GATEWAYSa publication for our employees and academic partners

january2014

issueN°63

2013 YEAR IN REVIEWpgs.2-6

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2013 Year in Review2013 was a year filled with accolades andachievements at the Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center Campus. The followingis a short list highlighting just a few of ourhospital’s incredible accomplishments.

Mischer Neuroscience Institute Awarded AdvancedCertification for Comprehensive Stroke Centers The Mischer Neuroscience Institute (MNI) atMemorial Hermann-Texas Medical Centerwas designated as a Comprehensive StrokeCenter by the American HeartAssociation/American Stroke Associationand The Joint Commission. The certificationsolidifies MNI’s place in an elite group ofproviders focused on highly specialized andcomplex stroke care.

Life Flight® Filmed for National TV SeriesMemorial Hermann’s air-medical transportservice was selected as the subject of anational TV docu-drama series that will airon the TNT Network in early 2014. Formonths, film crews followed employees,physicians and the Life Flight crew as theycared for the critically ill and injured.

Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital Performs 10th HeartGift SurgeryOn May 20, 2013, Children’s MemorialHermann Hospital gave the gift of open-heartsurgery to a 3-year-old from the DominicanRepublic who was suffering from a congenitalheart condition. These surgeries are madepossible by the generosity of the medical teamat Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospitaland the HeartGift Foundation, a nonprofitorganization whose mission is to provide life-saving heart surgery to children fromdeveloping countries around the world wherespecialized medical treatment is unavailable.

A DAY THAT CHANGED OUR COUNTRY

Fifty years ago on Nov. 22, 1963, at 12:30 p.m., our countrywas forever changed. It was on that day, in Dallas, that

John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States ofAmerica, was assassinated.

Although I was not yet born, what happened on that dayresonates with me. I cannot watch the infamous Zapruderfilm without getting teary eyed. It is unimaginable. It is sohard to see the response of the Secret Service agent jumpingon the back of the car to protect the President and First Lady.It is heartbreaking to see Jackie Kennedy reaching over andcaring for her husband. The events of that day proved to be asignificant time in our history and one that has had a profoundimpact on our country.

For James "Red" Duke, Jr., M.D., it was personal. He wasa 35-year-old fourth-year surgery resident working at ParklandHospital in Dallas. He was eating lunch when a desperatevoice came over the hospital’s speaker calling for the chief ofsurgery. A colleague who was sitting with Dr. Duke grabbed atelephone to find out what was happening. “The President hasbeen shot,” he said.

When Dr. Duke arrived in the emergency room, it was aharrowing and chaotic scene, and he knew then that PresidentKennedy had been mortally wounded. Dr. Duke doesn’t like totalk much about his memories from that day, but recently he’sbeen the subject of multiple news stories run in observance ofthe dark anniversary.

I am so proud to get to work alongside Dr. Duke – notbecause of the history, but because of the genuine person thathe is. I often tell people that I have never met anyone whocares more about people than Dr. Red Duke – he isremarkable.

As a result of the events that took place in Dallas, ourcountry lost much of the innocence and confidence thatPresident Kennedy had helped it regain. A collective griefsettled over the nation, and here we are, half a century later,living in a world that President Kennedy could never haveimagined – a world where Twitter or texts would have likelybroken the news to most of us, a world where bullet-proof glassmay have saved his life, a world that is in many ways muchdarker and more complicated.

And yet we go on. In the midst of our modern lives, thereis still much hope, much joy and much room for greatness. Letus continue to fight what JFK called in his inaugural addressthe “common enemies of man,” including poverty anddisease. And let us remember the President’s closing words inthat speech: “All this will not be finished in the first onehundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousanddays, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhapsin our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.”Let us continue.

Talk soon, Craig E

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The Joint Commission Awards HVI Advanced VADCertificationMemorial Hermann Heart & VascularInstitute-Texas Medical Center received TheJoint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™for its ventricular assist device (VAD)destination therapy program. Thecertification recognizes the HVI’s dedicationto continuous compliance with The JointCommission’s rigorous standards forhealthcare quality and safety in disease-specific care.

HVI Becomes anAmerican HeartAssociation-Accredited STEMIReceiving CenterMemorialHermann Heart &Vascular Institute-Texas MedicalCenter wasdesignated as anAccredited STEMIReceiving Center

by the American Heart Association (AHA)and Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care,making it one of only two hospitals in theGreater Houston area and one of 26

nationwide to achieve this accreditation. The accreditation recognizes the Institute’scompliance with heart attack treatmentcriteria set forth by the AHA’s Mission:Lifeline program and its commitment tocontinually improving STEMI care. Inconcurrence with the accreditation, the HVIwas also awarded the American HeartAssociation’s Mission: Lifeline Gold QualityAchievement Award for heart attack care,which recognizes the Institute’s commitmentand success in implementing the higheststandard of care for heart attack patients.

MEMORIAL HERMANN SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY TO SPONSOR BP MS 150

Memorial Hermann stepped up itsfight against multiple sclerosis

recently by signing a multi-yearagreement to sponsor the annualNational Multiple Sclerosis Society(NMSS) BP MS 150 Houston to Austinbike ride, dedicated to raisingawareness and funds for those livingwith multiple sclerosis.

The three-year agreement, startingin 2014, will increase MemorialHermann’s support to NMSS in its battleto find new treatments and advances inresearch. For the past 15 consecutiveyears, Memorial Hermann hassponsored a 150-plus member teamconsisting of employees and physicians,along with their families and friends. Inaddition, many of our employees haveserved as volunteers for the race.

Under this agreement, MemorialHermann will serve as the officialhealthcare sponsor for the race,providing medical supplies and helpingto recruit additional medical volunteersfor the two-day ride. Two of MemorialHermann’s leading Institutes – theIRONMAN Sports Medicine Institute(ISMI) and Mischer NeuroscienceInstitute (MNI) will also providevaluable information and insights toriders as they train and raise funds.

The ISMI will support the healthand fitness needs of athletes as theytrain to participate in the historic 30th

annual BP MS 150 bike ride, while MNIwill help to highlight the research andtreatment being conducted in Houstonto help people suffering with multiplesclerosis. MNI is the largest and mostcomprehensive neuroscience programin Texas, while the IRONMAN SportsMedicine Institute is a comprehensivesports medicine clinic providing elite-level care for athletes of all ages and skilllevels.

“This agreement represents abeneficial partnership between ourhealth system and an organization thathas been on the frontlines of fighting adisease that afflicts more than 2.3million people worldwide,” said JerryWolinsky, M.D., a neurologist affiliatedwith Memorial Hermann-Texas MedicalCenter. “We’ve had a corporate teamannually participate in the bike ride. Butthis agreement gives us an opportunityto engage in a more meaningful andsignificant way by enlisting our body ofhealth experts to help highlight theresearch and treatment in Houston.”

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, oftendisabling disease that attacks the centralnervous system (the brain, spinal cordand optic nerves). Symptoms may bemild, such as numbness in the limbs, orsevere, such as paralysis or loss of vision.The progress, severity and specificsymptoms of MS are unpredictable andvary from one person to another.

However, new treatments and advancesin research are giving new hope topeople affected by the disease.

Riders and other participants will receive information from the twoInstitutes through BP MS 150 emails, social media sites andmemorialhermann.org. In addition to BP MS 150, Memorial Hermann alsosponsors such events as IRONMANTexas, IRONMAN 70.3 Texas, the ShellHouston Open, the U.S. Men’s ClayCourt Championship and the ChevronHouston Marathon. E

Dmitry Yashkin / Shutterstock.com

On Dec. 5, Partners in Caring (PIC)hosted the Employee of the Year

luncheon for Memorial Hermann-TexasMedical Center and Children’sMemorial Hermann Hospital in theHerman Conference Center. The annualemployee awards, which are basedentirely on nominations fromcolleagues, began in the late 1980s tohonor employees who go above andbeyond in their roles at work, with bothpatients and colleagues.

The celebration began with aninvocation, led by Chaplain DirectorBrent Peery, D.Min., BCC, followed by awelcome from Susie Distefano, chiefexecutive officer of Children’s MemorialHermann Hospital. The 17 nominees –eight from Memorial Hermann-TMCand nine from Children’s MemorialHermann Hospital – were asked to standas members of the executive leadershipteam read their names and highlightsfrom their nominations, which weresubmitted by their peers.

The first award, the 2013 Employeeof the Year for Memorial Hermann-TMC, went to James Graber, R.N., onthe ACE unit. It was presented by ChiefOperating Officer Tom Flanagan, whoread the following segment fromGraber’s nomination:

James consistently connects with hispatients. He takes the time to get to knowthem personally. He cares for them

patiently and compassionately.Recently, James had a patient who wasdifficult and quite grumpy. When hecame in the room, he sat with her,explained everything that he was doingand what to expect for the rest of the day.Later in the day, the patient asked himwhere he had been and he replied "I wasrunning from the zombies in thehallway." The patient laughed so hard,he had really made her day. He was ableto make his most unhappy patient laughthat day which inspired the entire ACEteam.

Graber has been a nurse withMemorial Hermann-TMC ever since hegraduated from nursing school eight

years ago. Before that he made his livingas a freelance musician, playing theFrench horn for a number of differentclients including the Houston BalletOrchestra and the Houston GrandOpera. He says his favorite part aboutbeing a nurse at Memorial Hermann-TMC is serving the patients he workswith.

“I just imagine my family membersin their same shoes and think, ‘How canI best serve them?’” he said. “I have metso many wonderful people here. Mycolleagues are absolutely wonderful too– I couldn’t do my job without their helpand support.”

The 2013 Employee of the Year for

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2013 Year in Review

Forensic Nursing Team Recognized for TheirCommitment to Victims of Sexual Abuse andDomestic ViolenceMemorial Hermann Health System forensicnurses were honored by the Houston AreaWomen’s Center for their dedication to aidingvictims of interpersonal violence. TheHouston Area Women’s Center, a member ofUnited Way®, has provided services tovictims of domestic and sexual violence in theHouston community since 1977.

U.S.News & World Report Recognizes Memorial Hermann HospitalsMemorial Hermann-TMC was designated asone of America’s Best Hospitals for 2013-2014 by U.S.News & World Report andranked among the nation’s top 50 hospitalsin nephrology. Children’s MemorialHermann Hospital was ranked among thenation’s top 50 hospitals in nephrology,gastroenterology, GI surgery, neurology andneurosurgery for 2013-2014 by U.S.News &World Report. TIRR Memorial Hermannranked No.3 nationally in rehabilitation, No.5 among all hospitals in the Houston metroarea, and was rated the eighth best hospitalin Texas.

Life FlightCompletes First In-AirECMO TransportMemorial Hermann

Life Flight® transported its first-ever patienton extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO) after a year and a half ofcollaboration, preparation and planningbetween the Life Flight team, the Center forAdvanced Heart Failure at MemorialHermann Heart & Vascular Institute-TMCand UTHealth Medical School.

2013 EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCED

James Graber, R.N., foreground, was named 2013 Employee of the Year for Memorial Hermann-TexasMedical Center.

Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospitalwas awarded to Amanda Davis, R.N.,CPN, project manager for education forCritical Care Nursing. Holly Elliot, chiefof hospital operations for Children’sMemorial Hermann Hospital, read thefollowing:

Amanda is one of those nurses whois the persona of compassion,engagement and professionalism in allthat she does. I have never heard herspeak negatively about a situation,another individual or express frustrationwith a difficult patient or family. Shegives 100 percent of her time to her roleand works tirelessly to assure that hertasks are always on time, completelyaccurate and are customized to assurethat staff will find the informationbeneficial and ready to be applied totheir clinical setting. Many of thesuccesses that Children's MemorialHermann Hospital has received are adirect result of the work that AmandaDavis has either initiated, promoted orchampioned. She truly represents theexemplary employee and is considered tobe 'pure gold' when it comes to being anasset for Children's Memorial HermannHospital.

Davis has worked at Children’sMemorial Hermann Hospital for 5 1/2years.

“In my role as interim educator, myfavorite part of my job is helping thebedside nurses and supporting them as

they care for our patients,” Davis said.“They are the real heroes and it is mymission to help support them and tohelp them provide the best possiblecare. I work with an amazing group ofprofessionals in General Pediatrics atChildren’s Memorial Hermann Hospitalwho are dedicated to the patients that wecare for each day. It is an honor and aprivilege to work with them.”

The individuals honored alongsideGraber and Davis included the followingnominees:

For the adult service lines atMemorial Hermann-TMC: Debra Green,unit coordinator of the ORCU; DonnaHoke, R.N.; Catering Manager JamesJay; Deborah Page, R.N.; Chaplain

Logan Rutherford, M.Div., BCC; Tonivon Wenckstern, administrative directorof the Texas Trauma Institute; and HopeWyndham, unit coordinator for thetransplant medical surgical unit.

For Children’s Memorial HermannHospital: Administrative Director forChildren’s Memorial Hermann HospitalKaren Brumley, R.N., Tiffany Davis,R.N., Tracie Hendon, R.N., NoraMcCollum, R.N., Melissa McNeal, R.N.,social worker Kristen Soudelier, HeidiThompson, R.N., and Tamechia Whitefrom respiratory therapy.

Congratulations to the 2013Employees of the Year and all of theoutstanding nominees! E

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Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital and Heart& Vascular Institute Awarded President’s GoldCircle Breakthrough of the Year AwardsChildren’s Memorial Hermann Hospitalreceived the System’s 2013 President’s GoldCircle Breakthrough of the Year in Qualityand Safety Award. The Heart & VascularInstitute was honored with the System’s 2013President’s Gold Circle Breakthrough of theYear in Growth Award.

Houstonia MagazineRecognizes MemorialHermann Physicians asHouston’s Top DoctorsNumerous physicianswho practice atMemorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center

and Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospitalwere recognized in Houstonia magazine’sinaugural Best Doctors issue. The guidenames over 150 Memorial Hermann-affiliated physicians across 50 differentspecialties as being the best in their field.

Physicians at the Texas Trauma Institute DevelopAward-Winning New Tourniquet for Combat andCivilian UseMemorial Hermann-TMC emergencymedicine physician and United States NavyReserve Lt. Keith Gates, M.D., along withCol. (Ret.) John B. Holcomb, M.D., directorof the Texas Trauma Institute at MemorialHermann-TMC and chief of the division ofAcute Care Surgery at UTHealth MedicalSchool, developed a new kind of tourniquetdesigned to treat soldiers and civilianssuffering from high-level bilateral injuries.Called the JETT, the new device was selectedas one of the Top 20 Innovative Products for2013 by the EMS World Training Conference.

Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital selected Amanda Davis, R.N., CPN, as the 2013 Employee of theYear. Amanda is centered in the photo above, surrounded by colleagues.

For many of us, January marks a time when we can beginanew. It’s the start of a new year, and an opportunity to

reset goals, re-evaluate priorities and generally examine ourlives. Whether you want to lose weight, volunteer, achieve abetter work-life balance or enrich your career, the MemorialHermann-Texas Medical Center Campus is here to help:

Resolution: I want to lose weightAlthough maintaining an exercise or diet program can bequite a challenge amid our busy work and personal lives, smallsteps can be the key to reaching your weight loss goals. Seebelow for a list of on-Campus wellness initiatives designed tohelp you stay on track:

� Join the wellness gym – it is free of charge and open to allemployees.

� Participate in on-Campus fitness classes, includingZumba and Cardio Strength Interval training.

� Attend employee nutrition seminars, which take placeperiodically throughout the year.

� Food and Nutrition Services has partnered withMyFitnessPal®, available as a smart phone application oronline, to list the nutritional content of many of theiritems.

� Employees insured through Memorial Hermann HealthInsurance Company may set up a nutrition counselingappointment through the Wellness Center. A physicianreferral with a diagnosis is required.

� Follow these seven healthy diet tips from SharonSmalling, M.P.H., R.D., L.D., clinical dietitian specialist:1. Watch for terms that indicate the food is probably

higher in fat such as fried, Hollandaise, cream,cheese, battered, golden brown or marinated in oil.

2. Fill up on fat-free foods. Make salads, broth-basedvegetable soups, grains and beans the staple of yourmeal; order double portions of steamed vegetables.

3. Downsize your entrée: have the meat portion be thesize of a side dish. Share an entrée with a friend orsave half for lunch the next day.

4. Be cautious of add-ons such as salad dressings,gravies, butter/spreads and cream cheese. Thoughsalt doesn't add calories, it can raise your bloodpressure and cause fluid retention, so push the shakerto the other side of the table.

5. Remember sweet beverages can add many calories toa meal. Consider choosing only calorie-freebeverages (or skim/low fat milk) with meals.

6. Eat slowly and taste every bite. Savor the taste of thefood!

7. If you must have dessert, split it with your co-workers!Or, pick up a piece of fresh fruit or Greek yogurt,which is always available in our cafeteria.

For more information about the above initiatives, or tosuggest employee wellness ideas for the Campus, contactSharon Smalling at 713.704.5800 orsharon.smalling@memorialhermann.org.

Resolution: I want to give backJoin Partners in Caring (PIC), an employee-driven grass-rootsorganization focused on supporting the mission and vision ofthe Memorial Hermann Health System by connecting,inspiring and engaging employees. Members participate instrategically planned events, assist with events that supportthe Greater Houston community, organize and participate inrecognition events that celebrate the efforts and talents ofcolleagues, and work with fellow committee members to helpmeet the System’s needs. To learn more about joining Partnersin Caring, contact Faizbano Rayani at 713.704.2074 orfaizbano.rayani@memorialhermann.org. Employees can alsoapply to volunteer with Heroes in Health, the MemorialHermann Foundation’s young professional advocacy group,which supports Memorial Hermann and its many facilities,

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KEEPING YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS: A GUIDE FOR MEMORIAL HERMANN EMPLOYEES

2013 Year in Review

Memorial Hermann-TMC Once Again Ranked asOne of the Nation’s Leading Academic MedicalCenters by UHCUniversity HealthSystem Consortium(UHC), a national organization comprisingmost of the nation’s leading academicmedical centers with a focus on quality andaccountability, once again ranked MemorialHermann-TMC as one of the 25 top-performing academic medical centers in the nation. Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital

Performs First Intra-Arterial ChemotherapyProcedure in TexasChildren’s Memorial Hermann Hospitalpediatric ocular oncologist Amy C. Schefler,M.D., performed a landmark procedure

when she administered intra-arterialchemotherapy to a young retinoblastomapatient. This was the first recorded instanceof this ever being done in the state of Texas.By utilizing this state-of-the-art technique,Schefler is able to deliver treatment directly to the cancer site itself thereby avoiding thecharacteristically devastating side effects of standard systemic intravenouschemotherapy.

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clinicians and research projects. For more information or tobecome a member, email heroesinhealth@memorialhermann.org.

Resolution: I want to achieve a better work-life balanceDo you suffer from stress? Do you need extra support in yourlife? Sign up for the Employee Assistance Program throughthe askHR tab on InSite. The Employee Assistance Programcan help with issues that occupy your time and attention,including work problems, depression and anxiety, personal orfamily alcohol and substance abuse problems, relationshipissues, parenting, legal concerns, financial problems, theneed to identify child and eldercare resources, and traumarecovery. For more information, call the Human Resources“askHR” team at 713.456.6447.

Resolution: I want to enrich my careerThe Education department works with employees to maintainand strengthen the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviorsnecessary for providing quality care and services to ourpatients and their families. Employees are encouraged toexplore the courses offered on the Partners in Learningsection on InSite and to speak with their managers anddirectors about any additional educational or growthopportunities available. For classes outside the System,Memorial Hermann offers tuition reimbursement programs;information about tuition reimbursement can be found on theEmployee Self Service section on InSite.

In addition to traditional coursework, employees can growprofessionally by joining one of the many committees orgroups on Campus. Whether your passion is qualityimprovement, employee safety, nursing research, fallprevention or proper hand hygiene, the Memorial Hermann-TMC Campus has a place for you to share your knowledge andskills. To learn more about how you can make an impactoutside of your current role, talk to your manager or directorabout your interests or contact the Education department.

Resolution: I want to manage my finances betterDid you know Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Centeroffers you a free Principal financial representative? You cansign up for one-on-one meetings to discuss saving forretirement, reducing your current taxable income, enrollingin or making changes to your current retirement plan, addingadditional savings options, including Roth IRAs and other

investments, adding life or disability insurance options, anddrafting a personalized, action-oriented guide for retirement.To make an appointment, call 713.456.MHHR (6447) or sendan email to Shola Age at age.shola@principal.com.

Consider joining a credit union to save money on bankfees and to learn more about how to best manage your money.The Memorial Hermann Credit Union (Memorial CreditUnion) and Bayou City Federal Credit Union are both onsiteand available to employees who wish to join. Memorial CreditUnion is located on the 2nd floor of the Memorial HermannMedical Plaza. Member benefits include checking accountswith free checking, investment accounts, VISA check cardwith worldwide ATM access, MasterCard and VISA creditcards with no annual fees, holiday and vacation savingsaccounts, and low-rate loans for automobiles, billconsolidation, vacations, appliances and more. The creditunion also offers home improvement loans, mortgages andhome equity lines of credit as well as personal financialcounselors who can help you navigate which services are bestfor you and your family. To learn more, go towww.memorialcu.org or call 713.778.6300. The Bayou CityFederal Credit Union is also available on the Ground Floor ofJones Pavilion and offers comparable financial services; tolearn more call 713.704.3980.

Resolution: I want to do my part to help the environmentMany important hospital safety measures, albeit necessary,can lead to a lot of waste: we are required to frequently usewater and hand-sanitizer in order to maintain proper handhygiene, throw away gloves and personal protectiveequipment after each use, and properly discard documentsthat contain confidential patient information. Nevertheless,there are numerous things we can do around the workplace tohelp reduce our waste. Take your morning commute, forexample. Is it possible to carpool or use public transportation?Walk or ride a bike? In addition to helping the environment,you can also save money on gas (see previous resolution). Try to save energy by unplugging anything that isn’t beingused, such as cell phone chargers. You should also goelectronic as much as possible to avoid unnecessary paperwaste: use your phone, email, PowerPoint presentations andweb resources instead of hard copies. Finally, avoid buyingbottled water and disposable coffee cups – use washablecommuter cups instead. E

Campus Exceeds Fundraising Goal for the 2013 American Heart Association Heart WalkThe Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center Campus surpassed its fundraising goal for the 2013 American Heart Association

Houston Heart Walk by raising over $52,000. All-in-all, the Campus sponsored 53 teams with 719 walkers at the event, which tookplace Nov. 16 at Reliant Park. The Heart Walk facility leaders, which included Kim Vu, Leah Blackwell and Hope Moser, worked tirelessly

in the months leading up to the walk, organizing multiple fundraising events and promoting the cause. All proceeds went to theAmerican Heart Association to help fight heart disease and stroke through research and education. Thank you to all who participated!

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ADVANCING HEALTH BY ADVANCING QUALITY OUTCOMES

Earlier this fall, Memorial Hermannlaunched its new advertising

campaign with our new tagline –Advancing Health. It’s our BrandPromise to the people we serve. Todeliver on our Brand Promise requireschanging the way we see ourselves andhow others see us by evolving our Brandto stand for more than hospitals andcare delivery. That’s the idea behindOne Memorial Hermann. When webring care delivery, physicians andhealth solutions together as OneMemorial Hermann, we become wellpositioned to deliver on our promise ofadvancing health.

As we continue to evolve our Brand,delivering on our promise of advancinghealth requires a continuedcommitment to providing error-freehealth care as we maintain patient safetyas our core value. That’s why MemorialHermann embarked on our journey tobecome a high-reliability organization(HRO). “Reaching our destination as anHRO requires three things: LeadershipCommitment, a Safety Culture andRobust Process Improvement,” saysSystem Chief Medical Officer MichaelShabot, M.D. “In collaboration with ouraffiliated physicians, we are building asystem of care that ensures timely,accurate, safe and effective treatments.”

Achieving high compliance withcore quality and safety measures ishelping us deliver safer, more effectivehealth care. As a result, we’re receivingnational, regional and state recognitionfor our efforts, positioning us asHouston’s clear leader in quality andpatient safety. Going forward, increasedemphasis will be placed not only on coreprocesses but on the outcomes thatresult from following those processes.That’s why we’re launching theAdvancing Quality Outcomes internalcampaign.

Focusing on outcomes raises the barand leads to increased emphasis onreporting and results. “AdvancingQuality Outcomes will be the umbrellacampaign encompassing all we’re doingto ensure safer, quality care for the

people we serve,” says Dr. Shabot. “Itwill encompass additional training, toolsand Information Technology programsfocused on improving how we deliversafe, error-free, quality care anddocument and report our outcomes.”

Patient Safety To continue our performanceimprovement gains and accommodatenew outcomes-based metrics, we’ll beexpanding and reexamining our qualityand safety practices and trainingmodules. “We’ll be building on thesehigh-reliability techniques andprinciples proven to prevent harm andsupport quality care,” adds Dr. Shabot.“We know that safer care begins with anin-depth analysis of how culture,technology, process and individualbehaviors are connected to quality andsafety outcomes.”

The Role of Health InformationTechnology in Advancing QualityOutcomesHealth information technology (HIT) isthe infrastructure that enables clinicaland business units to translate data intoinformation that can be utilized asknowledge for improvement in thedelivery of safe, high-quality, high-reliability care. “ISD and informaticsteams will lead the design, the people,process and technology workflowsnecessary for Advancing QualityOutcomes while the leadership forsuccessful implementation will reside atthe hospitals and physician practices,”says System Chief Medical InformaticsOfficer Robert Murphy, M.D. “Ourdesign efforts are governed by theMHMD System Medical InformaticsCommittee, and clinical operationsgroups under the Patient CareLeadership Council. Ambulatory effortsare likewise led by the MHMD andMHMG physician organizations.Overall, our success will depend on acomprehensive, coordinated teamworkapproach.”

Here’s a look at the four major HITinitiatives for 2014:

Meaningful UseMeaningful Use involves the set ofstandards defined by the Centers forMedicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)incentive programs that governs the useof electronic health records and allowseligible hospitals (EH) and eligibleproviders (EP) to earn incentivepayments by meeting specific criteria.The EH criteria apply to the hospitalsetting while the EP criteria apply to thephysician office setting. It is part of the2009 American Recovery andReinvestment Act that providedhospitals and physicians with incentivesto transition from paper-based medicalrecords to electronic health records todemonstrate they are “meaningful usersof technology.” In addition to usingelectronic health records, computerizeddecision support and barcode scanningof medications to make care safer, theSystem will enable our patients to getmore engaged in their own healththrough a secure patient portal calledMyMemorialHermann that goes live inJanuary.

e-Quality Check ProgramA key part of demonstrating meaningfuluse involves using technology todocument and report the quality of thecare we deliver. e-Quality Check is theelectronic quality reporting programthat automates physician entry, captureand submission of clinical quality data,including data from the Care4 electronichealth record to the Centers forMedicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).The 2014 e-Quality Check measures arecaptured in Care4 as care is providedwhile the patient is in the hospital. Themeasures must be met prior to dischargeand cannot be corrected after discharge.Additionally, most e-Quality measuresrequire coded data entered by thephysician. New interface tools will assistclinical staff in capturing the data forthe 16 e-Quality measures for e-submission. These tools will usecomputerized decision support to assistphysicians and nurses in capturing thedata at the point of patient care within

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the staff’s routine workflow to minimizedisruptions.

Provider DocumentationMaking sure that patient charts reflectas accurately and completely as possiblethe severity of the illnesses and any co-existing conditions is essential foraccurate care delivery andreimbursement. Clinical documentationspecialists regularly review inpatientphysician notes to find opportunities forphysicians to enhance the accuracy oftheir documentation. MHMD, ourphysician network, has developed onlineCMEs and tools containing helpfuldocumentation tips. New IT tools andonline voice recognition software willoffer providers enhanced ease of use.

ICD-10Like most health systems in the UnitedStates, Memorial Hermann is in the

process of an important transition fromICD-9 to ICD-10 code sets used toreport patient diagnoses. Our employeesand affiliated physicians will be criticalto the successful implementation ofICD-10. The System’s ICD-10 SteeringCommittee has developed transitionstrategies that address people, processand technology as well as the financialand industry-wide impacts ICD-10represents. Although the new codes willprovide much more specific data aboutpatient conditions, there will be a lotmore codes to use. When ICD-10 isimplemented in October 2014, thenumber of diagnosis codes increasesfrom 13,000 to 69,000 and the numberof procedure codes increases from11,000 to 71,000. In addition toincreasing the number of coders onstaff, Memorial Hermann will beoffering special training on ICD-10 foremployees and affiliated physicians.

To keep everyone informed aboutAdvancing Quality Outcomes and itsprograms, the System is preparingmonthly electronic newsletters as well asnew online Advancing QualityOutcomes sections on InSite andPhysicianLINK – in addition to theSystem’s regular communicationvehicles.

“We encourage our employees andaffiliated physicians to take advantage ofthese communications, online resourcesand training in our efforts to advancequality outcomes that will enable us toadvance the health of the people weserve,” adds Dr. Shabot.

To learn more about AdvancingQuality Outcomes, individual programsand upcoming training sessions and go-lives, visit the new Advancing QualityOutcomes section coming soon on InSiteand PhysicianLINK. E

HEART AND VASCULAR INSTITUTE NURSE SHARES PATIENT EXPERIENCE STORY

When JasonMcMullen,

R.N., a nurse atthe MemorialHermann Heart& VascularInstitute-TexasMedical Center,was 17 years old,his stepfather,Glenn, suffered a

massive heart attack. It was February1989 and Jason’s mother had only beenmarried to his stepfather for six months.She drove him to the hospital inHuntsville where physicians stabilizedhim and then called Life Flight®. He wastransferred to Memorial Hermann-TMCwhere he was treated by RichardSmalling, M.D., Ph.D, FACC, FSCAI,director of InterventionalCardiovascular Medicine at MemorialHermann Heart & Vascular Institute-

Texas Medical Center and professor atUTHealth Medical School. Dr. Smallingdecided to insert a Hemopump intoGlenn’s heart; at the time this was newtechnology and both Glenn and Dr.Smalling were interviewed for Channel13 news. Glenn was at MemorialHermann-TMC for a little over twomonths and at one point suffered astroke as a result of his condition andtreatment. When he was finallydischarged home, Jason’s family wastold that without a heart transplant,Glenn would only have about two moreyears to live. Despite being just 49 at thetime, Glenn selflessly declined.

“He told Dr. Smalling that he’dlived a good life and that if a heart didbecome available, it should go tosomeone younger,” McMullen recalls.“That’s just the kind of guy he was,always thinking of others.”

As it turns out, Glenn survived for

another 10 years. Those 10 years wereprecious to Jason, who loved hisstepfather deeply and even gave hismiddle child the name “MatthewGlenn” to honor him.

“I cannot tell you how thankful I amfor Life Flight and Dr. Smalling and allof the physicians and nurses who wereresponsible for giving us those 10years,” Jason said. “It was watchingthem with my stepfather that made mewant to become a nurse.”

Because of financial reasons, Jasonwasn’t able to begin his prerequisites fornursing school until 2006. He never letgo of his dream, however, and in 2011 hegraduated with his R.N. He worked in ahospital in Conroe for 16 months andthen when a job at 5 HVI becameavailable, he applied.

“It was my dream job,” he said. “Inow work on the same kind of unit thatsaved my step-dad’s life.” E

Jason McMullen, R.N.

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THE TOP THREE EMPLOYEE SAFETY RISKS ON CAMPUS

While working in healthcare can pose many potentialrisks, according to Cory Worden, M.S., CSP, CSHM,

CHSP, CESCO, manager of System safety, the key to stayingsafe in the hospital setting is awareness.

“The more employees are educated on potential risks andthen armed with information to avoid those risks, the saferthey are,” Worden said. “The best cultural change we canmake right now is to actively identify hazards and risks in ourwork and then find and use the right controls to preventinjuries. Controls can be guards and devices, processes andprocedures, personal protective equipment such as gowns,gloves, glasses and other items, training sessions and muchmore. If a control isn’t in place, or isn’t available, we’ll need toknow that, too, so one can be developed.”

This month, Gateways is addressing the top threeemployee safety risks at the Memorial Hermann-TMCCampus, which include patient handling, needlesticks andbody fluid exposure.

Patient Handling: These injuries are mostly caused byoverexertion from repeated manual patient handling activitiessuch as transferring a patient from toilet to chair, chair to bedor bathtub to chair, or from repositioning from side to side inbed, lifting a patient in bed or repositioning a patient in chair.Strains and sprains in the shoulders and lower back are mostcommonly reported.

When handling patients, it’s good to remember toperform S-A-F-E patient handling: � Slow down and look for hazards such as not having the

right equipment. � Assess the risk – think about your exposure to the hazard

and how badly the consequences could affect you andothers – including patient safety.

� Find the right hazard control such as equipment,assistance or procedures.

� Execute the task safely.

Needlesticks: Needlesticks and other sharps-related injuriesmay expose workers to bloodborne pathogens, infectiousmicroorganisms in human blood that can cause diseases.Needlestick injuries can occur during procedures, as a resultof mishandling or in the process of disposal.

Needlesticks are extremely dangerous due to theirpossibly infectious nature. Keeping this in mind, all needlesshould be handled with the utmost safety precautions. Somenotable preventive measures for needlesticks from theNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH) include the following:� Plan for safe handling and disposal of needles before

beginning an operation.� Avoid the use of needles where safer alternatives are

available.� Help identify and evaluate devices with safety features and

recommend infection prevention practices.� Use safety features as provided.� Avoid recapping needles.� Promptly dispose of needles in appropriate sharps

disposal containers.� Tell your supervisor about hazards from needles you

observe in your workplace.

Body fluid exposures: Body fluid exposure is defined ascontact with a potentially infectious body fluid such as blood,cerebrospinal fluid, amniotic fluid, pleural fluid, synovialfluid, and peritoneal and pericardial fluids. Contact can occurthrough skin penetration injury or through mucousmembrane, parenteral and non-intact skin exposure.

To avoid bodily fluid exposures, awareness is necessary.Employees should look for any “red flags” that indicate anexposure is possible, such as certain clinical processes, lack ofpersonal protective equipment, or noncompliance with properlab or bio-safety procedures. By noting red flags you and yourcolleagues can identify the need for the implementation ofsafety procedures or any other necessary precautions.Remember, it’s always better to be safe. E

General Steps You and Your ColleaguesCan Take to Avoid Injuries

• Pay attention to detail: pause and focus on theact at hand.

• Always beware of complacency, fatigue, rushingand frustration.

• Use patient-handling equipment such as lifts andall available safety devices.

• Always comply with policies, procedures andprotocols – if you see room for improvement,please let your manager know your thoughts.

• Help your co-workers: look out for each other andpositively reinforce safe and productivebehaviors.

• Speak up if you have questions or concerns.• Always use personal protective equipment such

as gloves, lab coats, masks and face shields toreduce exposure to blood and body fluids.

• Practice hand hygiene.• Engage in training and initiatives related to safety.

C A M P U S

CONSTRUCTIONU P D A T E

Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center is expanding the Campus and upgrading infrastructure.The objective of this monthly CampusConstruction Update is to keep our employees, patients and visitorsinformed of our ongoing development projects.

Spine Unit on 3 Jones Moves to Phase 2Dec. 10 marked the grand opening of the Mischer NeuroscienceInstitute’s Spine Unit on the east side of 3 Jones. The spine unit willpredominantly serve spine patients but will also admit some electiveneurosurgical patients as well. The unit is comprised of seven roomsand will be staffed by the 5 Jones nursing team. Phase 2 of the spine

unit renovation project is now under way, during which time theremaining six patient rooms will be renovated. Phase 2 is expected tobe completed in March.

Other Ongoing Construction ProjectsConstruction is still taking place on 9 Jones and the pediatric surgicalwaiting area on the 2nd floor of Robertson Pavilion. During this time,certain parts of these areas will be blocked off to ensure the safety ofemployees, patients and visitors. Updates will be included in weeklyNews Flash emails. E

LIFE SCOUT DONATES DVD LIBRARY TO MEMORIAL HERMANN CANCER CENTER-TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER IN HONOR OF HIS FATHER

Fifteen-year-old Mark Enyart, afreshman at Episcopal High School

and Life Scout with Troop 55 of the BoyScouts of America in Houston, hasdonated over 1,100 movies to theMemorial Hermann Cancer Center-Texas Medical Center in honor of hisfather’s memory. The donation, part ofMark’s Eagle Scout project, includes thealphabetized and catalogued DVDsalong with 20 individual DVD players,headsets and headset splitters. Mark’shope is that these movies will serve as awelcome distraction for patientsundergoing chemotherapy treatment atthe Cancer Center; he was 10 when hisfather was diagnosed and remembersthe chemotherapy appointments asbeing long and emotionally draining.

“Dad fought hard after his cancerdiagnosis,” Mark said. “He made aneffort to always have time for us nomatter how hard it was on him. Iremember he was a big movie buff andenjoyed watching all kinds of movies, sothat was really the inspiration for thisproject.”

The DVDs and players are housed in

the new J. Lee Enyart, Jr. MemorialVideo Library, located next to the maintreatment room in the Cancer Center. Adedication ceremony for the library tookplace on Dec. 13, during which timeRobert J. Amato, D.O., chief of thedivision of Oncology at MemorialHermann Cancer Center-Texas MedicalCenter and acting director of thedivision of Oncology at UTHealthMedical School, who was Mr. Enyart’soncologist, thanked Mark for hisgenerosity.

“It is a real honor for us to have theEnyart family as part of ours, and to beable to host this generous project,” Dr.Amato said. “Mark took it upon himselfto do this incredibly significant thing,and we are all very thankful.”

Both Mark and his mother, AngelaEnyart, spoke at the event as well. Bothexpressed how rewarding the projecthad been and how grateful they were forall of the support from the Boy Scouts,the Cancer Center and the community.

“We were amazed at theoverwhelming support,” Angela said.“And I am so proud of Mark. He worked

really hard to make sure this project wassuccessful and that the videos includedin the library would appeal to all tastes.We truly hope these movies will helpcomfort patients at the Cancer Centerduring their appointments.” E

Mark Enyart and his mother, Angela, at the J. Lee Enyart, Jr. Memorial Video Librarydedication ceremony on Dec. 13

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6411 Fannin | Houston, TX 77030 | 713.704.4000 | www.memorialhermann.org

Affiliated with The University of TexasHealth Science Center at Houston

(UTHealth) Medical School

Gateways is a publication for employees of the Memorial Hermann-TMC Campus, a leading healthcare facility that proudly stands at the gateway to the world-renowned

Texas Medical Center.

We welcome your suggestions and comments. If you have news to share, concerns to address or questions you’d like answered, please send an email to

medicalcentercommunications@memorialhermann.org or call 713.704.1222.