New details revealed in Portland Border Patrol shooting

Preface to the recent event on Thursday (1-8-2026) afternoon in a medical clinic parking lot near Adventist Health hospital in Southeast Portland:

Our people have been regarded as too insignificant to be worthy of notice, but a change will come. The Christian world is now making movements which will necessarily bring commandment-keeping people into prominence.

- Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p.546.

 

Adventist/MRMC deal: So many questions

Community Health Systems, Inc. announced Wednesday that an affiliate of the company has signed an agreement to sell Munroe Regional Medical Center to Florida Hospital Ocala, Inc., a subsidiary of Adventist Health System Sunbelt Healthcare Corporation. The transfer of the lease is subject to the consent of the Marion County Hospital District. [Doug Engle/Staff photographer] Next




By Carlos E. Medina

Sunday

Posted Apr 22, 2018 at 2:01 AM

The sale of the lease of Munroe Regional Medical Center to Adventist Health System brings lots of questions. Here are some answers.

For weeks, the worst-kept secret in the healthcare industry in Central Florida was the impending sale of the lease to operate Munroe Regional Medical Center in Ocala.

On Wednesday, official word came that, indeed, Community Health Systems was selling out to Adventist Health System. The sale of the lease to the largest and oldest hospital in Marion County brings with it lots of questions. While the finer points of the deal, including the sales price, are still not public, there is enough out there to answer some of the burning questions.

First, some perspective.

In 2014, CHS took over operations of Munroe under a 40-year lease agreement with the Marion County Hospital District, which still owns the hospital. The Franklin, Tennessee-based company inherited the lease that went to Health Management Associates. CHS closed on the purchase of HMA just after the lease award.

Related content


Explore the CHS-Munroe saga in recent years April 20, 2018

When announcing the sale, CHS stated that Adventist would assume the long-term lease. Joe Hanratty, the hospital district attorney, said assumption of the lease would include all its provisions as well. The hospital district, in addition to managing the proceeds of the lease, also enforces the lease agreement and its board of trustees must sign off on the sale before it is final.

What happens to MRMC employees?

In the short-term, nothing.

Church Plan Litigation Hits Seventh-Day Adventist Hospital

November 1, 2016


From Pension & Benefits Daily

Pension & Benefits Daily™ covers all major legislative, regulatory, legal, and industry developments in the area of employee benefits every business day, focusing on actions by Congress,...




By Jacklyn Wille

Oct. 31 — A Florida-based Seventh-Day Adventist hospital system is the latest large health-care company to be accused of underfunding its pension plans by millions of dollars based on a faulty reliance on ERISA’s “church plan” exemption ( Sheedy v. Adventist Health Sys. Sunbelt Healthcare Corp. , M.D. Fla., No. 6:16-cv-01893-GAP-GJK, complaint filed 10/28/16 ).

The lawsuit, filed Oct. 28 in a Florida federal court, claims that Adventist Health System’s pension plans are underfunded by a combined $134 million. Like more than three dozen recent suits against Catholic and other religiously affiliated hospitals, this lawsuit attributes the underfunding to Adventist’s improper reliance on a religious exemption from the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, which allows “church plans” freedom to avoid the statute’s strict funding and disclosure requirements.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to announce in the coming weeks whether it will wade into this ongoing controversy, in which plaintiffs claim that more than 300,000 hospital workers face a pension shortfall of about $4 billion. The litigation effort has scored victories in the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Third, Seventh and Ninth circuits and has netted several multimillion-dollar settlements, including a $352 million deal by Washington-based Providence Health & Services announced earlier this month.

The 12-count lawsuit against Adventist Health differs from many of its predecessors because it targets several pension plans, including a multiemployer plan covering several Adventist-affiliated entities and a group of frozen plans in which participants are no longer accruing benefits.

The case is also noteworthy for being the first to target a hospital system with ties to the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. The vast majority of the nearly 40 church plan lawsuits have targeted Catholic health-care providers.

Finally, this is the first church plan case to be filed in a Florida federal court and only the second to be filed in any court within the Eleventh Circuit. The other lawsuit, filed against Baptist Health System in the Northern District of Alabama, led to an $11 million settlement that the parties said was on top of $89 million in voluntary pension contributions by Baptist.

The employees suing Adventist are represented by Sheppard White Kachergus & DeMaggio P.A. and Gainey McKenna & Egleston, the latter of which recently filed a similar suit against Cincinnati-based Mercy Health. That case was recently consolidated with two other proposed class actions against the hospital, and the firm in August agreed to allow plaintiffs’ firms Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll and Keller Rohrback to take over as class counsel.

Adventist didn’t immediately respond to Bloomberg BNA’s request for comments.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jacklyn Wille in Washington atjwille@bna.com

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jo-el J. Meyer at jmeyer@bna.com
 

More Information


Text of the complaint is at http://www.bloomberglaw.com/public/document/Sheedy_v_Adventist_Health_System_Sunbelt_Healthcare_Corporation_e/1.

Copyright © 2016 The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


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Report: Affiliation with Adventist Health will bring investment money for Lodi Memorial Hospital

Photo (Courtesy) https://www.linkedin.com/company/lodi-memorial-hospital

Posted: Saturday, March 14, 2015 12:00 am

By Jennifer Bonnett/News-Sentinel staff writer |

The blending of Lodi Health and Adventist Health will bring a $98 million capital investment in Lodi Memorial Hospital and related services over the next 13 years, according to a report prepared for the state Attorney General.

Adventist Health also plans to provide a $2 million donation to the Lodi Memorial Health Foundation under the proposed affiliation agreement.

Lodi Health’s top executives will become Adventist Health employees after the merger. Also included in the report: Adventist will encourage an environment conducive to “employees’ and patients’ Sabbath rest.”

The hospital, all clinics and other healthcare services will be likely maintained for at least five years, except for the Trinity Plaza Surgery Center. The Stockton facility closed in 2013, but Lodi Health still has part ownership.

The information comes from an 82-page consultant report known as a Health Care Impact Statement released Thursday.

It was prepared by a third party at the request of the Office of the California Attorney General to assess the potential impact of the proposed affiliation agreement between Lodi Health and Adventist Health System/West.

Reports like these typically run in the $8,000 range, according to Lodi Health spokeswoman Carol Farron, and Lodi Health will be billed for it by the attorney general.

What the affiliation might mean

Lodi Health has sought affiliation with a larger healthcare system because of financial concerns; the report revealed that as of Dec. 31, 2014, Lodi Health had an outstanding debt totaling approximately $145.4 million.

Under the deal, substantially all Lodi Health employees in good standing will be retained, although the top four administrative positions will become employees of Adventist Health, according to the report. They include the chief executive officer, chief nursing officer, chief financial officer and chief administrative officer.

The donation of $2 million to the foundation will be restricted, to be used exclusively in support of Lodi Health and its affiliates to further Lodi Health’s charitable mission of reaching out to the rural areas surrounding Lodi.

Under the proposal, Adventist Health may place limitations on the types of foods served at the hospital and affiliated healthcare facilities; and adopt policies to “encourage the creation of an environment conducive to employees’ and patients’ Sabbath rest.”

In is unclear what this might mean for Lodi Memorial Hospital, but at other Adventist hospitals, the Sabbath is celebrated from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday as a time for quiet rest and religious reflection. All patient services continue to be provided on Saturday, although most administrative offices are closed and the cafeteria hours are reduced.

In the end, the consulting firm that performed the report determined the proposed change in control and governance of Lodi Health is likely to improve the availability and accessibility of healthcare services in the communities served by the hospital. Access for Medi-Cal, uninsured patients, and other classes of patients will either improve or remain unchanged, according to the report.

The affiliation still requires the state Attorney General’s approval, expected shortly after a formal public hearing in Lodi later this month.

What the report recommends

If approved, the firm recommends for at least the next five years continuing to operate Lodi Memorial as a general acute care hospital and maintaining 24-hour emergency medical services at a minimum of 28 treatment stations with the same types and/or levels of services.

Additionally, the hospital will maintain:

• Acute rehabilitation services, including a minimum of eight rehabilitation beds.
• Adult day care services.
• Cardiac services, including the cardiac catheterization lab.
• Critical care services, including a minimum of 10 intensive care beds.
• Obstetric services, including a minimum of 16 obstetrics beds.
• Urgent care services.
• Women’s reproductive health services.

For at least five years, the hospital will also retain all of its Lodi care clinics, as well as those located in Ione and Galt.

Trinity Plaza Center has since sold all of its leasehold improvements and the majority of its equipment and supply inventories to a privately-owned operator of ambulatory surgery centers.

Under the agreement, Lodi Health will also continue to expend an average of no less than $801,365 annually in community benefit services including Camp Hutchins, the Fitness Center and the Walter E. Reiss Outreach Clinic.

What’s the next step?

The attorney general’s official public meeting, set for 2 p.m. on March 23 in the hospital’s West Wing, is being held to receive comments on the proposal and to consider the official Health Care Impact Statement prepared by the consultants, as required by state law. The full report can be read at www.oag.ca.gov/charities/nonprofithosp.

That law requires the Attorney General’s review and consent to any sale or transfer of a health care facility owned or operated by a nonprofit corporation whose assets are held in public trust, such as Lodi Memorial. This requirement covers health care facilities that are licensed to provide 24-hour care, such as hospitals and skilled nursing facilities.


Contact reporter Jennifer Bonnett at jenniferb@lodinews.com.

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Three Angles News - Adventist and Catholic Health Systems to Partner

Three Angles News - Adventist and Catholic Health Systems to Partner

26 June 2014 | PAM DIETRICH

1. The Catholic Alexian Brothers Health System and Adventist Midwest Health have signed a letter of intent to form a partnership. Both healthcare company CEOs said that “under their nonbinding agreement, each company will maintain control of its assets, identities and different religious priorities."

2. Ugandan Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi recently spoke at a fundraiser for a Seventh-day Adventist Church. The Kikajjo SDA Church is buying more land so that it can expand, and the prime minister donated money himself, as well as bringing donations on behalf of his family. He praised the SDA church for "promoting peace and unity" in Uganda.

3. Star of the movie Think Like A Man Too, Meagan Good has been criticized by some religious people for not dressing modestly as the wife of Seventh-day Adventist preacher (and movie executive) DeVon Franklin. She defended her clothing choices in a recent interview.

Image: Meagan Good and DeVon Franklin at the 2012 BET Awards in Hollywood, California.

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Adventist Midwest Health and Alexian Brothers Health System Sign Letter of Intent

The two organizations are pursuing a possible affiliation to create an integrated health care system in the Chicago area.

6/17/2014 | By Julie Busch

Alexian Brothers Health System (ABHS), part of St. Louis-based Ascension Health and Adventist Midwest Health (AMH), part of Adventist Health System, announce the signing of a non-binding letter of intent to form a joint operating company (JOC). The letter calls for the two health systems to pursue a possible affiliation under which four AMH hospitals and five ABHS hospitals in suburban Chicago will join forces to create an integrated health care system.

The JOC will allow the two separate organizations to preserve their respective religious identities and mission priorities, and to integrate their operations while maintaining separate ownership of their assets. The affiliation will result in a notably diverse physician provider network, bringing together more than 3,000 physicians to offer better coordinated, more comprehensive care for patients in the Chicago area.

"By affiliating with Adventist Midwest Health, we believe we will enhance the high-quality care ABHS currently provides by extending our reach and strengthening our position in the highly competitive Chicago health care market. At the same time, we will be taking another important step toward ensuring the long-term viability of the Alexian Brothers' 800-year healing mission. This affiliation is also an example of Ascension Health's strategic commitment to developing regional integrated systems of care," said Mark A. Frey, president and chief executive officer of Alexian Brothers Health System.

"Our affiliation will bring a new level of clinical integration for population health to our communities that has never existed before, resulting in new health care options for the patients we serve," said David L. Crane, president and chief executive officer of Adventist Midwest Health. "By joining together, we'll offer new services and levels of care while reducing costs and enhancing value to a combined population service area of more than 3.8 million potential patients."

The Letter of Intent is expected to lead to a Definitive Agreement, which will be subject to a due diligence process and review and approval from appropriate regulatory bodies. As approvals are obtained, ABHS and Adventist Midwest Health anticipate the partnership will be complete by early fall.

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Related

The Immaculate Conception Province (the American Province) sponsors Alexian Brothers Health System, which provides services in acute care, residential elderly care, retirement centers, and AIDS ministry in Illinois, Missouri,Wisconsin, Tennessee, and also outside the USA in the Philippines and Hungary. On January 1, 2012 the Alexian Brothers Health System became part of St. Louis-based Ascension Health, the nation’s largest Catholic and non-profit health system.[citation needed]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexians

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National Day of Prayer Observed at Gordon Hospital

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Gordon Hospital website


More than 550 Christians circled Gordon Hospital on Thursday, May 2, in unified prayer.

In observance of the National Day of Prayer, the Gordon Hospital Christian Service Committee organized an event called “Circle the Hospital in Prayer” to bring together believers in prayer for the community as well as for the hospital’s mission of extending the healing ministry of Christ to all they serve.

“What an amazing experience of Christian unity that was displayed on our hospital campus,” said Dave Smith, Gordon Hospital chaplain. “We extended the invitations to all believers, and we had a wonderful turnout.”

More than 42 congregations were represented at the event, and more than 550 participants and employees prayed the simultaneous prayer.

“A human chain of prayers reached all around the hospital building!” Smith said. “I wish to thank all participants for calling down Heaven’s strength for our community and our hospital.”

Upon arrival, participants were instructed to pray from their hearts or pray the prayer from the card provided by the chaplain. The prayer in its entirety said:



Almighty Father of All Mankind,

Our petitions ascend to You from the combined faith of all Gordon County. We all need You! Our churches, our commissioners and mayor, our judges, sheriff, and law enforcement officers need You. Our service men and women and their families, our firemen, emergency medical technicians, ambulances, and medical flight team, all need You. Our teachers and principals, dads and moms, singles and newly-marrieds, elderly, young adults, teens, children and infants need You! Pastors and counselors, physicians and health professionals, business leaders and craftsmen, bankers and mechanics, maintenance pros and construction teams, and the victims of violence from Sandy Hook to Boston! All of us need You! So, Lord God, send down Heaven's power for good on Gordon County, the ministry of Gordon Hospital, and the United States of America! Amen.


Written by Karen Shaw, Gordon Hospital Marketing coordinator

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Seventh-day Adventists: From doomsday sect to health advocates

Florida Hospital vice president Des Cummings in Celebration… (photo by Jeff Kunerth )

By 28, 2013 |By Jeff Kunerth, Orlando Sentinel

In the Seventh-day Adventist church, they call Oct. 22, 1844, the "Great Disappointment." It was the day the world didn't end.

The church, celebrating its 150th anniversary this month, traces its origins back to a doomsday sect of disillusioned believers in the prophesy of William Miller. The Harold Camping of his day, Miller proclaimed a date for Jesus Christ's return, and when that didn't happen, about 3,500 disappointed believers regrouped to form the Seventh-day Adventists in Battle Creek, Mich.

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Whistleblower lawsuit alleges Florida Hospital filed millions in false claims

Photo (Courtesy) http://www.huntonbrady.com/florida-hospital-ginsburg-tower-2

5:03 p.m. EST, August 8, 2012|By Marni Jameson, Orlando Sentinel

A whistle-blower lawsuit based on insider information from a former Florida Hospital-Orlando billing employee and a staff physician alleges that seven Adventist Health hospitals in Central Florida have overbilled the federal government for tens of millions of dollars in false or padded medical claims.

The suit claims Florida Hospital used improper coding for more than a decade to overbill Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare, all federal government payors. In addition, it alleges, the hospital commonly overbilled for a drug used, for example, in MRI scans and billed for computer analyses that were never performed.

Plaintiffs Amanda Dittman, a bill-coding and reimbursement compliance officer, and Dr. Charlotte Elenberger, a radiologist, were either employed or affiliated with Florida Hospital Orlando between 1995 and 2009. They filed a lawsuit in July 2010, alleging that the improprieties occurred during those years.

Last week their suit received a green light from U.S. District Judge John Antoon to proceed. In his ruling, Antoon denied Adventist Health System's motion to dismiss the claim, calling the evidence "extensive and sufficient."

Adventist Health, based in Altamonte Springs, asked the judge to dismiss the case for insufficient evidence. However, Antoon refused the request, saying the complaint "satisfies the [False Claim Act] requirements of describing the alleged fraudulent acts, why they were fraudulent, when they occurred, and who engaged in them."

Among the Florida hospitals cited are Florida Hospital Orlando, Florida Hospital Altamonte, Florida Hospital Apopka, Florida Hospital East Orlando, Florida Hospital Celebration Health, Florida Hospital Kissimmee and Winter Park Memorial Hospital.

In February, four local Adventist Health hospitals paid $3.9 million to the federal government to settle allegations that they overbilled Medicare.

'Could exceed $100 million'

Marlan Wilbanks, attorney for the plaintiffs, said that, although he can't determine the total amount of damages until he gets sworn depositions and gathers more records, "we know the sum is very large because it went on for over a decade."

If found guilty, the health system would not only be responsible for repaying the excess money received, but also for paying civil penalties of $5,500 to $11,000 per false claim, and damages, he said.

"When you're looking at something that happened thousands of times, and that carries substantial civil monetary penalties for each claim and treble damages, the total exposure could exceed $100 million," Wilbanks said.

A trial is set for December 2013.

Gabriel Imperato, attorney for Adventist Health, would not discuss the case, saying, "It is our policy not to comment on pending litigation for our clients."

Hospital spokeswoman Samantha O'Lenick said that, although she was aware of the case, "we don't comment on any cases that are in active litigation."

Dittman worked for Florida Radiology Associates from 1996 to 2001 and then for Florida Hospital Orlando from 2001 to 2008. During that time, the lawsuit alleges, she witnessed billing-code "modifiers" routinely misused in ways that would result in extra payments.

"This allegation is not limited to Florida Hospital Orlando," said Wilbanks, but extends to the other hospitals named in the suit. Dittman ultimately had billing responsibilites in each of the hospital's radiology departments.

Dittman also alleged that the hospital routinely used a billing code for a larger dose of the drug octreotide than was actually administered. A radioactive agent given intravenously or by injection, octreotide is used to enhance radiology images. Rather than bill for 1,000 micrograms of the drug, it billed for 5,000 micrograms, the suit alleges, overcharging the government by nearly $2,500 per dose.

While working for Florida Radiology Associates from 1995 to 2008, Elenberger had staff privileges at Florida Hospital Orlando and alleges the hospital was billing — and being paid — for services related to a computer-aided-detection analysis that helps doctors interpret mammography scans, even when the CAD analysis wasn't performed.

For three months in 2006 the CAD system wasn't working, yet the hospital billed for the CAD scans, the suit alleges.

Taxpayers recover

Under the False Claims Act, whistle-blowers stand to gain substantial amounts, sometimes as much as 10 percent to 20 percent of the award, experts say. However, coming forward with knowledge of fraud is "always difficult for health-care professionals," Wilbanks said. It can be career-limiting.

Since filing suit, Elenberger continues to practice in Central Florida, although in Nov. 2009 she chose to resign her staff privileges at Florida Hospital. Dittman now works for a hospital in California.

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UCH health centers merge with Adventist chain

By SHANNON BEHNKEN The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 1, 2010

TAMPA - University Community Hospital has officially merged with Adventist Health System of Winter Park, a Christian hospital chain with 38 hospitals in 12 states.

The move gives UCH access to more capital. Adventist operates 37 hospitals in the Midwest and South, including 17 in Florida.

Adventist might benefit from UCH's greater presence in the Tampa Bay area. So far, Adventist's only local hospital is Florida Hospital Zephyrhills.

The new group's hospitals in the region include University Community Hospital; University Community Hospital-Carrollwood; Pepin Heart Hospital & Dr. Kiran C. Patel Research Institute; the Long Term Acute Care Hospital at Connerton; Florida Hospital Zephyrhills; and the soon to be built Wesley Chapel Medical Center.

Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital will also be joining Adventist Health System, serving the Tarpon Springs community.

The new hospital board appointed John Harding as president and CEO for the region. He is the currently president and CEO of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills and has more than 25 years of health care administration experience.

"John knows the Tampa Bay community and will provide the leadership experience needed to guide this new region," Mike Schultz, president and CEO of the AHS Florida Region and vice chairman for the UCH board, said in a news release.

"He embraces medical technology and advancement with an emphasis on quality and safety, all the while nurturing a Christian-based mission of health care delivery. These elements are vital to the future success of these hospitals."

Adventist Health System said it committed $125 million in capital investments, $10 million to the UCH Foundation and has agreed to take on UCH's debt and outstanding liabilities.

Adventist Health System, according to its website, is a not-for-profit health care organization that emphasizes Christ at the center of care.

It was founded in 1973 to support Seventh-day Adventist health care organizations in the south and southwest and is the now the largest not-for-profit Protestant health care provider in the nation, the website says.

Reporter Shannon Behnken can be reached at (813) 259-7804.
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Source: http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/sep/01/uch-health-centers-merge-adventist-chain/
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University Community Health, Adventist Health explore merger

Wednesday, March 31, 2010, 2:50pm EDT

University Community Health, Adventist Health explore merger

Tampa Bay Business Journal - by Margie Manning Senior Staff Writer

Adventist Health System and University Community Health have signed a non-binding letter of intent to explore a possible merger of the two systems.

The merger potentially could be completed this summer, pending completion of due diligence and any regulatory review, said Norm Stein, president and chief executive officer of UCH.

The merger would give Adventist, based in Winter Park and the largest not-for-profit Protestant health care provider in the United States, a big boost in market share in the Tampa Bay area.

University Community Health, which includes University Community Hospital, University Community Hospital-Carrollwood, Pepin Heart Hospital and Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital, accounts for about 9 percent of inpatient discharges and 9 percent of total acute-care beds in the Bay area, according to a February market review by HealthLeaders-InterStudy.

Adventist supports 37 hospitals, but only one of them — Florida Hospital Zephyrhills — is in the Bay area.

A merger would give Adventist an opportunity to grow on the partnerships and relationships UCH has in place, said Christine Stewart, communications manager for Adventist.

The two systems already are working together on a joint venture to build Wesley Chapel Medical Center, a health care complex in Pasco County. That joint venture relationship, formed in 2007, allowed the boards of UCH and Adventist to work together and get to know each other, Stein said.

The economic downturn has prompted some consolidation in the health care industry, but succession planning, more than dollars and cents, played a role in the potential Adventist-UCH merger, Stein said.

“At one point last year, I announced my retirement,” he said. Discussions with Adventist about a merger emerged as part of the planning process the UCH board undertook. “This was driven not out of financial need but out of the value of being able to work together more efficiently.”

Stein, who will turn 65 in April, plans to step down once the deal is completed. A new market manager would be named, but that person has not yet been identified. Adventist’s goal would be to not disrupt patient care and at this point does not intend to have any layoffs of staff reductions, although details remain to be worked out, Stewart said UCH reported $7.8 million in operating income on revenue of $502.5 million for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2009, a dramatic turnaround from the $7.3 million operating loss in the year-earlier period. Adventist had revenue of $5.5 billion and total earnings after expenses of $233.5 million for the year ended Dec. 31, 2008, the most recent available.

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Source: http://tampabay.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2010/03/29/daily35.html

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Related:

http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/LED-248914/Adventist-Health-System-University-Community-Health-May-Merge

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Adventist HealthCare Partners with Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services to Provide Free H1N1 Vaccine for Expectant Mothers

November 25, 2009

News Release

Adventist HealthCare Partners with Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services to Provide Free H1N1 Vaccine for Expectant Mothers

Nearly 500 pregnant women receive injectable H1N1 vaccine from Health & Wellness Team
Rockville, MD - Adventist HealthCare extended its "Help Stop the Flu" campaign this month by collaborating with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services to provide free H1N1 vaccine to nearly 500 expectant mothers in the community.

The collaboration with the county is an extension of Adventist HealthCare's 2009 "Help Stop the Flu" campaign, which reminds the community to help stop the spread of the flu through preventative measures, such as vaccinations and hand-washing. Adventist HealthCare, Shady Grove Adventist Hospital and Washington Adventist Hospital have already vaccinated nearly 2,400 community members and will hold more seasonal and H1N1 clinics as the vaccines become available in the coming weeks.

Expectant mothers were given their free H1N1 vaccinations at three clinics this month. At the first clinic, 246 expectant mothers received the vaccine on November 4 in Silver Spring. At the second clinic, 205 expectant mothers and 30 children received vaccinations on November 12 at Adventist HealthCare's corporate offices in Rockville. Both clinics saw expectant mothers traveling from all parts of Montgomery County to receive the vaccination in order to protect themselves and their babies.

"It is extremely important that pregnant women receive the H1N1 vaccine as they are the highest priority group to receive it," said Judy Lichty, Regional Director of Health and Wellness for Adventist HealthCare. "It's an easy approach to keep both mother and baby healthy."

The H1N1 vaccine was also provided to pregnant women at a Nov. 9 community pediatric flu shot clinic, at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, where 55 children received the H1N1 vaccine.

"Adventist HealthCare's collaboration with Montgomery County helps us expand access to health care for the community, especially the underserved," said William G. "Bill" Robertson, President and CEO of Adventist HealthCare. "It is just one of many partnerships that helps us meet our mission to improve the health of people and communities by demonstrating God's care through a ministry of physical, mental and spiritual healing."

Visit http://www.adventisthealthcare.com/health/programs/flu/index.aspx for information on seasonal and H1N1 vaccine availability.

Adventist HealthCare, an integrated health care delivery organization based in Rockville, Maryland, is one of the largest employers in the state of Maryland. The mission of Adventist HealthCare is to demonstrate God's care by improving the health of people and communities through a ministry of physical, mental and spiritual healing. Adventist HealthCare includes Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, Washington Adventist Hospital, Adventist Behavioral Health Services, Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of Maryland, Adventist Senior Living Services, Hackettstown Regional Medical Center, Adventist Home Health Services, the Reginald S. Lourie Center for Infants and Young Children, and LifeWork Strategies.

Source: http://www.adventisthealthcare.com/about/news/2009/free-h1n1-vaccine-expectant-mothers.aspx

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EAH MAKES GA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION’S PRESIDENTIAL HONOR ROLL

6/29/2009

(Smyrna, GA, June 29, 2009)—Emory-Adventist Hospital at Smyrna has been named as one of only 38 hospitals in the state to the Georgia Hospital Association’s (GHA) Partnership for Health and Accountability (PHA) Presidential Honor Roll.

The honor roll is based on clinical data provided by the federal Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS), which administers the nation’s Medicare and Medicaid programs. The data was collected from January 2008 through December 2008. To qualify as a Presidential Honor Roll hospital, EAH maintained a score of 93% or higher in its Appropriate Care Measures (ACM) during that time period.

The CMS data details how well a hospital’s caregivers adhere to a list of Appropriate Care Measures (ACM) which are the clinical processes of care that are known to be the most effective methods of treatment for patients who have suffered heart attacks, heart failure or pneumonia. For instance, a recommended treatment to help prevent a heart attack is to take aspirin either before or upon arrival at the hospital. A hospital’s adherence to these recommended clinical practices usually leads to better outcomes.

"Congratulations to Emory-Adventist Hospital at Smyrna for its outstanding performance," said Joseph Parker, president of GHA. "We are proud of this accomplishment," said Ed Moyer, COO of the Hospital. "It is our mission to ensure that each of our patients receives the right care at the right time, and this recognition validates this."

Emory-Adventist Hospital at Smyrna is operated by Adventist Health System (AHS) as a joint venture with Emory Healthcare. AHS operates the largest not-for-profit Protestant healthcare system in the nation, with 38 hospitals in 11 states, as well as extended-care, home health and hospice facilities. Emory Healthcare is one of the nation's leading health systems and is affiliated with the world-renowned Emory University School of Medicine and Emory University Hospital.

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Source: http://www.emoryadventist.org/News/NewsArticle/tabid/4625/ItemID/2891/srcmid/21550/Default.aspx
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Emory’s name doesn't ensure its high standards

Metro Atlanta / State News 8:50 p.m.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Emory’s name doesn't ensure its high standards
Medicare data reveals some partner hospitals’ shortcomings

By Carrie Teegardin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Patients who arrive for care at Emory-Adventist Hospital might reasonably assume that the Cobb County facility is run by Emory University

Those turning to Emory Eastside Medical Center in Snellville and Emory Johns Creek Hospital in North Fulton might also believe they are entrusting their care to the folks who operate the highly regarded teaching hospital on the Emory campus.

But Emory’s name on the sign out front does not mean Emory is completely in charge. And it doesn’t ensure that high quality standards are always met.

Medicare statistics measuring the quality of care at the nation’s hospitals reflect shortcomings at two hospitals using the Emory name, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution study.

Of the five metro Atlanta hospitals in the Emory Healthcare system, Emory University exclusively manages just two: Emory University Hospital on Clifton Road and Emory University Hospital Midtown on Peachtree Street.

The other three Emory hospitals are joint ventures with other hospitals chains. In each case, Emory helps oversee operations but leaves much of the day-to-day management to its partners.

Academic hospitals such as Emory’s Clifton Road and Midtown facilities partner with community hospitals to extend their reach into suburban areas. Some jointly run the hospitals. Others team up to create a specialty unit within a hospital, said Dr. Joanne Conroy, chief health care officer at the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Conroy said quality control is key for the academic hospitals.

“When their brand is out there, they want to make sure that patients have an expectation and receive the same level of services they would receive at the mother ship,” she said.

Emory Eastside, a joint venture between Emory and the health care company HCA Inc., posted a high death rate among pneumonia patients admitted between 2005 and 2008. Emory-Adventist, which is co-owned by Emory and Florida-based Adventist Health System, earned some of the worst marks in the state on 2008 patient satisfaction data compiled by Medicare. The numbers are the most current statistics available to the public.

John T. Fox, Emory Healthcare’s chief executive officer, said Emory sets quality standards and demands good results. Emory doctors serve on each hospital’s board of directors and also work at each facility monitoring quality statistics. He said Emory has closely worked with its partner to address problems highlighted in the Medicare reports.

“We would not enter into a joint venture with anyone who had a lower standard of commitment on quality,” Fox said. “We obviously take our name and our reputation very seriously and we are careful with how we use the brand.”

Fox said Emory staff constantly monitor a range of statistics measuring outcomes and satisfaction.

“Whenever we see a number that is below our expectations, and we see it long before it ever gets published, we go to work on it,” Fox said. “That’s independent of whether it’s a joint venture or a 100 percent Emory-owned hospital.”

As one of its many measures of hospital quality, Medicare surveys the nation’s patients after a hospital stay.

On seven of the 10 patient satisfaction questions, Emory-Adventist posted scores that ranked it no better than third-worst in the state, according to an AJC analysis of the data covering overnight admissions in 2008.

Only two Georgia hospitals scored worse than Emory-Adventist on overall satisfaction and only one scored worse on the percentage of patients who said they would not recommend the hospital. Only one Georgia hospital scored worse on the measure of how well doctors communicated with patients and only two hospitals scored worse than Emory-Adventist on communication with patients by nurses.

No hospital had a more negative rating than Emory-Adventist on how well pain was controlled and only two had higher negatives on whether patients received help quickly when they called for assistance.

Emory owns 35 percent of the 88-bed Emory-Adventist through a 1995 joint venture. Adventist Health System, a nonprofit chain with 37 hospitals nationwide, owns the majority stake of Emory-Adventist and handles most day-to-day operations.

The facility gets more than 80 percent of its admissions through its emergency room, the hospital said.

Emory appoints four of the facility’s 10 board members, one of whom is the chief quality officer at Emory Hospital Midtown.

Insurance companies and government regulators are paying close attention to customer feedback. “Patient satisfaction is clearly an important component of quality,” said William S. Custer, a Georgia State University professor who is an expert in health care and insurance.

Custer said if he were a consultant to Emory-Adventist, he would study emergency room operations since the vast majority of patients start there.

“What this shows is that they need to change the culture to have their employees communicate with patients better at every step,” Custer said.

Emory Eastside and Emory Johns Creek are joint ventures with HCA Inc., a Tennessee-based health care company that operates hospitals nationwide.

At both Eastside and Johns Creek, an Emory doctor monitors quality statistics. Fox said Emory doctors are also assigned to serve as “hospitalists” at the facilities — internal medicine specialists available to nursing staff around the clock. Emory doctors serve on each hospital’s board of directors.

HCA, however, oversees most day-to-day details.

Emory Johns Creek earns strong marks on patient satisfaction surveys and quality measures.

Emory Eastside’s patient ratings were better than Emory-Adventist’s, but below state averages on most questions.

Emory Eastside scored poorly on Medicare’s pneumonia mortality rate, in spite of earning high scores from Medicare for following protocols designed to prevent pneumonia deaths. The hospital is among 14 across Georgia that Medicare highlighted for posting high 30-day death rates among patients admitted with a pneumonia diagnosis over a three-year period, the latest data available.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published an in-depth story in October about Georgia hospitals’ poor performance on Medicare’s measurements of clinical outcomes.

Larry Kloess, president of HCA’s division that includes Georgia, said the foundation of HCA’s partnership with Emory is a “shared commitment” to delivering the highest quality care possible.

In a prepared statement, Kloess also said it’s important for consumers to realize that some publicly reported data lags months behind current performance. Medicare does reach back to 2005 to calculate its current pneumonia death rates.

Emory Eastside said it is making a special effort to work with patients suffering from chronic conditions after they leave the hospital to try to improve results. Emory Eastside’s Web site prominently displays its affiliation with Emory Healthcare, but not with HCA.

Dr. John Santa, director of the health ratings center for Consumer Reports magazine, said many patients would assume Emory alone runs a facility that bears its name.

“If they find out differently, doesn’t that kind of sound like a bait-and-switch?” he said.

Some patients might want to know, Santa said, they are going to a hospital where a for-profit company is involved in management. Santa described Emory as a “very impressive brand.”

“I would assume that Emory has business reasons for being willing to share their brand,” he said. “How that involves quality and performance is a good question.”

Administrators at Emory-Adventist are working furiously to improve patient satisfaction ratings, including making changes to assure feedback is accurate.

Ed Moyer, the hospital’s chief operating officer, said the changes include phones instead of call lights, message boards displaying key staff names and a “turn-down” service offering patients a clean gown or fresh sheets.

The hospital’s most recent internal data show significant improvements in satisfaction ratings for patients admitted this year.

Adventist Health System is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. “We take seriously our mission to extend the healing ministries of Christ,” Moyer said.

Fox, the Emory Healthcare chief, said he is very comfortable with the quality of care being delivered at all hospitals in the system. But he said he wants to see improvements at each facility, including the highly regarded hospital on the Emory campus that does ground-breaking work every day.

“I want perfection,” he said. “That does not exist in the Milky Way in terms of health care.”


Online rankings


Patient opinions about their experiences in a hospital have historically been limited to what friends and neighbors share. Today, Medicare’s “Hospital Compare” Web site allows consumers access to detailed patient survey data collected in a scientific manner and made available for almost every hospital in the country.

Many consumers have grown accustomed to checking online reviews before making a purchase. Medicare’s data is backed by hundreds of responses, not just the feedback of patients who happened to post comments on a Web site.

To review detailed quality and satisfaction data for hospitals around the country, go to: 
www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov


How we got the story


To examine how well Georgia hospitals performed on patient satisfaction surveys, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution studied the most recent data collected by Medicare for every hospital in Georgia. The newspaper reviewed the latest quality measures published for each hospital. The AJC also interviewed hospital executives and experts in hospital quality and management.

Source: http://www.ajc.com/news/emorys-name-doesn-t-189072.html

Adventist Knights Celebrate 5th Anniversary of Wheelchair Basketball Tournament

October 14, 2009

News Release

Adventist Knights Celebrate 5th Anniversary of Wheelchair Basketball Tournament

Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital hosts event at Maryland Soccerplex


Rockville, Md. - For the 5th year in a row, wheelchair basketball teams from across the nation will show off their athletic skills at the annual Adventist Knights Wheelchair Basketball Tournament in Boyds, Md. The tournament kicks off the beginning of the 2009-2010 National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) season for the Washington, D.C. region.

Nine teams from across the U.S. are expected to compete in the two-day tournament scheduled for Oct. 17 and 18 at the Maryland Soccerplex near Germantown, Md. The tournament, which is free and open to the public, is hosted by Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of Maryland in Rockville, part of Adventist HealthCare. Other sponsors include the Spinal Cord Injury Network (SCI).

"We forget that a spinal cord injury or other physical impairment does not destroy a person's need to dream, hope, work hard and play hard," said Dr. Terrence Sheehan, medical director for Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of Maryland. "These players demonstrate this and the resilience of the human spirit on the court by 'just doing it'."

The acute rehabilitation hospital organizes the tournament and sponsors the Adventist Knights team, which began when a group of local athletes wanted to form an independent wheelchair basketball team to play competitively. The group is led by Rab Currie, who is the coach and also a player for the Knights. This year the team features players with spinal cord injuries, as well as amputees.

Mary Kate Madden, a certified therapeutic recreational therapist for Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of Maryland, is the team manager for the Adventist Knights. Besides competing nationally, the team also promotes disability awareness throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. In return for the hospital's support, some of the players speak to current patients and local schools about adaptive sports and disability awareness.

"Wheelchair basketball has allowed members of our community and former patients to return to a healthy and active lifestyle. Many of our players may not have had the opportunity to play a competitive sport if it wasn't for
the support of the hospital," Madden said. "It is very rewarding to see how one's quality of life is improved through wheelchair basketball."

The wheelchair basketball tournament is one aspect of Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital's "Community Re-entry Program," which includes development of vocational skills and adaptability to leisure activities and sports. The funds raised through the tournament's sponsorships helps Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital maintain its outstanding patient services, the latest advancements in technology and equipment, education opportunities for hospital staff, and to support Adventist HealthCare's mission as a faith-based organization.

WHAT: Adventist Knights 5th Annual Wheelchair Basketball Tournament
WHEN: Saturday, October 17, first game starts at 9:00 a.m.
WHERE: Discovery Sports Center at the Maryland Soccerplex 18031 Central Park Circle, Boyds, Md. 20874

Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of Maryland is the first and only acute rehabilitation hospital in Montgomery County. It offers comprehensive rehabilitation programs for traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, strokes, amputations, orthopedic injuries and surgeries, sports related injuries, work-related injuries, cardiopulmonary conditions and neurological disorders. Our Mission is to provide comprehensive physical medicine, rehabilitation programs and services to the community, aimed at restoring or improving the health and quality of life for individuals with functional limitations or potential disabilities through a ministry of physical, mental and spiritual healing.


Source: http://www.adventisthealthcare.com/about/news/2009/5th-anniversary-of-wheelchair-basketball-tournament.aspx

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New chaplain felt called to La Grange

10/12/2009

La Grange – When hospital chaplain Colleen Narbone moved to Western Springs, she knew immediately she wanted to work for Adventist Midwest Health.

“I felt the hand of God leading me here,” Narbone said. “My grandmother passed away at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital in 2004 and I was very moved by the spiritual care our family received there. The nurses and chaplains prayed with us during a very difficult time.”

Narbone became a chaplain at Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital on Aug. 31, following the deployment of hospital chaplain Garry Losey to northern Iraq to support the troops of the 90th sustainment brigade. Losey is a U.S. Army Reservist.

From 1998 until 2005, Narbone worked as a paralegal in California and Chicago, but gravitated toward ministerial type projects in her community and church. In 2005, while continuing to work as a paralegal, Narbone enrolled in Loyola University Chicago’s pastoral counseling program and served as a chaplain intern there.

She earned her master’s degree in pastoral counseling from Loyola in 2007 and stayed on there as a student chaplain and became a member of the organization’s “on-call crisis response team,” which she found very fulfilling. She also is a licensed professional counselor.

Narbone praised Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital’s cooperative and holistic approach to patient care and is eager to further her education in pastoral counseling as she learns the nuances of hospital ministry from her colleagues.

“It’s profoundly moving to see people come together like this in a time when people are hurting,” Narbone said. “I plan to care for each individual and help them in whatever way I can. I know everyone has different needs, but I pray I can be a hint of God to them while they are in the hospital.”

John B. Rapp, regional vice president of ministries and mission at Adventist Midwest Health, welcomed Narbone to the hospital’s pastoral care team.

“Chaplain Narbone brings a strong academic background and rich experience in ministry from her time in the ministries department at Loyola University,” Rapp said. “Her certifications and extra training she has received over the years will add another component to our already talented regional pastoral care staff of Adventist Midwest Health.”


Source:http://www.keepingyouwell.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/191/ItemID/3169/srcmid/71292/Default.aspx

P.S. Bolds and Highlights added.

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