons and families face and

G O O D DAY A S C E N S I O N / A S C E N S I O N .O R G

challenge us to shift our priorities to address these barriers. They can offer insight as we design care spaces or educational materials. They can show us how to engage more fully in the life of the communities we serve.

This understanding led Ascension to support establishing Person and Family Advisory Councils (PFACs) at each of its ministries.

“Our local PFAC is a diverse group of seven to 10 advisors, very engaged, who serve two-year terms. Some even bring family members with them,” said St. Vincent Heart Center Indianapolis Director of Clinical Management Emily Sego, DNP, RN, NEA-BC. “We’ve always wanted to change how we delivered discharge information to our cardiovascular patients, and the local PFAC has spent a full year determining what our patients need to know — and when — once they leave the hospital, as well as how they should receive it. Having a patient’s perspective on patient education has really helped keep all members of the care team on track.”

More recently, Ascension established a national PFAC, a decentralized group from across Ascension’s markets. They‘ve come together for active collaboration among person and family advisors, leaders, providers and associates on efforts to reduce harm, improve quality and accelerate the development of personalized care.

Already, this group is having an impact on topics ranging from the graphics being used to promote sepsis awareness to standardizing com-

From left, Anna-Marie Ebling, BSN, RN, CWON, RN Wound/ Ostomy Certified, and Cathy Shantz, BSN, RN, Hospital Coordinator, listen to their patient’s questions at Ascension St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Appleton, part of Ascension Wisconsin.

munications between caregivers and patients. Future conversations with this group will be about challenges such as the opioid epidemic and disparities in care.

“As we continue to evolve as a national system, we need new ways to listen to take meaningful action,” Marie said. “Building a diverse and inclusive national PFAC allows us to live our Mission, eliminate disparities in care, and honor our promise by understanding what matters most to those we serve.”

Persons serving as Ascension PFAC members have been quick to embrace their new national roles.

“My experiences have taught me that patients and families need advocates to navigate an increasingly complicated healthcare delivery system,” said National Person Advisor Brian Palmer from

SPRING 2019

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Binghamton, New York. “A national PFAC can advocate and be the voice both of those who come to us for care and for our communities.”

“The national PFAC is about bringing cooperation and co-appreciation between patients/families and the caregivers who are working to advance clinical work and outcomes,” said National Person Advisor Deanne Breedlove from Austin, Texas. “We are the voice of what the persons, patients and communities need and want.”

“I am an advisor because I want to be a voice,” said National Person Advisor Michele Longabaugh from Wichita, Kansas. “So many feel silenced by their illness.

They feel powerless. I want people to know they have a voice, they are in control, they should not be afraid to ask for what they need or share what they are feeling and they can be the CEO of their health and the care that’s provided to them.”

Given that the PFAC is available to provide input across the continuum, it’s not just clinical teams that are benefiting from this new resource. The Resource Group,

which delivers contracting, change management and supply chain operations services for Ascension and other clients, also benefits from listening to those it serves.

“Listening is at the root of all our processes,” said Mike Wray, Vice President, Contract Design and Strategic Sourcing for The Resource Group and a member of the PFESC. “Understanding the person and family perspective is critical, and we are already seeing positive impacts through this collaboration.”

Timeline of Ascension’s progress toward Person and Family Engagement • FY14: Established System-level

establishing local PFACs to

ment Steering Committee

Ascension scorecard goals

(PFESC) to help guide new

• F Y17: Added person/family

national work • F Y15: Began working with

advisors to national service

lish local Person and Family

line excellence councils for

Advisory Councils (PFACs)

behavioral and mental health,

where none existed

cardiovascular services,

PFAC Toolkit, standardizing the role of local PFACs • F Y17: Added person and

G O O D DAY A S C E N S I O N / A S C E N S I O N .O R G

advisors to PFESC • F Y18: Added person/family

individual ministries to estab-

• F Y16: Published the Ascension

18

family engagement goal for

Person and Family Engage-

musculoskeletal services, and oncology • F Y19: Established first Ascension National PFAC

VOICES of the

PEOPLE WE SERVE

PATIENTS SHARE THEIR STORIES OF CARE

Bill Streetman leads a life filled with travel and activity following his weight-loss surgery.

B

ill, Jim, Trinka, Kara, Ryan and Dick all have something to tell us.

Not only did each of these individuals receive care in an Ascension facility, each was so moved by the people who cared for them that they want to share their experience with you.

Their gratitude is a celebration of our Mission and the work we do to deliver compassionate, personalized care to all. Let’s listen:

A TR ANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE Bill Streetman had weight-loss surgery at a ministry of Ascension Michigan and told us of his personal bond with caregivers that continues today.

“At the one-year mark, my three sons and I went to the park and threw the football around,” he said. “And I wore them into the ground! By that time, I weighed less than all three of them. Since losing weight, we’ve been able to travel. We’ve gone everywhere in the world. We’ve even climbed up to see glaciers. It’s just phenomenal. It has changed our life so much.

“The surgeon is important, obviously. The hospital’s important. But there [are] also nutritionists, counselors, support groups. And they had it all. Even today, [we’re] friends on Facebook. We stay in touch. They still care about me, eight years later. I think that’s wonderful. The weight-loss surgery community is a huge family. But my Ascension family is very special. I can’t catch a cold without them sending me emails and saying prayers for me.”

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NEW HEART, NEW LEASE ON LIFE In April 2017, Jim Schuck received a new heart at St. Vincent, part of Ascension Indiana.

“I’m now able to do things I haven’t been able to do for 10 years or more,” he said. “Recently I put my bicycles up on the hooks in the garage. I hadn’t done that without assistance, or a ladder, in years. I’m exercising, doing things that I haven’t done in a long time, like running.”

“We just want to say thank you,” said his wife, Suzie.

“There aren’t even words, enough words, to say how grateful we are. It’s always there. We’re grateful for the medical teams. Jim’s accomplishments, and every milestone, whether it’s making it up the first flight of stairs that he wasn’t able to do for a good 10 years, to getting back in the water to swim, are all of their accomplishments too.”

BACK IN ACTION Thanks to a knee replacement at Ascension Seton, part of Ascension Texas, Catharine “Trinka” Withers was able to return to full function at work.

“After the surgery I was up and walking later that day. It was great,” she said. “[Physical therapists] came around and they were really kind and helpful. And we wandered off down the hall, and that’s the first time I’ve been able to go down stairs in three

years! Now I can ride a horse. I can do my job at work. I can go up and down the stairs and get to the people I need to help with.

Or I can go to the grocery store. I can ride a bicycle. I can lift and carry a basket of laundry. These are all things that are important, not just stuff around my house, but for my job.

“I love the Ascension nurses. They are fabulous. They really have been on all of my visits to an Ascension hospital; the nurses have been like the stars of the show. I mean, they just really are on top of it and their job is so involved and so emotionally demanding that I have nothing but the deepest respect for them and how they’ve taken care of me and members of my family at Seton hospitals. … They focused completely on me; they listened to what I had to say. They were able to interpret my lack of terminology and figure out what I needed at any given moment.”

CARE WHEN IT COUNTS MOST Kara Buffington described the night she took her 3-year-old daughter, Georgia, to the emergency department at Ascension Seton in Austin, part of Ascension Texas.

“We are so grateful for the care we received and how we were treated. And the confidence that they gave us during that evening, and also the days following, managing her care and recovery,” she said. “They made us feel like no question was too stupid or small and that we were really important and valued and loved, which sounds silly to say, like, I really feel like our doctors loved us. Seton really helped make the experience not so scary.”

BUILDING BONDS Ryan Bardellini fell out of a moving car at age 19. He was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury at St. Vincent Indianapolis, part of Ascension Indiana. A three-month journey and a visit back to the intensive care unit care team left a lasting impression on Ryan and his mom, Kim.

“I’m now able to do things I haven’t been able to do for 10 years or more. Recently I put my bicycles up on the hooks in the garage. I hadn’t done that without assistance, or a ladder, in years. I’m exercising, doing things that I haven’t done in a long time, like running.”

—JIM SCHUCK, WITH HIS MEDALS AT THE 2018 TRANSPLANT GAMES

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G O O D DAY A S C E N S I O N / A S C E N S I O N .O R G

The family of Georgia Buffington is thankful for the emergency care the 3-year-old received at Ascension Seton in Austin, part of Ascension Texas.

“I’m getting there. I just recently learned how to jump up and down and run,” Ryan said. “But I still walk with kind of a swivel in my right leg. So that’s something I need to improve.

And I’m finally getting behind the wheel of a car again. It’s actually going to be hard for me to move on from my [care] team, really. When you have a bond like that, you know … I’m certain that they’ll be receiving a Christmas card from me for forever!

“I didn’t remember a single person except for one doctor who actually came to my graduation party. But I didn’t recognize any of the nurses. But everybody was crying, just tears.

I was really happy to see them because I’ve been begging my mom for weeks to go see them.”

“I was nervous to go back,” Kim said. “I was afraid that it would really affect me emotionally to walk those halls and to see his room and to see all that. But as soon as we got there we were surrounded by the team. It turned out to be a really joyful experience to see the tears and the smiles from everyone. I said thank you over and over again. They just cried and hugged me. It was incredible. I loved it.”

TEAM EFFORT Dick Frierson was diagnosed with a glioblastoma at St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, part of Ascension Kansas/Oklahoma.

He had surgery to remove the tumor, but two and a half years later another spot appeared. The care team performed an MRI-guided laser ablation surgery. Dick was up and asking to go home the next day. He has surpassed expectations given the type of tumor he has.

“I was feeling perfect, then one evening I started feeling confused,” he said. “My mom and sister came over and immediately took me to St. John’s, where I was diagnosed. It was very strange to me how it was in my brain so long and not noticeable. My team, all the nurses and doctors, they’ve done a wonderful job. I only have good things to say about St. John’s.

Coming here turned out to be the best decision.”

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Saving lives from sepsis MINISTRY-LED SEPSIS CARE IS COMPASSIONATE, PERSONALIZED AND TIMELY

T

o put the efforts of Ascension’s ministries on sepsis care in the proper focus, Tina Jacobs, Care Excellence Project Manager, opened the October 2018 Sepsis Ministry Market Community Call with the following Daily We Seek You reflection from Jane McConnell, OSF: “In what small or even bigger ways might I be called to start making an improvement in my corner of the world today? Ever-present God, open our eyes and our hearts to realize the potential we have every moment to make a positive difference in the lives of those we serve and work among. Help us to remember that goodness and love begin with us.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some 1.7 million adults in America develop sepsis each year. Nearly 270,000 of them die each year as a

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G O O D DAY A S C E N S I O N / A S C E N S I O N .O R G

result. And one in three people with severe sepsis dies from the disease.

At Ascension, although sepsis mortality is relatively low, our Mission calls us to ensure that each person with sepsis receives the care he or she needs to survive and heal. And Ascension has a long history of working to prevent sepsis harm.

In 2013, Ascension’s Chicago-based ministry, AMITA Health, produced a video called “Preventing Sepsis Harm.”

It signaled a period of intense focus at Ascension on preventing and managing this often-devastating disease.

At the time, AMITA Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer Diana Woytko observed: “It’s not that we didn’t have sepsis protocols when we began this work; we did have sepsis protocols. I think what was key is when you begin to measure how well you’re following those protocols.”

Detrás de cada caso de sepsis, hay una persona, una familia y una historia.

No se quede callado sobre la sepsis Es una cuestión de vida o muerte DETECTE LA SEPSIS A TIEMPO

SALVE UNA VIDA

Las infecciones

pueden ponerles a usted y a su familia en riesgo de una condición potencialmente mortal llamada

sepsis

¿Qué es la sepsis? За каждым диагнозом cепсиса стоит человек,Laего семья и их история. sepsis ocurre cuando alguien padece una infección y el cuerpo reacciona de una forma tan agresiva que los tejidos y órganos del mismo resultan dañados. La sepsis puede provocar un choque, disfunción de órganos y la muerte si no se trata a tiempo.

La sepsis es una emergencia médica

Cuando se trata de sepsis, cada minuto cuenta. Si podemos detectar sepsis de forma temprana e iniciar el tratamiento, la persona tiene mayores probabilidades de supervivencia y curación.

Usted puede ayudarnos a detectar sepsis a tiempo

Los proveedores de salud de Ascension estamos conscientes de las señales que presenta la sepsis, y le pedimos su ayuda.

Usted podría ser el primero en notar cambios en un ser querido, cambios que revelan señales tempranas de sepsis.

Si usted o un ser querido padece una infección, esté atento a los síntomas de advertencia relacionados con la sepsis, tales como:

¿Quién puede desarrollar sepsis?

Откровенно о сепсисе

Cualquier persona puede contraer una infección, y casi cualquier infección puede provocar sepsis. Algunas personas son más susceptibles a desarrollar sepsis:

Это вопрос жизни и смерти

Confusión o desorientación

Escalofríos, fiebre o frío intenso

Dolor o molestia severos

Piel sudorosa o fría y húmeda

Falta de aire

Palpitaciones cardíacas rápidas

• Adultos de 65 años o más, o niños menores de

РАСПОЗНАЙ СЕПСИС СПАСИ ЖИЗНЬ

Инфекции могут стать причиной СЕПСИСА, диагноза жизненно опасного для любого члена семьи.

Что такое сепсис?

Сепсис развивается у инфицированного пациента, организм которого так отчаянно борется, что начинает атаковать собственные ткани и органы. Сепсис может привести к шоку, отказу работы органов, а также к смертельному исходу, если вовремя не начать лечение.

Сепсис требует неотложной 1 año de edad. медицинской помощи • Personas con condiciones médicas crónicas,

Каждая минута оказывается наdiabetes, счету, когда речь tales como cáncer y enfermedad renal идет о сепсисе. Пациент имеет наилучшие шансы на y/o pulmonar. выздоровление при диагностировании • своевременном Personas con el sistema inmunológico debilitado. ранних признаков и обеспечении своевременного лечения.

Alrededor de 270.000 personas mueren de sepsis en los Estadosпомочь Unidos cada año.* Вы сами можете

установить диагноз вовремя

*Rhee C, Dantes R, Epstein L, et al. Incidencia y tendencias de la sepsis en los hospitales de los EE. UU. que utilizan datos clínicos vs. reclamos, 2009-2014. JAMA 2017: 318(13):1 241-1249. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.13836

Медработники Ascension следят за признаками сепсиса Aprenda más en www.cdc.gov/sepsis. и приветствуют вашу помощь. Именно вы можете стать первым свидетелем изменений в самочувствии больного на ранней стадии развития сепсиса.

Eсли у вас или у близких обнаружена инфекция, важно уметь распознать признаки и симптомы сепсиса:

Кто подвергается риску развития сепсиса?

Любой человек может развить инфекцию, и, как правило, любая инфекция может привести к сепсису. Повышенному риску подвергаются уязвимые группы населения:

Спутанность сознания дизориентация

дрож, озноб, лихорадка, чувство холода

сильные боли

Влажная липкая кожа

отдышка

учащенное сердцебиение

• Пожилые люди старше 65 лет и дети до 1 года • Люди с хроническими заболеваниями: сахарный диабет, заболевания легких и почек, рак.

• Люди с ослабленной иммунной системой. Приблизительно 270,000 людей в США умирает от сепсиса ежегодно.* * Rhee C, Dantes R, Epstein L, et al. Incidence and trends of sepsis in US hospitals using clinical vs claims data, 2009-2014. JAMA. 2017; 318(13):1 241-1249. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.13836

Дополнительная информация: www.cdc.gov/sepsis.

Si usted percibe cualquiera de estos síntomas, o si simplemente no se encuentra bien, rogamos que ¡NO SE QUEDE CALLADO! Hable con alguien del equipo de atención médica, tal como la enfermera o el doctor, DE INMEDIATO.

No dude en preguntarnos, “¿Podría ser la sepsis?

SP POSTER B1-SPANISH

Patient education materials about sepsis were refined based on input by Ascension’s first National Person and Family Advisory Council and have since been translated into Spanish and Russian.

Если вы наблюдаете вышеперечисленные симптомы, или что-либо вам представляется подозрительным, мы настоятельно просим вас СКАЗАТЬ об этом! БЕЗОТЛАГАТЕЛЬНО обращайтесь к любому медработнику, врачу или медсестре.

Обязательно задайте вопрос: “Может ли это быть сепсисом?”

SP POSTER B1-RUSSIAN

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The effort paid off as AMITA succeeded in reducing sepsis mortality by more than half.

Medical evidence, including studies cited in the Journal of the American Medical Association and others, indicates that sepsis mortality decreases with early recognition and early, aggressive care. Clinicians detecting signs of clinical deterioration in persons with a new or suspected infection should be ready to consider sepsis as a possible cause. Even an hour delay in treatment of sepsis decreases a person’s chance of survival.

That is why, in fiscal year 2019, Ascension Chief Clinical and Nursing Officers elevated sepsis care to a high priority of our national health ministry. Local ministry teams and Ascension launched our latest effort to support surviving and healing after sepsis with a special passion. Our ministry’s subject matter experts were identified, and they worked together as the national Sepsis Workgroup to hold a kickoff meeting last summer. Participants could sense they were in the presence of a certain energy and spirit, fed by the team’s commitment to saving lives.

The discussion that followed focused on designing consistent responses to suspected cases of sepsis and measuring their effectiveness. Among the key strategies the group agreed to adopt: • Activating rapid response teams at local ministries • Releasing a ministry-wide sepsis mortality reduction toolkit • Integrating new order sets into every electronic health record and devising ways to monitor order set compliance

“There’s something inspirational and spiritual that is happening in our organization where the shared commitment is about maintaining the sanctity of life and saving as many lives as we can.”

— ZIAD HAYDAR, MD, MBA, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER

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• Developing a curriculum for all clinical associates as well as one specific to providers • Creating an outcomes dashboard to track market and hospital targets against Ascension goals • Creating a communications and socialization package designed to engage not only associates in the campaign, but also persons and family members, who could be in a position to sense sepsis warning signs even before care teams do.

Our ministries rose to the challenge by launching a coordinated, System-wide effort to prevent, identify and manage sepsis for the persons we serve, in a manner grounded in the key principles of our Ascension way.

A national multidisciplinary team approach was used to support the subject matter expert task force recommendations, with partners from Ascension Technologies, Pharmacy, Professional Clinical Development, Care Excellence, Marketing and Communications, The Resource Group, Infectious Disease, and the Ascension Clinical Research Institute. Local, multidisciplinary Ministry Market sepsis teams were formed to engage not only clinical leaders but operational leaders too. Working with remarkable speed, System support functions and Ministry Market teams ensured that the initial campaign deliverables were in place by August.

“Our commitment to leading with quality requires us to spread and adopt best practices with significant agility.

The pace of implementation of our sepsis bundle, which is expected to save 350 lives in FY19 alone, is one we are all very proud of. There’s something inspirational and spiritual that is happening in our organization where the shared commitment is about maintaining the sanctity of life and saving as many lives as we can,” said Ziad Haydar, MD, MBA, Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer.

The collaboration that began in Ascension’s acute care settings soon spread to Ascension Living during Sepsis Awareness Week in September, and then to Ascension Medical Group in November, as providers were encouraged to counsel patients about receiving pneumonia vaccines when appropriate. Pneumovax can help prevent cases of strep pneumonia, which can often lead to sepsis.

Meanwhile, additional activities across Ascension were initiated to keep sepsis prevention top of mind. Experts from our ministries, who were members of the Ascension Sepsis Workgroup, opened key leadership meetings with conversations about sepsis and met in person with the

“When I think about what works in our Ascension way, I think about the clinical examples that move our hearts and minds.”

— ANN HENDRICH, PHD, RN, FAAN, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF QUALITY/SAFETY/NURSING AND PATIENT SAFETY OFFICER

sepsis Ministry Market teams to ensure their full engagement. To recognize and share learning from the ministries, news stories ran on Ascension’s internal news sites and sepsis awareness messaging appeared in social media posts, as well as in presentations at the Ascension Leadership Convocation in the fall.

The education and socialization campaign worked to make a compelling case for why sepsis prevention and management should matter most to caregivers and the persons and families they serve. The resulting materials, which included posters, vinyl clings, badge and pocket cards, web banners, video screen graphics, and Ascension’s first-ever pullout insert in Good Day Ascension magazine, were conceived as ways to make sepsis personal. Each item began with the theme “For every case of sepsis, there is a person, a family and a story.”

One version of the materials delivered a message to clinicians: “An hour can mean the difference between life and death; spot sepsis early and act with urgency.”

The other was developed with input by Ascension’s first National Person and Family Advisory Council (PFAC), made up of former ministry patients who advise our ministries locally and nationally on how best to improve care based on their personal experiences (see page 16). That message spoke directly to persons and family members about talking to care team members right away: “Speak up about sepsis: it’s a matter of life or death.”

This message struck a personal chord with several of Ascension’s National Person Advisors.

One of them, Mary Kane, a retired Illinois nurse, former patient, and family member of a current patient, noted the importance of involving patients and their family members in their own care. “I came into the PFAC with the hope of improving the patient experience,” she said. “I recently

was placed in a situation with a dear friend who had sepsis.

When someone is critically ill, I can’t imagine not having someone around that can act in the role of advocate.”

For National Person Advisor Angela Pittman, a Florida speech language pathologist, sepsis took a very heavy toll on her family. “Our daughter, Rachel, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2014 and then spent the next six months in and out of the hospital,” she said. “She was a fighter and shared her love and joy with everyone she met, even when she was feeling her worst. After an outpatient treatment, she began running a fever, and we made the trip to Pensacola for the very last time. She became septic and we lost her within a matter of hours. It was devastating to our family, and we made a vow to continue to do anything that we could to keep giving a little of her joy and love to others. [That’s one reason] I joined the PFAC.” The materials they and others reviewed were refined based on their input and then made available free of charge to the ministries to support their local sepsis prevention efforts. Ministries were able to procure the materials via an easy-to-use, web-based ordering system. The patient-facing materials have since been translated into Spanish and Russian.

“We will continue to work closely with our ministries and our clinical leaders to support these important sepsis efforts and make sure our caregivers and associates recognize the importance of this work,” said Ascension Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Nick Ragone.

When teams began to regroup and evaluate progress in October, the early results were startling: In less than three months, the campaign had already saved 90 lives.

“Our Ascension way is more than just a book with our name on it. When I think about what works in our Ascension way, I think about the clinical examples that move our hearts and minds,” said Ann Hendrich, PhD, RN, FAAN, Senior Vice President and Chief Quality/Safety/Nursing and Patient Safety Officer. “I think about our current effort with sepsis, and how to recognize sepsis early, before it takes a life, so that the healthcare team can intervene quickly and rapidly and prevent needless deaths. There are so many things we’ve already done together as Ascension that have really made a difference in the lives of others, and our Ascension way is just one way we represent that.”

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ASCENSIONCONNECT:

Creating the future of healthcare delivery

A

Steven Warach, MD, demonstrates telestroke capabilities at the AscensionConnect Center in Austin, Texas (formerly the GoodHealth Solutions Center), which opened in November 2017.

scension’s Advanced Strategic Direction is about transforming our core healthcare operations so that they remain sustainable and responsive, extending the reach of our ministry and allowing our Mission to thrive into the future.

As consumers take a more active role in making health-related decisions, their expectations for convenience, accessibility and affordability are growing. Clinical integration and seamless coordination across the entire care continuum are required to improve the health of those we serve and to gain consumer loyalty.

“The world around us is changing, and Ascension is in a unique position to be at the forefront of healthcare innovation and positively impact the populations we serve,” said Eduardo Conrado, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, Ascension. “To be effective and remain competitive in the market, we need to consolidate and centralize those services that are conducive to a shared services model across multiple markets.”

“A more effective and personalized model of care is feasible if Ascension uses new technology to leverage resources across our ministries,” said Karen Springer, Executive Vice President, Healthcare Operations, Ascension.

According to Kevin Cohan, Senior Director of Information Services for Ascension Technologies, technology has advanced to the point to which Ascension can provide services where patients want them most or need them most.

“Patients want consistent, reliable services,” he said, “and Virtual Care can provide that in an easy-to-use fashion.”

“By connecting multiple components of our clinically integrated system of care, Ascension can revolutionize the digital healthcare world

“ The world around us is changing, and Ascension is in a unique position to be at the forefront of healthcare innovation and positively impact the populations we serve.”

— EDUARDO CONRADO, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER, ASCENSION

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initiative around this work, with a team conducting discovery and market assessments. Their learnings, based on input from stakeholders across the ministry, led to the adoption of a national solutions center strategy for fiscal year 2019, which began July 1, 2018.

The solutions center model is aligned around a threepronged approach to care delivery: • Patient access services through which one call can connect patients to scheduling, nurse triage and other services. The model is designed to ensure continuity of care and smooth care transitions, and facilitate service recovery when we fall short of expectations.

• Centralized care coordination and navigation services, and remote care services that support virtual provider visits and remote patient monitoring. The integration of cutting-edge technologies lets clinicians monitor patients’ health data, alert providers when needed, and connect with patients at home via video to provide education and support.

From left, Transfer Center staff Holly Kintzel, BSN, RN, and Vickie Triplett, ASN, RN, facilitate patient transfers into the system of St. Vincent, part of Ascension Indiana, by connecting a sending physician to an appropriate accepting physician and then coordinating bed placement and nursing report.

PROGRAM OFFERS PATIENTS A LIFT TO CARE Responding to consumer research that shows people are looking for transportation options to get to and from medical appointments, Ascension partners with ride-share service Lyft to better connect patients with care — and thereby improve clinical outcomes.

Consumers have a variety of reasons for needing this service, Ascension found as part of our research.

in a way that optimizes the health and safety of persons and families in our communities,” Eduardo said.

In response to the changing and increasingly competitive environment, Ascension Texas designed and implemented a one-of-a-kind center with the goal of delivering care when and where it is needed. The AscensionConnect Center in Austin (formerly the GoodHealth Solutions Center), which opened in November 2017, was the culmination of a yearlong process to redesign the entire care delivery system in a way that would capitalize on Ascension’s strengths.

“Ascension’s broad footprint and forward-thinking leadership team give us a competitive advantage over traditional and nontraditional organizations entering the healthcare arena,” Eduardo said.

Following the launch of the center in Austin, multiple Ministry Markets came forward to express interest in its potential to support better patient access to care. In February 2018, Ascension began developing a national

“I wish the doctor’s office could schedule transportation when they set my appointment — that way I know I can make it on time,” one patient said. “It’s stressful scheduling an appointment without knowing how I’ll get there,” another said. Concern for family members was another potential barrier. “It would be great not to have to ask my family to drive me. I always feel bad asking them to take off work,” a patient said.

In what began as a pilot program last year at Ascension Seton, part of Ascension Texas, patients can receive door-to-door service to and from their doctor appointments via Lyft. AscensionConnect plays a key role in this program.

Here’s how it works: When patients schedule a visit or are asked to confirm an already scheduled appointment, they are asked if they need a ride. Schedulers coordinate pickup times and locations as well as contract with drivers through an Ascension-specific portal. Patients are given the cost before every ride, and payment options for both paying patients and charity care patients are being finalized now.

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ology-enabled Care

Care When and Where You Need It — Scope of Work Standardization of Best Practices Centralization & Consolidation

Hospital Support Services and Clinical Surveillance

• Integrated communication platform • eSitter • ePharmacy • Telemetry • Transfer Center

Patient Access and Experience

• Clinical call centers • Transitions of care • Continuity of care • Emergency Department attachment

• Hospital support services delivered through an integrated communications platform that supports eSitter, ePharmacy, telemetry monitoring, telestroke and telebehavioral services, as well as transfer and bed placement centers. In April 2018, the Ascension Leadership Academy adopted two of the hospital service initiatives as its capstone project: eSitter and ePharmacy. The goal will be to create a culture of agile thinking and operations as these two initiatives deploy in FY19.

“AscensionConnect is committed to simplifying the healthcare system by providing one point of contact for access services, care coordination, navigation services, remote care management and virtual care services like telemedicine,” Karen said.

In August 2018, Ascension opened a second AscensionConnect center in Indianapolis, formerly known as “C4” (for Care Coordination Command Center). In December 2018, the name AscensionConnect was adopted for the entire national solutions center strategy.

“The point is making healthcare less expensive and easier for our patients. With its ability to integrate

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Virtual Care and Remote Care

• Care coordination/navigation • Direct to Consumer Urgent Care telemedicine • Telemedicine – Neuro/Psych • Virtual Provider Office • Remote patient monitoring

Mareeka Grayer supports the Physician Answering Service (PAS), a 24/7 service line for St. Vincent Medical Group providers. PAS currently serves approximately 110 providers, with plans to double the number of providers by summer. The center also supports these providers by scheduling their new and existing patients for appointments.

navigation centers, care management teams and virtual care programs with technology across the continuum of care, AscensionConnect is the answer to achieving the quadruple aim: best possible outcomes, enhanced experience for those we serve, enhanced experience for providers, and affordable care,” Karen said.

Moreover, AscensionConnect will be designed to continually improve as people, processes and technology are modernized, integrated and coordinated.

“It’s time to build the future of healthcare,” Karen said.

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NEWS FROM THE MINISTRIES

NOTES FROM ACROSS OUR ONE INTEGRATED MINISTRY ALABAMA

Helping veterans age in place St. Vincent’s Foundation in Birmingham began a program to help veterans return to their home after a hospital stay. The Aging in Place program is a partnership of the foundation, St. Vincent’s East and Carpenters’ Hands volunteers who construct safety measures, such as wheelchair ramps and handrails, for veteran patients so they can be safely discharged.

Chilton facility gets CMS award St. Vincent’s Chilton has received 5 Stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for outstanding scores in patient experience. The star rating, found on CMS’ Hospital Compare website, recognizes inpatient performance on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. Of 3,463 eligible hospitals that use the HCAHPS survey, only 212 (6 percent) across the nation have received 5 Star status for patient experience.

Organ donation success recognized Providence Hospital in Mobile received the 2017 Outstanding Hospital Gift of Life Award from the Alabama Organ Center.

Providence was the first hospital in Mobile to participate in the Donate Life program, which raises awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation.

Because of Providence Hospital’s leadership, all five hospitals in the Mobile area now participate in this program.

AMSTERDAM, NEW YORK

Associates serve the community Hot soup, winter coats and a blood pressure clinic were some of the services

provided at a free event for the Amsterdam community. Catholic Charities, Centro Civico, Creative Connections Youth Center and the Regional Food Bank served 278 persons at the event, which was hosted by St. Mary’s Healthcare. Sr. Joan Mary Hartigan, Chief Mission Integration Officer, described this event as a “wonderful example of living the Gospel’s multiplication of the loaves — when organizations work together, miracles happen!”

BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON

Hospital earns baby-friendly designation Saint Agnes Hospital is one of only eight hospitals in Maryland to receive the Baby-Friendly USA certification, which recognizes that Saint Agnes offers an optimal level of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies. This approach gives parents information throughout the pregnancy and birthing process to help make informed choices regarding feeding.

Grant increases access to healthy food A $10,000 grant received from Greater Chesapeake Charitable Foundation will support Saint Agnes Health Institute’s Food Rx Program, which aims to meet the needs of vulnerable populations living in food deserts in Baltimore and individuals with chronic and complex medical needs by increasing access to healthy, affordable produce.

Healing Hands Society honors physicians Saint Agnes welcomed its 10th class of physicians into the hospital’s Healing Hands Society: Martin Albornoz, MD; Raymond Plack, MD; Jerome Snyder, MD; Sam Sydney, MD; and Matthew Voss, MD. The distinction honors physicians who have served the hospital and the region with clinical excellence, innovation and leadership.

BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT

Center improves primary care experience St. Vincent’s has launched the Patient Care Resource Center (PCRC) to improve both access and patient experience.

When patients call their primary care office and select “1 to make an appointment,” the call is now answered by a patient care specialist, which frees up office staff to care for other pressing matters. The PCRC can view a full schedule for all primary care providers, not just one office, and book appointments that are convenient for the patient. If a patient needs to be seen immediately, the PCRC can find availability with a provider or refer them to an urgent care center. The PCRC team also calls patients to remind them to book their annual physicals; Medicare Annual Wellness Visits; and screenings, such as colonoscopies or mammograms.

Plans are underway to expand into a onecall-does-it-all center for patients.

FLORIDA

Cardiovascular care recognized Sacred Heart Hospital Pensacola was named one of the nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals™ for inpatient cardiovascular care by IBM Watson Health.

IBM Watson ranks hospitals in key performance areas including mortality, complications, readmission rates, average length of stay and average cost per case.

CHICAGO

Award recognizes senior care AMITA Health’s legacy Presence Health system received the 2018 Leadership Award for Improved Care for Underserved Populations from the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, in partnership with the American Telemedicine Association. The award recognizes the ministry’s use of telehealth services to improve the

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NEWS FROM THE MINISTRIES

quality of care for seniors with diabetes.

AMITA Health is expanding its telehealth services throughout the system.

INDIANA

Sensory playground opens The Patricia Browning Stone Sensory Playground at the St. Vincent Center for Children in Evansville is one of the first of its kind in the country with a dedicated indoor and outdoor space designed for therapeutic play. The playground will help provide therapy for children who struggle with a variety of conditions, such as sensory processing disorder.

Safe Sleep recognition received St. Vincent Women’s Hospital and Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at St. Vincent have been recognized by the Cribs for Kids® National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification program as a Gold Certified Safe Sleep Champion — the highest designation acknowledging hospitals that show an ongoing commitment to best practices and education on infant safe sleep.

Associates pack meals for those in need More than 80 associates at St. Vincent Parkwood West held a “packing event” to assemble meals for distribution to statewide ministries and local food pantries. Partnering with Pack Away Hunger, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of children and others who suffer from hunger and malnutrition, associates packaged more than 23,000 Nutri-Plenty meals (containing a healthy mix of rice, soy, vegetables and flavorings) during this educational and fun event. Associates felt a sense of purpose, knowing the meals they packed would meet a significant need for others.

status of adults 65 and older. Melanie Holt Fauth, Jennifer Allbright, Denise Staschke and Catherine Gieseler authored an article about St. Vincent creating longitudinal care plans for older adults that focus on what matters to patients, for Huddle for Care, an American Hospital Association online journal. Ascension is one of the first five hospitals/health systems to join the Creating Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative using the 4M model to guide older adult care: what matters, medication, mentation and mobility. Clinicians at the St. Vincent Center for Healthy Aging, an outpatient geriatric specialty clinic, have been addressing the 4Ms as part of standard care for decades.

To impact more patients, St. Vincent is addressing the 4Ms during geriatric consultations and structuring annual Medicare wellness exams around the 4Ms. Healing Arts Team publishes journal The Healing Arts Team at St. Vincent Indianapolis published its inaugural journal, Artful Communion, celebrating arts and humanities within the statewide ministry. Submissions came from associates, providers and students, then were peer reviewed by an editorial

Associates at Indiana’s St. Vincent Parkwood West assemble meals for distribution to statewide ministries and local food pantries.

Four St. Vincent associates published St. Vincent is working to improve the health, quality of care and functional

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board and published by the St. Vincent College of Health Professions. The word “communion” was included in the title in recognition of our Catholic identity and because it expresses the goal for this book: sharing thoughts and feelings, especially on a mental or spiritual level.

St. Vincent Home Health receives HomeCare Elite recognition St. Vincent Home Health received HomeCare Elite recognition, a designation awarded to the top 25 percent performing Medicare-certified home health agencies across the country.

St. Vincent Home Health in Evansville was further recognized as one of the top 500 agencies in the nation.

Two St. Vincent ministries named to nation’s top cardiovascular list St. Vincent Indianapolis and the St. Vincent Heart Center were included in the nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals

by IBM Watson Health. This was the eighth time that the St. Vincent Heart Center and the seventh time that St. Vincent Indianapolis were named to the list.

KANSAS/OKLAHOMA

Physician receives Mayo alumni award C. Terrence Dolan, MD, received the 2018 Mayo Clinic Distinguished Alumni

NEWS FROM THE MINISTRIES

Award, which acknowledges exceptional contributions by Mayo Clinic alumni in the field of medicine. Dr. Dolan is President of Regional Medical Laboratory and co-founder and director of Pathology Laboratory Associates with St. John Health System.

Associates receive top honors Robyn Chadwick, executive leader for adult, adolescent and pediatric Behavioral Health Services at Ascension Via Christi, was named Service Provider of the Year by the Wichita chapter of the National Association for the Mentally Ill. Kara Liss, RN, received honors as Mental Health Professional of the Year.

MICHIGAN

Diabetes Prevention Program helps women Eleven women who completed the 2018 Ascension Genesys Exchange for Change diabetes prevention program lost a combined total of more than 250 pounds and decreased their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The program, which is based on a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention program, is for people who have prediabetes or are at risk for type 2 diabetes but who do not already have diabetes. A new group started the program in 2019.

Continuity of care enhanced in smaller communities To enhance patient safety and improve quality of care, Ascension Standish and Ascension St. Joseph — sole hospital providers in their small communities — have implemented 24/7 hospital medicine programs for inpatient, intensive care unit and observation patients. Having in-house hospitalists provides more consistent, accessible service and allows the hospitals to care for more patients locally.

Dr. Terrence Dolan (standing, center) with fellow distinguished alumni, from left, Drs. Robert Avant, Judith Kaur, Vanda Lennon and Chung Owyang.

Ministries build relationships with rural hospitals A team of service line leaders from Ascension St. Mary’s regularly holds educational programs for physicians and clinical staff at hospitals located in the thumb and northern rural areas of Michigan. These sessions enhance continuity of care and build referral relationships with smaller community hospitals, an important strategy for the Ascension ministries in northern Michigan. Sessions have provided education on orthopedic trauma injuries, joint replacement, neuroscience case reviews including endovascular interventional procedures, and open vascular and skull-base surgeries.

Physician helps create healthy change Ascension Genesys primary care physician Lyndsi Davenport, DO, started a local “Walk with a Doc” chapter. The program is aimed at positively affecting behavior in the clinical setting by inviting people to go for a walk. She hosts two walks a month, each approximately a mile.

Ascension St. John Hospital opens ED Behavioral Health Unit Ascension St. John Hospital’s new Emergency Department Behavioral Health Unit hosts medically cleared

behavioral health patients who have been seen in the emergency department and are awaiting disposition. Before the new ED Behavioral Health Unit’s opening, these patients were spending significant time awaiting transfer. The new unit will provide a more conducive environment than the sometimes-hectic setting of the emergency department.

Ascension partners on accelerated nursing program To grow our nursing workforce and address the broader need for nurses in southeast Michigan, Ascension has partnered with Madonna University’s College of Nursing & Health and Orbis Education to create a new Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. This unique partnership was created to achieve the goal that all three organizations share — developing practice-ready, BSN-prepared nurses. This accelerated program provides quality nursing education to more students in a short amount of time.

TENNESSEE

Hospital named to top 50 Saint Thomas West Hospital was named as one of IBM Watson’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals.

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NEWS FROM THE MINISTRIES

Cancer center opens Saint Thomas opened a new cancer center that brings oncology services under one roof, including diagnostics, cancer surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists and support services. Cancer center specialists treat a range of cancer types, including brain, breast, colon, endocrine, advanced gastrointestinal, gynecologic, lung and prostate.

Medical Mission serves 667 The Saint Thomas Nashville Medical Mission at Home included more than 600 volunteers and 30 organizations that served 667 individuals in need.

“Every year we see more homeless people, we see more people from different countries, we see more people who are out of work; they’ve lost their insurance or they have no way of getting insurance because they can’t afford insurance,” said Nancy Anness, Chief Advocacy Officer, Ascension Tennessee.

TEXAS

Hospitals prepare for mass casualties Ascension Seton participated in a simulated scenario of a large crowd mass casualty event in Austin as part of a regional disaster preparedness exercise that spanned 11 counties in Central Texas. The scenario was meant to trigger the need for healthcare facilities to institute their internal disaster plans, the activation and coordination of the regional medical operations coordination group, and response to a surge of patients.

The exercise challenged the hospitals with an influx of trauma patients either through volunteers simulating patients or by simulation of patients written on paper.

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WISCONSIN

Be of Good Heart achieves excellent results From October 2017 through June 2018, Be of Good Heart screened 2,425 people for diabetes and hypertension, which exceeded the goal of 2,000 screenings by 21 percent. Screenings were offered at Ascension Ebenezer Health Resource Center, Ascension St. Joseph, and community and faith-based events throughout Milwaukee; an additional 1,627 people were screened at the Ascension Seton Dental Clinic.

Improving health in Racine, Shorewood Ascension Wisconsin will invest $100 million in the Racine community over the next three years, including construction of a medical center in Mount Pleasant. The facility will include primary and specialty care, an imaging center, urgent care services, rehabilitation, occupational health, and an ambulatory surgery center, and require more than 100 full-time and part-time associates.

Plans call to relocate Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Milwaukee at Shorewood clinic, formerly known as Shorewood Family Physicians, to a new, state-ofthe-art, 15,000-square-foot clinic. The clinic will expand primary care access and add women’s health, lab, X-ray and ultrasound services — representing an investment of $7.8 million.

Dr. Reding named internist of the year Ascension Wisconsin’s Chief Medical Officer, Douglas Reding, MD, was recognized as the Distinguished Internist of the Year by the American College of Physicians – Wisconsin Chapter.

This award honors exceptional effort and contribution to the science and art of internal medicine and recognizes Wisconsin Chapter Fellows for their

G O O D DAY A S C E N S I O N / A S C E N S I O N .O R G

remarkable achievements in medical practice.

ASCENSION CARE MANAGEMENT

Personalized healthcare assistant launches Ascension SmartHealth Solutions launched a pilot of a personalized healthcare assistant called Castlight.

Castlight is available for SmartHealth members who have a home address in Wisconsin or Florida. With Castlight, associates will be able to better understand benefits, find Ascension doctors and take advantage of health resources.

ASCENSION GLOBAL MISSION

Global Solidarity Fund Ascension is one of four founding members of the Global Solidarity Fund (GSF), committed to improving the lives of the global poor through integral human development. Last November, the GSF Board met with Pope Francis to share the fund’s identity, vision and strategy and receive his blessing. Upon approval, representatives from the participating organizations came together the following month to review sites where religious communities are currently engaged in serving target populations.

The GSF Board agreed to begin work at a site in South America and a site in Africa that would enhance the lives of women and children.

ASCENSION INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

Team discusses impact investing Ascension Investment Management was invited to speak about its experience in impact investing at the Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota’s annual investment conference, which hosted roughly 200 attendees.

NEWS FROM THE MINISTRIES

is helping ministries analyze population needs, select care model(s) to best serve them, and develop a road map to tailor and launch these care models, based on ministry capabilities and priorities.

ASCENSION TECHNOLOGIES

Members of Community 2016 of the Ascension Leadership Academy are, from left, back row: Travis Andersen, Ascension Wisconsin; Amy Wilson, Ascension Tennessee; Kate Henderson, Ascension Texas; Joe Hurshe, Ascension Michigan; Jim Beckmann, Ascension; Andy Davis, Ascension Texas; and Doug Ross, MD, Ascension Florida; front row: Juan Sanchez, MD, Ascension Baltimore; Deb Brown, Ascension Texas; Chris McCoy, Ascension; Gerry Lewis, Ascension Technologies; Jeff Nowlin, Ascension Kansas/Oklahoma; Fahad Tahir, Ascension Tennessee; and Karen Springer, Ascension.

Not pictured: Jonathan Nalli, Ascension Indiana, and John Paul Slosar, Ascension.

ASCENSION LEADER INSTITUTE

Leadership Academy Community 2016 Commencement The Leadership Academy, a program of the Ascension Leader Institute, celebrated the commencement of Community 2016 on Oct. 11, 2018.

Sixteen members, all senior executives from across Ascension, completed the formal three-year holistic development program. Their final capstone project represents a cultural transformation that will be implemented throughout Ascension. It redefines how we change the focus of processes to empower individuals and teams to make decisions by continually collaborating and innovating. The members will be using agile methodologies to pilot the approach and develop key learnings.

ASCENSION LIVING

Communities named to list of best Fourteen Ascension Living skilled nursing facilities were named by U.S. News

& World Report as some of “America’s Best Nursing Homes.” “This designation is a testament to the care and service provided by every member of the Ascension Living team who are driven by a commitment to delivering quality care and our Mission of service,” said Gayle Trupiano, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ascension Living.

ASCENSION MEDICAL GROUP

AMG begins population-specific care model transformation At the heart of Ascension’s Advanced Strategic Direction goal of Dual Transformation is care model transformation. Ascension Medical Group (AMG) is playing a major role in that work and has identified new care models that use innovative operational structures to better deliver care according to patient population needs and preferences.

These models are grouped based on the patient segments they best serve and the intensity of staffing resources necessary to deliver optimal care. AMG

Ascension joins blockchain-driven effort to address provider data issues Ascension and Aetna have joined Humana, MultiPlan, Quest Diagnostics, Optum and UnitedHealthcare as founding members in a pilot to use blockchain technology, which allows digital information to be shared but not copied across a network of computers.

Known as Synaptic Health Alliance, the group is initially exploring how to use the technology to ensure provider information is up to date in insurance plan provider directories.

ASCENSION VENTURES

Largest cash return achieved An Ascension Ventures portfolio company, Augmenix, was recently acquired by Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) in a transaction that yielded the largest cash return on a single investment to date for Ascension Ventures. Augmenix is focused on improving the outcomes of cancer treatment through the use of innovative hydrogels. The company counts several Ascension facilities as customers. Also, Matt Hermann, Senior Managing Director at Ascension Ventures, was one of 15 people selected by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to participate in a yearlong Innovation and Investment Summit intended to foster greater collaboration between HHS and private sector investors and innovators.

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NEWS FROM THE MINISTRIES

COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS

Meeting needs during the holidays Volunteers and donors partnered with Seton Center in Kansas City, Missouri, to distribute crucial resources, such as winter clothing, blankets, hygiene supplies, toys, and a month’s worth of food to low-income neighborhoods through its Christmas Sharing program. Dental Services associates at Seton Center were also busy working to ensure patients received free or discounted dentures by Christmas. Throughout the year, Dental Services provided free or discounted treatment to more than 8,000 patients.

MEDXCEL FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Medxcel earns ‘Elite 8’ designation For the third year in a row, Medxcel was recognized at the “50 Most Engaged” gala of Achievers, a leading employee recognition and rewards company.

This year Medxcel was honored as

one of the company’s “Elite 8” in the category of Corporate Social Responsibility. “Medxcel continues to strive to make a difference — it’s ingrained in our DNA,” said Jennefer Pursifull, Vice President of Marketing and Sales.

MINISTRY SERVICE CENTER

Standards development award received Lee Coulter, Senior Vice President, Ascension, and Chief Executive Officer, Ministry Service Center, has been honored with the Emerging Technology Award of the IEEE Standards Association.

The award recognizes notable leadership and involvement in technology standards development. The IEEE Standards Association, a globally recognized standards-setting body within IEEE, develops consensus standards through an open process that engages industry and brings together a broad stakeholder community.

Stay connected with Ascension @ HOME, @ WORK, @ YOUR FINGERTIPS Twitter: @ascensionorg Keep up with Ascension tweets. Follow Ascension.

Facebook: facebook.com/ascensionorg Like our Ascension page and get the latest updates on your newsfeed.

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/ascensionorg Stay up to date with organization news and connect with other associates.

YouTube: youtube.com/c/ascensionorg Watch videos about Ascension on an array of topics.

Learn more about Ascension at ascension.org.

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THE RESOURCE GROUP

‘3 Priorities’ sharpen focus As The Resource Group began its 10th year, it introduced its “3 Priorities” — Associate Growth, Customer Experience, and Value Generation — as a way to help its associates focus on the greater vision of The Resource Group’s work, simplify its processes and procedures, and frame its 10 years of success. The Resource Group now manages more than 85 percent of Ascension’s nonpayroll spending, equating to more than $8 billion.

Good Day Ascension / Spring 2019 - Issue 9 Good Day Ascension is published by Ascension Marketing and Communications for associates and family members across our integrated national health ministry. Stories in Good Day Ascension support our One Ascension journey and reflect the commitment of associates, providers and volunteers across the health ministry to provide compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable.

Executive Editor: Nick Ragone, Esq., nick.ragone@ascension.org Editor: Ted Siegel, ted.siegel@ascension.org Design and Production: dcpubs.com To share comments, ask questions or suggest articles for Good Day Ascension, please email GoodDay@ascension.org, or send a note to Editor, Good Day Ascension, Ascension Marketing and Communications, 101 S. Hanley Road, Suite 1100, St. Louis, MO 63105.

All content copyright 2019 Ascension. Republication or any other use of the contents of Good Day Ascension without the express written consent of Ascension is prohibited. Any reference to or depiction of a product or service does not constitute or imply an endorsement by Ascension. Online version available at Ascension.org/goodday.

L AST WORD

As seen on the daily Good Day Ascension TO READ MORE ABOUT THESE STORIES AND OTHER NEWS FROM ACROSS OUR ONE INTEGRATED MINISTRY, VISIT GOODDAY.ASCENSION.ORG FROM WITHIN THE ASCENSION NETWORK.

✙ St. Vincent’s nurses among volunteers who helped Gulf Coast hospitals When Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida panhandle on Oct. 10, it devastated the area, including Bay Medical Sacred Heart in Panama City. Because of the heavy damage to the facility, Bay Medical transferred patients to Sacred Heart hospitals as well as Providence Hospital in Mobile, Alabama.

Sacred Heart hospitals in Pensacola and on the Emerald Coast suffered lesser St. Vincent’s Health System nurses who volunteered to help Ascension Florida hospitals include, from left, back row: Joseph Newcomb, Adrien Dillard Kemp, Madison Johnson, Naomi Louis-Jeune, Haley Stewart and Clayton Cooper; front row: Makenzi Tyler, Lara Wood, Tovia Young and Amy Shelton.

wind damage and received 125 patients from Bay Medical Center. However, staffing was an issue. When nursing leaders at St. Vincent’s Health System in Birmingham, Alabama, learned about the situation, they asked staff nurses for volunteers to help its sister hospitals through the crisis.

Read more at goodday.ascension.org/archive

✙ Better antibiotic use begins with teamwork at Saint Agnes Hospital Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning, Liz Cicchetti, PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist Specialist at Ascension’s Saint Agnes Healthcare in Baltimore, and Robert Ross, MD, Chief of the Infectious Diseases section at Saint Agnes, sit down together to review patient charts with recent orders for antibiotics at their hospital.

This may seem routine, but it’s lifesaving work. With expertise in appropriate antibiotic use, the pair evaluates antibiotic orders to verify that the patient should be treated with an antibiotic, and if so that the right drug is being prescribed, at the right dose, for the right amount of time. This helps to optimize care for the patient while also supporting the urgent, international effort to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics for patients in the future.

Read more at goodday.ascension.org/archive

From left, Liz Cicchetti, PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist Specialist at Ascension’s Saint Agnes Healthcare in Baltimore, and Robert Ross, MD, Chief of the Infectious Diseases section at Saint Agnes, discuss antibiotic orders with intensivist physician Dante Suffredini, MD.

✙ Cuddle Cots give parents of stillborn babies a few moments longer Joel and Emily Long had no idea how quickly their hearts could break. At 38 weeks of what the Longs described as an uneventful pregnancy, Emily could no longer feel her once very active baby girl moving. Quickly they rushed to Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital, part of Ascension Tennessee, where doctors failed to find a fetal heartbeat. They prepped Emily for a Caesarean section to deliver her stillborn baby.

The sudden change of events hit the Longs square in the face with no time to mentally prepare for the grief that would soon follow. How could they adequately say goodbye to the Emily and Joel Long at Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital, where Cuddle Cots they purchased were blessed before being introduced throughout Saint Thomas Health.

child they had been anticipating with joy? The time parents of a stillborn get with their child is often minimal under such painful conditions. The care team at Saint Thomas Midtown had an alternative plan for the Longs using a Cuddle Cot. Read more at goodday.ascension.org/archive

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WE ARE ASCENSION

Elizabeth Hart Mission Coordinator, St. Vincent Anderson, Ascension Indiana

Despite a busy schedule focused on helping St. Vincent Anderson, part of Ascension Indiana, serve those who are poor and vulnerable, Mission Coordinator Elizabeth Hart stepped up to lead a threeyear plan to address food insecurity.

She started a school-based weekend food program at a highneed elementary school where 92 percent of students receive free or reduced-rate lunch.

Besides receiving support from the Ascension Indiana Northeast Region Executive Leadership Team, Elizabeth applied for and won a $10,000 grant from the Sisters of the Holy Cross for the program. The financial support and partnership from the Sisters of the Holy Cross provided the initial funding crucial to buying food and establishing the program logistics (e.g., travel expenses, trunks to transport food) in the interim before the hospital’s contribution was allocated.

Keeping people engaged every week during the school year is no easy task. But Elizabeth’s ability to articulate the program’s

purpose motivates others to act. It serves 250 children every week during the school year, and from July 1, 2017, through March 31, 2018, 684 staff hours were contributed directly to the program.

“On Thursdays, when our truck pulls up to a school, the children are waiting to help unload the trunks of food,” she said. “This gives the children a chance to give back and volunteer in their community to make a difference. Some of the children are program recipients while others are program helpers.”

Working together, children and volunteers unload 25 trunks of food. “Each week a different class comes to help us,” she said.

“This program has caught the attention of the school boards and other schools in the area that have come to observe and volunteer. … They are in awe of the way this program runs so smoothly.”

Elizabeth joined the ministry in 1986.