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St. Vincent Medical Center newsletter, Los Angeles
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is here...
1st hospital in Los Angeles
Th e CARE sepsis prevention
team eff ort has generated useful,
evidence-based guidelines
hospitalwide.
Th e Nursing Protocol empowers the RN to obtain vital assessment and diagnostic data to quickly identify patients in the earliest stages of sepsis.
Th e Sepsis Physician Order Set contains the latest evidence-based medical interventions for initiating early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) for the septic patient.
Together, these tools and collaboration between nursing and medicine are key to reaching our goal of reducing sepsis-related mortality. SVT
St. V incent Times2131 W. 3rd St.Los Angeles, CA 90057www.StVincentMedicalCenter.comwww.facebook.com/stvincentmedicalcenter
NOVEMBER 2011 publication of St. Vincent Medical Center p
Respect Compassionate Service Simplicity Advocacy for the Poor Inventiveness to Infinity Respect Compassionate Service Simplicity Advocacy for the Poor Inventiveness to Infinity
system wel lnessAssociates in local health ministries throughout the Daughters of Charity Health System (DCHS) will participate this year in a wellness program with the catchy mantra: Be Well, Work
Well, Live Well. Th ere will be programs that promote staying healthy and enjoying better lifestyles.
One of the fi rst steps is to fi ll out a confi dential online Blue Shield of California Health Risk Assessment that will ask for screening values like cholesterol and glucose levels, and BMI measurements.
To that end, Wellness Fairs will be held on Nov. 1, 7, and 8 to provide free screenings for associates so they can “get their numbers” for the online assessment.
Th ere will also be a Benefi ts & Wellness Fair in conference rooms on Nov. 7, where associates can learn about health coverage options and services. Open Enrollment is from Nov. 7-18, a time during which associates may make changes to their benefi ts choices. During Open Enrollment, associates may go online at www.mydchsbenefi ts.com and make changes to their current coverage and benefi ts options for the coming 2012 calendar year. All associates need to participate in open enrollment this year because there are some changes to healthcare options.
As part of Wellness Training, DCHS requires that associates take the online confi dential wellness assessment at www. blueshieldca.com/hlr no later than Nov. 18. SVT
nurses’ phones Th e internal wireless system is being upgraded on Nov. 7, giving more capacity for patient-nurse and nurse-doctor communications. Th e goal is to improve the patient experience.
Approximately 100 new handsets will be provided to nurses for use in receiving calls from their patients and for making calls to doctors at the bedside of a patient. SVT
please l ike usSt. Vincent Medical Center has a Facebook page where you’ll fi nd all the hospital’s events and
award-winners. Take a look at what’s on www.facebook.com/stvincentmedicalcenter. SVT
VINCENTIAN VALUES: VINCENTIAN VALUES:
COVER STORYSt. Vincent Orthopaedic Institute and St. Vincent Spine Institute, two new hospital clinics, open in the S. Mark Taper Foundation Building. Page 4
SERVICE TO THE KOREAN COMMUNITY The KAGMA physicians’ group holds a large health fair on campus and provides free fl u shots and screenings for attendees. Learn about surgeon Willie Suhr’s connection to the service organization.
Page 3
SVMC ALIGNS WITH CONSULATES IN L.A.Letters of agreement with Consuls General from Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Korea reinforce the mission of St. Vincent Medical Center and the Daughters of Charity to serve the sick poor. Page 7
St. Vincent Times is a publication for St. Vincent Medical Staff and Associates. Please submit articles as soon as possible prior to or after an event for the earliest inclusion in the newsletter by e-mailing information to [email protected] or by calling (213) 484-5593. Medical Staff submissions may also be sent to [email protected]. Or call (213) 484-5525.
Ronald S. Fishbach, MD – CHIEF OF MEDICAL STAFF
Cathy Fickes – PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Sr. Sylvia Parks, DC – CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Physician of the Year – Dr. Arase
When Gerard Deegan, RGN, RN, ASEP placed 11th in the World Championships 8K cross-country competition in July, his O.R. colleagues were the fi rst to spread the news. Orthopaedic surgeon Ed McPherson, MD reported Gerard’s continual success as a
cyclist/runner and an all-around great O.R. nurse. Gerard, who has worked at SVMC since 1994, has a lot of respect for his colleagues too.
“We have great surgeons, great doctors here,” he said. “Th e O.R. is a family.” SVT
NOVEMBER 2011
On His Toes in O.R., and
Everywhere He Goes
S t . V i n c e 2 7
n t T i m e selcome to fall, which offi cially
started with warm days and cool
wet rains, unusual for Southern
California but a treat nevertheless.
As you can see from this issue of the St. Vincent Times, there is
so much happening at the hospital that we have packed this issue
with information.
I would like to thank everyone at the hospital. Th is year we
received an $87,693.00 award from Premier for our Quality
Improvement Initiatives. Th ese Quality Initiatives, Core Measures
and Patient Satisfaction Goals have now become key descriptors
of the service we provide at St. Vincent. Th ey contributed to
our award as the 5th Best Hospital in Southern California; but
more importantly they also speak to how well we take care of our
patients, in body, mind and soul. I believe that these scores and
this award refl ect how each one of you takes your calling in this
healthcare ministry and provides holistic care to our patients. We
are always endeavoring to exceed ourselves.
St. Vincent Medical Center Board of Directors and members
of the Medical Staff met to do some Strategic Planning for
the Medical Center. Th e outcome of the Strategic Planning
is to concentrate over the course of the next couple of years on
expanding development of some top items which are:
Evaluate and raise the level of our Emergency Department to •
a 911 Receiving ER
Expand and recruit more physicians in our Primary Care •
services
Improve Quality and Patient Satisfaction as seen through •
eff ective communication
Greater inclusion of physicians in decision and policy •
development including technology acquisition
Expand market reach and develop a brand through focused •
marketing
Expand Oncology, Cardiac, Cardiovascular and Th oracic •
service lines through service line teams
As always, fall is a hectic time of year as children reorient to school
and we prepare for the holidays. I hope you are taking time to
enjoy the change of the season. Most of all, I am delighted that you
are here working with us at St. Vincent Medical Center. SVT
c e o n o t e s
President/CEO
CA
TH
Y F
ICK
ES
St.
Vin
cen
t
Med
ical
Cen
ter
W
St. Vincent Times
m i s s i o n i n t e g r a t i o n : c o n s u l a t e s
g o t c o n c e r n s ?Physicians may report safety or quality of care concerns:
PHYSICIAN QUALITY HOTLINE: (213) 207-5783.
Call the VALUES LINE at (800) 371-2176 or go online at www.dchsvaluesline.org to report concerns
confi dentially and anonymously.
Gerard Deegan is a great athlete and O.R. nurse.
Welcome Sr. Joan Gibson, DC
Sr. Joan Gibson, DC has joined SVMC to manage the St. Vincent Conservancy, which is full of relics representing the Vincentian charism.
Sr. Joan has a career background in education and helped craft the merger that became Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory
School in San Francisco.
As principal at Cathedral High School in 1987, she saw the fi scal necessity of pooling resources with Sacred Heart, the boys’ school, and worked to form a unifi ed prep. school that enjoys excellent student scores
and a fi ne reputation. SVT
St. Vincent Medical Center provides screenings and education to the community throughout the year.
Meetings with consuls general recently helped to forge even stronger alliances and strengthen the bond between the people of the community and the fi rst hospital in Los Angeles.
SVMC Aligns with Korean and Latin American Consulates
Korean Consul General of Los Angeles Yeon-sung Shin signs a letter of agreement with SVMC on Sept. 12 to provide free health screenings for the community at the Korean Consulate.
Consuls General from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador sign letters of agreement with SVMC on Aug. 11 to provide ongoing community preventive screenings.
Sr. Joan Gibson, DC shows SVMC associates around the Historical Conservancy during Heritage Week in September.
Th e fi rst in a series of cross-specialty doctor networking mixers is held on Sept. 22. Above: Drs. Helen Kang, Daniel Sanchez, Pilsoo Oh, Patrick Takahashi, George Yamauchi, Anita Kriplani, Alan Jasper, and Jennifer K. Sohal. Below: President/CEO Cathy Fickes with Drs. Julio Guzman, Th omas Sevilla, and Luis Valle.
From left, Randal Arase, MD wins Physician of the Year. He is presented with a commendation by St. Vincent Medical Center Chief of Staff Ronald S. Fishbach, MD.
SVMC Doctors’ Mixer
Th e SVMC Business Development and Marketing team is pleased to welcome the addition of Grace Kim. Grace brings with her a wealth of experience and knowledge in the healthcare arena. For the past eight years, Grace has been working with the Korean American Medical Association of Southern California (KAMASC) and has not only gained a high level of respect, but also established strong working relationships within the Korean physician community.
Grace is eager to build and strengthen St. Vincent’s commitment to our growing Korean community. Grace is married to a local podiatrist and they have a healthy, happy fi ve year old son. Grace is fl uent in both English and Korean. You may contact Grace at (213) 434-3521 or [email protected]. SVT
General surgeon Willie Suhr, MD is a pioneer and team player at St. Vincent Medical Center. In the last 35 years, he has seen the profession change in many ways, from large cuts to pinhole incisions, from individual doctor-patient experiences to highly documented handling of cases.
On a morning in July, Dr. Suhr fi nished assisting a case in the OR and had a moment to refl ect on the profession. “Nowadays, the practice of medicine is changing drastically and rapidly,” said Dr. Suhr. “Th ere’s too much paperwork, a very bureaucratic atmosphere.”
Dr. Suhr is one of the fi rst Korean-American physicians to join the staff at St. Vincent Medical Center, second only to orthopaedic surgeon Joon Y. Koh, MD, who just joined the St. Vincent Orthopaedic Institute.
Since joining the staff of St. Vincent Medical Center in 1976, Dr. Suhr has surgically removed thousands of cancerous tumors, begun a medical society in his living room, and raised three successful children. His eldest son is a general surgeon in Minneapolis.
Th e Korean American Graduates Medical Association (KAGMA) was started in Dr. Suhr’s residence, specifi cally for younger
physicians. KAGMA is comprised of Korean-Americans who have graduated from American medical schools. Dr. Suhr is a charter member of the Korean-American Medical Association of Southern California (KAMASC), comprised mostly of graduates of Korean medical schools. Th e two service groups perform outreach to the community and provide guidance to new physicians and even to pre-medical students.
Dr. Suhr invests in the continuation of the medical profession by mentoring young physicians and providing knowledge from his own experience. He receives something in return: “I learn more innovative techniques from them and get an energy boost.” SVT
Vincentian Spirit Award of the Year
Korean American Graduates Medical Association (KAGMA) held its 6th annual community health fair on Oct. 8 at St. Vincent Medical Center. Th e day’s events included lectures by physicians and dietitians on topics ranging from: pediatric to geriatric health, healthy eyes, anti-aging, healthy diet and nutrition. Attendees listened to doctors throughout the morning and were entitled to free consultations thereafter.
Free lunch was provided by St. Vincent
Medical Center, catered by School Food Blooming Roll. In the afternoon, nurses administered free fl u shots and health screenings (including hep B and cholesterol screenings.)
Attendance Handled by New Call Center
St. Vincent Medical Center recently contracted with a call center to better assist Korean patients, their families, and the entire community. For example, 300 people used the call center to register for the KAGMA health fair. Callers now use it on a daily basis: dial the hospital’s main number, (213) 484-7111, listen for the prompt (spoken in Korean), then press 8 to be connected with with a Korean-speaking operator.
Th e operator stays on the phone until the caller’s needs are met, whether communicating with Imaging Services or just being transferred to a patient’s room.
KAGMA Today
Th e health fair was one of many community health outreach events that the physician-members of KAGMA perform throughout the year. SVMC urologist Samuel Lee, MD said that, in addition to the health fairs, KAGMA members also prepare future physicians for the profession of medicine. “We bring the community to our campus (SVMC) through these educational events,” said Dr. Lee. “SVMC has been the neighborhood hospital for the longest time.”
Vincentian Spirit Award of the Year
As Community Outreach Coordinator, Erika Bermudez provides excellence in serving low-income and underserved individuals and sets an example for co-workers and clients by incorporating the mission and values of the Daughters of Charity. She took the lead in conducting regular outreach at the Mexican Consular Office and in Hispanic communities. SVT
36
S t . V i n c e
n t T i m e s
Erika Bermudez
Multicultural Health Awareness and
Prevention (MHAP) Center
Vincentian Spirit Award Winner
August 2011
Vincentian Spirit Award
awards
meet Grace
Reggie Bueno, RN, on the 7th Floor, wins the third DAISY award on Sept. 19, honored for extraordinary clinical skill and compassionate care. From left, Kim Deese, CNO. At right, Director of 7th Floor Oncology/Nephrology Jo Aguilar.
DAISY Award
Tejani Sikuru
Central Processing and Distribution
Vincentian Spirit Award Winner
September 2011
T.J. Sikuru is known for his friendly attitude and compassionate service towards patients and guests.
He always shows the utmost respect for patients and visitors by smiling, greeting them first and asking if they need help finding a certain location. SVT
Pride of the CCU quarterly winner Victoria Arreglo, RN celebrated July 20 with President/CEO Cathy Fickes, Kim Deese, CNO, and Director of the CCU Sandy Klatt. Victoria was selected for this honor by her peers in the CCU.
Interventional cardiologist Narinder Batra, MD earns a Guardian Angel Award from a grateful patient on Aug. 9
Pulmonologist Brian S. Kahn, MD earns a Guardian Angel Award from a grateful patient on Aug. 9.
6
community outreach: Koreatown
KAGMA founder
Reina Cruz
Central Processing and Distribution
Award Winner of the Year
Instrument Tech Reina Cruz was named Vincentian Spirit Award Winner of the Year during the culmination of Heritage Week. Reina is known for her leadership in her department and her attention to the details that ensure O.R. instrumentation is sterile for our patients. SVT
KAGMA doctors presented wellness topics to the community in St. Vincent Medical Center’s Seton Auditorium on Oct. 8. Nurses administered free fl u shots and screenings for the attendees.
Willie Suhr, MD on his way into the O.R. on a morning in July.
C o m p r e h e n s i v e
O r t h o p a e d i c S e r v i c e s
Orthopaedist Brian Itagaki, MD moved
his Little Tokyo practice to St. Vincent
Orthopaedic Institute to help develop
the hospital’s full-service orthopaedics
program. Dr. Itagaki, who is Chair of the
Department of Surgery at St. Vincent
Medical Center, sees value in having a
centralized orthopaedics program right
across from the hospital.
Four years after SVMC opened the Joint
Replacement Institute in the S. Mark
Taper Foundation Building, two new
hospital-based clinics have been added.
St. Vincent
Orthopaedic
Institute opened on
Oct. 17 with fi ve
career orthopaedists,
including three
generalists, a spine
surgeon, and a
qualifi ed medical
evaluator (QME).
Th e Orthopaedic Institute has eight rooms
in a newly built 4,000-square-foot clinic
on the fi rst fl oor of the S. Mark Taper
Foundation Building at 2200 W. 3rd St.,
Ste. 120 A. Th e clinic is outfi tted with
electronic medical records.
Tae M. Shin, MD and Joon Y. Koh, MD
have moved their Koreatown practices
to the St. Vincent Orthopaedic Institute.
Dr. Shin’s practice includes orthopaedic
and spine care. Dr. Koh, a renowned spine
surgeon for 40 years, focuses now on his
work as a QME.
Charles H. Alexander, MD and Yung R.
Cho, MD have
moved downstairs
from Suite 400 of
the Taper building
to Suite 120 A.
“Th e St. Vincent
Orthopaedic
Institute is
dedicated to
providing the
highest quality of
care for our patients with orthopaedic
and musculoskeletal problems,” said Dr.
Alexander. “Th at includes treatment
of fractures and joint problems due to
injuries or systemic conditions. Our new
offi ce has state-of-the-art electronic
medical records and radiographic analysis.
But our most important feature is state-
of-the art personal care.”
New imaging technology is in place from
the hospital to the hospital institutes –
from C-arm and monitor to the PACS
network. St. Vincent Orthopaedic
Institute and the St. Vincent Spine
Institute share an imaging center.
New imaging
equipment is also
available in the
hospital’s O.R.
Neurosurgeon
Fardad Mobin,
MD, FAANS,
who practices
in the adjacent
St. Vincent
Spine Institute, 2200 W. 3rd St., Ste. 120
B, said: “St. Vincent Medical Center has
intraoperative 3D fl uoroscopy, giving
unprecedented ability for placement of
instrumentation. Before a patient leaves
the O.R., instrumentation is in perfect
location.”
He also praised the O.R. team: “SVMC’s
surgical operating team is very dedicated
to performing, one of the best integrated
groups I’ve worked with.”
Dr. Mobin has extensive training and
experience in minimally-invasive spine
surgery and microscope-based spine
surgery. He is a
pioneer in image-
guided surgery,
using computer
generated
simulations
to design and
navigate safe
surgical corridors
for patient-specifi c anatomy.
St. Vincent Spine Institute, with six exam
rooms in about 4,000-square-feet of space,
opened on Oct. 31. Th e Spine Institute is
led by co-medical directors Mobin and
John J. Regan, MD. Th ey are joined by
spine surgeon Jennifer K. Sohal, MD.
Dr. Regan was an early adopter of
minimally invasive video-assisted surgical
techniques and a pioneer of cervical disc
replacement that has proven of benefi t
in fi ve-year post-trial studies. Disc
replacement is an alternative to spinal
fusion, performed for relief of radicular
pain and to preserve functional motion
between two vertebral bodies.
“We’re happy
to partner with
a hospital very
much moving
forward to be
able to share our
vision, bringing
high-quality care
to patients and
bringing research
clinical studies to the St. Vincent Spine
Institute,” said Dr. Regan.
Dr. Sohal also uses the latest in minimally
invasive techniques and has rapidly built
her practice over the past year. “I’m
excited to be working with such esteemed
colleagues and to be a part of the SVSI,”
said Dr. Sohal. “For many patients, they
live with back pain for such a long time
that they don’t even refer to it as ‘pain.’
Th ey don’t understand why they can’t even
walk one block without stopping to rest or
sit. Our goal is not to conduct surgery on
a patient. Our goal is to help increase the
quality of life, to improve someone’s life.”
Go to www.stvincentspine.com SVT
4 5
S t . V i n c e n t T i m e se x p a n s i o n o f o r t h o p a e d i c s e r v i c e s a t t h e # 5 B e s t H o s p i t a l
E x p e r i e n c e d O r t h o p a e d i s t s a n d S p i n e S u r g e o n s M o v e Pr a c t i c e s t o N e w O r t h o p a e d i c a n d S p i n e I n s t i t u t e s
John J. Regan, MDFardad Mobin, MD, FAANSCharles H. Alexander, MDBrian H. Itagaki, MD, Inc. Tae M. Shin, MD Joon Y. Koh, MD Jennifer K. Sohal, MDYung Rak Cho, MD
C o m p r e h e n s i v e
O r t h o p a e d i c S e r v i c e s
Orthopaedist Brian Itagaki, MD moved
his Little Tokyo practice to St. Vincent
Orthopaedic Institute to help develop
the hospital’s full-service orthopaedics
program. Dr. Itagaki, who is Chair of the
Department of Surgery at St. Vincent
Medical Center, sees value in having a
centralized orthopaedics program right
across from the hospital.
Four years after SVMC opened the Joint
Replacement Institute in the S. Mark
Taper Foundation Building, two new
hospital-based clinics have been added.
St. Vincent
Orthopaedic
Institute opened on
Oct. 17 with fi ve
career orthopaedists,
including three
generalists, a spine
surgeon, and a
qualifi ed medical
evaluator (QME).
Th e Orthopaedic Institute has eight rooms
in a newly built 4,000-square-foot clinic
on the fi rst fl oor of the S. Mark Taper
Foundation Building at 2200 W. 3rd St.,
Ste. 120 A. Th e clinic is outfi tted with
electronic medical records.
Tae M. Shin, MD and Joon Y. Koh, MD
have moved their Koreatown practices
to the St. Vincent Orthopaedic Institute.
Dr. Shin’s practice includes orthopaedic
and spine care. Dr. Koh, a renowned spine
surgeon for 40 years, focuses now on his
work as a QME.
Charles H. Alexander, MD and Yung R.
Cho, MD have
moved downstairs
from Suite 400 of
the Taper building
to Suite 120 A.
“Th e St. Vincent
Orthopaedic
Institute is
dedicated to
providing the
highest quality of
care for our patients with orthopaedic
and musculoskeletal problems,” said Dr.
Alexander. “Th at includes treatment
of fractures and joint problems due to
injuries or systemic conditions. Our new
offi ce has state-of-the-art electronic
medical records and radiographic analysis.
But our most important feature is state-
of-the art personal care.”
New imaging technology is in place from
the hospital to the hospital institutes –
from C-arm and monitor to the PACS
network. St. Vincent Orthopaedic
Institute and the St. Vincent Spine
Institute share an imaging center.
New imaging
equipment is also
available in the
hospital’s O.R.
Neurosurgeon
Fardad Mobin,
MD, FAANS,
who practices
in the adjacent
St. Vincent
Spine Institute, 2200 W. 3rd St., Ste. 120
B, said: “St. Vincent Medical Center has
intraoperative 3D fl uoroscopy, giving
unprecedented ability for placement of
instrumentation. Before a patient leaves
the O.R., instrumentation is in perfect
location.”
He also praised the O.R. team: “SVMC’s
surgical operating team is very dedicated
to performing, one of the best integrated
groups I’ve worked with.”
Dr. Mobin has extensive training and
experience in minimally-invasive spine
surgery and microscope-based spine
surgery. He is a
pioneer in image-
guided surgery,
using computer
generated
simulations
to design and
navigate safe
surgical corridors
for patient-specifi c anatomy.
St. Vincent Spine Institute, with six exam
rooms in about 4,000-square-feet of space,
opened on Oct. 31. Th e Spine Institute is
led by co-medical directors Mobin and
John J. Regan, MD. Th ey are joined by
spine surgeon Jennifer K. Sohal, MD.
Dr. Regan was an early adopter of
minimally invasive video-assisted surgical
techniques and a pioneer of cervical disc
replacement that has proven of benefi t
in fi ve-year post-trial studies. Disc
replacement is an alternative to spinal
fusion, performed for relief of radicular
pain and to preserve functional motion
between two vertebral bodies.
“We’re happy
to partner with
a hospital very
much moving
forward to be
able to share our
vision, bringing
high-quality care
to patients and
bringing research
clinical studies to the St. Vincent Spine
Institute,” said Dr. Regan.
Dr. Sohal also uses the latest in minimally
invasive techniques and has rapidly built
her practice over the past year. “I’m
excited to be working with such esteemed
colleagues and to be a part of the SVSI,”
said Dr. Sohal. “For many patients, they
live with back pain for such a long time
that they don’t even refer to it as ‘pain.’
Th ey don’t understand why they can’t even
walk one block without stopping to rest or
sit. Our goal is not to conduct surgery on
a patient. Our goal is to help increase the
quality of life, to improve someone’s life.”
Go to www.stvincentspine.com SVT
4 5
S t . V i n c e n t T i m e se x p a n s i o n o f o r t h o p a e d i c s e r v i c e s a t t h e # 5 B e s t H o s p i t a l
E x p e r i e n c e d O r t h o p a e d i s t s a n d S p i n e S u r g e o n s M o v e Pr a c t i c e s t o N e w O r t h o p a e d i c a n d S p i n e I n s t i t u t e s
John J. Regan, MDFardad Mobin, MD, FAANSCharles H. Alexander, MDBrian H. Itagaki, MD, Inc. Tae M. Shin, MD Joon Y. Koh, MD Jennifer K. Sohal, MDYung Rak Cho, MD
Th e SVMC Business Development and Marketing team is pleased to welcome the addition of Grace Kim. Grace brings with her a wealth of experience and knowledge in the healthcare arena. For the past eight years, Grace has been working with the Korean American Medical Association of Southern California (KAMASC) and has not only gained a high level of respect, but also established strong working relationships within the Korean physician community.
Grace is eager to build and strengthen St. Vincent’s commitment to our growing Korean community. Grace is married to a local podiatrist and they have a healthy, happy fi ve year old son. Grace is fl uent in both English and Korean. You may contact Grace at (213) 434-3521 or [email protected]. SVT
General surgeon Willie Suhr, MD is a pioneer and team player at St. Vincent Medical Center. In the last 35 years, he has seen the profession change in many ways, from large cuts to pinhole incisions, from individual doctor-patient experiences to highly documented handling of cases.
On a morning in July, Dr. Suhr fi nished assisting a case in the OR and had a moment to refl ect on the profession. “Nowadays, the practice of medicine is changing drastically and rapidly,” said Dr. Suhr. “Th ere’s too much paperwork, a very bureaucratic atmosphere.”
Dr. Suhr is one of the fi rst Korean-American physicians to join the staff at St. Vincent Medical Center, second only to orthopaedic surgeon Joon Y. Koh, MD, who just joined the St. Vincent Orthopaedic Institute.
Since joining the staff of St. Vincent Medical Center in 1976, Dr. Suhr has surgically removed thousands of cancerous tumors, begun a medical society in his living room, and raised three successful children. His eldest son is a general surgeon in Minneapolis.
Th e Korean American Graduates Medical Association (KAGMA) was started in Dr. Suhr’s residence, specifi cally for younger
physicians. KAGMA is comprised of Korean-Americans who have graduated from American medical schools. Dr. Suhr is a charter member of the Korean-American Medical Association of Southern California (KAMASC), comprised mostly of graduates of Korean medical schools. Th e two service groups perform outreach to the community and provide guidance to new physicians and even to pre-medical students.
Dr. Suhr invests in the continuation of the medical profession by mentoring young physicians and providing knowledge from his own experience. He receives something in return: “I learn more innovative techniques from them and get an energy boost.” SVT
Vincentian Spirit Award of the Year
Korean American Graduates Medical Association (KAGMA) held its 6th annual community health fair on Oct. 8 at St. Vincent Medical Center. Th e day’s events included lectures by physicians and dietitians on topics ranging from: pediatric to geriatric health, healthy eyes, anti-aging, healthy diet and nutrition. Attendees listened to doctors throughout the morning and were entitled to free consultations thereafter.
Free lunch was provided by St. Vincent
Medical Center, catered by School Food Blooming Roll. In the afternoon, nurses administered free fl u shots and health screenings (including hep B and cholesterol screenings.)
Attendance Handled by New Call Center
St. Vincent Medical Center recently contracted with a call center to better assist Korean patients, their families, and the entire community. For example, 300 people used the call center to register for the KAGMA health fair. Callers now use it on a daily basis: dial the hospital’s main number, (213) 484-7111, listen for the prompt (spoken in Korean), then press 8 to be connected with with a Korean-speaking operator.
Th e operator stays on the phone until the caller’s needs are met, whether communicating with Imaging Services or just being transferred to a patient’s room.
KAGMA Today
Th e health fair was one of many community health outreach events that the physician-members of KAGMA perform throughout the year. SVMC urologist Samuel Lee, MD said that, in addition to the health fairs, KAGMA members also prepare future physicians for the profession of medicine. “We bring the community to our campus (SVMC) through these educational events,” said Dr. Lee. “SVMC has been the neighborhood hospital for the longest time.”
Vincentian Spirit Award of the Year
As Community Outreach Coordinator, Erika Bermudez provides excellence in serving low-income and underserved individuals and sets an example for co-workers and clients by incorporating the mission and values of the Daughters of Charity. She took the lead in conducting regular outreach at the Mexican Consular Office and in Hispanic communities. SVT
36
S t . V i n c e
n t T i m e s
Erika Bermudez
Multicultural Health Awareness and
Prevention (MHAP) Center
Vincentian Spirit Award Winner
August 2011
Vincentian Spirit Award
awards
meet Grace
Reggie Bueno, RN, on the 7th Floor, wins the third DAISY award on Sept. 19, honored for extraordinary clinical skill and compassionate care. From left, Kim Deese, CNO. At right, Director of 7th Floor Oncology/Nephrology Jo Aguilar.
DAISY Award
Tejani Sikuru
Central Processing and Distribution
Vincentian Spirit Award Winner
September 2011
T.J. Sikuru is known for his friendly attitude and compassionate service towards patients and guests.
He always shows the utmost respect for patients and visitors by smiling, greeting them first and asking if they need help finding a certain location. SVT
Pride of the CCU quarterly winner Victoria Arreglo, RN celebrated July 20 with President/CEO Cathy Fickes, Kim Deese, CNO, and Director of the CCU Sandy Klatt. Victoria was selected for this honor by her peers in the CCU.
Interventional cardiologist Narinder Batra, MD earns a Guardian Angel Award from a grateful patient on Aug. 9
Pulmonologist Brian S. Kahn, MD earns a Guardian Angel Award from a grateful patient on Aug. 9.
6
community outreach: Koreatown
KAGMA founder
Reina Cruz
Central Processing and Distribution
Award Winner of the Year
Instrument Tech Reina Cruz was named Vincentian Spirit Award Winner of the Year during the culmination of Heritage Week. Reina is known for her leadership in her department and her attention to the details that ensure O.R. instrumentation is sterile for our patients. SVT
KAGMA doctors presented wellness topics to the community in St. Vincent Medical Center’s Seton Auditorium on Oct. 8. Nurses administered free fl u shots and screenings for the attendees.
Willie Suhr, MD on his way into the O.R. on a morning in July.
COVER STORYSt. Vincent Orthopaedic Institute and St. Vincent Spine Institute, two new hospital clinics, open in the S. Mark Taper Foundation Building. Page 4
SERVICE TO THE KOREAN COMMUNITY The KAGMA physicians’ group holds a large health fair on campus and provides free fl u shots and screenings for attendees. Learn about surgeon Willie Suhr’s connection to the service organization.
Page 3
SVMC ALIGNS WITH CONSULATES IN L.A.Letters of agreement with Consuls General from Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Korea reinforce the mission of St. Vincent Medical Center and the Daughters of Charity to serve the sick poor. Page 7
St. Vincent Times is a publication for St. Vincent Medical Staff and Associates. Please submit articles as soon as possible prior to or after an event for the earliest inclusion in the newsletter by e-mailing information to [email protected] or by calling (213) 484-5593. Medical Staff submissions may also be sent to [email protected]. Or call (213) 484-5525.
Ronald S. Fishbach, MD – CHIEF OF MEDICAL STAFF
Cathy Fickes – PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Sr. Sylvia Parks, DC – CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Physician of the Year – Dr. Arase
When Gerard Deegan, RGN, RN, ASEP placed 11th in the World Championships 8K cross-country competition in July, his O.R. colleagues were the fi rst to spread the news. Orthopaedic surgeon Ed McPherson, MD reported Gerard’s continual success as a
cyclist/runner and an all-around great O.R. nurse. Gerard, who has worked at SVMC since 1994, has a lot of respect for his colleagues too.
“We have great surgeons, great doctors here,” he said. “Th e O.R. is a family.” SVT
NOVEMBER 2011
On His Toes in O.R., and
Everywhere He Goes
S t . V i n c e 2 7
n t T i m e selcome to fall, which offi cially
started with warm days and cool
wet rains, unusual for Southern
California but a treat nevertheless.
As you can see from this issue of the St. Vincent Times, there is
so much happening at the hospital that we have packed this issue
with information.
I would like to thank everyone at the hospital. Th is year we
received an $87,693.00 award from Premier for our Quality
Improvement Initiatives. Th ese Quality Initiatives, Core Measures
and Patient Satisfaction Goals have now become key descriptors
of the service we provide at St. Vincent. Th ey contributed to
our award as the 5th Best Hospital in Southern California; but
more importantly they also speak to how well we take care of our
patients, in body, mind and soul. I believe that these scores and
this award refl ect how each one of you takes your calling in this
healthcare ministry and provides holistic care to our patients. We
are always endeavoring to exceed ourselves.
St. Vincent Medical Center Board of Directors and members
of the Medical Staff met to do some Strategic Planning for
the Medical Center. Th e outcome of the Strategic Planning
is to concentrate over the course of the next couple of years on
expanding development of some top items which are:
Evaluate and raise the level of our Emergency Department to •
a 911 Receiving ER
Expand and recruit more physicians in our Primary Care •
services
Improve Quality and Patient Satisfaction as seen through •
eff ective communication
Greater inclusion of physicians in decision and policy •
development including technology acquisition
Expand market reach and develop a brand through focused •
marketing
Expand Oncology, Cardiac, Cardiovascular and Th oracic •
service lines through service line teams
As always, fall is a hectic time of year as children reorient to school
and we prepare for the holidays. I hope you are taking time to
enjoy the change of the season. Most of all, I am delighted that you
are here working with us at St. Vincent Medical Center. SVT
c e o n o t e s
President/CEO
CA
TH
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St.
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Med
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ter
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St. Vincent Times
m i s s i o n i n t e g r a t i o n : c o n s u l a t e s
g o t c o n c e r n s ?Physicians may report safety or quality of care concerns:
PHYSICIAN QUALITY HOTLINE: (213) 207-5783.
Call the VALUES LINE at (800) 371-2176 or go online at www.dchsvaluesline.org to report concerns
confi dentially and anonymously.
Gerard Deegan is a great athlete and O.R. nurse.
Welcome Sr. Joan Gibson, DC
Sr. Joan Gibson, DC has joined SVMC to manage the St. Vincent Conservancy, which is full of relics representing the Vincentian charism.
Sr. Joan has a career background in education and helped craft the merger that became Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory
School in San Francisco.
As principal at Cathedral High School in 1987, she saw the fi scal necessity of pooling resources with Sacred Heart, the boys’ school, and worked to form a unifi ed prep. school that enjoys excellent student scores
and a fi ne reputation. SVT
St. Vincent Medical Center provides screenings and education to the community throughout the year.
Meetings with consuls general recently helped to forge even stronger alliances and strengthen the bond between the people of the community and the fi rst hospital in Los Angeles.
SVMC Aligns with Korean and Latin American Consulates
Korean Consul General of Los Angeles Yeon-sung Shin signs a letter of agreement with SVMC on Sept. 12 to provide free health screenings for the community at the Korean Consulate.
Consuls General from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador sign letters of agreement with SVMC on Aug. 11 to provide ongoing community preventive screenings.
Sr. Joan Gibson, DC shows SVMC associates around the Historical Conservancy during Heritage Week in September.
Th e fi rst in a series of cross-specialty doctor networking mixers is held on Sept. 22. Above: Drs. Helen Kang, Daniel Sanchez, Pilsoo Oh, Patrick Takahashi, George Yamauchi, Anita Kriplani, Alan Jasper, and Jennifer K. Sohal. Below: President/CEO Cathy Fickes with Drs. Julio Guzman, Th omas Sevilla, and Luis Valle.
From left, Randal Arase, MD wins Physician of the Year. He is presented with a commendation by St. Vincent Medical Center Chief of Staff Ronald S. Fishbach, MD.
SVMC Doctors’ Mixer
is here...
1st hospital in Los Angeles
Th e CARE sepsis prevention
team eff ort has generated useful,
evidence-based guidelines
hospitalwide.
Th e Nursing Protocol empowers the RN to obtain vital assessment and diagnostic data to quickly identify patients in the earliest stages of sepsis.
Th e Sepsis Physician Order Set contains the latest evidence-based medical interventions for initiating early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) for the septic patient.
Together, these tools and collaboration between nursing and medicine are key to reaching our goal of reducing sepsis-related mortality. SVT
St. V incent Times2131 W. 3rd St.Los Angeles, CA 90057www.StVincentMedicalCenter.comwww.facebook.com/stvincentmedicalcenter
NOVEMBER 2011 publication of St. Vincent Medical Center p
Respect Compassionate Service Simplicity Advocacy for the Poor Inventiveness to Infinity Respect Compassionate Service Simplicity Advocacy for the Poor Inventiveness to Infinity
system wel lnessAssociates in local health ministries throughout the Daughters of Charity Health System (DCHS) will participate this year in a wellness program with the catchy mantra: Be Well, Work
Well, Live Well. Th ere will be programs that promote staying healthy and enjoying better lifestyles.
One of the fi rst steps is to fi ll out a confi dential online Blue Shield of California Health Risk Assessment that will ask for screening values like cholesterol and glucose levels, and BMI measurements.
To that end, Wellness Fairs will be held on Nov. 1, 7, and 8 to provide free screenings for associates so they can “get their numbers” for the online assessment.
Th ere will also be a Benefi ts & Wellness Fair in conference rooms on Nov. 7, where associates can learn about health coverage options and services. Open Enrollment is from Nov. 7-18, a time during which associates may make changes to their benefi ts choices. During Open Enrollment, associates may go online at www.mydchsbenefi ts.com and make changes to their current coverage and benefi ts options for the coming 2012 calendar year. All associates need to participate in open enrollment this year because there are some changes to healthcare options.
As part of Wellness Training, DCHS requires that associates take the online confi dential wellness assessment at www. blueshieldca.com/hlr no later than Nov. 18. SVT
nurses’ phones Th e internal wireless system is being upgraded on Nov. 7, giving more capacity for patient-nurse and nurse-doctor communications. Th e goal is to improve the patient experience.
Approximately 100 new handsets will be provided to nurses for use in receiving calls from their patients and for making calls to doctors at the bedside of a patient. SVT
please l ike usSt. Vincent Medical Center has a Facebook page where you’ll fi nd all the hospital’s events and
award-winners. Take a look at what’s on www.facebook.com/stvincentmedicalcenter. SVT
VINCENTIAN VALUES: VINCENTIAN VALUES: