Shriners Hospitals for Children - Tampa
Volume 1, Issue 4 - Fall-Winter 1998-1999ABOUT Our Newsletter
by John Holtz, Administrator
Welcome to the fourth edition of our newsletter -- Family Ties. Many of the families we serve often refer to the "uniqueness" of Shriners Hospitals. In my opinion, the four most unique features of our Hospital are:
- a highly qualified, talented and caring team of physicians, staff and volunteers;
- tremendous medical, nursing and organizational expertise because of our pediatric orthopaedic specialization;
- our organization’s financial strength which allows us to provide our services free of charge and to focus totally on providing quality care, education and search programs;
- the vision an commitment of the Shrine of North America.
The Shrine Hospital System which consists of 22 Hospitals located in the United States, Mexico and Canada is funded by the Shrine of North America, an international fraternity of nearly 575,000 members dedicated to supporting their philanthropy, Shiners Hospitals for Children.
I am pleased to announce that our Hospital has been approved for a major expansion project totaling $13,100,000. The expansion project will provide 30,000 square feet of new space and 15,000 square feet of renovation including a new Orthotics and Prosthetics Department, additions to the nursing units, parent facilities and Research. There will be major renovations to Rehabilitation, Health Information, Seating, Computer Operations, Business Office and other areas. Most patient rooms will become semi-private rooms and patient bathrooms will be remodeled. More parking will also be added. The architectural design process will begin in January, so stay tuned for more details.
Thank you for allowing us to be of service to you and your family. Please take a few minutes to read Family Ties and to learn about the latest developments at Tampa Shriners Hospital.
HOSPITAL Update
by Alice Lanford, RN, MSN, ONC, CNAA, Director of Patient ServicesSURVEY SAYS: We are extremely pleased with the results from the Patient Satisfaction/Perception questionnaire that our recently discharged patients and parents have been filling out and returning to the Picker/Data State surveying company. We have the results from September 1997 through May 1998 an we are pleased to present them as follows:
We scored as one of the top five hospitals in the Shriners Hospitals system of 20 hospitals in the United States. All of our hospital's scores were better than the national benchmark hospitals. We scored best in the category of "confidence and trust" in our nurses and doctors! We have been asked to let all of the other Shriners Hospitals know how we accomplish this and write a set of "best practices" so other Shriners Hospitals can improve in these areas. We will be working to improve our marks in the areas of partnership between family and clinicians. If you have any thoughts on how we can do a better job in this area. let us know.
COMPUTERS FOR PATIENT USE: Thanks to the Wilson Wood Foundation, there’s a new addition to the list of activities available to patients through Child Life. Patients have access to five new personal computers, two printers, and a scanner during their stay in the hospital.
All five computers have Internet access so patients are able to communicate with friends, family and other children who may be experiencing similar challenges and medical concerns. Patients are also able to use computer programs to design cards and artwork or to learn more about the human body.
The computers also make it easier for patients to complete homework assignments and keep up with their educational goals.
SHRINE CARE/VIP: This is a new program of care coordination/case management that will become available in January of 1999. The VIP stands for Very Important Partners and that means the parents and family are very important in this process. Every patient will be assigned to a care coordinator registered nurse and we will be checking on how your total care needs are being met. The care coordinator will also work closely with our social workers and outside community agencies to make sure that all your needs are addressed. This should be a great additional service for our patients and families. Look for this new process the next time you me to clinic or have an admission after the new year!
72 HOUR FOLLOW-UP CALL: If you have been an inpatient in the last six months you should have received a phone call from your nurse after you were discharged. This is a new process to help our parents and patients with the many questions they may have when they get home. We have received many thank you’s for the calls and it seems like this is very positive for the patients. The nurses love the feedback also.
FAMILY MEAL PROGRAM: In July of 1998, we started a new program whereby we now serve parent/caregiver and patients through the same food line. It has been a big success with our families!
NEW VAN: Thanks to our generous donations and wonderful Shriners Hospita1 supporters, the new large Shriners Hospital van has been ordered. We should have it operating in time for the holidays.
GETTING READY: We are making the final preparation for our Joint Commission (JCAHO) Survey in February of 1999. A team of inspectors from JCAHO cone to our hospital every three years. They grade us on over 200 different standards for hospitals. They talk to the employees, the patients and families, an look at our documentation in patient records, policies and procedures and our quality improvement proccess. They review our facility with a fine tooth comb. This a rigorous survey for the staff, but always puts a gold seal on our staff and our hospital. Last time we received a score of 100! Less than 2% of all hospitals in the nation receive a score that high. Now we are striving to meet that high standard again... the pressure is on!!!
TRANSITION PROJECT: We are finding a good response to our family practice adolescent to adult transition clinics. The participants really like the clinic and our University of South Florida physician, Dr. Woodard. This clinic will give the adolescent an adult family practice physician after they are no longer eligible for Shriners services at age 21. We are looking for 16 to 18-year-old adolescents who are in need of free vocational testing and planning for job preparedness and increased independence skills. Call us at ext. 7541 if you are interested in this program.
