Blogs

July 21, 2011

Sep 28, 2011 by Francine Pina

Folks,

 

Home ownership is a great thing.  I’ve moved out of the motel and onto a twin mattress plopped down in the middle of my new living room, which is empty otherwise as all our stuff won’t arrive until the end of the month.  The family is still not here but will be soon.  The last remaining silver lining about that is that I get to share my makeshift bed with my two labs which would be totally forbidden if the rest of the family was around!  So it’s nice to be making progress toward permanent residence in Del Rio and nice to get to hang out w/ the pups!

 

We too continue to make progress at VVRMC.  We have begun to turn up the heat on evaluating our options around an electronic health record/health information system that will meet our needs well into the future.  This will be a massive undertaking for us if indeed we decide to move away from our current system.  I have recommended that we develop a team of individuals consisting of those in management positions as well as those at the bedside to help us consider our options and evaluate the different systems available to us.  This is one of our Board’s top priorities and has become evident to me after talking to many of you the status quo isn’t going to cut it for an organization like ours that is going places.  We will keep you updated on these developments.

 

Another group that I have an interest in re-engaging here at VVRMC is a highly functioning Employee Advisory Group.  I’m sure over the years, as in most hospitals, this group has waxed and waned here.  I’m also a firm believer that like everything else we do here if there is support and accountability, it’ll be successful.  We want to continue to move our hospital forward.  As we do that we’ll recommend some changes to the way we are doing things now, and we’ll come up with some completely new ideas.  I need the EAG to help us validate the suggestions and be the conduit that test-drives the concepts on our front-line staff.  I’m going to work with my Senior Management Team to figure out how best to operationalize this group and begin working on a charter.  I’d hope to have something in place early this fall.  More to come on this one, too.  One thing’s for sure.  This will be a special bunch that will be very involved and integrated into our strategic agendas.

 

I’ve been really impressed with so many of our patient care areas in just the first two months.  Let me pick on surgical services today.  I got a note from a patient who recently had a surgical procedure here.  He told me that he was absolutely horrified of the idea of going to VVRMC for this procedure.  He really wanted to go to San Antonio but had neither the time nor money to do so.  So in his mind, he settled, rolled the dice and came to us for his care.  He based his opinion on us given an awful experience here years ago coupled with what he had read in the paper sometime ago as well.  Much to his surprise, the care was outstanding.  He was so impressed with us from the moment he stepped in the building.  He had a great outcome and an outstanding experience.  So much so that he has convinced a friend of his who was also about to head to SA for his care to come here.  He made my day!  One patient at a time.  Great job to everyone in the OR and involved in our day surgery process beginning w/ pre admission testing.  Everyone I’ve talked to, including this gentleman, is really impressed with what you do and how you do it.  So am I.

 

Keep the Spirit,

Marc

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