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CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VA - After more than two years of construction, a nine-figure expansion project at St. Francis Medical Center is coming to fruition. Bon Secours is largely finished with its project to add a two-story, 110,000-square-foot addition to the hospital near Midlothian. The $108 million project included 55 new acute-care beds, as well as renovations to 70,000 square feet of existing space and other new equipment. It brings St. Francis to about 463,000 square feet in size. The additional acute-care beds are anticipated to be fully operational by early June, according to St. Francis COO Joey Trapani. He said they will bring the hospital’s acute-care bed count to 185. Also included in the project is the addition of 10 new observation beds, as well as four more beds in the neonatal intensive care unit for a total of 14 beds in that department. A new MRI machine, a new outpatient pharmacy, and expanded intensive care unit were also part of the additions. The project is the largest to take place at St. Francis since it opened in 2005, and was pursued by the health system to keep up with the demands that come with a growing population in Chesterfield County, St. Francis President Joe Wilkins said. “At that point in time there wasn’t much out here. But now, as we know, the Hull Street corridor is expanding,” Wilkins said. “There’s an influx of people that are moving here. We want to make sure we have the correct services to take care of those people.” Wilkins said the St. Francis emergency room, along with its two affiliated free-standing emergency centers near Westchester Commons in Midlothian and in Chester, have seen an increase in visits in the last several years and that a notable subset of those patients end up in need of hospitalization. “We have seen a tremendous increase in ED visits from those three ERs, and on average about 15% to 18% of those patients need admission to a hospital bed. So when you have an increase in those ED patients, and those patients need a place to be admitted, we need to have capacity to take care of them,” Wilkins said. The three emergency departments reported 6,342 visits in April 2024, compared to 2,242 visits in May 2022, which is the year the Chester ER opened. Wilkins said the Chester facility had about 28,000 patient visits in 2023, making it the busiest free-standing emergency center across Bon Secours Mercy Health, which is the U.S. division of the Ireland-based health system. To staff the additional space and meet demand, the hospital plans to add 100 more employees to its ranks. Bon Secours said an unspecified number of positions have been filled and that hiring was still ongoing. St. Francis currently has a little more than 1,000 employees. for more, click on the link below. #escrowcredirt #newmarktitleservices

University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center is the only Ohio-based hospital to be named to U.S. News & World Report’s inaugural list of Best Regional Hospitals for Equitable Access. Additionally, our academic medical center has again been named by U.S. News & World Report to its Best Hospitals list, an achievement it has made 26 years in a row. In the 2024-25 list, it ranked third among all hospitals in Ohio. “Recognitions such as this one and others are a tribute to our caregivers and volunteers in their ongoing delivery of quality care,” said University Hospitals Chief Executive Officer Cliff A. Megerian, MD, FACS, Jane and Henry Meyer Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair. “Importantly, we were recognized as one of the Best Regional Hospitals for Equitable Access – a new measure this year that highlights success in caring for patients in historically underserved communities while maintaining high quality care. Only 2% of the nation’s hospitals earned recognition for Equitable Access, further illustrating how we are fulfilling our founders’ pledge that ‘the needy are the most worthy,’ and we are indeed taking care of our community.” U.S. News evaluated nearly 5,000 hospitals and only 11% earned a Best Hospitals ranking. Hospitals awarded a “Best” designation excelled at factors such as clinical outcomes, level of nursing care and patient experience. University Hospitals ranked among the Top 50 in three specialties – Cancer, Neurology/Neurosurgery and ENT – and was deemed High Performing in 6 Adult Specialties and 14 Procedures and Conditions. Per the U.S. News Methodology Report for the Health Equity Measures, “Starting with the 2024-2025 publication, we set out to identify a list of hospitals that provide high-quality care to socioeconomically vulnerable populations from three different historically underserved communities: people living in more socioeconomically deprived neighborhoods, Medicaid beneficiaries, and racial and ethnic minorities. Currently, we identified 98 hospitals that provide the vulnerable populations identified above with substantial access to high quality care, and these hospitals will be recognized as U.S. News & World Report’s Best Regional Hospitals for Equitable Access.” “University Hospitals is committed to improving healthcare access and equity for all. We take pride in knowing we are making a difference in the lives of our community members, also evidenced by our recent attainment of the Dick Davidson Nova Award from the American Hospital Association recognizing our work to improve community health,” Dr. Megerian added. “This award lauded the success of our UH Food For Life Markets® that have helped our patients decrease their blood pressure, improve their A1C scores, and gain less weight while pregnant. Additionally, our most recent investment in community benefit totaled more than $530 million, reinforcing our commitment to care for those most vulnerable.” #healthequity #communityhealth

Ballad approves hospital expansionAs part of $160 million in capital investments in a wide range of service expansions and new technology, the Ballad Health Board of Directors has approved an inpatient expansion of Franklin Woods Community Hospital, adding 20 beds to the hospital’s capacity. The additional beds will create needed capacity for the Johnson City hospital, where demand for services has increased to near capacity. This expansion will help alleviate wait times for patients and enable physicians to serve their patients when the services are needed. “The medical staff applauds this investment by Ballad Health into the expansion of access to inpatient hospital care, which our patients will certainly benefit from,” said Dr. Grover May, the elected chief of the medical staff at Franklin Woods. “This expansion will reduce the need to hold patients in the emergency department, and it will reduce wait times for patients who want to use the great services at Franklin Woods. We are proud of the quality of care physicians and team members provide at Franklin Woods, and this expanded capacity will certainly enhance that experience.” This investment is part of record capital investment in Ballad Health’s hospitals, which in the current year, exceeds more than $160 million. Capital investments into expanded access, the latest technology and new services include: • New pediatric emergency departments and expanded pediatric care in Bristol and Kingsport, • Reopening a previously closed rural hospital in Lee County, Va., • Expanding emergency departments in Greeneville, Tenn. and Wise County, Va., • A new rehabilitation center in Norton, Va., • New daVinci surgical systems throughout the Ballad Health service area, the leading robot-assisted surgical technology, • New Ion robots in Abingdon, Va., and Johnson City, the newest technology available to diagnose lung and other types of cancer, • The introduction of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) at Johnson City Medical Center, one of the most advanced life-saving procedures typically exclusive to only major regional academic medical centers, • The most advanced CT and cardiac diagnostic capabilities available at Holston Valley Medical Center, • The creation of the Barbara Humphrey’s Family Birth Center at Indian Path Community Hospital in Kingsport, • The largest expansion in the history of Niswonger Children’s Hospital, including the new J.D. Nicewonder Family Perinatal and Pediatric Institute and the newest NICU in Tennessee and Virginia. “The further impact of this expansion will be immeasurable,” said Stephanie Cook, registered nurse and chief nursing officer for Franklin Woods. “Crowding in hospitals, especially in emergency departments as admitted patients wait for available rooms, is a problem facing nearly every hospital in the country and we’re all trying to find solutions that enable us to meet the needs of our communities. “The new beds will make Franklin Woods better f

Physician buy in, support and accountability is key to success with the A-F bundle.

Let iHS help you reduce your avoidable hospital delays! Decreasing avoidable hospital delays is more critical than ever. According to the American Hospital Association (AHA), patients who experience avoidable delays in their hospital discharge more likely to experience delays in their recovery. This is especially true for those patients discharging to a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF). Avoidable hospital delays are frequently attributed to delays in a patient's discharge. These patients no longer meet medical necessity for the acute care setting, yet these avoidable delays lead to an increase in hospital resource consumption. https://lnkd.in/gJ555NbU Tracking Avoidable Hospital Avoidable Delays Care management teams frequently track avoidable hospital delays. These avoidable delays are categorized. Collecting the reason and the attribution for the delay is also important. Sharing this data with hospital leaders is imperative so that opportunities for improvement are identified and prioritized. Impact of Avoidable Delays to Patients Many hospitals report waiting for Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) authorizations is one of their number avoidable delays. Patients waiting for necessary rehabilitation services occupy a hospital bed longer. Prolonged length of stay has been associated with the risk of hospital-acquired conditions, such as infections, injuries, and delirium. These avoidable delays also impact overall quality of life. Delays in getting home from the SNF, prolonged pain, stress, and anxiety, worries over healthcare costs are just a few of the attributes. Avoidable delays also erode at patients' confidence in the healthcare system. Decreasing hospital avoidable delays can improve patient's overall quality of health Impact of Avoidable Delays to Hospitals Another identified issue is that hospitals are frequently not staffed or equipped for ongoing therapy services. Sixty-seven percent of Hospital CEOs expressed having staffing concerns within their rehabilitation services teams. In addition to staffing challenges, hospitals are often responsible for the cost for these excess days without additional reimbursement. Reducing post-acute processing delays for Rehabilitation Services can lead to a significant reduction in post-acute admission avoidable delays and costs, (Görgülü et al., 2023). Decreasing avoidable hospital delays waiting on SNF authorization will enhance the patient experience by decreasing the risk of harm and creating a smoother transition to the next level of care. Significant cost savings can also be achieved attained by hospitals and hospital systems.

The Importance of LTAC Hospitals in Serving STAC and SNF Long-Term Acute Care (LTAC) hospitals play a crucial role in the continuum of care, particularly in serving Short-Term Acute Care (STAC) facilities and Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF). As healthcare systems evolve to meet the needs of complex patient populations, the distinct functions of LTAC hospitals become evident. Understanding LTAC, STAC, and SNF LTAC hospitals provide specialized care for patients requiring extended stays due to serious medical conditions. These facilities cater to critically ill patients recovering from severe illnesses and surgeries, often needing longer treatment times than traditional STAC hospitals. STAC hospitals focus on acute care for severe but short-term health issues, while SNFs offer rehabilitative and long-term care for patients needing assistance with daily activities or ongoing medical care. Bridging the Gap in Patient Care The transition from STAC to LTAC is crucial for patients needing intensive recovery support. For instance, a patient who has undergone major surgery may first be treated in a STAC hospital but later require the specialized services of an LTAC hospital for complications or rehabilitation. LTAC hospitals are equipped with advanced medical technology and staffed by interdisciplinary teams, including specialists in respiratory therapy, wound care, and rehabilitation. Additionally, LTAC facilities help alleviate overcrowding in STAC hospitals by providing dedicated space for patients not ready to transition to less intensive care. This ensures that STAC facilities can focus on patients requiring immediate acute care, enhancing overall healthcare efficiency. Collaboration with SNFs Collaboration between LTAC hospitals and SNFs is vital. After treatment in an LTAC setting, many patients require further rehabilitation or supportive care. LTAC hospitals coordinate with SNFs to facilitate this transition, ensuring patients move to the appropriate level of care. This relationship is crucial in preventing hospital readmissions, leading to better patient outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. Conclusion In conclusion, LTAC hospitals are essential in the healthcare continuum, bridging the gap between STAC and SNF. By providing specialized care for patients with complex needs, LTAC facilities enhance patient recovery and improve healthcare efficiency. Their role in reducing overcrowding in STAC hospitals and ensuring smooth transitions to SNFs is vital for a well-functioning healthcare system. Temitope Emmanuel famakinwa

⏰ This is alarming. 🙀 But not surprising. It costs $ to provide safe medical care. Private equity's (PE) has a focus, and it is not patient (pt) safety. This JAMA study showed a 25% ⬆ in hospital-acquired adverse events 3 years after a hospital's acquisition by PE driven by a 27% ⬆ in falls and a 38% ⬆ in central line infections, and doubling of surgical infections. Anyone involved in #patientsafety knows it takes a #team effort focused on harm prevention, a #Just #Culture with a singular focus "how do we prevent the next pt from being harmed?" This may surprise you, if you are not in healthcare. Medical care is very complex- things can go wrong and cause unintentional pt harm. As a NICU director, I have scrutinized many teams & processes that support care. Even the most seasoned staff under-appreciate how complex and "at risk" our care is. It is not surprising that others outside of medicine, like PE, miss the safety mark. Example: - For a NICU pt, a red blood cell (RBC) transfusion (tx) takes 46 process steps. -Each step, an error opportunity-- because humans, involved in the process, are prone to unintentional error (communication, omission...) -In a 24 hr period, a RBC tx may be given to 5-10 babies ( that's 230-460 steps) in a NICU caring for 53 babies. -A RBC tx is just one of many daily interventions (most interventions require many more process steps than a RBC tx). Many interventions are more high risk to pts; surgeries, medication and fluid administration, bedside procedures, codes, deliveries... -In a 24 hr period, these 53 babies require a multi-disciplinary team to provide coordinated care with an intentional focus on safety. We rely on radiology, pharmacology, blood bank, laboratory services, and other specialities each with their own complex teams assisting our care each day. Daily, our 53 babies are cared for by 18-20 nurses, 3 NNPs, 7 MDs (with 5 in training), 3 RTs, 5 therapists, 1 dietician, 1 pharmacist, multiple janitors, multiple clerks (that switch out every 12 hours, 7 days a week = 960 NICU staff in 1 week care for these 53 babies)....following evidence-based protocols. Weekly in our NICU, pts receive thousands of interventions by nearly a thousand staff, with each step a potential for an error or pt harm. In a year, there are millions of steps (if not higher). This is just 1 NICU in a hospital caring for 600 other patients which are supported by complex care and teams. So billions of steps with potential for error annually. When safety is not a priority, harm is prevalent. I know-- I used to work in such a hospital where safety was not a priority. If ownership of a hospital has a focus on profit and not pt safety/effective care, the results will be as the JAMA article highlights. It's not surprising. Pt safety is not glamorous or revenue generating, but it needs to be THE top priority of our medical care. #UsingWhatWeHaveBetter https://lnkd.in/gxKDxfiD

What You Need to Create an Awake and Walking ICU: Part 5 Physician Leadership When physicians are not bought-in and trained to lead their teams to master the ABCDEF Bundle, an ICU cannot become an Awake and Walking ICU. Unfortunately, I have seen MDs be a barrier. I have also seen that when physicians are determined to provide best-practices and initiate true leadership to guide and support their teams, magic happens. One physician told me that when a patient self-extubated and didn't need to be re-intubated he was sure to jump in and help the nurse understand the success of the situation. A nurse told me that her physician protected her when her RN management was about to punish her for having a patient awake. THIS is what physicians do for their teams to change practices. Listen to the podcast episodes in the comments to hear from visionary physicians who led their teams to become Awake and Walking ICUs. Physicians need: EDUCATION: We are all molded by our training and experiences. Most physicians have been trained in the "conveyor belt" approach of automatic sedation and immobility. Like other clinicians in the ICU, physicians need to understand the "why" and "how" of the ABCDEF bundle. They need training that prepares them to lead their teams to keep patients awake and mobile. ROLE CLARITY: I commonly see physicians verbally declare their support for the ABCDEF bundle but seem to perceive this initiative as an "RN/rehab thing" that they don't really need to be involved with. Physicians must understand their role in critical thinking, bedside assessment, interdisciplinary collaboration, hands-on support, leadership, orders, etc. SUPPORT: Physicians need support while learning a radically new approach to critical care medicine. They need mentorship and guidance as they learn how to troubleshoot management of sedation, delirium, and mobility during critical illness. They need expert guidance to whom they can ask questions and get ideas for these new circumstances they will face with patients being awake and mobile. A PREPARED ICU TEAM: I have witnessed physicians who are eager to have their ICUs transformed to best-practices, but then struggle to have the rest of team be bought-in and prepared to make these changes. Physicians need each discipline and member of the ICU team to have the foundational knowledge and skills to keep patients awake and mobile. If 1 physician is the only one that understands how dangerous continuous sedation is and wants their patients to benefit from early mobility but the rest of the ICU team still believes sedation is "humane, safe, and best" then the physician will never be able to lead their team. When physicians are bought-in, educated, supported, and part of a prepared team then they can truly collaborate to become an Awake and Walking ICU. Picture provided by Dr. Mikita Fuchita. His story is featured in episode 133. #delirium #earlymobility #abcdefbundle #icu #rrt

Royal Perth Hospital Visiting Hours 2024: Royal Perth Hospital Visiting Hours – Are you planning a visit to Royal Perth Hospital? Knowing the Royal Perth Hospital Visiting Hours is essential to ensure a smooth and stress-free visit to your loved ones. Why is it important to stay updated on visiting times? Understanding the schedule helps you plan your visit without causing any inconvenience to the patient or disruption to the hospital’s routine. This article will provide all the necessary details about visiting hours, special arrangements, and the facilities available to ensure your visit is comfortable. Whether you’re a local or visiting from overseas, this information is relevant and valuable. Stay informed and make your visit to Royal Perth Hospital as seamless as possible by following the guidelines and support options outlined in the following sections. Royal Perth Hospital Visiting Hours Royal Perth Hospital provides structured visiting hours to ensure both the comfort and recovery of patients while allowing their friends and family time to visit. The hospital prioritises creating a supportive environment while adhering to specific guidelines to maintain a healthy and peaceful atmosphere for all patients. Standard Visiting Times The standard visiting hours at Royal Perth Hospital are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. These hours are designed to give ample opportunity for loved ones to visit while allowing patients the necessary time for rest and recovery. If visitors wish to come outside these hours, it is recommended that they contact the hospital beforehand to make special arrangements. It is generally advisable to limit the number of visitors to two people at a time to avoid overwhelming the patient and ensure a calm environment. Special Considerations for Critical Wards Visiting patients in critical care units such as the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the State Trauma Unit requires special arrangements. These wards often have more restricted visiting hours due to the nature of patient care and the need for close monitoring. Source: https://lnkd.in/g-AwVZrK In such cases, it’s essential to coordinate with the nursing staff to determine the best visiting times, which may differ from the general hospital hours. For the ICU, visitors are advised to check with the ward directly to confirm availability, and in some instances, visits might be limited to immediate family only. Guidelines for Visitors Royal Perth Hospital Visiting Hours are designed to provide a safe and supportive environment for both patients and visitors. To ensure the well-being of all, certain guidelines are in place that must be adhered to when visiting. These measures are crucial in maintaining a calm, secure, and efficient hospital setting. COVID-19 Restrictions and Updates Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, visitor…

Meet Tilar Martin-Asirifi, MS, operations director of BMC Hospital at Home. Launched on April 3, Hospital at Home offers hospital-level acute care to patients in the comfort of their own home. This innovative service combines in-person and virtual care, as well as around-the-clock monitoring from a trusted team of BMC doctors, nurses, and other care providers. 💭 What excites you most about BMC Hospital at Home? 🗣️ What's most exciting is being able to provide this innovative care to patients. We bring our clinical excellence and acute-level care directly to patients’ doorsteps so they can heal in the comfort of their own home. I also love how the medical director, nursing director and I have such different skill sets, but we're all working for the same goals. We're aligned on our goals for the unit and for our patients, and how we want to operate as a team. Between the three of us, we pretty much have all the bases covered. 💭 How does a patient enroll in BMC Hospital at Home? 🗣️ If a patient arrives in our ED or is on one of our inpatient floors, our clinicians will assess if they’re eligible for BMC Hospital at Home. If they are, and they decide to enroll, we transport them to their home where our in-home clinicians meet them and get them all set up. They have scheduled visits with their BMC physician and can also reach out at any point to their nurse or doctor in the command center. One of the most important aspects of BMC Hospital at Home is that family members are not expected to participate at all in caring for their loved one at home. Our patients receive all the services they would if they were inpatient at Main Campus, including medical meals, transportation, diagnostic imaging, IV and blood draws… anything they need during their stay. 💭 What does your role as director of operations entail? 🗣️ As director of operations, I make sure the system is running smoothly while our clinicians take excellent care of our patients. I help manage the service coordinators that work alongside our clinical team to ensure our patients have everything they need during their inpatient stay, and keep tabs on anything that may affect our work day-to-day like weather advisories or large-scale events in the city. After starting at BMC as the director of inpatient operations, I developed a good understanding of what patients on our inpatient floors experience on a daily basis and can better translate and operationalize that into inpatient-level care at home. Through this role I’m able to help advance our healthcare practices while ensuring equitable access and outcomes for all. Learn more about BMC Hospital at Home ➡️ https://bit.ly/4aHHXqH