Methodist Healthcare System | Keeping Well | Winter 2020

Methodist Hospital Hosts ECMO Patient Reunion Methodist Hospital hosted a Celebration of Life to commemorate patients who have gone through ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) treatment and their families who supported them each step of the way. Patients requiring ECMO treatment have a 100 percent mortality rate without it. The therapy is a last resort for patients whose situation is dire. Methodist Hospital’s ECMO Program is one of the most advanced forms of life support available to patients experienc- ing acute failure of the cardiorespiratory system. The treatment supplies oxygen to the patient’s blood and helps pump the blood back into the body. ECMO program medical directors are JeffDellaVolpe, MD , and Chandra Kunavarapu, MD . The program has treated more than 200 patients, with double the patient vol- ume in 2019 compared to 2018. Methodist Hospital Reaches Breast Cancer Treatment Milestone Methodist Hospital reached an impor- tant breast cancer treatment milestone last fall when surgeons there performed the 8,500th DIEP flap procedure. “We are proud to reach this land- mark achievement that reflects the high-quality treatment and advanced treatment options available to our pa- tients,” said Lisa Keihne, Vice President of Oncology at Methodist Hospital. “The DIEP flap procedure is complex, and at Methodist Hospital we are able to offer the clinical expertise that surgeons and their patients need. Patients travel from throughout the country to have the procedure performed here.” “It is inspiring to see howmany breast cancer patients and their families are cel- ebrating life because this treatment op- tion was available to them,” said Keihne. Less pain, faster recovery The DIEP (Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator) flap breast reconstruction procedure is the most advanced form of breast cancer reconstruction avail- able today, and PRMA Plastic Surgery is the only practice performing it in this part of the country. DIEP flap uses the patient’s own abdominal skin and fat to reconstruct a natural, warm, soft breast after mastectomy. The procedure pre- serves all the abdominal muscles. Pa- tients experience less pain after surgery, enjoy a faster recovery and maintain their abdominal strength long-term. “I couldn’t be prouder of the entire team,” said Minas Chrysopoulo, MD , President, PRMA Plastic Surgery. “You can’t do this on your own. The PRMA surgeons tend to get all the credit, but in reality, it takes an army to provide such a highly specialized service to so many people, week-in, week-out, and we’ve been doing it for 25 years! We are extremely thankful for the passion our team members bring daily to help our patients…we couldn’t do this without our team and our partnership with Methodist Hospital.” For more information on the DIEP flap procedure at Methodist Hospital, visit SAHealth.com . Methodist Hospital | South Earns Five-Star CMS Rating Earning a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requires an ongoing effort. Leaders at Methodist Hospital | South participate in the daily safety huddle where they discuss any potential concern/issue that needs to be brought to the attention of the entire facility. Methodist Hospital | South has been awarded a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare &Medicaid Services (CMS) in the latest Hospital Compare Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings. Five stars is the highest rating and indicates excellent perfor- mance and quality. The CMS created the Compare Reports as part of a larger effort to provide more “customer-centric” information. The rating is based on these measures: mortality, safety of care, re-admission, patient experience, effectiveness of care, timeliness of care and efficient use of medical imaging. “We were honored and pleased to receive the five-star rating, which recognizes the great work of our staff and physicians,” said Greg Seiler, CEO, Methodist Hospital | South. “People in Atascosa and surrounding counties want to receive healthcare close to home. Our goal is to build trust with the community so that they know we will take care of them. We want them to choose us no matter how small or serious the situation. We can provide great care at Methodist Hospital | South or get them quickly and efficiently to one of our hospitals in San Antonio for treatment.” Meeting goals, exceeding expectations Meeting the Hospital Compare standards is an ongoing effort. “We don’t want to just meet their goals, we want to exceed their expectations,” said Pam Guillory, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer at the hospital. “Our mortality rates and re-admission rates are very low. We are constantly looking at the safety of our patients and the patient experience, and we listen to what our patients are telling us. Our leadership meets daily to monitor these measures.” She explained that as a hospital located in Atascosa County, outside the San Antonio Metroplex, the challenges are different. “We want to care for area residents here. We have developed a multi-specialty clinic that includes orthopedic surgery, urology, cardiology and sports medicine. And Methodist Air Care is al- ways available to transport patients if we can’t provide needed services here.” Methodist Hospital | South employs almost 300 people. Find- ing the right people and hiring, training and mentoring them is critical to performing at the five-star level, explained Amber Champagne, Vice President of Human Resources. ‘Our team is top-notch. Our employees are engaged and happy,” she said. “They enjoy and are pleased by where they are as much as by what they do.” Champagne said that when the hospital became part of the Methodist Healthcare family in July 2017, one of the most re- warding changes for employees was the opportunity to express their faith and share it with patients who welcomed that aspect of healthcare. “Our faith-based care has been an important con- nection between staff and patients that contributes to the healing process,” she said. “We also treat each patient and each other like family,” said Champagne. “This comment from an employee captures our cul- ture and why it has been successful—‘This hospital is a family of hard working, dedicated and compassionate individuals that focus on patient care. From the doctors to the housekeepers, everyone at this hospital works together to provide the optimal care for the best patient outcome and experience. I love this town, these people and this hospital.’” W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 K E E P I N G W E L L 7 N E W S , V I E W S & T I P S H E A L T H T A L K