Finely Balanced, Award-Winning Care At

Transcription

th
Anniversary
LOOK BACK
Finely Balanced,
Award-Winning Care At
CNO Brian Melear and CEO Robert Lee.
Okeechobee’s
Own Hospital
Looking to the next 10 years and beyond, Raulerson’s
focus is on recruiting more doctors and clinicians
to help care for the community of Okeechobee.
Dr. Manuel Garcia and Maxine Collins.
28 | March/April 2016
OKEECHOBEE THE MAGAZINE
Photos by Sandra Pearce
Board of Trustees, left to right: Gary Ritter, Muhammad Chaudhary, M.D., Sam Smith,
Chairman Terry Burroughs, CEO Robert Lee, Christopher Mavroides, M.D. and
Mohammad Riaz, M.D. (Also pictured:
CNO Brian Melear, third from right.)
A
successful hospital represents a fine balance of
providing medical treatment that is safe, caring
and effective. In the 10
years since Okeechobee The Magazine
originally featured Raulerson Hospital
in the Summer 2007 edition, Raulerson
Hospital has continued to improve this
delicate balance that encompasses all
aspects of the hospital, from physicians
and staff to the services offered and the
technical equipment and programs that
make it all possible. If you’ve been fortunate and had no cause to visit Raulerson
Hospital in the past decade, you may
be surprised to learn about all that has
been going on in our community’s small
hospital, beginning with the fact that it

is an award-winning hospital.
‘Patient satisfaction is very high on our list.’
Dorcas Hirst, Chief Nursing Officer
Brian Melear and Chief Executive
Officer Robert Lee.
– Chief Nursing Officer Brian Melear
Pictured: Criselda Soriano and Lindsey Sarros.
The Joint Commission, the accrediting
body for hospitals, began recognizing
those that were top performers at utilizing evidence-based care. Raulerson
Hospital has received this award each of
the five years since its inception. There
are only 117 hospitals in the nation that
have achieved this designation for five
consecutive years.
“This achievement highlights the consistent high-quality healthcare available
right here in our community,” said CEO
Robert Lee, who has been leading Raulerson Hospital for the past 12 years.
The saying, “They don’t care how much
you know, until they know how much
you care” is applicable to how patients
receiving healthcare feel about their
caretakers. “Patient satisfaction is very
high on our list,” said Chief Nursing
Officer Brian Melear. “We are always
trying to improve. We are advocates for
the patients.” In fact, every day, Lee and
‘Our staff have a focus of
empathy and support for not only patients,
but their family and loved ones.’
~ Critical Care Director Deborah Benitez

2007:
4,450
2007:
2007:4,450
4,450
TOTAL
HOSPITAL
TOTAL
TOTALHOSPITAL
ADMISSIONS
ADMISSIONS
ADMISSIONS
2015: 5,306
5,306
2015:
2007:
46,615
2007:46,615
46,615
2007:
TOTAL
TOTAL
TOTAL
PATIENTS
PATIENTS
PATIENTS
TREATED
TREATED
TREATED
2007: 37
37
2007:
TOTAL
TOTAL
PHYSICIANS
PHYSICIANS
2015: 44
44
2015:
HOSPITAL
HOSPITAL
STATS
STATS
2015:59,343
59,343
2015:
59,343
2015:
2007: 379
379
2007:
2007:19,529
19,529
2007:
19,529
2007:
TOTALANNUAL
ANNUAL
TOTAL
ANNUAL
TOTAL
EMERGENCY
EMERGENCY
EMERGENCY
VISITS
VISITS
VISITS
TOTAL
TOTAL
TOTAL
EMPLOYEES
EMPLOYEES
EMPLOYEES
Raulerson’s ER
treated 5,000
children last year.
2015:
469
2015: 469
469
2015:
2015: 27,545
27,545
2015:
www.OkeechobeeTheMagazine.com
March/April 2016 | 33
Raulerson Hospital Department Directors: Jenny Pung, Edna Mack, Terry Brown, Stephanie Quesinberry,
Cheryl Cardy, Christine Sanchez, CEO Robert Lee, Dorcas Hirst, Tecla Abner, Shawn Poland,
Emily Sparkman, Brian Melear and Sandra Sheffield.
Outpatient Surgery.
Melear personally visit as many newly
admitted patients as possible to make
sure they are happy with the care they
are receiving.
Lee explains: “I don’t want patients to
receive good care; I want them to receive
great care!”
Family Owned and Operated
Since 1975!
Worry FREE $75
A/C Maintenance
www.echolsplumbingandac.com
863.763.6461
LIC #CFC022585
LIC #CAC1817236
“Little things can make a big difference.
We can learn what to improve when
patients tell us what’s working and what’s
not,” he said of visiting with patients.
“They appreciate very much how we care
for them as a person and not a number.”
The staff who are caring for patients at
Raulerson Hospital play a critical role in
the hospital’s success. “Raulerson Hospital is not the building, the technology
or the equipment; it is the people who
make the difference,” Lee said.
“Caring for our community at Raulerson Hospital for the past 30 years has
been a great pleasure,” said Critical Care
Director Deborah Benitez. “Pride and
satisfaction comes from being part of
an organization that puts environmental
and patient safety first. Our staff have a
focus of empathy and support for not
only patients, but their family and loved
ones. We treat our patients as if they were
our family as well.”
“We often hear from patients who’ve frequented a variety of hospitals and healthcare institutions due to their medical
conditions. These patients express how
surprised they are that the most personalized care they’ve ever received was
delivered to them at a 100-bed hospital
in Okeechobee, Florida,” Melear noted.
The staff at Raulerson Hospital bring
more than just the personal touch. There
Pet Friendly,
Smoke Free
2200 US Hwy 441 SE, Okeechobee, FL 34974 • 863.623.4704
Conference Center • Boathouse Lounge

Improving Your
Property One
Cut At A Time
FREE ESTIMATES
SE HABLA ESPANOL
LICENSED AND INSURED, COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL
NATIONALLY ACCREDITED
Peace Lutheran School
We accept VPK and Step Up for Students • Serving Children ages 2-K • Small Class Sizes
NOW TAKING ENROLLMENT
FOR 2016-17 SCHOOL YEAR
AND SUMMER CAMP
(Summer Camp ages 2
through 4th grade)
Office:
863-763-7566
750 NW 23rd Street • Okeechobee, FL 34972 • peaceschoolinokeechobee@yahoo.com • FMI visit www.peacelutheranschool-okeechobee.org
Serving Great Mexican Food in Florida
and the Treasure Coast Since 1999
MEXICAN RESTAURANT
Bienvenidos!
Stop by today & taste our Authentic Mexican
Food that will keep you coming back for more!
Open for Lunch,
Early Bird & dinner
7 Days a Week • 11:00am to 10:00pm
Full Liquor Bar!
Happy Hour 7 Days a Week All Day Long
Draft Beer, Margarita and House Sangria:
★ 2 for 1★
3415 US Hwy 441 South • Okeechobee, FL
(Located at the Publix Shopping Center)
863.357.9641 • www.puebloviejofl.com
Now Offering Catering!
are many experienced and highly trained
physicians and nurses on staff at Raulerson. The hospital has encouraged the
nursing staff members to seek out board
certifications in their respective fields.
The “Walls of Excellence” at Raulerson
Hospital feature pictures of registered
nurses who have done the extra work
to become board certified in their area
of specialty.
“We promote staff development, and it
says to the community that we have some
dedicated and knowledgeable staff who
take pride in what they do here,” Director
of Nursing Cheryl Cardy explained.
With patients feeling cared for and
confident about their staff’s abilities,
they can begin to take advantage of the
technology and equipment available at
Raulerson Hospital to help them heal.
Being part of the Hospital Corporation
of America (HCA), the nation’s largest
healthcare provider, facilitates Raulerson
Hospital with the resources to offer the
latest technology and equipment.
In the past decade, the Emergency Department at Raulerson Hospital has experienced many changes. Within that time
frame, the Fast Track section of the ER
was implemented for patients with less
serious emergencies, allowing them to
be evaluated much quicker and ensuring
that there are open beds for more critical
emergencies. The hospital has worked
to improve ER wait times and has even
incorporated technology into that goal.
Now, patients have the ability to check
the average ER wait times by logging on
to RaulersonHospital.com or by texting
ER to 32222. ER wait times represent a
four-hour, rolling average, updated every
30 minutes. Also available is InformER, a
free text messaging service offered to ER
patients that enables them to easily send
automated status updates about their
progress to up to five loved ones at once.
Another very recent technology available
to both ER and admitted patients is the 
‘A lot of the nursing students choose to
come to Raulerson to complete their
practicum because they like the
friendly atmosphere and our
staff ’s willingness to teach.’
Pictured: Kathly Jean-Gilles,
ARNP with the Hospitalist Program.
~ Director of Nursing Cheryl Cardy, about Raulerson’s
partnership with Indian River State College’s
nursing program
Telemedicine Portal for Neurology. When a neurologist is not
available locally, the Telemedicine Portal helps bridge that gap.
It is similar to using an application like FaceTime or Skype.
From the comfort of their hospital bed, patients can be seen,
heard and evaluated by a neurological specialist with help from
a trained Raulerson Hospital staff member. This often prevents
patients from being transferred out of town.
“With telemedicine, I can have a neurologist at the foot of the
bed looking at a patient in 15 minutes,” ER Director Kathy
Selby said.
All the physicians who utilize telemedicine have access to
patient files and test results prior to assessing the patients.
The physicians are also credentialed and currently on staff at
Raulerson Hospital.
“The difference is time,” Selby said. “It’s a second opinion for
the ER doctor, and now the patient has two physicians on their
case to recommend treatment.”
Technology has changed in the operating room, too. One
of the most recent technological advances is the OR’s new
high-definition, 3D surgical video system. The 3D videoscope
is a laparoscope with a built-in mini-camera that gives surgeons
Magnetic
Resonance
Imaging (MRI)
machine.
the ability to look around anatomical
structures with more ease and precision.
Demonstration of the new high-definition, 3D surgical video system.
“The surgical precision I’m able to achieve
with the new Olympus HD 3D system
is exceptional, helping me to obtain the
critical views I need with a depth perception that is not possible with traditional 2D systems,” said Dr. Carlos Alejo,
general surgeon at Raulerson Hospital.
AGRICULTURAL
During procedures, surgeons and OR
staff wear special 3D glasses and utilize
dual high definition monitors. The new
3D system offers laparoscopic options for
many surgeries, including gall bladder
removal, appendectomy and hysterectomy, as well as other general and gynecological procedures.
A few years ago, Raulerson Hospital
introduced patients to another technological innovation: the endoscopic
ultrasound (EUS), an endoscope with
an ultrasound probe at the tip. The EUS
combines endoscopy and ultrasound to
produce high-quality ultrasound images
of the organs inside the body. The EUS
acts as two procedures in one when
needed. If something suspicious shows 

COMMERCIAL

MUNICIPAL

RESIDENTIAL
AGRICULTURAL DRIVELINE ASSEMBLY AND REPAIRS
ASSEMBLY OF CUSTOM SUCTION AND DISCHARGE HOSES
CUSTOM STEEL FABRICATION FABRICATION OF CUSTOM BRANDING IRONS
HYDRAULIC CYLINDER REPAIRS AND HYDRAULIC HOSES
WELDING REPAIRS ON ALUMINUM, STAINLESS STEEL AND STEEL
INDUSTRIAL HARDWARE
MACHINE SHOP
WATER TREATMENT
WELL DRILLING
863-763-3417
INFO@DOMERSINC.COM
Gina Ward and
Jessica Palaez.
204 SOUTHEAST 10TH AVENUE
OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA 34974
WWW.DOMERSINC.COM
Elvie Posey
863.634.4309
Jeff Anderson
863.697.2424
Lori Berger 863.634.8437
Phillip Berger 863.634.8439
Katherine Williams
863.634.1574
Cristie Schmidt
863.634.3604
up on the images, a specimen can quickly
and safely be obtained, right then and
there. This convenience allows for quick
diagnosis and staging of cancers, as well
as evaluation of masses and cysts.
Nurses utilize new technology called
MEWS, which stands for Modified
Early Warning System, to help monitor
changes in their patients’ vital signs. An
increase in the MEWS score alerts nurses
that a patient may be experiencing a
decline in his or her condition. This
technology is an important second set
of eyes for nurses to identify any sudden
changes in their patients’ health.
There is new technology for the doctors’
benefit, too. In 2014 Raulerson Hospital
began utilizing CPOE, Computerized
Provider Order Entry, a safer and more
efficient method for physicians and
nurses to enter patients’ medical orders.
Using CPOE, physicians can actually
enter orders for their patient’s care on a
personal device, such as a tablet or phone,
while at the patient’s bedside.
A technological advancement from 2014
that patients have enjoyed is Patient
Portal. Patients can securely access their
own medical records online. This is an
extra convenience for patients who live
in another state and have physicians in
two different regions.
As Raulerson Hospital looks forward
to the next 10 years and beyond, its
focus is on recruiting additional physicians and clinicians to help care for the
community of Okeechobee. In fact, in
2015 the hospital awarded more than
$120,000 in scholarships to local students pursuing careers in healthcare. The
hospital continues to partner with Indian
River State College to allow students
to complete their clinical rotations at
Raulerson Hospital and its sister facilities
in the Treasure Coast Healthcare System:
Lawnwood Regional Medical Center &
Heart Institute and St. Lucie Medical
Center.
“We work very closely with them and
have a great relationship with their instructors,” Nursing Director Cardy said.
“A lot of the nursing students choose to
come to Raulerson to complete their
practicum because they like the friendly
atmosphere and our staff’s willingness
to teach.”
“Recruiting physicians is a full-time job,”
said Lee, “since Raulerson Hospital faces
the same challenges that the broader
community of Okeechobee faces when
trying to recruit new businesses and investors to our area.”
To help bring new, highly skilled physicians to our community, Raulerson
Hospital’s administration is overseeing
the renovation of office spaces plus the
building out of new locations and even
has a long-term plan for the construction
of a three-story medical office building.
“Offering new office space on the actual
campus of Raulerson Hospital would be
a great asset for physician recruitment,
and we are excited about that possibility,”
said Lee.
In the meantime, the staff at Raulerson
Hospital will continue to offer that personal touch because at Raulerson Hospital they’re not just treating a patient;
they’re treating a neighbor and a friend.
Pictured: Volunteer Arlene Lester-Baker.