Four WellStar Hospitals Place on Quality Honor Roll

WellStar Cobb, Douglas, Kennestone and Paulding hospitals were named to the Georgia Hospital Association’s (GHA) Partnership for Health and Accountability (PHA) Quality Honor Roll. These are four of 61 hospitals in Georgia to be placed in the Presidential category, one of the highest on the list. 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 2010 to December 2010.

Speaking About Wellness for the Family

We Can!, or Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and Nutrition, is a program developed by the National Institutes of Health to help children between the ages of 8 and 13 maintain a healthy weight by increasing physical activity, decreasing TV time and improving food choices.
WellStar's first Speaking about Wellness for the Family- We Can! series was held at the Paulding County Chamber of Commerce and was taught by  Diane Follmer, NP and Nicole Fishman, NP, who are both pediatric providers with WellStar Medical Group. Twenty one families attended this program each Monday in July.

Please join us for the next Speaking about Wellness for the Family- We Can! series that will be held at WellStar Health Place on Thursday, Sept. 8, 15, 22 and 29 from 6:30-8 p.m. This program is a FREE four-part series.

Physician & Provider Education (CME) Newsletter

Click here to view the summer edition of the Continuing Medical Education and Library Services newsletter regarding Physician and Provider Education.

WellStar Named Supply Chain Management Department of the Year

Healthcare Purchasing News chose WellStar as the recipient of its 8th Annual Supply Chain Management Department of the Year Award. HPN, which has covered the people, places, processes and products that influence the supply chain for more than 34 years, selected WellStar for its supply chain division’s emergence as an integrated group striving for world-class status from a “fragmented and unsophisticated” function.

WellStar Health System Teams With Paulding County School District to Provide Concussion Testing for Student Athletes

WellStar Health System will fund concussion testing for approximately 1,000 student athletes at North Paulding and Hiram High Schools. The tests will be administered prior to the start of the 2011-2012 athletic season. 

WellStar Providers Make Atlanta Magazine’s “Top Doctors” List

Atlanta Magazine recently posted its annual roster of the doctors that other doctors trust most. There are 318 physicians around metro Atlanta that are featured on the list, including the following  24 WellStar physicians:

Allergy & Immunology
Stanley M. Fineman, M.D., Atlanta Allergy & Asthma Clinic
Affiliated Hospital: WellStar Kennestone Hospital

Dermatology
Janice M. Warner, M.D., Atlanta West Dermatology
Affiliated Hospital: WellStar Cobb Hospital

Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism
Jean E. Molinary, D.O., WellStar Medical Specialists
Affiliated Hospital: WellStar Kennestone Hospital

Family Medicine
Catherine S. Andrews, M.D., Main Street Family Physicians
Affiliated Hospital: WellStar Kennestone Hospital

Thomas E. Gearhard, M.D., Cobb Family Medicine
Affiliated Hospital: WellStar Cobb Hospital

Gastroenterology
Robert M. Strauss, M.D., GI Specialists of Georgia
Affiliated Hospital: WellStar Kennestone Hospital

Infectious Disease
Lisa A. Oakley, M.D., West Georgia Infectious Disease
Affiliated Hospital: WellStar Cobb Hospital

Internal Medicine
Toni E. Coombs, M.D., WellStar Smyrna Primary Care Center
Affiliated Hospital: WellStar Kennestone Hospital

Interventional Cardiology
Barry D. Mangel, M.D., WellStar Cardiovascular Medicine
Affiliated Hospitals: WellStar Kennestone and Cobb Hospitals

Medical Oncology
Frank P. McCoy, M.D., Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers
Affiliated Hospital: WellStar Kennestone Hospital

Neurological Surgery
Tariq Javed, M.D.
Affiliated Hospital: WellStar Kennestone Hospital

Neuroradiology
Jay Cinnamon, M.D., Quantum Radiology
Affiliated Hospitals: WellStar Cobb and Kennestone Hospitals

OB/GYN
Elizabeth M. Street, M.D.
Affiliated Hospital: WellStar Kennestone Hospital

Orthopaedic Surgery
Robert A. Kelly, M.D., Resurgens Orthopaedics
Affiliated Hospital: WellStar Kennestone Hospital

Douglas W. Lundy, M.D., Resurgens Orthopaedics
Affiliated Hospitals: WellStar Cobb and Kennestone hospitals

Pain Medicine
Allen H. Hord, M.D., Interventional Spine & Pain Management
Affiliated Hospital: WellStar Cobb Hospital

Randy F. Rizor, M.D., The Physicians’ Spine & Rehabilitation Specialists of Georgia
Affiliated Hospital: WellStar Windy Hill Hospital

Pediatrics
Prakash V. Desai, M.D., Cobb Pediatric Associates
Affiliated Hospital: WellStar Cobb Hospital

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Rochelle Cotliar, M.D., WellStar Rehabilitation Medicine
Affiliated Hospitals: WellStar Cobb and Kennestone hospitals

Richard W. King Jr., M.D., HyOx Medical Treatment Center
Affiliated Hospitals: WellStar Cobb and Windy Hill hospitals

Plastic Surgery
K. Keith Jeffords Jr., M.D., D.D.S., Paramount Plastic Surgery
Affiliated Hospitals: WellStar Cobb and Windy Hill hospitals

Thoracic Surgery
William Mayfield, M.D., Thoracic Surgery Associates
Affiliated Hospital: WellStar Kennestone Hospital

Urology
Murphy Townsend III, M.D., Urology Associates
Affiliated Hospital: WellStar Kennestone Hospital

Vascular & Interventional Radiology
Alan M. Zuckerman, M.D., Quantum Radiology Northwest
Affiliated Hospitals: WellStar Cobb and Kennestone hospitals

Congratulations to our WellStar physicians who made Atlanta Magazine’s prestigious list of top doctors!

New Medical Staff as Approved at the June WellStar Governing Board Meeting

New Medical Staff
(GRP = Medical Group - employed provider)

Name	Specialty	Group Name	Appointment	Current Staff Membership
Chang, Yeon-Jeen, M.D.	Plastic Surgery	Artisan Plastic Surgery	WH	CH
Danesh, Sarvenaz, M.D.	Pulmonary Medicine	Pulmonary Medicine	DH, PH	CH, KH, WH, GRP
Grupka, Michael J., M.D.	Gastroenterology	Gastrointestinal Spec of GA	CH, DH, KH, PH, WH
Jacobs, Lee D., M.D.	Internal Medicine	WellStar Medical Group	CH	GRP
Ownby, Jonathan G., M.D.	Internal Medicine	Hospitalist Group	DH, KH	CH, PH, WH, GRP
Schulze, Jeffrey D., M.D.	Emergency Medicine	The Bortolazzo Group, LLC	CH, DH, KH, PH

Physician Extenders

Name	Specialty	Group Name	Appointment	Current Staff Membership
Clark, Michael A., P.A.	Physician Assistant	The Bortolazzo Group, LLC	CH, DH, KH, PH
Clark, Sarah J., P.A.	Physician Assistant	The Bortolazzo Group, LLC	CH, DH, KH, PH
Connan, Amanda G., P.A.	Nurse Anesthetist	Surgical Assistants of America	KH
Foreman, Charles D., Jr., P.A.	Nurse Practitioner	Neurosurgery	GRP	CH, KH
Straach, Brittany L., N.P.	Nurse Practitioner	The Bortolazzo Group, LLC	CH, DH, KH, PH

Retail Pharmacies Now Open at WellStar Cobb and Kennestone Hospitals

The WellStar Pharmacy Network invites team members to visit the new retail locations at WellStar Cobb and Kennestone hospitals. Both locations are currently open, and held their grand openings on July 11 and 12, respectively.

Team members can take advantage of the WellMeds program through these pharmacies, which offer lower co-pays - and they have the abillity to pay for their prescriptions through payroll deduction. They also receive a 10-percent discount on all over-the-counter products available in the pharmacy.
During the grand openings, team members were invited to come “meet their pharmacist,” take a look around and find out the value of the WellStar Pharmacy Network for their prescriptions.

The WellStar Pharmacy Network at Windy Hill Hospital will continue to offer delivery to those WellStar locations not near Cobb and Kennestone hospitals, including WellStar Medical Group locations and offices near WellStar Douglas and Paulding hospitals.

Vice President, Medical Affairs, WellStar Cobb and Windy Hill Hospitals

We are pleased to announce that Thomas McNamara, D.O., MMM, CPE, has joined WellStar Health System as vice president of medical affairs for WellStar Cobb and Windy Hill hospitals.

Dr. McNamara was most recently president and CEO of Carilion Stonewall Jackson Hospital in Lexington, Va. He also served as regional medical director for the Shenandoah Region of Carilion’s Clinic Department of Primary Care and Regional Medicine, overseeing nine primary care practices and approximately 30 physicians and advanced practitioners. In addition, he was medical director for Avanté Nursing Home in Waynesboro, Va., as well as King's Daughters Nursing Home in Staunton, Va., and practiced family medicine full time in Waynesboro from 1992-2008.

Dr. McNamara earned his bachelor’s degree from Columbia University in New York and his Doctor of Osteopathy degree from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency at McKeesport Hospital in Pennsylvania. Most recently, in 2006, Dr. McNamara earned his master’s degree

in medical management from Carnegie Mellon University.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. McNamara to WellStar.

Patient Satisfaction Graphs

WellStar explores Alternative and Complementary Medicine

WellStar’s aim is to provide a truly exceptional and unique healthcare experience in the Health Parks planned for Acworth and East Cobb. A planning group continues to investigate the addition of alternative and complementary medicine to the Health Parks. As a follow-up to a Health Park Health and Wellness Summit in the spring, providers were surveyed regarding their referral to and personal use of alternative and complementary medicine practices that have been validated or studied by the National Center for Alternative and complementary medicine. More than 150 providers responded to the survey. Nearly half of those responding have personally used alternative and complementary practices. Fifty-three percent of responders said that they often recommend probiotics for their patients.  A third of responders indicated that they often referred patients for massage therapy or yoga. Meditation and Pilates followed closely with 20 percent of respondents indicating that they often referred patients for those modalities.  The Health Parks Steering Committee will continue to investigate the placement of appropriate Alternative and Complementary Therapies in the Health Parks. Steering Committee members include the following:

Steering Committee:

• Joe Brywczynski, senior vice president, Health Parks Administration
• Don Campbell, M.D., senior vice president of physician leadership
• Marcia Delk. M.D., senior vice president of Medical Affairs and chief quality officer
• Denese Miller, HIM supervisor
• Kim Paris, community outreach coordinator, Health Parks Administration
• Deborah Roegge De Vita, vice president, Women, Newborn & Pediatric service line
• Mitzi Rubin, M.D., WellStar Medical Group, Family Medicine

For more information about Health Parks contact Joe Brywczynski at joe.brywczynski@wellstar.org or Kim Paris at kim.paris@wellstar.org.

NEW: Quarterly CME Conference for the Primary Care Physician and the Subspecialist

In response to physicians' requests for innovative, cutting-edge, and easy to access CME, the Medicine Cabinet Physician Engagement Committee has worked with WellStar's CME program to develop a FREE "Quarterly CME Conference for the Primary Care Physician and the Subspecialist." These quarterly events will include topics important to the primary care physician such as cardiovascular diseases, endocrinology (Type II DM, thyroid nodules, osteoporosis, use of Vitamin D), gastroenterology (colon cancer, abnormal LFTs, GERD, inflammatory bowel disease) and neurology/psychiatry (headache, dizziness, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, antidepressants, CVA). Conferences will be held at the WellStar Development Center on Saturday mornings throughout the year and will include breakfast, snacks and four hours of CME credit.

Please mark your calendars for the following dates:

Sept. 17, 2011, 8 a.m. – noon: Cardiovascular Diseases

Jan. 12, 2012, 8 a.m. – noon: Endocrinology

Spring 2012, TBA

Early RSVP for the September CME conference is required by Aug. 15 due to high demand and limited space. To RSVP, please call the CME hotline at 770-22-MYCME.
If you have ideas regarding future topics, please contact Petra Young, director of CME, at petra.young@wellstar.org or call 770-22-MYCME.

Clinical Documentation Improvement Program Ensures Accurate Data Reporting

WellStar Health System’s Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) Program is designed to ensure that clinical documentation in a patient’s medical record appropriately reflects the care provided. The most vital role of the CDI program is facilitating a true representation of healthcare services provided, through accurate reporting of the principal diagnosis, co-morbidities and any treatments or procedures.
Accurate data reporting is also critical in the current era of increased public scrutiny of healthcare in general. A hospital’s coded data communicates to consumers the organization's quality, experience and overall outcomes. Consumers have unlimited data resources available to assist them when choosing a provider or hospital for their medical needs. The National Committee for Quality Assurance Physician and Hospital Quality Report Card, Healthgrades and RateMDs.com are just a sampling of these. WellStar hospitals are reimbursed for the care they provide through accurate coding, and accurate coding depends upon accurate documentation in the medical record.

How does the CDI Program work?

The CDI Program employs clinical documentation specialists, who review medical record documentation during a patient’s hospital stay. Coding rules and regulatory requirements often differ from the way physicians are trained to document their clinical thought processes. Clinical documentation specialists are knowledgeable in interpreting physician documentation and can identify opportunities to bridge the differences between clinical language and coding terms. The CDI professional works to facilitate the overall quality and completeness of clinical documentation to accurately represent the severity, acuity and risk of mortality profile of the patient being treated.

“The premise of the CDI Program is to ensure that the documentation most accurately reflects the clinical condition of the patient,” said Kelli Williams, executive director, WellStar Clinical Documentation Improvement and Coding Services. “The information collected for reporting and reimbursement purposes are gleaned by a complete review of the patient’s chart,” she said. “Thorough documentation of the treatment of our patients, their diagnoses and procedures is necessary to insure that the data we collect is as accurate as can be.”

The CDI Program is currently in place at WellStar Cobb, Douglas and Kennestone hospitals. Plans call for it to be expanded to WellStar Paulding Hospital sometime in the future.

August Department Meetings

WellStar Cobb Hospital

Committee/Dept.	Date & Time	Place
OB/GYN Department	8/1 – 12:30 p.m.	Jasmine/Wisteria
Credentials	8/2 – 12 p.m.	Administrative Board Room
Medical Executive Comm.	8/16 – 12 p.m.	Jasmine/Wisteria

WellStar Douglas Hospital

Committee/Dept.	Date & Time	Place
QRC	8/2 – 12 p.m.	Sweetwater Room
Medical Executive Committee	8/9 – 12 p.m.	Community Room

WellStar Kennestone Hospital

Committee/Dept.	Date & Time	Place
Credentials	8/3 – 7 a.m.	Kennesaw Mountain Room
Medical Executive Comm.	8/9 – 6 p.m.	Kennesaw Mountain Room
Department of OB/GYN	8/15 – 5:30 p.m.	Kennesaw Mountain Room
Department of Pediatrics	8/16 – 6 p.m.	Kennesaw Mountain Room
Department of Surgery	8/17 – 7 a.m.	Azalea/Camellia Room
New Provider Orientation & Safety First Training	8/19 – 8 a.m.	Kennesaw Mountain Room
Advanced Practitioner Meeting	8/31 – 7 a.m.	Kennestone Auditorium

WellStar Paulding Hospital

Committee/Dept.	Date & Time	Place
Medical Exec. Comm.	8/11 – 12:30 p.m.	Dogwood Room

WellStar Windy Hill Hospital

Committee/Dept.	Date & Time	Place
Medical Exec. Comm.	8/16 – 5:15 p.m.	Admin Conference Room

New Identification Badges

After more than 10 years, the WellStar identification badges issued to all team members, medical staff, volunteers, clergy, students, retirees and contractors have been redesigned.

On July 11, the Security staff began setting up a temporary badge station at each facility. Click here to view the schedule. Old badges must be turned in to receive a new badge. Anyone with a photo more than five years old will need to have a new photograph taken. If you miss these scheduled temporary stations, just go to the security office to obtain a new badge.

Thank you for your support and patience while we distribute these new badges.

WellStar Physician Leadership Academy

The next Physician Leadership Academy program will begin on Sept. 10, 2011.  More than 70 physicians, advanced practice nurses and physician assistants have completed this program and received their certificates in Healthcare Leadership from the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University.  The program is open to providers who have privileges to practice at any WellStar facility or are members of the WellStar Medical Group.  Details of the program can be found on eSource under the WellStar Learning Network tab.  For further information, contact Don Campbell, M.D., senior vice president, Physician Leadership Academy, at don.campbell@wellstar.org.

See What's New in UpToDate®

UpToDate is updated regularly based on a continuous, comprehensive review of over 440 peer-reviewed journals, clinical databases and other resources. Updates are integrated carefully, with specific recommendations as to how they should be applied clinically, and after extensive peer review. UpToDate’s editorial team shares these updates with clinicians via the What’s New section, which is organized by specialty.

In some cases, new findings can have important and immediate implications for how clinicians practice. In these instances, updates appear in both the appropriate specialty and in Practice Changing UpDates, a separate category within What’s New.

To view recently updated topics, click on the What’s New tab and then on the specialty you’re interested in. Or simply type "what's new" into the search box after you have logged in to UpToDate.

WellStar Cancer Program Adds Oncology Nurse Navigators to Enhance Patient Experience

Oncology nurse navigators have recently been added to the WellStar Cancer Program. There will be a nurse navigator for the Breast Program, Thoracic Program and for GI patients.

Lori Hall, RN, BSN, CRNI, is WellStar Cancer Program's new Oncology Nurse Navigator - Breast Program. In this position, Lori will reach out to patients and their families at the time of their diagnosis and establish relationships to provide support and resources beyond basic cancer treatments. In partnership with the other navigators, psychosocial and education support will be available to patients, families, and staff on the oncology unit. Lori is eager to work with the physicians and their staff to support them in their care of cancer patients. Lori can be reached at 770-793-7444.

Donna Meyer, B.S.N, MS, is our new Oncology Nurse Navigator for GI patients. In this position, Donna will serve as a resource for patients and families as they are diagnosed and follow them throughout their treatment including palliative care or return to wellness. Donna will serve as the patient advocate in communicating with physicians and developing/disseminating patient education. Donna will also lead our efforts to develop survivorship programs, support groups and community outreach. Donna can be reached at 770-793-7440.
The Nurse Navigator for the Thoracic Program will assist patients and their families during their time of diagnosis through treatment and establish relationships to provide support and resources beyond their treatment. The interim nurse navigator is Catherine "Suzie" Allen, RN, BSN, OCN. She can be reached at 770-793-7449.

WellStar Safety Communication Standards

One way we can achieve survey readiness is by practicing in a safe, quality manner. No hospital can achieve a state of high reliability without the full engagement of the medical staff. True physician, advanced practice nurse and physician assistants’ leadership, optimal from the outset, is required to achieve a safe environment for patients.

The Computer Based Learning (CBL) module 33821 for Leadership 2011 Safety First is a great reference tool. The course is available under NetLearning on eSource. The most critical elements within this CBL are listed below for your reference. Also below, you will find three areas of heightened awareness and tips when speaking with surveyors.

Each WellStar team member is accountable for demonstrating the WellStar Safety Communication Standards.

• Patient, Personal and Peer Safety
• Practice peer coaching using ARCC – Ask a question, Request a change, voice a Concern, use Chain of Command when necessary.
• Stop and resolve when questions arise.

• Coordinate Care
• Use the “5P Handoff” process when transferring patient care responsibility: 5P = Patient, Plan, Purpose, Problems, Precautions
• Expect Repeat-Backs and Read-Backs and Confirm and encourage Clarifying Questions.
• Document legibly and accurately.

• Clear and complete communications
• Identify a coordinating doctor for each patient.
• Use SBAR technique for effective handoffs: Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation.
• Personally communication to appropriate people: Doctor-to-Doctor to coordinate care; Doctor-to-Care Provider for orders; Doctor-to-Patient/Family for care status.

• Paying attention to detail
• Practice S.T.A.R. – Stop, Think, Act, Review 

Resources: eSource> WellStar Learning Network > Safety First. Under the Safety Coach Toolbox, go to Leadership Toolbox – Leadership Essentials.

Physician Tips When Speaking with Surveyors

Below is a list of tips when speaking with surveyors:

• Prepare for the upcoming survey by structuring your documentation to meet quality standards; sign, date and time all medical record entries.

• Be aware of service line activities, goals and accomplishments.

• Be positive and proud of what you do to take care of your patients.

• Emphasize world-class healthcare through physician to patient communication, physician to physician communications, and multidisciplinary rounding.

• If asked to participate in an interview with the surveyor, relax. Accreditation will be with each surveyor for staff support.

• If you do not understand the question, ask for clarification before answering.

• Only answer what is asked – do not volunteer information.

• Be honest – if you do not know the answer, do not guess.  Explain how you would find out – physician leadership, nurse manager and accreditation support.

• The surveyor should not request documents from you. Accreditation will provide all documentation to the surveyor(s).

• Be assertive, but do not argue with the surveyor.