Inside the revamped CMN Telethon / Page 2
Meet Gus and Rosie: Taking aim at germs / Page 3
VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3, MARCH 2016
Mary Braun, Danielle Dingman and Jason Bauer will join moderator Teresa Coyan and spinning instructor Marie Pearl for panel discussions on taking charge of your wellness to be held April 5 and 6.
Photo: Mike Wingo
‘Change is possible’: Our wellness experts will bring a message of personal transformation to MSU’s Public Affairs Conference.
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ere are a few secrets about the wellness experts you see sweating at the gym, eating right in the cafeteria, running 5Ks and doing triathlons: They all started somewhere. Many of them weren’t always healthy. They don’t have more time than we do. They don’t have it all figured out. The fittest among us are working on wellness every day, just like the rest of us. As individuals and as a community, we all have the opportunity to make improvements, building on wherever we are in our current wellness. That’s the message four of our CoxHealth experts will deliver at Missouri State University’s Public Affairs conference in April. The conference theme is “Building Healthy Communities: Body, Mind and Spirit” and our team will lead a discussion about how we can all make moves to be healthier and improve the health of our community in the process. The panel includes Danielle Dingman, community wellness coordinator; Jason Bauer, system director of Food Services; Mary Braun, FerrellDuncan Clinic director of nursing; and Marie Pearl, spinning instructor at CoxHealth Fitness Centers and a contestant on NBC’s “The Biggest Loser.” Between them, the four have decades of experience in improving health. Their passion for wellness has See HEALTH, Page 6
Expanded fundraising benefits local children
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Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals is moving to an innovative fundraising and marketing approach that optimizes resources to better benefit our local kids with medical needs. We’re excited to announce new telethon and radiothon formats for 2016 that will help take CMN Hospitals at CoxHealth to the next level.
Reimagined telethon moves to fall We have developed a new telethon format called “Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Miracle Week” on KY3. This annual event will be broadcast from KY3 and include children’s stories, interviews, live cut-ins from the new Hamra Enterprises, a local franchisee of Wendy’s Dee Ann White Women’s and ChilInternational, recently selected CMN Hospitals as its charity of choice for 2016. The partnership, now in dren’s Hospital, information about its third year, raised more than $101,000 in 2015. CMN Hospitals and pitches for viewers to contribute to CMN Hospitals through a phone bank provided live each morning and KRVI aired by KY3. the radiothon live during mid-day. The new format will also allow Throughout the day, both of the Tim Siebert for year-round stewardship of major additional stations promoted the Executive Director, donors and increase media exposure radiothon. CMN Hospitals throughout the year. In addition to the live events of CoxHealth The Children’s Miracle Network across all three stations, CMN HospiHospitals Miracle Week will take tals will receive 451 30-second radio place the first week following spots to run on KTTS, KSGF or Thanksgiving (Monday-Sunday). KRVI throughout the year. There will be no telethon in May/ June of 2016. Instead, the first ChilAn array of benefits dren’s Miracle Network Hospitals The new approach will benefit us in a Miracle Week will take place Nov. number of ways, including: 28 – Dec. 4, 2016. The telethon • Increasing projected average telewill be featured across KY3’s newsthon viewers per hour by 203%. casts during the week. Be watching • Increasing projected average Connect Daily and the intranet this radiothon listeners per 15-minute fall for the full schedule. segment by 158%. In addition to the telethon week on KY3, • Moving the telethon to the best week of CMN Hospitals will receive 252 15-second televithe year for fundraising. The dates include sion spots to run on KY3 throughout the year. “Giving Tuesday,” which is observed the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. Radiothon enhancements • Opening up opportunities for local pitching The annual radiothon took place on Feb. from programs such as “Rachel Ray,” “Wheel 18-19 on KSPW Power 96.5. This year, the new of Fortune” and “The Doctors.” arrangement allowed CMN Hospitals to add talk Making all of the above enhancements will radio KSGF 104.1 and The River KRVI 106.7 to actually save budget dollars while helping to raise the radiothon. KSGF broadcast the radiothon additional support for local children. 2
News in brief
Know someone great who should join our team? In 2015, CoxHealth paid out more than $55,000 to employees who participated in the Employee Referral Program. So far this year more than 30 different job types qualify for the program that provides $500 - $5,000 to employees who recruit a friend or family member who is hired to certain qualifying positions. The latest jobs added to the program are Environmental Services techs and floor care techs. Now until April 1, you can receive $250 for referring an EVS tech or floor tech who is selected for hire and completes 30 days of employment. The remaining $250 will be paid once the new employee has been employed for six months. Employees referring a part-time EVS tech or floor care tech will qualify at a pro-rated amount. Details about the program, including which positions qualify for the bonus, are available on the Human Resources intranet site. For more information, contact HR’s Talent Acquisition Office at 269-5627 or by email at HR-Talentacquisition@coxhealth. com.
Dr. Kristy McCall honored in ‘Best of the Ozarks’
The Springfield News-Leader recently announced its annual Best of the Ozarks honorees and NewsLeader readers have voted Dr. Kristy McCall as Best OB/Gyn physician! Congratulations, Dr. McCall, and thank you for McCall helping us provide great care and kindness to expectant families.
Robots are germs’ newest enemy
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If you work in an OR or a critical care unit at Cox South, you’ll soon be meeting Rosie and Gus, the newest members of our infection prevention team. They don’t say much, but the work they’re doing is providing a new level of cleanliness and safety for our patients. They’re also the only team members who might remind you of R2-D2. The two germ-zapping robots – christened Rosie and Gus in an employee naming contest in February – have spent the last several weeks using pulsed xenon ultraviolet light technology to destroy hard-to-kill organisms in hard-to-clean places. “We want to do everything within our means to provide a clean environment at our facilities to reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections,” says Cindy Robertson, Infection Prevention director at CoxHealth. “This investment in a Xenex system underscores our commitment to patient care and the communities we serve.” The portable disinfection system is effective against even the most dangerous pathogens, including Clostridium difficile (C.diff), norovirus, influenza, Ebola and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA. “This is another layer of defense and the next step in infection prevention,” Robertson says. The UV light attacks the microorganisms and deactivates them so they can’t mutate or reproduce. The robots are currently deployed in the areas of Cox South that present the highest risk of infections. Our Environmental Services team uses the robots nightly in the final clean
Richard Laroche of Environmental Services prepares a room in the Neurotrauma ICU for cleaning with one of the new germ-zapping robots.
Photo: Randy Berger
A new tool in our infection prevention arsenal The robots use pulsed xenon ultraviolet light to disinfect surfaces in empty patient and surgical rooms, destroying potentially harmful bacteria, spores, fungus and viruses within minutes, including C.diff and MRSA. The robots are an extra layer of protection after manual cleaning occurs. The Xenex ultraviolet disinfection technology is chemical free, disinfecting with a powerful, pulsing UV-light system that is proven to be effective against potentially harmful bacteria and viruses. of operating rooms, in intensive-care units as patients are discharged and in patient isolation rooms. Richard Laroche of Environmental Services is the designated “super-user” who puts Rosie and Gus through their paces in patient rooms. After a room has undergone traditional cleaning, Robertson Laroche brings the robot in, opens the cabinets and drawers and positions the robot. Once activated, the robot delivers a four-minute cycle of pulsing ultraviolet light that cleanses
everything in its path. The robot is then moved to the other side of the bed and the process is repeated. “The UV light reaches everything in its line of sight and it zaps bacteria, spores, viruses and superbugs,” Laroche says. “This is proactive, preventive care and it gives us better safety all around – for patients and employees.” Robertson says the robots are a key component of CoxHealth’s overall patient safety and infection prevention program. Even though the technology is only five years old, Robertson says the literature
review makes it clear that hospitals using the robots see a significant reduction in their infection rates – some hospitals have reported a 50 percent reduction in C.diff alone. The robots are an investment of $100,000 each, but the predicted reduction in infections more than offsets the cost. Preventing just three C.diff infections would cover the cost of one robot. Robertson says the infection prevention team will be watching our infection rates closely and tracking data on the impact the robots are having. “We are front runners – we’re joining Mayo Clinic and only 300 other hospitals in adopting this technology,” Robertson says. “We’ll be doing our own research and being able to publish our data will be astronomical for us. Right now, there are educational videos on the success of the robots at Mayo Clinic – in just a few years, it could be CoxHealth out there showing others how we did it.” 3
Need some wellness inspi
Healthy Living success stories are all around us -- here are three staff members who are taking charg “You can do this.” That’s what Louise Edwards’ colleagues at CoxHealth who joined her in her wellness journey kept telling her – like Cami Stanley at the Center for Health Improvement and David Dade at CoxHealth Fitness Centers. David encouraged Louise to take it slow, change a few things with her diet, move more and find herself again. She needed help refocusing after losing her husband in 2013. She just hadn’t felt herself. It was time for a change. “The hardest part was getting started,” says Louise, a cashier in Patient Financial Services. “I was carrying too much weight and not feeling good. I can tell, when I start to get a little tired, I need to get back in the gym.” Louise met with David, a registered dietitian, and started going to the Meyer Center three times a week, spending 30 minutes on the stationary bike
and then weight training. “For my age, this definitely is not easy,” says Louise. “I’m 64. When I see those young ones stepping at the gym (shaking her head from side to side with a grin), I will not be outdone. I have a goal I’m going to meet and I will get there.” Louise says little by little, her weight started to drop. Her energy returned. “Keeping your body together keeps your mind together. Attitude is a big part of it,” she says. “I understand being so tired you don’t feel like moving, but you have to get moving to get rid of the tired feeling.” Louise got excited as she realized she could do it, and she now encourages others they can do it, too. “Just keep putting one foot in front of the other,” says Louise. “And sometimes you have to encourage yourself. You have to learn to do that. You’re the one you’re doing it for. Ultimately it’s for yourself.”
Cathy Flair
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You feel really good when you finish that workout. I look forward to the days when I know I’m going to work out.
Louise Edwards Patient Financial Services
Nothing feels better to Cathy Flair than being Cox North Emergency healthy. It definitely Department feels better than seeing a weight of 295 on her physician’s scale, the tipping point that propelled her to make a change in her wellness. “I was the unhealthiest I’d ever been. It was a wake-up call,” says Cathy, a unit coordinator at the Cox North Emergency Department. “That’s one Big Mac shy of 300! That’s scary. I’ve been heavy my entire life, but 300 is a new realm.” Other factors contributed to Cathy deciding to go a new direction with her health. “I was 56 and was horribly unhealthy,” she says. “I had an MI (heart attack) at 48 and I had 4
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a lot of strikes against me and I kept piling them on.” Cathy explored her options for support to lose weight and decided on an outside program in Springfield, in addition to the help offered through the wellness program at CoxHealth. Through determination and a focus on her diet and exercise, Cathy has lost an amazing 126 pounds in 13 months and has greatly improved her overall health. “To watch my wellness score go from very low with lots of red flags to a score of 100 within a year – I’ve never been within a healthy range my entire life,” says Cathy. “If I had any idea years ago what being healthy felt like, I might have made this journey earlier.”
iration? Look no further
ge of their health and loving the journey.
Kerri McGrew
CoxHealth Center for Prosthetics and Orthotics
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The first time I crossed the 5K finish line was the most powerful I’ve ever felt. It’s a victory that’s indescribable.
Cathy uses a Fitbit to track her steps and participates in Wellness challenges. With support and accountability, Cathy is refusing to fall into old habits and pitfalls like getting meals at the drive-through or convincing herself that it’s OK to eat certain foods. “I’m not someone who can, even once, start back down that road or it won’t be long until I’ll be back where I was.” Cathy’s advice: don’t wait to start getting healthy. Cathy says she put it off for far too long. “There’s nothing that feels better than reclaiming your health. Do it for yourself and know that it’s possible.”
How would you feel if you were carrying around a 20-pound weight all the time? Probably worn out, right? Well, that’s how Kerri McGrew started feeling last spring. Kerri, a certified orthotics fitter with the Center for Prosthetics and Orthotics, helps her patients get moving again. When she noticed she was the one slowing down she decided to do something about it. Kerri enrolled in FitLife, a CoxHealth Fitness Center program that is free for all employees who carry CoxHealth insurance. “I had been feeling kind of heavy, tired out, knowing that I had gained too much weight for me,” says Kerri. “I signed up for FitLife. I couldn’t believe it was free! What an opportunity.” Kerri met David Dade, wellness and sports nutritionist, who worked one-on-one with her during the 12-week program. “Honestly, I believe he changed my life. He was incredible,” says Kerri. David had Kerri pick up a 20-pound weight and told her to carry it around all day. “It was incredible because just sitting down and holding it – I was out of breath,” says Kerri. “The visual plus the actual holding that weight – it just made me think, wow, that’s what I’m carrying around all day long. No wonder I don’t have any energy and I’m out of breath!” On the program, Kerri kept track of what she ate and reduced her calorie intake, learning what a portion size actually was – the size of a deck of cards. She met with David weekly and once with an exercise coach. She started walking and lifting weights at home. “The biggest goal for me was
FitLife opportunities FitLife is now free for CoxHealth employees who carry CoxHealth insurance. The 12-week program offers individualized education and coaching. Additionally, a targeted FitLife Weight Loss Class offers an eight-week program with medically-supervised meal plans and much more. The cost for the course is $125 for members/employees. A new class session begins March 14. For more information on these programs, call 417/269-3282. cutting out soda and I haven’t had a soda since then,” says Kerri. David made a weight loss graph for Kerri that showed steady weight loss – 20 pounds in all. Kerri is still on a wellness journey, wanting to lose 10-15 more pounds. She says even though she knew what it takes to be healthy, she just needed a little motivation to get back on track. “Accountability is exactly what I needed,” says Kerri. “Take advantage of opportunities offered through the wellness program. Don’t be afraid to try a class or do something different. A lot of times it’s just a matter of needing a little help.” 5
Wellness highlights
Health, wellness are From Page 1
Conference kickoff features trainer Jillian Michaels Personal trainer and life coach Jillian Michaels will bring an inspirational wellness message as the keynote speaker for Missouri State University’s Public Affairs Conference in April. Her presentation, titled “How to Build an Exceptional Life,” will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5, at JQH Arena on the campus of Missouri State University. The event is free and open to the public.
Join us for a wellness rally, walk downtown
Join us for a wellness rally and walk as we kick off MSU’s Public Affairs conference. The rally will be held from 5:306:30 p.m. on April 5 at Jordan Valley Park in Springfield. We’ll have familyfriendly health stations, exercise demos and fun giveaways. At 6:30 p.m., we’ll walk to JQH Arena for Jillian Michaels’ kickoff of the MSU Public Affairs Conference, Building Healthy Communities: Body, Mind, Spirit. Bring your family and friends!
Body, Mind, Spirit: See the full list of events
The Public Affairs Conference features a series of events focusing on all aspects of community health April 5-8. The full list of speakers, panel discussions and presentations can be found online at publicaffairs.missouristate.edu. 6
transformed each of their lives – both professionally and personally. Ask them what it means to take that message to a community stage and their pride and excitement show through: Danielle Dingman: It’s really positive that we as a community are coming together to think about health and wellness. It’s important that wellness is woven into our city planning and with our ability to influence rural areas, there’s a lot of power in working on wellness as a community. Mary Braun: With wellness, Springfield has come such a long way since I came here in 1989. CoxHealth has put a tremendous effort into educating its employees. It’s a privilege to work with an employer that considers wellness such an important thing for the community. Jason Bauer: We’ve come so far in just the last five years! It’s amazing to have two of the biggest
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Mark your calendar Our CoxHealth experts will speak about taking charge with a mindful approach to wellness at two events: 3-4:15 p.m., Tues., April 5, at the Meyer Center and 1:30-2:45 p.m. on Wed., April 6, in PSU Ballroom West at Missouri State University.
vidual health and say, “I’ll get to it someday.” Here’s what our experts had to say about what we can all do to make a difference:
Take charge There’s no one fix that works for everyone. Finding what we can control and making small improvements can give us a sense of power that can drive greater accomplishments. Jason: Start by looking at your strengths – what are you good at and what are you likely to fail at? Some people are morning people, some are evening people; you have to fit your wellness plan into what works best for you. We all have
Everyone has a purpose and to achieve that purpose, they need to be the healthiest version of themselves that they can be.
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Danielle Dingman
Community wellness coordinator
organizations in Springfield putting together a major wellness presentation. It’s an honor for CoxHealth to participate and I consider it an honor to be a part of this. Marie Pearl: As a community, having everyone, from schools to health systems, on the same mission and putting knowledge at people’s fingertips, it’s a lot easier for people to get on board. It makes it harder to ignore our indi-
to make time – set time aside for yourself and communicate that to your family. Mary: Take control – you can’t make progress if you feel defeated. Wellness is individualized. No one plan or strategy works for all people. You have to own your choices. Eating, for example, is something you have control over. I don’t always do it perfectly, but I have control over it. Try planning
out your grocery shopping and what you’ll eat. Remember that there are decision points every day where you can make choices – simple things like, ‘Will I drive to the next building or walk?’ Danielle: Don’t let your circumstances determine your health. We’re all busy and it’s easy to rely on convenient options, like the drive-through. You can take control by planning – pack a lunch, pack healthy snacks. Set aside 30 minutes in your day for exercise. And forgive yourself – there will be times you don’t get done what you wanted, but you have the present and you can move forward from there. Marie: Write a list of your ultimate goals, whether that’s a number on a scale, a fitness goal or a better cholesterol level. Then, research methods to accomplish that. Equip yourself with knowledge and invest in learning about wellness, nutrition and exercise. Find things you love and will enjoy for a long time – both exercise activities and foods you can tweak to be healthy.
Environment matters There’s power in community – we should surround ourselves with people who have similar goals and who can support us. Danielle: Wellness is on a continuum: social, mental, emotional – you have to address all of those components to be fully well. Pay attention to your social network. Surround yourself with people who have similar goals. You really need to think about what you want and then put yourself in an environment that will help you achieve your personal goals. Jason: You have to figure out
vital to a great community
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Celebrate successes
There are no shortcuts. If I want it, I have to work for it. It’s a daily challenge to make the right choices. You have to make it a priority. No one else can do that for you.
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Marie Pearl Spinning instructor, CoxHealth Fitness Centers
Photo: Steve Snyder
how much time you are willing to commit to wellness. What will you sacrifice for it? I wouldn’t say sacrifice time with your family, but I do have to ask, ‘Do I need to watch what’s on TV or can I record it for later?’ It’s a question of what you are willing to adapt to. Danielle is right about influences – negative people bring everybody down. I don’t have time for that, so we all seek out positive influences. Mary: I’m inspired by the people around me. I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of family and close friends. If you have a supportive family, that’s a real gift. Marie: Wellness is an area where the group mentality of “everybody else is doing it” can be a real positive! Have a support system, your co-workers, friends, family – people who will enjoy the ride with you. Having people I’m
committed to keeps me accountable. If I don’t have someone to be there for, sometimes I won’t be there for myself.
Find your ‘why’ Ultimately, wellness requires a series of daily, personal decisions. Those are easier to make if we are clear on what’s driving us. For our experts, wellness has become a part of their identity. Danielle: Faith and a sense of purpose are huge motivators for me. I’m very passionate about helping other people be healthy. I see how important it is in my life. Everyone has a purpose and to achieve that purpose, they need to be the healthiest version of themselves that they can be. I want to be able to help people achieve their purpose through health and wellness. Mary: I try to focus on things that feed my soul. My goal is
simple: Be healthy, retire healthy and enjoy my grandchildren. I love to play with my grandkids and that keeps me healthy. Your health changes over time – what may have worked for me 10 years ago is not the same as what works today. I’m working to adjust what I do to how my body has changed. Jason: I’m driven to be healthy by my family first, then work. I love my job. We’re in a spot where people look to us – I’ve had people come up to me in the cafeteria to ask what I’m eating! I put myself in a career that’s driven my wellness. It keeps me on track, and it motivates the motivator! Marie: I’m motivated by not going back to the way I used to feel. I was winded from a walk from the car to the office. Every day, I’m motivated by making sure I can live the happy, healthy life I’ve set out for.
Every step forward counts, even small ones. Don’t forget to acknowledge your progress. Do whatever it takes to provide your own motivation. Danielle: Sometimes, lifechanging, motivating ‘lightbulb moments’ happen, but most of the time they don’t. Sometimes you just have to say, ‘Everything isn’t positive right now, but I have to do something.’ Create a plan and take it a day at a time, or a half-day at a time, and commit yourself to making small changes. Eventually a shift in mindset will come. Just start where you are and take those first steps. Mary: You have to acknowledge those small steps. Even if that means creating a daily ‘gratitude list’ to acknowledge the steps you’re making. Jason: Everyone has stress and we all have to manage that. Ask yourself, ‘Is it a bad day or just one bad thing that I’ve made into a bad day? It’s all how you react to things. Stress management is huge. Everybody does it differently – cycle, run, hit the weights, take a walk or just spend some time organizing. Every time you accomplish a goal, celebrate those successes. That success will start to build on itself until you’re accomplishing the big goals. Marie: I used to reward myself with food, now I focus on experiences and making memories – small getaways and trying new things like horseback riding and ziplining. You have to know it’s possible. The ability to change – to build the life you want – is within your control. When you’ve never been fit, thin or active, in your head it seems impossible, but I know it can be done. You have to work for it, but it is possible to change your life. 7
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Magic Word Find the magic word in this issue of Connection, and you could win a $20 certificate to Campbell 16 Cine. We’ll give you a couple of clues and after you guess the word, find it in Connection. Call 269-4154 and leave a message with the magic word and the page on which it can be
found. Include your name, department and phone number. The 55th correct answer will win. Clue 1: Each of the parts something can be divided into. Clue 2: A portion, e.g. “Wellness is a top priority for a certain _________ of our society.”
Connection is a monthly publication for the employees of CoxHealth 3801 S. National Ave. Springfield, MO 65807
Email us any time at CorporateCommunications@coxhealth.com Editor: Randy Berger 269-3171
Contributors: Yvette Williams Kaitlyn McConnell
Mindy Honey Russ Weller Mike Wingo
Body, mind and spirit: The Community Health Issue
We’ve partnered with Missouri State University for their 2016 Public Affairs Conference, which focuses on the keys to a healthy community. We sat down with our wellness experts for some insight into how community health begins with all of us. Page 1
The road to wellness
March 2016
Colleagues make major health changes
Wellness success stories are everywhere at CoxHealth. See three staff members who are transforming their lives. Pages 4-5