Blogs

July 6, 2012 - Happy New (Fiscal) Year!! ....and many updates (it's a long one)

Jul 06, 2012 by Marc Strode, CEO
Folks,
Well as we pass 4th of July festivities in Del Rio, that means that Val Verde Regional Medical Center has completed yet another fiscal year.  Many of the metrics we use to measure our performance culminate at a defining endpoint on June 30, and then start back up the next day as we are now in fiscal year 2013.  My how time flies.  The previous 12 months might be the most outstanding year the hospital has had in many, many years.  Those that have been here for the long haul can throw a shout out if it was the best ever.....many of the metrics indicate it's up for the running.  Either way, we did well and had fun!  Congratulations to everyone and thanks for your support.

We will review our final scorecard at the upcoming summer Town Hall Meetings.  In the meantime, here are some things you may want to know about (in no particular order):

1.  We have a new VV County District Board Member.  His name is Dan Lloyd, and he is replacing Victor Valdez representing Precinct 2 I believe.  Victor has left the community, which meant that it was up to the Board to appoint his replacement.  While I have not met Dan yet, I welcome him to the team.  Many of you may know him, as he and his family are longtime Del Rio residents.  Dan retired from the insurance industry, where he worked mostly w/ State Farm since 1965.  Today he's active in the Methodist Church downtown.  We've got two new board members now w/ Dan joining the team and Raul Alatorre winning his election in May.  Maybe we'll get these guys to one of our fun events soon for a little meet and great so everyone has a chance to meet these guys. 

2.  VVRMC got some airtime on the radio last week, which was perfect timing given the topic and given that it was like 110 degrees outside.  Michael Keaton and Angie Prather from EMS were guests on 96.1 last Monday and were giving out heat advisory tips.  These are two of our best and brightest and super that they represented us so well out in the community.  Thanks guys!!

3.  In my last blog, I threw out props to the dietary team for the then upcoming Taste of The Town which raised money for the Main Street Preservation Society.  Now it's time to recognize the heavy lifters from that event.  Of course Jed but also Ana Enriquez, Krystal Flores and Kathy Martinez were present and all smiles as they dished up these really spicy peppers stuffed w/ wild rice, grilled chicken and topped w/ a salsa sauce.  Good eats!! I appreciate you guys taking time away from whatever else you could have been doing on a Saturday night to represent VVRMC very well among all the other restaurants.  I had fun telling people, "Yes, that's hospital food.  It's how we roll!"

4.  The pic nic last Friday was great.  I wish I could've stayed longer but had to scoot to a family reunion.  Kudos to everyone involved in putting that event on.  I've gotten lots of feedback that the venue was perfect.  Nice shade for the first part w/ dinner and then a great swimming hole afterward.  Let's lock it in for next year!

5.  Rodeo is this evening!!!!!!!  Methodist Healthcare and VVRMC are the title sponsors.  Hope to see ya'll out there.  We've dolled out a lot of tickets across the hospital so I think we'll be well represented.  Runs this evening and then again tomorrow.  Support Rotary Club and come on out and see the Bulls run.

6.  We have closed on the Visiting Nurses Building next door.  If you remember, I blogged that that real estate transaction was in the works.  It's ours now, and we're very excited about that and very thankful for the Boards' support and vision long term to go out and make that purchase.  We don't know yet what we will put over there, but it's without question the nicest medical office space in town.  Stay tuned.

7.  We have been having some serious air conditioning problems.  I'm sorry about that and as frustrated as you are that it's happening.  I want to make one thing very clear.  We will get it fixed.  There's some some chatter out there like "it's always been hot and no one's done anything about it....." or "there's no money" or "it's not in the budget" and I could go on and on.  Bottom line, don't care about before, but when something like this happens we have to fix it.  We can not have a hospital that doubles as a sweat shop.  So, Medical Records, it's coming.  Rehab services, get your fleece jackets out.  And most importantly in Surgery and on our bedded units, we will get this licked.  There is a magic part that is supposed to arrive today to fix the issue in surgery.  On the 1st floor there appears to be no magic part.  We may have to replace some heavy machinery which is just whipped from old age.  The experts are advising us and we will have a plan soon.  Bear w/ us a little longer.  And as for the 1st floor fix, if it's a new air handler or chiller, those typically take time to design, build, install etc. as the work is all custom.  I'm sure we will get it all in right before the first cold front.  That's typically how it goes in healthcare......

8.  We are trying to stay ahead of the mosquitoes.  Yes, very embarrassing when our patients are bringing in their own can of Off.  If you see them in clusters or we have an acute problem, please let Brett and the Plant Ops guys know.

9.  We have had a lull in construction, but it won't last.  We are gearing up for finishing off the first floor and you will soon see activity in the ED waiting area, radiology and the old main entrance back toward 4 station and the cafeteria.  Speaking of the cafeteria, I'll go ahead and give you a sneak peak that after reviewing the 200 or so comments from the employee survey, you can expect so serious improvements around the cafeteria this year.  There are some great ideas Jed and the team have had for a long time, and they will find the support this year from your leadership team to get those into place.  It's coming.

10.  And finally, how about this story.  We had a lady hospitalized that was part of a Church Mission trip to Mexico from Arkansas.  She gets sick in Del Rio and finds herself at VVRMC.  Well, her group had to get back to home.  She had no way to join them.  It was Sunday, and all the rental car places in Del Rio were closed.  No flights from Del Rio to Arkansas......No problem for this crew.  Rudy Ortiz who heads our Security headed the effort to come up with a solution.  Enter Aracely Torres, RN from med/surg into the equation.  After brainstorming all the options, it turns out her brother, Joe Sanchez, volunteered to drive her to San Antonio on a Sunday afternoon so she could get a rental car and get home.  Folks, this happened w/ no urging from Adminstration.  No mandate.  This story, in my opinion, epitomizes the character and the type of folks we have on the team.  It truly is the spirit of VVRMC.  And while we put a lot of stock in the red/organge/green in the scorecards, here's the real story.  I'm so proud of this group for the work you do.  God bless you.

Keep the Spirit,
Marc