Franciscan St. Francis Health recognized for quality clinical outcomes

Report says hospitals also rank high nationally in patient safety, patient experience

INDIANAPOLIS – Franciscan St. Francis Health’s hospitals in Indianapolis and Mooresville have been recognized for clinical excellence by Healthgrades, an online resource which helps consumers search, compare and connect with physicians and hospitals.

Specifically, the two Franciscan St. Francis hospitals were lauded for patient safety and with both facilities ranking among the Top 5 percent in the Nation for Patient Safety, according to Healthgrades. 

 

Franciscan St. Francis in Indianapolis was also recently announced as recipient of the Healthgrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence for the 3^rd consecutive year (2012-2014), placing the hospital among the Top 5 percent of hospitals in the nation for overall care.  Franciscan St. Francis in Indianapolis is also the only hospital in Indiana recognized by Healthgrades as a national leader for Overall Clinical Excellence, Patient Safety, and Patient Experience. 

This achievement and other new findings in American Hospital Quality Outcomes 2014: Healthgrades Report to the Nation, which evaluates hospital performance at more than 4,500 hospitals nationwide for 31 of the most common inpatient procedures and conditions.

“Our physicians, surgeons, nurses and support staff continually work to improve clinical processes while using their extensive knowledge, experience and skills to ensure better outcomes and superior care for our patients,” said Robert. J. Brody, president and chief executive officer for Franciscan St. Francis. “Their hard work has resulted in this national recognition.”

The new report highlights the disparity in hospital performance for specific conditions and procedures and the impact that this variation may have on health outcomes. For example, from 2010-2012, if all hospitals as a group, performed similarly to hospitals receiving 5-stars as a group, on average 234,252 lives could potentially have been saved and 157,418 complications could potentially have been avoided.

A 5-star rating indicates that Franciscan St. Francis Health’s hospitals achieved clinical outcomes that are better than expected when treating the condition or conducting the procedure being evaluated.

 “As American policy-makers focus more intently on ways to lower healthcare costs and improve quality, patients are being asked to assume more responsibility for their healthcare decisions – from selection of their health plan to the associated network of physicians and hospitals,” said Evan Marks, executive vice president of strategy and informatics. “Since all hospitals do not perform equally in all procedures, patients can have confidence that by selecting a physician associated with a hospital that has achieved recognition by Healthgrades, they can potentially improve outcomes and reduce costs.”

Franciscan St. Francis Health’s achievement comes in the wake of other accolades from Healthgrades.

Last October, the Indianapolis and Mooresville hospitals were recognized for clinical excellence in a variety of patient care and medical specialties and rated among the nation’s top 5 percent for clinical outcomes in Cardiac Services. Read more here.

More information on the American Hospital Quality Outcomes 2014: Healthgrades Report to the Nation, including the complete methodology, can be found at www.healthgrades.com/quality.

Franciscan Alliance Foundation St. Francis Health appoints new board members

INDIANAPOLIS – The Board of Directors of Franciscan Alliance Foundation St. Francis Health has announced its election of new members to leadership positions for 2014.

The board appointed Steven J. Beck, managing director of Geneva Capital Group, as chair for a third consecutive year. Brian Biehn, president and CEO of Van Valer HVAC-Plumbing-Electrical, was appointed vice chair and Michael Combs, bank officer and market manager for National Bank of Indianapolis was appointed secretary.

Both Biehn and Combs joined the foundation board in 2013, along with Tom Spencer, president of Meridian Management Corp.

“Franciscan Alliance Foundation St. Francis Health is fortunate to have such leadership, talent and devotion to our mission,” said Robert J. Brody, president and CEO of Franciscan St. Francis Health. “The Foundation is well positioned to bring increased resources to the hospital to advance innovative projects to improve patient care.”

Franciscan Alliance Foundation St. Francis Health is a not-for-profit, philanthropic organization established in 1995 for the purpose of raising funds in support of the programs and services provided by Franciscan St. Francis Health.

New physician establishes new practice with Rehabilitation Specialists

INDIANAPOLIS – Sachin A. Mehta, MD, has joined Franciscan Physician Network Rehabilitation Specialists.

Board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, he most recently served as medical director of the brain injury, post-concussive syndrome and rehabilitation programs at Marianjoy Medical Group, Wheaton, Ill.

Dr. Mehta holds memberships with the International Brain Injury Association, American Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Association of Academic Physiatrists, American Medical Association and International Spine Intervention Society.  He has been published widely in professional and academic journals.

He received an undergraduate degree in biology at Lehigh University (Pennsylvania) and earned his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine, where he completed a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation. He also completed an internship at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Ohio.

At Rehabilitation Specialists, Dr. Mehta specializes in providing nonsurgical treatments for disorders associated with disability with a focus on improving function and quality of life and decreasing pain. The practice is located at 8051 S. Emerson Ave., Suite 250, on the Franciscan St. Francis Health Indianapolis campus.

To make an appointment with Dr. Mehta, call 317-528-8494.

Franciscan Physician Network is a multidisciplinary group of physicians throughout central Indiana. These physicians offer a variety of primary care and specialty care services and all practice at Franciscan St. Francis Health.

To learn more about Franciscan Physician Network, visit FranciscanDocs.org.

Mooresville funeral home’s Facebook ‘likes’ benefits Hospice House project

MOORESVILLE, Ind.  – End-of-life care is an emotional and deeply personal odyssey for patients and their families, who often find themselves strapped to find the desired resources needed to comfortably complete life’s journey. They will soon have a new place to turn to for the support they need at the Franciscan St. Francis Hospice House in Indianapolis.

That project has just received another boost from Carlisle Branson Funeral Service & Crematory of Mooresville. In its quest to reach 1,000 followers on its Facebook site, the funeral home will donate $1 for every “like” it registers to the Hospice House campaign from now until Valentine’s Day.

“We appreciate Carlisle Branson’s willingness to help us with our project,” said Greg Williamson, executive director for Franciscan Alliance Foundation St. Francis Health. “The Hospice House complements the exceptional hospice and palliative care services we have provided to thousands of families in south-central Indiana for more than 20 years.”

Foundation officials last fall plans to break ground on the facility later this spring. It will be located on the Franciscan St. Francis Health campus, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

To learn more about the Hospice House and to view images, click here.

Franciscan Alliance Foundation St. Francis Health is a not-for-profit, philanthropic organization established in 1995 for the purpose of raising funds in support of the programs and services provided by Franciscan St. Francis Health.

Temporary visitor restrictions announced as flu cases surge

Temporary policy goes into effect Jan. 22, other measures bolstered

INDIANAPOLIS – With the escalation of H1N1 flu-related cases being reported nationally and at hospitals and other medical offices throughout Indiana, Franciscan St. Francis Health is working closely with the Marion County Health Department and Indianapolis Coalition for Patient Safety.

To lower the risk of exposure to our patients, employees and visitors, Franciscan St. Francis and other Indianapolis-area hospitals will implement a temporary visitor policy and take other proactive measures at our hospitals at Indianapolis, Mooresville and Carmel, effective Wednesday, Jan. 22.

Visitor restriction action plan

Our action plan includes:

Tier 1 Visitor Policy (least restrictive)

·         Restricting visitation to immediate family as identified by patient and patient’s designated support person.

·         Restricting visitors under 18 years of age who are not seeking medical care or are parents of pediatric patients.

·         Restricting those with symptoms suggestive of influenza.

There have been some questions about what constitutes immediate family members. They are specifically defined as: Only parents (including those under the age of 18) and step-parents, grandparents, spouses and domestic partners, and including pastoral/spiritual care staff and the patient’s designated support person. The only exceptions to the policy are special cases, such as visiting with patients where death may be imminent.

Other measures Franciscan St. Francis Hospitals will take:

·         Display signage describing visitation policy to public.

·         Ensure that all access points are well stocked with disposable masks and hand sanitizers.

Variety of free heart health, nutrition classes on menu in February

INDIANAPOLIS – Franciscan St. Francis Heart Center is offering a full range of free classes focused on cardiovascular health and wellness throughout February.

Call 317-782-4422 or go on-line at MyHeartCare.net to register for any of the classes, which include:

What You Can Do to Protect Your Heart

Tuesday, Feb. 18, 6:30 p.m.

Franklin Public Library, 401 State St.

Learn what happens to the heart muscle during a heart attack, and what long-term complications can occur if treatment is delayed. Carson Turner, MD, interventional cardiologist with Franciscan St. Francis Heart Center and Franciscan Physician Network Indiana Heart Physicians, also will discuss signs, symptoms and risk factors for heart attacks and how to reduce your risk of having one. A free cholesterol screening will be offered prior to the presentation (5:30-6:30 p.m.) Register online.>;

What Every Woman Should Know About Heart Disease

Monday, Feb. 24, 6:30 p.m.

Clark Pleasant Branch Public Library, 530 Tracy Rd #250, New Whiteland

Have you ever been so busy taking care of the kids, running errands for your aging parents, working through lunch, that you skip doing things you planned for yourself?

Many times, women are so busy taking care of others they often forget to take care of themselves. They’ll ignore or be unaware of their risk of heart disease, even when statistics show that more women than men die from heart disease. 

Smriti Banthia, MD, cardiologist and electrophysiologist with Franciscan St. Francis Heart Center and Franciscan Physician Network Indiana Heart Physicians, will explain the signs and symptoms of heart disease and what you can do in your daily life to minimize your risk. A free cholesterol screening will be offered prior to the presentation (5:30-6:30 p.m.) Register online.>

Cooking for 2

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 6:30 p.m.

Franciscan St. Francis Health Auditorium, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

As we get older, our health becomes more of a priority.  After the kids leave home, it can be challenging to scale back our cooking, so dining out seems like an easy option.  In this class – presented by Kathleen Cowden, registered dietitian with Franciscan St. Francis Health you will learn how it really is cheaper and healthier to cook at home for two. Register online.>

And it's a boy! Mooresville hospital welcomes the first baby of 2014

MOORESVILLE, Ind. –The clock struck 6:05 p.m. on Jan. 1 – and Saxon became the first baby born in 2014 at Franciscan St. Francis Health-Mooresville.

Saxon weighed in at 7 pounds and 14.7 ounces, and measured 20 1/4 inches long. He is the son of Heather and Steven Spaulding of Camby.

In 2013, 263 babies were born at Franciscan St. Francis Health-Mooresville.

Families of the first New Year Day baby born at Franciscan St. Francis Health receive a large gift basket of items for the infant and mom from the hospital as well as Babies R Us.

Each time a child is born at the hospital, Brahms Lullaby chimes throughout the hospital via the public address system.

Special Delivery: New Year baby born at Franciscan St. Francis Health

INDIANAPOLIS – The clock read 12:02 a.m. and Julius Wade became the first baby born in 2014 at Franciscan St. Francis Health-Indianapolis.

Julius weighed in at 7 lbs., 6 ounces and was 20 inches long.  He is the son of Tecey Smith and John Popplewell of Indianapolis.

In 2013, there were 2,404 babies born at the Indianapolis hospital. More than 44,000 infants have been delivered there since 1995, when the Women and Children’s Services program was consolidated at the 8111 S. Emerson Ave. medical campus.

Families of the first New Year Day baby born at Franciscan St. Francis Health receive gift baskets from the hospital and Babies “R” Us of items for the infant.

Each time a child is born at the hospital, Jesus Loves Me chimes throughout the hospital via the public address system.