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]]> http://www.meekermemorial.org/nm_News/News_Index.asp#newsAnchor_108 National Volunteer Appreciation Week honors and recognizes the contributions of the thousands of remarkable volunteers that serve throughout our nation and in our local communities. Within our community, over 100 volunteers at Meeker Memorial Hospital generously donated 7,400 hours of their time and energy to benefit our patients, their families and our staff.

Volunteers MMH fill an important role in the healing of patients and assisting their families. Volunteers choose to serve others without regular pay in a variety of areas and provide a valuable service to people. Their presence can make a difference in someone's attitude, a difference in someone's physical needs, or a difference in someone's comfort. They assist our staff, our patients and their families and guests.
Our Volunteer and Auxiliary group, Hospital Board of Directors and Foundation Board contribute many volunteer hours behind the scenes providing, financial support, wise counsel and invaluable advocacy in advancing our mission.

“The amount of time that our volunteers donate yearly is remarkable,” said MMH Foundation Director Mike Boyle. “The Hospital is truly privileged to have these fine men and women contributing their time and energy to our facility.” Volunteering is a personal consideration of time, given freely, often because a volunteer is contributing back to a worthy cause. Take time this month to thank a volunteer or make a decision to become one ... You'll be glad you did.
MMH Volunteer Recognition will be on Tues., May 8, 2012 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the MMH Conference Center.
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OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY HELPS INDIVIDUALS
LIVE LIFE TO ITS FULLEST

Litchfield, Mn — Occupational therapy enables people of all ages live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, prevent—or live better with—injury, illness, or disability. It is a practice deeply rooted in science and is evidence-based, meaning that the plan designed for each individual is supported by data, experience, and “best practices” that have been developed and proven over time.

Meeker Memorial Hospital Occupational Therapy Department has three occupational therapists that provide care to Meeker County residents, Suzanne Hansen, Aileen Roberts and Jennifer Steinhaus.

Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants focus on “doing” whatever occupations or activities are meaningful to the individual. It is occupational therapy’s purpose to get beyond problems to the solutions that assure living life to its fullest. These solutions may be adaptations for how to do a task, changes to the surroundings, or helping individuals to alter their own behaviors.

When working with an occupational therapy practitioner, strategies and modifications are customized for each individual to resolve problems, improve function, and support everyday living activities. The goal is to maximize potential. Through these therapeutic approaches, occupational therapy helps individuals design their lives, develop needed skills, adjust their environments (e,g., home, school, or work) and build health-promoting habits and routines that will allow them to thrive.

By taking the full picture into account—a person’s psychological, physical, emotional, and social makeup as well as their environment—occupational therapy assists clients to do the following:

• Achieve goals
• Function at the highest possible level
• Concentrate on what matters most to them
• Maintain or rebuild their independence
• Participate in daily activities that they need or want to do.

Suzanne Hansen, MA,OTR/L, CLT received her Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy from The College of St. Scholastica. Suzanne has been working at MMH for 12 years. She has been active in development of the occupational therapy department and treats patients of all ages. As a rural occupational therapist, she has developed skills in varied areas to address the needs of the community. Suzanne offers specialized treatments for lymphedema, neurological hand splinting (SAEBO) and currently does the pediatric program for MMH. Suzanne has special interests in concussion management and has assisted in the development of a program to evaluate and treat area athletes. Sports related injuries and treatment are favorite patients of Suzanne’s.

Aileen Roberts, OTR/L, CHT has been at MMH for 4 years, but has been an OT for 38 years. She attended Mount Mary College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for her occupational therapy degree and received her Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) designation in 2006. To become a CHT you need a minimum of 5 years of clinical experience, 4,000 + hours of direct practice in hand therapy and you need to pass a comprehensive test of advanced clinical skills and theory in upper quadrant rehabilitation. There are 4,410 CHT’s worldwide and we are lucky enough to have one of them at MMH. Aileen is new to the area and has been a great addition to the therapy offerings in OT at the hospital. With her advanced knowledge of the hand/wrist structure and function, Aileen is able to provide care through splinting, individualized exercise programs and education.

Jennifer Steinhaus, MA, OTR/L, ATP has recently joined the Occupational Therapy Team at Meeker Memorial Hospital. Jennifer has a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth. She has been an OT for 11 years. She also has a specialty as an Assistive Technology Professional. This is a special certification that requires additional schooling and testing. She has training in the use of technology (from low tech items, such as a reacher, to high tech, such as a power wheelchair) to assist people in achieving their highest level of functional independence. Jennifer has experience with pressure mapping and setting up wheelchair systems. She has extensive experience in cognitive function testing and is working hard to assist patients, physicians and families in making good decisions regarding the care of loved ones with cognitive deficits. She is available to see patients of any age and has experience with pediatric clients through geriatric clients. Jennifer is certified in physical agent modalities and is a level one practitioner for Healing Touch. We are very excited about the quality of care and diverse experience that Jennifer brings to MMH.

Founded in 1917, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) represents the interests and concerns of more than 140,000 occupational therapists, assistants and students nationwide. The Association educates the public and advances the profession of occupational therapy by providing resources, setting standards including accreditations and serving as an advocate to improve health care. Based in Bethesda, Md., AOTA’s major programs and activities are directed toward promoting the professional development of its members and assuring consumer access to quality services so patients can maximize their individual potential. For more information, go to www.aota.org.
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April 5, 2012
Telehealth launches at Meeker Memorial Hospital
Area residents will have 24-hour access to metro area stroke care experts.

Meeker Memorial Hospital (MMH) now has 24-hour access to metro area stroke care experts via the Allina Telehealth Network. The new service is a part of the Neurologic Emergency Treatment program at Abbott Northwestern Hospital. In March, the new system was installed at MMH and staff was trained to operate the new telehealth equipment.
The official start date was March 26, 2012 in the Emergency Department (ED) at MMH. But the work to improve stroke outcomes started much earlier. Angie Dietel, ED & Inpatient Nurse Manager, medical staff and team members from MMH like Veda Stockland, RN from CCU and Louise Brooks, RN from the ED worked extensively to implement a new protocol to improve stroke outcomes over the past year at MMH. In Jan. of 2011, a new Stroke Team Protocol was implemented. It involves a Stroke Team at MMH that is rapidly assembled to identify, assess, and treat those patients presenting with symptoms of an acute stroke and facilitate consultation with a neurologist for treatment options and/or transfer to a primary stroke center. MMH’s Stroke Team can include, Physician on-call, Nursing, Laboratory and Radiology staff with the Radiologist on-call from Suburban Radiologic Consultants and the Neurologist from Abbott Northwestern if necessary. The Allina Telehealth Network will allow neurologists, practicing in the metro area, to provide real-time, live stroke assessments on patients via telehealth equipment placed in the MMH ED. The overall goal is to provide physicians at MMH with access to resources and specialty care that will enhance the availability of stroke services in serving communities.

“With a quick response, time saves brain,” says Dietel. With the addition of the Allina Telehealth Network services and the new RP-Lite mobile robot unit in the ED, Dietel believes the work to implement the stroke protocol and new technology will give the team at MMH options for an enhanced response to stroke emergencies.
As with any medical emergency, the faster a patient receives proper treatment, the better the chances are for a successful recovery. This is especially true for stroke patients, as restoring blood flow to the brain minimizes the potential for long-term damage or impairment. “It even goes a step beyond that,” says Dietel. ‘We want the patient to be an active partner in the recognition of stroke. If a patient or family member can recognize signs and symptoms of stroke, they should call 9-1-1 and get emergency treatment. The sooner someone gets help there is improved chances for a positive outcome.”
Time is Brain!
Recognize Stroke Symptoms:
• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause
What to do … Act FAST!
Face – ask person to smile
does one side droop?
Arms – ask person to raise both arms
does one arm drift down?
Speech – ask the person to say a simple sentence
are the words slurred, can they repeat you?
Time – clarify what TIME the person was last known well
If yes to any of these symptoms get help right away! Call 9-1-1. Get emergency treatment.
*Source: Neurologic Emergency Treatment NETwork at Abbott Northwestern


“Timeliness of care is especially important when caring for a stroke patient, since time essentially equals the amount of brain functioning that can be preserved,” said Penny Wheeler, MD, chief clinical officer, Allina Hospitals & Clinics. “Telehealth will enable more rapid assessment by stroke experts for patients in communities. By doing so, our goal is to improve patient satisfaction and outcomes by allowing patients to receive care close to home, improving quality, and assuring a well coordinated transfer when more advanced treatment is required.”
How does Telehealth work?
At Meeker Memorial Hospital …
• Emergency Department physician assesses patient’s status and determines
need for further stroke evaluation and places a phone call to Allina Neurologists.
• RP-Lite® mobile robot unit is moved to patient’s bedside. Neurologist is
“beamed in” to the MMH ED.
• Patient and physician at MMH speak directly to the Allina stroke care
expert via Telehealth system.
• Allina stroke care expert conducts consult examination and determines whether
or not the patient is a candidate for tPA (a clot-busting medication). If deemed
appropriate by the stroke neurologist, the regional hospital can begin tPA
administration.
• If necessary, hospital staff prepares patient for air or ground transport.
Allina Metro Area Hospital
• Provides 24/7 on-call stroke experts with additional training in vascular
neurology.
• Stroke doctor begins video conferencing and evaluates patient data and CT
scan.
• Consult exam given via Telehealth system to evaluate presence or severity of
stroke.
• Consultation with MMH to determine best treatment plan for patient.
Benefits to Patients
• Immediate, 24-hour bedside access to stroke care experts.
• Improves timeliness of stroke care, which results in a greater chance for a
successful recovery and mitigates long-term disability resulting from stroke.
• A shorter length of stay in hospital because of immediate access to care.
• Receive care locally and close to home, which is more convenient for patient and
patient’s family.
• May help reduce medical expenses if transportation to a metro facility is not
required.
The Allina Telehealth Network is a component of the overall development of MMH’s Stroke Care being led by Allina's Neuroscience & Spine Clinical Service Line, and the Stroke Clinical Program.
Ultimately, telehealth technology will enable local providers to treat more patients close to home. The initial clinical focus area will be stroke care, with the possibility of expanding to other clinical areas and services, including Psychiatry, Cardiovascular, Oncology, Emergency Medicine, and Mental Health, where appropriate.

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Caption: Nursing staff learn the operations of the New Smart Pump technology at Meeker Memorial Hospital. Smart Pumps went into operation at the hospital in December, 2011 for patient care. Expanded Smart Pump technology to other patient care areas are scheduled in 2012.

As a collaborative effort between Nursing and Pharmacy new technology was recently added implementing Smart Pumps for intravenous infusion (IV) for patients at MMH.

The new SIGMA Spectrum Infusion System (Smart Pump) is smart technology with software to help prevent medication errors. The SIGMA Spectrum Infusion System provides multiple error prevention systems to provide standard IV administration control. MMH purchased 31 pumps.

“Smart pumps are equipped with a drug library that enables Nursing staff to choose the medication that has been ordered by the physician; then, the Smart Pump will apply the safety parameters for administration that Pharmacy has determined,” says Angie Dietel, Inpatient ED/Nurse Manager. In December, MMH nursing staff was trained extensively on the use of the new Smart Pump technology before implementation. Dietel sees this as a positive improvement for patient safety efforts at MMH.

“The drug library contained in each pump is developed specifically for MMH application by pharmacy “ says Arne Tilleson, MMH Pharmacy Director. “The library has multiple Care Areas such as Critical Care, Med/Surg, and OB with each care area containing intravenous drugs authorized to be given within that Care Area according to set safety parameters and policy”. “Pharmacy will be continually adding to the drug library and expanding into areas such as pediatrics, oncology, and areas yet to be determined” Tilleson added.

This concept of medication management is designed to ensure proper dosage, drug concentration, rate of administration, and safety alerts to provide for safe IV drug administration. “One new advantage using the Smart Pumps allows us to pre-plan for patients who will be admitted by a physician for special medication regimens, and individualize preset doses depending on the patient’s condition. ‘This allows for a more customized patient experience and reduces the potential for errors,’” said Tilleson.

The implementation of the Smart Pumps is just one of the steps MMH has taken over the past three years to improve medication management practices and reach patient safety goals. Tilleson helps lead and partner with staff to implement many changes to improve the system and sees it as being a continuous evolvement to better serve the patient.

Tilleson noted that Nursing and Pharmacy have collaborated in a many of ways to improve patient safety. Beginning approximately 3 years ago the use of automated dispensing cabinets (Omnicell), was expanded into more of the patient care areas for timely and safer access to patient medications. The Omnicell cabinets also provided controls to monitor medication selection, administration, and inventory. At the present time 10 Omnicell cabinets are located within the facility and there are plans for one in CSBH and in the Meeker Memorial Clinic in Dassel.

To further patient safety the Online Medication Administration Record (OMAR) was implemented to provide documentation of medication administration readily accessible to physicians, pharmacists, and nurses without tracking down a patient chart. Subsequent to the OMAR , Barcode Scanning was implemented to ensure proper safety controls were in place to ensure accurate medication administration. And now, by implementing the Smart Pump technology the IV infusions are managed using the smart technology designed for patient safety.

What’s next? With MMH now working hard on implementation of the electronic health record, Tilleson sees MMH continue to evolve and integrate systems to make it more efficient, safe and a better overall experience for the patient. He also sees the potential for more collaboration of clinics or other health care providers caring for the patient. Creating a better system for the electronic transfer of information will allow MMH to better share and transfer information to manage medications between care providers, like nursing homes, the pharmacy in the community or clinics. It will also help with tools to better communicate and educate the patient at discharge or in transfer of care into the community. “In the end, it is a better system for the patient. MMH is actively involved in safety projects and always looking at ways we can improve the patient experience,” Tilleson says.

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In 2011, Meeker Memorial Hospital was one of 19 hospitals winning two awards for patient safety efforts. These recent accomplishments for safety teams mark the completion of a full set of awards now displayed in the first level hallway near surgery. SAFE from FALLS and SAFE ACCOUNT are the newest awards.

A Patient Safety Excellence Award honors superior performance in preventing adverse health events meeting the requirements set by the Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA). These awards are given to hospitals that are actively participating in one or more of MHA's five safety campaigns - SAFE from FALLS, SAFE SKIN, SAFE COUNT, SAFE SITE and SAFE ACCOUNT - and achieve 90 percent or higher of campaign roadmap steps.

Each quarter, participating hospitals measure their progress in implementing the roadmaps. Hospitals qualify if they reach the 90 percent benchmark during that timeframe. "Hospitals that receive these awards are to be commended - the bar is set very high," said MHA Patient Safety Vice President Tania Daniels. "Hospitals that qualify have achieved measurable and meaningful progress toward implementing best practices to drive down adverse health events."

MMH actively participates in the awards program to help focus efforts of patient safety and quality measures to improve patient outcomes. Successful implementation of our safety teams initiatives have resulted in better processes for staff and safer outcomes for our patients.]]> http://www.meekermemorial.org/nm_News/News_Index.asp#newsAnchor_95
Paul Coleman, P.A.-C
Meeker Memorial Hospital (MMH) is pleased to announce that Paul Coleman, P.A.-C will be offering additional clinic coverage for orthopedic patients at MMH. Coleman is a graduate from the Wichita State University Physician’s Assistant Program. Coleman will work closely with Dr. Gordon Walker, Orthopedic Surgeon, to offer additional orthopedic clinic coverage for follow-up and treatment every Fri. in the MMH Specialty Clinics. 
Dr. Gordon Walker will perform surgical procedures at MMH or see patients for consultation and treatment in the MMH Specialty Clinics every Thurs.  Appointments for both Walker and Coleman can be made through the MMH Specialty Clinics at: (320) 693-4590]]> http://www.meekermemorial.org/nm_News/News_Index.asp#newsAnchor_93
July, 2011 - As a part of the Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) grant, the Meeker Memorial Hospital (MMH) Wellness Team has just completed the second worksite wellness audit and found an overall improvement in scores over last year in all four areas: worksite health promotion, tobacco cessation, physical activity opportunities and nutrition. The first wellness audit was done in June, 2010 and the second wellness audit was done in June, 2011. MMH improved its scores achieving higher percentages in all categories on the audit.
<br><br>
Worksite wellness audit scores 2010 to 2011 results of total points possible
Worksite Health Promotion 51%..to.....71%
Tobacco 56%...to....60%
Physical Activity 6%...to....63%
Nutrition 37%.. to.....97%
Total 38%...to....75%
The biggest improvement was in nutrition, with a 60% increase in the audit score! This was as a result of nutrition changes involving the identification of healthier vending options in the facility, healthier menu offerings in the Prairie Winds Café such as A’viands, Fit Choice 4 Life entrees, and the garden to table project which is bringing in fresh produce from the hospital's garden. Also, a new A’viands catering menu will be implemented soon which includes many healthy meal and snack items available for meetings, conferences, or community programs hosted at MMH. “Results for the audit demonstrate the year-long efforts, administrative support and wellness team implementation of many successful environmental changes, program offerings and policy efforts,” says Lori Rice, MMH Coordinator of Education & Marketing.
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5/11/11 Litchfield, MN -- Meeker Memorial uses a simulation learning environment to train staff for emergencies.

Simulation is one of the newest techniques available to help health care professionals be prepared for medical emergencies with children.

The training is conducted by Twin Cities-based Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota in its Kohl’s Mobile Simulation Center, the first of its kind in the nation to focus solely on preparing physicians and nurses for life-threatening conditions impacting children.

During simulation, multidisciplinary teams come together to practice critical events that are made highly realistic by simulation specialists using computerized mannequins and other techniques. For example, teams may practice scenarios in which a child is brought to an emergency room experiencing severe breathing difficulties, or when a newborn needs resuscitation. "To be able to "practice" emergency measures on a pediatric simulation mannequin can't be beat, you really get a feel for what's working in your process and what needs to improve, said Angie Dietel, Inpatient/ED Nurse Manager. “All the staff and physicians benefitted from this endeavor!”

A debriefing follows the event, during which participants identify what went well and where improvements in team performance can be made, offering insight into how the learning can be applied in the clinical environment. A strong emphasis is placed on how best to work together as a team.

“We’re so happy to work shoulder-to-shoulder with our colleagues and bring this leading-edge training to hospitals throughout the region. Simulation training helps provide them with the tools to respond effectively to a pediatric emergency,” said Karen Mathias, APRN, Director of Children’s simulation program. “It’s very much a dress rehearsal for situations that may not occur often, but eventually arise in any health care setting.”

Mathias said that simulation training in health care grew out of the approach taken by the aviation industry, which routinely uses simulation to help ensure that pilots and others can practice scenarios that can arise. Simulation training is often noted as one of the main reasons for the overall safety of the U.S. aviation industry.

“It makes a lot of sense to take the lessons learned in aviation through simulation training and apply them to medical care,” she said.

Meeker Memorial finds value in simulation training, creating a realistic environment for staff to train for emergency situations.

Simulation training is not a new strategy for Meeker Memorial to train staff in both child and adult scenarios. Since the new expansion opened in 2009, Meeker Memorial has used simulation training scenarios to get staff familiar with the new facility design to optimize the training and practical experience. “Through simulation training staff have identified needs to rearrange equipment in rooms, work on developing delineation of staff roles and improve efficiency of workflow. The problem-solving developed through simulation has improved our teamwork and helped us gain confidence to deal with real-life scenarios,” said Dietel.

Last fall Meeker Memorial was awarded a certificate of exemplary performance for their advanced cardiac emersion training exercises. 32 staff members from Meeker Memorial participated in the exercises. The multi-disciplinary teams found this dynamic training to be beneficial to practice real-life scenarios. In these exercises the participants must assess, coordinate and implement a nearly perfect response to a cardiac arrest event. Staff also participated in labor and delivery simulation training.

The Code Blue Team Leadership (CBTL) program was created at Ridgewater College with the assistance of Healthcare providers from throughout the upper Midwest. The CBTL exercises are realistic patient scenarios staged in patient care areas of the participating facilities. Providers use their own equipment, systems and procedures to treat state-of-the-art robotic patients featured in the Ridgewater College Simulation programs.
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