CELEBRATING
LIVES
OF
PURPOSE
METHODIST
MAGAZINE VOL. 4 2021
The Healing Power of Animals: Hospital Welcomes Two New Additions Nurse Paints Mural in Grieving Room to Honor Patient’s Baby
Making the Holidays Special for Patients
CONTENTS 3
Staff Shout-Outs
7
Guest Columnists: L&D Nurses Share a Labor of Love, Loss, and Renewed Hope
9
Making the Holidays Special for Patients
11
Methodist Hospital and Methodist Healthcare Ministries Partner to Bring Cheer Home for the Holidays
13
A Healthy Twist on a Holiday Recipe
15
Patient Stories
21
Art Exhibit Promotes Breast Cancer Awareness
23
Methodist Hospital Offers Relaxation Pods
23
New Name, Same Great Care - Introducing Methodist Hospital | Atascosa
24
Methodist Campus Welcomes Two Additional Facility Animals
25
Patient Technology Program Expands, Reaching More Children than Before
26
Honoring Our Veterans
27
Promotions and Movement Across the System
31 Growth 33
Firsts, Milestones, and Awards
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EDITOR Cheri Love-Moceri Associate Vice President of Communications CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Morgan Downing-Shannon Director of Communications Methodist Children’s Hospital Kimberly Felan Communications Manager Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant Methodist Hospital | Texsan Melissa Geedman Director of Communications Methodist Hospital Lauren McCormick Communications Manager Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan Methodist Hospital | Atascosa
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STAFF SHOUT OUTS
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PATIENT LETTER TO STAFF
Good Afternoon, I wanted to send this email to compliment all the nurses and staff on the 5th floor and thank them for being simply wonderful. My husband was admitted through the ER very late Friday night October 15th and was discharged Tuesday afternoon October 19th due to a ruptured appendix. Our entire experience could not have been any better from beginning to end. These days people are so quick to complain but I wanted to make sure that it is known how much we appreciated everything. My sister and brother in law were out of town so the panic I had to think I would have to leave him alone and go home alone (we are one of those crazy married couples that are always together and still like to be) had me terrified. I was allowed to stay with him the whole time…even overnight (I only left 2 times to shower, get food and check on our house) and for that I thank you. One male nurse brought me a blanket and the second full night I brought stuff to make a bed for the floor and a tech saw that and brought me a huge recliner (she rolled it from another area to our room) so I could sleep comfortably. Every single person we crossed paths with those days were top notch, cleaning crew, nutrition, nurses, techs….EVERY SINGLE PERSON. Thank you thank you for making a tough experience a little better.
—Marco and Diana Chavez Methodist Hospital | Specialty & Transplant
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SKYLER HATCH, RN
Post Anesthesia Care Unit: Skyler Hatch, RN, Post Anesthesia Care Unit, is a nurse that embodies our I-CARE values everyday on the unit. She displays a warm and friendly demeanor and positive attitude that make her well-liked amongst her peers and patients. Recently, her peer wrote, “Great job today with the challenging patients you recovered back to back to back! You provided excellent care with lots of patience!” She serves as a resource for her team by being a preceptor for new staff. During staffing challenges, she is consistently flexible with her schedule and pitches in by signing up for extra shifts. This past week, her leadership skills were on display when she stepped up and covered as our charge nurse. I applaud Skyler’s commitment to “Serving Humanity,” and wish her continued success! —Jorge Sandoval Assistant Nurse Manager | PACU Methodist Hospital
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We are beyond proud of
MESKY
and her diligence in safe practices within the pharmacy. Because she was focused in her role for our patient’s care and efficient in her escalation, she not only prevented a safety event for her patient, but she made insulin ordering processes safer for all of our Texsan patients going forward. Mesky is a great example of what it takes to get to zero harm.
—Amanda Wood, RN MSN Chief Nursing Officer Methodist Hospital | Texsan
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VICTOR BAUTISTA (MAINTENANCE MECHANIC ADVANCED)
is a fine example of our standards at Methodist Hospital Atascosa. Daily, Victor strives to accomplish any task that is asked of him. His abilities as a problem solver go beyond measurement. Victor is always seeking process improvements that benefit not only his team members but also our visitors. His compassion and work ethic speak for themselves. It is truly a joy to work with Victor because he cares, takes ownership, and leads by example. —David Sierra Director of Facilities Management Methodist Hospital | Atascosa
Our unsung heroes go behind the scenes wearing scrubs and pushing limits to excel. At MHNE, we are truly blessed to have
YARELYS ZAMBRANO, CVTS DIRECT CARE RN,
serve as not only a leader on her unit, but also as our Facility Practice Council co-chair. She continuously goes above and beyond to encourage her fellow colleagues (nurses, PCTs, RTs, PTs, etc.) while providing exceptional care for her patients. She is incredibly knowledgeable and brings innovation to her practice. MHNE is a better hospital with nurses like her here. —Dr. Rebecca Miller, PhD, MHSA, RN, NE-BC Dir Professional Nursing Practice Methodist Northeast Hospital Vol. 4 2021 | 4
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To the staff at
METHODIST HOSPITAL | METROPOLITAN,
My name is Michael A. Fuller, and I was admitted to your facility and department for an ablation for my heart performed by Dr. Adam Denker, MD, on September 1, 2021. I served in the United States Air Force in the medical field, covering many different departments ranging from EMS to inpatient units, outpatient clinics, and medical combat training. The care that I had the pleasure of being a part of at your unit was first class. Once my wife and I started this journey, the love, concern, and professionalism that we experienced from the moment that we walked into the front door is a model for other medical organizations to implement, which reflects the compassion and desire to make sure that the patient and the family is a top priority. I do have high expectations concerning health care for myself and my family. Each of the nurses, medical technicians, operating room team, anesthesiologist, Dr. Denker, and many others involved with my procedure that day showed that they were truly and genuinely concerned with any questions or concerns I had before the ablation. The professional and exceptional patient care are evident concerning my well-being, but the relationship of the medical team is no doubt one that mirrors that the patient comes first.
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This was evident with their team approach; constant communication with their fellow health care workers, willingness to help each other out, verifying and reverifying information, procedures and keeping each other in the loop is something that you cannot teach or force upon any organization, especially a team in the field of health care. I was curious what the cross and the flame represented that is displayed on Methodist Hospitals. I quote: “The symbol relates to the United Methodist Church to God through Christ (cross) and the Holy Spirit (flame). The flame is a reminder of Pentecost when witnesses were unified by the power of the Holy Spirit and saw “tongues as of fire” (Acts 2:3). I truly witnessed the Holy Spirit bringing together a team of professionals that are unified by their compassion and desire to give the best of themselves so that those in their care will benefit not only emotionally and physically but spiritually as well. As I was being helped into our vehicle, the nurse reassured me that they would be here (hospital staff) to address any postoperative concerns. My wife and I conveyed our heartfelt appreciation for the amazing patient care during my stay. Before driving off, I responded, “Don’t give up. You are doing God’s work.” Please continue to do God’s work. It will never be forgotten Respectfully, —Mr. Michael A. Fuller USAF Disabled Veteran Retired Educator
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STAFF SHOUT OUTS
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GLORIA DELAO-GARZA
carries out a unique and critical role for our Living Kidney Donor Program serving as our sole Independent Living Donor Advocate. Her role is crucial in protecting the best interest of the donors and she does this with an extraordinary passion. Gloria has an innate ability to emotionally connect to our living kidney donors allowing them to feel comfortable, safe and supported during their donor evaluation. I have had the privilege of rounding with Gloria to visit the donors after their surgery, and as soon as the donor sees her, they light up and smile! A common response is “Gloria! It’s so good to see you” or “Gloria, I can’t thank you enough for everything you have done for me and made this the best experience ever!” She exemplifies our Mission, Vision and Values daily and it is a privilege (and fun) to work with her every day. Thanks Glo! —Maura Kapp, MSN, BSN, RN, CCTC Director Kidney Transplant Services Methodist Hospital | Specialty & Transplant
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ELISA HERNANDEZ, RN
Elisa has been with the CED for a little over 13 years as an RN. Over the last few years, I have watched Elisa precept our new residents to become successful RNs. She is a mentor to all of the staff and the one you go to with a question or concern about patients. Not only does she care and support her team, her patients and families love her. There are several compliments weekly about the care and compassion Elisa gives.
—Christine Pakish Director of Emergency Services Methodist Children’s Hospital
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There’s a phrase we are told as labor nurses, “When it’s happy here, it’s happy. But when it’s sad, it is really sad”. When you start, it’s so easy to get attached to the families that you work with. You spend 12+ hours of your day with them. You get engulfed in their stories, learn about their likes and dislikes, and try to give them their dream delivery. But with families who have babies born still, you also bear witness that their child actually came earthside. You are forever part of their baby’s short life. -Jana Castro, L&D Director, Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak “I met a family in triage a few years ago that forever changed the way I practice nursing and the way I see the world. As first time parents, this couple was so excited to meet their little girl. At full term, mom was in labor and came through triage to be checked into the hospital. I greeted her, and the unthinkable happened when I was unable to find her baby’s heartbeat. Ultrasound confirmed, and the parents were then told that they had to deliver their daughter. Their beautiful girl came earth-side, her eyes open to heaven already. In that instant, I formed a bond with this family as I helped them
bathe, dress and take photos with their baby. I cried tears with them and assured them that she only knew love. I watched as they said goodbye to their baby for the final time, hugging them and telling them that this was not the end of their story. I would always tell their daughter’s story of love. Fast forward to last year, mid-pandemic, when the family was going to celebrate their daughter’s first heavenly birthday by collecting donations for our unit at the hospital. The mother reached out, and we decided that a room to honor other families going through infant loss would be the perfect way to celebrate their little girl. Annaleigh’s Room was born. Together with many members of our hospital team, her room slowly came together into a beautiful space to celebrate other babies and their families. Places on the wall hold sacred spaces for names of babies gone too soon. A bassinette sits in the corner to give room for babies to meet their families. I got to be a part of making Annaleigh’s legacy live on forever.”
GUEST COLUMNISTS: L&D NURSES SHARE A LABOR OF LOVE, LOSS, AND RENEWED HOPE Families may visit Annaleigh’s Room and memorialize the loss of their baby by writing their name and date of birth on a tag to be permanently displayed. -Kaylen Bagley, RN, Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak “It’s true that labor and delivery can be the happiest wing of the hospital. I began my nursing career in this unit right before Covid struck. I had heard the warnings. There are most often beautiful days, but when it storms, it really storms. I experienced this for the first time as a student. Watching a first time mother and supportive father battle with the grief of losing their preterm daughter, all the while struggling through the physical pain of labor. After 3 long days and nights, she delivered their baby girl who was already in Heaven. I watched as my preceptor, Kaylen, cared for this grief-struck family every night. Most times, I had no idea what to say to show my sadness for them or my desire to support them. However, I learned that sometimes not saying anything and just being in the moment with them is more powerful than any sentence I could put together. I shared tears with everyone who got to meet their precious little girl. I will never forget the overwhelming sadness that swelled in me when they dressed their baby girl in the only festive baby hat she would ever wear, and quietly said, “my sweet little pumpkin”.
make the unit dark, but there is no where I would rather be than providing support to these parents during the worst day of their lives. I have the honor of being a supportive face for them to help them take everything one step at a time. Labor and delivery is absolutely the best adventure. The families that you touch with your nursing care will be remembered forever. Being able to be a part of honoring Annaleigh with this room solidified that God does do big things through all people. Now each family who goes into this room will know that their baby’s legacy will live on forever.” -Corinne Schulze, RN, Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak
(L to R) Jana Castro, Director of L&D, Andrew and Rebekah Paltz, Corinne Schulze, RN, Kaylen Bagley, RN, and CEO Jeff Wilson commemorate the opening of Annaleigh’s Room.
It isn’t always the beautiful days that stick with you forever, but the hardest ones that you cannot forget are forever part of you. It’s these days that can Vol. 4 2021 | 8
SINGING LOUD FOR ALL TO HEAR: According to ‘Buddy the Elf,’ the best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear! That’s just what our OR and EVS staff do during the holiday season at Methodist Hospital | Atascosa. The group travels the halls visiting patients and staff singing holiday carols, bringing treats, and spreading the joy of the season!
MAKING THE HOLIDAYS SPECIAL FOR PATIENTS A TIMELESS TRADITION: In keeping with tradition, infants born at Methodist Hospital in the 12 days before Christmas are nestled into hand-sewn stockings. The Methodist Hospital Blue Bird Auxiliary volunteers have kept this tradition going for 57 years!
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FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES CREATES GIANT GINGERBREAD WORKS OF ART:
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We’re confident the Food and Nutrition Services staff and our chefs at our hospitals are on Santa’s nice list! Several days of love, joy, and hard work are put into making these giant, edible creations all in an effort to put smiles on the faces of everyone who comes across these masterpieces in our lobbies.
A DECEMBER TO REMEMBER: Thanks to the generosity of our community, the children’s hospital is filled with holiday cheer throughout November and December. Whether our patients are decorating cookies, chatting with Santa Claus, or playing Christmas bingo, there is no shortage of festive fun. The child life specialists enjoy being able to provide individual trees for each patient to decorate and keep in their room. They also make sure Santa stops by the hospital and quietly places each child’s gifts outside their room to open on Christmas morning.
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METHODIST HOSPITAL AND METHODIST HEALTHCARE MINISTRIES PARTNER TO BRING CHEER HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT: To help make the holidays feel more festive, we incorporate holiday gift wrapping into our patients’ occupational therapy. Not only does it help patients work towards their goals of getting back home, but it also brings some of their holiday traditions to them in the hospital. We’ll ask our patients’ family members to bring items in to wrap and even our nurses bring gifts for their loved ones. It’s really fun and the patients love it!” -Chelsea Real (OT), Jenifer Stein (RN), and Elizabeth Cruz (OT), Inpatient Rehab, Methodist Hospital “We try to keep the spirit of Christmas alive on 5N. We love to decorate our unit for the holidays to make patients and families feel at home when they’re not in the comfort of their own. It’s important for us for our patients to know they’re with family with us even though they may not be able to be at home with theirs.” -Arlene Vallego, Clinical Nurse, 5N Methodist Hospital
METHODIST HEALTHCARE PARTNERS WITH METHODIST MINISTRIES TO PROVIDE CHRISTMAS TREES TO FAMILIES IN NEED For the past few years, hospitals within Methodist Healthcare have participated in Christmas tree decorating contests as part of the holiday celebrations. From most creative, best theme, most traditional, and best overall, staff from all departments come together to creatively create true works of art. Following the competition, nearly 200 decorated Christmas trees and holiday wreaths are donated to Methodist Healthcare Ministries to give to families in need. In December, families are invited to one of the Methodist Healthcare Ministries centers to enjoy some holiday treats and entertainment before selecting their own tree. It’s pure joy when families see the room full of festively designed Christmas trees and pick the perfect one to bring home to enjoy. Holiday traditions will carry on this year to continue our mission of serving humanity to honor God and help provide a special Christmas to those in need. Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc., is a private, faith-based not-for-profit dedicated to creating access to health care for low-income families and the uninsured.
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A HEALTHY TAKE ON HOLIDAY TRADITIONS ANALICIA POWELL, MS, RDN, LD
Bariatric Registered Dietitian at Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan
“Are you looking to make your holiday meals a little healthier this year? Instead of green bean casserole, consider a healthier alternative”
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STEAMED GREEN BEANS WITH MUSHROOMS AND ONIONS INGREDIENTS
INSTRUCTIONS
12 oz green beans, steamed
1.
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and mushrooms. Cook on medium-high for 4 minutes.
2.
Add garlic to the onion and mushroom mixture and sauté for 3 minutes.
3.
While the mixture is cooking, steam your green beans for 5 minutes.
4.
Add white wine vinegar to the mixture and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
5.
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the green beans to the skillet. Mix to combine.
6.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
7.
Top with lemon zest.
8.
Enjoy!
½ yellow onion, sliced 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced 5 minced garlic cloves 1/3 cup white wine vinegar 2 tbsp olive oil Lemon zest from ½ of a lemon Salt and pepper to taste
PATIENT STORIES LETTER DELIVERED MONTHS AFTER PATIENT PASSES AWAY Luis Gomez, a Housekeeper and Patient Advocate at Methodist Hospital | Atascosa, is known for the significant impact he makes in the lives of patients, their families, and the staff at the hospital. He has been with the hospital for four years and believes he is where God wants him to be. During COVID-19, he has gone above and beyond to ensure those suffering from the virus feel loved and cared for. “As I clean the rooms, I talk to patients and add a little bit more joy,” Gómez said. “I try to make them smile and feel comfortable.” Aside from his job duties, Luis talks and prays with patients, listens to their struggles, and gives advice. He even gives small, faith-based gifts that he buys with his own money. He bought miniature Christmas trees and other items to bring Christmas to COVID-19 patients like Maureen Stinson during the holidays. In December of 2020, Maureen was admitted to the hospital with COVID-19. Visitor restrictions kept her family from visiting her. Despite not seeing her family, Maureen was pleased to have a friendship with Luis. Once she recovered from COVID-19, she moved to a nursing home. However, she returned to the hospital in February of 2021 due to lasting complications, where she later passed away. Months later, Maureen’s family went through her belongings and found a letter written to Luis. Finding the letter was the closure the family needed; they had guilt for not being with her when she was sick, and the letter proved she was taken care of.
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THE LETTER TO LUIS READS: “Dear Luis, Thank you for the pretty ornament. I will treasure it always. You are extremely thoughtful. I love my little bear. I’m going to take good care of it. I love him. I’m so glad we met. My writing is not good because of my hand that I hurt. Thank you again, Maureen Stinson.” Melissa also found the Christmas tree and a little bear from Luis. Maureen’s family wanted Luis to have the original letter, so they made copies and delivered the original to Luis at the hospital. Melissa, Maureen’s daughter, met Luis, thanked him for all he did, and even invited Luis to attend Maureen’s memorial service. Luis attended the service and was able to meet the entire family. This experience was the first time a patient’s family has contacted Luis personally; it reaffirmed that he is where he needs to be. “This letter and what the family wrote to me made a difference in my life. God answered my prayers through all of this,” Luis shared. Maureen’s family is forever grateful to Luis for his kindness toward their mom. “Luis went above and beyond his duties, and we appreciate it. We went so long without contact other than Zoom with mom,” said Todd, Maureen’s son. “I mean, he even hugged her! He wasn’t scared of getting the virus. He saw the importance of it … that my mom needed a hug, and he gave it to her.” Luis believes that God put him to work at the hospital for this reason; that is where he is meant to be. “If I can make just one person smile throughout the day, then I’ve done my job. None of the other stuff matters,” said Luis. “I thank them from the bottom of my heart for taking time to deliver this letter and sharing with me how much it meant to them. They treated me like one of their own, and I want to ensure they know how thankful I am to them. It’s just so emotional and hard to explain.” Luis keeps in touch with the family and continues to spread kindness and love to all the patients he meets at the hospital.
SINGING TO HEAL PATIENTS As a nurse with over ten years of experience, Allison Walker has always loved singing ever since she was a child. It wasn’t until 2008, when she was working through her clinicals at an Alzheimer’s/dementia facility that she began incorporating music into her work. Allison is a firm believer that being a nurse is more than just helping patients heal medically, but spiritually and emotionally, too. As a nurse at Methodist Hospital | Atascosa, she has been incorporating her love of singing into her everyday work to cheer up her patients and herself! “We’re here to take care of you and how you feel and what you’re concerned with and what your fears are … these all matter to us, too. It’s part of your healing,” Allison said. Allison said that connecting with patients and helping them relax is a priority, especially during the past year and a half with COVID. “It’s a fearful time for patients. And so, sometimes, I will be gowned up in full PPE singing. I’ll hug patients, I’ll pray with them … whatever it takes,” said Walker. “I sing to them to interact with them and calm them. And sometimes it would help them laugh and, you know, relax and help them smile.” One Sunday, Allison was working and couldn’t attend church, so she sang hymns to patients who could not participate in church either. Tom Sablatura was a COVID-19 patient who also is a pastor and loves listening to worship music, so Allison visited him and began singing “How Great Thou Art,” which Tom recorded a video of. Tom said he would start to feel better when Allison sang to him. “Never did we expect for him to have that kind of personal care where he’s not just another patient, especially with COVID being so crazy and hospitals being so full. And I mean, to have that one-on-one attention was so great,” said Tom’s daughter Heather. “We felt like this was God’s plan for us to be at this place.”
“If I can bring a breath of fresh air to patients and take time out of my day to just pause and help, I will. It ends up helping me pause and feel refreshed,” Allison shared. Allison believes nurses must make time for their patients and not get so caught up in their day and rush home. “We’re nurses. It’s just like life outside of the hospital— we don’t have time. We never have time. So, we make time,” she said. “There have been so many times I never have time, but I end up making the time to make somebody else’s day because I’m only there for 12 hours. Patients are there 24/7, trying to get better. So, the least we can do is to make time for our patients. The video of Allison singing to Tom has since “gone viral” on social media and shared by many different outlets, including CNN National News! To see the video of Allison singing, visit any of our Methodist Healthcare System social media pages.
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PATIENT STORIES
BAKED WITH LOVE Former Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan patient, Pat Good, has made it her mission to spread cheer to the hospital’s employees one cookie at a time.
SPECIALTY & TRANSPLANT STAFF CELEBRATE PATIENT’S BIRTHDAY Jerry Pollack was able to celebrate his 72nd birthday during his stay at the hospital. Nurses and staff lined up along the hallway and waited for Jerry to be wheeled out of his room. Once he made his appearance, with warm hearts, everyone began to sing happy birthday. “It felt like a movie, I had to pinch myself,” said Jerry. He was presented with a handmade crown, which he wore the entire day, balloons and a cake. Jerry said it felt very genuine, and everyone had huge smiles on their faces. He couldn’t have been more surprised on his special day. Jerry was admitted to the hospital after developing an infection following a leg amputation. He’s got a long road to recovery; however, he is very optimistic. “I feel much younger than 72, and for that reason, I will overcome this battle.” Thank you to our wonderful staff for always going above and beyond for our patients!
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After being misdiagnosed with COVID-19 and a stroke by another health system, Pat was immediately admitted into the COVID ICU at Metropolitan. When she woke up, she was confused, in shock, and the only patient in that unit who could actually talk. Although it was learned that Pat didn’t have COVID-19, she could not leave the unit due to her exposure being there. This led to Pat getting to know the nurses taking care of her, and their stories inspired her to find a way she could make sure they were taken care of once she left the hospital. “I said to the nurses, tell me about your worst day,” said Pat. “And they said one man, who was a nurse, said today was my worst day, April 15th, 2021. He said, we lost an 18-year-old boy today due to COVID. And it was the first time they had lost somebody that young.” Pat sympathized with her nurses, as she understands how hard it can be to see death over and over, having worked for a hospice organization in the past. “I said then on behalf of all the patients here that can’t talk, thank you so much.” Pat then promised the team that she would never forget them and would pray for them daily. Now home and healthy, Pat has made it her mission to remind the team that cared for her how much they’re appreciated by bringing them homemade baked goods every
week! “I call myself God’s Little Delivery Girl, and all the way down to the hospital, I pray, God, whoever receives these cookies bless them today is their burden. Give them just one sweet moment in their day because they have a lot to face, you know?” Pat said. “Everybody has a breaking point, and there’s a lot of nurses leaving the profession today,” Good said. “That concerns me… I want them to know through my baking that I care about them and that I think they’re heroes.” Pat has since inspired her church to help her ‘adopt’ other hospitals in the community by baking for them and spreading the love. She doesn’t plan to stop baking for the hospital until COVID is completely over! To thank Pat and show their appreciation, the ICU team at the hospital wrote cards, provided her a basket of goodies, and even got her a new apron that describes her treats; it says “baked with love.”
ACTIVE DUTY ARMY PATIENT SHARES HER REHAB RECOVERY EXPERIENCE PFC Olga Ntangsi was placed on ECMO life-support after testing positive for COVID-19 almost one month prior. Olga never gave up the fight for her life, and was transferred to Methodist Hospital | Texsan for rehabilitation as her health began to improve. “I gained my independence here,” says Olga. Methodist Rehab Units created a Challenge Coin for active duty and retired military patients as a token of appreciation for achieving their Independence from rehab. Congratulations on an amazing recovery, and thank you for allowing us to be a part of your story!
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PATIENT STORIES AFTER BEING HOSPITALIZED FOR FIVE MONTHS, TWO CRITICALLYILL COVID-19 PATIENTS SHARE EMOTIONAL REUNION Carlos Gonzalez, 34, spent several months hospitalized at Methodist Hospital for COVID-19. Battling the virus’s residual effects, Carlos was on ECMO life-support for over 120 days, one of the longest periods a patient has required a mechanical pump to oxygenate blood outside the body, allowing the heart and lungs to rest. His condition continued to decline, and his care team believed he may need a lung transplant to survive. Carlos said his motivation to keep fighting for his life was the support of his family and the success of another COVID patient on his same unit who inspired him to never give up. Amy Velez, 35, was also on ECMO for more than 100 days after COVID-19 nearly took her life. She too was told that lung transplantation may be her only chance at survival, as her lungs had become too frail to function on their own. Amy and Carlos were in the same ICU unit for months, and she never imagined she would leave a lasting impression on a fellow patient while they both fought for their lives. Once Amy had transferred to in-patient rehab, she requested to revisit the ICU unit to share with her care team how far she had come. She remembered seeing the condition Carlos was still in and felt it in her heart to encourage and pray for him. “You can do this. God’s got your back. I’ll keep praying for you,” she told him. Amy says she prayed for Carlos’s recovery every day since she left Methodist Hospital. Encouraged by Amy, Carlos knew that he too would make it out of the hospital and back home with his three-year-old son. A few weeks later, Carlos’s health progressed, and he
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was ready to be transferred to in-patient rehab. It was there that Carlos was told he was in the same room that Amy recovered in. The “warrior room,” he called it. On Thursday, July 29, 2021, Carlos received the exciting news that he would be discharged home after five months of hospitalization. Staff lined the hall cheering Carlos on as he independently walked out of his room on his way home. His motivator, Amy, was cheering him on as well. After only three weeks from the day she was discharged, Amy returned to Methodist Hospital to be by Carlos’s side, to support and congratulate him for beating the hardest thing they both would overcome in their lives.
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ART EXHIBIT PROMOTES BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of their breast cancer program, Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan partnered with The McNay Art Museum to honor breast cancer survivors, those we’ve lost, and their families, through an art project. Community members were invited to submit art pieces for display on social media during October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, that pay tribute to those impacted by breast cancer. The art pieces symbolize hope and support, and the hospital was delighted and amazed by the many beautiful works of art submitted. One lucky artist will be selected to have their piece permanently displayed in the hospital and will also receive $500 to go toward a charity of their choice.
The Elephant in the Room They found it on a mammogram, two months ago today. That lump that Maggie saw there was a tumor. The surgery went well, she started chemo right away, now she's quietly optimistic about her future. She has treatments on Tuesday. Recovery is tough. The pain is intense she would say. But Maggie is blessed with good friends that she loves, and they'd stop by to brighten her day. They brought hope and good cheer, some laughter, some tears. She'd forget all her gloom and her doom. But they rarely mentioned the cancer anymore, though they all felt the elephant in the room. Her cancer got worse, and she'd silently suffer. And she wished it would just go away. But Maggie was blessed with a family that loved her. And they'd see her at least once a day. They brought kindness and sympathy, sent prayers up above. Lots of cards and flowers in bloom. They seldom spoke of her illness these days, but they all felt the elephant in the room. Her bloodwork got worse and her pain was too much. She struggled to cope every day. So she started to pray to the God that she loved. Then she prayed and she prayed and she prayed. She was tired of it all and she longed for the end. "Please God", she prayed, "Let me live". She repeated that prayer again and again, till she had no more prayers left to give. Then a funny thing happened, slowly at first. When her doctors found hope in a test. Seems the cancer she'd fought and the pain she had nursed, were leaving her body at last. As she left to go home and start living again, she suddenly felt all alone. That elephant that lived in her room now and then, had left her for places unknown. - Gregory Lambert
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METHODIST HOSPITAL LAUNCHES RELAXATION PODS SO FRONTLINE WORKERS CAN RESTORE BETWEEN SHIFTS Well-rested healthcare providers are essential to whole communities. A new pilot at Methodist Hospital is helping frontline doctors, nurses and staff get some much-needed rest. A first for South Texas, Methodist Hospital recently launched relaxation pods, a safe, private, comfortable, clean, and soundproof space for physicians and staff to recharge without having to leave the hospital. The sound-blocking relaxation pods are designed to provide individuals with comfort, privacy, and a quick escape. Each 43.5 square-foot pod features either a comfortable twin-sized bed or massage chair, a privacy and sound-blocking curtain, charging stations, and a tablet to control reservations. Rigorous cleaning and disinfection protocols are in place to ensure each employee enjoys a safe and clean experience.
NEW NAME, SAME GREAT CARE: INTRODUCING METHODIST HOSPITAL | ATASCOSA Methodist Hospital | South has been renamed Methodist Hospital | Atascosa to better reflect its community and further its commitment to the community. Since being purchased by Methodist Healthcare, the hospital has shown significant growth in the care and services it provides and has a proven track record of patient safety and satisfaction. “Renaming our hospital demonstrates our commitment to Atascosa County and the surrounding areas,” said Greg Seiler, CEO of Methodist Hospital | Atascosa. “We are passionate about caring for our community members and providing exceptional and cost-effective healthcare to all. We look forward to supporting the healthcare needs of this county by continuing to grow the services we offer under our new name.”
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METHODIST CAMPUS WELCOMES TWO ADDITIONAL FACILITY ANIMALS Methodist Hospital and Methodist Children’s Hospital have seen first-hand the positive impact facility dogs, Jaime and Hazel, have had on patients in providing emotional support during challenging situations. There was a recognized need to provide even more patients and staff with visits from animals who naturally possess healing abilities and bring smiles to all they meet. In 2021, the campus excitedly welcomed two new facility animals into the Methodist family. Meet Major Major is a 2-year-old golden retriever specially-trained in skills that help and comfort hospital staff and patients. Nothing brings more joy than four paws, a wet nose, and a wagging tail! Major and his handler, Kirsta Deboy, Critical Care Manager for the Lung Rescue ICU, work together as partners to help adult ICU staff cope with long hours and stressful situations as well as provide comfort to patients and families. Major was gifted to Methodist Hospital from Patient Paws Service Dogs, Inc., a non-profit organization which provides facility dogs to hospitals to benefit patients, their families, and facility staff. Major is Methodist Hospital’s first full-time therapy dog designated strictly to adult care. He began his role in late September. Meet Bambi Bambi is a 4-year-old miniature therapy horse trained to provide emotional support in health care settings. She joined us from All-Star Farm Heavenly Acres in Bradenton, Florida where she was raised to be comfortable around hospital beds, walkers, and wheelchairs. Bambi and her handler, Alexa Farris, Manager of Emergency Services, work together as partners to provide comfort to patients and families going through difficult medical situations, procedures, and diagnoses. Bambi began her role in early November.
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PATIENT TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM EXPANDS, REACHING MORE CHILDREN THAN BEFORE In 2018, Methodist Children’s Hospital became the first hospital in Texas to explore the benefits of virtual reality and gaming as part of the healing process for children. In three years, full-time patient technology specialist (PTS), Alexander Pereira, has used technology to provide a positive hospital experience for thousands of children. The program’s success has led to the recent addition of a second, full-time PTS, allowing for more children to experience the benefits of one of the hospital’s most unique offerings. “Having two patient technology specialists is already paying dividends in our ability to cover more patients, work on more projects and host more special events,” Pereira said. “There’s quite literally twice as many options as there used to be.” Pereira and newcomer, Elena Guerra, spend their days bringing joy and welcome distractions from room to room. A typical day for a PTS could involve spending one-on-one time with a child who may be struggling mentally with his or her hospital stay, to broadcasting and hosting virtual bingo for dozens of children on the hospital’s private television channel, MCTV and wrapping up the day with a virtual reality session as an alternative option to physical therapy. “I appreciate being able to aid in bringing smiles to our patients when they aren’t in a situation they can control. Hospitals can be scary places for kids, and I appreciate being able to help make them a not so scary place after all,” Guerra said. A recent study by the University of Utah suggests that video games could have a profound impact on the way we deliver patient care; the report also indicated that video games can help patients with cancer, diabetes, asthma, depression, autism, Parkinson’s disease and more. The study, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, also indicates that video games can be therapeutic and are already beginning to show health-related benefits. Pereira says he’s witnessed the benefits first-hand. “We had a patient who was in our pediatric intensive care unit who had lost fine muscle control in their hands,” Pereira recalled. “I was able to bring an adaptive controller set up for them to be able to play a video game. But they needed a second person to steer for them, who ended up being their mom when I wasn’t able to be present. I went out for the weekend and by the time I got back to the patient they had figured out a way to play on their own. It was really impressive to see how far the patient had progressed because gaming provided them a concrete goal. Throughout their recovery with us, they continued to try and recover as much fine motor control in order to play video games.” Pereira and Guerra are busy growing the program. The two have already been able to spend more time in the outpatient care setting with children in the Methodist Children’s Hospital Cancer and Blood center. They hope to bring 3D printing, develop a gaming volunteer program, expand MCTV programming to host events nearly every day of the week, and more. “Being able to put smiles on the faces of children through gaming is a very special privilege,” Guerra said. “From the little time I’ve been here, I’ve already experienced how important normalizing the hospital setting for our smallest patients is and the collaborative work among the departments to do so is amazing.”
HONORING OUR VETERANS Methodist Hospital and Methodist Children’s Hospital held a Veterans Day ceremony to honor past and present veterans who have served in the United States Armed Forces. The ceremony began with the presentation of colors by the John Marshall High School ROTC and was followed by the National Anthem sung by Aundreia Evans-McClain, Leadership Development Training Specialist for Methodist Hospital. Chief Executive Officer, Dan Miller shared remarks of gratitude to honor the veterans present, and special guests, K9s for Warriors, a local non-profit organization who specializes in pairing veterans with therapy dogs, were invited to share information about their great cause. The ceremony concluded with veterans from the Methodist campus joining at the podium to share their military background and stories of their service.
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PROMOTIONS AND MOVEMENT ACROSS THE SYSTEM
METHODIST HOSPITAL WELCOMES NEW CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER - RACHEL GOLDSMITH Methodist Hospital announced the appointment of Rachel Goldsmith as the new chief operating officer (COO) for Methodist Hospital and Methodist Children’s Hospital. Goldsmith returns to Methodist Hospital after serving as COO for Methodist Hospital Northeast. Her strengths include both organizational/ service line growth as well as employee engagement and relationshipbuilding. During her tenure at Methodist Hospital Northeast, Goldsmith had oversight of the daily operations of all procedural, ancillary, and support areas and staff of over 300 full-time employees. She led over $40 million construction projects, including a 30-bed inpatient unit, a hybrid operating suite, an electrophysiology lab, and the vertical addition of 3 parking garage levels, among others. Goldsmith was instrumental in developing a lung nodule program, spearheaded the design and construction of an outpatient surgery department, and implemented the opening of a new free-standing emergency room and plans for a new medical office building (MOB). Having formerly served as Vice President of Operations, Business Development and Strategy for Methodist Hospital and Methodist Children’s Hospital, Goldsmith advanced the adult and pediatric cardiovascular service line through programmatic development, operational oversight, physician recruitment as well as quality and regulatory management. Rachel began her new executive leadership role November 1.
Want your department to be featured in the next issue of Methodist Magazine? We’d love to learn all about your team! Please email us at MethodistCommunications@MHSHealth.com and request an interview.
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METHODIST HOSPITAL | ATASCOSA WELCOMES NEW CHIEF NURSING OFFICER Methodist Hospital | Atascosa recently welcomed Tonja Thigpen, MSN, CCNS, CCRN-K, NEA-BC, as their new Chief Nursing Officer. Before joining Methodist Hospital | Atascosa, Tonja served as the Assistant Chief Nursing Officer at Reston Hospital Center in Reston, Virginia. Having held several leadership roles over various departments throughout her career. In 2018 and 2019, she received the Outstanding Leader Award, and she even led her Emergency Department to obtain a high-performing team award in 2018. Tonja holds a BSN from Virginia Commonwealth University and an MSN from Liberty University. She is a Doctorate candidate at the Virginia University of Lynchburg and is on track to graduate in December of 2021. Tonja has a proven track record of fostering a culture of ownership through accountability, respect, innovation, shared governance, and she previously served in the United States Army for nine years. Under Tonja’s leadership, Methodist Hospital | Atascosa will continue to provide exceptional care to the community while growing to meet the needs of the patients and families in Atascosa County.
MARC STRODE TAKES ON NEW ROLE TO ENHANCE RURAL MARKETS Marc Strode, former CEO of Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak, has accepted the position of Senior Vice President for Methodist Healthcare’s rural markets. Strode loves Texas, he loves South Texas and West Texas, and he loves rural Texas. This job represents the opportunity for him to lead not just a single hospital campus, as important as that may be, but to impact dozens of hospitals and thousands of patients over the hundreds of square miles that we serve. Strode had been CEO at Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak for nearly seven years, and has overseen more milestones and accomplishments than can be possibly listed. Among the highlights would be campus investments of over $200M in expansion and improvements, a doubling of our daily patient census, and strong earnings growth. The key to Strode’s leadership has been an undying passion to create a patient and staff culture characterized by leadership involvement to drive satisfaction, and MHSO has been frequently recognized for high performance in areas of staff, physician, and patient engagement when measured against company and industry benchmarks. He also led the hospital to a grade of “A” on Leapfrog Patient Safety scores, oversaw the acquisition of a dedicated rehab facility, and has helped spur impressive growth in key service lines like neurosurgery, NICU, OB, Trauma, and others. Strode is a seasoned hospital leader with a track record of success, and he lives our Mission of Serving Humanity to Honor God.
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PROMOTIONS AND MOVEMENT ACROSS THE SYSTEM
METHODIST HOSPITAL | SPECIALTY & TRANSPLANT WELCOMES NEW CEO KEVIN SCOGGIN It is our pleasure to announce Kevin J. Scoggin, MHA as the newest Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant. Prior to this position, Kevin held the Chief Operating Officer position for Methodist Hospital and Methodist Children’s Hospital, since 2019. His experience in various leadership positions throughout HCA has served him well in preparing him for the position of CEO. Kevin has assumed various leadership roles such as COO at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, COO at Summerville Medical Center near Charleston, South Carolina; Associate COO at Kingwood Medical Center near Houston, Texas; and Administrative Resident & Assistant Administrator at Oklahoma University Medical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. During his tenure at the Methodist Hospital campus, Kevin was the executive lead for recruitment and planning to successfully launch the new Methodist Hospital Burn and Reconstructive Center, and also the Methodist Hospital Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit that opened in June 2020. Recently, he led planning efforts to establish the first Methodistemployed neurosurgical group. Kevin and his wife, Sarah, have two beautiful children. Emma, who is 9 years old and Parker who is 7 years old. Away from work, he serves as a senior student advisor for multiple Trinity healthcare administration graduate students. Kevin’s many successes and vast experience will serve our staff, patients, physicians, and community, well as he takes on this next leadership opportunity.
METHODIST HOSPITAL | STONE OAK WELCOMES NEW CEO - JEFF WILSON Jeff Wilson has accepted the position of Chief Executive Officer at Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak. No stranger to Methodist Healthcare, Wilson most recently served as the Chief Executive Officer for Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant and has previously served as Chief Operating Officer at Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan. Wilson’s career has primarily been dedicated to health care, gaining experience working for health-related government agencies and leading a non-profit partnership with the mission of finding collaborative solutions to the state of Virginia’s community health concerns. He expanded his experience by starting a career at HCA sixteen years ago as an Assistant Administrator of Business Development and Marketing for John Randolph Medical Center in Virginia. Wilson worked his way up the ranks and left Virginia to come to San Antonio in 2011 to take the Chief Operating Officer position at Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan. In 2016, Wilson was selected as Chief Executive Officer at Methodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant where he has proven to be a true servant leader who motivates his staff and physicians to achieve positive outcomes. Over the last five years, he has successfully led his team in improving patient quality and safety by significantly reducing hospitalacquired infections, falls and mortality rates. Wilson’s leadership also led to a dramatic increase (58%) in physician satisfaction scores and increased inpatient satisfaction scores, maintaining them in the top quartile for the past two and a half years in a row. Under his tenure, the hospital transplant programs have achieved the #1 Living donor kidney transplant program in the United States and the #1 in liver transplant outcomes over three years in the United States.
Would you like your department featured in our next issue? Have an employee or coworker you’d like to recognize? Let us know by reaching out to MethodistCommunications@mhshealth.com!
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GROWTH
METHODIST HEALTHCARE OPENS PROGRESSIVE CRITICAL CARE UNIT IN LIVE OAK In November, Methodist Hospital | Northeast proudly unveiled a new Progressive Critical Care Unit created to address the incredible growth experienced in Live Oak and surrounding communities. The new state-of-the-art PCU was designed with quality, safety and extraordinary patient experiences in mind. The unit boasts 30 private patient rooms with full bathrooms. The rooms are large and spacious to accommodate continuous bedside vital monitoring, dual suction and air gases, bedside dialysis cabinets, and charting inlets. Oversized glass doors are used to ensure the patient is always visible and safe. A family lounge with a dedicated bathroom is located just outside the elevators for their privacy and convenience, and every room will have views of beautiful Live Oak through picture windows. The growth at Methodist Hospital | Northeast is far from over, with plans to open a new parking garage this December, complete a new Hybrid OR in January, and break ground on a new medical office building in Q1 of 2022.
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METHODIST HEALTHCARE OPENS FIRST EMERGENCY ROOM IN HELOTES Methodist Healthcare is pleased to announce the opening of Methodist ER Helotes, the city of Helotes’ first and preferred emergency room. Located at 12285 Bandera Rd, Methodist ER Helotes is the fourth free-standing emergency room to open within the last year as part of the system’s ongoing effort to improve access to health care in San Antonio and beyond. Board-certified physicians and medical professionals are available 24-hours a day, seven days a week to provide reliable medical care when minutes matter the most. Methodist ER Helotes is capable of treating serious, sometimes life-threatening emergency medical conditions including chest pain, respiratory distress, abdominal pain, broken bones or dislocated joints, serious infections, injuries, stroke symptoms, and more. Methodist ER Helotes, a department of Methodist Hospital, is equipped to serve both adults and children through advanced technology and services including radiology, full-service laboratory and telemetry. Also available is specific on-site diagnostic equipment, including a 64-slice CT scanner, a dedicated x-ray suite and ultrasound and telemetry equipment. The facility has access to Picture Archiving Communications System (PACS) to electronically transmit any diagnostic image to any Methodist credentialed physician’s office, specialist or any Methodist hospital emergency room for seamless follow up. Should patients require acute and specialized care, there are no additional expenses for transfer to Methodist Hospital or Methodist Children’s Hospital. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on October 27 with remarks by Methodist Hospital CEO, Dan Miller and Mayor of Helotes, Rich Whitehead.
GROUND BREAKING FOR WESTOVER HILLS MOB/HOSPITAL
System prepares for new 54-bed acute care, community hospital, and medical office building to address growing healthcare needs In 2006, Methodist Healthcare purchased 74 acres of land located at 1604 and Highway 151, anticipating the record growth concentrated on the west side of San Antonio. “With more than 423,000 citizens in this patient service area, the population requiring care is larger than the city of Corpus Christi,” said Allen Harrison, President and CEO of Methodist Healthcare. “And this area will only continue to grow with an estimated 9.3% increase in residents in the next five years alone. That’s 40,000 additional lives to service by 2026.” Today, joined by San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, the system broke ground in preparation of a new medical campus featuring Methodist Hospital | Westover Hills, a four-story, 180,000 square foot 54-bed acute care community hospital offering emergency, surgical, cardiology, gastroenterology and maternal care, as well as a NICU. The campus will also have a four-story, 125,000 square foot medical office building owned by physicians and other investors. Specialties offered will include internal medicine, family practice, orthopedic, urology, pulmonology, oncology, radiology, and cardiology services, as well as maternal fetal medicine. South Texas Radiology Imaging Center (STRIC) will also be housed in this space. Over a third of the campus will intentionally remain undeveloped. The undeveloped areas include existing heritage oaks, other natural trees and current groundcover. Plans also include the addition of over 150 trees to the developed part of the property to serve as a habitat to some of the area’s natural wildlife. The last new, full services hospital in the Methodist Healthcare family was built almost 13 years ago with the opening of Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak in 2008. “It is not often a health care provider has the opportunity to build a new hospital from the ground up,” said Harrison. “So it’s an honor to say that this $150 million investment will also bring 280 new jobs to West side communities, generating more than $24 million in payroll.” Both structures are expected to be completed in 2023.
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FIRSTS, MILESTONES AND AWARDS METHODIST HOSPITAL | SPECIALTY AND TRANSPLANT IS THE FIRST IN SAN ANTONIO TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE 50TH TCAR Methodist Hospital | Specialty & Transplant was the first in San Antonio to successfully complete the 50th Transcarotid Artery Revascularization procedure (TCAR), which demonstrates an excellent advancement in Carotid Stenosis treatment. Carotid artery stenosis is a narrowing of the large arteries on either side of the neck. These arteries carry blood to the head, face, and brain. This usually results in the build-up of plaque within the arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis. Overtime, stenosis can worsen and lead to stroke. Performed by Patrick A. Hartsell, MD, the TCAR procedure reversed the direction of blood flow while he operated, and the patient’s risk of stroke during the procedure was significantly lower. While conventional surgery is an alternative option, TCAR has several additional advantages. Boulos Toursarkissian, MD, who has performed the majority of these procedures at the hospital, stated, “It is much less invasive, less painful, and saves time.” He also says the incision is much smaller which lessens recovery time. “Being the 50th, this milestone demonstrates the level of expertise and specialized skills of our team.” Toursarkissian notes that not every patient is a candidate for this type of procedure. Patients must meet certain criteria and candidacy should be determined by their physician.
METHODIST HOSPITAL NAMED #1 BEST REGIONAL HOSPITAL For the third consecutive year, Methodist Hospital was named the No. 1 Best Regional Hospital for 2021-22 by U.S. News and World Report. A best regional hospital ranking is determined by a hospital’s performance in the adult specialty rankings analysis. Despite the continual impact the pandemic has had on the community, Methodist Hospital has upheld an unwavering commitment to patient-centered care, maintaining quality and safety at the forefront. Methodist Hospital ranked high performance in eight procedures/conditions, three additional categories than years prior. The eight procedures and conditions include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, colon cancer surgery, diabetes,
heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure, knee replacement, and stroke. Scores are based largely on objective measures, such as survival rates, volume and quality of nursing, patient safety, specialized staff, and hospital satisfaction. Data collected from other Methodist Healthcare System hospitals to include Methodist Children’s Hospital, Methodist Hospital Metropolitan, Methodist Hospital Northeast, Methodist Hospital Texsan, and Methodist Hospital Specialty and Transplant contributed to Methodist Hospital’s designation. “It gives us great pride to receive this recognition once again as it truly reflects the outstanding efforts and attention to safety our team members and physicians devote themselves to daily,” commented Dan Miller, Chief Executive Officer
for Methodist Hospital and Methodist Children’s Hospital. “We have a continual focus on providing unparalleled care, and this designation affirms our commitment to bettering the lives of those in our community and beyond.” For the 2021-2022 rankings, U.S. News & World Report evaluated more than 4,500 hospitals nationwide in 15 specialties. U.S. News and World Report is the global leader in quality rankings; these annual ratings are designed to help patients and physicians make informed decisions about where to receive care for specific medical needs, such as common elective procedures and complex surgeries.
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METHODIST HOSPITAL PIONEERS MAJOR REVOLUTION IN HEART TRANSPLANT CARE Nearly 350 Texans are on the heart transplant donor list. Methodist Hospital has pioneered a new ‘heart in a box’ technology that is expanding the pool of donor hearts and changing the future of heart transplantation. The TransMedics organ care system (OCS) is engineered to emulate the human body by keeping the heart warm and pumping oxygenated and nutrient-enriched blood so it is healthy for transport to the recipient. The portable transplant system enables doctors to keep organs outside the body longer and the opportunity to travel larger distances. “Over the decade, the distance and total ischemic time have been increasing nationally with longer waiting time for heart offers due to the significant
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shortage of donors,” commented Masaki Funamoto, MD, Surgical Director of Lung Transplant at Methodist Hospital. “Using OCS, we can take a heart donation offer from longer distances and expand heart transplant opportunities for our patients with end-stage heart failure.” Conventionally, donor hearts were transported using cold storage on ice. Procurement teams could travel just outside of Texas for donor organs and have a four-hour window to transport the organ to the operating room, prepare it for surgery and implant it into the recipient’s body. This method is severely time-dependent and has no capability for assessment and optimization of organ status. “This method has worked, especially for cases with ischemic time less than 4 hours, but there is significant increased risk for primary graft dysfunction if the ischemic time extends longer than
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4 hours,” said Dr. Funamoto. OCS was developed to improve upon the limitations of cold storage preservation to increase donor heart utilization. Once the organ has been recovered, the heart is connected to a portable device that keeps it at a metabolically active state. The OCS sends electrical signals to revive the heart and monitors the organ’s health more closely before it’s transplanted, which means doctors can better predict whether an organ will be well-suited in the recipient. “The OCS device can maintain organ perfusion with oxygenated blood and reduce ischemic injury, and potentially optimize the organ status during transportation. If organs are properly managed in OCS device, theoretically, we could accept heart offers from a larger geographic region without increasing risk for our recipients,” said Dr. Funamoto. This is very promising technology; however, it is not a simple device and requires expert knowledge and experience for heart physiology in the OCS and its management. “If you incorrectly treat a heart in OCS, you can easily harm the organ. With my experience and with the professional transplant team members here at Methodist Hospital, we have the expertise to implement the OCS device successfully and safely here in San Antonio, where we can take the biggest advantage from this technology geographically.” Methodist Hospital is the first FDA commercial approved hospital in Texas to utilize this device. The heart transplant team deployed the OCS for the first time on October 1 to collect an organ for a patient suffering from cardiomyopathy. The OCS is changing the future of transplantation and improving clinical outcomes daily. More patients will now be able to receive the gift of transplantation, and the world-class level of care is accessible right here in South Texas.
METHODIST HOSPITAL | METROPOLITAN CELEBRATES 500TH CHRONIC TOTAL OCCLUSION PROCEDURE Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan recently performed their 500th Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO) procedure, which is considered the most complex Percutaneous Coronary Intervention procedure. They are the only hospital in South Texas to have performed this many CTO procedures. This procedure is typically a patient’s last hope when they are not a candidate for open-heart surgery. A non-surgical procedure, CTOs are performed when a patient has a complete or nearly complete blockage of their coronary arteries, which can lead to a heart attack. Patients with CTO typically experience chest discomfort, dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, and more. “Many people with CTO have given up any hope of returning to a more normal lifestyle. We can provide this procedure which will provide them with a better quality of life,” said Hinh Keith D. Nguyen, M.D., Medical Director of the Cardiac Cath Lab. Many are denied the procedure due to the lack of expertise at most hospitals. Thankfully, the team of expert physicians at Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan can perform this procedure and have achieved exceptional patient outcomes.
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FIRSTS, MILESTONES AND AWARDS METHODIST HEALTHCARE HOSPITALS RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE IN STROKE CARE Four Methodist Healthcare hospitals are recipients of the 2021 Get With The Guidelines™- Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. Methodist Hospital, Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan, Methodist Hospital | Northeast and Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak achieved the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Award, which recognizes our hospital’s commitment to ensuring that stroke patients receive the highest quality of care according to nationally recognized, researchdriven guidelines, based on the latest scientific evidence. To achieve the award, the hospitals met specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. The criteria include the proper use of medications and other stroke alignments that represent the most upto-date, evidence-based guidelines aimed at speeding recovery and reducing the likelihood of death and disability for stroke patients. Prior to discharge, these hospitals have provided patients education on how to manage their health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care-transition interventions. “Nearly 795,000 Americans suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year, which means someone is suffering from a stroke every 40 seconds,” said Dr. Paul Hancock, Chief Medical Officer of Methodist Healthcare. “I am incredibly proud of our teams for working together to improve stroke outcomes for our patients. We take great pride in earning this recognition because it exemplifies our efforts in providing the quality, timely and efficient care our community deserves.” In addition to the Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award, the four hospitals received the Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award, which recognizes their commitment to meeting quality measures developed with more than 90 percent compliance for 12 consecutive months for the “Overall Diabetes Cardiovascular Initiative Composite Score. The American Heart Association introduced the award to bring attention to this high-risk population.
The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association introduced the Get With The Guidelines program in 2001 to provide hospitals with the tools and resources to increase adherence to the latest researchbased guidelines, and thus, save lives. The quality measures key in on appropriate use of guideline-based care for stroke patients, including aggressive use of clot-busting and anti-clotting drugs, blood thinners and cholesterol-reducing drugs, preventive action for deep vein thrombosis, and smoke cessation counseling.
FOUR METHODIST HEALTHCARE HOSPITALS AWARDED TOP SCORES FOR PATIENT SAFETY Four Methodist Healthcare hospitals have earned “A” Grades for Hospital Safety by the Leapfrog Group in the Fall of 2021. This achievement and national distinction recognize health care facilities for their efforts in providing safe healthcare and protecting them from harm. An independent, national watchdog organization, The Leapfrog Group is committed to health care quality and safety. Every six months, all general hospitals across the country are assigned safety grades (‘A,’ ‘B,’ ‘C,’ ‘D’ or ‘F’). These scores depend on a hospital’s ability to prevent medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections, and more from happening to patients in their care. “An ‘A’ safety grade is an elite designation that your community should be proud of,” said Leah Binder, president, and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “The past year has been extraordinarily difficult for hospitals, but Methodist Healthcare shows us it is possible to keep a laser focus on patients and their safety, no matter what it takes.” Leapfrog grades for Fall 2021 ·
Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan – 11 As in a row
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ethodist Hospital | Specialty and Transplant – M 8 As in a row
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Methodist Hospital | Atascosa – 6 As in a row
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Methodist Hospital | Texsan – 5 As in a row
METHODIST HOSPITAL | ATASCOSA WELCOMES NEW ROBOT AND SURGEONS Methodist Hospital | Atascosa is proud to announce that Atascosa County residents now have the option to experience advanced robotic-assisted technology as an alternative to traditional methods of minimally-invasive surgery. They recently welcomed its first surgical robot and a group of new surgeons to the hospital so patients no longer have to travel to San Antonio. Patients can experience many benefits when receiving a robotic-assisted surgery, including a more precise surgery, significantly less pain, less risk of infection and blood loss, early discharge from the hospital, less scarring, and a potentially shorter recovery. Before the robot, there was a limit to the type of surgeries available at the hospital. Now, they can expand the scope of surgeries they can provide to the community. This new technology to Atascosa County is just one example of the continued growth at Methodist Hospital | Atascosa.
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METHODIST HOSPITAL | METROPOLITAN RECEIVES OR EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan was selected as the inaugural winner of Outpatient Surgery Magazine’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award. This award is just one of the many awards given yearly as part of their annual OR Excellence Awards. The OR Excellence Awards recognize facilities and staff that excel in various categories. Winners are selected for the remarkable work they do and for their outstanding accomplishments. “Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan was selected as the inaugural winner of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award for taking the lead in providing welcoming care for members of the LGBTQ+ community,” said Daniel Cook, Editor-in-Chief/Editorial Director with Outpatient Surgery Magazine. “The significant and ongoing efforts of the hospital’s leadership team and frontline staff are a shining example of inclusivity that should inspire other healthcare systems and professionals to do the same for all patients.”
