Celebrations

Prisma Health Children’s Hospital has many reasons to celebrate!

Children’s Hospital has heart!

Coordinated in conjunction with Child Life at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital–Midlands, Valentine’s Day brought a special edition of the Sandstorm Buddies, founded by USC football player Spencer Eason-Riddle (see first picture). This partnership with the South Carolina Gamecocks’ Athletics department brings student-athletes to the hospital weekly to brighten our patients’ day. For Valentine’s Day, the student-athletes created homemade cards for pediatric inpatients.

In the Upstate, partners Entercom Upstate and Magic 98.9 dropped off hundreds of heartfelt greetings for Prisma Health Children’s Hospital–Upstate patients (see second picture). These cards were donated from participants throughout our community. Afterward, an 11-year-old patient crafted a gratitude card that was sent to all those who donated to the event.

MIDLANDS

Pilot site for Pediatric Sepsis Alert tool

Sepsis is the leading cause of pediatric deaths worldwide. In its early stages, sepsis can be difficult to recognize or differentiate from other illnesses. To help identify early signs of sepsis, Prisma Health Children’s Hospital–Midlands has partnered with Cerner to become a pilot site for an electronic medical record-driven Pediatric Sepsis Alert tool.

The alert and sepsis order set were implemented in our Children’s Emergency Center in April 2019 and on our first inpatient unit in November. Our aim is to use this tool, along with clinical reasoning, to improve patient outcomes through early recognition of sepsis and delivery of evidence-based care.

Quality celebrated in 2019

In FY19, Prisma Health Children’s Hospital–Midlands recorded a 30% reduction in all harms, 40% reduction in hospital-acquired infections and 60% reduction in central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). For example, the neonatal ICU at Prisma Health Richland Hospital worked diligently to reduce CLABSIs by focusing on environmental care, device use and midline catheters.

As a member of Solutions for Patient Safety, a national children’s hospital quality collaborative, we benefit from the “all teach, all learn” platform by working with more than 130 children’s hospitals to implement best practices around preventing hospital-acquired conditions and providing foundations for patient safety.

News from the Office of Philanthropy

The new Dale A. Willenberg Congenital Heart Endowment gift of $100,000, given by Kelly Willenberg, will help Pediatric Cardiology provide the best heart care possible. Willenberg will also fund Camp Heart to Heart annually for $10,000 and volunteer alongside other family members during the camp weekend. The inaugural Camp Heart to Heart is slated to take place at Greenville County’s Pleasant Ridge Camp & Retreat Center in June.

Kat’s Brave Warrior Beads Endowment will support Beads of Courage, which celebrates milestones of Bryan NICU admissions with parents. This ongoing initiative has proven to positively impact patient family satisfaction. The $100,000 donation was given by Alan and Kathy Bryan Anderson, son-in-law and daughter of the late B.K. Bryan, for whom the neonatal ICU is named.

Clement’s Kindness Fund for the Children has provided $55,000 in funding for STAR (Someone To Always Remember) and Teen Events for Prisma Health’s BI-LO Charities Children’s Cancer Center for 2020.

STAR was created by Prisma Health Children’s Hospital chaplains to supplement bereavement services. It is a family-centered grief support group for families who have experienced the death of their child to cancer or blood disorder. STAR family support dinners are held monthly; STAR weekend camp for families is held each fall and spring, though the April camp has been postponed because of COVID-19 (coronavirus) concerns.

Teen outings provide opportunities for fun-filled activities to support the psychosocial needs of teen patients with varying oncology or hematology diagnoses. These outings consist of events throughout the year, such as bowling, golfing, a holiday party and winter retreat.

Jan. 9 marked the unveiling of the relocated Ronald McDonald Family Room to the fifth floor lobby of Children’s Hospital–Upstate. Co-locating this family room near patient rooms on the fifth and sixth floors provides a convenient respite for any family whose child is admitted to the hospital. Volunteers for the family room are provided through the partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Carolinas.

Buddy the Bear stands alongside Patrick Jinks, Prisma Health Children’s Hospital–Upstate chaplain; Robin LaCroix, MD, medical director of the hospital; and Marti Spencer, CEO/executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Carolinas, during the unveiling of the Ronald McDonald Family Room.

The 13th annual Radiothon, presented by Entercom Upstate, raised more than $125,000 for Prisma Health Children’s Hospital–Upstate. This two-day event, held live at Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital on March 5–6, helps sustain many programs and services that support children and families during a hospital stay.

Throughout Radiothon, on-air personalities share stories and interviews from patients and families who have been served by our pediatric programs and services. Seven Entercom Upstate stations broadcast these poignant stories and interviews: 106.3 WORD, ESPN Upstate, Classic Rock 101.1, 93.3 The Planet, Magic 98.9, B93.7 and 96.3 The Block. The success of this event brings the total amount raised by Radiothon to more than $3 million since 2007.

Mark O’Halla, Prisma Health president and CEO, meets with grateful patients at his first Radiothon in Greenville last year.