3 Enhancing Patient Service

4 More Specialists Close to Home

6 RCH Surgery... Outstanding Patient Experience

7 Take Advantage of These Community Services!

HealthNotesSPRING 2017

Your Local Healthcare Resource.

Dear Friends,

As the calendar flips over and we enter a new year, very often we look back to reflect on all that took place over the past 365 days. When we take this opportunity at Rochelle Community Hospital, there are two common themes at the front and center: Renovation and Recognition.

We’ve mentioned repeatedly the addition of the RCH Health & Wellness Center that opened on April 11, 2016. To this day, we continue to marvel at how well this new facility is serving our patients, visitors and staff members. We would be hard pressed to think we could get anything more out of this facility than we are experiencing today. Also on April 11, we cut the ribbon on the newly renovated hospital cafeteria which was closed for six weeks while improvements were being made. The end result also met all of our expectations by making the serving areas less congested and the customer flow more efficient.

We also fully renovated and relocated our no appointment/walk-in service into the hospital very near the main entrance from Second Street. Now called Convenient Care, this service has been expanded with multiple exam rooms and a larger waiting area, along with a designated area for children’s activities. Finally, after several years we were able to move our Business Office operations and Financial Services staffs back within the hospital’s four walls. These individuals have been relocated many times over the years, so they are very appreciative of the opportunity to be in a stable location for many years to come. 2016 was also a year of much positive recognition for RCH. Among the areas receiving this attention were:

• The RCH Housekeeping Department was recognized as the fourth cleanest hospital in the nation based on federally reported patient satisfaction data. We cannot stress enough how important it is to patients and visitors to have a very clean and well-kept environment in which to receive care.

• The RCH Inpatient Care Unit was recognized for the quality of Nurse to Patient communication. Also based on federally reported results, RCH ranked amongst the top six hospitals in Illinois in this category.

• The Ambulatory Surgery Department was recognized for achieving positive patient satisfaction, which exceeded the 95th percentile for four consecutive calendar quarters (May 2015 – April 2016).

• The RCH Information Systems Department was honored as a Most Wired Hospital by Hospitals and Health Networks Magazine. Achieving this designation recognizes the high level of security and interoperability of the computer systems and electronic communication tools at RCH.

All of us at RCH appreciate the trust you place in us to be your healthcare provider. The improvements we have made to the RCH building and grounds and the positive recognition we receive is all a result of our mission of being your hospital of choice when you need medical care.

Best in health,

Chief Executive Officer, Rochelle Community Hospital

Major News

Mark J. Batty Chief Executive Officer

If you haven’t had the opportunity yet, check our website to read Mark’s blog posts on the Affordable Care Act and our state’s budget, as well as the newest one entitled “It’s Still All About the Patient” … stay tuned for new posts too!2

ENHANCING PATIENT SERVICERochelle Community Hospital recently welcomed Julia Norem, Chief Nursing Officer, and Stephanie Crawford, an Adult Nurse Practitioner in Family Healthcare. These two professionals add to our ability to provide excellent patient care.

We’re also pleased to introduce our new Convenient Care providers and hospitalists… Dr. Joel Carpenter and Katie Coulter, DNP-BC.

Dr. Carpenter specializes in family practice and enjoys helping the sick and hurting. A graduate of Loyola Stritch School of Medicine (Illinois), he performed both his internship and residency at Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. Dr. Carpenter previously served as a missionary physician in Tanzania, where he offered general and specialized medical care to men, women and children.

Katie is a family nurse practitioner who received her doctorate of nursing practice at the University of Iowa. She is board certified and also trained as an advanced practice nurse (APN). Certified in advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), Katie previously served as an APN with Rochelle Medical Group, where she provided assessment and diagnosis for acute care patients in an outpatient setting. Now, she’s offering her compassionate nursing skills at Convenient Care.

Convenient Care combines the former Walk-In Clinic and Urgent Care in one location (accessible from the main hospital entrance at 900 N. 2nd Street). The clinic offers care without an appointment, so scheduling is never a problem when it comes to sprained ankles or fevers. The clinic also offers expanded hours! Call 815-561-3100, or check rochellehospital.com/ConvenientCare for more information on the clinic.

Julia Norem, RN, MS, joined the RCH leadership staff as Chief Nursing Officer last November. She affects patients through her management of the nursing staff. Working closely with our CEO and other members of the Administrative Staff, Julia plans, organizes, directs and controls patient care activities within the hospital. She also identifies and implements new programs and services to enhance the care our patients receive. Julia received her master’s in Nursing from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and is a member of many professional organizations including Illinois Nurse Educators and the National League of Nurses.

Stephanie Crawford, APN, ANP-BC, recently joined the staff at the Family Healthcare Clinic, located in the RCH Health & Wellness Center (900 N. Second Street). She specializes in providing primary care for patients 16 and older. She’s currently seeing patients Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 815-562-3784 to schedule an appointment.

Staff

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MORE SPECIALISTS CLOSE TO HOME Located in the Health & Wellness Center, the Multi-Specialty Clinic has also expanded its staff and services. The following specialists are seeing patients in Suite 101 (1st floor). Patients can enter from the new parking lot at the south end of the building.

DermatologyNow patients can get diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases affecting the skin, hair, nails and mucous membranes on-site. Lori Schultz, FNP-BC, from MD SkinCenter in Rockford, sees patients the last Wednesday of the month. She enjoys getting to know her patients and believes in empowering them to make informed decisions regarding their care. Call 815-484-9900 to schedule an appointment.

Obstetrics & Gynecology Dr. Fares Alqara, a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist from OSF HealthCare in Rockford, now offers on-site expertise in prenatal and gynecological care in Rochelle. So, whether it’s routine care like Pap smears or a life-changing situation like pregnancy, infertility or cancer of the reproductive organs, Dr. Alqara is available on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month. When seeing Dr. Alqara for prenatal care, regularly scheduled appointments can be handled in Rochelle, with delivery at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford. Call 815-226-1172 for an appointment.

Urogynecology/Pelvic Health Dr. Robb Rydzynski, a gynecologist from KSB Hospital, recently started seeing patients at the Multi-Specialty Clinic. Dr. Rydzynski has a special interest in providing pelvic health solutions for bladder leakage or incontinence as well as pelvic organ prolapse. He is available to see patients the first Tuesday of each month. Take the survey at rochellehospital.com/PelvicHealth to see if you might benefit from a free pelvic health consultation! Call 815-285-5422 for an appointment.

Services

4

Technology

Computed Tomography (CT) UpgradeThe Aquilion PRIME is now available at RCH. The upgraded CT Scanner offers even more safety, productivity and performance. Capable of reconstructing 160 unique slices with every rotation, the Aquilion PRIME CT Scanner incorporates ergonomic and automated features to deliver the highest quality images in minutes… and with lower radiation. This means not only a faster CT scan, but a more comfortable and accurate one as well! Plus, the CT Scanner is invaluable in emergency situations, where time is of the essence.

“The speed of the Aquilion PRIME enables our physicians to obtain critical patient information for enhanced diagnoses faster than before,” Joy Miller, Radiology Manager, said. “Its design allows us to successfully image a wide range of patients, including children, more comfortably.” She explained the large bore opening gives it a more spacious feeling and the higher weight limit accommodates more patients for testing.

3-D Mammography – Available May 1st!

The Genius™ 3D MAMMOGRAPHY™ exam reduces unnecessary callbacks by up to 40% and detects 41% more invasive breast cancers. Plus, the Genius™ detects cancer 15 months earlier than 2D mammography alone. Since early detection is key to a more positive outcome, this 3D screening is more likely to get it right the first time… and that’s why it’s called Genius™! Schedule your exam by calling 815-562-2181, ext.1350.

ENHANCED DIAGNOSTICS, FASTER Rochelle Community Hospital takes pride in offering early diagnosis and treatment, starting with its advanced technology. Our Diagnostic Imaging department recently upgraded to the Toshiba Aquilion™ PRIME 80/160 CT System and purchased a new 3-D Mammography machine (Genius™ 3D MAMMOGRAPHY).

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Recognition

RCH SURGERY... OUTSTANDING PATIENT EXPERIENCE Rochelle Community Hospital recently received a 2016 Guardian of Excellence Award® from Press Ganey, a national healthcare-ranking organization. The award recognizes top-performing healthcare organizations that have consistently achieved the 95th percentile or above in Patient Experience.

For more information, check rochellehospital.com/surgery or call 815-561-1546.

Very Good Overall Experience RCH combines state-of-the-art surgical suites with a talented team that knows and cares for you in a low-stress environment that’s conveniently close to home. Our award-winning high patient satisfaction scores make the choice very clear. If you need surgery, consider RCH first!

Friendly and Highly Skilled Surgical Nurses Our nurses were rated “Very Good” in both thecategories of “Friendliness of nurses” and “Confidence in skill of nurses” in the Ambulatory Surgery Report done by Press Ganey.

Congratulations to the RCH Surgery Department!The team’s goal was achieved for four consecutive quarters from May 1, 2015 to April 30, 2016… and that makes our surgery patients winners too! Two of the areas where the department was rated most highly:

RCH continues to add to our surgical services in inpatient, outpatient, laparoscopic and/or emergency – including orthopaedics, cancer care, general surgery, ophthalmology, podiatry and more.

Please rate your overall

experience of

having surgery at RCH:

Very Good

Good

Fair

Poor

Very Poor

Your Local Healthcare Resource.

rochellehospital.com/surgery

815-561-1546Rochelle Community Hospital combines state-of-the-art

surgical suites with a talented team that knows and cares

for you in a low-stress environment that’s conveniently close

to home. Our award-winning high patient satisfaction

scores* make the choice very clear. If your physician indicates

that you need surgery, consider RCH first.

*Based on feedback from Press G

aney patient satisfaction surveys regarding Ambulatory

Surgery at Rochelle Community Hospital (05/01/15 to 04/30/16).

McDaniels Marketing • Client: Rochelle Community Hospital

Job #08380 • “Surgery Campaign: Overall Rating Print Ad” • 4/C

Size: 4 col. (7.45”) x 10.5” • 85 line screen • Location: Rochelle News-

Leader/ Ashton Gazette • email PDF to: Kelly@rochellenews-leader.

com • Tag created: 1/17/17

Do Not Print

(For Office use Only)

Do you prefer surgical nurses who

are friendly or highly skilled?

How about both?

Your Local Healthcare Resource.

rochellehospital.com/surgery

815-561-1546

Rochelle Community Hospital nurses were rated*

“Very Good” by respondents in the categories

of “Friendliness of nurses” and “Confidence

in skill of nurses” in the Ambulatory Surgery Report

done by Press Ganey, a national healthcare-ranking

organization.

* Based on feedback from Press Ganey patient satisfaction surveys regarding

Ambulatory Surgery at Rochelle Community Hospital (05/01/15 to 04/30/16).

Very Good

Good

Fair

Poor

Very Poor

FriendlyVery Good

Good

Fair

Poor

Very Poor

Highly Skilled

see more clearly?Ophthalmologist Dr. Jason Friedrichs performs surgical

eye procedures at Rochelle Community Hospital.

His expertise includes cataract removal, plastic surgery

of the eyelids, diseases of the retina and more.RCH offers a variety of procedures

that are inpatient, outpatient,

laparoscopic and/or emergency;

these include orthopaedics, cancer

care, general surgery, scopes,

ophthalmology, podiatry and more.

McDaniels Marketing • Client: Rochelle Community Hospital • Job #08433

“Surgery Campaign – Friedrichs/Ophthalmology Print Ad” • 4/C

Size: 4 col. (7.45”) x 10.5” • 85 line screen • Location: Rochelle News-Leader/Ashton Gazette

email PDF to: Kelly@rochellenews-leader.com • Tag created: 1/19/17

Do Not Print(for offi ce use only)

Your Local Healthcare Resource.

rochellehospital.com/surgery

815-561-1546

Patrick T. Ryan, CEO of Press Ganey, recognizes the RCH surgical staff at an awards ceremony held on November 3 in Florida. Pictured left to right are Karen Tracy, Vice President of Administration; Sandra Curatola, Surgical Technologist; Rhonda Marks, Surgery Manager; Nicole Wojczynski, Surgical Technologist; and Mary Beth Metzger, RN.

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CommunityTAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE COMMUNITY SERVICES!Alcoholics Anonymous • Fridays at 7 p.m. in the Auxiliary Room (open meeting)• Sundays at 7 p.m. in the Auxiliary Room (closed meeting)

Diabetic Support Group Third Monday of the month at 7 p.m. in the RCH Auxiliary Room. Area diabetics and their caregivers are welcome to attend. For more information about this group or diabetes education, please call the Multi-Specialty Clinic at 815-561-0009. If you wish to receive our monthly diabetic newsletter, please call 815-561-3113.

Family Caregivers Support Group This group can help you face life challenges and inner struggles while caring for family members. Connecting with other caregivers to share experiences, information, advice and support can be incredibly beneficial. Two meetings a month at RCH in the Auxiliary Room. Evening Meeting – first Monday of the month from 7-8 p.m. NEW Afternoon Meeting – second Wednesday of the month from 1-2 p.m. For more information about the group, call Cathy at 815-757-8429.

Grief Support Group Third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. in the Auxiliary Room. The group’s goal is to provide individuals with the tools for coping with life after the loss of a loved one in a group setting. Those who attend will be able to understand the seven stages of grief, offering each person the opportunity to share ways in which they are personally dealing with their loss. Led by RCH Chaplain Judy Williams.

Group Hope Every Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the Health & Wellness Center Conference Room. This group provides support with depression and bi-polar disorder and is affiliated with the Rock River Valley Mental Health Association. For more information, go to www.grouphope.gov.

Classes• HeartSaver CPR, AED & First Aid – July 15• HeartSaver CPR – May 17, June 21• Safe Sitter – June 27

Check rochellehospital.com/support for more information on groups and classes, as well as new services as they become available.

7

Get the Support You

Need.

900 N. Second St.Rochelle, IL 61068

www.rochellehospital.com

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PERMIT NO. 154ROCHELLE, IL

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW FOR THESE UPCOMING EVENTS…RCH Auxiliary Garage Sale Join the RCH Auxiliary for its annual sale on Saturday, April 29, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., in Hicks Hall at the United Methodist Church, 709 Fourth Avenue in Rochelle. The sale includes gently used clothing, and all proceeds benefit the hospital.

It’s Time to Do the Hustle Again! Join us at Rochelle Township High School, 1401 Flagg Road in Rochelle for the 5K Walk/Run, starting at 8 a.m. Online registration is open now until 3 p.m. on June 2. Only race day registration is

available after that. If you register before May 26, you are guaranteed an event t-shirt. Although some will be available for those who register after this date, they are not guaranteed and supplies will be limited.

Carington’s Kids Race Is On Again Too! This 1/4–mile race will be before the 5K Award Ceremony at about 9:30 a.m.

For more information on the Hospital Hustle and Carington’s Kids Race (and to register online), visit rochellehospital.com/hustle.

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