The Link - Fall/Winter 2014

FALL/WINTER 2014
Vol. 1 No. 2
IN THIS ISSUE:
1
TMCA Forges a
40-Year Record of
Success Built on
Excellence
8
Ebola Update –
TMCA Is Ready
Mission
Above all else we are committed to
the care and improvement of human
life.
Vision
Every employee and physician will
provide an excellent experience for
our patients and their families.
Values
Integrity
Be honest and do what you
say you will.
Compassion
Be empathetic to the needs of
others and sympathize with
their situation.
Accountability
Take ownership for how
actions impact outcomes.
Respect
Value others and embrace
diversity.
Excellence
Take personal pride in
exceeding expectations.
9
Big Core
Measures
Changes in 2015
10
TMCA Is TJC “Top
Performer” in
Four Categories
17
New Physicians
Bring Growth to
Cardiac Services
TMCA Forges a 40-Year Record
of Success Built on Excellence
What started out as two small community hospitals in
suburban Denver has grown over 40 years into what HealthONE CEO
Sylvia Young very proudly describes as “a powerhouse” tertiary medical
center.
December marked the 40th anniversary
of the Aurora Community Hospital (later
Humana Hospital) and January will be the 40th
anniversary of Aurora Presbyterian Hospital. The
two joined forces in 1995 and finally completed
consolidation in 1997 to become The Medical
Center of Aurora.
“Combining was
a huge step forward
for the community.”
Dr. Dianne
McCallister, CMO
“Combining was a huge step forward for
the community,” according to CMO Dr. Dianne McCallister, who was here as
a resident from 1986 to 1990, as an internist from 1990 to 1999 and returned
as CMO in 2013. “I was able to see us develop from a little hospital on the
edge of the prairie to a destination facility for our patients. Now our goal is
to be in the top decile nationally in quality metrics, and I’m proud that we’ve
already achieved that in several areas.”
continued on next page
2 / The Link / TMCA 40th Anniversary
Table of
Contents
TMCA Forges a 40-Year Record of Success Built on
Excellence - continued from previous page
●● TMCA Forges a 40-Year Record
HealthONE’s Young started in 1985 as an assistant administrator
and worked her way up the ladder to CEO at TMCA in 1998. She
of Success Built on Excellence - 1
●● “Making It Fun” also Makes for
a Better Patient Experience in
Cardiac Units - 6
●● Employee Happy To Be on the
Receiving End of TMCA Care - 6
●● Citizenship Committee
Helps Improve Physician
Communications - 7
●● Communications Coach Coming
to Campus - 7
●● Ebola Update – TMCA Is
Ready - 8
●● CME and CE Available on
HealthONE University - 9
●● Big Core Measures Changes in
2015 - 9
●● We Struck Silver on Heart Attack
Care - 10
●● Breast Care Center Accredited
for Three Years - 10
●● TMCA Is TJC “Top Performer” in
Four Categories - 10
●● Employees of the Quarter - 11
●● Bright Idea Winners Have Positive
Impact on Patients - 12
●● TMCA Innovator of the Year: the
Lab’s Robin Boa - 13
●● People Focus: TMCA Welcomes
Dr. Shazia Rafiq - 14
●● We Have a Crop of New Leaders
at TMCA - 14
●● Longstanding Employees
Celebrated at Service Awards
Luncheon - 15
●● Stories and Advice from a 40-Year
TMCA Veteran Nurse - 15
●● New Physicians - 16
●● Financial Commitments - 17
●● Community Engagement - 18
was the COO when the merger occurred. “It was challenging to take two hospitals
that had been competitors for 20 years and bring them together,” she says. “But
I remember vividly the medical staff wanting it to be one large facility. There was
a lot of pride in both institutions. The medical staff’s influence and leadership has
been pivotal to creating TMCA and the tertiary care center it is today.
“The medical staff was very involved in
which services were placed on which campus,”
Young says. Ultimately it was decided to create
a main campus at the Humana location with
orthopedics, cardiac care, pediatrics and an
upgraded trauma unit and place behavioral
health and long-term care services at North
Campus – what was Aurora Presbyterian.
Current TMCA CEO Richard Hammett
“It was challenging to
take two hospitals that
had been competitors
for 20 years and bring
them together.”
Sylvia Young, HealthONE
Division President
(TMCA COO, 1985)
says he’s confident that there will be many
more years of progress to come. “In my two
years here, it is clear to me that there is a high
commitment to excellence, community responsibility, and innovation present in
everything we do. It’s part of our culture.”
There have been many milestones along the way (see TMCA Timeline).
Young cites two of which she’s most proud. One is being named one of the Top
Workplaces in Colorado. The other is achieving Nursing Magnet designation. “I
think the nursing culture at TMCA has been a huge part of the hospital’s success,”
she says. “The evidence is that it became one of the first Nursing Magnetdesignated facilities in Colorado and is currently the only one in the HealthONE
system. The quality of nursing care, and the nurses’ leadership in driving the
culture has been a real differentiator for the facility.”
A milestone that McCallister cites is the Aurora Theater shootings in July of
continued on next page
3 / The Link / TMCA 40th Anniversary
2012. “The shootings were obviously a source
of great pain for the community, but for the
hospital they are a source of great pride because
the people here took 18 critically ill patients and
saved them all.” She wasn’t part of our team
then but, “I’ve heard the stories about physicians
and staff who weren’t on call and still showed
up. I was just so impressed about the way they
talked about that night and the teamwork and
everyone pitching in to do the right thing for the
patient, which is what it’s all about.”
““In my two years
here, it is clear to
me that there is a
high commitment to
excellence, community
responsibility, and
innovation present in
everything we do. It’s
part of our culture.”
TMCA’s Trauma Services were indispensable
that night and have proven to be a great benefit
Richard Hammett,
to the community. “Right around the time of the
Present CEO
consolidation, we went from being a Level III to
a Level II Trauma Center,” recalls trauma surgeon
James Denton, MD. “We’ve formed strong relationships with EMS and by virtue of
their trust in us we’ve maintained a good volume.”
According to McCallister, TMCA’s volunteer corps is another major factor in
our success. “Volunteers are motivated only by the patients and doing the right
thing. The fact we have volunteers who have stayed here just shows how well our
medical staff works with the community and within the community.”
In the future Young says TMCA will be distinguished by the partnerships created
between the hospital and private practice physicians. “I think working with private
practice doctors who are also small business people has promoted patient safety
and a good quality product,” she says. Continuing to provide those will be of prime
importance in the coming years, Young says. “One of the biggest challenges we
will face is increasing competition in the market. I think we’re well prepared for
rising consumerism. The playing field will be more crowded and we will have to
differentiate ourselves with patient service.”
Denton agrees. “The challenges for trauma and for healthcare in general will
be maintaining access for all people and providing a high level of care in the most
economical fashion. I firmly believe that this is the best hospital in the area and it has
continued on next page
4 / The Link / TMCA 40th Anniversary
TMCA Forges a 40-Year Record of Success Built on
Excellence - continued from previous page
the capacity to take care of virtually any problem at the highest possible level.”
“We are up to the challenge,” Hammett says. “We have this 40-year-strong
foundation to build on and a top-notch corps of physicians, nurses and staff who are
focused on our patients and serving our community.”
The Medical Center of Aurora Timeline
1974 -Hospital dedication (Nov).
- Facility opens as Aurora Community Hospital on December 8th,
with 200 beds, as Aurora’s first,
full-service acute-care,
civilian hospital.
1975- Aurora Presbyterian Hospital
(North Campus), opens on January 8th, with 146 beds.
- Aurora Physicians Building is
completed (July).
- Panendescope and ultrasound
added to Radiology Department.
1976 - Cora Aguilar, MD, becomes first
female physician to open office on
campus (May).
- First set of twins, girls, delivered
at hospital (Aug).
- Hospital receives JCAH
accreditation.
1982- Third floor telemetry unit opens
(Dec).
1983- Facility changes name to Humana Hospital – Aurora (May).
1984- Facility received Certificate
of Need for 27,000 square feet
of construction and renovation
(Sept).
1985- Women’s Center opens (April).
- Construction begins on Potomac
Medical Plaza (Oct).
1986- New Labor and Delivery Unit
opens (Sept).
- Arthritis/Orthopedic Center of
Excellence opens (Oct).
1987- Humana Seniors Association
opens Aurora chapter (April).
- Hospital campus gets MRI (June).
- Open Heart Surgery program
begins (June).
- Emergency Medical Services
Education Division opens (Sept).
- Colorado Heart Institute opens
cardiac catheterization lab (Nov).
1989- Antenatal Fetal Evaluation Unit
opens (Sept).
- Gerald Kirshenbaum, MD,
general surgeon, performs
region’s first laser laparoscopic
cholecystectomy (Dec).
- Hospital purchases 8.5 acres
north of main building (Dec).
1990- 28 cadets from the 10th MASH
Unit at Ft. Carson, Colorado Springs graduate from the
hospital-based EMT basic course
(Feb).
- Robert Rees-Jones, MD, endocrinologist, joins hospital to head
Diabetes Center of Excellence
(May).
- Hospital receives Presidential Citation for high marks on JCAHO
survey (Aug).
- Colorado Spine Center opens
(Sept).
1991- Construction begins on new
southeast hospital wing to house
PACU, Emergency Department
and other services (Sept).
- New CCU opens (Dec).
- Hospital purchases $3.5M Ponderosa Medical Plaza (Dec).
1992- New PACU opens (Dec).
1993- New Emergency Department
opens (April).
- Hospital joins Columbia/HCA and
changes name to Aurora Regional
Medical Center (Sept).
1994- Hospital signs partnership with
The Children’s Hospital to support
its After-Hours program.
- Trauma program begins at Aurora
Presbyterian (North Campus).
1995- Columbia/HCA completes
a 50/50 joint venture with
HealthONE, adding Aurora Presbyterian Hospital, among other facilities, to its Denver Metro network
(Nov).
- Aurora Regional Medical Center is
one of the cornerstone facilities of
Columbia/HCA’s expanding Denver
network and Colorado market.
1996- Aurora Regional Medical Center
and Aurora Presbyterian Hospital
share a common Senior Management Team.
- Pediatric Services move from
Columbia Aurora Presbyterian
Hospital to Columbia Aurora
Regional Medical Center (Aug).
- Medical staff at the two facilities
agree to consolidate (Nov).
1997 - The two hospitals operate under
the same name and license as
Columbia Medical Center of
Aurora (Jan).
- Groundbreaking ceremonies
held for the $40M expansion and
renovation at Columbia Medical
Center of Aurora – South Campus
(July).
5 / The Link / TMCA 40th Anniversary
The Medical Center of Aurora Timeline -
continued from previous page
- Renovation/construction begins
at the South Campus. Utility work
starts along with renovation of the
first floor of the Main Hospital and
construction of the new Patient
Care Tower (Oct).
- Aurora Nurse Midwives practice
opens (Nov).
1999- Consolidation, new construction
and renovations are completed on
both campuses (Spring).
2000- Level II Trauma designation
received at South Campus.
2001- TMCA cardiologists, ED physicians and EMS partners develop
the nationally recognized Cardiac
Alert® program.
2002- HealthONE Board approves $1.7M
for hospital renovation (May).
- Intensivist program begins
- e-MAR goes live.
2004- Solucient names TMCA one of the
nation’s 100 Top Hospitals (May).
- Construction begins on new office
building at 1444 S. Potomac (Sept).
2005- HealthONE Board approves $2.4
million to support the purchase of
bi-plane technology and expand the
Interventional Radiology Service.
- TMCA receives the HCA-CCMN
Cardiac Center of Excellence
award, along with $1M in capital.
2006- Med Obs unit opens adjacent to
ED (Jan).
- TMCA receives approval to begin
construction planning for a $80M,
140,000 sf private room cardiac
patient tower, including a new main
entrance/lobby, and parking garage.
2007- TMCA is named “The Best Company to Work for in Colorado” by
ColoradoBIZ Magazine (March).
- TMCA is named a winner of the
Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business
Excellence in Workplace Flexibility
(Aug).
2008- TMCA attains Magnet® designation for excellence in nursing from
the American Nurses Credential
Center’s (ANCC) Magnet
Recognition Program®(Oct).
- TMCA is named to the “Top 100
Places to Work in the U.S.” list by
Modern Healthcare magazine.
- TMCA receives second Alfred P.
Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility (Aug).
2009- TMCA receives Chest Pain
Accreditation with PCI from the
Society of Chest Pain Centers.
- The cardiac tower opens its doors
to the community with the Museum of HeART event (June).
- TMCA receives third Alfred P.
Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility (Aug).
2010 - TMCA announces affiliation with
the Rocky Mountain Hospital for
Children (Feb).
- TMCA is named one of the
Denver Business Journal’s “Best
Places to Work” (Dec).
2011 - TMCA receives the American
Heart Association/American
Stroke Association’s Get With The
Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award (July).
- TMCA is recognized for high
performance in multiple specialties
as part of the U.S. News & World
Report’s 2011-12 Best Hospitals
rankings.
- TMCA is ranked the #5 hospital in
the Denver metro area (July).
- TMCA receives the American
College of Cardiology Foundation’s
NCDR ACTION Registry–GWTG
Gold Performance Achievement
Award for 2011 – one of only 167
hospitals nationwide to do so (Aug).
- The Breast Cancer Care Center
at TMCA is granted a three-year/
Full accreditation designation by
the National Accreditation Program
for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a
program administered by the
American College of Surgeons
(Aug).
2012- TMCA is ranked the #4 hospital in
the Denver metro area and the #4
hospital in Colorado as part of the
U.S. News & World Report’s 201213 Best Hospitals rankings (July).
- July 20, 2012 – Aurora theatre
shooting shocks the Aurora community. TMCA receives 18 patients.
- TMCA opens an Adult Inpatient
Behavioral Health unit on the North
Campus (Aug).
2013- Colorado Breast Care, formerly the Women’s Health Pavilion,
moves into its new location on the
Main Campus (Jan).
- The Medical Center of Aurora
receives Get With The GuidelinesStroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award (May).
- TMCA is one of only nine recipients to receive the Lantern Award
for Excellence in Emergency Room
Care from the Emergency Nurses
Association (ENA) (July).
- TMCA named Top Performer on
Key Quality Measures® by The Joint
Commission (Oct).
- TMCA opens Saddle Rock ER to
serve southeast Aurora (Nov).
2014 - TMCA attains second Magnet®
designation as part of the American
Nurses Credentialing Center’s
(ANCC) Magnet Recognition
Program® (March).
- TMCA is ranked the #4 hospital in
the Denver metro area and the #4
hospital in Colorado as part of the
U.S. News & World Report’s 201415 Best Hospitals rankings (July).
- TMCA receives the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR ACTION
Registry–GWTG Silver Performance
Achievement Award (Aug).
- TMCA is named Top Performer on
Key Quality Measures® by The Joint
Commission (Nov).
6 / The Link / Service Excellence
Service Excellence
“Making It Fun” also Makes for a Better Patient
Experience in Cardiac Units
keys to sustained improvement have been building a strong
foundation, setting clear expectations, holding each other
accountable and staying the course through good and bad.
“We make it fun and tie everything we do back to our
patients,” is how Assistant Director of Cardiovascular
Services and MedObs Angie Voigt explains the HCAHPS
Patient Satisfaction score improvements that the cardiac
care units have had over the past year.
●● CC4 year-over-year 3rd quarter Grand Composite
score improved from 66 percent to 76.9 percent –
leading TMCA in Q2 and Q3.
●● CC5 year-over-year 3rd quarter Grand Composite
score improved from 70 percent to 77 percent.
●● PCU sustained 75th percentile performance.
Voigt credits her team “100 percent,” while praising
executive leadership for “empowering us to be creative,
think outside of the box and bring fun to the Culture of
Excellence.” On a more granular level, she believes that the
Voigt, Nurse Manager Jenn Mosier, Clinical Coach
Alicia Chapman and unit charge nurses round on all
cardiac patients every day, placing the focus on three
key elements of their care: communication with their
caregivers, responsiveness of their caregivers and pain
management. Every patient receives a welcome letter
from the charge nurse explaining the three focus areas and
soliciting feedback if the patients are not getting their needs
met. Then, 72 hours after discharge the patients receive
a phone call from the unit secretary inquiring about their
TMCA experience and if they have everything they need for
recovery.
“Throughout the Culture of Excellence journey we
have received many new tactics, which can seem just like
‘another thing to do’ to the staff,” Voigt says. “Connecting
what might seem like additional work back to the patient
experience is how we make it meaningful. The expectations
we have set are how they, or one of their family members,
would want to be treated if they were a patient.”
Friendly competitions among the units and celebrations
are important, Voigt says, because, “the most success
we’ve had is when we make it fun and keep it positive.”
Employee Happy To Be on the Receiving End of TMCA Care
“I would not have considered having my surgery anywhere else,” is what TMCA Director of Therapies, Debra Dignan,
said about microvascular decompression surgery. “After suffering with trigeminal neuralgia for four years, the surgery
became my best chance to treat the source of my pain and improve my quality of life,” Dignan, a 30-year employee,
said about her procedure on July 15th. Dr. John Oro, a HealthONE neurosurgeon, performed her surgery and, “gave
me back my quality of life. I will forever be grateful to him.”
continued on next page
7 / The Link / Service Excellence
Employee Happy To Be on the Receiving End of TMCA Care - continued from previous page
Dignan said she received “exceptional” care as a patient in each of the units she visited during her stay, beginning
with her first night in the ICU. The charge nurse braided her hair and helped control her nausea with “the best flat
Coke I’ve ever tasted. Her compassion and willingness to go above-and-beyond touched me deeply.” Removing Coke’s
fizz is an old-fashioned nausea remedy.
Dignan moved on to the Neuro unit, where she reported staff did a great job of anticipating her needs and
answering her call bell immediately. “Each individual I encountered treated me and my family with dignity and
respect,” she said.
“It is an honor and a privilege to do what we do, and being a patient reminded me of why I entered healthcare 30
years ago,” Dignan said. She is proud to be associated with everyone who helped care for her and said she’ll continue
to contribute to the care of other patients and their families who choose TMCA.
Citizenship Committee Helps Improve Physician
Communications
“Now there’s a written way to handle reported deviations
from our Medical Staff Citizenship Policy in a fair, consistent and educational manner,” is how Chief Medical
Officer Dr. Dianne McCallister describes the Physician
Citizenship Committee.
“Patient safety is dependent on excellent communication between nurses, physicians and all other hospital
staff. This only happens in a respectful and collegial environment,” McCallister said. There has been an occasional
communications gap; physicians and mid-level practitioners (nurse practitioners and physicians’ assistants)
sometimes do not realize how others perceive their
manner of communicating, according to McCallister.
The Physician Citizenship Committee meets every
other month and investigates any concerns that have
been raised. If necessary, it meets with individual physicians to discuss those concerns. Medical department
chairmen previously handled complaints, which sometimes led to uneven policy application. “The Citizenship
Committee is a structured way of helping physicians
understand how they’re coming across and change their
style to best create an environment for safe patient
care,” McCallister said.
Communications Coach Coming to Campus
Improving the Patient Experience at TMCA increasingly is focused on interactions between
patients and their caregivers. Studies have revealed that fewer than 20 percent of physicians
have any training in communication techniques. That’s changing at TMCA.
We have been working with the Studer Group, outcomes-based healthcare consultants, for
two years to shape our efforts. Now a physician communication expert is coming to campus to
consult with our hospitalists and ED physicians.
Dr. Dan Smith will be here for a full day on December 18th to demonstrate proven
communication techniques and coach the physicians in how to put them into use. He will be
teaching them about AIDET, a five-step routine designed to put patients at ease and provide
them the information they need to feel comfortable with their treatment (see related AIDET
story), and coaching them in its use.
Dan Smith, MD
8 / The Link / Clinical Excellence
Clinical Excellence
Ebola Update – TMCA Is Ready
Although the initial panic in response to the Ebola virus has calmed for
now, as healthcare workers we continue to remain vigilant in our Ebola
screening procedures. We are still screening all patients at every point of
entry to the hospital for travel history and symptoms.
●● We have trained 354 employees to date, as well as ED and Critical
Care physicians, on the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE),
emphasizing the importance of proper donning and doffing processes.
●● We have distributed complete PPE sets to all of our campuses.
●● There have been five drills to run through a patient scenario. Lessons learned from these drills are communicated to the appropriate departments and added to our ongoing list of information.
●● We have all the required supplies and equipment to immediately treat and isolate an Ebola patient and
HealthONE/HCA has additional stockpiles that can be delivered within 24 hours if needed.
According to Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dianne McCallister, “We continue to stay apprised of Ebola updates from
the Centers for Disease Control and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.”
Additional information can be found on the HealthONE Ebola website. Visit www.AuroraMed.com/Ebola for the
latest updates and information.
Ebola Preparation Update
Prepare to Detect
●● Screening forms revised
●● PPE ordered and validated as received
●● Education/Re-education to all points of entrance
●● PPE distributed to all EDs, ICU and L&D; Ebola
carts created
●● Validation of screening process
●● Walk-throughs completed at all EDs and ICU
●● Education to providers on Ebola
Prepare to Respond
●● EMS education on screening and Ebola
●● ICU and ED negative flow rooms identified
●● Access center screening for Ebola
●● Workflows prepared
Prepare to Protect
●● Checklists prepared for each step of processes
●● PPE Trainings – “Outside In” prioritization
●● Walk-through of patient transfer done
●● PPE Stocks Validated – 9/26
●● Tabletop exercise to validate and refine processes
●● Division standardization around PPE best practice obtained from Nebraska
●● Contractor on standby for temporary walls
●● Training of staff in step-by-step processes
9 / The Link / Clinical Excellence
Wash Early and Often
to Prevent Infection
According to the World Health Organization (WHO),
there are approximately 722,000 health care associated infections in the U.S. each year; many preventable through something as
simple as basic hand hygiene.
Year-to-date statistics by unit
show a huge range in compliance
from 100 percent down to 22.2
percent.
We have an established
routine that all staff and
physicians should follow:
●● Wash hands as you enter a patient’s room.
●● Wash again before exiting.
●● Wash both before and after wearing gloves.
●● Wash whenever you come into contact with
body fluids.
“Hand washing remains the #1 way to reduce
hospital-acquired infections and surgical site infections,” according to TMCA Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Dianne McCallister.
CME and CE Available on
HealthONE University
HealthONE University provides
you with convenient, on-demand
CME and non-CME training on
a wide range of course topics.
You can take courses where
you want, when you want and
receive credit for those you complete. It is viewable on all desktops and tablets.
Go to HealthONEUniversity.com to browse the
course selections. When you’re ready to take a course,
you simply create an account and register for that
course. Once you’ve completed a CME course, you will
take a short quiz, and if you pass, you will receive your
CME certificate immediately.
We also welcome Allied Health Professionals to
participate in the HealthONE University courses. The
certificate received at the end of the course must be
submitted to their individual regulatory board. ACCME
CME Credits are currently at a 1:1 ratio. Once you have an account, your history of courses
is kept and managed for your convenience and easy
reference.
Big Core Measures Changes in 2015
The Joint Commission plans some
significant changes to Core Measures beginning January 1, 2015.
Core Measures to be retired
include:
●● All AMI measures except for
fibrinolytic therapy within 30
minutes of arrival
●● All Heart Failure measures
●● All Pneumonia measures
●● All SCIP measures except postop glucose control after CV
surgery
New measures are being adopted
that are targeted at Behavioral
Health patients:
●● Alcohol intervention offered
within admission and at discharge
●● Tobacco screening, treatment
offered within admission and at
discharge
A new Hospital Acquired Conditions (HAC) Reduction Program
is being instituted. Incidents of
these HACs will affect Medicare
reimbursement if they occur at a
statistically significant rate:
●● Pressure ulcers
●● Iatrogenic pneumothorax
●● CLABSI
●● CAUTI
●● Post-op hip fracture
●● Post-op PE/DVT
●● Post-op sepsis
●● Post-op wound dehiscence
●● Accidental operative laceration
10 / The Link / Clinical Excellence
We Struck Silver on Heart Attack Care
The Medical Center of Aurora received the American College of Cardiology’s 2014
NCDR ACTION Registry–GWTG Silver Performance Achievement Award. The
award recognizes TMCA’s commitment and success in implementing a higher
standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that TMCA has reached an
aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by
the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines
and recommendations.
“This award is a proud achievement for The Medical Center of Aurora. It
reflects the hard work and dedication of the staff who care for some of our
most seriously ill patients and their families,” said Dr. Dianne McCallister, TMCA’s chief medical officer. “The
implementation of these guidelines requires successful coordination of the cardiovascular team and emergency
personnel and is a critical step in saving the lives and improving outcomes of heart attack patients.”
TMCA was one of only 139 hospitals nationwide to receive this honor.
Breast Care Center Accredited for Three Years
Colorado Breast Care
earned their three-year
accreditation from the
National Accreditation
Program for Breast Centers
TMCA’s Breast Care Team celebrates NAPBC accreditation.
(NAPBC), a program of the
American College of Surgeons. Accreditation by the NAPBC is only given to those centers that have voluntarily
committed to providing the highest quality breast care, and undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of
their performance.
TMCA Is TJC “Top Performer” in Four Categories
For the second year, TMCA was recognized as a 2013 Top Performer on Key Quality
Measures® by The Joint Commission (TJC), the leading accreditor of healthcare
organizations in the U.S. TMCA was included last month in TJC’s 2014 annual report
“America’s Hospitals: Improving Quality and Safety,” for attaining and sustaining
excellence in accountability measure performance for Heart Attack, Heart Failure,
Pneumonia and Surgical Care.
Verification - continued from previous page
11 / The Link / Physician & Employee Engagement
Physician & Employee Engagement
Employees of the Quarter
1st Quarter Employee of the Quarter
Brittany Kelly – PCT Cert-PACU
Brittany Kelly
Brittany provides excellent patient care; she’s astute to their needs and anticipates them. She smiles,
listens and is pleasant. She’s a team player, working in may areas with efficiency and a positive
attitude that rubs off on her peers. Brittany has built a good rapport with our physicians and follows
their orders. She’s careful to scan charges and is conscious of how she uses supplies and linens,
while keeping patient safety in mind. She’s donated time and talent to our community efforts while
working full time and going to school colleagues and managers.
2nd Quarter Employee of the Quarter
Douglas Utech – PCT Multi-Skilled-Emergency Department
Douglas Utech
Doug is a self-starter with a positive attitude, willing to go above and beyond in his work. He
cares for his colleagues. Recently he brought some treats from home on his day off for a
co-worker who had experienced a death in the family. When he arrived he found the ED in a
red-surge status on the verge of ED divert. Without being asked, he put on scrubs and started
working to facilitate flow. His compassion, integrity, accountability and respect were all on
display that day. Doug takes pride in his work and shows excellence in all he does.
3rd Quarter Employee of the Quarter
Karissa Hill – Main FNS
Karissa Hill
Karissa was chosen as the Employee of the Quarter because of the extraordinary attention
to detail she exhibits performing quality control on patients’ food trays. When the trays aren’t
up to her exacting standard she will see to it the food is remade – or remake it herself. She
lends a hand when her coworkers are behind or need help and is someone who always looks
for solutions instead of complaining of problems. She helps to train others in FNS to the same
high standard she sets for herself. Those high standards have earned her the respect of her
colleagues and managers.
4th Quarter Employee of the Quarter
Valencia Simmons, RN – Adult Behavioral Health
Valencia Simmons
Valencia earned designation as Employee of the Quarter because she’s an outstanding role
model for her colleagues, she’s a great team member and team supporter who shows respect
for others and accepts feedback with good humor. Above all, she is a true professional. It really
showed in a recent encounter with a difficult patient who would not take his medications.
Valencia earned his trust over several days and he became more cooperative and compliant.
She showed courage and determination in developing a therapeutic alliance with him.
12 / The Link / Physician & Employee Engagement
Bright Idea Winners Have Positive Impact on Patients
Some of the best ideas for improving the care we provide our patients come from staff members. This year we had
four quarterly Bright Ideas winners. Bright Ideas is a recognition program modeled after the HCA Innovators Award.
It recognizes the “Aha!” ideas that our employees submit that improve quality, efficiency and support TMCA’s overall
strategy. A committee reviews and chooses from among the quarterly entries and the quarterly winners each receive
recognition and a $500 award. Their awards are submitted to the HCA Innovators Award program for consideration.
Brian Way –
Finance. Brian won the first quarter Bright Idea with his
suggestion that white noise machines on the Mom/Baby unit would provide a
quieter and more healing environment. Since his idea was implemented, there has
been a 14 percent increase in HCAHPS Quietness score, lifting us into the 90th
percentile, the highest since Q1 of 2012.
Vinnita “Jean” Doss, CNA
– CC5. Jean’s Bright Idea was to create and
post “Quiet Time/Bath in Progress/Care in Progress” signs for patient doors to help
protect her patients’ privacy while they were receiving or delivering personal care
and prevent accidental intrusions/interruptions. The signs were so well received that
other units began asking for similar ones they could use for their patients.
Darlene Haddock, RN –
ICU. Talk about a BRIGHT idea! Darlene won
in the third quarter for her suggestion that RNs use headlamps in the ICU when
inserting urinary catheters on female patients, improving accuracy, managing
sterility and making it a better experience for the patients. Her idea has saved time,
helped reduce infections and, most important, improved the Patient Experience.
Heather Myers – Speech/Language Pathologist. Heather is the fourth
quarter winner for creating and leading an evidence-based practice and
research project aimed at improving clinical outcomes and staff knowledge. She
implemented an oral-care protocol for non-intubated patients and, at the same
time, increased knowledge of oral care for patients among staff. Her research data
related to staff education is being analyzed by our consultant.
13 / The Link / Physician & Employee Engagement
TMCA Innovator of the Year: the Lab’s Robin Boa
TMCA’s Innovator of the Year for 2014 is the Lab’s Robin
Boa. Her idea to move all Lab’s staff competencies from
paper and pencil documents to HealthStream saved
an estimated 746 hours of time spent in grading and
reviewing with staff.
As TMCA’s Innovator of the Year award-winner, Boa
received a check for $2,500 and had her idea submitted
to HealthONE for consideration in the annual regional
competition. The regional winners were entered in the
national HCA Innovators Award competition.
Boa’s idea garnered enthusiastic reviews from her
colleagues. Many commented on how much time would
be saved by both supervisors and staff members. For
example, Laboratory LIS Supervisor Linda Smith estimated
that under the old system she spent an average of 2030 minutes grading plus time reviewing results with
each person. “When the lab assistants take the test on
HealthStream they immediately know their score…and
which ones were incorrect,” she said. Time also is saved
not having to write answers out by hand, and not having to
make a spare copy in case their competency is mislaid.
Robin Boa with Richard Hammett.
Having the instant feedback is a plus for many staff
members, because, “it enables us to go look up anything
we didn’t get right immediately with that frame of mind;
thus helping us learn quickly and more efficiently,” said
Angela Makelky. Having the tests online also makes
it so staff can work on them as they find time in their
schedules.
Nurses Thank Medical Staff for Accreditation Support
The medical staff at TMCA has provided great on-going financial support in our effort
to earn Magnet re-designation. The Certification Scholarship Fund has provided $6,775
through December 4th to assist 19 TMCA nurses with funds for review courses,
review material and certification exam fees to achieve certification in their specialty
areas. Nurses from all areas including emergency department, critical care, pediatrics,
cardiovascular services, and surgical services have been helped. The Department of
Nursing would like to extend our deep appreciation for the Medical Staff support as
we move towards our 2015 goal of 35 percent certification rate, which would not be
possible without your support.
14 / The Link / Physician & Employee Engagement
People Focus:TMCA Welcomes Dr. Shazia Rafiq
Shazia Rafiq, MD is the newest member of Rocky Mountain Gastroenterology. She comes to the Denver from
Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she practiced for nine
years.
Dr. Rafiq grew up in Pakistan and lived in Canada.
She performed her IM residency and GI fellowship at
SUNY Buffalo. She and her husband lived in Buffalo for
six years while she finished her training and laughs that
“We were ready to move as far as possible from the
snow!”
She was recruited to join Presbyterian Medical
Group, an integrated healthcare system in Albuquerque. “PMF is a major tertiary care center for all of New
Mexico,” Dr. Rafiq says. “I saw all types of complicated
cases – all the interesting cases.” She later moved to the
University of New Mexico where she received endoscopic ultrasound training, receiving an advanced fellowship.
She stayed at UNM for four more years.
Dr. Rafiq and her family visited Denver and Colorado
on vacation, “so we came here a lot and we fell in love
with the mountains.” Her family enjoys hiking but she
laughs that she
“hiked more when
we traveled here for
hiking trips.” Now
that she lives here
she has trouble finding time.
Dr. Rafiq’s
husband, Asif, is a
civil engineer with
degrees in both business and construction management.
Shazia Rafiq, MD
They met and married
in Pakistan. They have two children, a daughter who is
a sophomore at the University of California at Berkeley
and a son in eighth grade. The family has settled well
into their new Denver home. Dr. Rafiq is excited to have
her daughter home for the holidays. “I want her to feel
comfortable and make her feel like Denver is her home.
We have lots of snowshoeing – winter hiking – planned.”
We Have a Crop of New Leaders at TMCA
Since August TMCA has welcomed some new leaders:
Name
Department/Position
Start Date
Keith Terrio
Manager - Spine Center of Innovation
08/03/14
Gabriel Gonzalez
VP - Behavioral Health
9/01/14
Mary Passantino, RN
Director - Case Management
9/14/14
Marina Stewart
Manager- Sterile Processing
9/29/14
Paula Henry, RN
Director - HCAT
10/06/14
Hadji Doria, RN
Director - Orthopedics & Neuro/Trauma
11/17/14
Bonnie Andrews, RN
Director of Patient Safety & Risk Management
12/15/14
15 / The Link / Physician & Employee Engagement
Longstanding Employees Celebrated at Service
Awards Luncheon
Employees with service spanning from 15 to 40 years were honored October
29th at the annual Service Awards Luncheon. The 75 honored employees share
a total of 1,600 years of service.
“This is a chance to see so many passionate and committed people serving our
organization. Each one of you makes a difference. I know first-hand the value of
dedicated employees,” said CEO Richard Hammett.
“We’re over a year into our Culture of Excellence journey for our employees,
physicians, patients and their families. In collaboration with you, we have
integrated key proven, innovative practices which focus on communication,
leadership, accountability and exceptional patient care,” he remarked. “As you’ve
heard me say in the Forums, it is our commitment to quality and service that
differentiates us as a high-performing healthcare provider.”
Mark your calendars for our 2015 Service Awards Luncheon planned for
Thursday, October 29, 2015.
Stories and Advice from a 40-Year TMCA Veteran Nurse
Same Day Surgery RN Cathy Tormey helped open the doors to our hospital in
November of 1974. She was honored recently for her 40 years of service at
TMCA. And she has some great stories to tell.
It was a very different place, with just an ER, ICU and a nursing floor that took
care of all patient needs. Tormey was hired just two weeks before opening day
and recalls that the staff helped put patient beds together – hoping they were safe
– and moved them to the floor.
Getting to the hospital was a challenge. Staff and patients drove in on a dirt
road and had to skip and jump over rattlesnakes to get to the door. On her first
day, Tormey recalls that she was told to bring her own lunch to work because the
cafeteria wasn’t operating and there was no refrigeration available…except in the
morgue, so that’s where the staff kept their lunches cold!
From her 40-year perspective, Tormey has advice to offer younger nurses.
Nursing is very different now, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the need to
keep in mind how they would want their own family members treated. She notes
that while nurses no longer sit on the bed and give backrubs to patients in the
evening, they can benefit from going back to the basics and caring for the whole
patient. Remember to look, listen and care, she advises.
CEO Richard Hammett & Cathy
Tormey, Same Day Surgery 40 years of service
16 / The Link / Physician & Employee Engagement
New Physicians – September to November 2014
Month Joined
September
October
November
Name
Specialty
Practice Name
Olga Afonin, MD
Anesthesiology
Peak Anesthesia & Pain Mgmt
Gerard Ashbeck, DO
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
David Avner, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Adam Barkin, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Eric Bratz, DO
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Susan Brion, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Gregory Burcham, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Jing-Tzyh Chiang, MD
Diagnostic Radiology
Radiology Imaging Associates
Suzanne Chilton, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
David Cionni, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Daniel Dobbler, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Nicholas Hatch, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Arin Iman, DO
Family Medicine
IPC Hospitalists Co of Denver
Donald Lefkowits, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Aaron Lessen, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Eric Lung, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Matthew McDevitt, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Thomas McDonough, MD
Orthopedic Surgery
Denver Vail Orthopedics
Eric Miller, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Amy Miller, MD
Anesthesiology
Peak Anesthesiology & Pain Mgmt
David Morrison, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Janet Sweetman, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Benjamin Wilks, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Robert Williams, MD
Family Medicine, Geriatric Medicine,
Hospice & Palliative Medicine
Critical Care & Pulmonary Consultants
Karyn Catt, MD
Neurology
ProNerve
Jessica Curley, MD
Pediatrics
HealthOne Clinic Services
Celeste Dean, MD
Family Medicine
Ponderosa Family Medicine
Christine Fleming, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Christopher Geddes, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Matthew Grzgozewski, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Delwin Hunt, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Samuel Killian, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
David Moon, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Kajal Rao, MD
Nephrology
Denver Nephrology
Robert Rokicki, MD
Orthopedic Surgery
Denver Vail Orthopedics
Michael Rollert, DDS
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
Nelson & Rollert, Associates in OMFS
David Rosenberg, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
William Scott, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Andrew Ziller, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Massimo Asolati, MD
General Surgery
SurgOne PC
Peter Bakes, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Haley Burke, MD
Neurology
Colorado Pain Specialists
Ashley Dixon-Anderson, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Gretchen Hinson, MD
Emergency Medicine
CarePoint
Bryan Mahan, DO
Thoracic Surgery
Colorado Cardiovascular Surgical Associates
Patricia Schirmer, MD
Infectious Disease
Rocky Mountain Infectious Disease
Romina Shirka, DO
Neurology
Real Time Neuromonitoring Associates
17 / The Link / Financial Commitments
Financial Commitments
New Operating Suites Part of OR Renovation Project
We are excited about the upcoming $8.8 million OR
project, which will include the build-out of four new
operating suites for orthopedic, neuro/spine, and
cardiovascular cases. The project also includes new
heating and cooling systems to ensure optimal control of
temperature and humidity.
●● Phase 1: Storage space will be created in the old Lab
space on the south end of the building. This will assist
with construction staging and will provide better
long-term storage solutions for the OR department.
This phase will also include the new heating/cooling
systems.
Architectural design work began in the third quarter and
construction will begin in the first quarter of 2015 with an
anticipated completion by next December. Construction
will take place in three phases:
●● Phase 2: Construction of two new, larger ORs: one
for orthopedic cases and one for neuro/spine cases.
●● Phase 3: Construction of two new cardiovascular
ORs.
New Physicians Bring Growth to Cardiac Services
TMCA’s cardiac services are rapidly expanding with the addition of several new physicians,
including cardiac surgeons Dr. Jason Sperling and Dr. Jonathan Sherman.
Dr. Sperling is part of HealthONE Cardiothoracic Surgery Associates and is collaborating with
electrophysiologists at HealthONE’s Aurora Denver Cardiology Associates (ADCA) to perform
the convergent procedure to treat atrial fibrillation. Convergent is a hybrid procedure that
requires less procedure time and less radiation exposure. Dr. Sperling also brings experience
in performing the “David” procedure, a special operation to treat patients with aortic root
aneurysm.
Dr. Sherman recently joined ADCA, bringing expertise in a procedure to treat patients with
coronary artery chronic total occlusion (CTO), a complete or almost complete blockage of a
coronary artery for 30 days or more.
Renovations for Main Campus ED and Centennial ED
Approved
We’ve received approval for much-needed $3.4 million renovations to the Centennial Medical Plaza ED and several
areas in the Main Campus ED.
The approved project will improve efficiency and workflow in the Main Campus ED. A new metal detector will
enhance security and a new CT scanner, which will be located in the ED, will expand imaging services. The Centennial ED will receive comprehensive facility and environment upgrades, allowing them to accommodate
more patients; the number of patient visits has increased considerably this year.
18 / The Link / Financial Commitments / Community Engagement
Financial Commitments - continued from previous page
Patient Monitoring Project Adds New Equipment
We are currently in the middle of a two-phase, $3.6
million project to replace and expand major patientmonitoring systems. Training sessions on new
equipment use can be scheduled in HealthStream.
Phase one includes new equipment in the NICU,
L&D, and PACU, as well as a Telemetry monitoring
system with 128 new tele-boxes and expanded coverage
to all inpatient care areas, including radiology and several
first floor hallways used for patient transport.
Phase two will include new monitoring equipment in the
ICU and additional vital signs machines.
Go-Live Dates:
●● L&D – 12/9
●● Telemetry – 1/27/15
●● NICU – 12/11
●● ICU – Q2 2015
●● PACU – 12/19
Community Engagement
Celebration Marks Saddle Rock ER First Anniversary
Saddle Rock ER invited the
community to celebrate its first
anniversary with a big party on
November 1st. More than 400
people attended the “Trick or Treat
for Health” event, which featured
free flu shots, a ropes obstacle
course, a giant slide, face painting,
a photo booth and a special visit
from Denver Nuggets Mascot,
Rocky. The AirLife helicopter was
onsite, as was the Aurora Fire
Department with its ladder truck
and the Aurora Police Department
with a police car and police dirt
bike. It was a great way to include
our neighbors in celebrating one
year of serving the southeast
Aurora community.
CEO Richard Hammett on ropes
course during Saddle Rock celebration
A gigantic ropes course was a crowd-pleaser at the
Saddle Rock celebration
19 / The Link / Community Engagement
Community Engagement - continued from previous page
TMCA Honors Radiology Pioneer
Dr. Jonathan Ain, a founding member of the Department
of Radiology at The Medical Center of Aurora in the 1970s
was honored September 30th at a plaque dedication ceremony. Dr. Ain, who died in November, 2012, was a visionary in the field of high-tech outpatient imaging and played a
significant role in bringing CT, ultrasound and MRI into our
hospital.
Dr. Mal Dobrow, a close friend of Dr. Ain’s said, “Jon
helped lead TMCA into the modern era of high-tech imaging. His outgoing and engaging personality helped develop
the cohesiveness that our medical staff still exhibits today.”
Dr. Ain was a professional colleague and close friend to
many of our medical staff members. They describe him as
an innovative leader who led by example. Those who knew
l Hope Fund Generosity Helps
One of Our Own
Editor’s Note: A TMCA employee wrote this essay
in appreciation for the generosity of her colleagues
who have contributed to the Hope Fund,TMCA/
HCA’s employee-run, employee-supported
assistance charity. When a member of the TMCA
family encounters unexpected adversity The Hope
Fund is there to help.
There is nothing more devastating than to come
home and see your entire life engulfed in flames. On
June 6, 2014, this was a reality for me. As I watched
the heroic firefighters extinguish the inferno before
me, all I could do was thank God that no one was
home. I was surrounded by my neighbors who
supported me that day, as if I were family. They made
sure my children had dinner and distractions from
everything around them. Then it dawned on me, we
don’t even have a toothbrush to brush our teeth. We
lost everything.
The next several days I spent situating my family
into a hotel, making phone calls and trying to keep
life as normal as possible for my children. I returned
to work after three days and called the wonderful
him personally will remember him fondly as an outgoing,
gregarious man with a quick and sharp wit. Dr. Ain’s plaque is on display in the Radiology waiting
area.
folks in Human Resources just to see what options
were immediately available to me. One of our HR
Specialists and HR Business Partners reminded of
the Hope Fund.
For years I had referred others who were in need
to the Hope Fund, and now I faced a need. I was
able to get assistance completing the application
and within in days the funds were available to me.
This allowed me to purchase food, toiletries, clothing
and shoes. It was a blessing to have this type of
assistance available to me at a time when I was truly
at a loss.
I want to thank all the wonderful staff at The
Medical Center of Aurora who selected to make
contributions to the Hope Fund. You will never know
how such a small gesture makes such a huge impact
in the lives of those who are facing a tragedy such as
mine.
This is the season of giving. If you would like
more information about making a tax-deductible
contribution to the TMCA Hope Fund, or about asking
for Hope Fund help, go to www.hcahopefund.org.
continued on next page
20 / The Link / Community Engagement
Community Engagement - continued from previous page
l Mark your calendars to volunteer
for the 2015 9Health Fair!
Medical and non-medical volunteers will be needed
to assist with various health screenings at the 2015
9Health Fair. Our sponsored site at Green Valley Ranch
will be held on Saturday, April 18 and the Medical
Center of Aurora will host a site on campus on
Saturday, April 25. Plus we have a new site this year at
Centennial Medical Plaza hosting its fair on Saturday,
May 2. Hours are 6:00 a.m. to noon.
Volunteering for this worthwhile cause is a great
way to help the people in your community and to
provide valuable health care information. More details
about the fairs and how to volunteer will be coming
in late January from Paula Mitchell, site coordinator.
She can be reached at pmitchell795@comcast.net /
303-795-7123.
l TMCA Hosts Mission: Healthy Baby
Shower for Military Moms
TMCA was part of the first Denver-area “Mission:
Healthy Baby® Shower” on December 12th in
partnership with the March of Dimes. We welcomed
16 military moms-to-be for the educational event
and shower, hosted by Fox31 News anchor Deborah
Takahara.
The March of Dimes provides military moms with
donations of basic baby items including clothing,
diapers, equipment and toys. “Having a baby is a
joyful experience, but it’s also one that comes with
anxiety and concerns,” said Kathryn Marshall, State
Director of the Colorado/Wyoming Chapter of the
March of Dimes. “We want to thank our military
families for their service, support them and help them
focus on the new joy in their lives.”
“At The Medical Center of Aurora, we see many
families who are currently stationed at Buckley Air
Force Base and we are thrilled to provide support to
this group of women and their partners,” said Erica
Rossitto, Chief Nursing Officer at The Medical Center
of Aurora. The vast majority of military families face
extreme challenges with approximately 75 percent
living 80 percent below the median income level.
March of Dimes focuses its efforts on serving the
lowest ranks to address the greatest need.
“We were so honored to have the military families
in attendance. They were so respectful and grateful.
It was a wonderful event to be a part of, especially
during the holiday season,” said Laura Stephens, AVP
of Marketing/Business Development.
Mission: Healthy Baby® is a program specifically
for military families that provides free pregnancy and
newborn health information and support services in an
effort to encourage healthy, full-term babies.
Military moms-to-be, many with their partners, attended the Mission: Healthy Baby shower on December 12th at TMCA.
1501 S Potomac St, Aurora, CO 80012 | 303-695-2600 | www.auroramed.com
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