Media & Events : Clarifications and Corrections Archive

Clarifications and Corrections Archives

Note: The Adena Health System has created this Corrections/Clarifications Page so we can respond to comments that appear in news stories about the health system – to ensure that accurate and timely information is available to the community.

Comments of concern appear in the left column, while the health system’s clarification, commentary or correction appears in the right column if necessary.

 

Response to Layoff Rumor- November 2011

Rumor                                 

   

Facts
Adena is planning to lay-off more than 200 employees.   There is no truth to this rumor. Our philosophy at Adena is to avoid layoffs. As a matter of fact, we are hiring employees in some areas of the health system. Health systems across the nation are facing many challenges today, and we’re no different. That’s why we have asked employees to help in identifying areas where we can save costs and improve quality. Our Process Excellence team, meanwhile, is involved in a number of projects to improve our operations and finances.

Response to Chillicothe Gazette blog, July 31, 2011

Comment

  

Facts

From: johndoe504:

This program sounds perfect for Adena! As quick as they go through employees out there, this program will be great! They have charge nurses out there that have only had one or two years experience as a nurse. Not taking anything away from them, I'm sure they are great nurses, but there needs to be someone with experience in that role.

(The letter refers to the The Ohio University Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing: Accelerated Direct Entry Second Degree Education program.)

   The nursing turnover rate at Adena has actually decreased over the past two years.

Last year, our nursing turnover rate was 13%. Presently, it is running at 10%, which is the average in Ohio.

Charge nurses at Adena, regardless of years of experience, receive additional training to prepare them for those roles.

All of our nurses are highly trained and the majority of our nursing staff has extensive experience in their specific areas.

Response to Chillicothe Gazette blogs, May-June 2011

Comment

  

Facts

From: mikeandike:

Adena talks about becoming a Mayo Clinic. The irony of this goal is palpable. Mayo Clinic is physician centric. The doctors run the hospital, and they drive the care. At Adena, the opposite is happening. The administrators are driving the care. The doctors have virtually no say in how things are being done.

   It’s true, our chief executive has frequently commented about using the Mayo Clinic, among the finest in the world, as our model. Modeling successful organizations helps everyone to better understand what their jobs are and what the expectations for success must be. Setting standards for behavior, practice, compliance and leadership helps Adena practice better medicine every day: respond to issues and problems more quickly and professionally; save time and money as the organization grows; and helps Adena and our community align their futures.

From: loadbearing:

Adena’s end objective is to control all healthcare in south-central Ohio. It is continuously expanding the types of procedures available to eliminate transfers to Columbus Hospitals. Before having any procedure done by a physician one must ask: "How many of this type procedure have you done in the last year? How many total? What were the outcomes? Then ask what is the national standard for physicians doing the procedure. How many is the national average per physician?” Any procedure that falls below the national standard in number of procedures should be enough for you to look elsewhere. Over expansion is not good for the patient, but financially good for the medical center.

  

It will be a very long time before “over expanding” is a reality - if it ever is. One of our most important challenges is to keep up with the incremental increases in demand from the southern Ohio region.

The writer does offer some very sensible advice. The patient has every right, when faced with submitting to a medical procedure, to ask the physician and the institution just how successful it has been in the past with such procedures. Patients do remain in charge of their medical futures. At the same time, one of the ways that Adena grows in quality of care, scope of care and improved outcomes is to ask these very questions before any patient arrives. And, we do. A number of states now routinely require such disclosures and transparency.

From capolorna:

... It’s not appropriate for the (Adena Health) System attorney, for example, to be the “board attorney.” The board should have an outside, independent attorney of their own – not one of the attorneys currently sitting on the board, not a past attorney who was on the board.

   The role of Adena’s General Counsel is to be the attorney for the corporation that employs her or him, and that includes advising and making recommendations to the Board of Trustees. The general counsel does not vote and is not a member of the board. Adena’s board does, from time to time, utilize outside counsel.

Bills1984:

Can they do better? Yes. Will they do better? It’s left to be seen.

   The recent investigation into a wrong-site surgery at Adena by state and federal authorities was extremely thorough and resulted in extraordinary and immediate procedural, policy and operational changes. These changes have been validated by two government agencies and Adena’s administrative and medical teams. Yes, we are doing better.

From capolorna:

The board needs to know what kind of board they are… I believe they are a governing board whose job it is to set policy and to direct the actions and management and leadership “behavior” of the CEO.

   Members of the Adena Health System Board of Trustees are representatives of the Chillicothe and Ross County communities. Some are appointed by churches, while others are at-large appointees. Adena Health System is a private corporation and not a public corporation. Adena does serve a public purpose in that it is a charitable trust.

From MorningCalm:

Mr. Shuter likes to hand pick his board and is attempting to force through a change in the Code of Regulations so that he can now legalize such action… Lest we forget, one of the most important responsibilities of a board is to act as a “checks and balances” on a CEO.

   Selecting Trustees is a highly detailed process that involves determining if they have any conflict of interest issues. This needs to be looked at in order to ensure that their interest is aligned with the mission and vision of Adena Health System. Sometimes situations arise where a nominated individual does not meet the necessary criteria to sit as a trustee. In these situations, the nominating church will be notified and the board is open to resolving the issue. Adena wants to continue to work with our founding churches, which have been a part of this organization for 116 years.

From mikeandike:

Board members who think they can gloss over this Shuter thing might be disappointed. We, as a community, will not let go of this. We will hold each and every one of you personally accountable...

   Discussion or debate among the trustees on the board, as they work to further the interests of Adena, has always occurred and is welcomed. We continue to anticipate a robust exchange of ideas and opinions within the Board and in the community as these decisions about Adena’s future unfold – for the betterment of the community.

From rapier50:

The rules laid out by their (Adena’s) quality control on surgeries seem well thought out. Hopefully they can apply some stringent usage in their rules in other hospitalization areas and not just the surgical department as mistakes in drugs, dosage, room care, IVs, blood draws, cleanliness from acquiring staff infections, etc., also need stringent details and rules laid out for all employees.

   Every area of practice in the hospital is subject to stringent rules, regulations, procedures and quality compliance. Patient safety and medical progress depend on rigorous infection prevention techniques conducted by committed, top-flight professionals. We have the data to back up the accomplishments of our employees. Adena recently was presented five-star ratings from HealthGrades for its treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure and respiratory failure.

From: Spring1985

I hope you all know that Adena has a relationship with the Gazette that allows them to find out who posts these comments and if they find out you’re a past disgruntled employee they have the Gazette block your comments and delete your account. So much for your amendment rights. I guess they didn't take into account "terms of service." I am sure this comment will be blocked as soon as it's discovered. Anyway, Adena is out of control, no matter what you think!

   The Gazette will be the first to insist that it is completely independent of Adena. Likewise, those who participate in its comments sections are subject only to the rules imposed by the newspaper. All we would add is that a robust community discussion of our medical facilities and services always benefit the community and our hospital – provided those discussions are well-founded and presented in a constructive manner.

From: smitty2009

Come on people, don't you think that every hospital has patient complaints? You act like Adena is the most infamous hospital on the face of the planet and if you go there they will do something wrong! I'm sure that what this woman went through was very well taken care of. If she is employed, I'll bet wages were compensated, if she needed help during recovery, services provided, and she probably received some sort of payment for pain and suffering. Was it a misfortunate mistake? Yes. Should the doctor be severely reprimanded and never practice again? No. And for those of you sharing your near-death experience because Adena is a horrible place to go, it must not have been so horrible if you didn't ask to go somewhere else.

   The moment hospital officials became aware of the surgical mistake, the patient and patient’s family were informed and efforts were made to remedy the situation. An internal investigation was begun, the physician and surgical team were suspended, and the incidents were reported to appropriate state and federal authorities. Policies and procedures were reviewed and changes were made to ensure prevention of similar future incidents. Surgical team orientation and training on the new standards took place and continue to take place. Results from both federal and state investigations took note of Adena’s prompt and preemptive actions. Both agencies ruled that the hospital is in compliance and meets state and federal rules, regulations and guidelines. Most importantly, the patient was informed immediately, the hospital and physician apologized for the surgical mistake, and every effort was made for the comfort, recovery and peace of mind of that patient.

From: ray

Come on now, left or right, how difficult can that be? All the buildings and high tech equipment available cannot guarantee reasonable expectation for the patient. With the huge costs and miscellaneous charges for anything from an office call to major surgery, we are paying well for this "reasonable expectation," but more than likely the costs should demand perfection. Doctors are no more perfect than the patient. The fees charged should demand and expect a hard try towards that perfection though.

   Yes, Adena Health System is a large business enterprise devoted completely to the health of the community and the region. Adena is the area's largest employer. As we study and learn what makes a health system successful, it is first and foremost quality patient care spurred by growing demand. This is exactly the case at Adena. As we watch regional demand for healthcare services expand, our goal is to accommodate this growth, hire more people and health experts, and continue to relentlessly improve the quality of patient care.

From: bfrank2

You can post until you are blue in the face and nothing will change. Change will only come when the pastors of the nine corporate member churches decide that it is in their best interest and that of the community. So, if you are a member of one of these churches please inform your pastor of your concerns. Unfortunately, you may have to do this repeatedly

   The nine corporate member churches carry an extraordinary responsibility to the community and to the region. When you step back for a moment and think about the amazing transformation that this growing medical institution, guided by the wisdom and insight of these church leaders, has brought to itself and to Chillicothe, it can only be described as a legacy of hope, health and employment security for thousands. Adena has become a growing regional healthcare resource, based in Chillicothe. If there are ways you can suggest that the hospital become more community oriented and friendly, suggest them to us directly, to your church or to someone you know who works at Adena. If it's broke, we will fix it. If it works, but needs to be changed or adapted, we'll consider it. If it is dangerous, threatening or worse, we will act immediately to correct it.

 

Response to Chillicothe Gazette Editorial, May 15, 2011

Comment

  

Facts

Paragraph 1

An investigation of a wrong-site surgery at Adena Medical Center has been completed, with the federal agency that conducted the probe deciding not to penalize the hospital. The complaint -- that a surgeon operated on the wrong knee -- was substantiated, and the process to correct the procedures has resulted in positive changes

  

The investigation was extremely thorough by state and federal government agencies. The process the hospital undertook to understand the circumstances resulted in extraordinary and immediate procedural, policy and operational changes. Changes have been noted and validated by these two government agencies, the medical teams involved and the surgeons who lead those teams.

Paragraph 2

Outwardly, the hospital has reviewed its procedures, made necessary changes and been found to be in compliance. Those are all good things for the health care for residents in the region, but procedures are only as good and helpful as the depth in which they are followed, and clearly, by the revelation of the wrong-site surgery, some procedures were missed in this case.

    

Paragraph 3

The new procedures were a necessary and important step for the hospital to regain credibility in the community, but the verdict in the court of public opinion, however, still is out.

  

Yes, our hospital does believe this is a wake-up call, and we treat our connections to the community, our employees and our patients as a relationship of trust. This trust is built on more than just meeting community expectations. It is maintained by transparency, openness and a willingness to respond to and anticipate the community’s questions. This is an area we intend to improve substantially in the coming months.

Paragraph 4

Bubbling below the surface is a sense by many in the community that the root cause still hasn't been found. The specific feeling is that the hospital and its leaders have focused too much on growth and not enough on quality patient care. In fact,

   As we look around the nation at those healthcare institutions that are important, influential and successful, they have at least two attributes in common. They all provide the highest quality care and they are all growing. The lesson for us is clear and it is the most crucial component of our future strategy - quality care is our first responsibility. Whatever aspirations we have beyond that can only occur successfully on a foundation of quality care.

Paragraph 5

some have argued a mistake such as the wrong-site surgery happens when doctors are forced to rush to meet the demand of an overly aggressive business strategy.

   Had any evidence related to these comments come to the surface, we would expect the government agencies involved to cite such evidence and require corrective action.

Investigators were completely satisfied with the hospital’s self-initiated corrective actions.

Paragraph 6

The question becomes: Is that perception or reality?

   The reality of our practices and policies has been tested, investigated and validated by independent, even adversarial regulating government agencies. It is our responsibility, rather than that of the government, to help the community's perceptions begin to reflect the realities of our operations. We have work to do in this area.

Paragraph 7

Like any pillar of the community, the local hospital evokes strong emotion on each side of the equation. Many people report good, positive experiences at Adena, while others speak candidly about bad ones.

   One key area that we intend to emphasize in the future is even greater transparency about patient satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Quality care has to be more than a slogan. We have to offer proof. At the same time, when there are adverse outcomes, those should be disclosed as well. In coming months, we will be working through patient confidentiality issues to find ways to help the community better understand our quality and growth, and the services we offer at Adena.

Paragraph 8

In that sense, perhaps it's time for Adena to step back and take another look at its culture and ask some tough questions.

   One of the great lessons we continue to learn from studying other great medical institutions is that striving for change, as well as a relentless insistence on top quality care, does put stress on an organization. The challenge to hospital leadership is to address the impact of these changes and help all employees and the community recognize the energy, accomplishment and pride that comes with having a significant medical resource.

Paragraph 9

Does the community truly think patient care comes first? Is the business strategy balanced by the hospital's focus on patient care? What do the employees think? Do they think they have to reach quotas or have time to react to patient needs? When doctors leave, do they cite a common reason(s)?

   Adena is the largest local employer, with more than 2,400 employees. A notable percent of the community is either directly employed by Adena or related to someone who is employed by the health system. We’re constantly listening to our employees looking at ways of maximizing performance and improving quality of service to patients. We remain committed to our patients, employees and mission.

Paragraph 10

We don't have all the answers to these questions, but they now are larger before us. When one is hurt so seriously, in a sense, all of us in the community should care enough to look a little closer.

    

Paragraph 11

In a small town such as Chillicothe, on the fringe of Appalachia, the expectation of personal care is strong. Couple that with the history and legacy of a hospital born out of a community's effort and hard work more than 115 years ago, and the presumption is that the community will be an integral part of what happens at the hospital and its doctors' offices.

    

Paragraph 12

With a little more hard work and effort, Adena Medical Center can restore what it's lost in some circles -- trust.

   You are correct. It is about trust. We can promise our patients, neighbors and employees that they will see incrementally increasing efforts to have a more open conversation with the community.