IASIS in Utah

This is the second in a series of articles that will introduce you to your IASIS colleagues around the country.

Nestled in a valley between the Wasatch and Oquirrh mountain ranges in Utah, Salt Lake City is home to scenic mountain vistas, world-class ski resorts and the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. With approximately 17 hospitals – including four IASIS facilities – in the greater Salt Lake area, it is also one of the most competitive healthcare markets in the country.

While they share a common owner, the four IASIS hospitals – Davis Hospital in Layton, Jordan Valley Medical Center in West Jordan, Pioneer Valley Hospital in West Valley City, and Salt Lake Regional Medical Center in Salt Lake City – are unique in the markets they serve.

Yet, all four hospitals are all working to keep pace with the city’s population, which has exploded in recent years. Thanks to a family-centered culture, a median age of 27 and an influx of newcomers, Salt Lake City has experienced a growth rate of nearly 30 percent during the past decade.

Back to the Future
As one of the city’s oldest hospitals, Salt Lake Regional Medical Center has a long tradition of caring for the community. Sandwiched between two competing hospitals in the downtown area, the 125-year old hospital is repositioning itself following several tumultuous years.

Founded in 1875 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, the 200-bed hospital enjoyed a stellar reputation in the community for many years. However, the 1994 sale of the hospital was followed by two name changes and five owners in as many years. This left many employees and community members confused.

“We went through a period of having change after change take place without ever providing the community with any notification,” says Sarah Evans, director of respiratory therapy. “That caused us to mentally go away for a lot of people.”

“It feels like we stood still for a long time in the eyes of the community,” agrees Larry Lewis, director of cardiology. “And in healthcare today, standing still is going backwards.”

While IASIS acquired Salt Lake Regional in 1999 along with the other three area facilities, it took time for employees and community members to adjust to the new ownership.

“After being so firmly rooted in this community as the old Holy Cross Hospital for so long, the changes in ownership were confusing and frustrating,” remembers Evans, who has been with the hospital for 27 years. “In the end, though, I think those experiences helped us realize that we work for the patient first and foremost.”

These days, Salt Lake Regional is planning for the future with a focus on growing existing services and heightening its community presence. The hospital currently offers services ranging from cardiology and obstetrics to the state’s only brachytherapy program, which treats cancer by applying high doses of radiation directly to the tumor.

Growth is already happening in some areas, says Salt Lake Regional Chief Executive Officer John Rossfeld, pointing to the increased number of births in the hospital’s obstetrics unit. In May, 189 babies were delivered in the unit, making that the busiest month since June 1996. The hospital’s sleep disorders program doubled its patient volume over the past year.

“On the whole, there is a really good feeling about the future of the hospital,” says Rossfeld. “People are realizing that IASIS is here to stay and is committed to investing in the hospital to help us grow and better serve our community.”

“There is a tremendous sense of loyalty among employees at this hospital,” says Risa Bell, supervisor of the sleep lab. “That’s something that is instilled in new employees, as well. There’s a real feeling that patients come first, and I think that translates to everyone who walks through our doors.”

Perhaps the best testament to employee loyalty is found in the hospital’s intensive care unit, where several of the nurses boast tenure of 25 years – a rarity in hospitals today, where the average length of employment is less than five years.

“It’s a great feeling to work alongside your friends. We’ve all grown up together and watched each other’s children grow up,” says Cathy Mason, R.N. “I’m convinced there’s no other hospital that can compare.”

Bursting at the Seams
Built in 1983, Jordan Valley Medical Center was founded by the Sisters of the Holy Cross to serve the small community of West Jordan, which is located southwest of Salt Lake City. Today, the 50-bed community hospital is working to transform itself into a larger facility capable of meeting the needs of its rapidly growing community.

“We are very much a community hospital, and we stay active in our community,” says Bryanie Swilley, the hospital’s chief executive officer, noting that West Jordan is one of the few places in the valley where there is room for growth. “We’re lucky in that most people don’t want to get into the car to drive more than 10 minutes for routine healthcare.”

“Many patients tell me they like being so close to home,” says Jim Geierman, RN, who has been at Jordan Valley for two years. “I enjoy the fact that on a given day, I might care for children, elderly people and patients from a variety of cultures. West Jordan has a growing Hispanic population, as well as a fairly large Asian community.”

Like Jordan Valley, Davis Hospital has also found itself working to care for a growing – and increasingly diverse – service area. Located to the north in Layton, Davis is a 126-bed hospital that is evolving to meet the needs of a community that looks much like West Jordan.

“There are 250,000 people within a 10-mile radius of the hospital,” says Bruce Baldwin, Davis’ chief executive officer. “If you go another 10 miles into our secondary service area, there are another 250,000 people. Our nearest competitors are in Ogden, so we’ve got a pretty captive audience.”

Like the other area hospitals, Davis hopes to make the most of the area’s ongoing baby boom. The hospital is pursuing an expansion that would more than double the size of its emergency department and expand its Women’s Center to 17 labor, delivery and recovery beds as well as add five post-partum rooms. Baldwin says the Women’s Center expansion is especially needed since 260 babies were recently delivered at Davis in one month – breaking its previous record of 202 deliveries.

“We’re no longer trying to create demand; we’re trying to satisfy it,” agrees Jordan Valley’s Swilley, pointing to the recent expansion of his hospital’s emergency department and radiology, surgery and laboratory areas. Plans to expand the hospital to 150 beds, add new medical/surgical areas and expand the Women’s Center and intensive care unit are on the table.

“Our Women’s Center is really our backbone,” says Swilley, noting that it generates more than half of the hospital’s admissions. “We average about 200 deliveries a month.”

Davis Hospital has seen the same kind of explosive growth; however, Baldwin points out that managing this growth is key to success. “Our ER visits jumped from 1,600 per month to 2,300 per month over the last few years,” he says. “We assembled a performance improvement team to study how long it took to see patients. Today our turnaround time is down, complaints are down, and our word of mouth is better.”

“There is a very friendly, open-door atmosphere here at Davis Hospital,” says Chris Poore, the hospital’s human resources director of 25 years. “I think we’ve gotten better with time and through all of the owners. There’s a real concern for patients and their well-being that comes before anything else.”

Employees at Jordan Valley couldn’t agree more. “So many people have stayed here over the years because of the strong sense of community we have,” says Janalyn Hilton, an RN in the emergency room who has been at Jordan Valley for 16 years.

“There’s a real feeling of family and a commitment to each other and to our patients,” agrees Mary Craciun, R.N.C., in Jordan Valley’s Women’s Center. “I just helped deliver a baby to a family whose twins I helped deliver six years ago. It’s great to see your patients growing and doing well.”

West Side Story
It’s not uncommon to see repeat patients across town at 139-bed Pioneer Valley Hospital, as well. Located in West Valley City, the hospital was built in 1983 and, like the other IASIS hospitals in Utah, has seen several owners over the past decade. However, one thing has remained constant, says Keith Tintle, Pioneer Valley’s chief executive officer.

“We have always been a part of this community and felt a sense of pride and ownership. People who have used our hospital in the past come back time after time when they need our services,” he says.

Pioneer Valley is located in a bustling suburb of Salt Lake City that has seen rapid growth in past years. However, most of the growth in West Valley City, which now ranks second in the state in terms of population, is tapering off. Tintle describes the area as a melting pot of different races and income levels.

“Unfortunately, there’s a real east side/west side mentality in this city. In the past, we simply have not had enough physicians to meet the demand on this side of town,” he says, noting that Pioneer Valley recently added a spinal surgeon and three OB/GYNs to its medical staff and is already seeing growth in admissions as a result.

To promote its birthing center, the hospital offers free pregnancy testing to up to 400 women each month. Approximately one third of the tests are positive, and 50 percent of those women schedule physician appointments as a result of the test.

Outpatient services – including surgeries, physical therapy and rehabilitation services – are also going strong, accounting for more than 60 percent of the hospital’s business. Outpatient surgeries are already being performed in two shifts, and Tintle says the hospital will have to expand in order to accommodate further growth.

According to Ty Berrett, the hospital’s director of physical therapy, Pioneer Valley treats an average of 3,300 patients each month, making it one of the busiest programs in the valley. In addition to its on-site capabilities, the hospital owns two off-site industrial medicine clinics and a sports medicine clinic.

“Since we’re located in a very industrial part of town, we see a lot of injured workers at our industrial medicine clinics,” Berrett says, noting that 35 percent of his department’s business comes from the state’s workers’ compensation system, which provides care for workers injured on the job, as compared to a national average of 10 percent.

The hospital’s wellness center also offers a series of classes on diabetes, weight and cholesterol management, as well as cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs. Lucinda Ross, RN, director of the wellness center, says people come from all over the Salt Lake Valley to exercise, receive nutritional counseling and attend weekly classes.

“Because our programs last from six to 12 weeks, we grow very close to our patients. It’s rewarding to see them progress and make positive lifestyle changes,” says Ross.

The future looks bright for Pioneer Valley – and all of the IASIS facilities in Utah, Tintle says. “We already have a great staff that delivers first-rate patient care. Our main challenge is staying ahead of the growth curve so that we can accommodate more patients without ever losing them.”

A Salute to Tempe St. Luke’s

The May 11, 2001, The Arizona Republic featured a column praising the physicians, nurses and volunteers at Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital in Tempe, Ariz.

“From the moment of my morning arrival in the emergency room to the afternoon of my departure several days later, the hospital’s physicians, nurses and volunteers couldn’t have been friendlier,” writes Dan Durrenberger, a regular columnist for the Republic and a resident of the hospital’s neighborhood.

Durrenberger visited Tempe St. Luke’s when he came down with a virulent case of food poisoning.

“Dr. Mark Sexton and the numerous others in the emergency room spent nearly seven hours stabilizing what had become, for me, a modest medical nightmare,” he writes.

“When you consider the vagaries of any illness, the number of dedicated people that it takes to restore other people to good health, and the intricacies of medicine and modern technology, it was teamwork that ensured everything would turn out as nicely as it did.”

	Jones Named Nurse of the Year Dorris Jones, L.V.N., with Park Place Medical Center in Port Arthur, Texas, was voted “Favorite Nurse” by the readers of the Port Arthur News, the community’s daily newspaper. Jones has been a licensed vocational nurse at Park Place for 38 years and says she has wanted to be a nurse since high school. “I just like to take care of people,” she says. “If you love those patients, they are going to respond to you.” Jones worked in the intensive care unit, then the telemetry unit for cardiac patients when it opened in 1990. She has traveled to Haiti several times to help those in need and hopes to join the next Operation Starfish team on its spring trip to Tanzania, Africa. The same Port Arthur News survey awarded Mid-Jefferson Hospital the “Best Hospital” honor for the second consecutive year. Congratulations to Dorris Jones and Mid-Jefferson Hospital!

Second Mission Team Visits Africa Employees and physicians at Town & Country Hospital in Tampa, Fla., recently embarked upon the adventure of a lifetime. On Aug. 13, an 11-person team departed for a two-week clinical mission trip to the Serengeti region of Tanzania in Africa – the second sponsored by the IASIS Healthcare Foundation. “After [Chief Executive Officer] David White visited our hospital and made a presentation about the IASIS Foundation’s sponsored medical mission trips to Tanzania, several physicians and hospital staff expressed interest in Town & Country sponsoring an upcoming mission trip, because they thought the cause was extremely important,” says Phil Mazzuca, Town & Country’s chief executive officer. As with the first group, the second mission team used personal vacation time to travel to Tanzania. Team members include Dr. Mohendra Biswas, urologist; Dr. Howard Chipman, emergency medicine; Dr. Karen DiPasquale, pediatric emergency medicine; Dr. Thomas DiPasquale, orthopedic trauma surgeon; Kathy Carls, RN, director of quality and case management; Dr. Helene Harper, medical director, emergency department; Daryl Mencher, RN, director of emergency department; B.J. Mitchell, RN, infection control; Cammie Perrino, RN, diagnostic imaging; and Rahul Purohit, R.Ph., clinical pharmacist. Carolyn White, a registered nurse and wife of IASIS CEO David White, also made the trip. The journey around the world wasn’t quick – or easy. Departing on a flight from Tampa, the team connected through Detroit, Mich., to Amsterdam. From there, they flew to Kilimanjaro in Africa, then boarded a small bush plane that flew them to their camp in Tanzania. While in Africa, the team stayed at safari camp two hours away from the clinics. Team members were better prepared for their trip as a result of the experiences of the first team, which was composed of employees and physicians at Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital in Tempe, Ariz. Tempe St. Luke’s emergency medical director Dr. Mark Sexton relayed to Mazzuca information gathered by the first team concerning the needs of the patients at the remote clinics. Based on this information, the second team had a better idea of the most useful supplies, such as medication for malaria, supplies to treat burns, aspirin and children’s vitamins. “I think that with every trip, we can get a better idea of their needs so that the next team will be able to tackle local problems even more effectively,” says Dr. Biswas. Physicians paid for their own travel during the first mission, while the foundation covered the cost for other team members. This time, generous donations from vendors allowed the foundation to cover the cost of the trip for all team members. Mazzuca says that choosing just 10 people from the large number of employees that volunteered for the mission was one of the most difficult parts of planning the trip. “We had such a tremendous response from the entire staff,” he says. “They truly believe in the foundation and what it represents.” The mission was especially meaningful for one team member, clinical pharmacist Rahul Purohit, who was born in the bordering country of Kenya. “I haven’t been back since I came to the United States 23 years ago,” Purohit says. “This is my first chance to give back to the region that I came from.” Purohit, who speaks the local language Swahili, spent the first 17 years of his life in the region. “The general wealth of the area has decreased. Roads are in poor condition, and food and medicine are harder to come by now.” Aside from his personal ties to the region, Purohit hoped that the presence of a pharmacist, a first for the mission trips, would prove beneficial. “I’ll be able to assist the physicians in deciding which drugs will be most effective,” he says. Two husband-and-wife physician teams are also a part of the team. Dr. Karen DiPasquale, a pediatrician at Tampa Children’s Hospital, says she wanted to go when her husband, an orthopedic trauma surgeon at Town & Country, told her that the team was looking for a pediatrician. “We’ve both been really fortunate in our careers, and we felt like we wanted to give something back,” says Dr. Thomas DiPasquale. The volunteers say they were motivated to go on the trip to assist people who might not receive medical care otherwise. “It’s easy to become absorbed in your day-to-day life,” says Kathy Carls, RN“I knew seeing people who are much less fortunate than ourselves would make us appreciate everything we have even more.”         Special Thanks to the following vendors whose generous donations helped make the trip possible: • 3M • Ansel Perry • Better Business Forms • Citrus Orthopedic Products • Disc-O-Tech Orthopedic Supplies • Depuy Orthopedic Supplies • Florida Orthopedic Institute Supplies • Johnson & Johnson • Kimberly Clarke • Medline Industries • Merck • Ortho-McNeil • Osceola • Owens & Minor • Pfizer • Precision Orthopedics • Stryker Howmedica Osteonics • United Guardian • Dr. Stephen Updegraff • Wyeth

A quick look at what’s happening
at IASIS hospitals around the country

Safety fair draws a crowd
Town & Country Hospital – Tampa, Fla.

In celebration of the recent expansion of its emergency department, Town & Country Hospital sponsored The Safety Zone, a safety fair for children of all ages. The event featured displays on personal safety, bicycle safety and poison prevention, and offered complimentary DNA lifeprinting. Area businesses provided educational grants to fund the activities. In conjunction with the event, the hospital also sponsored an art contest at local elementary and middle schools. The winners’ artwork is permanently displayed in the lobby of the ER. John Lynch, a safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was on hand to present awards to the students and a computer to three winning schools before touring the facility and visiting with patients.

Employee of the Month to be awarded
Mid-Jefferson Hospital – Nederland, Texas
Park Place Medical Center – Port Arthur, Texas

Mid-Jefferson Hospital and Park Place Medical Center have initiated an Employee of the Month award. The nominees are chosen based on attitude, teamwork, attendance and “going the extra mile.” The Employee of the Month is recognized at a monthly reception held at each hospital. Each winner receives a gift certificate, recognition on the hospital bulletin board, and becomes eligible to win a trip.

Students receive scholarships
Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital – Tempe, Ariz.

The Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital (TSLH) Auxiliary recently awarded $13,500 in scholarships to students pursuing healthcare-related careers. Sixteen students received scholarships of either $500 or $1000 for the fall 2001 and winter 2002 semesters. The Auxiliary owns and operates the hospital gift shop, with proceeds benefiting the Auxiliary’s scholarship fund.

TSLH expects to begin a cardiac catheter service in August. This service is in conjunction with the installation of the new Philips Allura Vascular Lab, a combination vascular/cardiac lab that was completed in May.

Celebration at Mesa General
Mesa General Hospital – Mesa, Ariz.

Mesa General celebrated its 40th anniversary during hospital week, May 7-11. Several events commemorated the occasion, including a birthday cake celebration, a breakfast hosted by the medical staff, a car wash for employees by management, history boards with photos and past articles, and a barbecue.

Congratulations to Dr. Richard Dobrusin, chairman of the board, who was awarded the Arizona Excellence in Osteopathic Education by the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association at their annual convention in April. Also, Juan Hernandez, director of community relations and volunteer services, was recently appointed to the board of directors for the Arizona State University Hispanic Business College Alumni Association.

Health and safety fair for kids
Davis Hospital and Medical Center – Layton, Utah

Davis Hospital and Medical Center recently participated in the Caring for Kids Health and Safety Fair. The event was held on the Davis Hospital campus and featured booths on health and safety issues for kids. The hospital’s booth offered information on children’s first aid and summer safety, free water bottles, face painting and parenting information. Other booths featured a bike safety rodeo and information on car seat and school bus safety. The local fire department and many other agencies also had booths at the fair.

New natal care addition
Odessa Regional Medical Center – Odessa, Texas

Odessa Regional Medical Center (ORH) has officially broken ground on its 40,000-square-foot addition. Currently a 75-bed hospital, ORH will have 114,000 square-feet and more than 100 rooms when the expansion is completed in the third quarter of 2002. The expansion will include new labor, delivery and recovery rooms, a nursery and neonatal intensive care unit, and new private rooms in the postpartum area. An expanded pre- and post-procedure area for outpatient surgery and a new lobby and entrance will also be added to the facility.

Hospital forms patient council
Salt Lake Regional Medical Center – Salt Lake City, Utah

A new patient council has formed, consisting of a representative from every department in the Salt Lake hospital. The goals of this council are to increase communication between departments; troubleshoot and solve issues that involve patient care; update one another regarding equipment, protocols and procedures; use new ideas as an interdepartmental group; increase patient care quality and efficiency; and increase patient satisfaction.

Hospital ranked among the
top 10 acute-care hospitals
St. Luke’s Medical Center – Phoenix, Ariz.

St. Luke’s was named among the top 10 acute-care hospitals in a recent poll published in the 2001 edition of Ranking Arizona –The Best of Arizona Business, a yearly publication produced by Arizona Business magazine. Ranking Arizona is based on opinion polls conducted throughout the year via the magazine’s Web site and write-in ballots. “We feel company revenues and numbers of employees shouldn’t be the only criteria used to judge the best,” says Michael Atkinson, Arizona Business magazine president and CEO. “Participants who voted based their opinions on quality of product, service and people. We wanted to know which companies you would recommend doing business with and pass that information on to our readers.”

	Sandra McRee, Chief Operating Officer VitalStats Hometown: Goodspring, Tenn. Family: Husband, Glen, and three daughters: Sharon, 26; Leslie, 19; and Glynda, 17. Hobbies: Reading, spending time with family, relaxing at the beach Sandra McRee began her healthcare career more than 25 years ago pulling old medical records in the basement of Giles County Hospital in Pulaski, Tenn. One might say it has been all uphill from there. McRee, who was named IASIS’ chief operating officer in May, eventually worked her way up to the hospital’s ground floor and a position as the hospital’s business office manager, and later, controller. From there, she moved to Nashville, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems, where she was an assistant vice president, and Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation, where she ran the company’s Chicago network of hospitals and surgery centers. Before joining IASIS, McRee was a regional vice president at Province Healthcare, in charge of operations for five facilities in Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. In her new role, McRee is responsible for overseeing operations of the company’s 14 hospitals. She recently sat down to talk about her plans for the future and some of the lessons she’s learned during her 25 years in healthcare.

Q: What are some of your priorities during your first few months as COO? A: Everything is built on relationships, so I plan to spend as much time as I can meeting people and learning about opportunities for improvement. Specifically, I think we should focus on reducing our supply expense, improving education regarding our new information systems and improving our cash collections. Q: How do you view your role within the company? A: I have to focus on the big picture while keeping an eye on the details. In every company, there are a thousand little things that, if done differently, can make a big impact on overall operations. It’s my responsibility to help pull all of those things together. Q: How would you describe your leadership style? A: I am a firm believer that you cannot lead until you serve, meaning that you can’t take action before you listen. I just finished reading a book called The Servant, which talks about the servant leadership culture. It really reinforced my belief that you have to seek input from every angle when making decisions. Q: What attracted you to this position? A: I’ve known David White (CEO of IASIS) for many years. We’ve worked together before and share a lot of the same philosophies. This just seemed like a great place to be and a great time to be here. The company is small enough now that we have the opportunity to do things differently, and that is exciting.

Q: What has been the most rewarding part of your career in healthcare? A: I really enjoy meeting new people and seeing the difference that we can make in the lives of people we serve – whether that is the life of an employee or a patient. Q: What do you like least about your job? A: Traveling late at night – especially across several time zones! Q: What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment? A: I enjoy being in a position to help people develop professionally. I’ve learned there is a big difference between success and significance. Sometimes you have to look deeper than your successes to see if you’ve really made a difference. That’s what I’m most proud of – aside from being married to the same man for 28 years! Q: How do you spend your free time? A: We live on a farm about 90 minutes outside of Nashville, Tenn., so I do a lot of commuting in my “free” time! We’re also in the process of building a new house, so I’ve been spending a lot of time on that. My family and I also like to drive down to Florida to spend time at the beach.