Welcome to Centra Today!
August is a month that has been called “summer’s last stand.” As school supplies fill store shelves and we gear up for fall’s festivities, we will spend the first part of this month savoring the final days of summer while also looking forward to the cooler days and fun events that the next season brings.
Similarly, in this month’s edition of Centra Today, we’re looking backwards and forwards! You’ll get to see pictures from the VBH Centennial Celebration that happened last month and read about new technology and programs that are launching for our system.
We’re also featuring two Caregivers who exemplify Centra’s values in their roles in Finance and Plant Engineering. We think you’re going to enjoy this edition of Centra Today!
Fighter Pilot Dreams to Facility Fixer
John DeLong’s Journey into Healthcare
While John DeLong dreamed of being a fighter pilot as a little boy, you don’t have to talk to him for very long to realize that construction is in his blood.
John’s grandfather was a carpenter, and his father was an ironworker which meant he grew up learning the trades and working with his hands. Over time, he gained experience and skills in the areas of carpentry, electrical, plumbing and HVAC as he was exposed to different individuals who shared their own knowledge of these fields.
This knowledge culminated in him becoming a construction superintendent and working in the field for over twenty years. However, one day in 2005 while serving as a contractor on a remodeling job at Bedford Memorial Hospital, he struck up a conversation with a member of the Plant Engineering Team. In the course of the conversation, he learned about a job opening on the team. Not long after, he applied for the job and got a call back. One week after his interview, he was hired.
When John made the leap from construction to healthcare facilities management, he experienced a clear cultural and mindset shift that came with the transition. When working on a construction site, you get to experience the gratification of seeing daily progress made on a project from the day it begins to the day it is finished. In contrast, facilities management never has an end. John explained, “in this role, you don’t see change to the building itself, but you do know that the building is functioning as it should be.”
John has never stopped adding to his skillset as a jack of all trades and he is currently enrolled at Western Governor’s University where he is working towards the completion of his bachelor’s degree in business with an emphasis in healthcare management. “I used to think I was too old to go back to school, but you’re never too old to learn something new,” he expressed.
This same lesson is what John wants to pass on to future generations including his own grandchildren, going on to add, “If I had a piece of advice that I could give anybody, I’d tell them to try not to stay complacent and always try to learn something. If you ever have the opportunity to further your education or take a class, jump on it. It will pay off in the long run.”
When we asked John what he loves most about his job at Centra, he explained that one of the advantages of his job is not being chained to a desk in an office all day, but rather, being able to get out in the facility on projects and interact with Caregivers. While some of his role involves emails and desk work these days, he’s still able to, “grab a pair of pliers and a screwdriver and help fix something!”
Centra Leverages Premier Quality Enterprise Suite for Enhanced Outcomes
Strategy in Action
Centra’s ability to analyze and evaluate clinical service line patient outcomes across our system is taking a significant step forward this summer with the implementation of the Premier Quality Enterprise Suite of Products. Premier partners with more than 4,400 hospitals and health systems in the United States, encompassing over 45% of all inpatient discharges nationwide. This large dataset is used to calculate risk-adjusted clinical outcome rates for diseases like sepsis, stroke and heart failure.
Gaining new insights through this program will help us to better execute our strategic themes including building a “Culture of Safety & Quality,” achieving “Performance Excellence” and remaining focused on “Community Health and Value-Based Care.”
How does this technology tie to Culture of Safety & Quality?
The risk-adjusted patient outcome data that this system provides is enabling our clinical teams and leaders to evaluate the quality of patient care in ways previously not readily available to us. Centra’s Quality Department supports the organization’s service lines and hospital facilities in evaluating their data related to mortalities, complications, readmissions, length of stay and Patient Safety Indicators (PSI).
How will Premier Enterprise Data help us achieve Performance Excellence?
In addition to providing our service lines with data they can use to assess their clinical outcomes for improvement opportunities, the Premier Quality Enterprise Suite enables our system to evaluate and forecast our performance in reputational programs. These include pay-for-performance programs, CMS Star Ratings and the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade Program among others.
Wait, this will help our community too?
Yes! The data within this system will also support our annual community needs assessments and processes, allowing us to perform in-depth clinical outcome assessments of the communities we serve by also evaluating disparities in clinical care in our service areas.
A Touch of Comfort for Centra Patients
CentraCares
Sometimes the smallest touches of care can make a significant difference in the lives of patients. This is the philosophy behind the creation of tactile quilts at Centra, an initiative that brings comfort and calm to those in need, especially patients with dementia, Alzheimer's and other conditions.
The idea of tactile quilts at Centra started with Sylvia Beamer, Director of Volunteer Services, who had seen their positive impact at a hospital in North Carolina. Hoping to introduce the concept at Centra, Sylvia connected with volunteer, Cindi Wruck to make the idea happen. Cindi and other volunteers soon began producing the quilts, which feature a variety of textures and items designed to soothe and engage patients.
Creating the tactile quilts has become a team effort. Some volunteers work on sewing the mats themselves, while others adhere various items to them. One volunteer named Karen is known for her skill in attaching items to the quilts while Jean specializes in creating pockets. Together, they transform ordinary materials into extraordinary sources of comfort.
The quilts include a wide range of items such as big buttons, Velcro, fidget poppers and soft fabrics.These elements are carefully chosen for their texture and safety, ensuring they are securely sewn on to prevent any risk to patients. Even Cindi’s husband has contributed by drilling holes in items to make them quilt ready!
The Lynchburg-based Patches ‘n Pieces Quilt Club, including former Centra nurse Ann Spiedel, have also played a crucial role in this effort by crafting and donating fidget mats for patients in addition to the many quilts they have donated through their “Community Quilts” initiative.
Initially, the quilts were intended for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients, whose hands often become restless as the diseases progress, but the calming effects of the quilts also benefit patients with intellectual disabilities, those who are blind and others who are simply bedbound and restless.
Typically, nurses assess which patients would benefit most from these quilts, ensuring they reach those in greatest need. Once a patient receives a quilt, it becomes their personal item to keep, to ensure adherence to infection prevention protocols.
Sylvia and Cindi explained that they are always in need of more volunteers to sew the quilts, but even those who cannot sew can contribute by donating buttons, pill boxes, mint tins and other small items. In Cindi’s words, "One man’s trash is another man’s treasure."
If you are interested in participating in this heartwarming project or have materials to donate, please reach out to Sylvia Beamer (sylvia.beamer@centrahealth.com).
Neurosurgery in 3D
Innovation Close to Home
A diagnosis involving the nervous system—whether it’s the brain, spine or spinal cord—can be life-altering. At Centra, our commitment is to provide pioneering and comprehensive treatment options, ensuring that each patient receives the most effective and minimally invasive care possible while remaining close to home.
Centra’s neurosurgeons are now utilizing Curve™ by Brainlab, a state-of-the-art command and control center for information-guided surgery. This advanced technology enables our doctors to perform highly intricate spinal procedures with greater precision and minimal invasiveness, potentially speeding up recovery times and allowing patients to resume their daily activities sooner.
How does the Curve Navigation System transform surgery?
Curve Navigation, also known as ‘3D navigated surgery,’ offers unparalleled visualization and tracking capabilities. During surgery, spine surgeons can see 3D images of the patient’s anatomy from virtually any angle on touch screen monitors. This technology aids in precise and safe navigation, significantly reducing the risk of damage to delicate spinal structures and preserving healthy tissue.
Fostering a Collaborative Approach
One of the standout features of Curve Navigation is its ability to facilitate collaboration among the surgical team. Surgeons can share detailed surgical plans and real-time images with other members of the care team, both inside and outside the operating room. This fosters a comprehensive and coordinated approach to patient care.
A Wide Range of Applications
Curve Navigation can support a variety of cranial, ENT and spinal procedures. Whether it’s complex cranial surgeries, intricate ENT procedures or delicate spinal operations, the technology enhances both surgical accuracy and patient safety.
Milkapalooza Invite
We're excited to celebrate a special segment of those #bornatthebaptist this month at the Intensive Care Nursery Graduate Celebration, presented by Milkapalooza! See details below:
When: Saturday, August 17, 9am-12pm on the front lawn of Virginia Baptist Hospital.
We look forward to seeing YOU there!
Mission Moment
by Adrienne Sowers
In healthcare, finance is more than just number-crunching—it's about collaborating with others to realize our mission of improving the health and quality of life for the communities we serve. As a Finance Director at Centra, my role involves ensuring robust financial management that enables Centra to deliver essential healthcare services effectively and for the long term. Maintaining financial stability allows us to attract and retain skilled Caregivers and providers, deliver timely high-quality care and offer services to areas of greatest need.
I closely collaborate with fellow leaders to develop financial strategies that align with our community-focused goals. This could include investing in services that prevent health issues or improve quality of life, making sure we provide adequate access to healthcare, upgrading equipment to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction or creating budgets and key performance indicators in collaboration with operational leaders to ensure that finite resources are allocated and used in a sustainable manner.
Transparency and accountability are core to our financial practices; through regular reporting and oversight, we ensure our investments and resources consistently support Centra’s mission. Continuous learning is also necessary to provide valuable financial information to stakeholders, including learning about new technologies, regulations, reimbursement methodologies and staying up to date on industry trends in an ever-evolving healthcare landscape.
The Finance Team’s efforts align with Centra’s mission by maintaining financial stability, optimizing resources and strategically planning, helping to ensure Centra can continue to enhance the health and quality of life in our communities in central and southern Virginia well into the future.
Thank you for reading August's edition of Centra Today!
We love receiving your feedback about the meaningful stories we aim to share each month. If you have a story idea for a future newsletter, please email corporate.communications@centrahealth.com