DCMH NEWS SCAN Insight to Monthly Happenings & Highlights at DCMH
Decatur County Memorial Hospital
Volume V Issue XI
May 2011
Hospital Auxiliary Presents Check For Projects The Auxiliary of Decatur County Memorial Hospital provides a valuable service through their volunteer efforts at the facility. Today however, they also demonstrated their commitment to helping raise funds for our local Hospital. Kathy Whitmore, Auxiliary President, and Glenda Porter, Gift Shop Liaison, presented a check to DCMH Leadership and representatives of those departments that will stand to benefit from the contribution. The check totaled $13,500. The funds will be used to support the following projects: • • •
Auxiliary President Kathy Whitmore & Glenda Porter present a check to DCMH CEO Linda Simmons, John Wilson and Vicki Rudolf.
$4,500 to support a new vital signs machine in the OB Department. $1,500 will purchase benches to provide rest in the new healing garden. $7,500 towards a new “unweighting” system for the Physical Therapy Department.
These funds are earned through special sales conducted throughout the year by the Auxiliary. These include Uniform Sales, Book Sales, Accessory Sales and others. In addition, profits from the Auxiliary Gift Shop located at DCMH support gifts to the Hospital. The volunteers at DCMH provide a variety of services centered around the information desk, transport desk and gift shop with new programs being investigated. Additional volunteers are needed to help advance the programs and services of the Auxiliary, while extending assistance to those utilizing our Hospital. Those interested in obtaining more information about serving as a volunteer are encouraged to contact Vicki Rudolf, Coordinator of Volunteer Services, at 663-1127. Interested persons can also download the volunteer application from www.dcmh.net.
EMS Receives Funding From Hospital Foundation & Homeland Security Two recent grants have helped improve the efficiencies of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and implement electronic solutions, providing reliable and effective response times. EMS received $3,980.00 for vehicle mounted laptops from the Indiana Homeland Security Foundation (IHSF) and $3,017.00 from the Hospital Foundation of Decatur County for infrastructure. Revenue from "Secure Indiana" license plate sales funds the Indiana Homeland Security Foundation, formerly the Emergency Management, Fire and Building Services, and Public Safety Training Foundation. The IHSF, one of the first of its kind in the nation, offers financial support for critical public safety needs across Indiana and funds public safety projects at the local level. Local public safety organizations are eligible to apply for projects such as equipping emergency responders with personal protective equipment, acquiring equipment for use by emergency responders, and training for emergency responders. EMS implemented the system earlier this year which enables them to respond with the quickest routes possible. In addition, the onboard systems allow for data entry capabilities with data supported audit & review of patient care, protocol compliance and the continuity of communications for patients
Summer Medical Student Studying at DCMH DCMH is pleased to welcome Ross Green, our summer medical student this year. Ross is studying at the IU School of Medicine-Terre Haute and will be spending eight weeks here, with exposure to different facets of DCMH and the Hospital environment.
Capital Equipment Requests The Board of Trustees reviewed several capital equipment requests. These included EMR software for Primary Care, TCMP and Westport Clinic at the projected cost of $197,028, and hematology analyzers for the lab costing $98,750. Other capital expenditures of interest included a recumbent elliptical for $3,847.00 and recumbent stepper for $3,472.50. Both of the latter pieces of equipment replace aging models in physical therapy.
Lab Receives Accreditation The Laboratory at Decatur County Memorial Hospital was recently awarded accreditation by the Accreditation Committee of the College of American Pathologists (CAP), based on the results of a recent onsite inspection. The laboratory’s director, Jugnoo Husain, M.D., was advised of this national recognition and congratulated for the excellence of the services being provided. Decatur County Memorial Hospital’s Lab is one of more that 7,000 CAP-accredited laboratories worldwide. The CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program, begun in the early 1960’s, is recognized by the federal government as being equal to or more stringent than the government’s own inspection program. During the CAP accreditation process, inspectors examine the laboratory’s records and quality control of procedures for the preceding two years. CAP inspectors also examine laboratory staff qualifications, as well as the laboratory’s equipment, facilities, safety program and record, in addition to the overall management of the laboratory. This stringent inspection program is designed to specifically ensure the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients.
Healthy Fair Slated in June The popular DCMH “Healthy” Fair will be held on Wednesday, June 29, 2011, at the Greensburg Elementary School, featuring free screenings, a healthy lunch, healthy farmer’s market and much more. The event will be held from 12 noon until 3:00 p.m. and is open to the general public to take advantage of more than sixty booths featuring health and wellness information. The Hospital Foundation provided up to $3,000 in funding to allow special blood testing to be conducted by the DCMH lab at the event. For more information about the Healthy Fair, including possible participation, visit www.dcmh.net/healthfair or call (812) 663-1167.
Events and Recognitions Highlight Spirit of Women Spirit of Women celebrated Stroke Awareness Month, with sixty women, at Highpoint Orchard, on May 19th. Women mingled with friends while sharing wine and learning how to prevent stroke, its risk factors, the warning signs for women, and what to do when signs or symptoms present. HeartCaring Coordinator, Kathy Stephens R.N., was the featured speaker. After extensive stroke education, the women enjoyed painting wine glasses as a souvenir from the evening. Spirit of Women at Decatur County Memorial Hospital was recently recognized at the National HeartCaring Conference in Florida. Spirit of Women member, Sylvia Wirth is a success story from the free PAD screenings that Spirit of Women offers every September. Because of this education and free screening offered to Sylvia, she learned she needed further testing. This further testing revealed that she needed additional procedures that saved her life. She expressed her gratitude to Spirit of Women and Decatur County Memorial Hospital for this service. Her story was featured to hundreds of physicians and healthcare professionals around the United States.
Golf Outing Offers Early Bird Discount Registration will begin on June 1, for this year’s “Event ‘fore’ Caring” to be held on Wednesday, September 14. This 6th Annual Golf event will benefit the Hospital Foundation & DCMH. An “Early Bird Discount” of $50 will be available to foursomes that register prior to Wednesday, August 10. Watch for more details at www.dcmh.net/golf or phone the Foundation office at (812) 663-1220.
News Scan News Scan is a monthly publication highlighting important activity at DCMH and is provided for the news media, board of trustees and the community. The publication may be accessed online at www.dcmh.net under ‘About Us.” Quotes within the document are available for publication and photos are available in a jpeg format. Questions regarding the information presented here may be directed to Linda Simmons, DCMH CEO, 812663-1170 or to David J. Fry, Director of Community Relations, david.fry@dcmh.net. or 812-663-1220.