upstream - august 2012
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A Monthly Update from the Providence Western Montana Region
upstream
August 2012
Welcome to UpstreamLetter from Jeff Fee, Chief Executive
Providence Health & Services Western Montana
We are rowing against the current.
As people of Providence dedicated to improving the lives of our neighbors
by caring for their health, we’re rowing against the current.
Our present model—the way we have engaged in our Mission and the way
we have been doing business—doesn’t match the needs of our patients,
our goals as a mission-driven organization or the clear picture the future
of healthcare paints.
We have to change, and we’re rowing against the current.
For decades, our industry has been focused on treating illness, and as
we’ve treated those illnesses, we’ve been paid. In some cases, the sicker
the patient, the more complex the symptoms, the more we’ve been paid.
Our model was built on the ironic idea that if you’re sick, our bottom line
does fine, but if you’re healthy, we’re losing money.
To change that model, we must row against the current.
We need to reinvent our approach from the ground up, creating a ministry
in which we work every day to prevent illness, to manage chronic disease,
to keep our patients out of the hospital, and we need to convince the
many institutions who support us—including the government, large, self-
insured employers, small businesses, payers and individual patients—that
improving health and preventing illness across the care continuum is where
the economic model of the future needs to be focused.
It starts here. In our clinics, in the patient rooms, in our halls, our offices,
our labs, in every interaction with patients, we’re thinking about taking
care of each other differently.
We’re not in this alone. From the Affordable Healthcare Act, to insurers,
to patients, and employers with new expectations and new hopes for
healthcare, there’s considerable energy behind what amounts to a
revolution in our industry.
In this issue of Upstream, you learn much about what we’re doing
to change our healthcare system and ourselves on behalf of patients.
Throughout our Region, you’ll see we’re pulling in the same direction
toward the same goals through transforming the delivery of care, thriving
under new reimbursement models, enhancing access by improving af-
fordability and growing to meet our community needs.
You’re smart. You know why this publication is titled “Upstream.” We are
indeed rowing upstream, and that’s difficult work. But if we take a lesson
from nature, rowing upstream is about giving it our all to get where we
need to go.
I’m confident that you—the talented, dedicated professionals living in
Western Montana—are equipped for this challenging journey. And I’m
confident our efforts will ensure we will not only
survive, but, with our patients, thrive.
This is an exciting time to be in healthcare, and I look
forward to working with you in transforming the way
we deliver it in Western Montana.
Let’s row.
The Future of HealthcareBarry Bittman, MD
It’s not surprising that every hospital and health institution in America
is facing a substantial degree of uncertainty concerning the future of
our nation’s healthcare. While the writing on the wall certainly includes
Accountable Care Organizations, Bundled Payments, Insurance Exchanges,
Core Measures, HCAHPS, Meaningful Use and Value-based Purchasing,
the precise nature of that which will ultimately shape and enable our
healthcare system to survive is at best, uncertain.
The real question is how can we improve and sustain our healthcare for
future generations?
Highly politicized, the Affordable Care Act is poorly understood and
widely debated. Yet what appears to be universally agreed upon is a
series of remarkably straightforward goals referred to as the Triple Aim:
improving the health of populations, improving the experience of
care, and reducing per capita healthcare costs.
The pressure is building. Undoubtedly, something has to give.
Affordable Care Act: Reinventing Ourselves
After the Supreme Court’s decision about the Affordable Care Act, Edward
O’Brien from KUFM interviewed Jeff Fee about what the decision may
mean for Montana’s healthcare providers. Listen to it here >>
Joint Commission Visits; Business as Usual
The Joint Commission surveyed
St. Patrick Hospital June 16 –
20. Surveyors spent two days
inspecting the hospital and related documents. We had a number of
findings, which have since been corrected, however, there were no serious
findings as threats to patient safety. Congratulations to our entire staff for
a job well done.
2013 Medical Plan Options
Providence has launched a new benefits website which includes details about your 2013 medical plan options. Go to benefits.providence.org and log in by entering your employee ID number anywhere you have Internet access.
Please take some time to review the information on the website; it will be an important resource for you and your family as you make benefit choices for next year.
2013 Health Incentive
All of our 2013 medical plans offer health incentives. In order to receive these incentives, you need to complete this two-step process:
More information
If you have questions about 2013 benefits or how to earn next year’s health incentive, contact the HR Service Center at 888-687-3753 or email HRServiceCenter@providence.org. Or learn more at next week’s benefit fairs:
To sign up to our Home Base program, register your Primary Care Provider (PCP) click here>> 1
To receive your health incentives, schedule your biometric screening and update your PCP selection with HealthyRoads click here >>2
St. Joe’s Benefit FairWednesday, August 29Byrnes Conference Center 8 AM - 4 PM
St. Pat’s Benefit Fair Tuesday, August 28Conference Rooms 1 and 2 8 AM - 4:30 PM
Duran Learning Center: 5 - 6:30 PM
Epic Success: Moving Forward
Acute Go-LiveThe Epic Readiness Team developed key Epic event dates for the
Acute implementation based on the new go-live date of January
19. The overall project status is green.
PMG Go-LiveEpic went live on July 10 at the first 10
PMG clinics in the Western Montana
Region. A high level of provider and
staff engagement contributed to a
successful launch. During the first
week, clinics experienced relatively few issues. Clinic leadership,
staff and providers worked closely with the Epic team to resolve
issues quickly to enable excellent patient care.
First day of go-live at Florence Family Medicine
St. Joe’s Benefit FairWednesday, August 29Byrnes Conference Center 8 AM - 4 PM
St. Pat’s: High-performing, Community Leader
U.S. News & World Report released its Best Hospitals issue. St. Patrick
Hospital ranked as “High Performing” in two adult specialties: gastroenter-
ology and orthopedics. Also, in one year of patient survey responses, our
patients would definitely recommend St. Pat’s to friends and family. The
complete results are available. Read More >>
Becker’s Hospital Review announced St. Patrick Hospital as one of 100 Great
Community Hospitals. These hospitals are high-performing community
leaders of health and employment. For more information, click here >>
Life Flight =
In August, Community Medical Center and St. Patrick Hospital formed a
partnership for air ambulance services in Missoula and Western Montana.
Representatives from both hospitals will oversee the partnership to continue to
provide patient transport under the name Life Flight. This partnership serves a
critical role in transferring patients in an outstanding and efficient manner by
helicopter, airplane and ground ambulance to both hospitals.
Delivering Local Goodness
St. Pat’s employees are enjoying
more fresh produce this summer by
purchasing a Community Supported
Agriculture share (CSA) delivered to
the hospital weekly. Employees buy
produce for a season in advance so
farmers plan how much to grow.
Sixty employees are participating
in our first year. The program is
sponsored by Home Base, the employee healthcare program, and by Green4Good,
a hospital-wide effort to reduce the hospital’s environmental impact.
+
My Immediate Care: New Fee-for-Service Care
PMG will open a fee-for-service urgent
care clinic for diagnosis and treatment
of minor illnesses and injuries in
September. “My Immediate Care” will be available to Providence
employees, spouses/adult benefit recipients, and dependents. A visit
will be $50, with hours from 7 AM - 7 PM, Monday-Friday. The clinic
will be located in the Garden City Medical Plaza.
PMG Makes Olympic Showing
PMG developed a series of three television commercials—
Right Beside You.
What is the St. Patrick Hospital Foundation? From Mike Bullard, St. Patrick Foundation, Executive Director
St. Patrick Hospital was opened in 1873 with funds acquired through
“begging tours” by the Sisters of Providence. Today, the St. Patrick
Hospital Foundation continues to follow in the footsteps of the
Sisters to support the hospital through donations. The St. Patrick
Hospital Foundation performs an essential role in supporting patients,
employees and programs of St. Patrick Hospital and health organiza-
tions throughout Western Montana. View Website >>
Watch the VideoProvidence St. Joseph Medical Center Polson PT focus of System HR video
St. Joe’s Houses Fetch $38,000
St. Joe’s Foundation auctions children’s playhouses, constructed for free
by local builders, who then donate them to the Foundation. The second
annual auction held August 3, complete with a bidding war over an
incredible two-story firehouse, netted the Foundation $38,000. For the
complete Missoulian story, click here >>
Deer Lodge and St. Pat’s Connect
Deer Lodge Medical Center has agreed to work
with St. Pat’s to implement the Epic Electronic
Health Record. St. Pat’s will provide training and
support for a go-live date of January 2013. This
connection will make it easier for patients and
caregivers to access patient information by creating
a single, secure, continuously updated electronic
health record for each patient.
What do you get when you have food, drinks and a room full of physicians?
A fun, infectious sensation. Doctors enjoy quarterly happy hour on the patio
of the Broadway Building.
St. Pat’s staff and families enjoy Big Dipper ice cream to celebrate the success
of our excellent patient care.
Ask Jeff—Now Ask the Experts
“Ask Jeff” on St. Pat’s intranet was created to promote communication
between Administration and employees. However, many questions were
specific to HR, Facilities, pay, etc. The site has been updated to “Ask the
Experts.” Questions will go to the responsible person for a timely answer.
The answer will be published when it is received. To review previous posts
or to submit a question of your own, please, click here >>
A Monthly Update from the Western Montana Region
upstream
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