State senator rounds with St. Francis nurses; discusses various health-care issues

BEECH GROVE, Ind. – As the nation continues to grapple with health-care reform– particularly in the wake of Congress’ recent passage of controversial and complex legislation – one of the leading voices in the Indiana Senate shared her ideas and listened to issues of interest to nurses at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers.

Sen. Patricia Miller (R-Indianapolis), who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Provider Services in the Indiana General Assembly, today (March 30) rounded with nurses in adult critical care, intensive care, geriatrics and the bone marrow transplantation unit.

A registered nurse who graduated from Methodist Hospital School of Nursing and later Indiana University, Miller listened closely as nurses briefed her and their colleagues on patients’ conditions and treatments. Nurses also explained some of the changes and programs they have been involved in designed to improve patient outcomes and operate more efficiently.

“The entire health care environment continues to change at a rapid pace and you are on the cutting edge of health care,” said Miller, who also serves on the Senate Committee on Appropriations and is a member of the Health Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures. “In fact, you are leading much of that change.”

Following the rounds and inpatient unit visits, the senator sat down with nurse experts from varied specialty areas who shared their nursing experiences – and she explained how they can become even better advocates for their patients.

“It’s critical you let me and others in the legislature know what your concerns are,” Miller said. “You are the experts; you know the issues and you can do much to help us do our jobs as lawmakers.”

Miller, who represents constituents in portions of Marion and Johnson counties, also met with St. Francis’ executive leadership, including Chief Operating Officer Keith Jewell, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Alan Gillespie, Chief Nursing Officer Susan McRoberts and Sister Marlene Shapley, vice president of mission integration at St. Francis.

The senator’s visit was organized by St. Francis nurses Judith Young and Kathleen Holmes.

St. Francis Cancer Services offers free skin cancer screeings in May

INDIANAPOLIS – Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, but it’s one of most treatable forms of cancer if caught in time, says the National Cancer Institute.

That’s why St. Francis Cancer Services is offering free screenings at two locations. The first session will be 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, May 1, at the St. Francis Cancer Center, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

Another screening is on tap 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday, May 6, at St. Francis Hospital-Mooresville, 1215 Hadley Rd., Suite 105.

Some people may be at higher risk than others and having one or more of the following risk factors could increase your risk for developing skin cancer, St. Francis cancer experts say:

Sun sensitivity (skin that burns easily, natural blonde/blond or red hair color)
Spending a great deal of time in the sun, especially during childhood
A family history of certain types of skin cancer
A weak immune system for any reason
The appearance of moles

Additionally, doing a simple self exam of your skin takes only a few minutes and can be an easy way to detect potential problems since most cancers occur on the skin surface. Look for changes in the size, color, texture or shape of a mole or dark spot. Check for the appearance of any unusual bumps or growths on face, ears, arms, chest and back.

Space is limited for the screenings. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 317-782-4422.

For more information about St. Francis Care Services, go to www.StFrancisHospitals.org/cancer for more information.

Prestigious study ranks St. Francis-Indianapolis among nation’s ‘100 Top Hospitals’

INDIANAPOLIS – The Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals® National Benchmarks study has rated St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis highly for its overall organization performance for 2009.

The study, which has been conducted annually since 1993, evaluates performance in 10 areas: mortality, medical complications, patient safety, average length of stay, expenses, profitability, patient satisfaction, adherence to clinical standards of care, and post-discharge mortality and readmission rates for acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, and pneumonia.

This marked the second straight year St. Francis made the Thomson Reuters list.

“We are continually looking at ways to improve our performance to better serve our patients at all of our hospitals,” said Robert J. Brody, president and chief executive officer. “We’re honored to be recognized by Thomson Reuters.”

St. Francis, which also operates hospitals in Beech Grove and Mooresville, was one of only five hospitals in Indiana recognized in the study.

“This year’s study magnified the value that 100 Top Hospital award winners provide to their communities. Even during the economic downturn, the 100 Top Hospitals maintained a profit from operations while raising the bar for clinical quality and patient satisfaction,” said Jean Chenoweth, senior vice president for performance improvement and 100 Top Hospitals programs at Thomson Reuters. “The insistence of these hospitals’ leaders — their boards, executive teams and medical staffs — on overall excellence makes the difference.”

To conduct the 100 Top Hospitals study, Thomson Reuters researchers evaluated 2,926 short-term, acute care, non-federal hospitals. They used public information — Medicare cost reports, Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR) data, and core measures and patient satisfaction data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare data set.

According to the study, if all Medicare inpatients received the same level of care as those treated in these 100 Top Hospitals award winners:

More than 98,000 additional patients would survive each year
More than 197,000 patient complications would be avoided annually.
Expenses would decline by an aggregate $5.5 billion a year
The average patient stay would decrease by nearly half a day.
If the same standards were applied to all inpatients, the impact would be even greater.

To learn more about the study and to see the 100 Top Hospitals, go to www.100tophospitals.com.

St. Francis Hospital selects new director of product, business development

INDIANAPOLIS – Jason B. Middleton has been appointed director of product and business development for St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers.

In that role, he oversees the creation of new products and services to offer to physician practices and also oversees the Physician Office Navigator Department.

Middleton previously was senior practice manager at Solutions Healthcare Management, where he provided managerial and consulting services for practice managers on operational and financial issues related to St. Francis Medical Group. He also was employed by WellPoint, Inc. in Lousiville, Ky.

A resident of Noblesville, he earned a master’s in health administration at Indiana University and received his undergraduate degree in industrial management at Purdue University.

St. Francis honors organ donors; supports public awareness program

INDIANAPOLIS – Five years ago, Diana Robinson received a gift that will last her a lifetime – a liver from an anonymous donor.

When learning she would need a transplant, Robinson was placed on a waiting list, After several tense months, she received the call that would save her life.

“Getting placed on the transplant waiting list isn’t easy and it’s hard while you wait,” said Robinson, a surgical unit secretary at St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis. “But considering how I feel today and understanding why my life was saved, makes those things seem insignificant.”

Robinson is one of many whose lives have been saved or affected by organ donations. And for this reason, St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers is joining with Donate Life Indiana throughout April in observance of National Donate Life Month. The month is set aside to increase awareness about organ donation and to honor organ, tissue, and eye donors.

St. Francis hospitals in Indianapolis, Beech Grove and Mooresville will fly the Donate Life Flag throughout the month.

Indiana has responded to the need for organ donations. In 2009, 145 Hoosiers were donors. But the need continues to surge: an estimated 1,200 people in Indiana are on waiting lists to receive a life-saving transplant, Donate Life Indiana reports.

Annually, about 30,000 Americans’ lives are saved through organ donations. But the waiting list for patients continues to grow, according to Donate Life Indiana. Nationally, more than 101,000 are awaiting organs or tissue; nearly 1,100 of those people reside in Indiana.

“I’ve been blessed and I am thankful everyday – not just some days,” Robinson said. “The gift I received is so very precious. I will celebrate the fifth anniversary of my transplant on April 1 this year.”

To learn more about donation or to register to become a donor, people are encouraged to go to www.donatelifeindiana.org.