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Thursday, June 10, 2010 RON HALLMAN, 388-4744
Porter Auxiliary Approves $28,000 in Contributions
MIDDLEBURY--The Porter Medical Center Auxiliary Board of Directors approved $28,000 in contributions at their monthly meeting on June 9th. The contributions include $15,000 to Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center for a new “Decentralized Dining” Project, $1,000 toward an improvement project for Libby’s Trail (Porter’s handicapped accessible nature trail), $6,000 for an exam Table for Porter’s new Palliative Care Practice and $6,000 for the hospital’s Lifeline Program. The source of these funds are the Round Robin Upscale Resale Shop, the annual Kentucky Derby Day benefit and membership dues.
“We are extremely grateful for these outstanding contributions from the Porter Medical Center Auxiliary in support of these important projects and programs that benefit our patients, residents and the community we serve”, said PMC President, James Daily.
The $15,000 HPHRC donation will support a project that is central to the new “Culture Change” efforts to transform Helen Porter into a more home-like environment. The $1,000 contribution for Libby’s Trail, created in memory of Elizabeth Brakeley by her family, will provide resources for a general maintenance project to ensure that this trail is in good condition for the residents of Helen Porter or other community members to enjoy. The Lifeline funds are used to allow Porter to provide this in-home emergency response program to local people regardless of their ability to pay the monthly subscription fee, and the additional $6,000 will be used at Helen Porter to acquire a special exam table for residents who also are patients of the Palliative Care practice.
The Porter Medical Center Auxiliary is a membership organization open to everyone in our community. Information about membership can be obtained by calling the Porter public relations office at 388-4738.
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May 24, 2010 RON HALLMAN, 388-4744
MIDDLEBURY—Every student who will graduate next month from area High Schools will be celebrating a significant milestone and accomplishment in their life and academic career. But four young women, Mae Murdock (Shoreham), Alex Sears (Cornwall), Ashley Tatro (Bristol), and Kali Trautwein (Middlebury) will be celebrating a very special accomplishment. These graduating seniors were also enrolled in the Health Careers Program at the Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center (PAHCC), a 2-year program designed to provide them with skills and experiences that have prepared them to pursue a career in a variety of health professions, according to the program instructor Rita Wells, RN, MSN. “Health Careers is a dual enrollment program with the Community College of Vermont (CCV), meaning that students who successfully complete the 2-year curriculum at PAHCC will graduate from High School with college credits from CCV in Medical Terminology and Human Biology.
A third college course can be completed independently by the student for a potential of 9 college credits by the time they graduate high school. In addition, the students are certified in Basic Life Support, First Aid, and have the potential to become licensed as a Nursing Assistant (LNA) by the Vermont Board of Nursing,” Ms. Wells said. “It offers the students a tremendous start in pursuing a career in health care, and none of this would be possible without the wonderful collaboration between PAHCC and Porter Medical Center.”
Three years ago, Porter and PAHCC resurrected the Health Careers Program in order to provide local high school students with exposure and opportunities that could lead to professional careers in the health field. The classroom and lab component is provided at PAHCC and the hands on experiences are offered at both Porter Hospital and Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center.
“Our students rotate through every clinical area of the hospital, which gives them an incredible overview of various disciplines and the relationship between departments. It provides the students an opportunity to experience what it might be like in a particular area and help them decide their path as a health professional,” Wells said. “Thanks to the efforts of HPHRC administrator Neil Gruber; the Hospital’s administrator James Daily and Vice President for Patient Care, Pat Jannene; as well as Steve Boudah and Karen Herrmann from the Volunteer Department; our students have had doors opened to them that have provided invaluable experiences,” added Wells.
Wells also expressed appreciation to the Hannaford Career Center and Porter Hospital board of directors for the commitment of organizational resources and the recognition of both the contributions this is making to our local youth, but also the wisdom of attracting local students to health careers. “These young people will go off to college to become nurses, doctors, therapists, etc. and many will return to Addison County for their professional career – it is a win-win situation.”
As part of the senior curriculum, these students also venture out of the region for exposure to national health issues. Last month, the students traveled to Washington, D.C. where they attended a national conference on kidney disease at the National Institutes for Health, observed physical therapy sessions with returning military personnel at the Walter Reed Medical Center, and had a private meeting with Senator Bernie Sanders to discuss national health care reform.
In addition to the four seniors who have completed the 2-year program, there are six students who will be completing their first year in June. They are senior Brittany Thompson (MAUHS), who will be attending nursing school in the fall; and juniors Alix Bradley, Nina Edson, Lillian Hamilton, Leah Norris and Kimberly Shaw. “Their commitment certainly showed during a recent visit to HPHRC on prom night to visit the residents in their gowns and bring them flowers,” Ms. Wells stated. Also according to Wells, interest in this successful program is growing. “I had nearly double the number of applicants from students wanting to enter the program next fall, than I could accept; but I encourage all students interested in a health career to keep working hard and follow their passion. Those that couldn’t be accepted can re-apply next year.”
”It is so incredible to live in a community where this level of collaboration exists and where everyone is focusing on what is good for our students and what is best for the future of our local, regional and national health care work force,” Wells said. “After all, these students will be our future health care providers.”
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April 8, 2010 RON HALLMAN, 388-4744
Porter Hospital Receives Komen Grant for Cancer Screening Program
MIDDLEBURY--Porter Hospital has received a grant of $5,000 from the Susan G. Komen Foundation in support of Porter’s Breast Cancer Screening and Education Program and a new collaborative effort with the Open Door Clinic of Addison County. The grant will allow Porter to serve women with low cost or free screening mammography services who come to the program either via a new series of Women’s Clinics sponsored by the Open Door Clinic, or via Porter’s established network of primary care physician referrals.
The Porter Hospital Breast Cancer Screening and Education Program provides free or low-cost screening mammography services to area women who do not have health insurance, do not qualify for any other type of program that covers this screening, and/or who have such high deductibles that they would not avail themselves of this important screening service.
This year’s grants from the Komen Foundation are targeted to supporting new collaborations that will extend to additional providers of services the opportunity to utilize Susan G. Komen resources to improve early detection services according to Porter’s Vice President for Development Ron Hallman.
“We are looking forward to working closely with the Open Door Clinic as they expand their “women’s health care clinics” from two per year to four per year specifically through greater outreach to area women to inform them of the availability of these free or low-cost mammography services”, he said. The grant funding will be used for direct patient care services (screening mammograms) for the women who come to this long-established program via this new collaboration.
The Open Door Clinic plans to provide four Women's Health Clinics in Addison County for un/underinsured women over the next year. According to ODC executive director, Julie Arel, these clinics will ensure a high-quality, woman-friendly environment in which to receive comprehensive health services for women who are underserved and doubles the number currently offered while expanding to include the town of Bristol as a clinic site.
“In 2007, 13% of all women in Vermont were uninsured, and the National Women's Law Center reports that women are even more vulnerable when uninsured or underinsured than are men” she said. “Women need to spend a greater share of income on health needs by virtue of earning less than men, are underinsured at higher rates, and are more likely to suffer from a chronic condition requiring ongoing care”. She added that the ODC provides women ongoing access to healthcare through their regular weekly clinics as needed. However, she says that the Women's Health Clinics offer something more. “It is an environment where women are assured of seeing providers that are all women themselves, they are encouraged to apply for insurance and seek stable ongoing care for themselves and we try to empower women to understand their need to be actively engaged in their healthcare and to identify ways to better manage their health through prevention” she said.
In addition to a stronger emphasis on access to screening mammography services, this project addresses a variety of health needs of women through the direct provision of healthcare by volunteer physicians and nurses (the majority of whom are employees of Porter Hospital). This includes preventative women's healthcare and attendant lab tests such as pap tests, evaluation of acute or chronic illness, referral to specialists for cardiovascular, gynecologic, orthopedic and other needs, access on-site to physical therapy, and HIV/AIDS counseling and testing offered anonymously.
At these clinics, women not only will receive healthcare provided by the all-female staff and volunteers, but also receive assistance completing applications for health insurance, information and counseling from a dietician, smoking cessation services and nicotine replacement therapy, and have access to ongoing case management support.
“Un/underinsured, high risk and vulnerable women residents of Addison County (and some surrounding towns) who lack access to health care is the target population” she said. “In 2009, 418 women were served through the ODC, an 11% increase over 2008 numbers, and it is estimated that the four clinics proposed will serve approximately 70 women.” All eligible women seen at the clinics will be assisted in filing an application for state insurance through Green Mountain Care and will be enrolled in Vermont’s Ladies First Program and offered smoking cessation services if appropriate. One of the primary and ongoing goals is to find every patient who comes to one of the Open Door Clinics a permanent “medical home” in an existing, local primary care practice.
“Earlier preventive care, including mammograms, can mean the difference between an easily treatable illness and long-term morbidity, high healthcare costs, and even death due to delayed treatment,” Arel said. “We are pleased to be partnering with Porter Hospital in this grant-supported effort to enhance access to important services for the women of our community.”
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April 7, 2010 RON HALLMAN, 388-4744
Helen Porter Receives Grant for New Culture Change Efforts and Programs
MIDDLEBURY--Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center has received a grant of $23,700 from the State of Vermont in support of its efforts to pursue a new “transformational project” to define, implement and evaluate an innovative model of resident care.
The grant comes from the “Enhancing Quality of Life” program via the Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) and will support Helen Porter’s efforts to work collaboratively with their board, physicians, residents, families, staff and the broader Addison County community to change their long- established “medical model” of care to a new “social model/person-centered model” according to Helen Porter administrator Neil Gruber. “Our overarching goal is to pursue a culture change within our organization to enhance the quality of life for our residents and build a positive community that fosters high quality and compassionate care in a manner that promotes independence, respect and dignity”, he said.
According to Gruber, this process of “culture change” will not simply be a cosmetic improvement intended to improve how our organization appears internally and externally—it truly will impact and change the fundamental way that residents, families, staff and community experience the organization via very specific changes.
“The basis for this culture change project is our sincere belief that the traditional model of nursing home care and the current perspectives, interactions and relationships that exist within our facility and many others does not represent the very best environment for providing the highest quality resident care” he said.
“We have presented to our board of directors our plans to embark on an intensive period of transformation over the next several months that began with the drafting of a new Mission Statement and Vision Statement to serve as the foundation for our work. These statements will be our reference points and guide the many concrete actions, decisions and changes that we will pursue” Gruber said.
He added that these statements are being developed in concert with residents, families and staff, and will be based on a core list of “values”. “In our preliminary conversations with these internal members of our HPHRC family, the initial list of these values include: respect for each person as an individual, promoting the highest level of dignity for residents, promoting greater collaboration and teamwork, ensuring autonomy and independence, building a positive community, fostering healthy relationships and pursuing excellence in everything we do”.
The project coordinator, Nancy Schaedel, is excited to have received this grant and is very enthusiastic to implement a number of new initiatives. “As we move forward, we do so in order to create a safe and caring environment, which fosters both positive relationships and a sense of community. We envision a home filled with love, dignity and quality service, and working together as a team to ensure a sense of collaboration and open communication, where every person is valued as an individual and as a member of a larger community” she said.
Beyond creating new Mission, Vision and Value statements, HPHRC will undertake a comprehensive effort to educate residents, family and staff about what “culture change” is and how to accomplish it. “Changing from a medical model to a social and person- centered care model will require that we change our appearance, philosophy and language, such as changing our terminology from “nursing units” to “neighborhoods” and giving these new neighborhoods names as selected by our residents, families and staff,” Gruber said.
“In our early conversations with our residents, families and staff about our plans to move forward with this project, we have received some important and specific feedback that could define our efforts including: less noise on the units, quicker answers to call bells, more privacy, freedom to eat what they want and knowledge of menu prior to meal service, a coffee shop that is always open, freedom to sleep as late as they want, clutter free hallways, and mirrors at wheelchair height,” he said.
Although the implementation of this culture change transformation will encompass many specific activities, outreach efforts, a new “wellness programs”, etc…over time, one of the primary programmatic changes Gruber envisions is the establishment of a new end- of-life “Namaste Care Program” for residents with Dementia. This program will be modeled on the highly successful program at the Vermont Veterans Home and will address the physical, spiritual and psychological needs of the residents.
In anticipation of this new program, the administration of HPHRC has already identified a physical space within the facility that can easily be transformed to serve as the Namaste Care unit. They also have received a donation of $4,500 from the family of one of their residents that Gruber anticipates using these funds to support the creation of this space.
According to Schaedel, this Namaste Care Program has been successfully implemented in several nursing homes and hospice organizations. She says that Namaste Care strives to maintain the highest quality of life possible for individuals with severe and terminal dementia. This care involves the creation of a special room that provides a quiet, peaceful environment for residents in the last stage of their disease. Meaningful activities are individualized for each resident and a continuous presence of staff members provide both physical and sensory stimulation. This “high-touch” care can be taught to all staff as well as family members. “The family members, particularly, appreciate the attention given to their loved ones,” she said.
She added “The need for programs that would be suitable for individuals with severe and terminal dementia is strong if we are to prevent them from progressing into a vegetative state and help them to continue to enjoy personal contact and stimulation.”
Schaedel says that Namaste Care provides residents and their families with quality care that addresses not only physical but also emotional and spiritual needs. “It reminds us that individuals with advanced dementia should not be isolated in their rooms, but need to live their last days in a pleasant environment receiving loving care from all staff and families,” she said.
The Components of our Namaste Care Program will include Development of a personalized mission statement, development of criteria to determine which residents would benefit, staff selected based on the desire to work with Namaste Care residents, special education and training, soothing and comfortable environments, comfort care approaches, special programming, and grief comfort and bereavement service referrals.
“As we move forward with this effort and these internal improvements, we envision that we will do so in communication and collaboration with other area organizations” Gruber said. “We have had preliminary conversations, for example, with members of the “Addison Respite Care Home” organization (which is developing plans for improving services to area people in hospice care), the “Living Well” organization in Bristol (which offers a variety of outreach programs and services to improve the quality of life of elderly people such as their “Living Arts” program), and others” Gruber said.
As a part of the culture change project and the implementation of the Namaste Care Program, Gruber says that Helen Porter will actively engage these organizations and others in our community in an ongoing dialogue regarding how we can collaborate with programming or long-term projects that will enhance and/or increase services available to the residents of HPHRC and the elderly population of Addison County more broadly.
“We are very excited to have received this grant, and we believe that our project will greatly improve the quality of resident care at HPHRC, and also serve as a model for other Vermont nursing homes” Gruber said.
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Friday, March 17, 2010 RON HALLMAN, 388-4744
Porter Hospital to Offer Diabetes Wellness Fair
Middlebury--Porter Hospital will be hosting a free community health fair focusing on topics of importance to people with Diabetes on Saturday, March 27th from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. in the Collins Building conference area.
The “Diabetes Wellness Fair” will feature speakers covering important topics including “Diabetes and Depression” to “Taking Control of your Diabetes”, as well as cooking and exercise demonstrations, food sampling, nutrition information and door prizes. Free blood pressure checks and blood glucose screenings will be available as well.
This event is made possible via the generous financial support from the Vergennes Union High School senior class of 2009, which donated $2,500 last spring in memory of their classmate, Taylor Vigne, who succumbed to Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 13 in 2005.
“We are proud and pleased to organize this community health event thanks to the thoughtful generosity of the VUHS seniors, and we hope that many members of our community will participate and learn more about how to better manage their Diabetes”, said Elaine Coon who is organizing the event for Porter. For more information call 388-4776 or 388-4723. This event is free and open to the entire community.
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Friday, March 8, 2010 RON HALLMAN, 388-4744
Hospital Sees Improvement in 2010 CMS Quality Indicator Scores
MIDDLEBURY--During the first five months of its current fiscal year, Porter Hospital has recorded significant improvements in its “Core Quality Measures” scores for the major diagnostic groups reported annually by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Since 2005, CMS has been collecting data from hospitals throughout the United States on 31 “Quality Measures” and publishing this data annually in order to “provide information to consumers and encourage hospitals and physicians to improve quality of care” according to their web site. These 31 indicators are divided into four groups or “core measures” that have gained widespread public attention in recent years, as they are generally reported to the media on a state- by-state basis each spring. These four core measures are: Surgical Care Infection Prevention, Community Acquired Pneumonia Care, Congestive Heart Failure Care and Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) Care.
Although Porter Hospital has had only one patient during the current fiscal year who met the clinical criteria for the AMI Quality Indicator given the limited number of patients who would receive these services in a small community hospital, Porter’s scores for the other three indicators are 100% (Surgical Care Infection Prevention), 100% (Congestive Heart Failure) and 90% (Community Acquired Pneumonia). These scores reflect how well an individual hospital performs in “meeting specific goals for a variety of individual care components based on nationally accepted standards of care and current evidence for best clinical practice”, according to Pat Jannene, Vice President for Patient Care.
“We are extremely gratified by the results this fiscal year in our quality indicators scores that are a direct result of the hard work by our nurses, physicians and other clinical staff who have worked together to review and improve our processes of care”, she said. “These measures focus on how well we document the specific procedures and treatments within these diagnostic categories, and we have provided education, developed new processes, established concurrent reviews and redeployed staff resources to positively affect change and improve our results”, she said.
The initiatives that led to these most recent positive results were launched nearly a year ago, when the CMS indicator data for 2008 showed that Porter Hospital had not scored as well as other Vermont hospitals on these four core measures relative to documentation and performance. Although these new programs and efforts were developed and implemented within weeks of the release of the 2008 scores, most of the data for the 2009 scores had already been collected due to the significant “lag time” between the collection and reporting of this data. Thus, the improved quality indicator scores for fiscal year 2010 will not be published until the spring of 2011.
“Every member of our clinical staff was disappointed by the 2008 scores, and we realized that by the time we became aware of these results, most of the data for 2009 had already been submitted”, Jannene said. “Therefore, we decided that it was going to be one of our highest priorities for 2010 to ensure that any quality indicator scores for Porter Hospital are a true indication of the outstanding care we provide each and every day”, she said.
“We thought that it was important to share with our community the most current information available and demonstrate the significant improvements we are now seeing across the board in these publicly reported quality measures”, said Dr. Ben Rosenberg, President of the Porter Hospital Medical Staff and a member of the Porter board. “Given the lag time in the reporting by CMS on a national level, we wanted to share with our local community the data for fiscal year 2010 and all of the new resources that have been put into place to maintain these positive outcomes in the future”, he added.
Looking further ahead, CMS plans to continue to add new quality measures that will capture results related to outpatient services and radiology services. “Now that we have built up the infrastructure and our internal resources to respond to these new requirements as they come down the road, we feel that our data will continue to demonstrate our long standing commitment to providing the highest level of quality care for all of our patients”, Jannene said.
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Monday, March 5, 2010 RON HALLMAN, (802) 388-4744
MIDDLEBURY--The 2010 Annual Meeting of Porter Medical Center will be held on Thursday evening, March 25th at 7:00 p.m. in room 216 of the John M. McCardell, Jr. Bicentennial Hall on the campus of Middlebury College. The meeting is free and open to the public.
The guest speaker for Porter’s annual meeting will be Dr. Diana Barnard, who will report on the new “Partners in Palliative and Home Care” practice and share her insights and experiences in helping to develop this innovative new program and why it is an important new resource for our Addison County community. According to PMC board chairman, Joe Sutton, there is a very strong interest throughout our community in the development of end of life care and palliative care services that recognize and support the very real and special issues faced by patients and families during this phase of health care delivery. “I am confident that Dr. Barnard’s presentation will be informative and contribute to a very interesting annual meeting program,” he said.
In addition to the remarks by Dr. Barnard, brief reports will be provided by Sutton, PMC President, James L. Daily and Medical Staff President Dr. Ben Rosenberg regarding the work of Porter Medical Center during the past year, and related topics of importance to our organization and community.
For more information call the Porter Medical Center public relations office at 388-4738.
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Monday, January 11, 2010 RON HALLMAN, 388-4744
MIDDLEBURY--Two long time and popular Middlebury medical practices have merged and relocated to a new office on Exchange Street.
Cedar Ledge Family Practice, most recently at 99 Court Street, and Champlain Valley Family Health, formerly on the campus of Porter Hospital, have consolidated their practices into a single practice named Addison Family Medicine. As of January 13th, this practice began operations in Catamount Park on Exchange Street in Middlebury.
“We are very excited to have moved into a brand new, larger and more modern medical office space with lots of convenient parking for our patients and much improved exam and clinical areas for our staff”, said Porter Vice President for Practice Management Jean Cotner.
Although operating out of a new space with a new practice name, all of the providers names are familiar members of the Middlebury medical community. They include physicians Tim Cope, Maja Zimmerman, Scott Smith and Jessica Rouse, as well as mid-level practitioners Tom Beauregard and Alison Parker. During the summer of 2010, a fifth physician, Dr. Michael Graham, will join the practice.
The telephone numbers for the new practice are 388-6777 or 388-7185.
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Tuesday, December 22, 2009 RON HALLMAN, 388-4744
Porter Offers New Non-Invasive Procedure for Patients with Acid Reflux Disease.
MIDDLEBURY--Dr. Carl Petri, a general surgeon at Porter Hospital, is now offering a new, less invasive surgical treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) using a recently acquired surgical device and innovative technique that does not require an incision. According to Dr. Petri, because the procedure does not require an incision, there is reduced pain for the patient, shorter recovery time and no visible scar.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly referred to as “acid reflux”, is often treated with medications which can relieve patients’ heartburn symptoms, but which do not solve the underlying anatomical problems that cause the discomfort, or prevent further disease progression. According to Dr. Petri, the new procedure creates a valve between the stomach and esophagus, which restores the natural physiological anatomy to prevent the reflux.
“GERD is a very common condition, and this new technique can significantly improve quality of life for our patients,” said Dr. Petri. “Many reflux patients are unable to drink carbonated or caffeinated beverages or eat rich foods or fruit without triggering reflux. They also sleep sitting up to reduce nighttime reflux. After this procedure, most patients should be able to eat and drink foods they avoided for many years.”
Additionally, Dr. Petri points to recent clinical studies showing that this procedure can reduce a patients’ dependency on medications, with 70% of patients remaining symptom free after two years. “My belief is that this new procedure will produce significant benefits for a persons quality of life, potentially eliminate the need for acid reflux medications and do so via a minimally invasion technique and without even a small incision”, he said.
Individuals who believe they could benefit from this new service should consult their primary care physician, or may contact Dr. Petri’s office at 388-9885.
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Thursday, December 10, 2009 RON HALLMAN, 388-4744
Embracing Change to Improve Performance: Implementation of an Electronic Health Record System at Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center
A two-year journey, led by a multi-disciplinary team of clinical, technical and administrative staff, resulted in the successful implementation of a comprehensive new Electronic Health Record system at the Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Middlebury, Vermont.
Information related to this implementation effort, along with a summary of some of the key achievements in the areas of improving the quality of care, financial performance and overall operational efficiency were provided by key members of the HPHRC team at the annual conference of the American Health Care Association this summer. It was the first time in the history of Helen Porter that they had been invited to make an educational presentation at a national conference, and they were eager to share both their accomplishments and the challenges resulting from their significant transformation from manual to electronic systems.
According to a 2008 study by the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, the use of electronic information systems by nursing homes is “considerably higher than previous estimates and compares favorably to other health care settings.” The report indicates that approximately 43 percent of U.S. nursing homes maintained electronic health records compared to 25 percent of physician offices and 59 percent of hospitals according to a survey of their members.
In Vermont, however, only a handful of the State’s 40 nursing homes have fully integrated electronic health information systems at this time—and the experience and success of the Helen Porter implementation has generated a good deal of interest among colleagues throughout the region.
“At the very beginning of this process, we decided to go for the whole loaf and overhaul our clinical and financial systems concurrently,” said HPHRC administrator Neil Gruber. “We recognized that if we could implement a system that allowed our staff to enter resident information once for all clinical and financial applications, we could make significant strides toward improving resident care, maximizing appropriate reimbursement and doing so in the most efficient way possible.”
It was not easy. One of the slides used in the power point presentation to the AHCA attendees is entitled: “Implementation is Hard!”…and goes on to list specific steps that helped ease the transition including holding weekly meetings, having a specific agenda each time, be supportive of each other, keep pushing but be flexible with deadlines, and always seek input from those who will be expected to use the system. Gruber also emphasized the importance of frequent communication.
“We created a special newsletter, prepared special and frequent written updates for our physicians and staff, and spent a lot of time walking around and talking to staff about what we were doing and how they were feeling about the project”, he said.
In addition to all of the human elements that go into a successful implementation project, Gruber said that there are a number of other factors that need to be accomplished. “You need to choose the right software for your organization that fits your style and culture, have some depth in the implementation team and recognize that physician buy-in is key,” he said. The HPHRC implementation team including Gruber, along with the director of nursing services, rehabilitation director/admissions coordinator, assistant administrator, an administrative assistant and some “off site” IT consultants.
In addition to selecting the right team and software, hardware components for the new system included a centralized server, secure local area network, a kiosk with both touch screen and keyboard capability, and wireless laptops on medication carts. The total cost for the hardware and software components of the system were under $250,000.
The final phase of this project centered around evaluation of results and the celebration of achievements. “We have been able to measure improvements in quality indicators such as fewer medication errors, fewer documentation omissions, and less time spent charting--and thus more time spent at the bedside with residents,” Gruber said. He cites other specific examples of success including a smaller than expected increase in overall operating expenses of just 1.2% from 2007 to 2008, reduced administrative staff time, and overall satisfaction from members of the HPHRC clinical staff. “These results, along with a steady increase in our case mix scores and commensurate increases in our Medicare reimbursement are clear evidence that this has been a worth-while effort and an important accomplishment for our team and our staff,” he said.
Looking ahead, Gruber is already anticipating the next steps of interfacing their system with Porter Hospital, as well as exploring other opportunities to use the new system for staff education and other applications. Or as he puts it, “Our technology journey continues….”
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Thursday, October 8, 2009 RON HALLMAN, 388-4744
Porter Hospital Adjusts Visiting Policy to Birthing Center during flu season
MIDDLEBURY--With the flu season upon, Porter Hospital has made some changes in the visiting policies on the Birthing Center, according to Kathy Hoxsie, Nurse Manager of the Unit.
“The number of visitors allowed to visit mom and baby will be limited to two, and it will be helpful if these visitors remained the same throughout the stay” Hoxsie said. “The father of the baby will be allowed in at all times but must wear a mask if any signs or symptoms of illness and visitors under the age of 18 will not be allowed onto the unit.”
According to Hoxsie, there will be special visiting hours for siblings – who must be symptom free of illness such as fever and or cough—between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. each day. No other children will be allowed onto the unit as visitors.
Visitors should expect to be greeted at the door to the Birthing Center by staff, who will be asking questions about illness. Any one with any signs of illness will not be allowed onto the Unit. “We also will ask that everyone use good hand washing at all times” Hoxsie added.
“We are asking our patients to please help us by informing family and friends of these new policies before you come into the hospital, as we are doing this to protect you and your new baby as well as the other families on the unit” Hoxsie said. “We do strongly encourage you to get your seasonal flu shot as well as the H1N1 vaccine. “
She said that this policy may change as the season progresses, and that the hospital will keep the patients and community updated.
Special Event in October to Support Porter Hospital Diabetes Programs
The Vergennes Union High School and Champlain Valley Christian School Classes of 2010 have a initiated and will be participating in a Walk-a-thon for Diabetes in memory of a classmate the mornings of October 6,7,8. They will walk 20 miles to Porter Hospital raising funds for the Porter Hospital Diabetes Program that directly serves Addison County communities and beyond.
If you want to make a pledge or walk, please contact any VUHS senior…or call the Porter Hospital Development Office at 388-4738 at the hospital and Lisa Obrien at VUHS. Credit cards, checks or pledges are accepted
Thank you for your support of this very special and important effort by VUHS and CVCS students.
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Monday, September 21, 2009
Contact: Ron Hallman
802-388-4744
Porter Hospital Receives grant from the Walter Cerf Community Fund
MIDDLEBURY—Porter Hospital has received a grant of $3,000 from the Walter Cerf Community Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation to support the establishment of the new “Partners in Palliative Care” practice. The practice is staffed by Drs. Diana Barnard and Will Porter, as well as nurse practitioner Leslie Orleup and began operations this month.
According to Dr. Barnard, the new practice represents an innovative and patient-centered approach that focuses on the special needs of homebound patients with serious and chronic illness and their families.
“The work of the new Partners in Palliative and Home Care practice will emphasize quality of life and life-closure issues, managing disease processes so as to minimize suffering, and helping patients and their families adjust to the changes brought on by advanced illnesses. It will promote comfort and support for patients and their families while dealing with the unique challenges of a life-limiting illness” she said. “The overall goal is to allow the patient to live at home with as much space, dignity and personal control as possible.”
“We are very grateful to the trustees of the Walter Cerf Community Fund for this very generous grant that will support the start-up expenses for what promises to be a very important new community service”, said PMC President, James L. Daily.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Friday, August 7, 2009 RON HALLMAN, 388-4744
Porter Hospital to Establish new “Partners in Palliative and Home Care” Practice
On September 1, Porter Hospital will establish a new medical practice in Middlebury, staffed by Dr. Diana Barnard and Dr. Will Porter, that will focus exclusively on providing palliative care services for dying patients in their homes or, if necessary, in the hospital or nursing home. According to Dr. Barnard, the new practice, “Partners in Palliative and Home Care”, represents an innovative and patient-centered approach that focuses on the special needs of terminally ill patients and their families.
“The work of the new Partners in Palliative and Home Care practice will emphasize quality of life and life-closure issues, managing disease processes so as to minimize suffering, and helping patients and their families adjust to the changes brought on by advanced illnesses. It will promote comfort and support for patients and their families while dealing with the unique challenges of a life-threatening illness” she said. “The overall goal is to allow the patient to live with as much space, dignity and personal control as possible.”
In response to the recognition of the needs of patients who confront serious, life-threatening and terminal illnesses and their families, enhanced palliative care has been identified by Porter Hospital to be a key community need according to PMC President, James L. Daily. “Our goal is to establish a new medical practice that will be staffed by physicians who have a passion for this work and a goal of providing care that focuses on quality of life, control of pain and symptoms and attention to the psychosocial and spiritual experiences of adapting to advanced illness” he said.
Additionally, new pain management standards issued by JCAHO have also helped to raise awareness of the need for palliative care in the hospital setting. In addition, there is growing recognition among hospital and hospice leaders that patients and families are in need of a more integrated continuum of care from their local delivery system, and that community healthcare providers have a responsibility to assure that such a continuum is available.
“For the people of our community, expanded access to coordinated high-quality palliative care can help facilitate greater personal autonomy and control over their care and treatment choices and bring a degree of humanity and sensitivity to illness-related emotional, psychological and spiritual issues that otherwise might get lost in the delivery of traditional medical treatment” Barnard added.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Monday, August 3, 2009 RON HALLMAN, 388-4744
Porter Expands Local Cardiology Services with New Provider and Facilities
MIDDLEBURY--The Porter Hospital Cardiology practice will be significantly expanded both in terms of clinical hours and specific outpatient services with the arrival of Dr. Sanjay Bose in September.
In addition to his board certification in general cardiology, Dr. Bose is board eligible in Interventional Cardiology and has completed three years as a Cardiology Fellow with extensive experience covering the full spectrum of clinical cardiology.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Dr. Bose to our community, as well as grateful for the opportunity to offer a full-time/full-service cardiology program for our local patients and in support of the work of our primary care physicians,” said Porter cardiologist Dr. Andrea Fossati. “Dr. Bose will be seeing patients here in our Porter campus office four days each week, and also working one day each week up at Fletcher Allen in the cardiac catheterization lab with our patients.” According to Dr. Fossati, Dr. Bose will bring to Porter Hospital new expertise and the ability to perform both non-invasive and invasive cardiology services that our current Porter Cardiology practice does not offer. “This will be tremendously convenient for our local patients,” she added.
Dr. Bose, a resident of Shelburne, Vermont, has completed cardiology fellowships at New York Methodist Hospital, Texas Tech University Health Systems and Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut (an affiliate of Yale University School of Medicine). Prior to coming to Vermont, Dr. Bose was the Director of Echocardiography, Exercise Stress & Holter Labs and the Sleep Lab at Hardin County General Hospital in Illinois.
In anticipation of Dr. Bose’s arrival at Porter in mid-September, the hospital is in the midst of completing a renovation project to expand and improve its entire rehabilitation department, including new space for cardiac testing.
Information about these new services and appointments can be made by calling Porter Cardiology at 382-3443.
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Vermont community hospitals form shared network
Three facilities join together
FREE PRESS STAFF REPORT • JULY 20, 2009
Three community hospitals have formed the not-for-profit Vermont Hospital Shared Service Network. The presidents and boards of trustees of Copley Hospital in Morrisville, Gifford Medical Center in Randolph and Porter Medical Center in Middlebury created VEHSSN to enhance collaboration and the development of shared services among the three not-for-profit, rural Community Access Hospitals as permitted by law.
James Daily, president of Porter Medical Center, Melvyn Patashnick, president of Copley Hospital and Joseph Woodin, president of Gifford Medical Center, began talking late last year about establishing a nonprofit entity that would enable the hospitals to legally work collaboratively. In February, they engaged Helms & Co., Inc., followed by Downs Rachlin & Martin PLLC in March, to formulate an organizational structure for the new collaborative.
The hospitals funded the startup effort with an equal contribution of capital. The network's purpose is to add value for the three hospitals through reduced expenses and improved quality. Any incremental costs related to the network are to be offset or exceeded by demonstrated cost savings, quality improvements and service enhancements.
Among the areas of collaboration the group is exploring: the joint negotiation and purchase of medical insurance; shared service opportunities with information technology, cooperative recruitment and staffing of physicians and allied health professionals; and identifying other opportunities to enhance service, quality and/or productivity.
The network recently received a grant from the Vermont Rural Hospital Flexibility Program. The organization will work this summer to create implementation plans for collaboration and conduct evaluations as appropriate.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Monday, July 13, 2009 RON HALLMAN, 388-4744
Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center To Receive National Award In Recognition Of Continuous Quality Improvement
MIDDLEBURY—Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center has been recognized as one of the 2009 recipients of the Step I National Quality Award presented by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). This year 664 nursing and assisted living facilities from across the nation applied for the quality award at this level. Awards will be presented during AHCA/NCAL’s 60th Annual Convention and Exposition, October 4-7, 2009 in Chicago.
“We applaud Helen Porter for having passed this first step that demonstrates their intention to begin a rigorous quality improvement program, and look forward to their moving forward to pursue the requirements for the Steps II and III awards in the coming years,” stated Bernie Dana, Chair, AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Board of Overseers, one of the nine members that oversee the program.
Applicants for the Step I level award have a clear vision and mission for their facility and acknowledge key challenges that are embodied in the organizational profile section of the Malcolm Baldrige criteria. The Step I award recognizes providers that have developed a foundation to begin a journey of continuous quality improvement, and that they have taken the first step in corresponding with any public measures of performance.
AHCA/NCAL is a trade organization with approximately 11,000 members. Since 1996 AHCA/NCAL has used the concepts of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award as the basis for its three step program for the long term care profession. At the Step I level,applications are reviewed by Examiners who have received special training to qualify as judges for the award program.
“This recognition of the quality of care provided to our residents by a national organization is extremely gratifying,” said HPHRC administrator Neil Gruber. “It is a real testament to the dedication of our staff to provide outstanding care to our residents, strive to continuously improve our services, and work collaboratively in a very challenging environment.” Gruber points to the implementation of a new electronic medical record system as the most recent tangible achievement related to their ongoing efforts to continually improve quality, safety and efficiency.
Radiology Goes Cutting Edge
(Reprinted from the Addison Independent, 6/25/09, article by Kathryn Flagg)
Nearly 14 years after its creation, Porter Medical Center’s radiology department—squirreled away in the basement of the hospital—is once again at the cutting edge of its field.
Radiologists at Porter are heralding the hospital’s new digital mammographic unit as the best in Vermont—and as the capstone of a several-year project to upgrade the department’s equipment.
The full-field digital mammographic unit, which the hospital began using in May, could help Porter radiologists better detect early signs of breast cancer in women. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. Early detection is key to increasing survival rates in women with breast cancer.
“Mammography has been proven time and time again at diagnosing breast cancer at a very early stage where it is treatable. (It) makes a huge difference in survival, and especially disease-free survival,” said Dr. Stephen Koller, the chief of Porter’s radiology department. “You can catch the cancer when it’s curable.”
Porter radiologists had already been performing mammographies for some time, but the old equipment captured images on film. Those images, particularly when they were taken of younger women’s more dense breasts, didn’t always offer the ideal amount of detail. The lower quality of those images made searching for signs of potential cancer difficult.
That’s where the hospital’s new technology comes into play. The new mammographic unit takes digital, high-resolution images of women’s breasts. Now, Koller said, the digital image provides doctors with a much higher degree of detail—especially when it comes to examining younger patients.
According to Koller, it’s especially important that equipment used for screening tests—that is, precautionary tests performed on an otherwise healthy population—be topnotch. Otherwise, he said, radiologists end up chasing a lot of red herrings, which means more unnecessary procedures.
Also, radiology equipment exposes patients to a small dose of radiation. Avoiding the so-called red herrings, Koller said, means that doctors can sometimes avoid needlessly exposing patients to radiation.
In the dark room where radiologists examine the results for these screenings, Koller bent over the keyboard, pulling up a file on the large computer screens. On one half of the screen was a digitized copy of an old film. The image showed an X-ray of a woman’s breast, but the edges were blurred, the tissue inside at best indistinct.
“This was the best we could do for a long time,” Koller said. On the other side of the screen, Koller pointed out a much more distinct, detailed image of the same woman’s breast that was captured with the new machine.
These new digital images can also be processed with a computer program that helps radiologists better identify potentially troublesome areas on an image.
In addition to providing better images, the new machine has another major plus: “tungsten tube” technology that reduces the amount of radiation to which a woman is exposed by 30 percent. The tungsten tube technology is brand new, Koller explained, and the Porter radiology department is the only one in the state with this equipment.
The new machine—as well as improvements to the room where the machine is housed and the waiting room where women gather before their exams—cost the hospital almost $500,000. As a part of this project, the radiology department also expanded the women’s changing room where patients wait for their mammographies to be performed.
“This is a hospital, but these women getting these screening tests are outpatients,” Koller said. “We don’t want them to feel like they’re in a hospital when they’re here. We want them to feel like they’re in a comfortable environment.”
Because all women should have a yearly mammography once they turn 40, Koller said, the hospital sees a lot of traffic. Typically, around 340 women per month come to Porter for mammographies, and the hospital sees between 3,000 and 4,000 patients a year for the procedure.
And Koller and other members of the radiology department hope that those numbers will go up. Women who may have left the county for more advanced screenings at larger hospitals now have the option of staying closer to home, and still having access to the best mammographic equipment in the state.
Porter radiologists also hope that the new equipment will make exams quicker and more efficient for doctors and patients alike. The mammographic machine upgrade is just one of many changes in the radiology department over the last few years. Two summers ago, the department went digital. Any tests that were still developed on film were then scanned into a computer archiving system, and radiologists began examining tests on computers instead of the light boards where they’d once attached x-rays.
The hospital also added a 64-slice CT scanner to its roster, as well as what Koller said is the most advanced bone density machine. The bone density machine, like the mammographic unit, is commonly used to address women’s health issues.
“Now, after this wave of improvements, we are right back up on the cutting edge,” Koller said. That was possible, he added, with the help of a supportive hospital board that focuses on putting patients first. That’s the same approach Koller has taken to upgrading the department.
“I always view this from the perspective of, ‘What would I want for my own family?’” Koller said. “That’s what I want for all of my patients.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 RON HALLMAN, 388-4744
Dr. Amy Gregory, an Ophthalmologist, joins Eye Care Associates
Dr. Amy Gregory, an Ophthalmologist, has joined Eye Care Associates in Middlebury. She will be seeing patients in the Exchange Street Office on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Fridays, Dr. Gregory will split her time between the office in Rutland and the office in Ticonderoga, New York.
Dr. Gregory is a graduate of Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and earned her medical degree at the New York University School of Medicine in 1995. She went on to her post-graduate training as an Ophthalmology Resident at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center from 1995 to 1999. She was in a full-time general Ophthalmology private practice in Shawnee, Oklahoma from 1999 to 2009. She was also an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center from 2001 to 2009.
Dr. Gregory is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and practices comprehensive ophthalmology including medical and surgical eye care for patients of all ages. She has special interests in oculoplastic surgery for the correction of eyelid abnormalities and in new technology cataract surgery to reduce dependence on glasses.
Dr. Gregory is accepting new patients at this time. For more information or to schedule an appointment call, 388-6565.
Porter’s Transition to Electronic Patient Records
[Reprinted with permission by the Addison Independent - posted 6/3/2009]
Porter is moving forward with an expensive but potentially life-saving plan to transition to electronic medical records.
Once in place, hospital officials hope, electronic medical records could smooth transitions for patients being transferred between hospitals, save time and money at doctors’ offices, and improve patient care.
But the full transition, once Porter chooses a company to oversee the switch, could take as long as two and a half or three years, and ball-park estimates place the cost of creating an electronic records system between $3 million and $5 million.
Assuming that Porter selects a suitable contractor in May or June, said Porter Vice President for Finance Duncan Brines, the switch to electronic records likely won’t begin to kick in until at least late next winter or early spring. Once that switch happens, said Ron Hallman, the medical center’s Vice President for Development and Community Relations, Porter might qualify for reimbursement through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
For the medical center’ patients, the transition will largely occur behind the scenes. That doesn’t mean it won’t improve patient care, Brines said, offering the example of a trauma patient who might need to be transferred to Fletcher Allen in Burlington. That patient would head north with an electronic medical record rather than a paper file, a difference that could expedite the transfer. The electronic file would include the patient’s medical history, as well as photographs and notes especially tailored to the doctors on the receiving end.
On a day-to-day basis, he said, electronic records will likely save both patients’ and doctors’ time, cut back on mistakes, and protect files from potential destruction.
For now, Brines said, Porter is focusing on selecting the right company and technology to do the job. They’ve narrowed their choice down to two vendors who will each be visiting the hospital next month to run demonstrations of their products.
In addition to considering the cost of a new electronic medical records system, Brines said, Porter is also eager to find a system that will be compatible with other Vermont health care providers, is easy for Porter employees to use, and that won’t become out-of-date quickly.
Protecting patient privacy, Brines said, is another key concern for the hospital. “The security issues are something we have to deal with every day,” he said. “We have security systems now. They’re always changing. The number of potential viruses and ways of accessing confidential data are just enormous. We are just continuously updating whatever systems we have.”
In a perfect world, he said, the system would integrate clinical applications, financial and billing services and administrative functions.
Right now, employees from all of those departments are weighing in on the proposed systems.
It’s not three people in an office around a computer,” Brines said. “It’s really nurses, doctors, lab techs, billers, medical records people. It’s any number of people involved in the review.” He admitted that any electronic system will eventually become outdated, but said that now seems like the right time for Porter to move forward with the transition. “Should you wait or not?” Brines asked. “If you keep waiting, you wait forever.”
What’s more, he said, the transition to this technology has been on Porter’s radar screen for six or seven years. Now, Brines went on, the first wave of hospitals have already implemented medical records, and Porter is in a position to learn from their successes and failures.
“As a small rural hospital we don’t want to take chances on technology that may or may not be cutting edge,” Brines said. “We’d like somebody else to work out some of the bugs. (Now) we think we’re in a reasonably good spot.”
Porter won’t be alone as they move toward an electronic medical records system. The recovery bill signed by President Barack Obama in February commits $19 billion in grants and incentives for companies and practices to buy health information technology, and Brines said that Vermont is also making a big push for sharing data, and creating compatible records that can be shared between facilities.
“We’re all going through a process,” Brines said. “Over the next two to three years you’re going to see a major investment in information technology.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Friday, April 3, 2009 RON HALLMAN, 388-4744
Porter Hospital Signs “Healthy Food in Health Care Pledge”
MIDDLEBURY--On Monday, March 30, Laura Brace, Director of Food Services at Porter Hospital, signed the Healthy Food in Healthcare Pledge, a voluntary commitment by hospitals nation-wide to identify, adopt and implement local, nutritious and sustainable food in healthcare. The pledge acknowledges that healthy food is defined not only by food that is nutritious, but also equally by a food system that is economically viable, environmentally sustainable and supportive of human dignity and justice.
“This is a huge opportunity to build upon our current efforts and improve what we are doing here at Porter for our patients, families and staff,” says Laura. “This is a chance to not only be more aware of existing possibilities but also be proactive to learn about the many new resources available to us”, she said.
In keeping with the philosophy of this program, Porter’s food service operation is currently involved in several initiatives that ensure that fresh, local fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy products are served routinely to patients and staff.
Additionally, Laura Brace has become a Certified Master Gardener with the UVM Extension Service and an active participant in the hospital’s Recycling Committee in an effort to increase her knowledge and involvement in programs that promote the environment and support the local economy.
Other less visible steps that Porter has taken to be more environmentally friendly in our dietary department include replacing the dish-room sprayer with a low flow valve to save water and replacing plate heaters with a combination heaters to reduce electric costs.
According to Brace, Porter has always worked with local farms and food vendors to purchase fresh products, such as turkeys from a poultry farm in Orwell, milk, cottage cheese, sour cream from Monument Farms Dairy in Weybridge, eggs/maple syrup from Maple Meadow Farms in Salisbury, beef from Greg’s Meat Market in Middlebury and apples from Champlain Orchards.
Brace also has a long list of new ideas to investigate including possibilities of introducing composting, even more local purchasing, serving only fair trade coffee, exploring more recycling opportunities, introducing reusable water bottles and mugs for staff and a starting a community/organization garden. She says that her department has some specific short-term goals, such as revising patient menus to be trans fat free, as well as some long- term goals such as a vegetable swap during the summer months.
Porter Hospital joins the more than 200 hospitals across the country that have signed the Healthy Food in Health Care Pledge including Hackensack University Medical Center, the fourth largest healthcare facility in the country, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Catholic Healthcare West health system, the largest US Catholic healthcare system. Here in Vermont, Fletcher Allen Health Care, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and Northeastern Vermont Regional also have signed the pledge.
Vermont Fresh Network’s Vermont Coordinator for the “Healthy Food in Health Care” Initiative, Alyssa Nathanson said “Porter is demonstrating leadership not only for our community, but for the country. We are fortunate to have a facility like this take a leadership role in Vermont. We hope that more hospitals across the state will follow suit.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tuesday, January 6, 2009 RON HALLMAN, 388-4744
2009 Porter Annual Meeting
MIDDLEBURY--The 2009 Annual Meeting of Porter Medical Center will be held on Friday evening, January 23rd at 7:00 p.m. in room 216 of the John M. McCardell, Jr. Bicentennial Hall on the campus of Middlebury College. The meeting is free and open to the public.
The guest speaker for Porter’s annual meeting will be Congressman Peter Welch, who will be making his first trip back to Vermont following the Inauguration in Washington, D.C. “We are looking forward to having Congressman Welch as our speaker and hearing his insights concerning new or emerging health care and economic policy initiatives on the federal level,” said PMC board chairman Joe Sutton. “There is a very acute interest among the public in the widely anticipated economic stimulus package now being developed by Congress and the incoming Administration, and we hope that this interest will contribute to a very interesting annual meeting” he added.
In addition to the remarks by Congressman Welch, brief reports will be provided by Sutton and PMC President, James L. Daily, regarding the work of Porter Medical Center during the past year, and related topics of importance to our organization and community.
For more information call the Porter Medical Center public relations office at 388-4738.
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