WellStar Receives Two Clinical Distinctions

For the seventh consecutive year, the American Association for Respiratory Care has named WellStar a Quality Respiratory Care Recognition (QRCR) institution. Of the 5,000 hospitals in the United States, only 700 have achieved this distinction; WellStar’s recognition is for all five hospitals.

Quantum Radiology Updates

3D post-processing is available with WellStar and Quantum Radiology for the following musculoskeletal regions: all extremities, spine, maxillofacial, and joints, as well as soft tissue and muscular imaging.

WellStar Cobb Hospital Awarded Three-Year CARF Accreditation

CARF International recently announced that WellStar Cobb Hospital has been accredited for a  period of three years for its Inpatient Rehabilitation Program - Hospital: Adults and its Inpatient Rehabilitation Program - Hospital: Stroke Specialty Program Adults.  The latest accreditation is the fourth consecutive three-year accreditation that the international accrediting body has awarded to Cobb Hospital.

Clinical documentation Tip: Renal Status

This month’s “hot topic” from clinical documentation is renal status.  Acute renal insufficiency does not capture your patient’s severity of illness.  Renal insufficiency typically refers only to mild kidney dysfunction.  Renal insufficiency and A/CKD are not synonymous with Acute Kidney Injury or Failure; please do not use these terms interchangeably.

Microbiology Lab to Begin Molecular Testing

Within the next few months, the Microbiology Lab will be bringing molecular testing for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in-house. Each year, close to 4 million cases of Chlamydia and one million cases of gonorrhea occur in the United States. Co-infection of both organisms is not uncommon. Complications that can result from untreated infections can be serious and recent CDC recommendations call for expanded testing.

Ignore JAVA Installation Request

Please note that JAVA should not be updated on computer workstations. Installation of the update can prevent access to the Physician Portal.

Shadowing Opportunities for Students

The summer break brings an increase in requests to physicians to provide clinical experiences for students and others. Physicians are reminded that any person they bring to a WellStar facility in a shadowing or extern role must be processed by the Medical Staff office to assure that patients’ safety and privacy is preserved and that the experience for the student is a safe one.

2010 WellStar Medical Engagement Survey

Thank you to those of you who participated in this year’s Medical Staff Engagement Survey. We exceeded last year's participation rate for the System and at four of our facilities:

System: Increased from 51% to 53.7%
Kennestone: Increased from 52% to 55%
Cobb: Currently at 46%; last year was at 53.2%
Windy Hill: Increased from 37.3% to 51%
Douglas: Increased from 48.5% to 74%
Paulding: Increased from 52.84% to 74%

The survey for physicians ended on June 7. The Advanced Practitioners received their surveys the first week of June; this survey will run until July 7.

Patient Satisfaction

Control, decision-making, time, technical skills and appearance are five areas in which physicians can positively influence patient satisfaction. Learn the significance of each area by clicking "Read more>>."

June and July CME Events

For a complete list of June and July CME events, click "Read More>>."

June and July Meetings

For a complete list of each hospitals' committee/department meetings, click "Read more>>."

2010 WellStar Medical Staff Engagement Survey

The annual WellStar Medical Staff Engagement Survey, ending on June 7, is well underway. The survey provides an opportunity for members of the Medical Staff team to share feedback and identify areas for further improvement. This year, for the first time, advanced practitioners will be included in the survey.

Simone Wins National Recognition

Gregory L. Simone, M.D., President and CEO of WellStar Health System, has been named to Modern Healthcare and Modern Physician magazines’ ranking of the 50 Most Powerful Physician Executives in Healthcare. Ranked as the 20th Most Powerful Physician Executive in Healthcare, Dr. Simone is the only private sector physician executive in the state of Georgia to make this prestigious list.

Physician Presents at International Medical Volunteerism Conference

Jose Rodriguez, M.D., with WellStar Kennestone Pediatric Associates, recently presented at the first annual International Medical Volunteerism Conference held at Emory University School of Medicine. His presentation, “Addressing the Need for Coordinated Health Prevention and Educational Services for Latino Families in Georgia,” shared valuable lessons for providers who work with or wish to volunteer with Latino families.

Physician Documentation Tip: Pneumonia

Clinical documentation is required to be compliant with Medicare and other regulatory standards for accurate coding and to reflect the overall severity/acuity of illness and risk of mortality. Below are some important key elements to keep in mind when documenting the diagnosis of pneumonia.

Board Certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine

Any physician interested in obtaining board certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine must begin a clinical practice pathway a minimum of 24 months before applying for the board certification exam.

Behavioral Health Update: Stress Management – Take Action to Feel Better

One of the most significant issues for healthcare team members is managing stress.

Welcome New Medical Staff Members

For a complete list of new Medical Staff and Advanced Practitioners, click "Read more>>."

Patient Satisfaction

According to research, physician-patient communication can affect patient satisfaction rates. In one study, patients who presented to their family physician for work-related, low-back pain felt that communication with the physician was positive. The physician took the problem seriously, explained the condition clearly, tried to understand the patient's job and gave advice to prevent re-injury. Patient satisfaction rates were higher than they were when the problem could be explained by symptom relief.

Physician Engagement at WellStar Kennestone Hospital (Part 3 of the Series)

Robert Jansen, M.D., VP of Medical Affairs

The 2010 Medical Staff Engagement Survey is well underway and will continue through June 7. I would like to thank each of you who have already participated and I look forward to viewing your feedback. Your input is extremely important and provides insight and data which will help fuel our 2011 planning sessions.

As you may recall from my previous articles, I reviewed a list from Engaging Physicians by Dr. Stephen C. Beeson where he spoke of different stages to improve engagement. I have already covered three of these topics, including:

• Communicate Organization Vision and Goals
• Establish Physician Confidence and Trust
• Training Physicians