McLeodnewsJULY 2012

c a r i n g i n t e g r i t yp e r s o n q u a l i t y

5 Making Rounds6 weight-loss strategies7 Looking Ahead

2 service excellence3 Accolades4 Project garners award nomination

Through a collaborative team effort, McLeod Regional Medical Center has been awarded certification by The Joint Commission as a Center of Excellence for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement Surgery.

The team, which is made up of staffs of the Orthopedic unit and Rehabilitation Services, as well as the orthopedic surgeons, are excited about what the certification means for their patients.

“With Joint Commission certification, we are making a significant investment in quality on a day-to-day basis from the top down,” said Beki Cooley, Associate Vice President of McLeod Human Motion Specialists. “Accreditation also provides us with a framework to take our organization to the next level and helps create a culture of excellence. Achieving Joint Commission certification in total hips and total knees, for our organization, is a major step toward maintaining excellence and continually improving the care we provide.”

“We knew we had an outstanding program, and this certification reinforced it,” said Physical Therapy Supervisor Emily Adams. “Our total focus is making surgery and rehab a good experience for patients. Our number-one goal is for them to have a great outcome.

“With our being named a center of excellence, we think patients will realize they are making a very good choice.”

The certification project took about a year to complete. “We saw an opportunity for finetuning our clinical practice,” Adams said. “We looked at other hospitals and used our consultants and their resources to improve our program here.”

One of the areas the team looked at included patient education. They looked at attendance in a class where patients could learn more about their procedure before surgery. To reach more patients, the team produced a DVD with the classroom material that they could distribute to those who did not attend the class.

In addition, they are now making sure that all members of the total knee/total hip team are prepared to go through the pre-operative education with patients.

The team also looked at post-surgical complications. Working with the Pre-Admit Testing staff, they are now able to identify patients who may need to take medications before surgery to avoid complications. For patients with urinary complications, the physical therapists acquired hooks to keep bags upright so that complications during exercise could be avoided.

McLeod underwent a rigorous on-site survey in June. “The surveyor was impressed with what he saw,” Adams said. “He also brought ideas to us that we are excited about implementing.”

One of those ideas is a timeline mapping out every event that a patient can expect during the surgical and rehab process. It will be given out to patients and will prepare all staff to be able to answer patient questions.

Members of the Orthopedic Unit

and Rehab Services got together to

celebrate the positive impact

they are having on patients who need total hip and total knee replacements.

McLeod has just been named a

Center of Excellence for Total Hip and

Total Knee Replacement

Surgery by The Joint Commission.

‘center of excellence’certification demonstrates

quality care for patients

McLeod News l July 20122

McLeod Newsis published by

McLeod Communications & Public Information.

Celia Whitten, editor (777-2695 or CWhitten@McLeodHealth.org)

Sidney Glass, photographer

www.McLeodHealth.org or www.mrmc.McLeodHealth.org

service

Teen volunteers show that personal touch pays offOne of the McLeod core values is the “Value of the

Person.” Valuing the person happens when we make “a commitment to the well-being of the whole person.”

Every summer, McLeod Regional Medical Center opens its doors to teen volunteers who are interested in health-care careers. There are many responsibilities that these teens help departments accomplish.

This summer, Surgical I, Surgical II, and Cardiology units at McLeod Regional Medical Center are providing an additional personal touch to their patients by using teen Service Excellence “Hospitality Helpers” on their floors.

The teen Hospitality Helpers who serve in patient areas work directly with the nursing staff, delivering hands-on care to patients and offering emotional support to patients as well as families.

Some examples of their tasks have included offering a warm blanket to patients who are cold, reading the Bible to patients who are lonely, holding the hand of someone who is frightened, and listening to family members share memories about their loved one.

Other responsibilities have included making coffee for a family member, offering a magazine to the patient, or even assisting the patient at meal time.

“We have 48 teens with us for the summer, placed in 24 departments of the medical center,” said Marilyn Godbold, Director of Volunteer Services for McLeod Regional Medical Center. “These directors and their staffs make it possible for the students to get a glimpse of the many careers available in health care.

“While they are here, they provide caring and kindness to visitors, patients, and staff. We are delighted to have such a fine group of teens.”

Jaareshia Mack is a teen Hospitality Helper on the Surgical II unit. Known to the patients as Jerri, she is 15 years old and attends Mayo High School for Math, Science, and Technology in Darlington.

She was inspired to take the path of health care at five years old after seeing a candy striper on a “Rugrats” cartoon. Ever since then, Jerri has wanted to take care of patients, with the reward of “seeing them smile.”

The patients on Surgical II have embraced Jaareshia as if she was their own. Their eyes light up when she enters their room. “Jerri will make an excellent nurse one day,” one patient said. “We have nothing but praise for her. She even brings me hot coffee when I ask her.”

We asked Jerri to tell us if working with the patients has been what she had dreamed of. “This is better than what I ever expected,” she said. “It has confirmed that I definitely would like to become a health-care professional.”

Karen Timmons, a staff nurse on Surgical II, added, “Jerri has made a very positive impression on our patients. The teen volunteers are always an asset to our patients and the staff.”

— Teresa DullaghanProcess Manager, Service Excellence

Jaareshia Mack of Darlington (L), one of the Hospitality Helper teen volunteers, hands a cup to Doris Hancock of Lake City. Karen Timmons, a staff nurse on the Surgical II unit, says visits by Jaareshia have been bright spots in the days of patients on the unit this summer. The 15 year old, who is known as Jerri, is considering a career as a nurse.

McLeod News l July 2012 3

Awards and Recognition

Kim ThomasMedical/Surgical Unit

McLeod DarlingtonAwarded McLeod Merit Award,

May 24, 2012

Dr. Timothy IdiagheHospitalistsMcLeod DillonAwarded McLeod Merit Award,May 24, 2012

Eugene SealsSecurity

McLeod DillonAwarded McLeod Merit Award,

May 24, 2012

Philip VerjansRehabilitation ServicesMcLeod DillonAwarded McLeod Merit Award,May 24, 2012

Dr. John Chapman

Dr. John M.B. Chapman has joined McLeod OB/GYN Associates in Florence. Originally from Florence, Dr. Chapman has been caring for patients in the area for more than 30 years and is welcoming current and new patients.

Dr. Chapman earned a medical degree in 1978 from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. He completed a residency in 1982 from the School of Medicine at East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C.

He is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and specializes in normal and high-risk pregnancies and gynecological care.

Dr. Chapman is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Welcoming New Physicians

OB/GYN physician joinsMcLeod practice

At a retirement reception for Leanne Huminski (above, center) on June 25, Beki Cooley (L) and Hart Smith joke with her about the 13 years they have shared in Nursing Administration at McLeod Regional Medical Center. Huminski most recently served as Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Services. She also served as Associate Vice President of Nursing. In 2003, she was a recipient of the Palmetto Gold Award, an honor that is awarded annually to the top 100 nurses in South Carolina.

Daphne Bazen Heffler (adjacent photo, R) is congratulated on her retirement by Traci Hubbard of McLeod Darlington. The June 27 retirement reception celebrated her 37 years of service to McLeod. After earning an associate degree in nursing from Florence-Darlington Technical College in 1975, she became a nurse intern and then joined the Coronary Care Unit. Heffler became the unit’s head nurse in 1977 and was named Director of Cardiovascular Nursing in 1992. She received a BSN degree from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1984 and has served as Associate Vice President of Patient Services since 1999. ‘McLeod will always be in my heart, in my mind, and in my prayers,’ Heffler told her fellow directors and administrators at the retirement reception.

McLeod News l July 20124

Collaborating with the nursing staff to save time and supply costs has earned the Procurement Services team at McLeod Health a nomination for an international award.

McLeod Health was one of nine finalists in the Cross-Functional Collaboration category in the annual Procurement Leaders awards, presented by Procure ment Leaders Network. Other finalists were Arquiva, Deloitte, GlaxoSmithKline, HSBC, IBM, Kraft Foods Europe, Reed Elsevier, and Research in Motion. The winners were announced at a gala dinner in London, with Kraft Foods Europe taking the award in this category. More than 300 entries were submitted from 137 different companies in 27 countries.

McLeod was nominated by GHX, an international company that brings together manufacturers and distributors of medical products with hospitals and group purchasing organizations in a collaborative and connected community designed to improve efficiencies, visibility, and accuracy in the healthcare supply chain.

“It is exciting that McLeod is included in this list of prestigious international companies, for McLeod to get this level of recognition,” said Dale Locklair, Vice President of Procurement and Construction for McLeod Health. “It is not just Procurement Services that is being recognized, but the teamwork of everyone engaged in the work of the hospital.

“The objective of Operational Effectiveness is to find ways to streamline processes and reduce costs,” he said. “Our goal is to support the vision and the mission of McLeod Health and to remove burdensome work from the bedside nurses so that they do not have to worry about supplies but can instead spend their time caring for patients.

“As part of this Operational Effectiveness project, our entire department was engaged in this process, along with Nursing, Information Systems, Finance, Quality and Safety, and support from our leadership,” Locklair said.

During Rapid Improvement Events, the Procurement Services department served on multidisciplinary teams which met weekly to analyze supply chain processes and costs and put standard work in place to reduce inefficiencies and solve problems. The teams developed departmental “champions” who engaged others in identifying opportunities for improvement. These champions worked directly with the frontline caregivers and members of the Procurement Services team, building collab orative relationships and understanding how their daily work impacted each other.

“These collaborative efforts have saved McLeod 46,014 hours of labor annually,” Locklair said. “These were not jobs that were lost. Instead, people were moved into more productive roles

within the organization. By increasing automation and improving efficiency, they also reduced costs and enhanced patient care.”

Using continuous improvement principles, the team looked at the storage of supplies and the time that nurses were spending looking for them. They found that nurses were spending 60 minutes per 12-hour shift hunting for or gathering supplies. The team also found that because nurses did not have time to order supplies on a frequent basis, they ordered large quantities infrequently. Some of these supplies would expire before being used.

After the study, the team decided that it was more efficient for the McLeod Procurement team to manage the supplies. Those that are used daily are now stored in nearby nursing stations, while those used less often are stored in a central location. As a result of the work, supply costs were reduced 71.5 percent, saving more than $200,000 annually. Nurses now spend only about 20 minutes per shift gathering supplies, with the time saved reallocated to patient care.

To achieve even greater efficiency, a new medical/surgical warehouse will be located within the new McLeod Center for Intensive Care. “This new location will be more efficient to get supplies to the hospital,” Locklair said. “With a large dock underneath the building, deliveries can be made straight into the hospital. This will eliminate the need to handle supplies multiple times, as is currently the case with a warehouse located outside the hospital.”

Collaborative project garners nominationTeam members worked together on lean project to save time, supply costs

Team members who worked together on a lean project celebrate being named finalists for an international award. They are (front, L to R), Kelley Prevatte of 9th Surgical, Sabrina Capell of Information Systems/Soarian, Carmen Winfield of Procurement Services, (back) BJ McCluskey of Procurement Services, and Bobby McDuffie of Information Systems. Others on the team were McLeod President Rob Colones, Pam Elliott of Oncology, Pauline Fowler of Share the Care, Lashan Kennedy and Tangie Peoples of 9th Surgical, and Lisa Neal of 10th Surgical.

THE VALUE OF McLeod VALUes in ActionQuality

McLeod News l July 2012 5

MAking RoUndsMcLeod Regional Medical Center9th Surgical

Congratulations to Brande Huggins who had a baby boy, Jayce, and to Erin York, who had a baby girl, McKinley.

Our condolences to Tanya Drew and Renae Matthews, who had deaths in their families.

Congratulations to our staff members of the year — Christina Sims, RN of the Year; Loretha Bradley, LPN of the Year; Annie Hardwick, Tech of the Year; and Emma James, Secretary of the Year.

Hematology/Oncology (8 South)Congratulations to Sentra Starr,

who welcomed her second child, Nava Elaina, on May 25.

Congratulations to Brandy Reed on her promotion to Director of Inpatient Oncology. We are excited and know you will do an excellent job!

Physician Access ServicesCongratulations to Rhonda

Stallings, who was promoted to Program Coordinator.

Home HealthBest wishes to Marie Sellers and

Rick Bass (Information Systems), who were married on June 16.

Congratulations to Tammy Davis on her promotion to Scheduling.

Good luck to Tara Sparks on her new job in Employee Health.

tscuCongratulations to Karen Jones,

our RN of the Year, and to Caleb Loveless, our Medical/Surgical Technician of the Year.

Best wishes to our team members who were recently married — Stephanie Bullard to Dustin Dowling; Mallory Broach to Lucas Chestnut; and Heather West to Gary Dicks.

Congratulation to Jennifer Watkins and husband Dustin on the April 19 birth of a baby girl, Emily Grace; and to Ashley Kinney and husband Nikki

on the May 3 birth of a baby girl, Addison Gray.

AnesthesiaCongratulations and best wishes

to Ashley Lowder. She and Quincey Gerrald were married on May 26 in Las Vegas.

LaboratoryCongratulations to Lawanda Evans

on her marriage to George Jones on May 12. We wish you and George many happy years together!

Congratulations to Rachael Dampier-Hufnagel on the June 2 birth of her twins Isabella and Jimmy. Best wishes to Rachael and the new arrivals!

Child Development CenterCongratulations to Kimrey-Ann

Haughn and husband Tim on the May 7 birth of their daughter, Harper Adalyn.

Congratulations to Jane Boswell on the April 5 birth of her grandson Camden.

cVicuCongratulations to Amanda Butler

on her promotion to Associate Vice President of Patient Services. We will miss you so much but are so proud of you.

We are so happy to have Sandra Bazen, who was promoted, as the Director of CVICU. We are looking forward to working with Sandra for many years to come.

Congratulations to Curt Keefe and wife Crystal on the June 4 birth of a daughter. Ana Sullivan weighed eight pounds, 11 ounces.

We are so proud of Brittany Causey, Lance Crouch, and Ellen Stone for passing boards and receiving their RN certifications. Congratulations to all three of you.

McLeod Family Medicine CenterCongratulations to Deidra Young

on her June 16 wedding.

McLeod DarlingtonNursing Administration

Congratulations to Kim Thomas on receiving a Merit Award on May 24.

AdministrationCongratulations to Dr. Cathy Layne

on passing her psychiatric boards. Way to go, Dr. Layne!

McLeod DillonAdministration

Congratulations to Lynniece Goodwin of Quality and Safety on the May 30 birth of her grandson, Jase Garrett Meekins.

Food & NutritionCongratulations to new grand-

mother Sally Gates on the birth of her granddaughter, Tiffany Rowell.

LaboratoryCongratulations to Shirley Birch on

the birth of her granddaughter and to Frances Campbell on the birth of her great-grandson.

Congratulations to Brenda Jackson on being recognized by a patient’s family for a Service Excellence profile.

Condolences to Jessica Inman on the death of her grandmother.

Congratulations to April Tucker, who transferred from McLeod Regional Medical Center, on her promotion to Lab Supervisor at McLeod Dillon.

McLeod Loris / SeacoastEmergency Department

Best wishes to Lori Bullard Lee, who was married on June 2.

Warren Faulk recently attended the “Perfecting Emergency Department Operations” seminar on June 7 and 8 in Washington, DC. It was sponsored by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

Nursing AdministrationCongratulations to Kirsten Sellers

and husband Jason on the March 31 birth of their son. Nathaniel Tayden weighed five pounds, 1.2 ounces. He has a two-year-old big sister, Skylar. Kirsten works on Labor and Delivery.

McLeod VALUes in Action

McLeod News l July 20126

McLeod Health Eating Well Strategy

Obstacle:

“i am not hungry in the morning and often skip breakfast.”

— from Mayo Clinic: Healthy Weight for Everybody

Strategies for overcoming weight-loss barriers

Breakfast is an important meal. Research suggests that people who eat breakfast get more nutrients and manage their weight better than do people who do not eat breakfast.

Even if you are not hungry, try to eat a little something in the

— Kitty Finklea, McLeod Health & Fitness Center

morning. Just as your body got used to not eating breakfast, it can get used to eating it again.

A good breakfast also helps keep you from becoming ravenous later in the day, when you should not eat as much.

Many people tell me they are not hungry in the morning, while others are ravenous as soon as they open their eyes. We know that kids and adults think better with breakfast — this means better performance for work and school.

People who eat breakfast also have more control over their intake throughout the day and are less likely to binge. Of course, it all depends on what is consumed.

High-fat and -sugar foods like doughnuts or pastries cause blood sugar to bottom out quickly. This rebound effect will increase food intake and cravings throughout the day, so it is important to consider healthier breakfast options that have more staying power.

For the non-hungry people, it can be a challenge to figure out how and what to eat in the morning. Do not give up! Everyone can become a breakfast eater with a little practice, patience, and planning.

If you are not hungry in the morning, you still want to try to eat something within two hours of awakening. Studies show breakfast will jumpstart metabolism, so it is important to get something in to get your motor running properly.

Make sure to have some type of protein source in the morning for longer staying power, stable mood and energy levels, and improved thinking. Healthier protein sources include eggs or egg whites, nuts and nut butters, lower-fat cheese, or bacon/sausage options.

When you think of breakfast choices, think of combining a protein with one to two complex carbohydrates — usually whole grains or fresh fruit.

Easy breakfast ideasl Pour it up and enjoy a higher-fiber cereal such as All Bran

or Fiber One with low-fat milk, fresh fruit such as a cup of berries, and a handful of almonds or walnuts for protein. If you do not like nuts on your cereal, eat them separately or as a midmorning snack.

l Heat it up (especially in winter) with good old-fashioned (not instant) oatmeal topped with cinnamon, nuts, and fruit. It can be cooked in the microwave in three minutes or less.

l Broil one to two slices of lowfat cheese toast and add fresh fruit on the side.

l One of the quickest and easiest choices is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Use pourable fruit or low-sugar jelly.

l In a hurry? A protein bar and a piece of fruit will at least get you going! Make sure to eat a snack mid-morning if your meals are spaced far apart.

l On the weekends or if you have more time, try an egg or egg-whites omelet stuffed with lots of veggies!

If you need food coaching for healthy meal and snack ideas to fit into your lifestyle, consider the nutrition programs at McLeod Health and Fitness Center.

Call (843) 777-3000 for more information.

Dwight Lindley of Information Systems eats a healthy breakfast of cereal with nuts and berries.

Weight management easierwith healthy breakfast choices to start the day

McLeod News l July 2012 7

Register for a donation timeat www.GiveLife.org/index.cfm?

Sponsor=McLeodor by calling 777-2005.

Bring a first-time donor and be entered into the drawing for prizes.

Your donation not only saves lives but also helps McLeod

receive discounts on blood products.

community eVentsMobile Mammography Unit Screenings (Call 777-2095)

Tues., July 17, 8:30 am-3:45 pm, Pate Medical Associates, BishopvilleThurs., July 19, 8:30 am-4 pm, McLeod Family Medicine JohnsonvilleWed., July 25, 8:30 am-4 pm, McLeod Family Medicine Lake CityThurs., July 26, 9 am-4 pm, Methodist Manor of the Pee Dee, Florence

Safe Sitters class for 11 to 13 year olds (Register by July 24 by calling 777-2005 or 1-800-667-2005.)

Tues., Aug. 7, 8:30 am-4 pm, McLeod Medical Plaza, classroom ($35)

special obserVancesJuly is: National Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness & Prevention Month, Cord

Blood Awareness Month, Hemochromatosis Screening Awareness Month, Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month, International Group B Strep Awareness Month, UV Safety Month

July 15-21 — Therapeutic Recreation MonthSat., July 28 — World Hepatitis Day

American Red Crossblood drive

looking ahead

Third Thursday with Kohl’s Safe Seats

(monthly) Thurs., July 19, 4-6 pm, Kohl’s parking lot, Florence

(Free; bring child & child safety seat.Call 777-5021 for information.)

McLeod Diabetes Center

Monthly Support Group (Free; call 777-6000)

training programs Pee Dee AHEC: Making Sense of Lab Values & Blood Gases: What Do All Those Lab Numbers Mean? Wed., July 11, 9 am-4:15 pm, Family Medicine Center, classrms A & BPee Dee AHEC: Understanding the Crimes of Stalking & Harassment Wed., July 18, 9 am-4:45 pm, Family Medicine Center, classrms A & BPee Dee AHEC: The Art of Teaching: Teaching Strategies for the Nurse Educator Thurs., July 26, 9 am-4:30 pm, Family Medicine Center, classrms A & B

to register for Pee dee AHec classes, call 777-5343.

Mon., July 92-7 pm

McLeod Health & Fitness center

Tues., July 2410 am-4 pm

McLeod Regional Medical center

Thurs., Aug. 21-6 pm

McLeod dillon

Mon., July 9, 6:30-7:30 pm

Medical Park East, Suite 290, conference room

Join us for Diabetes Bingo!

Risk Free Membership MonthJoin the McLeod Health and Fitness center during Risk Free Membership Month in July. If you are not satisfied with your membership at the end of 30 days, you can cancel it.

Be sure to ask for the McLeod employee discount.