Small Hospital - Big Heart

St. Croix Valley - National Heritage Area Designation

2012-02-08T14:37:00.000-06:00

I believe that the St. Croix Valley is a special place to work and play. It has a lot to offer not only for those who live in the valley but for the many visitors who come and explore this area throughout the year. With that said, there is a groundswell of citizens committing their time to explore the possibility of having the St. Croix Valley designated as a National Heritage Area.

What is a National Heritage Area?

A National Heritage Area is a way to recognize and promote a region’s special qualities.

Heritage Areas improve possibilities for people and organizations to work better across traditional borders and preserve and promote our local historic, natural and cultural resources. This can mean new partnerships, economic development, and local initiatives to celebrate and protect unique places.

Right now, there are 49 nationally designated Heritage Areas throughout the United States. Heritage Areas receive technical assistance from the National Park Service for a limited period of time. It is assumed every NHA will plan, develop and sustain itself independently.

What Are the Potential Benefits?

Increased tourism and economic growth
New opportunities to develop and promote a regional identity
New partnerships across traditional boundaries (like states and counties)
Collaboration on projects to conserve the area’s assets

Some ways Heritage Areas promote their regions:

A marketing campaign promoting local and regional heritage tourism
Recognizing and preserving special sites and producing a guide map
A bike trail connecting important historic sites
Revitalizing historic downtowns
Partnering with local Chambers of Commerce to promote traditional artists

The Heritage Initiative is facilitated by the St. Croix Valley Foundation and led by a task force comprised of citizens from throughout the region.

The first phase of the Initiative is a Feasibility Study. During this time, people will be asked to share stories and special places in the region, discuss benefits and challenges of potential Heritage Area designation, and think about strategies for making the most of a Heritage Area if designation is pursued. The entire St. Croix watershed is invited to join the discussion.

These discussions will take place on the Heritage Initiative website and at a series of listening sessions and public meetings held throughout the region in the winter of 2011-2012.

The Initiative will give people a platform to talk about the region’s history, traditions, natural beauty, and communities. To learn more about the Heritage initiative, public meetings, or if you have a story to share go to www.stcroixheritage.org.

St. Croix Regional Sports Medicine

2012-02-06T11:12:00.000-06:00

Launch of Regional Sports Medicine Website

This new website features video presentations by key medical staff, valuable information about each of the Regional Sports Medicine’s staff members, on site blog, and information about the services available at the SCRMC including the new Physical Rehabilitation Clinic in Lindstrom.

SCRMC has been offering comprehensive local care for both student athletes and active adults to help prevent sports-related injuries and musculoskeletal problems.

Services include:

Go to http://regionalsportsmedicine.org/ to view the Regional Sports Medicine’s new website. Leave a comment on the blog.

Update - New Unity Clinic

2011-12-23T15:50:00.000-06:00

Due to good weather and lack of snow the new Unity Clinic facility is ahead of schedule. We are expecting to open early this upcoming summer.

The current status: Facility is enclosed with interior framing and exterior brick complete. Window installation, setting the exterior stone, and installation of mechanical and electrical systems are next on the schedule.

We are excited for the opportunity to expand primary care services, add physical rehabilitation, sports medicine, podiatry, and retail pharmacy services for the local area residents.
Unity Clinic
1504 190^th St.
Balsam Lake, WI 54810

Congress continues debate on SGR

2011-12-08T16:08:00.001-06:00

The Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) is a major component of Medicare’s current formula for determining annual updates to physician reimbursements for services. The SGR was intended to be a budgetary restraint on Medicare’s total expenditures to maintain budget neutrality. Without intervention, Medicare physician payment rates will be cut about 40 percent by 2016. With 2011 being the leading edge of the baby-boom generation, we will see enrollment grow from 44 million to 50 million by 2016.

It is important that Congress permanently repeal the SGR and replace it with a new more rational payment system. The current SGR formula calls for a 27.4% cut to physician payments on Jan. 1, 2012, followed each year by additional cumulative cuts. According to MGMA research, only 16 percent of members polled indicated they will maintain current levels of access for new Medicare patients if the 2012 cut occurs and 51 percent indicated that they will reduce available appointments for new Medicare patients. Medicare beneficiary access to care will be threatened.

The repeated pattern of short-term solutions that Congress has employed for over a decade creates havoc for physicians and patients, and serves only to raise the cost of true payment reform. The annual legislative struggle to avert Medicare physician payment cuts has gone on far too long. Congress has stepped in 12 times over the past decade to stop pending cuts; Congress had to take action five times to stop the 2010 cut alone. This constant threat to practices is destabilizing the Medicare program.

Source: Medical Group Management Association (MGMA)

Budget Deficit Proposals

2011-10-12T10:05:00.001-05:00

We are at the beginning of one of the most challenging transitional periods for health care that I have ever witnessed. We are not steering the ship. We are along for the ride with the Federal Government and to lesser extent the State(s) setting the direction in uncharted waters. Our future will be determined by how quickly we can adapt to changes as they occur.

Budget Deficit Proposals

The Federal deficit has produced a number of key proposals that are being debated at this time between the political parties. One proposal submitted by President Obama includes two provisions specifically targeting at Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).

} Provision #1: Reduce payments to CAHS from the current 101% of reasonable costs to 100%.

} Provision #2: Eliminate CAH designation for hospitals less than 10 miles from the next nearest hospital.

Both provisions have a negative impact but provision #2 is significant to SCRMC and would require a substantial change in our business model.

There is also an unresolved issue with provider reimbursement for services to Medicare patients. For several years, the government has not been able to address a flawed model called the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula that would cut Medicare professional fees. The current cut would produce a reduction of 29.5% on Jan. 1, 2012 to Medicare rates. With 42% of our professional visits Medicare patients, the financial impact would be significant. If this is not addressed fundamentally, I expect that physicians and physician groups will be forced to limit the number of Medicare patients seen and for some force them to quit seeing them altogether.

Larry Collins Receives Wisconsin Hospital Association Trustee Award

2011-09-22T15:08:00.001-05:00

I had the privilege of presenting the 2011 Trustee Award from the Wisconsin Hospital Association to Larry Collins last week at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

Larry has served on SCRMC Board since 1996. He was the Board Chair for ten of those years.

Larry participated in two major efforts during his tenure.

In 1998 / 1999, Larry played a critical role on the task force that worked on the merger of St. Croix Valley Memorial Hospital and River Valley Medical Center.
In 2001 / 2002, Larry guided the organization through significant financial difficulties including a change in senior leadership.

Over the years, Larry has been involved in many community organizations and efforts abroad. He spent more than thirty years taking study groups to Mexico and Spain. Larry also helped in organizing a nursing school in Bolovia to bring help to the poorest of poor.

There are many words that describe Larry. He is steady, calm, unwaivering, committed, and a person with strong integrity. For me Larry has been a mentor and a sounding board.

On behalf of SCRMC, I congratulate Larry on the 2011 Trustee Award and thank him for the years of dedication to our organization.

Dave Dobosenski, Larry Collins; Steve Brenton - WHA President

Groundbreaking - Unity Clinic Replacement

2011-09-09T14:13:00.001-05:00

September 8th, 2011 marks the official day for the beginning of construction of the new Unity Clinic.

In 1996, the current Unity Clinic was created by the combining two clinics, one based in Milltown and the other in Balsam Lake. This prefabricated clinic was a transition facility that was expected to be replaced after 5 years. 15 years later this new facility is finally under construction.

The Unity Clinic is located across from the Unity School in the Unity Business Park. Similiar to the Unity School, it serves multiple communities in the area.

There are three main purposes for this development;

Increase primary care availabilty
Provide additional service that include Physical Rehabilitation, Sports Medicine, Podiatry, and Pharmacy Services
Future expansion to provide other health care related services or creation of an educational center.

Design Team and Harriss Architects

Bottom line, this new facility will be a tremendous asset to area residents.

I want to recognize and thank the staff that participated on the clinic design team. They included Cindy Lundmark, MaryAnn Rivard, Becky Thiel, Terri Giller, Brenda Davidsavor, and Dr. William Schultz.

The building was designed by Harriss Architects. Nelson Construction Services will be the General Contractor for this project.

The new clinic will be open June 2012.

St. Croix Valley Emergency Medical Services, Inc.

2011-09-07T15:22:00.000-05:00

I am happy to announce that SCRMC with its partners, Western Wisconsin EMS and Lakes Region EMS, will again be providing ground emergency medical services in the St. Croix Valley in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. It is my belief that through this partnership, we can enhance the level of service provided to patients and also create stronger relationships in the communties that we serve.

SCRMC is the lead organization in the partnership. Lakes Region EMS will be providing the operational expertise and management on a day-to-day perspective. Lakes Region EMS utilizes a philosophy that they describe as their "Four Pillars."

State of the Art Patient Care
Outstanding Customer Service
Dedication to the Communities We Serve
Financial Health and Responsibility.

Their "Four Pillars" set the standard for how they do business and how they set direction for the future. From a comparison perspective, their "Four Pillars" match closely to SCRMC's strategies related to Clinical Excellence, Personalized Care, Community, and Stewardship.

Please join me in welcoming the St. Croix Valley EMS paramedics to our medical family and community.

2011 Service Recognition Dinner

2011-07-13T08:28:00.001-05:00

On June 29th we recognized 72 Employees with a total of 995 years of experience at St. Croix Regional Medical Center (SCRMC).   LeeAnn Vitalis hosted the event with help from her cohorts, Fay Canaday, Christy Kobernick, and Lisa Peterson.

It was fun to recognize everyone that was in attendance at this years event.  From my perspective anytime that employees spend this amount of time in an organization they gain a wealth of experiences, grow professionally, develop friendships that last a life time, and of course have numerous "Remember When" stories. Since I am a rookie at SCRMC (19 months) these stories give insight on the history and journey of the organization.

Each employee being honored for their years of service brings with it the wisdom, respect, and trust that co-workers and patients value.   I want to send a heartfelt thanks for being an integral part of SCRMC.

5 Years - Julia Amrhien; Carolyn Christensen; Karen Fluth; Robyn Formanek; Melissa Foss; Mickey Gebhard; Meghan Grindell; Melanie Helling; Amy Henry; Holly Hutton; Missy Johnson; Emery Jones; David Kitchberg; Nicole Lundsted; Debra Maloney; Kathy Maloy; Laura McKenzie; Jennifer Mikl; Francyne Naumann; Jodi Olson; Laura Seeger; Janise Skow; Ruth Solland; Gloria Thilgen; Cindy Weyhrauch.

10 Years - Sandra Bibeau; Polly Chartrand; Mary Christian; Amy Clark; Becky Clark; Carol Ganley; Cathy Hansen; Dawne Johnson; Susan Johnson; Tasha Johnson; John Ladoucer; Jessica Minor; Kari Peer; Sharon Rivard; Michelle Sommer; Bob Stumpf; Shannon Volgren; Tammy Wondra.

15 Years - Melanie Erickson; May Lou Forristall; Terrie Giller; Robin Herr; Terry Hunt; Kim Johnson; Judi Lutz; Caren Sundquist.

20 Years - Theresa Barstow; Karen Bohl; Jean Doty; Diana Gall; Melissa Kufalk; Kristine Turner.

25 Years - Kathy Danielson; Betty Hoverman; Sandra Nickelson; Mary Ann Rivard

30 Years - Jane Bell; Kathleen Carlson; Rita Fisk; Kathy Johnson; Heidi Koslowski; Barbara Lindberg; Mary Peterson

35 Years - Louise Cole; Barbara Davidsavor; Lonnie Ellefson; Rita Johnson

Recognition of Volunteer Partners

2011-06-30T11:54:00.001-05:00

It was a wonderful time at the Volunteer Partners Recognition Event on June 27th. The theme this year was Red, White, and Blue.

A sincere thank you to all the volunteers that dedicate their valuable time to our mission. Each volunteer makes a positive difference to our patients and their families, not to mention the staff and providers at SCRMC.

Pictures of Volunteers who were in attendance being honored.

200 Hour Volunteers

500 hour Volunteers

1000 hour Volunteers

3000 & 4000 hour Volunteers

2000 hour Volunteers

10,000 Hour Volunteer

A special thanks goes out to the Volunteer Partners Officers. Susie Jasperson - President, Renee Ryan - Vice President, Vicki Phillips - Secretary, and Kathy Lucken - Treasurer.

Also need to include Jackie Hillman, gift shop manager and Carolyn Tegrootenhius, gift shop Finance Manager.

Mickey Gebhard, Guest Services Manager, did a wonderful job organizing this years event and most importantly providing leadership and coordination of all the volunteers throughout the year. Mickey's caring and thoughtful attitude has made a positive difference and has been instrumental in the growth of Volunteer Partners.

Valet Bob - We Want You!

Scholarship Student Volunteers

"In the Service of the Heart"

By Volunteer Partner Mike Crim

In the service of the heart,

Gratitude and smiles abound.

And kind words bring joy.

Nothing is usual.

And surprises await.

And those that catch you blind,

Are the best.

Exchanges take place.

And benefit mutually.

Friendships form.

Satisfactions multiply.

Dispositions prosper.

And peace resides.

The small to us,

Is mighty to many.

Progression, inevitable.

Commitment is real.

And becomes as desire,

In the service of the heart.

The 45th Annual Salad Luncheon

2011-06-23T14:03:00.001-05:00

This year the Volunteer Partners celebrated their 45th Anniversary of the Salad Luncheon. It is always held on the second Friday of June at St. Croix Falls High School.

This is a major event that is partnership between volunteers, staff, and the community. Many local businesses also donate. Participation includes making food, donating money, working, or just attending.

Historically the salad luncheon has raised $5,000; however over the last 2 years it has raised more than $10,000 per year. The final numbers for this years event will be around $11,000. The money raised this year will be used to purchase:

A treatment table & muscle test system to benefit hospital patients in the Rehabilitation Gym
Memory Boxes for families who experience a loss of a newborn
An additional hand-held bladder scanner

As part of the celebration "Taste of the Valley" Cookbook was published that includes many Salad Luncheon favorites. If you are interested in getting a Cookbook contact 715-483-0331.

The Volunteer Partners served a record number this year of over 550 people. In fact this event won the WAVE Award (Wisconsin Award for Volunteer Excellence) in 2010 from the Wisconsin Hospital Asssociation.

A special thanks goes to Renee Ryan, Salad Luncheon Chair, and her committee for putting on this wonderful event.

Renee and Vicky

Brittany, Patti, and Ashley

Cory, Jenna, and Luke

Milt, Terry, and Tom

Results of the Trails Races on Saturday June 4th

2011-06-08T11:05:00.005-05:00

SCRMC Team

Trouble

It was a beautiful morning for the 7^th annual City of Trails 5K Run/Walk and Rock ‘N River 10K Trail Run/Hike. We started at the St. Croix Falls Middle School and followed a trail that meandered through the woods which eventually led us down State Street and finished via Gaylord Nelson Riverwalk at the Overlook Deck in downtown St. Croix Falls.

Since it has been many moons since I have participant in a run/walk event, it becomes very motivating to try to put in a good showing. In fact, I noticed that you tried to keep pace with certain runners that surrounding you as you race.

I am very proud of SCRMC's showing. We came through with over 40 participants. We tied the Sprinting Sisters with the most participants. At the end we did not win the “Golden Boot” but that does not matter. We had walkers, run-walkers, and runners. We even had one participant with green hair. I should add that Dr. Jeff Hall did win his division with a time of 20:54.

Personally a little more training will help eliminate the few aches and pains I felt the next day. I look forward to next year’s event.

After the Race

SCRMC Participants

Krista Bellrichard

Claire Coddington

Elise Coddington

Lonna Coddington

Dave Dobosenski

Jodi Dobosenski

Tammie Eineichner

Mary Erickson

Malanie Erickson

Linda Ficcadenti

Melissa Foss

Brittini Gullickson

Jeff Hall, MD

Melissa Hall, MD

Margo Harvieux

Melanie Hicks

Matt Hobbs

Frank Johnson

Jameson Kahl

Jennifer Kahl

Christy Kobernick

Amber Kottke

Gayle Kremer

Rebecca Lyman, MD

Brent McCurdy

Erin McDonough

Jessica Minor

Kerissa Minor

Jeanine Moore

Lanae Nelson

Oliver Ott

Bethany Rivard

Hailey Rivard

Rhonda Roush

Tammy Sandman

Sarah Simpson

Jamie Sotis, MD

Aaron Staeven

Mark Taylor

Wendy Videen

LeeAnn Vitalis

Mason Vitalis

Kathy Weeks

Adrean Weldele

SCRMC Volunteers who helped with the Trail Race

Wandy Brown

Cashie Green

Bryan Jaquette

Danielle Redburn MD

Sarah Shaw

Sandy Williams

Cheryl Whittman

Relay for Life - CEO Car Wash

2011-06-02T13:55:00.004-05:00

On June 1st we held the annual CEO Car Wash at St. Croix Regional Medical Center. This was the 5th annual event to benefit Relay for Life. The Relay for Life will be held on June 24th at St. Croix Falls High School track. The entire community is invited.

The Clean Team

The Clean Team raised $800! Thanks to everyone who participated. I was just a small player in the overall event. Actually they delegated me to mostly cleaning windows. They kept me away from the power washer.

Root Beer Floats

Below is the list of all that participated.

John Tremble

Doug Lund

Jessica Minor

Sarah Shaw

Tim Olson

Kathy Coffman

Brent McCurdy

Jan Hansen

The Ambulance always shows up!

Rita Johnson

Tara Yunker

Carol Thornton

Mary Smith

Laura Jensen

Kathy Johnson

LeeAnn Vitalis

MaryAnn Rivard

Barb Kinney

Jan Hansen

Sandy Williams

Laurie Peterson

Building Chairs for Bridging

2011-05-23T11:57:00.000-05:00

Early Saturday morning, I picked up fellow Chisago Lakes Rotarians, Joe Sroga, Roger Trivette, and Steve Silvernagel, to drive to Bridging in Roseville (MN) to build chairs. I was the only rookie in my group. The rest were veterans of the first event last year.

We arrived at a large warehouse that was full of items to distribute to families in need. In the back of the warehouse the Rotarians who organized the event and the veterans from my group started to set up the assemble line that soon would be churning out 200 chairs in one morning. Before long we were all busy doing our part to make a solid confortable dining room chair.

In the end, we ended up with ? chairs, new friendships, and most of all playing a small role in helping families in the area. For Rotary the motto "Service above Self" is a driving force.

Organizers.

and

I was impressed by the leadership and organization of the event.

Serving 5,000 Minnesota Families Each Year

Founded in 1987, Bridging is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, operating 50,000 square feet of warehouse space in Bloomington and Roseville. Bridging was founded on the simple concept that community resources should be shared with those in need. Our purpose is to "bridge the gap" between the "haves" and the"have nots."

Our mission is to provide the economically disadvantaged with a one-time gift of quality furniture and household items which helps to stabilize and improve their lives while effectively using community resources. Through a network of over 150 social service agencies, eligible clients are referred to our warehouses for a once-in-a-lifetime shopping experience. In 2011, Bridging will serve approximately 5,000 households (over 13,000 individuals) in the Twin Cities area. For every $300 donated to Bridging, we can help another family in need.

Wisconsin Hospital Association 2011 Advocacy Day

2011-05-01T09:41:00.001-05:00

On April 27 I had the opportunity to participate with more than 700 hospital advocates who attended the Wisconsin Hospital Association’s 2011 Advocacy Day. I was impressed by the number of participants that included employees, board members, and volunteer partners.

After the welcome speech, the day started with Jim VandeHei, co-founder and executive editor of Politico in Washington DC. Politics is not my favorite subject but I found Jim's insight, who is an Oshkosh-native, interesting. Below are a few of his comments:

We are living in a period of volatility and elasticity where things are moving fast. "For the next ten years, things will just be unsettled."
The country is so deeply divided. It makes it nearly impossible to predict the future.
The repeal of health reform has emerged as the litmus test for politicians. For the upcoming Presidential race, he predicts that successful candidates will be those that come out against health reform, which he believes may cause President Obama to consider changes to his current package of health reforms.
Politicians do not like to do things that are politically difficult, but doing nothing is no longer an option.
Politicians that are doing difficult things are getting noticed. He pointed to what Governor Scott Walker is doing in Wisconsin, which has made Wisconsin a "state to watch." Congressman Paul Ryan is another Wisconsinite to watch.

Jim VandeHei was followed by State Legislative Panel.

The Panel included Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) – Chair of the Joint Finance Committee (JFC), Sen. Bob Jauch (D-Poplar) – Member of JFC, Rep. Donna Seidel (D-Wausau) – Assistant minority leader in the Assembly, and Rep. Erik Severson, MD (R-Star Prairie) – Serving his first term in the Legislature. Dr. Severson is an emergency room physician at the neighboring Osceola Medical Center.

The panel addressed three questions. They started with the Governor’s budget that includes an important influx of $1.3 billion general purpose tax dollars back into Medicaid, followed by what the state can do to address the coming physician shortage (already here), and finally allowing the carrying of concealed firearms in Wisconsin and allowing some organizations to be exempt (health care facilities). Their was not enough time alloted for the panel and unfortunately party rhetoric intertwined in their responses.

After lunch, Governor Scott Walker addressed the attendees. This was the first time I had personally heard Governor Walker speak. He came across as being very knowledgable about health care issues and articulate on the challenges of the state.

Governor Walker acknowledged that a good chunk of the state’s budget deficit is related to the rising cost of Medicaid. To shore up the program, the Governor's proposed budget commits $1.3 billion of general purpose revenue (GPR) to Medicaid.
Walker noted that the current Medicaid system has not seen any fundamental changes since 1965. The Governor favors administering the Medicaid program through a block grant system, allowing states to have more flexibility over the program.
The biggest challenges facing Wisconsin, according to Walker, are economic and fiscal. Too many jobs are leaving the state.
Health care has a tremendous impact on businesses in terms of cost, but Walker believes the conversation also needs to include a discussion about quality and evidence-based care.

Governer Walker did not address directly the gap that still exists of $.5 billion in Medicaid funds.

In late afternoon many of the participants descended on the Capital to do Legislator visits. I had the opportunity to visit with Representative Erik Severson, MD, and Senator Sheila Harsdorf, 1Oth Senate District. I enjoyed both visits.

The key messages we brought to our legislators included:

Preserve the Medicaid safety net – First, support the influx of $1.3 billion in general purpose dollars into the Medicaid program. Second, as the Medicaid program looks for more than $500 million in cost savings, support reforms that do not shift costs to employers by cutting Medicaid payments to hospitals, which are already among the lowest in the country.

Oppose the elimination of hospital Medicare "dual eligible" payments – Dual eligibles are those individuals that qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. They are among Wisconsin’s most vulnerable citizens. The Medicaid program currently pays the hospital coinsurance for this population. The elimination of this payment will shift these costs to other employers and families.

Wisconsin hospitals’ economic impact on the communities they serve – hospitals purchase more than $13.7 billion in goods and services from Wisconsin businesses and hospitals account for a $28 billion ‘ripple’ effect on the state’s economy.

Wisconsin hospitals serve the community’s health care needs – hospitals serve all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. In 2009, more than 700 patients received free care in a hospital every day, and hospitals provided more than $226 million in charity care. In addition, hospitals sponsor or participate in more than 60 free clinics statewide. – Hospitals are a stable source of family-sustaining employment opportunities, supporting more than a 100,000 jobs annually.

Even with the long ride to and from Madison I would say the trip was valuable. Taking the time to meet with our legislators to understand their challenges and educate them on our own challenges related to the delivery of healthcare is critical. Everything is interconnected and requires all of us to work together.

Proud to be Independent

2011-04-23T07:47:00.001-05:00

St. Croix Regional Medical Center (SCRMC) is proud to be a small independent integrated delivery system in the upper midwest serving a rural service area. Over the last several years, organizations like SCRMC are becoming rare as large systems continue to grow through acquisition and expansion. I want to be clear, I have nothing against large systems since I spent the majority of my career (23+ years) with a major system in the twin cities market. I experienced many mergers, expansions, and changes throughout those years, learned much, and made many friends along the way.

In 2009 I was given the privilege to lead SCRMC into the future. Immediately I experience the pride that employees, providers, volunteers, and the Board exuded in being independent. The statements below illustrate why it is important.

Community Commitment – The communities see SCRMC as their primary source for health care services. SCRMC’s mission is to serve the community. This creates a strong alliance between the community and the organization.

Personal Care – SCRMC can provide excellent personalized care that also includes flexibility in meeting the needs of our patients and families. SCRMC can make decisions based on the best interest of the patient. This includes all aspects of the care process including scheduling to payment flexibility.

Market Responsiveness and Prompt Decision Making – SCRMC can respond quickly to market needs, can address issues quickly, and make decisions in a timely fashion without interference from a larger corporate structure.

SCRMC Chooses Partners – SCRMC works to find the best partners that allow us to better serve our patients/families. We are not tied to any organization that directs referrals. We can change if relationship is not meeting the needs of the community.

We Support the Local Economy – SCRMC prides itself on buying local and supporting the local economy. SCRMC will pay more for supplies, equipment, contractors if there is community benefit. SCRMC is a major employer in the region. Independence allows us to keep jobs locally.

Employee, Provider, and Volunteer Commitment – SCRMC employees, providers, and volunteers are all stewards of the organization, they take pride and ownership in the success. They all play a role in molding the future of SCRMC for future generations.

Physician Shortage is Real and Growing

2011-04-11T21:14:00.001-05:00

I had an opportunity about a month ago to listen to a presentation by Charles Shabino, MD, Senior Medical Advisor, from the Wisconsin Hospital Association. The topic "Wisconsin Physician Shortage: Who Will Care For Our Patients" was sobering and illustrated the significance of the shortage especially in primary care now and into the future.

Some of the key statistics:

A National Crisis

With the implementation of Health Care Reform in 2015 we will have an immediate shortage of 63,000 physicians (AAMC 2010)
Projected shortage is 159,000 physicians by 2025. We have an aging physician workforce. (AAMC 2009)

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is currently short 600 physicians (WCMEW 2008 Report)
Estimate shortage to grow to 2000 by 2030.
Physician average hours worked per week is decreasing
30% of the physicians practicing in Wisconsin are over 55.
48% of Wisconin General Surgeons are over 55.
38% Medical School Graduates Stay in Wisconsin (340 – 210 leave)
56% Residency Program Graduates Stay in Wisconsin
70% Medical School and Residency Graduates

Charles Shabino, MD shared several recommendations from WCMEW (Wisconsin Council on Medical Education and Workforce) to meet Wisconsin's physician shortage. They included:

Increase the number of medical students trained in Wisconsin.
Increase proportion of Wisconsin residents enrolled in Wisconsin medical students.
Increase the number of Wisconsin based resident training positions.
Increase proportion of Wisconsin based residency positions filled by Wisconsin medical shool graduates.
Continue to be competitive nationally in recruitment of physicians.
Retention of Wisconsin's practicing physicians.

From my perspective, all of the recommendations will help with the crisis but there will still be a significant gap. I see care model redesign and how we deliver care having a bigger impact on how we meet future demand. I will talk about this more in a future post.

Follow Up to the Sleep Study

2011-04-10T22:07:00.001-05:00

Just last week I had the opportunity to go over my results. I had a previous appointment but deferred to help a fellow comrade who was in greater need. Fine by me.

The appointment was thorough. Judy roomed me and checked my vitals. I was still alive. Dr. Flink, Pulmonologist, reviewed my history, the respiratory data, and other interesting facts related to the test. The report also contained a ton of data and graphs which looked impressive but I honestly only understood 10%.

Bottom line: I had mild or moderate obstructive sleep apnea. My sleep apnea was unlikely though to put me at risk long-term for a cardiac event. They still recommended that I proceed with Auto-PAP (Positive Airway Pressure) due to having disrupted sleep patterns which was causing my daytime sleepiness.

It was still my choice to proceed and end that is what I did.

Next stop was Cheryl from Respiratory Therapy. Cheryl did a wonderful job discussing how the Auto-PAP worked. How it was going to track my data for the next month to help determine future settings, how to assemble the machine, and cleaning procedures. The exciting part was selecting the mask. After discussing many styles, we chose the nose only mask that flexes when you breathe. You know style is everything with your head gear. You even get 30 days to try different styles if you would like. After packing it all in a nifty carrying bag I received the most important information, the one page cheat list from Cheryl. It definitely came in handy the first night.

So I continue to use the Auto-PAP nightly. My time wearing it increases night to night. Though the true test will be coming soon when I will be traveling to visit my daughters at college. I expect much laughter.

There is one thing you can't do when the machine is on, that is talk. Inevitably that is when you want to say something important.

The Blog has a New Name

2011-04-06T08:39:00.001-05:00

Thanks to everyone who submitted blog names. It made the final selection difficult. With the help of my esteem panel, Rita Johnson and Jessica Minor, we decided on “Small Hospital – Big Heart.” Diane Fedor from Emergency Services submitted the name. Thank you Diane.

The panel felt “Small Hospital – Big Heart” really does reflect who we are. "Small Hospital" relates to SCRMC being a small independent integrated care system. Yes, we are more than just a hospital, but it is easier than a broader more encompassing description.

Having a "Big Heart" is the recognition about how all of us, employees, providers, and volunteers are driven to deliver great care and customer service to our communities, neighbors, and friends.

City of Trails Races Set for June 4th

2011-04-05T09:28:00.001-05:00

The 7^th annual City of Trails 5K Run/Walk and Rock ‘N River 10K Trail Run/Hike will take place on Saturday, June 4, 2011 in St. Croix Falls. We will be celebrating National Trails Day with communities nationwide. This event features St. Croix Falls’ Ice Age Trail segments, the City of Trails 5K road race and spectacular Rock n’ River 10K Trail Run/Hike. The event starts at 9:00 am from St. Croix Falls Middle School. All races follow wooded and very scenic courses finishing via Gaylord Nelson Riverwalk at the 1905 Hydroelectic Dam and Overlook Deck in downtown St. Croix Falls.

For St. Croix Regional Medical Center employees, providers, and volunteers, please join my wife, Jodi and I as we participate in this local event. On your behalf, SCRMC will contribute $10 of the $17 cost for the event with the goal of promoting healthy outdoor activities.

There is also an annual Team Challenge that spotlight participants of local businesses, organizations, families and friends. I heard that in the past SCRMC has won this event for “largest team.” The largest group participating from SCRMC was 25. I am hoping that we can eclipse this number by achieving 50+ participants. We might even win the Golden Boot.

Last SCRMC Team to win the "Golden Boot"

For all SCRMC participants, wear your shirt to work on the Monday following the event and we will serve you frozen yogurt.

City of Trail Race Site

More Blog Name Ideas

2011-03-30T13:29:00.000-05:00

They keep rolling in.

Man with a Plan

Place with a Face

Medical Center Doses from Dave
Honestly Dave
Dave's Thoughts
Dave's Honest Dose
Dave's Cares
Bedside Matters
The Raw Facts
Dave's Hot Air
Dave's Smoking News
You Can Call Me Dave
Dave's Dish
Small Hospital - Big Heart, Perspectives from within

Thanks for all the feedback. It is time to narrow it down to the top five.

“First Choice for Care,” the Vision of St. Croix Regional Medical Center

2011-03-30T13:25:00.000-05:00

The vision "First Choice for Care" was derived from feedback gathered from employees during department meetings throughout the organization back in early 2010. The current version was modified by a comment by Gary Spreiter, Maintenance in which I quote "We should be the first choice” for the people we serve.

It is important that the vision provides a clear picture for the future and direction for the organization. It must be based on community / customer need. It also needs to be compelling for employees, providers, and volunteers.

The vision "First Choice for Care" puts the customer or patient first. It is the patient who decides to come to St. Croix Regional Medical Center (SCRMC) versus other health care providers in the region. We provide a wide array of services in which patients can choose from. We know that for some services we are the choice but for others we can improve on. That is what provides focus for SCRMC and will make our organization better in the the long run.

Sleep Study

2011-03-23T09:04:00.001-05:00

I had the privilege to experience a sleep study last evening. Due to an increasing ability to wake up and disturb other members of my family it was time to be evaluated for obstructive sleep apnea.

What is obstructive sleep apnea? It is when a person stops breathing repeatedly during sleep. The airway collapses and prevents air from getting into the lungs. This in turn disrupts sleep patterns resulting in excessive sleepiness or fatigue during the day. I seem to counter this with excessive coffee.

8:00pm – I checked in and met a wonderful tech named Ashley. Ashley was going to be my guide through the evening and walk me through the various stages of the sleep test. After the initial walk through of the room including instructions of the sleep number bed (which I was pumped up to use), remote, and communication set up I changed into comfortable clothes for the evening.

9:00pm – It was my turn to get hooked up for monitoring. What Ashley would be monitoring for the study included:

· Leg movement / kicking.

· Respiratory. Using bands over chest and midsection.

· Snoring Vibration. Attached to your neck.

· Heart Rate. Measuring Seizure activity.

· Brain Waves. Measuring sleep and deep sleep.

· Eye movement. Muscle tone and REM. Not the music group.

Ashley was great at explaining everything. Once hooked up, I had a ball of wires hanging around my neck and electrodes up and down my body. It would have been a great picture but thank goodness no one had a camera. It was time to go back to the room to hang out until the real show begins.

10:00pm – After reading the Wall Street Journal and catching the weather (another snow storm) it was time to prepare for a restful night sleep. Ashley discussed what to expect through the night. That she will be monitoring me initially for current sleep patterns and eventually come back in during the night and attach a mask to provide Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) to see if it improves my breathing and stops the snoring. Ashley had me test two masks, one for the nose only and the other was a full mask. Though I have trouble breathing through my nose, I decided to use the nose only mask initially (less bulky) when it was time for CPAP. The other important part of the testing is that you need to sleep on your back to get accurate data. I never sleep on my back.

Lights out.

11:00pm – Almost asleep several times but just had a lot on my mind. What do I have to do for work tomorrow? Boy I wish I was home in my own bed. Remembering the past trips to BWCA and fishing the river. Deflating and inflating the sleep number bed trying to find the perfect number. Will I even fail the sleep test?

Ashley recognizing my lack of progress came in the room and gave me a pep talk which I have to say made a difference. Telling me you are not alone and if you are unable to sleep we have an order for a sleep aide if needed.

So the on/off sleep began. Sometime during the night Ashley did come back and set me up for CPAP. I eventually fell back to sleep so that the monitoring could continue.

6:00am – Time to get up and get ready for the day. In all, Ashley let me know I slept for 4 hours but plenty of time for the evaluation. I guess my neighbor in the other room slept all night.

I look forward to getting the final results in the next week.

Potential Blog Names

2011-03-22T20:00:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all of you who have started to submit names for the blog. A special thanks to Arik Hanson from ACH Communications for numerous blog names.

Potential Blog Names

Dobosenski’s Daily Dose

Dave’s Daily Dose

Life at a community/independent hospital

Dave’s Hospital Insights

Ramblings from a Midwest Hospital CEO

Dave’s Health Care Blog

Health of a Hospital – Dave's Views

Do Blog

What's Up Blog

What's Up In the Valley

New Names as of March 24

Dave's Daily

Dave's Dispatch

What's Dave Done (Now)

Dave's Blogski

White Coat Notes

Keep generating more ideas. If there is a favorite let me know.

What's in a name?

2011-03-20T09:50:00.000-05:00

At last weeks Social Media Advisory Committee for SCRMC I was nicely told that "CEO Perspective - SCRMC" does not work. Comments included, it is difficult to search, CEO is a title and is impersonable, and SCRMC doesn't mean anything in the broader community. So in other words, you need to rename the blog.

Below are some new ideas.

Dave's Perspective - St. Croix Regional Medical Center

Who is this Dave guy? - St. Croix Regional Medical Center

Dobo's Healthcare Perspective

Dave Dobosenski wants to say something and why should we care?

Based on my ideas I really need help.

So please submit your options either by replying to this post or e-mailing me at Dave.dobosenski@scrmc.org.

The History of St. Croix Regional Medical Center

2011-03-18T09:22:00.000-05:00

Baker House 1919

In 1919, Dr. Jake Riegel established the first medical clinic and hospital known as the "Baker House" in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. It was Florence Baker's family home, Jake's wife. While Jake focused on patient care, Florence assumed the management, dietary, and housekeeping responsibilities for the medical clinic and hospital. Florence and Jake had two sons, Fred and Jake, who also became family doctors. Fred ended up practicing his entire career in St. Croix Falls.

Jake Riegel was known to do house calls after hours. In the early years, he used to drive a team of horses around the country side. Families would go to the closest phone in the area to contact him that they needed a visit. Families also would hang a lantern along the road as a signal for Jake to stop in. In the late 20s, Jake made a homemade snowmobile that he fashioned from a secondhand “Model T” to get around during the winter months.

1955 St. Croix Valley Memorial Hospital

In 1955, St. Croix Valley Memorial Hospital was built through support from both sides of the St. Croix River. The hospital was community owned. 23 patients were transferred from the Baker House when the hospital opened. It started as a 35-bed hospital. The Baker House was than remodeled to serve as a clinic only.

What was the hospital charges per day when it opened?

$11 for private

$9 for semi-private

$7.50 for ward bed

In 1957, due to the growth of the physician group, the doctors established a partnership known as St. Croix Falls Clinic, later changing to River Valley Medical Center and opened a new clinic building.

The first general surgeon came to St. Croix in 1959. Lloyd L. Olson, MD, grew up on a South Dakota farm. Lloyd was on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He did all types of surgery. He eventually retired after 31 years with over 24,000 procedures.

1973 Hospital Buidling

In 1972, St. Croix Valley Memorial Hospital expanded and opened a new three-story hospital building. It connected the original hospital and clinic buildings.

The medical practice continued to grow when the physicians opened the Balsam Lake Clinic in a former bank building on the main street in 1982. In 1986, they opened the Milltown Clinic. Eventually the Balsam Lake Clinic and Milltown Clinic were replaced by the Unity Clinic that opened in 1996.

The expansion continued in 1998 when St. Croix Valley Memorial Hospital expanded its presence by establishing the Frederic Clinic.

In 1999, St. Croix Valley Memorial Hospital and River Valley Medical Center merged to form St. Croix Regional Medical Center. By 2002, a new 3-story clinic building was built and dedicated to Dr. Jake and Fred Riegel.

In 2008, St. Croix Regional Medical Center opened the Lloyd Olsen Surgery Center and with a new roof-top helipad to meet the growing needs of the region.

In 2011, Ingalls Clinic in Webster, Wisconsin became the latest community clinic serving patients close to home.

St. Croix Regional Medical Center will continue to focus on the needs of our patients. Bringing services close to home. We are proud of our independence, clinical care, and our ability to be good stewards of resources. We value our partnerships with our customers, communities, and organizations that we serve.

Small Hospital - Big Heart

St. Croix Valley - National Heritage Area Designation

What Are the Potential Benefits?

Some ways Heritage Areas promote their regions:

St. Croix Regional Sports Medicine

Launch of Regional Sports Medicine Website

Update - New Unity Clinic

Congress continues debate on SGR

Budget Deficit Proposals

Larry Collins Receives Wisconsin Hospital Association Trustee Award

Groundbreaking - Unity Clinic Replacement

St. Croix Valley Emergency Medical Services, Inc.

2011 Service Recognition Dinner

Recognition of Volunteer Partners

The 45th Annual Salad Luncheon

Results of the Trails Races on Saturday June 4th

Relay for Life - CEO Car Wash

Building Chairs for Bridging

Early Saturday morning, I picked up fellow Chisago Lakes Rotarians, Joe Sroga, Roger Trivette, and Steve Silvernagel, to drive to Bridging in Roseville (MN) to build chairs. I was the only rookie in my group. The rest were veterans of the first event last year.

I was impressed by the leadership and organization of the event.

Serving 5,000 Minnesota Families Each Year

Wisconsin Hospital Association 2011 Advocacy Day

Proud to be Independent

Physician Shortage is Real and Growing

Follow Up to the Sleep Study

The Blog has a New Name

City of Trails Races Set for June 4th

More Blog Name Ideas

“First Choice for Care,” the Vision of St. Croix Regional Medical Center

Sleep Study

Potential Blog Names

What's in a name?

The History of St. Croix Regional Medical Center

Serving 5,000 Minnesota Families Each Year