The Medical Leader

PIKEVILLE - Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) has announced new hours of operation for its Regional Flu Center. Effective November 26, the center will be open from 7 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week.

“The Regional Flu Center has been a tremendous success, but we are seeing a slowdown in the spread of the virus in our region,” Pikeville Medical Center president and Chief Executive Officer Walter E. May said. “If the virus escalates, we stand ready to meet any challenges that may arise.”

The Regional Flu Center is located on North Mayo Trail in Pikeville beside Advance Auto Parts in the former Free Screening Center location. Since opening on Nov. 2, the Regional Flu Center has treated more than 1,700 patients.

Operated by Pikeville Medical Center and its Family Practice Clinic, the Regional Flu Center is fully staffed by physicians, nurses and other health care professionals. The center also provides complete testing, lab and x-ray services.

For more information, call the Regional Flu Center at (606) 218-4855.

It doesn’t get much bigger than this. This is like winning the Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four or the World Series for a hospital.

Pikeville Medical Center has been named the National Hospital of the Year by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers (AAHP). The hospital was among 400 elite health care facilities to apply for this prestigious honor.

“This award validates what I see every day,” May said. “We have positioned ourselves as one of the premier hospitals in the nation. We will celebrate our anniversary in December and we have only just begun.”

Earlier this year, Pikeville Medical Center was recognized as a Hospital of Choice recipient by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers. No other health care facility in Kentucky earned this distinction.

To earn the honor, PMC competed against over 400 hospitals, including the Mayo Clinic, the John Hopkins Hospital, Cedar-Sinai Medical Center, the Cleveland Clinic, Duke University Medical Center and Vanderbilt University. None of these hospitals have been named the National Hospital of the Year.

Pikeville Medical Center underwent a thorough on-site survey from the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers that was based on six principle areas: standards of conduct, performance management and improvement, staff development and training, systems of communication, good citizenship and educational and promotional material available to consumers. The award aims to find the nation’s most customer-friendly hospital.

Jerry Johnson, Chief Operating Officer at Pikeville Medical Center, said the hospital’s unwavering commitment to provide world-class care at home starts with the hospital’s more than 1,700 employees.

“We feel that a world-class hospital is not only measured in its technological advances or services, but also by our world-class employees who are committed to providing quality care,” Johnson added. “As an organization, we have set high goals, and we truly feel that the nation’s very best health care can be found here in the mountains of eastern Kentucky.”

Patty Thompson, Director of Customer Service at Pikeville Medical Center, said the hospital has always placed patient care a top priority.

“Our passion for our work is evident in our mission to provide ‘quality, regional health care in a Christian environment,’” Thompson said.

I covered a story today at the Westcare Homeless Shelter in Pikeville. Members of Big Sandy Community and Technical College’s CARE Club fed the facility’s residents. This marked the 10th year the students have served dinner. I met some wonderful people and will share their remarkable stories in this week’s paper.

Short week ahead. Check out complete coverage (game story, features, column and a ton of color photos) in this week’s paper. We will be out on Wednesday (a day earlier) because of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Have a great week…

PIKEVILLE - Pikeville Medical Center has been named the nation’s top hospital by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers (AAHP).

The hospital was selected as a top 10 finalist among 400 qualifying health care facilities for the Hospital of the Year award earlier this year. Among other honors, the hospital named a Hospital of Choice recipient by the AAHP.

After an on-site survey, the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers selected Pikeville Medical Center for the honor based on six principle areas including: standards of conduct, performance management and improvement, staff development and training, systems of communication, good citizenship and educational and promotional material available to consumers.

“We have made a commitment to not only be one of Kentucky’s best hospitals, but one of the best hospitals in the nation,” said Walter E. May, president and chief executive officer at Pikeville Medical Center. “This award validates the hard work of our more than 1,700 employees who work diligently to provide world-class care to our patients.”

It has been a year of national accolades for Pikeville Medical Center. Last month, the hospital was selected as one of the nation’s Best Places to Work by Modern Healthcare Magazine. This award recognizes some of the nation’s most outstanding health care organizations and focuses on an organization’s development, commitment to customer service and communication with employees.

As part of the selection process, Modern Healthcare conducted a detailed survey of PMC employees based on eight core areas: leadership and planning, culture and communications, role satisfaction, working environment, relationship with supervisor, training and development, pay and benefits and overall satisfaction. PMC was one of 317 companies competing for this prestigious honor.

“We take great pride in offering world-class services to our region, but we also take great pride in having world-class employees who are dedicated to our mission of providing quality, regional health care in a Christian environment,” said Jerry Johnson, chief operating officer at Pikeville Medical Center. “As an organization, we have set high goals and standards. The awards and recognitions we earn is a reflection of our employees and their dedication in delivering quality care to our patients.”

About Pikeville Medical Center

Pikeville Medical Center is a nationally recognized health care facility that offers more than 300 services, ranging from cardiac and cancer care to neurosurgery and orthopedic programs. The hospital, recognized as one of Kentucky’s Top 10 “Best Places to Work” for two consecutive years, was recently selected as one of the nation’s Best Places to Work by Modern Healthcare Magazine. PMC was also the first hospital in Kentucky - and among the first 10 hospitals in the nation - to be awarded the highest accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers. The hospital is a 261-bed modern facility on a sprawling 500,000 square-foot campus with more than 1,700 employees. Our employees are committed to providing quality, regional health care in a Christian environment.

Fans,

By request, I have posted a special picks edition of my blog. Because of my schedule, I have not been able to write my picks column for the past few weeks, and while Teddy — they call me Teddy Ballgame — Paynter has held down the fort, I thought I would do a special pigskin pickin’ segment for our loyal blog readers.

Here it goes…

I look forward to Fridays for a lot of reasons. Sure, it’s the end of the work week (I’m smiling now), but when the leaves fall it means high school football is hitting a fever pitch.

And it won’t be any hotter than over on Pond Creek where Sheldon Clark and Belfry collide in a second-round Class 3A playoff matchup.

Four weeks ago, the Pirates (8-3) secured another district title by defeating the Cardinals (7-4) 34-13 at CAM Stadium. Of course, the game was marred by a scuffle in the second quarter, which led to the suspension of three SCHS players and a pair of Belfry players.

From that point, Sheldon Clark fell apart, fumbling the ball on three consecutive plays. Belfry turned that into quick points and slammed the door shut on the Cards.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment for SCHS came the following week when Pike Central rolled into Inez and handed the Cards a 40-18 loss on senior night. To be fair, the Cardinals were without three starters due to suspensions and a hand full of other players due to injuries.

This time around, I look for a closer matchup if the Cardinals can keep their composure.

That’s a big if in this intense rivalry.

Looking back on my game notes of the first matchup, Sheldon Clark could not a) hold on to the football and b) establish any type of passing attack. The Cardinals jumped ahead early on a dive play that turned into paydirt because of a missed assignment by Belfry.

My pick: Belfry is still Belfry.

You really have to tip your hat to Prestonsburg. With an unblemished 11-0 mark, the Blackcats have turned heads all season long.

Especially mine.

Imagine a team that lost a chunk of its line, 3,000 yards in rushing and its top receiver from a year ago going undefeated? Prestonsburg sure has defied the odds.

On Friday, Middlesboro rolls into town.

What are my thoughts: Quarterback Michael Burchett is as cool as the other side of the pillow. With over 1,500 yards passing, the field general has evolved into one of the state’s best players. Equally as important, he is a great kid and student.

Last year, injuries in the backfield really kept fans from seeing what Prestonsburg can accomplish. If the Blackcats stay healthy, bring on Corbin.

My pick: Those pesky Blackcats! That’s for you Joe Chirico.

Other local teams in action include: Shelby Valley at Corbin (I just indirectly gave you my pick there); Pikeville vs. Harlan and Allen Central at Hazard, Pike Central at Mason County and Letcher Central vs. Harlan County..

Here’s how I see those games playing out:

Allen Central at Hazard: The Rebels are reeling from last week’s first-ever playoff win in its first-ever home playoff game against Pineville, 60-34.

Hazard will simply have too much. The Bulldogs’ speed will wear down the Rebels and Allen Central’s magical run will come to an end.

Hazard rolls…

Pikeville vs. Harlan: Ben Howard has brought his magic back home, and the Panthers seem to be back on track.

And the panthers’ good fortune will continue for another week.

Pikeville has speed and the wide-open playbook that has made Ben Howard so much fun to watch as a player and coach over the years.

The Panthers won’t put up 71 points like they did last week against Jenkins, but they will survive and advance.

Pike Central at Mason County: The Hawks’ first-ever playoff win and home post-season game was like watching a Johnny Martin team on the basketball court.

Actually, the game last week against Fleming County should have been moved into the gymnasium.

On a more serious note, first-year Pike Central coach John Chapman has made things right on Buckleys Creek. The hawks were really a few plays away from winning a district title.

But an undefeated Mason County team waits in the horizon.

Don’t count the Hawks out. I feel they keep things close but a miscue late could spell doom and end a great season for the Hawks.

My pick: Mason County.

Letcher Central will survive (barely) and knock off Harlan County. This should be a good one, featuring two legendary coaches in Hillard Howard and Tom Larkey.

Wow, what a slate of games.

With kickoff about 24 hours away, I can already smell the burgers and dogs cooking on the fire at CAM Stadium.

See ya at the games…and the tailgate.

The Regional Flu Center, operated by Pikeville Medical Center and its Family Practice Clinic, is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Fully staffed by physician, nurses and other health care professionals, the facility is equipped with testing, lab and x-ray services.

PIKEVILLE – Just 12 days after its opening, the Regional Flu Center, operated by Pikeville Medical Center and its Family Practice Clinic, has treated more than 1,000 patients.

Pikeville Medical Center opened the Regional Flu Center in response to President Barack Obama’s Emergency Declaration due to the seasonal flu and H1N1 flu outbreak. The hospital’s proactive approach has earned accolades and inquiries from health care providers from across the nation.

“The opening of the Regional Flu Center has helped us alleviate the overwhelming traffic we encountered in our emergency department at the beginning of the flu season,” said Walter E. May, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pikeville Medical Center. “Additionally, treating patients with flu and flu-like symptoms at an off-site location has helped us eliminate the possibility of the virus spreading among the general hospital population, visitors and our employees.”

Located on North Mayo Trail in the former Free Screening Center, the Regional Flu Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is fully staffed with physicians, nurses and other health care professionals. The facility is equipped with testing, lab and x-ray services. Additionally, patients, who have orders from family physicians for testing, lab or x-ray services, can utilize the center for all of their testing needs in one centralized location.

“The Regional Flu Center is essentially a one-stop shop for someone experiencing flu-like symptoms,” said Peggy Justice, Vice President of Physician Services at Pikeville Medical Center. “With the flu virus spreading at record levels, we felt it was necessary to devote an entire off-site facility to the treatment and diagnosis of the flu.”

Pikeville Medical Center is the only hospital in Kentucky to open an off-site facility dedicated to treating flu patients.

“To my knowledge, we are the only hospital in the nation to take this kind of approach to combating the flu,” May added. “We feel this type of approach best meets the needs of our patients experiencing flu-like symptoms and helps us further ensure the safety and well-being of our patients, visitors and employees at our main campus.”

May said patients with severe flu-like symptoms would be admitted to Pikeville Medical Center and isolated from other patients.

“This is a serious issue, and we encourage the public to be vigilant and follow the precautionary guidelines that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have in place,” he added.

Hospital officials have also put into place precautionary measures for visitors. Only the May Tower, Leonard Lawson Cancer Center, Emergency Department and Heart Institute entrances are open to the public. Additionally, visitors under the age of 12 or anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms are not permitted to visit patients.

For more information about the Regional Flu Center, please call (606) 437-1887.

About Pikeville Medical Center

Pikeville Medical Center is a nationally recognized health care facility that offers more than 300 services, ranging from cardiac and cancer care to neurosurgery and orthopedic programs. The hospital, recognized as one of Kentucky’s Top 10 “Best Places to Work” for two consecutive years, was recently selected as one of the nation’s Best Places to Work by Modern Healthcare Magazine. PMC was also the first hospital in Kentucky – and among the first 10 hospitals in the nation – to be awarded the highest accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers. The hospital is a 261-bed modern facility on a sprawling 500,000 square-foot campus with more than 1,700 employees. Our employees are committed to providing quality, regional health care in a Christian environment.

PIKEVILLE - Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) has announced that it has joined QUEST™ High Performing Hospitals, a voluntary, national hospital collaborative. Approximately 200 hospitals representing 31 states are now participating in this project, which is currently linking the two main goals of health reform proposals being considered by Congress: quality improvement and cost reduction.

Developed by the Premier Healthcare Alliance in partnership with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), QUEST is designed to springboard hospitals to new levels of performance and inform public policies with tangible results. To accomplish this, QUEST benchmarked participating facilities using data from Premier’s clinical database to determine the “baseline” level of performance in cost, mortality and evidence-based care delivery.

According to Don Berwick, MD, IHI’s president and CEO, “The QUEST model and measurements are not just about individual components of system performance; they are about healthcare as a system. They address the macro issues of healthcare, such as the need for board and executive leadership. Importantly, QUEST tries to link finance to quality, an important matter that has not gotten sufficient attention in the past.”

Hospitals were then challenged to overcome the main factors that lead to deaths, errors and excessive costs, and measure themselves against one another to achieve top performance based on the following goals:

• Save lives - Achieve a mortality rate that is 18 percent less than expected.
• Safely reduce the cost of care - Reduce inpatient costs below the midpoint among participating hospitals.
• Deliver the most reliable and effective care - Deliver every recommended evidence-based care measure for each patient.
• Improve patient safety (year 2 measure) - Prevent incidents of harm in 30 categories, including healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) and birth injuries.
• Increase patient satisfaction (year 2 measure) - Dramatically improve the patient care experience.

“Our hospital looks forward to working with other leading hospitals and health care organizations to both share and learn new ways to better serve our patients while safely reducing the cost of care,” said Jerry Johnson, chief operating officer at Pikeville Medical Center. “Our goal as a part of this collaborative is to reliably deliver the most efficient, effective and caring hospital experience for each and every one of our patients.”

QUEST also benefits from an advisory panel of experts from 20 of the country’s top health care organizations, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, National Quality Forum, and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Added Susan DeVore, Premier’s incoming president and CEO, “QUEST is serving as a test bed to help shape health care reimbursement policies that reward quality. What we learn from the project will work toward truly defining what high-performing healthcare is.”

About Pikeville Medical Center
Pikeville Medical Center is a nationally recognized health care facility that offers more than 300 services ranging from cardiac and cancer care to neurosurgery and orthopedic programs. The hospital, recognized as one of Kentucky’s Top 10 “Best Places to Work” for two consecutive years, was the first hospital in Kentucky - and among the first 10 hospitals in the nation - to be awarded the highest accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers. The hospital is a 261-bed modern facility on a sprawling 500,000 square-foot campus with more than 1,600 employees. Our employees are committed to providing quality, regional health care in a Christian environment.

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PIKEVILLE - The opening of the Regional Flu Center by Pikeville Medical Center and its Family Practice Clinic is the first of its kind in Kentucky.

Hospital officials converted the former Free Screening Center into the Regional Flu Center in five days, adding six patient rooms, a diagnostics area and x-ray examination room. The decision to open the center came on the heels of President Barack Obama’s Emergency Declaration due to the rapid rise of flu cases across the nation.

PMC's 24-hour Regional Flu Center

“We felt it was necessary to open the Regional Flu Center to help segregate the population of those affected by flu-like symptoms from the general population in the hospital,” said Jerry Johnson, chief operating officer at Pikeville Medical Center. “The Regional Flu Center allows us to better maintain the flow of patients experiencing symptoms and helps streamline their care through a center dedicated solely to their needs.”

Within the first 36 hours of its opening on November 2, the Regional Flu Center treated more than 200 patients.

The Regional Flu Center, located on North Mayo Trail, is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is fully staffed by physicians, nurses and other health care professionals.
Misty Ling, who brought her 9-year-old daughter Autumn to the center on Tuesday, said the convenience of coming to one place for diagnosis and testing made her decision easy.

“It’s wonderful to come to one location for everything, especially when you have a child,” Ling explained. “If I had to take my daughter to a different place for each test, it would increase the amount of time before she receives her treatment.”

Sheila Belcher, a registered nurse at Pikeville Medical Center, said the Regional Flu Center is dedicated to providing quality treatment to get patients “back on the road to recovery as soon as possible.”

The Regional Flu Center offers complete testing, lab and x-ray services. Additionally, patients, who have orders from family physicians for testing, lab or x-ray services, can utilize the center for all of their testing needs.

Hospital officials have also put into place precautionary measures for visitors. Only the May Tower, Leonard Lawson Cancer Center, Emergency Department and Heart Institute entrances are open to visitors. Additionally, visitors under the age of 12 or anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms are not permitted to visit patients.

“With the flu virus spreading at record levels this early in the season, we feel the precautionary measures we have in place will help contain the spread of the virus to not only our patients but also visitors and employees,” said Walter E. May, president and chief executive officer at Pikeville Medical Center.  “During this time, we ask visitors to be vigilant, utilize the hand sanitizer dispensers located throughout the hospital and thoroughly wash their hands with soap and warm water before and after visiting patients.”

For more information on the Regional Flu Center, please call (606) 437-1887.

About Pikeville Medical Center
Pikeville Medical Center is a nationally recognized health care facility that offers more than 300 services ranging from cardiac and cancer care to neurosurgery and orthopedic programs. The hospital, recognized as one of Kentucky’s Top 10 “Best Places to Work” for two consecutive years, was recently selected as one of the nation’s Best Places to Work by Modern Healthcare magazine. PMC was also the first hospital in Kentucky - and among the first 10 hospitals in the nation - to be awarded the highest accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers. The hospital is a 261-bed modern facility on a sprawling 500,000 square-foot campus with more than 1,600 employees. Our employees are committed to providing quality, regional health care in a Christian environment.

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PMC SELECTED AS ONE OF NATION’S BEST PLACES TO WORK BY MODERN HEALTHCARE

CHICAGO - Modern Healthcare magazine selected Pikeville Medical Center as one of the Best Places to Work in the nation at a banquet held on Oct. 26 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Chicago.

The award recognizes some of the nation’s most outstanding health care organizations and focuses on an organization’s development, commitment to customer service and communication with employees. As part of the selection process, Modern Healthcare conducted a detailed survey of PMC employees based on eight core areas: leadership and planning, culture and communications, role satisfaction, working environment, relationship with supervisor, training and development, pay and benefits and overall satisfaction. PMC was one of 317 companies competing in this year’s health care workplace listing.

PMC President/CEO Walter E. May and Vice President of Human Resources Juanita Deskins hold the Best Places to Work award presented on Oct. 26 in Chicago. Pictured are, front row left to right: Ronald Adkins, James Brock, Deskins, May and Alan Sanders. Back row: Savoya Davis, Joyce Damron, Chief Operating Officer Jerry Johnson, Missy Coleman and Pam May.

“While we strive to have cutting-edge technology and services, I understand that it is our employees who make our hospital one of the best in the nation,” Pikeville Medical Center Chief Executive Officer and President Walter E. May said. “Our employees are passionate about their work and strive to provide compassionate care. At the end of the day, they go home feeling good about where they work, but more importantly, they feel good about the difference they have made in someone’s life.”

Members of Pikeville Medical Center’s Employer of Choice team and hospital administrators attended the awards ceremony.

Melissa Coleman, director of Human Resources at Pikeville Medical Center, said the distinction demonstrates “the focus Pikeville Medical Center has to retain the best and brightest health care professionals.”

“It’s very rewarding to work for a company that puts their employees first,” Coleman added. “The hospital administration works hard to keep an effective line of communication with all employees.”

It has been a year of milestones for Pikeville Medical Center.

Earlier this year, the hospital was recognized by the Kentucky Center for Performance Excellence, attaining the highest level Excellence Award by the organization. The award follows strict criteria set forth by the nationally-acclaimed Malcolm Balridge Award, which is awarded annually by the President of the United States to organizations that demonstrate uncommon growth in customer satisfaction and quality.

The hospital was also named a Hospital of Choice recipient by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers and a top 10 finalist for the organization’s Hospital of the Year Award.

As the region’s medical leader, Pikeville Medical Center became the first hospital in Kentucky - and among the first 10 hospitals in the nation - to obtain the highest accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers.

“We have a world-class facility, but it’s our world-class employees that make us the region’s medical leader,” said Jerry Johnson, chief operating officer at Pikeville Medical Center. “Our organization has set high goals and standards, and awards like this validate our commitment in bringing cutting-edge health care services to the people of eastern Kentucky, southern West Virginia and southwest Virginia.”

About Pikeville Medical Center
Pikeville Medical Center is a nationally recognized health care facility that offers more than 300 services ranging from cardiac and cancer care to neurosurgery and orthopedic programs. The hospital, recognized as one of Kentucky’s Top 10 “Best Places to Work” for two consecutive years, was the first hospital in Kentucky - and among the first 10 hospitals in the nation - to be awarded the highest accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers. The hospital is a 261-bed modern facility on a sprawling 500,000 square-foot campus with more than 1,600 employees. Our employees are committed to providing quality, regional health care in a Christian environment.

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