Employee News

When 2005 is history, we will remember the names Katrina, Rita, and Wilma as the big newsmakers of the year. One after another, these powerful, killer hurricanes ripped across the Gulf Coast, wiping out cities, leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless, and changing many more lives forever. During this terrible season of storms, there were also amazing stories of spirit, survival, and heroism. One of those is our story.

On September 24, Hurricane Rita took aim at Texas. Directly in her path sat IASIS Healthcare’s brand new hospital – The Medical Center of Southeast Texas. Brutal wind and pounding rain hammered the hospital for hours. The Medical Center’s roof was compromised and rain poured inside. Throughout the five-story facility, water leaked through ceilings, seeped into the walls, and pooled on floors.

Mandatory Evacuation
We saw it coming and acted decisively. Two days before the hurricane, extraordinary efforts were made to successfully evacuate The Medical Center’s patients, and employees were released so they could take their families to safety, too.

A mandatory evacuation affected such a broad area that finding ambulances to transport patients was a major problem. In fact, when the hospital was told at one point that no ambulances would be available the staff braced for the possibility that they would have to ride out the storm – with their patients – in the hospital. But, The Medical Center’s leadership team refused to take “no” for an answer. They worked through the night, scrambling to find transportation, and by early morning, ambulances were lined up to move patients out of harm’s way. The Medical Center’s own employees volunteered to ride along with each patient – even though the trips took hours and delayed their own escape from the oncoming hurricane.

“It was a frightening time. For a while, we really didn’t know if we would be able to get all our patients out or if we would be able to leave,” said Mona Hanan, director of Women’s Services. “But, we weren’t going to give up and just hope for the best. Our patients were depending on us, and we were determined to take care of them.”

After the patients were safely moved, workers boarded up the hospital. Anxious employees evacuated, not knowing what the circumstances would be when it was time to return. News reports indicated Hurricane Rita had her eye directly on The Medical Center of Southeast Texas.

Repairing Rita’s Damage
The storm knocked out power, blew apart glass windows, flooded the streets, damaged homes and buildings, uprooted countless trees and left behind a wide path of destruction.

Every hospital in the area was shut down by hurricane damage.

But, just hours after the storm, a repair crew with dozens of people rushed to The Medical Center to assess the damage and to begin clean up efforts. Some were outside contractors, but many were The Medical Center’s own employees. A corporate team, led by IASIS Chairman and CEO David White, also traveled to Port Arthur to assess the damage. They found an overwhelming amount of work to be done, but once again, “no” was not an acceptable answer to any problem. They worked together, day and night, without sleep, on emergency generator power.

“We had to get the water dried out as fast as possible, before it created more damage, or began to cause mold,” said Theo Victor, the hospital’s head engineer. “At one point, we almost ran out of fuel for the generator. But, because the hospital is such an important part of this community, and everyone wanted it to reopen as soon as we could get it fixed, we were able to get help from the military. They gave us the fuel we needed to keep things going.”

Since The Medical Center was one of the only buildings with power, military personnel, law enforcement officers and some of the hospital’s own employees set up camp inside, turning one wing of the hospital into a dormitory so work could continue around the clock.

While work was going on inside, a DMAT (Disaster Medical Assistance Team) was set up in the hospital parking lot to provide emergency care for area
residents.

Waiting to Reopen
The storm’s economic impact was almost as damaging as its physical result. The hospital sustained millions of dollars in damages, and because it was closed, it could not generate any revenue. Still, IASIS quickly committed to continuing full payroll and benefits for all employees – wherever they were – for as long as it would take to reopen the hospital. A toll-free hotline was established for hospital employees to call for information.

“I called the hotline and they wanted to know that my family was alright, and where I wanted my paycheck sent. I thought it might take a while to get a check, given the mess they were dealing with at the hospital. But, at least I knew my income wasn’t going to be interrupted,” said John Wilson, a certified surgical assistant who evacuated to Katy, Texas, with his family and pets. “At 9:00 the next morning, UPS showed up with my paycheck. I was really amazed. That generosity meant a lot to me, and to everyone else, because we didn’t know when we would be able to go back to work.”

A week after the hurricane, the emergency department reopened, but it took nearly three weeks to open other hospital services. Even then, non-essential services were limited as repairs continued.

“When we first got back in, it was heartbreaking to see the hospital damaged and closed. The hospital is here to take care of the people of this community, and they needed help now more than ever. We were determined to open as quickly as we could make emergency repairs that would re-establish a safe environment for our patients and staff,” said Craig Desmond, The Medical Center’s chief executive officer.

Hospital employees returned to work, but they also came back to a devastated community. Some employees had lost their homes and possessions. Many services were almost non-existent, including restaurants and stores closed for repairs. Debris and damage was everywhere.

“It’s debilitating to see your town looking like one big trash heap. We’ve really had to lean on each other for support during a time when it would have been easy to give in to depression. We realized that we can lean on each other,” said Wanda Luke, director of guest relations.

The Port Arthur community is coming back to life, but it will take months for things to feel completely normal again.

“It’s amazing to see how people are still helping each other. I think we’re all closer because of what we’ve been through,” said Debbie Blair, emergency department director. “It reminds us of how fortunate we are to have our health, our families, and to be part of a hospital that really means it when it says it cares about its employees, our patients, and the whole community.”

As this issue of forum went to print, all of The Medical Center’s key services had reopened, however repairs continue in some areas of the hospital.

The Chairman’s Award

The people who devote themselves to a career in healthcare have a strong desire to help others, and that caring nature usually overflows beyond the everyday duties of their jobs. Each year, IASIS recognizes those employees who give more of themselves than is asked by presenting them with the Chairman’s Award.

It is the highest honor an employee can receive, given to employees who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to their facilities and their communities. Chairman’s Award winners are selected based upon commitment to community causes or activities, personal involvement in programs that directly address area needs, recognition among co-workers for contributions to the hospital and commitment to patient care and work performance. This year’s recipients devoted extra effort into a variety of endeavors, and no matter what the cause, each one of them made a difference..

The Legend of the Starfish

A small boy stands on the beach where thousands of starfish have washed ashore during a storm. He is throwing the starfish back into the ocean one at a time. A man walks up and says to the boy, “What are you trying to do? There are too many starfish, you can’t make much of a difference here.” The boy then looks at the starfish he is holding, and as he throws it back into the water he says, “But I can for this one.”

Lynne Atwood
Pioneer Valley Hospital
Nurse/midwife
When Pioneer Valley opened Nuevos Inicios/New Beginnings Clinic in 2004, Lynne was pretty much a one-woman show. Working with the help of a technician in charge of the hospital’s free pregnancy-testing program, Lynne built the clinic from the ground up, and today it sees nearly 50 patients a day.

Melba Bean
St. Luke’s Medical Center
Cardio Cath Tech
Though she works six days a week, Melba is never too busy to help someone else. She’s given lunch money to a patient’s family when they didn’t have cash. She collects and delivers clothes, blankets and food for the needy, and she used her vacation days to cook for 50 people at a church-sponsored retreat.

Karen Bennett
Palms of Pasadena Hospital
Director, Home Health
Named Business Woman of the Year and Honorary Chair in 2004 by the Business Advisory Council, Karen is known as a great manager who can be counted on to volunteer, and to solicit volunteers, whenever the hospital gets involved in a community event. She also participates in such organizations as Boy Scouts of America and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Barbara Brai
St. Luke’s Behavioral Hospital
Senior Financial Counselor
Barbara’s kind and caring approach when discussing financial concerns leaves patients grateful for her help. Outside the office, she is active in Women of the Moose, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and seniors in need.

Bob Canestrini
Jordan Valley Medical Center
Director of Facilities Management
As vice president of the Western Utah Chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse, Bob reaches out to children who have been physically or emotionally abused, by giving them a safe place to turn to in a crisis or when they are scared. A loving advocate, a watchdog and a friend, Bob is someone who can always be counted on.

Donna Ebel
Mesa General Hospital
Speech Pathologist
Donna’s lifelong crusade to support community causes became personal after a tragic car accident took the life of her 16-year-old daughter last year. She created the Krystal Ebel Crusade to raise awareness of safe driving in school zones and the Krystal Ebel Scholarship, which awarded two $1,000 scholarships to students at her daughter’s high school.

Janie Freitas
Southwest General Hospital
Patient Representative
A liaison between patients and the hospital, Janie is also supervisor of the Pastoral Care Services and Bereavement Program,where she makes sure that families get the comfort, emotional support and privacy they need. Recently she has also become a hospice volunteer.

Diane Goodwyn
Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital
Director of Cardiopulmonary
Diane is known for working to make each day better for the people around her. As organizer of the hospital’s Annual Children’s Holiday Party, she asked guests to bring canned food to donate to those in need. She keeps that spirit year-round by collecting toiletry items to be distributed to homeless men and women in the area.

Victoria Greer
Health Choice Arizona
Senior Accountant
Victoria spends a good deal of time raising funds for the Mully Children’s Family,which provides food, clothing and shelter, as well as love, support and education to street children in Kenya. MCF has rescued more than 4,000 children.

Steve Kimber
Davis Hospital and Medical Center
Director of Materials Management
Steve has done such an outstanding job of managing his department that he is sometimes called on to assist other hospitals. He also hosts a huge Scouting Merit Badge Clinic at the hospital each year, where 110-180 merit badges are awarded by the Boy Scouts of America.

Ginger Law
Salt Lake Regional Medical Center
Postpartum Unit
After giving birth to her seventh and eighth children, Ginger began to battle severe postpartum depression. Once she overcame her own illness, she began a postpartum support group at her hospital, where she counsels women who have recently given birth.

Ronn Moon
North Vista Hospital
Certified Surgical Technician
Ronn is a devoted team member who serves as the primary preceptor for scrub tech students. He also helps provide spare, usable operating room supplies to needy medical facilities in India, enabling doctors there to perform surgeries they might not be able to do otherwise.

Cathy Most
Town & Country Hospital
Case Manager
Cathy is an advocate for her patients and their families. She also cares deeply about her community, teaching Sunday School, assisting with youth activities and women’s groups at her church and assembling manuals and books in Braille.

Jerrold Settle
Memorial Hospital of Tampa
Pulmonary Lab
Special Procedures Technician
Though he works in one of the busiest pulmonary labs in the Tampa Bay area, Jerry eagerly takes on additional responsibilities, such as serving as a first-responder to patient emergencies. Known for his compassion, clinical expertise and willingness to help others, he is also active in his church and Knights of Columbus.

Michael Uresti
The Medical Center of Southeast Texas
Vice President/Plant Operations
Mike worked tirelessly throughout the construction and after the opening of the Medical Center to make sure everything ran smoothly. He also is a member of the Rotary International Club of Port Arthur, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Knights of Columbus and the Little League Baseball Umpires Association.

Frances VanCuren
Odessa Regional Medical Center
Director of Medical Staff Services
For more than 20 years, Frances has ministered to female inmates, holding classes at the Midland County Jail and corresponding with many of the women after they are released. Her strong support of the Odessa medical staff and her commitment to the hospital are inspiring to all who work with her.

IASIS Hospitals Help Storm Victims

The Medical Center of Southeast Texas may have been the only IASIS hospital actually hit by a hurricane this year, but all of the IASIS hospitals felt the impact of the storm season. Nearly every hospital treated hurricane evacuees and all of the hospitals participated in relief efforts. Some volunteered at local shelters set up in their communities. Others raised funds and collected clothes and other donations to help storm victims get their lives back on track.

“The hurricane season challenged all of us, no matter what part of the country we live in,” said Sandra McRee, president and chief operating officer of IASIS Healthcare. “I am very proud of how our hospitals responded to the challenge, and of the care, compassion and respect that was shown to those whose lives were interrupted by these devastating storms.”

After Hurricane Katrina, and spending days trapped in the New Orleans Convention Center, Edwa and Louis Towns were evacuated to Utah. Louis had a serious foot injury and Edwa was down to her last insulin pill. Louis was admitted to Salt Lake Regional Medical Center, where the staff quickly rallied to support the couple. Since his discharge, which Louis celebrates in this photo, Edwa and Louis have found an apartment in Salt Lake City and hospital employees and local businesses have helped them build a new life by donating furniture, appliances and even a new car.

Staff from IASIS Healthcare’s Arizona hospitals (above) donated their time to care for Hurricane Katrina evacuees housed at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Employees collected donations and supplies for victims of the hurricane.

When hundreds of Hurricane Katrina victims were evacuated to San Antonio, several were sent to Southwest General’s ER. The
hospital staff worked tirelessly to provide care to the victims, including Connie Mayar (left), who was rescued from her seventh- floor apartment after the storm.

Darrius Washington (right), a spina bifida patient from Louisiana, was separated from his family during the mass evacuations that followed Hurricane Katrina. He was treated at Memorial Hospital of Tampa, where staff also worked to locate his family. After the family was reunited, the hospital provided Darrius with a new wheelchair, clothes, and some money to help him on his way.

IASIS Employees
Give Generously

IASIS employees are always generous in devoting their time and resources to help others in need. In response to the devastating hurricanes this year, employees were given an opportunity to donate funds to the American Red Cross through the IASIS Healthcare Foundation. Nearly $60,000 was raised for relief efforts.

Thanks to everyone who made a contribution!