Upstream - August 2012

upstream A Monthly Update from the Providence Western Montana Region

August 2012

Welcome to Upstream Letter 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, selfinsured 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 affordability 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 Healthcare Barry 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:

1

o sign up to our Home Base program, register your Primary Care T Provider (PCP) click here>>

2

o receive your health incentives, schedule your biometric screening T and update your PCP selection with HealthyRoads click here >>

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: St. Pat’s Benefit Fair Tuesday, August 28 Conference Rooms 1 and 2 8 AM - 4:30 PM Duran Learning Center: 5 - 6:30 PM

St. Joe’s Benefit Fair Wednesday, August 29 Byrnes Conference Center 8 AM - 4 PM

Epic Success: Moving Forward Acute Go-Live The 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-Live Epic 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

First day of go-live at Florence Family Medicine

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.

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: gastroenterology 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.

PMG Makes Olympic Showing

PMG developed a series of three television commercials— Right Beside You.

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.

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 organizations throughout Western Montana. View Website >>

Watch the Video

Providence 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.

upstream A Monthly Update from the Western Montana Region

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 >>