Storm Heroes
By David White, Chairman and CEO

In recent days, we have all been focused on the weather situation as it relates to the hurricanes that have slammed Florida, and as I write this, Ivan has devastated the Florida panhandle and portions of Alabama. We seem to be both fascinated and horrified at the destructive power of nature. As the fury of storms threaten and bluster, we, again, are uplifted by the strength of those who stand in its path and continue to serve. I want to pay a special salute to the staffs of our Florida hospitals: Town & Country, Palms of Pasadena and Memorial Hospital. Their professionalism and dedication to our patients in the face of true danger inspires and lifts me up. It is an honor to work with these great people.

Hurricanes Threaten Florida Hospitals

When Hurricane Charley slammed into the west coast of Florida last month, more than 135 patients at Palms of Pasadena Hospital and Town & Country Hospital were among the 1 million people who had to evacuate. Weather reports predicted both hospitals were in the path of the approaching storm. In a matter of mere hours, hospital employees worked to move patients, equipment and staff to higher ground. Ambulatory patients were transported by bus and sicker patients were taken by ambulance to other hospitals. Four Mayflower moving vans were used to transport beds, IV poles, food and medication. Patients from Palms were transported to two neighboring hospitals more sheltered from the storm, while Town & Country evacuated its patients to Memorial Hospital, filling that IASIS hospital to capacity.

"We enacted disaster status on Thursday morning and by 1 a.m. Friday, more than 12 hours before Charley's expected landfall, the evacuation was complete," said Tim Adams, president of the Florida market. "Fortunately, the eye of the storm ended up missing Tampa, and by 3 a.m. Saturday, all of our patients and supplies were back in place, and both hospitals were in full operation. It was reassuring to know our disaster plans worked so effectively. Our leadership teams, staff and physicians did an outstanding job during a very stressful time, and our patients were appreciative of our efforts to ensure their safety."

After Charley, Hurricane Frances threatened all three Florida hospitals. Although no evacuation was necessary, Frances did knock out power at Town & Country Hospital and caused minor wind and rain damage. Right on the heels of Charley, Ivan took aim at the Florida coast, and preparations were once again necessary, but that storm moved further west, sparing the Tampa area.

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Read IASIS Policies Online

It's now easier than ever to find and read IASIS corporate policies, as well as the policies in place at your facility. Through a system called Compliance360, IASIS employees can go to the IASIS Web site, www.IASISHealthcare.com, and log on to a password-protected site. There you can search for policies by keyword or browse recently revised policies. "Previously, you would have had to track down a physical manual and look at a hard copy," says Beverly McKenzie, IASIS compliance manager. "Through Compliance360, employees can view policies from any computer, even if they're not at work. It's a fast and convenient way for employees to get their questions answered."

To access Compliance360:

1. Go to www.IASISHealthcare.com
2. Click on "For Employees"
3. Click on "Education and Policies"
4. In the login section, type in "iasis" for organization
5. For login name, type in your last name, plus the last four digits of your Social Security Number (lower case with no spaces)
6. Your initial temporary password is "password"
7. Click the "log-in" button
8. The next screen will require you to create a permanent password

"We are also in the process of adding educational curriculum to the Web site," said McKenzie. "Soon we will have a comprehensive selection of online training tools for our employees."

If you have any questions about Compliance360, click on the "Contact Us" tab on the site.

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Uninsured Reach Record High The number of Americans who went without health insurance last year grew by 1.4 million, to a record 45 million, the government reported recently. A total of 15.6 percent of the U.S. population had no health insurance last year, up from 15.2 percent in 2002 and marking the third consecutive year the ranks of the uninsured increased, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The issue of the uninsured is one that hits hospitals hard: last year, they provided over $22 billion in care for which no payment was received, according to the American Hospital Association. The percentage of people covered by employer-based health insurance also dropped to 60.4 percent last year, the lowest in a decade, from 61.3 percent in 2002. The percentage of Americans with employer-based coverage reached a peak of 63.6 percent in 2000. For details on the number of uninsured, go to www.census.gov/hhes/hlthins/hlthin03/hlth03asc.html.

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