Aligned & Empowered Organization

Section 1 Our Strategic Imperatives

A l i g n e d & O r g a n i z a t i o n E m p o w e r e d

A deep connection and commitment to the SCL Health mission and values is the thread that binds every one of our associates and caregivers around a common purpose. Our mission and values also lay the foundation for us to advance our strategic imperatives and expand our health ministry. Focusing on investments and initiatives to ensure that we N e t w o r k A l i g n e d C l i n i c i a n G r o w t h foster an aligned and empowered organization, we can create a unified ministry identity that SCL Health associates, patients and providers can all understand, connect to and engage with more deeply.

T r a n s f o r m a t i o n C l i n i c a l & O p e r a t i o n a l

Renewing connection, meaning and purpose through Ministry Formation

We know that when our physicians, nurses and associates are aligned and engaged, our patients reap the benefits. In 2019, SCL Health expanded a program called Ministry Formation as a top strategic objective, which was designed to renew associates’ sense of connection, meaning and purpose in their work and extend learnings and compassion to the care they provide to our patients. The Ministry Formation initiatives are framed by our rich history and tradition as a Catholic health system, originating from our founding Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. One of the many ways SCL Health continues to uphold the sisters’ passion for caring for the whole person – body, mind and spirit – is through Ministry Formation.

In 2019, Ministry Formation was incorporated at every level of the organization:

Leaders, including those in the Medical Group, participated in the “Foundations for a Community of Care” program, which included four sections exploring the human experience, values-driven leadership, Catholic social teaching, and ethicsand values-based decision-making – all of which influence the care we provide to our communities.

Associates and their work groups or units participated in the “L.O.V.E. (Living Our Values Everyday) Associate Formation” program, which included seven interactive sessions. The sessions were designed to engage associates in reflection, engagement and promote a personal connection with SCL Health’s mission and core values related to an individual’s area of work. Mission Leaders, Spiritual Care Champions, and other department leaders were trained to facilitate work group discussions across SCL Health.

SCL Health’s Board of Directors, as part of its annual retreat, participated in a 60-minute storytelling, and conversation to increase

formative experience that explored the role of board members in ensuring the Catholic identity of SCL Health into the future and maintaining the quality and sustainability of SCL Health as a Catholic healthcare ministry.

By enriching the experience associates and providers have with their work and connecting them with their purpose, we enhance engagement and retention, and foster a sense of satisfaction for those providing care, which is reflected in the experience patients have when they come to our hospitals and clinics.

“What we’re finding is that our leaders and associates are using common language – talking about justice and honoring diversity– and speaking to our mission of caring for those who are poor and vulnerable. They’re integrating deep themes and, when speaking about the patient experience, everyone is using the same language.”

Deborah Simmen, System Vice President of Ministry Formation

Looking within: surfacing innovation from the front lines

When describing how SCL Health approaches innovation, Peter Kung, Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer, says it best: “Innovation isn’t something situated on the edges of our organization; it’s become embedded so deeply throughout SCL Health that it’s part of our DNA. We know the best ideas come from the teams at the forefront of delivering patient care. We encourage every associate to actively participate in advancing innovation by surfacing their ideas – and there’s been no shortage of them.”

Over the past few years, SCL Health has implemented 15 enterprise initiatives, dozens of pilot programs and has launched several organization-wide innovation challenges. The annual Innovation Challenge identifies, initiates and deploys high-value ventures from associates to improve the access and experience of the patients and communities we serve. In 2019, contestants focused their creative efforts on improving the care for our Medicaid and Medicare patients. Out of 57 submissions, 20 finalists emerged, and five teams competed in a “Shark Tank”-style pitch for the chance to win up to $250,000 to fund their ideas. “The best ideas come from the front lines, and we are committed to creating room and space for our associates to do that. That’s exactly the purpose of the Innovation Challenge.”

Peter Kung, Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer

Three teams were selected as winners of the 2019 Innovation Challenge:

Team: Open.Oncology – Brad Schuller, PhD, DABR

Idea: A project that creates videos to communicate and educate patients about the care process and appointment time with providers to help patients navigate the complexity of their care. Team: Project 4th Trimester – Courtney Evans, MOT, OTR/L; Katie Halverstadt, RN, BSN, IBCLC; Sarah Kuenne, BSN, RNC-OB, CPLC

Idea: A project focusing on providing resources dedicated to the physical and mental wellness of mothers after they deliver a newborn at one of our facilities. Team: MedSherpa – Claire Overturf, Doug Malcolm, PharmD, Julie Lindsay

Idea: A project focused on providing patients with an understanding of what medications have been prescribed to them and assisting them with ensuring that they take the right medications at the right time, through the support of resources such as a pharmacy advisor and digital toolkit.

A common theme of care navigation emerged from the winning teams’ projects, and these teams continue to partner to support care navigation across SCL Health.

2020 Awards

When seeking where to go for medical care, awards and recognition can help determine which hospitals and healthcare systems are known for safe, quality care and clinical excellence – and what sets them apart. SCL Health is steadily gaining a national reputation for an ongoing commitment to safety, excellence and innovation. This includes national recognition for having some of the best hospitals in the country, among other honors for high scores in quality and patient safety.

Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades:

Lutheran Medical Center, Saint Joseph Hospital, St. Vincent Healthcare, St. Mary’s Medical Center and St. James Healthcare all received “A” grades, and Good Samaritan Medical Center earned a “B” grade from Leapfrog Hospital Group in spring 2020. U.S. News Best Hospitals 2019-2020

Healthgrades:

Lutheran Medical Center and Good Samaritan Medical Center were each named one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals ™ by Healthgrades in 2020, placing them in the top 1 percent of hospitals in the nation for the second year in a row.

Saint Joseph Hospital was named one of America’s 250 Best Hospitals ™ by Healthgrades Newsweek:

Newsweek’s 2020 World’s Best Hospitals list included Good Samaritan Medical Center and St. Vincent Healthcare, for the second year in a row.

U.S. News & World Report:

in 2020. list ranked St. Vincent Healthcare the #2 hospital in Montana. Saint Joseph Hospital was recognized as the #5 hospital in Colorado and the #4 hospital in Denver. St. Mary’s Medical Center was named the #6 hospital in Colorado.

Going above and beyond to live the brand promise we make to our patients

What does it mean to “live” a brand? Our mission, vision and values are the compass guiding our healing ministry through the delivery of excellent patient care. We see the person (and their loved ones) behind the patient during each and every interaction. From practicing small acts of kindness to going well beyond what is expected, SCL Health associates bring our mission and our brand to life every day in their interactions with patients and their families. SCL Health asked associates to nominate their peers who truly live our brand by going above and beyond. The three stories below are just a few examples of the incredible experiences our caregivers provide to our patients every day.

See the video “Living Our Brand.” Visit: sclhealthreport.org

Empowering new moms with compassionate guidance

Having a baby is a joyous – and exhausting – event. In those early hours and days, new mothers face a quick learning curve when figuring out how to care for their newborn. It can feel overwhelming if things don’t go as planned, especially when trying to breastfeed.

Jenna Merlin, who gave birth at Lutheran Medical Center, leaned on the caring support and expert guidance of Katie Halverstadt, Registered Nurse Lactation Specialist, when she struggled to breastfeed. “By being who she is, she makes you feel comfortable to ask the questions you didn’t necessarily know how to ask, and she holds a space for you that is very informative and calming and makes you feel like, wherever you are on your journey, she’s going be right there with you,” Merlin says.

Halverstadt is passionate about creating a comfortable environment where mothers can take whatever time they need to learn breastfeeding techniques without the fear of judgment.

“The best part of my job is watching moms grow: when I see them going from step A to step B, from week one to week two, and really finding that sense of empowerment and sense of self. When I see them trusting their instincts and learning how to take care of their babies,” Halverstadt says.

Creating deep connections from small acts of kindness

Hospitalization can be an isolating time. Patients find themselves distanced from the comforts of home and may not have any loved ones to visit them. Small acts of kindness from caregivers can open the door to deep and meaningful patient connections.

When Star Morris, Registered Nurse at St. Vincent Healthcare, learned that drawing was important to one of her nonverbal patients, she made sure to get him the materials he needed to express himself.

“Star always goes out of her way to make a difference for patients. She loves to find little personal things that she can do for people, just to make them feel happier or make them have a better experience,” says Kelly Kaufman, Nursing Operations Manager.

Morris’s patient showed her a picture of his daughter, whom he had not seen in decades; so she tracked her down and was even able to reconnect the family.

“The daughter was just overcome; I mean she just cried and said thank you and just that she couldn’t thank Star enough for what she had done,” Kaufman says.

Morris says the meeting left a lasting impact on her, as well.

“It’s a story I will never forget,” she says. “I’m very honored that I was recognized, but I also want to recognize that we all work together as a team.” Offering more than a helping hand

Hospitalizations are difficult for families. And when your loved one is receiving care far from home, it’s stressful – even more so if you don’t have reliable transportation to and from the hospital.

When Ernie Angwin, Respiratory Therapist at St. Mary’s Medical Center, learned that the wife of a patient in his critical care unit was stuck at the hospital, 100 miles from home, because her car broke down, he knew he had to do something.

“Ernie came out on his day off, got her car keys and took the car to the mechanic to get it fixed and paid for it out of his pocket,” says Connor Hardy, Respiratory Manager. “That was incredibly generous in and of itself, but the gift that his efforts gave this family I think is more incredible.”

For Angwin, his selfless act was just the right thing to do.

“I just love to help people and she was in need,” he says. “There was really no other way for her to be able to go back and forth to take care of her husband. There wasn’t a question; it was just something that needed to be done, so I did it.”