’s
February 16, 2018
The Pulse
Your regular check up on SCKMC activities Share your thoughts, story ideas, and comments by e-mail to claytonp@sckrmc.org.
SCKMC Reviews Growth at Board SCKMC is taking a detailed look at their operations. Through their partnership with Revere Healthcare Solutions Inc. (RHS), the hospital has broken down the past ten-years of data to a departmental level. Carmine Di Palo, Chairman and CEO of RHS, provided a detailed presentation to the SCKMC Board of Trustees on January 25th. “If you look at the numbers, and let them tell you the story, then you are much more able to define what actions to take for the future. Obviously 2017 was a very hard year, as it was for the rest of the industry, but the problem started materializing in 2009. Gross patient revenues last year were more than twice what they were 10 years ago. However, the net patient revenues increased only $800,000,” Di Palo said. Di Palo broke the organization down into three separate units: traditional services, such as OR, ER, OB, inpatient care, lab, radiology and all other ancillary units; primary care services, which include South Central Kansas Clinic, Winfield Medical Arts, and the newly formed Cowley HealthwoRX; and the Senior Healthcare Unit, which opened in January of 2017. The traditional services sector, excluding the lab outreach program, had a $1.7 million loss in 2017, while primary care lost $250,000. In contrast, senior healthcare delivered approximately a $800,000 profit in its first year of operation. Hospital administrators believe that through this process they have identified the areas primed for the largest growth opportunities in 2018. ER, Nutritional Services, Telemedicine, Surgery, Obstetrics, and agency staffing all produced negative income in the previous year. “The loss is represented by a very limited set of departments, and therefore the corrective measures are very limited in numbers,” Di Palo said. A number of actions were identified within the traditional operations to offset the loss, including changes in cafeteria pricing, renegotiating vendor contracts, and renewed provider commitments. In addition, the move of additional physicians from the hospital campus to Winfield Medical Arts is estimated to increase patient volume and reimbursement within the primary care segment. And finally, 2018 will see an increased effort to promote the senior healthcare unit in order to continue to grow that particular segment. Di Palo concluded his presentation to the Board by summing up the growth initiatives. “Invest in your organization, invest in developing senior care and primary care, and always keep focusing on patient quality,” Di Palo said.
Shaw Named Lifesaver of the Month Congratulations to Chris Shaw for being named the Integrity Healthcare Professionals Lifesaver of the Month. Chris was nominated following a routine check on one of his patients in January. Chris noticed the patient was not doing well and was able to quickly identify the warning signs of low blood sugar. Due to his fast reaction he was able to begin interventions to correct it. Chris started working at South Central Kansas Medical Center in March 2016 for the Laboratory department. He transferred to the Medical / Surgical Unit last year after receiving his LPN degree from Pratt Community College.
Visitor Bed Trial Program Underway SCKMC is currently exploring the possibility of improving their guests experience through the help of a local company. The Caregiver Company, located in Strother Field, manufactures “murphy-style” beds which fold down from a wall mounted cabinet within a patient’s room. Four beds were installed on February 5th within the Med/Surg and OB departments. “I think they have worked out great. The family members have been ecstatic to have a flat, nice surface to sleep on,” said Ashley Lynn, SCKMC’s Med/Surg Unit Leader. Staff will be collecting feedback from guests over the next 90-days, including input on comfort and ease of use, in order to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program.
The Pharm Forum with Homer Mah, D.Ph. When your body does not make enough thyroid hormones, people take a medication called levothyroxine. Thyroid hormones help control body functions and if you are not producing enough it may cause problems. The best time to take it is on an empty stomach and swallow with water so you will get the full effect from the drug. The most important thing to remember is to take it the same way and same time each day. Also avoid taking iron pills, antacids, or vitamins at the same time, this can lower absorption of levothyroxine. It is OK if your pharmacy uses a different brand of levothyroxine if your usual brand is not available, it still works the same.
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