April 24, 2015
A PUBLICATION FOR NORTH MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER EMPLOYEES
CHECKUP
Volume 25 Number 8
Keel Reception ........2 Safety Heroes ..........3 Prust Honored ..........4 Cagle Named ............5 NMMC EOM ..............5 West Point EOQ ........6 Service Awards ........6 Iuka EOQ ..................7 OT Month ..................7
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Water Exercise Mania ........................7
NMMC Participates in Community-based Care Transitions Program are transitions occur when a patient moves from one health care provider or setting to another. Nationwide, nearly one in five Medicare patients discharged from a hospital are readmitted within 30 days, at a cost of over $26 billion every year. The Community-based Care Transitions Program (CCTP), created by Section 3026 of the Affordable Care Act, tests models for improving care transitions from the hospital to other settings and reducing readmissions for high-risk Medicare beneficiaries. North Mississippi Medical Center partners with Three Rivers Planning and Development District/Area Agency on Aging as the only site in Mississippi. This partnership forms a coalition of seven hospitals and several long-term care facilities in an 10-county district. “The transitions coach program is aimed at reducing readmissions by empowering patients to assist health care providers in meeting their needs,” said Lee Greer, M.D., who specializes in geriatric patients and serves as NMMC’s chief quality and safety officer. “It has four main pillars – development of a patient-centered goal, medication reconciliation, awareness of ‘red flags’ and close follow up with their primary care provider.”
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Doris Mitchell and Carolyn Webb are NMMC’s care transitions coaches, and their job is to help reduce hospital readmissions for high-risk Medicare patients.
According to Angela Coggins, NMMC’s director of Case Management, Discharge Planning and Care Transitions, NMMC began the program in April 2013. “We are excited to be part of a pilot program to help the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services determine the best practices for care transition implementation,” Coggins said. “As one of only 100 sites awarded nationally, we feel honored to be selected in the journey of improving care transitions for our community.” A total of 20 nurses and social workers are under contract to provide services. NMMC employs two full-time care transitions coaches – Doris Continued on next page
Community-based Care
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Mitchell, CLPN, and Carolyn Webb, CLPN – who serve hospital patients in Tupelo, West Point and Eupora. Their patients often include those with pneumonia, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, urinary tract infections and sepsis. Many have limited support at home and a history of Emergency Department visits and hospital admissions. Mitchell and Webb visit eligible patients in the hospital to make sure they meet the criteria and see if they are interested in the program. If so, they see the patient at home within 72 hours after discharge from the hospital. Then, they follow up by phone three times within 30 days. While hospitals have traditionally tried to reduce readmissions by focusing on components within their scope of influence – quality of care during the hospitalization and the discharge planning process – the care transitions program extends that influence beyond the hospital. “We recognize that we often do a poor job of communicating with patients about new prescriptions and multiple appointments with doctors they don’t know,” Coggins said. “The patient is usually so anxious to get home that they don’t stop us to ask questions.” “A lot of patients are confused about their discharge orders,” Mitchell said. “They take the paperwork home,
put it in a corner and have to look for it when we get to their house.” “Most of them are glad to see us coming,” Webb added. During the hospital visit, patients receive a Personal Health Record booklet in which they are asked to list their health care provider information, goals and medication log, as well as ‘red flags’ to watch for and action steps to take. Patients are encouraged to take this booklet with them to all doctor visits, and the coaches refer to it during the home visit and follow-up phone calls. “The transitions coach is provided at no cost to the patient. Dr. Greer said. “We were initially approved for two years, and we have been serving up to 300 patients per month. We were recently notified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that they want to extend the program for six more months, and they challenged us to reach more than 400 patients per month from our community.” Based on performance, the agreement can be extended up to five years. Coggins said NMMC’s readmission rate was around 17 percent before the care transitions program started, and now it is down to less than 10 percent for those served by the care transitions program. “Beyond being the right thing to do for the patients, the beauty is in cost savings through reduced readmissions,” she said.
Keel Reception R.B. Davis (left), Clay County supervisor, and Ken Wilbourne (right), West Point fire chief, welcome North Mississippi Medical Center-West Point administrator Barry Keel during a reception in his honor March 26. An Alabama native, Keel comes to West Point from Bay Medical Center-Sacred Heart Health System, a 323bed hospital in Panama City, Fla., where he served as chief executive officer.
April 24, 2015
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NMMC Honors Safety Heroes hey might not wear capes, but they are definitely heroes. On March 24, North Mississippi Medical Center recognized 20 Safety Heroes with a luncheon in their honor. Through the Safety Heroes program, the health system recognizes one employee monthly for outstanding contribution to patient safety at NMMC-Tupelo, and one employee per quarter from each community hospital and North Mississippi Medical Clinics. Employees are identified through the Good Catch program and confirmed by the Patient Safety Council as Safety Heroes. In addition to the recognition, each employee receives 1,600 CSF reward points.
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Lee Greer, M.D., chief quality and safety officer, thanked the Safety Heroes for their efforts to improve quality of care at NMMC. Shane Spees, NMHS president and chief executive officer, told honorees that one of the best compliments NMMC could receive is to be deemed a highly reliable organization. He added that being a Safety Hero doesn’t require moving mountains or doing something monumental, but rather identifying a breakdown in the system and helping fix it. “It might be that your action was small,” Spees said, “but your action likely fixed a broken system, and that improves care.”
Honorees Include
Rachelle Carter, Pharm.D.
Carla Cox, RN
Collette Dixon, FNP-C
Peggy Gasaway, RN
NMMC-Tupelo Pharmacy
NMMC-Tupelo Short Stay Surgery
NMMC-Tupelo Rehabilitation Services
NMMC-Tupelo Surgical Services
Donnyell Hester
Tammy Howell
Ramona Luther, CLPN
Sandra Marlin, CRNA
NMMC-Tupelo Respiratory Therapy
Office Manager Okolona Medical Clinic
NMMC-Tupelo Rehabilitation Institute
NMMC-Tupelo Surgical Services
Jill Merritt
Wes Pitts, Pharm.D.
Leigh Ann Pruitt
Wendy Ray
North Mississippi Medical Clinics
NMMC-Tupelo Pharmacy
NMMC-Tupelo Pharmacy
Lead Medical Technologist NMMC-Eupora Continued on next page
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April 24, 2015
Safety Heroes
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Elizabeth Sanderford, RN
Krena Silver
Julie Sparks, RN
NMMC-Tupelo Surgical Services
NMMC-Tupelo Respiratory Therapy
NMMC-Tupelo Critical Care Unit
Not pictured:
Leslie Arnold, RN NMMC-Tupelo Critical Care Unit
Tacy Merchant, RN NMMC-Tupelo Critical Care Unit
Kerrie Miller, RN NMMC-Tupelo 6 South
Max Taylor, M.D. NMMC-Tupelo Infectious Disease
Megan Waldrip, RN NMMC Behavioral Health Center
Prust Honored for 39 Years of Service ennie Prust was recently recognized for her 39 years of service at North Mississippi Medical Center. Prust worked in Health Information Services. Prust was born in Frankfort, Ky., and graduated high school in Louisville, Ky. After taking classes at Miami Christian University in Miami, Fla., she began her NMMC career in Central Sterile Processing. She worked three years there and then three years in the Print Shop. She served as a ward secretary for two-and-a-half years before moving to Health Information Services. After an 11-year stint with HIS, she moved to the Cancer Center, where she worked in the Cancer Registry for seven years. She rejoined HIS in 2000 and finished her NMMC career there. “I have seen so many changes in my years here. I wonder how many times the medical center has been revitalized,” Prust said. “But I am proud to say patient care has always been the main focus.” Prust says she has enjoyed all the people she has worked with over the years at NMMC. “I have enjoyed my fellow coworkers in HIS, the fine medical staff – past and present – and all the other
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April 24, 2015
Jennie Prust (center) is joined at her retirement reception by (from left) her mother Phyllis Randolph, daughter-in-law Rachel Prust, son Luke Prust, husband Allen Prust, son Mike Prust and daughter-in-law Denise Prust.
departments I have worked with,” she said. “It has been an honor to work all of my years at a state-of-the-art medical center.” Prust and her husband Allen have two sons – Mike and Luke Prust – and two granddaughters. Prust’s retirement plans include travel, spending time with family and scrapbooking as well as volunteering at her church, Harrisburg Baptist. Page 4
Advance Practice Provider Clinical Director Named orth Mississippi Medical Center recently welcomed Rebecca Cagle, Ph.D., FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, as Advance Practice Provider Clinical Director. Cagle received her associate’s degree in nursing in 1988 from Itawamba Community College in Fulton. She received her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1990 from Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, and in 1991 she received her master’s degree in nursing from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. She earned her family nurse practitioner degree from MUW and her Ph.D. in nursing from the University of Alabama-Birmingham in 1996. In 2000 she received her psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, and in 2006 she received her pediatric nurse practitioner
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degree from MUW. In 2008, she completed the Tel-Emergency Program for Nurse Practitioners. In her role as Advance Practice Provider Clinical Director, Cagle will provide leadership in the integration of nurse practitioners, physician assistants and certified registered nurse anesthetists into the hospital and clinic system. She will ensure compliance with all licensure regulations and North Mississippi Health Services policies, procedures and guidelines. Cagle and her three children – Matthew, Katie and Sara – live in Smithville.
Aldridge Named NMMC Employee of the Month iranda Aldridge, a phlebotomist in the Pathology Department, was selected as North Mississippi Medical Center’s Employee of the Month for February. Aldridge joined NMMC in 1989 and has been a member of the staff now for more than 25 years. She is a graduate of Okolona High School and earned her certification in phlebotomy in 1987 from Itawamba Community College. She is also licensed in cosmetology. “Miranda is a dedicated employee and truly is deserving of the distinction of Employee of the Month,” a coworker wrote in her nomination. “She always performs her duties with a quiet and humble disposition that is soothing to her patients.” That coworker added that Aldridge is known as being one of the most skilled phlebotomists and is always the one to “go to” if a patient is a difficult stick. “Miranda has proved herself over and over as an asset to her profession and I feel that she is well deserving of this honor.” Another coworker wrote that Aldridge is a model employee because of her work ethic and attitude. “She is a hard worker, always doing what is asked of her. Miranda never complains; she just simply comes to work every day and does her job to the
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NMMC Employee of the Month Miranda Aldridge is congratulated on her award by Octavius Ivy, NMMC’s Administrator for Clinical and Support Services.
best of her ability,” the coworker wrote in her nomination. Aldridge lives in Mooreville and attends Andrew Chapel Church. She said that the best part of her job is getting to know people.
April 24, 2015
McClinton Honored by NMMC-West Point Employee alamity McClinton, a member of the Food and Nutrition Department, has been named Employee of the Quarter for North Mississippi Medical Center-West Point. McClinton joined the NMMC staff in 1994. She is a graduate of Ministerial Institute High School, where she was the salutatorian of her class. She is also Serv Safe certified. “She is always willing to work where needed and works extra shifts if needed,” her nomination states. “She demonstrates customer service with a smile, every time.” McClinton has also received a perfect attendance award. Her nomination states that she comes to work on time, never misses a day and always has
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a positive attitude. She was cited for training new employees to pay close attention to detail and for encouraging customers to try new items. “I enjoy my job very much, because serving others is my purpose, and my purpose is to serve,” said McClinton. She has one son, one grandson, and a step-grandson and is a member of Full Gospel Church in Columbus.
Service Awards Program
David Wilson, president of NMMC-Tupelo, and Lynn Nelson, director of Employment Services, distributed service pins at the Service Awards Program on April 16. The awards ceremony is held the third Thursday of each month and recognizes employees who have celebrated 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 35 and 40 years of
service. Similar recognition opportunities are held throughout NMHS. The individuals honored at the Tupelo events are those employed by NMMC-Tupelo, North Mississippi Health Services, Baldwyn Nursing Facility and North Mississippi Medical Clinics locations in Lee County.
Employee Recognition April 27-May 3 is Nurses’ Week May 3-9 is Teacher Appreciation Week May 4 is Education Day Thank you for your hard work & dedication throughout the year. April 24, 2015
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NMMC-Iuka Selects Employee of the Quarter orth Mississippi Medical Center-Iuka recently named Tammy Holloway, RN, as Employee of the Quarter. Holloway joined NMMC-Iuka in March 2002. “”Tammy is one of the finest nurses we have,” said a coworker who nominated Holloway. “She is caring, compassionate, thorough and professional. She works any shifts that are asked of her and helps out where needed. Her patients love her, and she has a wonderful attitude.” The Employee of the Quarter honor recognizes employees with exemplary job performance and customer service skills, as well as community involvement.
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NMMC-Iuka administrator Fred Truesdale presents Holloway with the Employee of the Quarter award.
Occupational Therapy Month Occupational therapists at NMMC’s Outpatient Rehabilitation Center including (from left) Jasmyne Searcy, Carrie Hoing, Melinda Lamon, Brandi Peters and Amy Moody celebrated National Occupational Therapy Month in April with interactive displays in the Longtown Medical Park lobby April 6-9. OTs demonstrated various adaptive tools to help with activities of daily living, as well as provided handouts on various topics related to occupational therapy. In keeping with the 2015 theme, “Occupational Therapy: Living Life to Its Fullest,” patients and visitors were encouraged to add to a collage showing people living life to its fullest by doing everyday tasks, working, enjoying hobbies in typical ways and through adaptations.
Wellness Center to Host Water Exercise Mania orth Mississippi Medical Center’s Wellness Center will host Water Exercise Mania on Tuesday, April 28, at 1030 S. Madison St. The event, which offers a preview of water aerobics classes, is free to members and nonmembers 13 years and older. The schedule is: 5:15-5:35 p.m. Aqua Zumba with Vicki Jenkins 5:40-6 p.m. Resistance Training with Kristy Crawford 6:05-6:25 p.m. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) with Kelli Dufford 6:30-6:50 p.m. Kickboxing with George Stone For more information, call (662) 377-4141 or 1-800-THE DESK (1-800-843-3375).
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April 24, 2015
