Strategic planning always
in the works for healthcare facilities
by Richard Carter
June 30, 2009 - Part of the annual responsibility of leadership
is the development of strategic plans based on input from staff.
These plans are formulated from a “Strategic Options”
list of hospital services evaluated by management and medical
staff who are asked to prioritize them. The services can range
from improving our web site to providing a new medical service
for our patients.
We had the opportunity to review our 2009 list during our Hunt
Regional Healthcare board of directors’ meeting this past
week. At the same time we provided some recommendations to the
actual strategic goals for 2009-2010.
These reviews enable us to keep focus on our goals or to make
adjustments as the healthcare environment – and in this
case, the economic outlook -- dictates.
Two projects listed among the goals for Fiscal Year 2010 that
were discussed at the board meeting were building and/or expansion
projects for Royse City and Commerce.
A few years ago the opportunity presented itself to purchase
land inside Hunt County that was adjacent to property designated
for a major housing project on the east side of Royse City. We
bought 14.5 acres of land, and with the Fate and Royse City area
rapidly becoming one of the fastest growing areas in the nation,
we feel we’ve made a good investment for the future. We
have carefully watched the development of that project which we
all know has slowed dramatically because of the decline in the
housing market.
What we did Tuesday evening was agree that we should maintain
the plan for the HRH clinic in our future, as it would fulfill
an opportunity and a responsibility to serve Royse City and Caddo
Mills areas with important healthcare coverage. The tentative
timeline listed was to have completed various phases of the facilities:
the Minor Care in 2010; the imaging/rehab center and surgery center
in 2011. Much of this timing was dependent on the housing development,
and obviously the dates have changed. Dates that are listed on
the strategic goal plans are never set in concrete until the requests
for bids go out and contracts signed.
As I said before, the clinic is still viewed as a viable project,
and one we will pursue with careful deliberation.
Also discussed Tuesday was the hospital in Commerce where we had
been looking at a plan to enlarge and improve the laboratory facilities.
As we studied the project we came to the conclusion that such
a plan we should pursue would not be financially feasible or responsible
because of complications that were, in essence, beyond our control.
We would end up spending money on an old building whose life will
expire in just a few short years. Investing any money at all in
the current building other than routine maintenance would not
be in the interest of the taxpayers of Hunt County.
That does not mean we are abandoning the consideration of plans
for continued improvements in Commerce. We may reach the point
of having to replace the entire structure, which would be done
through passage of a bond proposal. Should a new building receive
the go-ahead, we would be required by law to put the structure
on the same property as the existing one in the 2900 block of
Sterling Hart Drive. Since the Hunt Regional Community Hospital
in Commerce is designated a “critical access” facility
that handles emergency cases, the building must remain at the
same address.
The Commerce project has become a little more complicated than
just adding some space for the laboratory, but in the meantime,
we have made improvements to the lab, allowing us to continue
to meet the high standards under which we previously practiced.
Also, we will address any structural or medical issues that might
challenge the overall safety of the hospital.
We will continue to study the Commerce project and work with various
plans that will prove to be the most feasible for the entire hospital
district and the Commerce community.
Carter is chief executive officer of Hunt Regional Healthcare.
Relay for Life
See photos from the Relay!
June 26 - While Hunt Regional Healthcare fights cancer on a daily
basis, a little help is always welcome.
That help came June 12-13, with the American Cancer Society’s
24th annual Relay for Life in Hunt County at Greenville’s
Phillips field.
Hunt Regional Medical Center’s team, the Firecrackers, was
among 40 teams that included more than 350 registered participants.
There were lots of special events, including talent shows, cake
walks, silent auctions, and raffles. All the proceeds benefited
the fight of cancer.
The Firecrackers raised more than $1,800 to help in the fight
against cancer. Much of the money was raised “in house”
as they “sold” the right to wear blue jeans to work
on the two Fridays before the relay for $5 per Friday.
“We had a game called ‘pin the hair on the mullet’
to go with the 80’s theme of the event,” said Rachelle
Thumann, Hunt Regional Medical Center employee, who was team leader
for Hunt Regional Medical Center’s team.
Participants in the event celebrated the lives of individuals
affected by cancer – including both those who lost their
lives to cancer and those currently fighting the deadly disease.
Among those was Dr. James J. Petrikas, lead radiation oncologist
at the Lou and Jack Finney Cancer Center at Hunt Regional Healthcare.
As a teenager, Petrikas was diagnosed with a life-threatening
form of cancer called nasopharyngeal carcinoma in his upper throat.
After mnths of chemotherapy, radiation and several surgeries,
he was pronounced cancer free. Petrikas was eager to carry the
survivor’s Victory Lap banner and brought his wife and four
children, along with some of his radiation staff (RN Lynn Walker,
Jeffery Katzenmaier, Dr. Dana Rosenkranz and Kyle Koon) to the
event.
Thumann, who works in registration at the Medical Center, lost
both her grandparents to cancer, and her mother-in-law, Carolyn,
is a survivor. “There are a lot of people in my life that
have been affected by cancer, and it’d be great if we could
find a cure,” she said.
“It’s an annual event, and we’re already starting
planning for next year’s event so that it’ll be even
better,” Thumann said. “Anybody can make a team, and
the more people we can get involved next year, the better our
chances at finding a cure are!”
Members of the Relay team are Thumann, Donna Portz, Kelly Miller,
Shannon Goodman, Lisa Marshburn, Carol Thumann, Carolyn Thumann
(survivor), Amy Webb, Rich Carter Hunt Regional Healthcare CEO,
Sharon Sanders, Cheryl Edgerton, Mary Renfo (survivor), Autumn
Barton, Brenda Yancy, Barbara Kelly (survivor) and Chrystall Ramone.
Relay for Life annually has more than 3.5 million participants
across the country.
Graduate to good health
by Richard Carter
May 31, 2009 - Graduation season is here as hundreds of area
seniors have received their diplomas.
Everyone’s mind is probably on how to spend the summer
or on making plans beyond that (college, job, etc.). I would imagine
that personal health, unless already an issue, is not at the top
of any graduate’s list of things to think about.
Hopefully, students have received some preparation from home
and their schools about the importance of keeping healthy and
all the ramifications poor health can have on a career, family
and financial stability.
I know these are not areas automatically explored by young people,
and that’s why we have programs promoting healthy behavior
and eating habits. But being aware of the importance of good health
and hygiene practices early on can be the difference in a productive
future. What needs to be done is make sure we’ve at least
offered them the classroom opportunity to understand what is called
a “trickle down” concept, and then make sure it is
reinforced at home.
At Hunt Regional Healthcare we take every opportunity to promote
the understanding that a healthy body, mind and spirit trickle
down to greater joy and happiness. Be it through the schools,
organizations such as Drug Free Greenville and the Boys and Girls
Club, Scouting and the many agencies we assist as we administer
the Tobacco Grant Program this understanding is key to ultimate
fulfillment in our life choices.
And, just recently, HRH’s Employer Relations Program partnered
with the Greenville Chamber of Commerce to sponsor a Wellness
Forum and Fair for local business and industry that stressed the
importance of a healthy workplace.
This is a significant economics lesson for both high school and
college graduates in how their personal health improves their
chances of finding good jobs in times when employers are facing
a tough economy. A healthy workforce can mean the employer can
save money on their health benefits packages which have come to
be one of the most costly components of owning a business.
A tighter and trimmer benefits package that results from healthy
employees allows the company to open up more jobs or at least
secure the existing positions. This indeed is a major concern
as the economic downturn continues.
Students who are about to transition from the academic to the
real world are also going to be dealing with such issues as health
insurance, another line item in their budgets that can be affected
by the quality of their health.
I know this may seem dull to seniors who are ready to tackle
the world, but we hope they have absorbed enough information about
the importance of keeping healthy to make it pay off when they
need it.
We want to be clear why the young should eat their vegetables,
wash their hands at every opportunity and turn off the TV and
go outside and play. We want it to be clear why drug and alcohol
abuse take a physical and mental toll, and that tobacco use can
have dire results. We hope we’ve taught them that poor diet
choices don’t create problems just with physical appearance
but also with very serious long-term medical issues like diabetes.
I’m not here to rain on anyone’s parade, but I am
serious about the need for our new graduates to put health near
the top of their list of goals as they set out to seek fame, fortune
and happiness.
Being healthy will help them reach those benchmarks.
Carter is chief executive officer of Hunt Regional Healthcare.
Lab winners
May 13, 2009 - The Hunt Regional Hospital Laboratory
staff recently celebrated National Laboratory Week.
They named Aileen Vale, (left) technologist, and
Brandi Scott, phlebotomist, as “Laboratorians” of
the year.
Pictured with them is Laboratory Director Stuart
Pritchard.
Employees make National
Hospital Week meaningful
by Richard Carter
May 10, 2009 - It’s hard to believe a year has gone by
since we last celebrated National Hospital Week.
As you are well aware, it’s been a busy year for us –
opening a new wing, opening a cancer center, choosing a new name
and affiliating with Baylor Health Care System.
Last May, shortly after the 2008 National Hospital Week, we celebrated
the grand opening of the West Wing, introducing a new era of healthcare
in Hunt County and the surrounding area.
Under construction the two previous years, the 4-story wing provides
us with a state-of-the-art intensive care unit, additional patient
beds, expanded café, bigger gift shop, conference room
and, of course, the Lou and Jack Finney Cancer Center.
I would certainly be remiss if I did not mention here that this
expanded healthcare would not have been possible without taxpayer
support in Hunt County, as citizens approved $24 million to finance
the project. We also owe a debt of gratitude to the individuals
and families who, through the hospital’s foundation, provided
extra funding to enhance the services and facility.
All of this was only the beginning of opportunities awaiting us
through the year. In September we opened the Lou and Jack Finney
Cancer Center and approved our name change to Hunt Regional Healthcare.
That brought name changes to all of our entities serving Hunt
County including changing the names of our two hospitals to Hunt
Regional Medical Center in Greenville and Hunt Regional Community
Hospital of Commerce.
Soon after that we opened the Acute Rehabilitation Unit on the
7th floor, which, like the cancer radiation treatment program,
met with immediate success.
I mention the success aspect because this is a part of healthcare
that has obviously been needed in Hunt County. Both the radiation
and rehab units doubled and tripled the initial patient numbers
expected, which is gratifying to hospital administration, knowing
it has recognized and filled a need.
Finally, as of Jan.1, Hunt Regional Healthcare officially affiliated
with Baylor Health Care System. On Feb.20, Joel Allison, Baylor
Health Care System CEO headed the contingency from Baylor that
included John McWhorter, President, Baylor Medical Center at Dallas
and Jack Tinsley, Baylor regional liaison.
We are certainly proud of these accomplishments, and I don’t
mind bragging a little bit about all of the above. However, none
of this would be possible without the people who work here –
from our surgical teams to our housekeeping crew, from our radiology
staff to our cafeteria personnel.
When it comes down to it, this part of operating a healthcare
system is what I personally am most enthusiastic about. We have
more than 800 great healthcare professionals who keep Hunt Regional
Healthcare running 24-7.
More than 400 of those are in nursing service. If you read the
Herald-Banner or visit our website, you might have seen the stories
on one of our nurses, Robin Andreola, being named to the Great
100 Nurses selected from throughout North Texas, or one about
Judy Rosa who was named last week as Nurse of the Year at HRH.
It was also because of the diligence of all our people that Hunt
Regional Medical Center and Hunt Regional Home Health have again
been accredited by the Joint Commission (for hospital standards)
for a 3-year period; that we maintained our Level III Trauma Unit
designation; that our Laboratory was recertified with flying colors
and that we continue to be honored yearly for our tissue donor
record. Likewise, it is through the efforts of our professionals
who bring us recognition for our high standard of birth registration,
and that our maternity center is recognized by the State of Texas
as one of the best in the state for screening newborns for hearing
loss.
It takes a team effort to realize such accomplishments, and as
a way of saying thank you, we will be honoring our employees this
week with several recognition programs. We realize it will never
be enough, but we want them to know they are never taken for granted
for the outstanding work they do.
Carter is chief operating officer of Hunt Regional Healthcare.
Meet Dr. Buck
May 7, 2009 - Dr. Randy Buck, second from left,
new medical director of the Acute Rehabilitation Unit at Hunt
Regional Medical Center, visits attendees at a reception held
for him last week in the Weaver Conference Center.
Buck oversees medical care in the 17-bed rehab unit
on the 7th Floor of HRMC. He
also sees patients on an outpatient basis in his office on the
2nd Floor next to the registration area.
Rehabilitation physicians, professionally called
“physiatrists,” are nerve, muscle, and bone experts
who treat injuries or illnesses that affect how people of all
ages move.
Rehabilitation programs help people build physical
endurance and learn techniques for dealing with neurological disorders
such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and muscular
dystrophy, a stroke, illness, injury or major surgery.
Pictured left to right are HRH Laboratory Director
Stuart Pritchard, Buck, Acute Rehab Executive Director Cheryl
Watson and HRH Board Chairman Ron Wensel.
The "Mask"
May 7, 2009 - Texas Oncology radiation dosemitrist
and therapist Kyle Koon of the Finney Cancer Center at Hunt Regional
Medical Center, left, explains to Buster Klem of Lone Oak the
“mask” used during radiation therapy on parts of the
head and face.
Koon and head cancer center nurse Lynn Walker were
participating in the FEC Health Fair at the Fletcher Warren Civic
Center.
2009 scholars named
May
7, 2009 - Elsa Sui, left, and Kelsea Vance, center, both seniors
at Greenville High School, have each been selected to receive
a $2,500 scholarship from the Hunt Regional Medical Center Auxiliary.
Elsa, daughter of Kuang Sui, will attend the University
of Texas and hopes to get her medical degree in anesthesiology.
She is ranked eighth in her class and speaks five languages.
Kelsea is headed for the University of Arkansas
and hopes to become an ophthalmologist. The daughter of John and
Carmen Vance, she is the valedictorian of her class and president
of the National Honor Society. She will be a member of the U of
A swim team.
Each year the Auxiliary awards two scholarships
to high school seniors in Hunt County who are planning to pursue
careers in the medical field.
Pictured with the young ladies is Jeanye Roberts,
director of volunteers for Hunt Regional Healthcare.
Cancer support group formed
at HRMC
May
6, 2009 - With the initial meeting under their belt, “I
Can Cope” organizers at Hunt Regional Healthcare are now
concentrating on sharing the educational opportunities for recently
diagnosed cancer patients and their caregivers.
The reorganization of a local cancer education group was inspired
by the completion of the Lou and Jack Finney Cancer Center at
Hunt Regional Medical Center last fall.
HRH Spiritual Services Director Melvin Ray is facilitating the
“I Can Cope” program with the support of LaKeye Hurd,
community manager of the American Cancer Society (ACS). Melody
Pierce, a two-year cancer survivor and one of this year’s
Relay for Life volunteer officials, is co-facilitator of the program
which is a national program of ACS.
“This has given us a renewed opportunity to reach out
to patients, family and caregivers in an intimate setting,”
said Ray, who opened the first meeting in the HRH Weaver Conference
Center just across the concourse from the cancer center entrance.
“We also relish the support we have received from the physicians
and staff of Texas Oncology,” said Ray, who told the group
both he and his wife had also been touched by the disease, he
with skin cancer and she with breast cancer.
Ray said every meeting – eight in all – will cover
a specific topic that will help patients and their families or
caregivers get the “right information, the current information”
that will help them cope as they undergo treatment.
“Just talking to people who have gone through what you’ve
gone through is inspiring and motivating,” said attendee
Renea Decker, a 10-year-and-counting survivor of breast cancer.
Asked who benefits most from the education and support group,
Decker says it is those who have just been diagnosed and are just
beginning the journey of survival.
“If they come right away and share their feeling there
seems to be an immediate connection with surviving cancer,”
she said. “The minute you are diagnosed you are a survivor.
Cancer patients and their loved ones need to remember that and
keep it in their heart,” Decker said.
Decker said she felt the meetings generate a “positive
atmosphere” that the people take home with them. “We
all begin to feel like family,” she said.
“It’s so important to have this cancer center in
Greenville – patients just seem to feel better when they
aren’t facing that daily commute to get care,” she
said.
Decker, retired director of nursing at HRH, said that as a nurse
she saw repeatedly that when a cancer patient just gave up all
hope they didn’t survive long.
“My brother was diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer which
was once a death sentence. After treatment he has been clear for
a year and a half. That’s a precious amount of time to fight
for,” she said.
Decker, says she was pleased with the first meeting, but says
she might have to miss future “I Can Cope” sessions
because Tuesdays are the nights her grandson plays ball, making
the point that as a survivor she’s able to be there cheering
him on.
The next meeting of “I Can Cope” will be on Tuesday,
May 19 at 6 p.m. in the Weaver Conference Center of Hunt Regional
Medical Center, 4215 Joe Ramsey Blvd., Greenville. For more information,
call 903.408.1064. No reservation is necessary.
HR Home Health nursed named
to Great 100 Nurses
April
3, 2009 - Robin Andreola, a certified registered nurse with Hunt
Regional Home Health, has been named a Great 100 Nurse by the
Texas Nurses Association and Dallas-Fort Worth Nurse Executives.
On April 19, Andreola will be recognized during a reception at
the Morton T. Myerson Symphony Center. The final selection of
“Great 100” nurses comes from hundreds of nominees
from throughout the North Texas area.
Their selection is based on having made a significant difference
to the profession of nursing and in the lives of patients, peers,
and the community-at-large. Any individual, client/patient, or
group may nominate a registered nurse whose place of employment
is within the Texas Nurses Association, Districts 3 and 4 Regions.
A selection committee ranks the nominees according to the key
attributes of being a role model, a leader, a community servant,
a compassionate caregiver and a significant contributor to the
profession.
“It is very much an honor to receive this special recognition
from such a great group of people. To be so publicly appreciated
is overwhelming and I am just so grateful to those that have given
me this opportunity and gift. What a ‘God thing’!”
said Andreola.
“I love what I do -- it is not a job but a true passion.
Life is so short and it is my goal to get patients back to fully
living their lives,” she said.
“I am also fortunate to work with such an amazing group
of doctors and nurses who bring so much fun and joy into my life.
We truly work as a team.” she said.
Andreola is a wound care and ostomies specialist with Home Health
with which she has been associated since 2000. She received her
Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Texas Women’s University.
A Greenville resident, Andreola is a 1980 graduate of Greenville
High School.
She became associated with Hunt Regional Healthcare in 1994 as
a Home Health aide and earned her nursing degree in 1997. She
has two children and two grandchildren, and her special interests
include gardening and kayaking.
A number of nurses from Hunt Memorial Hospital District have been
named to the “Great 100” since its inception 19 years
ago. Fourteen of those, including Andreola, are still on staff
at the Greenville and Commerce hospitals.
They are Bambi Pish, director of nursing who is currently on leave
for military duty in Germany; Sharon Al-Hayek, staff RN in the
maternity center; Arlene Cannon, staff RN in cardiac rehabilitation;
Debby Clack, interim director of nursing/Citizen Home Health director;
Bret Freeman, trauma coordinator; Charlotte Garlington, director
of the maternity ward; Denise Hendley, staff RN in the emergency
department; Kathy McKinney, cardiac rehabilitation coordinator;
Kim Mulder, emergency room director; Mary Kay Ross, director of
inpatient units; Susan VanHooser, house supervisor; Patty Visage,
RN shift manager at Hunt Regional Community Hospital in Commerce;
Sue Waller, house supervisor, and Sylvia Walters, case manager
for the medical units.
Bret Freeman nominated
as DFW Employee of the Year
April
3, 2009 - Each year, the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council asks
its member healthcare organizations to nominate one of their employees
to be considered Employee of the Year for the council.
Bret Freeman was the choice of Hunt Regional Healthcare officials,
who cited the dedication and enthusiasm with which he approaches
his job, and the role model he has provided on the HRH team.
In 14 years of service to Hunt Regional Healthcare, Freeman has
worn many hats. While attending nursing school at Trinity Valley,
he was an emergency medical technician. He began his career with
HRH in 1995 as a nurse in the Intensive Care Unit. He moved to
the Emergency Department nine months later and found himself a
home. In 2002, he was named Trauma Unit coordinator.
Through his role Freeman, originally from Kaufman, seized the
opportunity to become a community educator, as well as a caretaker.
He is a trauma training instructor for emergency department nurses,
who come to Hunt Regional Medical Center from throughout North
and East Texas, and is a car seat safety technician and instructor.
He serves as chairman for the area Child Fatality Committee, which
works in the community to educate about infant co-sleeping, smoking
during pregnancy and other recognized trends that put children
at risk. Through his work with this committee, he authored a grant
proposal, securing funds that allowed the committee to purchase
items to assist them in teaching about these child endangerment
behaviors.
While still performing all duties essential to the Trauma Coordinator
role, Freeman also served as Interim Emergency Medical Service
Coordinator for several months until the vacated position was
filled.
Freeman is credited with coordinating the efforts leading to the
successful re-designation of Hunt Regional Medical Center as a
Level III trauma facility.
In addition to his pursuit to provide excellent healthcare to
our area, Freeman devotes himself to his family and his community
as an involved father and citizen. He participates in area health
fairs and other civic activities as his schedule permits. A resident
of Caddo Mills, he and his wife Kelly, an RN with Hunt Regional
Home Health, have three children: Joshua, 9, Jacob, 5, and Luke,
1. They also have a 19-year-old son, Blake, who is a student at
Texas A&M-College Station. Bret devotes time to both his children
and the community by coaching area Little League baseball and
football teams.
“As both a parent and a nurse, Bret has demonstrated his
compassion and care for his fellow man. He is not in a managerial
role, has no staff to oversee, but can frequently be found working
with new nurses in the ER, teaching them vital skills he learned
along the way,” says Kim Mulder, ED director. “He
has a great passion for teaching, instilling in others the love
of patient care that makes him such an amazing nurse.”
“His coworkers have always been aware of Bret’s passion
for his work, naming him the hospital’s Nurse of the Year
for 2002, and also previously electing him to the Great 100 Nurses,”
said Mulder.
The Employee of the Year will be selected from a list of 47 nominees
and will be announced at an April 30 luncheon at the Arlington
Convention Center.
Disaster Drill
April 3, 2009 - Hunt Regional Healthcare personnel
went into action yesterday (April 2) as a “table top”
disaster drill took place at Hunt Regional Medical Center beginning
at about 9 a.m. It was announced that a tanker truck carrying
biohazardous materials had overturned on a major highway near
the hospital, resulting in 20 serious injuries and 10 deaths.
The alert was to test the readiness of hospital
personnel to deal with such situations that could also be caused
by terrorist factions. All procedures were conducted in a conference
room as the participants stayed in communication with all departments
in the building that would be dealing with real-life disasters.
Pictured in the front from left are Kim Mulder,
Emergency Department director, Bret Freeman, Trauma Unit coordinator,
and Lisa Hill, media liaison.
Affiliated
with Baylor Health Care System