APRIL 11, 2014

VOLUME 23 NO. 8

TRISH DELANEY, EDITOR

*AVERA BRADY BUILDING PROJECT OPEN HOUSE

You are cordially invited to attend the Welcome, Blessing, and Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting on Tuesday,April 22, beginning at 5 p.m. at the Avera Brady Vasek “Can Do” Villa, 500 South Ohlman Street. Following the brief program, an open house will beheld along with tours of the Vasek “Can Do” Villa, New Rehab Center, Shirley’s Cinema, and Ellen’s “Can Do” Pub. Attendees will be able to view the new donor wall and donor display, and refreshments will be served in the Krause Family Dining Room and Ellen’s “Can Do” Pub.

*eLTC

Visitors at the Avera Brady Health and Rehab building project open house will be able to see a demonstration ofeLTC which connects long-term care residents to providers at remote locations using two-way, audio-visual telehealth technology. Several staff persons from Avera eServices will be providing the demonstration. Using the latest in health care technology and remote monitoring of patients, eLTC allows residents to stay in a familiar homelike environment and still receive needed health care services. According to the staff, this is a resident’s opportunity to receive high quality care in a convenient, low cost manner reducing the transport to and from the hospital. It also reduces unnecessary hospitalizations, and there are many other advantages. It should be noted that Avera eLTC does NOT replace or interfere with the residents’ relationship with his/her physician.

*ROSES SALES FOR DIABETES

Thanks to the many volunteers who sold roses for the “Roses…Just Because” fundraiser, sponsored by the AveraQueen of Peace Foundation. This year the proceeds benefited the Diabetes Care Assistance Program. Thanksto all of you “roses buyers,” it was a great year and 672 dozen roses were ordered forAveraQueen of Peace Hospital. The grand total of sales across Avera was 5,424 dozen roses – over 65,000 individual stems. WOW! Thanks again for your generosity and enthusiasm for this project!

*NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK

National Volunteer Week is this week – April 6-12. The volunteers at Avera Queen of Peace Hospital will be guests at a brunch in their honor in the near future, and Avera Brady Health and Rehab volunteers will also be honored at aTea. Thetotal number of volunteer hours for the pastyear is22,473. Please take a few minutes during this week to say a special “thank you” to these wonderful people for all of their assistance!

*AVERA MEDICAL GROUP CLINICS – SCHEDULE FOR GOOD FRIDAY

The following Avera Medical Group clinics will be closed on Friday, April 18: Bariatrics, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine Delaney Clinic, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, and Surgery.

The Avera Medical Group clinics closing at Noon on Friday, April 18, are: Urology, Optometry, and the Cancer Center.

Occupational Medicine will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Avera Urgent Care will be open on Friday from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

*SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK. . .APRIL 21-25

Severe Weather Awareness Week is April 21-25. The State Office of Emergency Management will hold their routine Tornado Watch and Warning Drill on Wednesday, April 23. The Watch will be called at approximately 10a.m. with the Warning at approximately 10:15 a.m., and the All Clear at approximately 10:30 a.m. AveraQueen of Peace Hospital will NOTexercise the Watch and Warning this year. Avera Brady Health and Rehab and the Provided Based Clinics WILL be exercising this event.

All severe weather watches and warnings mean little if you don’t know what to do when you are threatened by severe weather! You “need to know” the meaning of the terms used when alerts are called.

  • A tornado “watch” means that conditions are favorable for tornadoes to develop.
  • A tornado “warning” means that a tornado has been sighted or detected on radar in the area – seek shelter immediately!!

Please remember if a weather related disaster has occurred and a Mr. Rocket is initiated in the hospital or nursing home, you are to report to the hospital/nursing home with your blue “Key Person” identification card or photo ID badge. There is no need to wait to be called at home! At the hospital, please report to the physician entrance, and at Avera Brady, report to the front entrance.

*AVERACHART UPDATE

Today and in the weeks to come, we will be providing a weekly update on our continued progress on AveraChart implementation throughout the Avera system. Rollouts in the Avera St. Luke’s, Avera Sacred Heart, and AveraQueen of Peace regions continue to be successful, and we are told that our patients welcome this new technology. Asof April 7, throughout Avera:

  • A total of 6,013 patients have been offered the portal.
  • 3,017 patient accounts have been created, representing 4,433 patients, including proxy access accounts.
  • This represents a 50.17% acceptance rate.

Everyone is doing a great job; keep up the great work! Just a reminder that frequently asked questions and video tutorials are available on for both you and our patients. This is a great source to go to when you have a question. If you have feedback to share concerning AveraChart, feel free to e-mail your thoughts to . The next region to “go live” is Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center in late April. Inthe meantime, your continued dedication to a successful launch of AveraChart is much appreciated!

*DR. MARGALLO RECOGNIZED

Lucio Margallo, MD, is being recognized for his contributions to Dakota Wesleyan athletes as one of the team physicians for the Tigers throughout the years. Dr. Margallo came to Mitchell in 1985 and has been working with the DWU athletic teams since. He works closely with the athletic training program and the athletic training students and attends home football and basketball games as well as volleyball, wrestling, and baseball among other spots. Allof his work with Tigers athletics is on a volunteer basis. Dr. Margallo will be inducted into the DakotaWesleyan University Athletic Hall of Fame at the University’s 2014 Spring Banquet on Saturday, April 26, at the Sherman Center on the Dakota Wesleyan University campus.

*ASSOCIATE SICK CARE AVAILABLE IN AVERA OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE

Avera Occupational Medicine has expanded their work related injury and illness care to include Associate Sick Care. This service is available to all of the Avera Occupational Medicine clients including allAveraQueen of Peace associates. While the service is not a replacement for your primary care provider, itoffers a daytime solution for unexpected medical needs. This clinic is especially helpful for those who do not have a family doctor or are unable to get in to see their family doctor. Common reasons to visit the clinic include: fever, flu, allergic reactions, earinfection, strains or sprains, minor cuts or burns, sore throat, or sinus infection. Call Avera Occupational Medicine at Ext. 5701 for same day scheduling. Please bring your health insurance card withyou; co-payment is due at the time of service. The department has a credit card machine for processing MasterCard, Visa, Discover Card, or Secure Benefit Systems My Source payments. Avera Occupational Medicine will file your claim with your insurance company.

*MEDICAL LABORATORY PROFESSIONALS WEEK

Medical Laboratory Professionals Week is an annual celebration of the laboratory professionals and pathologists who play a vital role in every aspect of health care. Since they often work behind the scenes, few people know about the critical testing they perform every day. From April 20-26, please join these professionals in celebrating National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week and their vital role in promoting and protecting your health.

Did you know?

  • Laboratory tests play a role in more than 70 percent of doctors’ healthcare decisions in the United States.
  • More than 7 billion laboratory tests are performed in the United States each year.

*PRESENTATION LEADERSHIP TEAM

The Presentation Sisters gathered in Aberdeen in March to pray, reflect, and dialogue together as a community on their life and mission which they do every four years. This gathering gives the Sisters the opportunity for spiritual unity and apostolic vitality as they plan for the future of the congregation and choose new leadership. The following Sisters were elected to a four year term beginning in June: President, Sister Janice Klein; Vice President, Sister Lucille Welbig; Councilors, Sister Francine Evans and Sister Mary Thomas.

*FLU VACCINATION RATES

Pat Reiner, Director of Infection Protection/Employee Health, reports that the final influenza vaccination rates for Avera Queen of Peace Hospital associates ONLY (as defined by the National Healthcare Safety Network) and AveraBrady Health and Rehab associates ONLY:

Avera Brady Health and Rehab – 97.2%

Avera Queen of Peace Hospital – 98.76%

Neither of these rates include volunteers, non-employed physicians, or students. We must submit data on those populations ONLY for the hospital and each are entered separately into the government portal. At this time, AveraBrady is not required to track or report the associate rate for the government and they are not required to track those additional populations. This statistic is calculated for the 2013-2014 Influenza Season October 1, 2013, to March 31, 2014.

*CANCER SCREENINGS

  • Eighty-four individuals participated in the colonoscopy screenings, sponsored by the Avera Queen of Peace Foundation, during March; the average screenings per month is 72. Results are pending at this time. We look forward to seeing how many patients we were able to help.
  • A Free Breast Health Screening, sponsored by the Avera Queen of Peace Foundation, will be held on Saturday,May 3, from 8a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Avera Queen of Peace Physicians Plaza. Pre-registration is required by Thursday, May 1; please contact Central Registration at 995-2473. The screening is for women age 40 and older who have NOT had a mammogram in twoyearsor more and have no insurance or a high deductible. Pleasecall9952473 or 1-888-531-1685 to make an appointment.

*LETTERS WE LOVE TO RECEIVE

  • The following came to us through the “Contact Us” option on our website: “Thanks to the Maternal Care staff. OnMarch 28 I gave birth to a son at Avera Queen of Peace. This being my first pregnancy the labor and delivery and hospital stay had me scared. From the moment we arrived on the Maternal Care floor, every bit of nervousness was eased by the great staff who were knowledgable, personable, kind, and caring. I cannot say enough good words or say how appreciative we are of the staff who helped with the delivery and care of our son. They truly put us at ease knowing everything was being taken care of, and they were great people to be around. Thanks so much to Cindy, Justine, Cassie, Jackie, and Polly. What an outstanding group of people and professionals. Avera Queen of Peace can be proud!”
  • Several of our nurses received thank you’s from a patient who was hospitalized for several weeks and then delivered at 35 weeks. The patient identified Christy Treib, Leah Suhr, Kassie Marek, and Deanne Larson with CARE Cards. The patient recognized these four individuals for their caring and compassion, their positive attitude, and gentle hearts. The patient noticed everything…their help during labor and delivery, and even the little things like how one of the associates rearranged her room.

*AVERA BRADY/VERONNICA SMITH HONORED

Veronnica Smith, Administrator, Avera Brady, was recognized at the American College of Health Care Administrators annual convocation and exposition April 5-9. The invitation to be recognized reads, “Congratulations! Your skilled nursing facility has been identified as a top performer by the American College of Health Care Administrators. Each year, ACHCA recognizes the leaders of top performing SNFs across the country through its Eli Pick Facility Leadership Award. For 2013, ACHCA used MDS quality indicators, occupancy, and three years of survey data to identify top performers. Avera Brady’s areas of excellence include:

  • Three consecutive years of performance on the Health Survey, Fire Safety Survey, Complaint surveys
  • 80% or greater occupancy
  • Avoidance of Special Focus Facility Status
  • Top quality performance on QMs short stay pain

ACHCA believes that facility excellence is a reflection of leadership excellence, so the purpose of the Eli Pick Facility Leadership Award is to recognize the administrators of top performing SNFs.” Congratulations Veronnica!

*SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH

The Mitchell Area Safehouse offers the following information on sexual assault: Sexual assault occurs when someone is forced or manipulated into unwanted sexual activity without their consent. These crimes are widespread and occur daily in our communities, schools, and workplaces.

  • One in six boys and one in four girls will experience a sexual assault before the age of 18.
  • One in five women and one in 71 men will be raped at some point in their lives.
  • Rape is far more extensive than reported in official statistics and the majority of rapists are never apprehended.

Community members can work to prevent sexual assault by establishing healthy and positive relationships thatarebased on respect, safety, and equality. For more information about sexual assault, please e-mail or call 996-2765.

*’ROUND AVERA QUEEN OF PEACE. . .

  • The Avera Emergency Services ads for TV, billboards, and radio share stories of those whose lives have been saved through Avera’s Emergency Services; all the stories can be viewed at If you know someone who has had a life-saving event at Avera, please share or encourage them to share their story at
  • Thanks to all who participated in the Associate Opinion Survey. Avera Queen of Peace had a 95% participation rate, and Avera Brady had 80%.
  • The “Caring for Kids” Golf Tournament Committee is looking for associates to join the planning committee. The 20th Annual “Caring for Kids” Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday, August 9, at Lakeview Golf Course with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. If you would like to be on the planning committee or volunteer at the event, please contact Sherri in Marketing/Foundation at Ext. 2217.
  • In addition to being an annual sponsor of Area Community Theatre, Avera Queen of Peace is also the corporate sponsor for ACT’s performances of the musical “The Wizard of Oz.” Because of our sponsorship, we have several pairs of tickets to give away for this production scheduled for May 2-4 and May 9-11 at the Pepsi-Cola Theatre. If you would like your name placed in a drawing for this event, please click onthe purple ticket on the home page of Qnet, then click on “Respond to Survey” and complete the form. Click on Finish” when done. Thedeadline for signing up is 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16. Thewinners will be notified via email on Thursday, April 17.
  • Pat Reiner and Deb Oftedahl from Infection Prevention/Associate Health shared a process for entering MDRO’s onto the problem list and also provided a demo for all Avera regional hospitals. In addition, Deb did screen shots with explanations which were sent to all the meeting attendees.
  • Angie McCain, Janet Jackson, and Lisa Williams are working with the Women’s Health Service Line Committee. One of their initiatives is to establish a “Maybe a Baby” event at each of the regional hospitals on the evening of Thursday, April 17.
  • A Service Excellence initiative – discharge phone calls – was implemented in Maternal Care and the Emergency Department in early April.
  • On March 26, Rita Lemon, Human Resources Officer, participated in an HR panel for Dakota Wesleyan University. This was the second year that Rita had the opportunity to be present with the students to answer questions on application, resume, interviewing, and general employment expectations.
  • Congratulations to Sam Laufmann, Wellness Coordinator; he reports that wellness memberships have hit a new high of 449 members!
  • Communication boards for Maternal Care have arrived and will be hung and implemented the week of April 14.
  • Pat Reiner and the Infection Prevention/Employee Health Department initiated a new program to reduce needle stick events by counting the number of days without a needle stick event and posting monthly tips for preventing needle stick events. In addition, Pat is working with Jessica Claussen, MD, Avera Medical Group Ophthalmology, to develop a program for eye exams for all associates who assist with lasers in the OR and AveraMitchell Diagnostics per an Avera Corporate Policy.
  • Quality-Risk Management extends thanks to the Department Directors for their assistance in the timely completion of notification work lists. In addition, the department sends thanks to Scott VanKeulen, MD, and David Balt, DO, for their assistance in completing peer reviews to assist the department in getting caught up.

* * * HR HiLites * * *