JANUARY 2014
A publication for the employees & volunteers of the Lexington County Health Services District
LMC Irmo Surgery Earns Beacon of Excellence Award
Congratulations to Lexington Medical Center’s outpatient surgery center in Irmo! It’s been named one of the highest-rated ambulatory surgery facilities in the nation for patient satisfaction by Press Ganey. With patient satisfaction scores that consistently rank in the 99th percentile, Lexington Medical Center Irmo has received Press
Ganey’s Beacon of Excellence Award. The award goes to topperforming organizations that have maintained patient satisfaction scores above the 95th percentile for three years in a row. “The employees at Lexington Medical Center Irmo never rest on
their laurels,” said Susan Horton, director of Guest Services. “They are always looking for ways to raise the bar in providing the most extraordinary care.” In addition, LMC Irmo also won Press Ganey’s Guardian of Excellence Award for reaching the 95th percentile for patient satisfaction in ambulatory surgery for each reporting period of the year. Fewer than 5% of organizations measured by Press Ganey qualify for this award. Press Ganey partners with more than 10,000 health care facilities across the nation to measure and improve patient experience. “Achieving this level of
excellence reflects Lexington Medical Center’s commitment to delivering outstanding service and quality,” said Patrick T. Ryan, CEO of Press Ganey. “Lexington Medical Center’s efforts benefit patients in the Irmo area and lead to better patient experiences.” LMC Irmo has been serving the people of the Irmo community for 27 years. Approximately 150 surgeries per month are performed there.
Intercom is published by LMC’s Marketing department. Editorial material and pictures are solicited and should be sent to Marketing. Materials submitted for publication will not be returned unless otherwise requested. The Marketing department reserves the right to accept or deny any article and/or photo for publication. For more information, please contact Stephanie Givens at 935-8848 or email sngivens@lexhealth.org. JANUARY 2014 INTERCOM 1
Meet the Chief
Lexington Medical Center is pleased to welcome Glen Strickland, MD, FACS, ASMBS, as its new chief of staff.
At Lexington Medical Center, our Medical Staff leaders are dedicated to serving our patients and community. They serve on hospital committees and as medical directors, but they also spend time with their families and have interesting hobbies. Each issue, Intercom tells their stories from “Inside the Doctors Lounge.”
Dr. Strickland recently served as vice chief of staff on the Medical Executive Committee. “I look forward to working with physicians, Administration and support staff to provide better care to our patients and our community,” he said. Dr. Strickland was born in Columbia, but grew up in Little Rock, Ark. He pursued a degree in biology with a minor in mathematics from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. and graduated magna cum laude in 1980. He attended medical school at the University of Arkansas College of Medicine and completed his general surgery training at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia. Dr. Strickland has been in private practice in surgery, primarily at LMC, since 1993. A member of Riverside Surgical Group, he has served on numerous committees and as chief of Surgery at LMC. As the medical director of bariatric surgery at the South Carolina Obesity Surgery Center, the first weight-loss surgery practice in the Midlands, excellent care is one facet of what Dr. Strickland provides at LMC. He enjoys working with hospital administration, board members and county council members to evaluate and solve hospital problems.
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“My favorite part of being on the Medical Executive Committee is my responsibility to the hospital from an administrative perspective. I have the opportunity to meet different people and interact with them in other fields of the hospital.”
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Meet Dr. Amy Rawl Epps Cardiologist. Chief of Cardiology from 2011–2013. Mother. Dr. Epps always wanted to be just like her father, Dr. John Rawl. “As a child, I was so proud of what he did. Everywhere I went, I would meet people whom he had taken care of and hear how much he meant to them. I 1. W hat is your always wanted to have that kind of impact in favorite color? the community and I try to treat my patients Pink the same way.” 2. W hat can’t you Dr. Epps received her medical degree live without? at the Medical University of South Carolina My pink blanket in Charleston and later served as the 3. W hat would chief resident in internal medicine at you be if you weren’t a MUSC, where she also completed an adult doctor? I don’t cardiology fellowship. “I specialize in adult know. I have cardiovascular medicine because I enjoy wanted to be a talking to people, developing relationships doctor since I was and trying to make my patients feel better. 5 years old. Cardiology is a perfect mix of procedures and hands-on care.” In addition to providing excellent care to the community, Dr. Epps recently served on the Medical Executive Committee as chief of Cardiology from 2011–2013. She sees the committee as an important forum for physician leadership to meet and discuss patient care. “It is an exciting time for the hospital with the development of the heart surgery program, our relationship with the Duke Oncology Network and the growth of Cardiac Services, particularly in the Cath and EP labs. I am very proud of the cardiac care that we provide the community.” Beyond her work at the hospital, Dr. Epps and her husband of 13 years, Elliott, are running to Boy Scouts and sporting events with their three young sons, John Elliott, 11; Thomas, 8; and Sullivan, 5. The family also has a yellow lab named Molly who loves to snuggle. When Dr. Epps isn’t managing her self-described family circus, she enjoys running, Duke basketball, thriller novels and relaxing at the beach.
JANUARY 2014
LMC Nurse Honored with Oncology Award Congratulations to Libby Daniels, RN, OCN, for receiving the 3rd annual Oncology Nursing Excellence™ (ONE) Award from the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+).
We all know Lexington Medical Center employees are a dedicated group. Intercom wanted to see how our staff members give their time. We discovered that many employees give back to their communities. This column highlights the “Good Works” of LMC employees.
Libby Daniels, RN, OCN, second from right, receives the ONE Award.
ONE Award nominees are recommended by their peers for displaying leadership and compassion, and for their commitment to evidence-based practices. There were four finalists; the final vote of 2,350 determined the winner. AONN+ presented the award on November 15, 2013 in front of 650 navigators at its 4th annual conference in Memphis, Tenn. Daniels made a lasting impression on the colleague who nominated her. “Libby’s exceptional knowledge and patient skills became even more evident to me when the oncology experience became personal after my grandfather was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer,” the colleague shared. “Libby heard about my grandfather’s diagnosis and, even though he was not one of her patients, she immediately offered her assistance. Libby has been there for my whole family around the clock to offer information, guidance or a listening ear—clearly demonstrating that being an oncology nurse navigator is a way of life to her and not just a job. Some might say that oncology nursing is her ‘calling,’ and I would certainly agree.” Daniels has been a nurse for more JANUARY 2014
than 25 years. She began her career in health care as a pharmacy technician at a local drugstore. When the pharmacist became sick, Daniels would take care of him during and after her shifts. She realized how much she enjoyed caring for her first “patient” and decided to go into nursing. Daniels enrolled in nursing school and, as she says, “It was just the right fit.” Today, Daniels is a general cancer nurse navigator. She helps newly diagnosed cancer patients on their journey through the treatment process by acting as their advocate, helping them schedule appointments and coordinating their care. She develops friendships with each one of her patients who are willing to accept her help as a navigator, and she says she learns something new from each patient. Daniels has “shed lots of tears” both alone and with her patients, and she feels that opening herself up in that way helps to make a strong connection with her patient. The organization featured an in-depth interview with Daniels on its website in December.
’Tis The Season Lexington Medical Center’s Center for Best Practice sees Christmas as the season of giving. That’s why they adopted not one family, but three families and an Air Force unit in Afghanistan. This year, sending care packages and gifts was a personal matter. The Center for Best Practice, along with their family and friends, sent snacks, toiletries and Christmas wishes to co-worker Deborah Champion’s son, Alex Best. Best is an E3 Airman First Class whose expeditionary rescue squadron is currently on tour in Afghanistan. The department adopted the squadron earlier in the year and sends two packages every two weeks to the unit. “They send a little bit of home to these brave young men whose motto is ‘Service Before Self.’ It means so much to each and every one of them,” said Deborah Champion, quality review specialist. In addition to adopting Best’s squadron, the department adopted three families through Sistercare’s adopt-a-family program. In 2012, they adopted one special family and provided a wonderful Christmas for them. “We had an abundance of gifts for one family in 2012, so we decided to share the love with more families,” said Tamika Sims, quality data specialist. Thanks to the Center for Best Practice, three families and 52 soldiers enjoyed an extra-special Christmas this year.
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Merry& Bright Holiday Tree-lighting The Lexington Medical Center Volunteer Auxiliary held its 29th annual Tree-lighting Ceremony on December 10, 2013 in the North Tower Atrium. Children from the Child Development Center performed Christmas carols. The tree-lighting ceremony is part of the “Share Your Love with a Light� program. The Volunteer Auxiliary donates all proceeds from this program to the We Care Fund to help patients in need.
Deck the Halls LMC Holiday Drop-in
Lexington Medical Center celebrated the season by hosting its annual Holiday Drop-in on December 11, 2013. Held in the Lexington Medical Park 1 Auditorium, hospital employees, volunteers, physicians and chaplains enjoyed food, fun and a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
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JANUARY 2014
West Metro Holiday Parade Lexington Medical Center participated in the annual West Metro Holiday Parade of Lights on December 15, 2013. The parade began at the corner of Highway 1 and 12th Street in West Columbia. More than 15,000 people watched a collection of decorated floats, vehicles and marching bands. Richard Westbrook, LMC board member, and his 4-year-old son Jack rode the hospital float this year.
F OU N DATI ON F OC US Gifts from the Lexington Medical Center family and the community make it possible for the Lexington Medical Center Foundation to support our mission — providing quality health services that meet the needs of our community.
As the Lexington Medical Center Foundation begins 2014, we reflect on the past year. If we had to choose one word to summarize 2013, it would be humbled. Sophie Liles, Nolan Mays, Blake Jeffcoat and many other young people in our community raised money for the LMC Foundation. These bright children sold cupcakes, bracelets and earrings to collect donations for people in need. The hospital’s 2013 Universal Employee Tim James recognizes Blake Jeffcoat with Fund campaign was the most successful on record. a certificate of appreciation for donating to the Cancer Care Fund. Employees gave more than $680,000 to the Foundation. The 2014 campaign will start in early spring and we know it will set records again. Teachers and students in Lexington School districts Two and Four raised health awareness at their schools through programs that focus on nutrition, fitness and wellness. We know these programs will continue to succeed in encouraging health and wellness throughout our schools. We appreciate the support we’ve received from the business community and philanthropic leaders, such as the Foundation’s board of directors. In 2014, we hope that strong leadership and support from the business community will help us serve more individuals than ever. We are proud to offer wonderful support programs such as Healing Icons™ art therapy for cancer survivors, doulas for families having a baby, scholarships for high-achieving community members seeking health care education and much more. The people we serve remind us every day why the LMC Foundation is important to our community. Thank you for supporting these programs so that the Foundation can continue to help community members in need. Please visit us when you are at the hospital. We look forward to seeing what the New Year brings to the LMC Foundation. For more information about Foundation news and events, visit facebook.com/lmcFoundation. Be sure to “Like” the page to stay up-to-date on all LMC Foundation events!
New Year’s Resolutions PATH Update PATH Complete Screenings will now take place at Employee Health. Lab Only Screenings will continue to be offered at Outpatient Lab. Don’t forget to schedule your PATH appointment during your birthday month by visiting our website or calling 936-7126.
JANUARY 2014
Each January, we get a fresh start to make resolutions that improve our lifestyle. Does your New Year’s resolution relate to your health and wellness? Wellness Path has programs available to help you accomplish your goals! Visit lmcWellnessPath.org for registration information and let us help you have a healthier 2014. Available programs include Weight Watchers®, Freedom From Smoking® and Health Directions membership.
Monday–Thursday: 5:45 a.m.–8:00 p.m. Friday: 5:45 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Saturday: 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Sunday: 2:00–6:00 p.m.
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LMC Physician Receives Award from USC Congratulations to Todd Crump, MD, in the Emergency department on receiving the University of South Carolina’s 2013 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award. This award is given to an outstanding alumnus or alumna who serves the community beyond the individual’s job or profession. Outside Lexington Medical Center, Dr. Crump volunteers as the medical director of The Free Medical Clinic in Columbia, assisting many in receiving health care. “I am honored and humbled to receive recognition for doing what I am called to do and what I love doing,” Dr. Crump said. “I went into medicine so that I could apply the knowledge and skills passed onto me by my professors and mentors to make a difference in the lives of others. Nowhere is that more important than with our patients who have limited or no access to health care. Whether in The Free Medical Clinic or in the Emergency department, I provide care for patients when they are most vulnerable and in need. It is in those encounters that I have the opportunity to heal, establish trust, provide support and, most of all, give hope to those who may be at the end of their rope. And I strive to treat ‘the
least of these’ the way I would want my own family members to be treated — with respect, dignity and compassion. Practicing medicine within that context enables me to provide a positive, patient-focused experience, and it also motivates me to persevere in ensuring that the poor in spirit and health will always have hope in healing.” Volunteering at The Free Medical Clinic since 1997, Dr. Crump works long hours helping to ensure that those who cannot afford medical service get the help they need. He is involved in numerous fundraising activities for this and other causes. He was also active in a Hurricane Katrina medical mission trip to Louisiana in September 2005, treating evacuees from the disaster as well as chartering a jet to transport medical supplies and personnel to assist in the relief efforts. Dr. Crump has served on many boards, including My Carolina Alumni Association’s Council of Alumni Societies and USC’s Board of Governors.
P ract i c e P r o f i l e Lexington Medical Center is proud to welcome M. Shirin Sabbaghian, MD, into its network of care. She joins the board-certified surgeons and highly skilled clinicians at Riverside Surgical Group to provide comprehensive surgical oncology care for patients in the Midlands. A summa cum laude graduate of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La., Dr. Sabbaghian earned her medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. She then completed her surgical internship and residency at New York University School of Medicine, New York. She also fulfilled a clinical research fellowship there that focused on pancreatic cancer and benign gallbladder disease before completing a surgical oncology fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pa. With experience in all aspects of surgical oncology, Dr. Sabbaghian is especially interested in gastrointestinal and liver disease with an emphasis on treatment using minimally invasive techniques. Board certified by the American Board of Surgery, she is a member of the American Hepato-PancreatoBiliary Association and the Society of Surgical Oncology.
N o w A c c e p t i n g Pa t i e n t s
A Lexington Medical Center Physician Practice
146 North Hospital Drive, Suite 430 • West Columbia, SC 29169 791-2828 • RiversideSurgical.com
i connect, i care Lexington Medical Center employees can look forward to the health district’s new service initiative in February. You can be an LMC Icon with the new program. By focusing on patients and ensuring that their care is your primary focus, you can become iconic!
Stay tuned for details. 6 INTERCOM
JANUARY 2014
CMCs Prep for a STEMI When having a heart attack, seconds count. Lexington Medical Center’s community medical centers have partnered with the Lexington Medical Heart Center to develop a DIDO (door-in to door-out) process. The goal is to identify patients experiencing a STEMI (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction) rapidly and transport them to life-saving treatment at LMC in 30 minutes or less. A STEMI patient is one who is experiencing a cardiac event in which the heart is deprived of oxygen. The goal is to start the Cath Lab intervention within 90 minutes and restore oxygen to the area of the heart that has been compromised. To enhance this program, LMC Swansea held a mock STEMI drill on December 6, 2013. The drill included coordination of services with Lexington County EMS and a LifeNet helicopter. For rural settings such as Swansea, air transport has proven to be faster than transporting by ground. The drill involved a “patient” presenting with chest pain. The drill evaluated rapid identification of chest pain, immediate EKG and diagnosis from the physician.
Donald Langston Powell, MD, who was the urgent care physician on duty during the drill, says that when they recognize a STEMI, they begin procedures to get a patient to the main hospital campus as soon as possible. For faster STEMI activation, all the staff has to do is click an icon on the computer and a page is sent to key personnel in the network including the Cath Lab team. LifeNet is contacted and the patient is rapidly transported. In the event the helicopter is unavailable or there is bad weather, Lexington County EMS will transport the patient. During fiscal year 2013, the CMCs transferred 16 STEMI patients. Mock drills such as the one performed in Swansea will help LMC continue to improve in order to meet its goal of transferring all STEMI patients in 30 minutes or less.
Linen Tip: Bed-making Policy
EHR Tip: Problem Details Part I
One Click Edit The Problem List in the LMConnect Physician Network EHR displays medical diagnoses added to the patient’s electronic record during an office visit as well as those abstracted from the paper record as part of the EHR Go-live process. In EHR, more specific problem details can be documented via the One Click Edit icon. This icon is located next to each problem and resembles a pencil. The One Click Edit icon accesses descriptor fields including managing provider, onset date, resolved date, current impression and general description. Once problem details are entered, they can be viewed JANUARY 2014
from the expanded Problem List on the Clinical Desktop or within the Note Authoring Workspace. Team Green covers this functionality as well as other optimizations during training and implementation. If you would like more information, please log a HEAT ticket via LexLoop and Team Green will be happy to assist you.
A properly made bed should: Provide good patient comfort Meet caregiver needs Promote efficient linen utilization Reduce waste and cost Be environmentally friendly
Marketing Honored with Health Care Accolades Lexington Medical Center won multiple health care marketing awards at the Carolinas Healthcare Public Relations & Marketing Society (CHPRMS) annual fall conference on November 21, 2013 in Asheville, N.C. The CHPRMS awards acknowledge excellence in public relations and marketing of health care systems in North and South Carolina.
Silver Wallie Heart Health for Every Body Calendar Brochure Cancer Binder Southern Surgical Group Mobile Website Cancer/Lexington Oncology Campaign Midlands Goes Red Campaign
Gold Wallie Pink Glove Dance Video 2012 Lexington Medical Center Every Woman Blog Palliative Care Booklet
Golden Tusk Pink Glove Dance 2012
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in the SPOTLIGHT Awards, Honors & What’s Happening with LMC Employees LMCEC Employee of the Month Congratulations to Vanessa Pete on her selection as LMC Extended Care Employee of the Month. Vanessa has been employed at LMCEC as a certified nursing assistant for 20 years. She loves to interact with the residents and truly enjoys her work, which is shown by the warm smile and hearty greeting she gives everyone she meets. Vanessa enjoys spending time with her family, playing bingo and attending church.
Employee Changes/Additions
Oh Baby!
The Accounting department would like to welcome Tanya Day, administrative assistant II, and Celia Perez, accounts payable specialist.
Congratulations to Briona Gadsden at Southeastern Neurology & Memory Clinic on the birth of her baby boy, Malychi, on November 22.
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Lexington ENT & Allergy would like to welcome Morgan Hinson, business office associate.
Congratulations to Carmen Lucas, guest services specialist in the Emergency department, and her husband Kyle on the birth of their daughter Ellington on October 21. Ellington weighed 7 lb 15 oz and was 20 inches long.
Recognition Congratulations to Emergency department RNs Ben Amberg, Angie Amick, Holly Frier and Amelia Lawson on passing the Certified Emergency Nurse exam. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Congratulations to Nicole O’Neill, clinical coordinator for 6th Medical, on achieving national medical-surgical certification.
Wedding Bells Congratulations to Jeni Coberly, RN for 7th Floor, on her marriage to Grange Jumper on September 14. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Congratulations to Brittany McLean, RN for 7th Floor, on her marriage to Cody Garrett.
LMCEC Honored with Award Lexington Medical Center Extended Care received the 2013 South Carolina Spirit of Caring Best Practice Award for its Long Learning Institute program. This is the 8th year that LMCEC has been recognized with this award. Staff and residents were honored at the annual awards banquet on October 24, 2013 at Seawells in Columbia. Every skilled care community in the state is invited to participate in the South Carolina Spirit of Caring Best Practice initiative annually.
On December 10, 2013, Lexington Medical Center proudly supported The Salvation Army’s Christmas assistance program by participating in Scrubs Day. Each year, The Salvation Army provides Christmas presents for children throughout the Midlands. On Scrubs Day, LMC volunteers wore green scrubs and helped throughout the day at the S.C. State Fairgrounds. Volunteers received children’s Christmas wish lists and filled boxes to make those holiday hopes a reality. “It is very rewarding to help children in need in our community during the holidays,” said Barbara Willm, vice president of Community Relations. 8 INTERCOM
Scrubs Day JANUARY 2014