Franciscan Alliance promotes Franciscan St. Francis Health CEO to lead ambulatory services

New CEO selected for hospitals in Indianapolis, Mooresville and Carmel

Robert J. Brody

INDIANAPOLIS – Franciscan Alliance has named Robert J. Brody Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Ambulatory Services for its entire healthcare ministry, which operates 13 hospitals and numerous outpatient facilities in Indiana and Illinois.

Brody, who has served as President and CEO for Franciscan St. Francis Health since 1996, will begin his new duties July 1, 2015.

During his tenure, Brody spearheaded countless expansion and quality initiatives making Franciscan Alliance’s Central Indiana Region one of the elite healthcare providers in Indiana and the nation.  He expanded the system from a single acute care hospital to three institutions in Indianapolis, Mooresville and Carmel.

He directed a $300 million expansion and renovation that included the consolidation of Beech Grove inpatient services to the expanded Indianapolis campus in 2012. He also oversaw the creation of Franciscan St. Francis Heart Center and expanded cancer and women services. Brody also engineered the merger of Kendrick Hospital into Franciscan Alliance and built a short-stay hospital in Carmel.

Most recently, Brody worked to establish Franciscan St. Francis Hospice House, a free-standing center on the Indianapolis hospital campus that will open in September 2015. 

In his new role, Brody will be responsible for all free-standing ambulatory services and direct the Franciscan Physician Network, which includes more than 750 physicians and nurse practitioners in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.

Sister Jane Marie Klein, OSF, chairperson of the Franciscan Alliance Board of Trustees, says the corporation is eager to see Brody share his unique skill set with others within the system.

“As president and CEO, Bob Brody distinguished Franciscan St. Francis Health as a premier hospital system in a market that has many providers,” Sister Jane Marie said. “Bob has been a wonderful leader in every way. He is intuitive in understanding what our patients want and works tirelessly to meet those needs and exceed expectations.”

Franciscan Alliance also has appointed James Callaghan, M.D. the new President and Chief Executive Officer of Franciscan facilities in Indianapolis, Mooresville and Carmel effective July 1, 2015.

Since 2008, Dr. Callaghan has served as president of Franciscan St. Anthony Health in

Michigan City, Ind. During his tenure, Dr. Callaghan launched a host of initiatives designed to bring healthcare closer to the community, including construction of a world-class cancer treatment center in Michigan City and a free-standing emergency department, diagnostic center and physician office complex in Chesterton.

Dr. Callaghan began his career with Franciscan Alliance by completing his residency in family practice medicine in Indianapolis at Franciscan St. Francis.  Upon completion, he started his family practice career in Michigan City and went on to serve as Chief Medical Officer, Chief Operating Officer and eventually Chief Executive Officer at Franciscan St. Anthony Health.   

These appointments are part of Franciscan Alliance’s overall strategic restructuring, which is aimed at building a strongly aligned system of care that standardizes clinical and operational functions to successfully meet the challenges of health care reform, and better position its institutions to deliver quality care.

“Our new management model is intended to ensure consistency, promote the implementation of best practices, and achieve the triple aim of providing better care, better health, and lower costs for those whom we are privileged to serve,” said Franciscan Alliance CEO Kevin Leahy.

To learn about other leadership transitions within Franciscan Alliance, go to http://news.franciscanalliance.org/crown-point/leadership-changes-position-franciscan-alliance-for-growth

Morgan County officers have new tool to deal with the unexpected: Trauma packs

MOORESVILLE, Ind. – When law enforcement officers hit the roadways for patrol, the only certainty they face is the uncertainty of what they might encounter. And quite often those situations are swift and violent: gunshot wounds, stabbings or crash injuries.

In Morgan County, officers often are first on the scene before emergency medical responders. Now, they have trauma packs to render life-saving first aid to civilians, fellow officers – and themselves, if necessary – thanks to Franciscan St. Francis Health.

“The trauma packs are a front-line necessity for law enforcement in our county,” said Nathan Lowder, RN, manager of the Emergency Department for Franciscan St. Francis-Mooresville.

“The idea behind the packs was first suggested last year by Brian Anderson, a member of the Mooresville Police Department. Anderson, who also works part-time as a security officer at the Mooresville hospital, approached Franciscan St. Francis Health officials about funding the project, which the hospital did at a cost of $8,000.

As discussions progressed, it was determined the packs should be provided to all officers with the Mooresville and Martinsville police departments, Morgan County Sheriff’s Department, tactical units, Indiana State Police and the town marshals of Monrovia, Brooklyn, Morgantown and Paragon.

The cost of each kit is about $85 and includes special wound-packing gauzes; a tourniquet; pressure bandages to treat severe wounds; a large bandage to cover abdominal wounds; dressings to seal holes in the chest cavity; an open airway device; trauma shears; and disposable gloves. All of the items fit snugly into an easily carried drop-leg pack.

Although long-experienced in emergency medicine, Lowder was required to undergo intensive training and certification from the Department of Homeland Security before he could train others to use the packs.

Lowder has trained more than 100 officers since the beginning of the year. Plans also are under way to train other state troopers and conservation officers who are assigned to Morgan County.

“The training is thorough and it gives officers the confidence they need to respond in high-stress situations,” said Lowder, who also is a reserve sheriff’s deputy.

In his 14 years with the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department, Captain Brent Worth knows a thing or two about high-stress scenarios: Active shooter and hostage incidents; investigating homicides, armed robberies, domestic violence and vehicle accidents; and dealing with escalating drug-related activity and crimes.

“We’re largely rural in this county and when responding to a call we just never know what will be encounter,” said Worth, who has undergone the training and also is a certified emergency medical technician. “There have been past incidents when the trauma kits may have saved the lives of injured officers and civilians.”

To ensure standardized use and easy access, the packs are attached to the posts of passenger headrests in all patrol vehicles. That way, all Morgan County officers know where they can find additional supplies if needed.

The trend of providing trauma kits to police officers has grown nationally in recent years, largely spawned by growing active shooter occurrences and incidents such as the Boston Marathon bombings. Last year, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department issued the packs to all of its officers.

“When time matters and lives may be at stake, the packs and training we receive are vital tools to make a difference,” Worth said. “We are grateful for St. Francis’ support.”

MOORESVILLE, Ind. – Franciscan St. Francis Health-Mooresville has earned the Healthgrades 2015 Outstanding Patient Experience Award.^™

This recognition places Franciscan St. Francis-Mooresville among the top two percent of all hospitals in the nation evaluated for providing an overall positive experience for inpatients.

“We are honored to be a recipient of this award,” said Peter J. Murphy, senior vice president and chief operating officer for Franciscan St. Francis Health-Mooresville. “Our physicians, surgeons, nurses and support staff continually work to improve and ensure patients have the most positive experience possible during their hospital stays.”

Healthgrades, an online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals, evaluated performance by applying a scoring methodology to 10 patient experience measures, using data collected from a 27-question survey of the hospital’s own patients. The survey questions focus on patients’ perspectives of their care in the hospital. 

Questions ranged from cleanliness and noise levels in patient rooms to factors such as pain management and responsiveness to patients’ needs.  The measures also include whether a patient would recommend the hospital to friends and family.

“We commend all recipients for their achievements and for demonstrating an organization-wide commitment to deliver high-quality care and ensuring a safe and positive experience for patients,” said Evan Marks, Healthgrades’ chief strategy officer.

Franciscan St. Francis Health-Mooresville’s award comes in the wake of other recent recognition from Healthgrades. In March, the hospital was ranked among America’s 100 Best Hospitals™ for its total joint replacement surgery program.

For more information about Healthgrades or to download a full copy of the report or to receive information about hospital and physician quality, visit: www.Healthgrades.com/quality.