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.

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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