warmemorialhospital.org JULY 2017War Memorial

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Employee

Wellness

For YourConsiderationA message from President and CEODavid Jahn

During the last month, Dr. Paula Rechner (Chief of Staff), Board Members Maxx Anderson and Tony Andary, and myself had the honor of attending the National Rural Health Association Annual Meeting where we were recognized as a Top 20 Community Hospital in the nation.

This was the first time we received this honor and it was accepted on behalf of the 950 employees at

WMH who earned this recognition by providing outstanding patient care each and every day. Our entire care team continues to work hard at being the best.

The High Reliability Organization (HRO) journey that we are on to reach Zero Errors, Zero Harm continues to show improvements. Are we perfect? No, not yet, but our focus is on eliminating errors and the potential for errors from our processes to insure that high quality, safe patient care is delivered to all patients at WMH. We are now making this quality data available to our patients via our website and on a hospital bulletin board so that our community can see how we are doing towards this goal. I believe it is important for us to be

transparent with this information so that patients can make an educated choice as to where they go for healthcare. We are the first hospital in the State of Michigan to publicly post this quality data on our website and we are proud of this accomplishment as well.

If we are going to reach our goal of Zero Errors, Zero Harm it can only happen with everyone on our team focusing on the goal and this team includes the patient as well. Patients need to feel free to ask questions when they don’t understand and be willing to be part of the process of providing high quality, safe patient care. Our entire care team is looking forward to reaching our HRO goal and continuing to strive for ZERO ERRORS!

Chris Baker, RN, a day-shift nurse on the hospital’s second floor medical/surgical unit, was honored in June with the Daisy Award for Exceptional Nurses.

Daisy Awards are given to nurses all over the United States in an effort to recognize the education, skill and compassion demonstrated by the best in the industry. Baker was nominated by a number of patients who referred to him as “awesome” and “attentive” and “friendly.”

“Chris came and explained stuff to me really well. We talked about other things besides the medical issue, and that made me feel relaxed,” said one of his nominators.

Baker received his Bachelor of Science and Nursing from Lake Superior State University in 2010. He has been at WMH since 2012 and says there is no question he found the right career.

“I like that satisfaction you get from making somebody’s day better,”

he explained. Patients, he said, are sometimes “in a bad spot and if I can do one thing to improve their day, it was worth it.”

Baker’s childhood was what originally inspired his career choice. “My mother was sick when I was a child and I grew up around nursing. When I went to college, I saw what the nurses were doing with my mother and it inspired me to take that path,” he recalled.

Born in Flint and raised in Ortonville, Baker is happy to have found a home in Sault Ste. Marie. “My wife is from the Soo originally. Her family is in the area and it’s a beautiful place with a hometown feel,” he said.

Daisy Award recipients have no advance

notice when they are selected for the award. Baker said he was “a little bit surprised” when CEO David Jahn and Vice President of Nursing/Operations Marla Bunker came to present him with the award.

“I enjoy nursing so I don’t think about the awards,” he commented. “I just do what I do. I go about my day and enjoy it.” He also added that working with “intelligent, interesting people” makes it that much more enjoyable.

Baker honored with nursing’s Daisy Award

From left: CEO David Jahn, Med/Surg Director Nicole Oliver, Award Winner Chris Baker, RN, and Marla Bunker, VP of Nursing/Operations

WMH HEALTHBEAT 3 JULY 2017

Hillary Galarowic is the woman at the helm of a dynamic drive to encourage habits of wellness among the hospital’s 950 employees – a program that could be shared with businesses large and small. Inspiring employees to take pride in their health is at the heart of the LiveWell program, established in 2011 at WMH. Galarowic, with a degree in exercise science and a background in community health, assumed the role of Employee Wellness Manager in 2013. Reducing health risks, making good decisions for financial health and achieving work-life balance are the three main avenues of LiveWell. Working in tandem with a volunteer committee, Galarowic is able to offer staff members a number of free or seriously discounted services and, perhaps even more enticing, financial incentives for good habits. At the heart of the program is Know Your Numbers – a push to encourage employees to get the appropriate lab work to know about their cholesterol, blood sugar and other important indicators of health. Just over 80 percent of the hospital’s employees take advantage of the free perk. The annual wellness campaign encourages and then rewards employees for a number of health-conscious decisions, including getting an annual physical, working toward or maintaining a healthy weight, meeting with a retirement planner, and not smoking. For employees who are eligible for benefits, the financial rewards can be as high as $850 annually if they achieve all goals and meet with Galarowic to review the Blue Cross / Blue Shield website portal that offers additional wellness resources.

Not every business can offer financial incentives, but Galarowic says there are plenty of other parts of the WMH program that others could adopt. “Businesses don’t have a large budget for wellness and that’s okay,” she commented. “There are things you can do, like recognize a wellness champion, which supports a healthy culture and doesn’t cost a thing.” Each month, LiveWell invites employees to nominate a fellow employee who they see as a champion

of wellness. The LiveWell committee picks someone every month and showcases their efforts. One of the higher profile successes was featured on 9 & 10 News and in a special Blue Cross publication, which showcased Human Resources Office Assistant Dawn Parker’s 125 pound weight loss. “We pick someone and showcase their story. There is no money. There is no prize. We just share their name, their picture, and their story as a champion of wellness,” Galarowic explained. There are other efforts that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. The LiveWell committee organizes a number of resources for employees, including a silent sports club (with hiking, kayaking, skiing and more), a family

fun 5K run, and an employee health fair. A quarterly health challenge has employees competing on all sorts of healthy initiatives. Drink more water, take more steps, improve your sleep habits, take time to volunteer and anything else that contributes to reducing health risk, improving financial health or achieving work-life balance is fair game for a quarterly challenge. “Through these clubs and challenges and by putting supportive policies in place, we are constantly working toward our goal of wellness culture,”

said Galarowic. So how might local businesses benefit from the WMH program? “We want to be the hospital that keeps people healthy and well, so we are happy to share resources and work with partners to develop programs for different organizations, whether they have 5 employees or 1,000,” the wellness manager said. Galarowic has already taken her wellness approach to the community at different times, speaking to employee groups, visiting schools and working at health fairs. “I am a wellness nerd,” she confessed, adding … “a self-proclaimed wellness nerd.”

Hillary Galarowic, ES

LiveWell: Fostering healthy habits among employees

WMH HEALTHBEAT 4 JULY 2017

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WMH HEALTHBEAT 5 JULY 2017

hospital lobby, and the annual flea market – going strong for 35 years. To support these efforts, the Auxiliary’s 200 members each must volunteer a minimum of 24 hours a year, although many do much more. Their volunteerism is rewarding for many reasons, according to Hopper. “I feel like I’m doing something good for the hospital and the community by working in the gift shop and helping out at fundraisers. You also get to know some very nice people,” she said. The Auxiliary serves the community in other ways, too, including annual nursing scholarships awarded at Lake Superior State University. Some members also donate their very special skills as part of their Auxiliary service. Helen Forrest is a great example. She dedicated more than 1,000 hours in a year knitting and crocheting items provided to babies in the OB unit and residents of Long Term Care. Anyone interested in volunteering with the Auxiliary is invited to make application, which they can obtain at the gift shop. Hopper says the application process is easy and people are always willing to sponsor new Auxiliary members. “We are always inviting new faces,” she said. “Everyone is welcome.”

Cindy Hopper, WMH Auxiliary

Wishes are granted by WMH AuxiliarySome people wish upon a falling star. Others make a wish as they blow out the birthday candles. At War Memorial Hospital, departments share their wishes with the Auxiliary each year and the happy results are felt throughout the community. Ten different departments will purchase new equipment paid for by the Auxiliary this year, but the real winners will be kids, cancer patients, student athletes, and almost anyone who utilizes hospital services. With a budget just shy of $30,000, the Auxiliary closely scrutinized a wish list put forth by hospital departments. These 10 items, noted with the receiving department, were funded:

• Pediatric Vision Screening Tool (Community Care Clinic)• Advanced Injection Arm (Laboratory)• New Exam Table (WMH Family Care Cedarville)• Simulated Lungs for Training (Respiratory Care)• AccuVein Finder ( Medical/Surgical Unit)• Refrigerator for Chemotherapy Meds (Pharmacy)• Snow Blower (Plant & Environmental Services)• Vital Signs Machine/Stand (Long Term Care)• Flat Bed Delivery Cart (Materials Management)• Athletic Training Table (Rehabilitation)

Cindy Hopper, a 20-year veteran of the WMH Auxiliary, coordinated this year’s wish list process, which starts when departments submit requests. In 2017, the requests numbered 25 and totaled more than $200,000. “It can be difficult,” Hopper explained. “You start out with hundreds of thousands in requests and then have to whittle it down. We try to spread it out by granting requests for different departments each year and they are always so grateful to purchase equipment they might not otherwise be able to get,” she noted. Granting of wishes is made even more special by the way the money is raised. Operating the hospital’s gift shop is the biggest fundraiser performed by the Auxiliary, but there is also the sale of Koeze nuts around the holidays, special sales of things like jewelry and linens in the

Auxiliary Member Linda Hocking

Healthbeat is a publication of Chippewa County

War Memorial Hospital, Inc.

Stories by Angela Nebel, Summit Public Relations Strategies, LLCDesign and printing by Paul Ignatowski and Sault Printing Co.Selected graphic elements by Freepik.comCover photo by Picture This Photography & Design

War Memorial Hospital is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Pursuant to the authority granted to Det Norske Veritas Healthcare, Inc. by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, this organization is deemed in compliance with the Medicare Conditions of Participation for Hospitals (42 C.F.R. §482). This certificate is valid for a period of three (3) years from the Effective Date of Accreditation. Effective Date of Accreditation: October 26, 2014.

Working primarily behind the scenes, War Memorial Hospital now employs a Patient Experience Coordinator (PEC) who is charged with addressing issues and implementing changes that lead to more satisfied patients, family members and visitors.

Sherri Pavloski has worked at the hospital for 10 years and, before mid-April, was the executive assistant to WMH CEO David Jahn. But when the hospital joined the ranks of hospitals across the country employing a PEC, Pavloski was a natural fit.

“Sherri has always been someone who showed a lot of caring, compassion and empathy towards patients and their concerns, so when we decided to create the position, it was kind of a natural fit for her,” Jahn remarked.

Pavloski’s first priority is working with clinical staff on how they communicate with patients so that the level of service meets the already-high level of medical care. She will also evaluate patient surveys to identify areas in need of improvement and set goals to ultimately elevate the patient’s overall experience.

The creation of the position comes at an exciting time for both Pavloski and WMH, as the hospital received a 2017 Outstanding Patient Experience Award from Healthgrades – an online resource that provides information about hospitals and providers.

“It’s really about our patients having a better experience and doing what we can to make them

Pavloski to focus on “giving patients a better experience”

feel as comfortable as they can and confident in the care we provide,” Pavloski explained. “It is important to us that they feel that, not only are they in very capable hands, but also

in welcoming, friendly hands.” Those “friendly hands” sometimes do the most surprising things. A patient last year wrote to tell CEO David Jahn about the time Certified Nurse Assistant Skylar Gubanche used her own money to buy two Sudoku books for a patient who said the distraction was “a lifesaver.” Housekeeper Bonnie Holmes did the same thing, bringing one to a patient who loves the puzzle book.

There is Mary Stirling, a housekeeper in the Medical Office Building, who regularly stops what she is doing to help dialysis patients get to the second floor, including one who beeps the car horn upon arrival. Tim Harlan, who works in Emergency Department (ED) registration, has given patients a ride to a home or a hotel when they needed one.

Ken Noble, an ED ward clerk, put the “beyond” in doing something above and beyond when he not only

convinced a very ill patient and her husband to stay despite worries that the bus they had come to town on was leaving, but ultimately drove them home to Grand Rapids when she was discharged.

Pavloski says celebrating these moments and all occasions when employees are meeting and exceeding patient expectations is

part of the process of improvement. Addressing patient complaints is also part of her responsibilities.

“This may sound strange, but I enjoy dealing with complaints because if something is broken and nobody tells us, we’re not able to fix it,” she explained. “There is something satisfying about helping someone with a problem.”

Do you have ideas about improving the patient

experience at WMH? Pavloski also works closely with the Patient and Family Advisory Council and new members are always welcome. To join or to share an idea about improving your community hospital, call Pavloski at (906) 253-2653.

WMH HEALTHBEAT 7 JULY 2017

Two talented physical therapists brought their expertise, dedication, and two years of tutelage from a very supportive mentor to their new job in April. That’s when Megan Doyle and Janessa Copenhafer took the reins as co-directors of the WMH Rehabilitation Department.

The change came as Vice President of Rehabilitation Jim Haglund completed his 28-year career at WMH. As perhaps his last act of leadership, Haglund prepared Megan Doyle and Janessa Copenhafer to take the reins of a department that employs 90 people and extends far beyond the hospital’s campus.

Just a few short months into their promotions, the two have worked out a symbiotic relationship that allows each to spend half of each day involved in direct patient care and the other half in an administrative capacity.

Both women said the desire to keep their PT skills sharp and to continue enjoying patient interactions drove the decision to split the schedule, but Doyle believes there are other benefits as well.

“Because we still treat patients, we can see what problems people are having,” she explained. “Patient care is our number one priority and we’re right there doing it.”

Doyle, who hails from Texas, has been part of the WMH team for 10 years. Copenhafer, a Vicksburg, Michigan native, came on board seven years ago. Before that, she performed some of her clinical training at WMH.

“Megan was my clinical instructor when I was here as a student,” she noted. “We have always had good communication between the two of us.”

Both women say they always had an interest in furthering their careers, either in the clinical setting or in an administrative capacity.

Copenhafer said she always had an eye on a management role. “I like to keep progressing and improving my skills and ability and knowledge base and I’m interested in the financial side of the business as well as the clinical, so this is a great opportunity for me,” she said.

Doyle notes that “management changes your perspective. My number one worry is always patient care, but you also develop relationships with employees and now I am also focused on how we can improve patient care by reaching employees, too.”

Reaching those employees will sometimes happen via telephone, as

the Rehabilitation Department has staff members working in hospitals in St. Ignace and Newberry, in schools throughout the Eastern Upper Peninsula, and in five different clinic locations. Haglund is credited with overseeing great gains in the Rehabilitation Department, which saw huge growth in services, staff, and facilities during his tenure.

The department’s co-directors know they have big shoes to fill.

“Jim was the greatest mentor from a professional standpoint,” Copenhafer says. “He really had the ability to find the staff that supported the need to diversify services throughout the EUP. He was able to find employees who will provide quality care and want to enhance their skills.”

Asked about goals for the department, Doyle has her sights set on enhancing the connection between Rehab and the rest of the hospital, improving patient

satisfaction scores and slowing the employee turn-over rate. Copenhafer says empowering employees to do better and continuing to lead a team that provides the highest quality care are her top priorities.

A few short months into their new roles and these two leaders both shared Doyle’s overall assessment. “It’s been a great transition and a lot of fun,” she remarked.

Megan Doyle (left) and Janessa Copenhafer(right)

Cohorts become co-directors of Rehabilitation Department

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