2 It’s official: We’re one of the best places to work in the nation! GRMEDCENTER.COM I n th i s i s sue WINTER 2023 HEALTH CURRENTS Standard U.S. Postage PAID Walla Walla, WA Permit No. 44 Celebrating the new year with more awards! The year 2023 is kicking off with big celebrations at Guadalupe Regional Medical Center. We never take for granted the many significant national recognitions we have been awarded, and we are especially humbled and grateful for the latest round of honors. These awards would be significant for any hospital, but they’re especially remarkable for GRMC given that we remain an independent, community-based, noncorporate, nonprofit hospital with no tax base. The categories of awards we are currently celebrating among a competitive field of approximately 4,500 other U.S. healthcare facilities include: • 4th in the nation as healthcare employer of choice • 5-Star designation and top 10% in the nation for overall quality of care • Top 2% in the nation for Joint Replacement and 5-Star recipient for Total Knee Replacement • The only 2023 Joint Replacement Excellence Award™ and Surgical Care Excellence Award™ recipient in the San Antonio area • Top scores in patient satisfaction and service These awards reflect the foundational values and intentional strategy at GRMC. The interwoven strands of our culture include talented and skilled staff, a safe and satisfying work environment, uncompromising high standards for quality of care, pride in our work, mutual respect and trust, a responsive and friendly atmosphere, dedication to our community, and top-notch facilities. Each of these strands woven together makes our hospital strong and dependable, providing the medical safety net for our region and resulting in the impressive and celebration-worthy accolades we continue to receive!
2 | GRMC Heal th Currents At Guadalupe Regional Medical Center, when we say “our staff is our most important asset,” we truly mean it. Hospital leadership is continually focused on creating a workplace that provides meaningful work, mutual trust and a pervasive attitude of caring for all. An Employer of Choice team was created to proactively engage with new employees, ensure excellent communication and provide an active feedback loop to implement suggestions and continually improve the work atmosphere. Putting ourselves to the test Fay Bennett, the long-serving VP of Employee Services at GRMC, decided to test out the effectiveness of those efforts in 2019 by submitting an application to the national Modern Healthcare survey of hospitals for Best Places to Work in Healthcare. The submission process included a detailed assessment of the workplace, including pay and benefits, pre-employment screening process, leadership involvement, staffing and safety, training and development opportunities, and more. A crucial component of the assessment involved a lengthy, anonymous survey distributed to all full-time and parttime employees asking for staff opinions about their relationship with supervisors, opportunities for growth, compensation and benefits, culture and communication, and if they felt valued and essential to the organization. The staff at GRMC were thrilled to make the cut as one of the top 100 healthcare workplaces in the nation in 2019 and have continued to advance in ranking each consecutive year since. Even during the challenges of the pandemic, GRMC continued to shine as a top-notch employer. But this year’s surprise surpassed all expectations, with GRMC being chosen as the Fourth Best Healthcare Workplace in the Nation! The attitude of genuine caring for patients, families and co-workers is promoted and integral to our values at GRMC. That culture seeps into every decision and is evident in small and big ways throughout the organization, and definitely in the opinion of our own staff composed of more than 800 employees, 100 physicians and 100 volunteers. Workplace excellence GRMC RECOGNIZED AS THE 4TH BEST PLACE TO WORK NATIONALLY IN HEALTHCARE IN 2022
grmedcenter.com | 3 “I am so glad to have found my niche to practice medicine at GRMC. My core values of trust, respect, collaboration and excellence are aligned with the hospital’s culture. I am proud, deeply committed and excited about continuing my work and delivering exceptional healthcare to our community for years to come.” —Juan Arenas, MD “Having practiced orthopedics at our hospital for 38 years, I remember when our motto was ‘Neighbors Caring for Neighbors.’ That sentiment still holds true today and is a key reason I enjoy taking care of my patients at GRMC. The continual quality awards we receive prove what I know firsthand—that our drive for excellence is shared by every other doctor and staff member on our team.” —G. Steven White, MD “GRMC provides award-winning care. From the actual facility and advanced technology to the outstanding nursing staff, the quality of care my patients and my family have received from GRMC has been excellent—every single time. The most important part of medical care is the human touch and genuine concern each staff member has for patients. GRMC feels like home. At GRMC, you are a person and patient first—never just a medical record number.” —Alyson Kirchner, MD GRMC rated 5 Stars by CMS once again For the second consecutive year, Guadalupe Regional Medical Center has been nationally recognized as a 5-Star performer from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for overall hospital quality. The measures used fell into these categories: Out of more than 4,500 hospitals nationwide, GRMC was one out of only 429 in the nation rated 5-Star, and one of only 31 hospitals in Texas to receive this 5-star recognition. • Mortality • Safety • Readmission • Patient experience • Timely and effective care
GRMC ranked a top provider— in the state and the nation! My experience was excellent; everyone was very kind and concerned about my care. I was treated with much respect from the time I entered the emergency room, during my stay on the surgical floor, until I was released. I thank everyone for taking care of me and treating me like a queen. God bless you all. Rated A+ Closely intertwined with providing high- quality clinical care is the provision of responsive, compassionate and informative care to our customers. We’ve received many positive comments from patients and their families; here are just a few! You should be extremely proud of this facility and its staff. It is excellent! I would never have dreamed that this little Texas town would have provided such outstanding medical care. Every aspect of my mother’s stay was excellent. She is almost 90, and every person treated her with dignity and respect. I was with her every day, and I commend the entire staff, from top to bottom. God bless each of you—doctors, nurses, CNAs, physical therapists, etc., were wonderful. PATIENT SATISFACTION 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 Everyone associated with my stay and care was the best; they were very professional and friendly. They were very well informed of my condition and did everything to make me comfortable. GRMC Score National Score State of Texas Score Press Ganey is an independent company that monitors patient experience and satisfaction through randomly sent surveys as per nationwide requirement of all hospitals. In this area, GRMC ranks above the nation and state as well, as shown by the chart below reflecting our most recent quarter’s results. Rate hospital 0–10 Recommend the hospital Communication of nurses Response of hospital staff Hospital environment grmedcenter.com | 4
Improving to meet your needs Our newest Medical Office Building GRMC is committed to quality at all levels, from workplace to patient care and also in our facilities. We partnered with another top-quality local business, The Koehler Company (TKC), to build our newest addition: Willow Medical Office Building at 105 Medical Drive. TKC was recently awarded First Place, the Eagle Award, from the Associated Builder and Contractors Association for its excellent work on this stunning facility. The criteria for the award included safety, quality control, challenges overcome, project uniqueness and overall appearance. Upgraded imaging equipment GRMC recently upgraded all of our imaging equipment and remodeled the space. The hospital’s characteristic welcoming and clean environment is evident throughout our campus, including in these new exam rooms. Healthgrades Surgical Care and Joint Replacement recognition Guadalupe Regional Medical Center has been recognized for being in the top 2% in the nation for Joint Replacement, a 5-Star recipient for Total Knee Replacement, and the only 2023 Joint Replacement Excellence Award™ and Surgical Care Excellence Award™ recipient in the San Antonio area by Healthgrades. Healthgrades evaluates patient mortality and complication rates for 31 of the most common conditions and procedures at nearly 4,500 hospitals across the country to identify the topperforming hospitals for specialty care. This year’s analysis revealed significant variation in patient outcomes between hospitals with a 2023 Healthgrades Specialty Excellence Award and hospitals that did not receive the award. For example, from 2019–2021, patients treated at hospitals receiving the Joint Replacement Excellence Award™ have, on average, a 63.5% lower risk of experiencing a complication while in the hospital than if they were treated in hospitals that did not receive the award. The orthopedic surgery service at GRMC has a long history of high standards and excellent outcomes. The three orthopedists practicing at GRMC perform approximately 2,000 surgeries a year, with robust nursing and rehab care providing essential post-operative care. This elite award distinguishes GRMC as one of the nation’s leading hospitals for both joint replacement and surgical care. 5 | GRMC Heal th Currents
HEALTH CURRENTS is published as a community service for the friends and patrons of GUADALUPE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, 1215 E. Court St., Seguin, TX 78155, 800.506.6394 or 830.379.2411. Website: grmedcenter.com. Robert G. Haynes, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer Kody Gann, Chief Financial Officer Daphne Blake, RN, MSN, Chief Nursing Officer Sheri Williams, RN, MSN, Chief Operating Officer Fay Bennett, VP of Employee Services Lauren Carter, VP of Physician Services Jennifer Valadez, VP of Revenue Cycle Elaine Bennett, CEO of Guadalupe Regional Medical Foundation Deana Henk, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer, Guadalupe Health Network Rhonda Unruh, MHA, RN, VP of Quality Tasha Montez, PhD, MA, CCC, SLP, CEO of Guadalupe Regional Medical Group James Lee, MD, GRMC Governing Board Chairman Michelle Rumbaut, GRMC Project Administrator Health Currents Editor: Chelsea Maldonado, Director of Marketing Information in HEALTH CURRENTS comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your healthcare provider. Models may be used in photos and illustrations. 2023 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Guadalupe Regional Medical Foundation is honored to provide funding support for our nationally recognized hospital, GRMC. Because GRMC is not part of a corporate chain, and because it does not receive tax-based funding, our efforts to augment the hospital’s income are especially important. Seguin and the surrounding region benefits greatly from the hospital’s continued and impressive achievements in providing top quality and compassionate care. It is rare indeed to have such excellent medical care readily available in our own backyard. We ask that the businesses and residents of the area continue to consider GRMF in your gift-giving plans, so that we can continue to support our unique community hospital. THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO GIVE: • Donate to one of several categories of funds including Hospice, Guadalupe Clinic, Prescription Assistance Program and/or Cancer Care • Make GRMF your charity of choice when ordering on Amazon, through Smile Amazon • Support our annual events, such as Race to Raise in April and Pistols and Petticoats in the fall of each year • Donate to one of two scholarship funds for the furtherance of staff education in the medical fields • “Pay it forward” to a particular department or service at the hospital • Bequests: Make a gift through your will • Charitable gifts, trusts, real estate or life estates • Establish a perpetual endowment, often made in honor of a loved one or specific cause • Sponsor a particular piece of equipment or contribute to a specific service Every dollar counts and adds up! If you share our pride and appreciation for the great work being done at GRMC, please contact me directly to discuss ways that you can make a difference in maintaining this community treasure of a healthcare facility. As I approach my 20th year as CEO at GRMC, I am full of pride and admiration for the many amazing individuals, leaders and teams who have worked ceaselessly to create our unique, awardwinning culture. It has been my honor to watch hundreds of staff members develop their skills and ability to lead others. The common denominators throughout this journey have been trust, relationships, communication, mutual respect and recognizing our privilege of making a positive difference in every life we touch. We are grateful to our supportive community, our dedicated board members, our phenomenal physicians and volunteers, and our hardworking employees for bringing such honor to our organization. While I have no doubts about our ability to continue to reach new heights, I also know and remind my team that there is no finish line. Our national awards only serve to prompt us to aim higher yet. Robert Haynes, CEO of Guadalupe Regional Medical Center (GRMC) Continuing a legacy of excellence Consider GRMF in your year-round gifting plans Elaine Bennett, CEO of Guadalupe Regional Medical Foundation (GRMF) For questions about giving or GRMF, call 830.401.1385 or email ebennett@grmedcenter.com.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzIxMDA=