Adventist Health System-West

Programs: Adventist health is a faith-based, nonprofit integrated health system serving more than 75 communities in california, hawaii, oregon and washington. Our workforce of 31,000 includes more than 21,000 employees; 4,500 medical staff physicians; and 3,700 volunteers. Founded on seventh-day adventist heritage and values, adventist health provides compassionate care in 20 hospitals, more than 260 clinics (hospital-based, rural health and physician clinics), 14 home care agencies, seven hospice agencies and four joint-venture retirement centers. Adventist health's vision is to be a recognized leader in mission focus, quality care and fiscal strength. Our facilities accomplish this by engaging their respective communities and patients in a partnership for personal and community health. Mission-drivenour mission, to share god's love by providing physical, mental and spiritual healing, compels us to provide quality health care regardless of age, sex, national origin, handicap or ability to pay. Although reimbursement for services rendered is critical to the operation and stability of our system both now and in the future, not everyone is able to afford the essential medical services provided by our facilities. Instead of turning these people away, adventist health provides low or no cost services and a variety of programs to minister to their needs. Adventist health has combined its mission and vision with strong organizational structure and leadership. Our facilities enjoy benefits by belonging to a larger system that continually seeks to enhance its ability to serve through pooled services, a centralized cash management program, economies of scale and purchasing power, to name a few. The corporate office champions and directs a number of programs that are aimed at improving the organization as a whole. A selection of our significant endeavors include strategic planning, delivery of care and care transformation, information technology, risk management, materiel management and financial analytical support. Each of these functions benefits every facility in some way. From time to time, extraordinary needs arise that require specialized attention and support. Fortunately, pooling resources and expertise at the corporate level makes this possible and easily accessible. Community health developmentwords like prevention, wellness and partnerships are more than the latest buzzwords at adventist health. Since st. Helena sanitarium opened its doors 137 years ago in californias picturesque napa valley, the heritage of the seventh-day adventist church has focused on whole person health. Adventist health not only strives to promote individual health, but also healthy families and communitiesa natural fit in todays population health environment. With health care reform in full-swing, adventist health has dedicated a team to develop and deploy our mission model: the adventist health way. The mission model embodies the three core care elements contained in adventist healths mission sharing gods love through physical, mental and spiritual healing and seeks to empower our populations to live healthier lives. Once again in 2014, adventist health partnered with 30 community churches across the system to integrate population health programs in their congregations with the intent for these congregations to be recognized as wellness centers in their communities. Population healthpopulation health is a whole-person, outcomes-based approach that works to improve the health of entire communities. It requires collaboration among researchers, providers, public health entities and policy makers. Population health aligns with adventist healths philosophy of care and, as overall health declines in north america, provides unprecedented opportunities. Adventist health believes that improving the health status of entire populations begins at home. In 2014, adventist health entered its second year of offering two health plans for employees and their families: engaged! And base. Both plans offer wellness-focused programs and tools, including a wellness website, fitness activities, nutrition guidance, smoking cessation workshops and more. Participants complete a biometric screening and wellness assessment, and those with high-risk conditions take part in a free care management program that provides support and education. Nearly 97 percent of employees signed up for the engaged! Plan in 2014. Whole-person health involves mind, body and spirit. The health plans empower employees, their families and, by extension, the larger community to take an active role in managing their health so they may live vibrant and productive lives. Healthy employees lead by example throughout 2014, several adventist health facilities achieved recognition for having healthy employees. Adventist medical center portland was recognized by the portland business journal as one of the top three healthiest employers in oregon for the third consecutive year. The hospital also was ranked 12th healthiest workplace in america by healthiest employers and received the fit-friendly worksite platinum award by the american heart association. Castle medical center and white memorial medical center were designated as a gold fit-friendly worksite by the american heart association.

care transformationcare transformation in adventist health reflects our promise to deliver and continually improve care and patient experience while extending our mission across all care settings. The vision created by the adventist health care model focuses our transformation efforts by effectively blending people, processes and technology. It includes consistent design, delivery and evaluation of care performance. Our caregivers are working hard every day to exceed top quartile regulatory and quality performance requirements. In 2014, our hospitals as well as our hospital-based home care agencies and clinics were once again accredited through the joint commission to ensure the safest, highest quality health care we can provide. As a system, in 2014 we took care of 8,152 fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, children and friends with severe sepsis/septic shocka disease that often kills anywhere from one-quarter to one-half of all people who get it. At adventist health, our mortality rate for 2014 was one of the lowest mortality rates for that population in the nation, with a rate of 13. 4 percent. This rate is lower than the lowest published rate of 14. 7 percent (gaieski, d, edwards, j, kallan m, carr, b. 2013. Benchmarking the incidence and mortality of severe sepsis in the united states; critical care medicine, 41(5):1167-1174. ). Systemwide efforts to reduce sepsis hit a milestone by saving 29 more lives than expected in 2014 (based on the patients risk of dying). Each hospital team contributed to this positive outcome, thanks to the dedicated efforts of nurse and physician sepsis champions at each hospital, which include one to three physicians and one or more nurses and clinicians. Qualityadventist health focuses not only on quality patient care, but also provides a quality work environment for its employees. Maintaining a culture of teamwork and safety among its clinicians and staff is a crucial component to the care transformation model. For the past five years, we have participated in the safety attitude questionnaire. The survey provides adventist health with insight into focused areas where actions can be taken to improve the safety and teamwork climate in clinical departments. Adventist health hospitals received quality and safety awards from the joint commission, the leapfrog group and healthgrades. The joint commission 2013 top performer on key quality measures program recognizes accredited hospitals that attain excellence in accountability measure performance. Six adventist health hospitals received this recognition. The leapfrog group announced a grades for three adventist health hospitals and healthgrades presented several awards to adventist health hospitals. Physician alignmentambulatory care clinics throughout adventist health provide general medical care as well as specialized care for patients of all ages in an outpatient setting. Adventist health physicianservices (ahps) operates within a variety of clinic models, including direct employment, hospital-based clinics, rural health clinics and a medical foundation. Adventist health physician services provides comprehensive management services for all physician models operated across our four-state system. The ahps management team provides key leadership and business functions such as administrative, operational, financial and clinical services, recruitment, acquisitions, and information and application technology. Our physician practices are characterized by clinical excellence and have a reputation for quality service, high physician satisfaction with the working environment, high patient satisfaction and a physician-driven culture that continually works on improvements and is accountable for results. Active partnerships with our physicians are critical for building clinically integrated networks that can meet the demands of health care reform. By developing new partnerships, we can reach beyond the doors of our clinics to maintain a healthier population in our communities. Our delivery of highly coordinated care and involvement of patients and their families with healthcare decisions is integral to our goal of providing whole person care, the core of our mission and values. Rural health clinicsas an extension of our mission, high quality services are provided to small communities where access to care is often significantly less available than more urbanized areas. People living in rural or underserved communities are often at a disadvantage when accessing health care. The rural health services department provides consultation and support services to rural health clinics (rhcs) affiliated with adventist health hospitals. At the end of 2014, we had 52 clinics providing health care to underserved populations throughout northern and central california, oregon and washington. Our system of rural health continues to be the largest network of clinics in the state of california (more than 10 percent of the rhcs in the state are part of adventist health). Our rhc network is also one of the largest, representing almost one percent of the nations rhcs. Services of this corporate department include financial monitoring, program audits, operational support, professional development, advocacy and education regarding new regulations. But the real evidences of success are the patients served944,535 visits in 2014 (86,000 more than in 2013). Thanks to the rhcs, many of the communitys most disenfranchised now have access to primary care, dentistry, womens and childrens services and health education. A variety of specialty care is also available at many rhc locations, including four behavioral health programs. One example of this is the konocti wellness center, a rural health clinic located inside lower lake high school in lower lake, california. The center offers basic clinic services as well as dental care and nutrition education. The partnership is part of a long-term plan to improve the health and academic performance of the students in the district.

home care servicesadventist health/home care services offers advanced, quality health care in an at-home setting by operating 14 home health agencies and seven hospices. In 2014, care, compassion and quality services were provided with 234,551 home health visits and 55,930 hospice days. Many of the agencies provide specialized programs and treatment plans, such as pediatric, diabetes and palliative care. Through home care, adventist health offers personal care in 13 counties throughout the network, which helps patients stay at home and maintain as much independence as possible. To further assist with the needs of our patients, four home medical equipment agencies supply oxygen, mobility aids, respiratory service and even lifeline. Developing a telehealth networkthe adventist health telehealth network allows health care professionals to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients in both remote and urban locations using telecommunications technology. Telehealth is the umbrella term for the group of services and functions that include telemedicine, telepharmacy, teleicu, teleradiology, and telepathology, but which also includes and can support regional health information sharing, patient education and provider networking. During 2014, telehealth services continued to develop and grow. Ukiah valley medical center and st. Helena hospital napa valley implemented telehealth stroke services, with two additional facilities scheduled for implementation in early 2015. Under an initiative with blue shield of california, telehealth services for medical specialty care were available at nine sites during 2014, and an additional 16 are being implemented. Adventist health is a preferred provider for telehealth with the california department of correction and rehabilitation, serving multiple prison locations through the telehealth care coordination center. Program development was initiated to support emergency cardiology services at three northern california hospitals, with an early 2015 service initiation date. More than 900 telehealth services and 3,811 telepharmacy services were provided for adventist health facilities in 2014. Telemedicine provides patients with access to high-quality, affordable specialty care when and where they need it, aiding in rapid diagnosis, treatment and improved patient outcomes. This collaboration supports adventist healths mission of bringing high-quality health and healing to the communities it serves, and is consistent with the organizations focus on innovation, strategic growth, and population health. Empowering our communitiesthroughout adventist health, our hospitals are empowering communities through community programs and outreach. In glendale, california, a specially designed rv roams neighborhoods to provide individuals and families in need with free medical services. The van has two exam rooms and is equipped with an x-ray booth and blood pressure station. A staff of four to five peoplemade up of doctors and nursesadminister health screenings and blood draws as well as screenings for body mass index, electrocardiogram, vision and pulmonary function. Like many innovative projects before it, the greenfield community garden originated as a seed in the minds of central valley network leaders. This seed was then nurtured and developed and has blossomed in the form of an 80-by-200-foot stretch of land on greenfield avenue in hanford, california. The garden is a place where people can interact with other members of the community, learn gardening techniques and cultivate nutritious, locally grown produce. The greenfield community garden features a greenhouse, 30 octagon planting beds, a water spigot in every planting bed and a toolshed. Several other adventist health hospitals also host community gardens near or on their campuses. Strategic planningto strengthen our ability to deliver optimal health, adventist health deployed a five-year systemwide strategic plan in 2013. Guided by our mission, these initiatives have become our roadmap and will ensure we remain a key player in care delivery on the west coast. As we reach the halfway point of this plan, we have seen great successes. Growth is also a major component of our strategic initiatives. We are actively seeking opportunities to create new working relationships with hospitals, other providers, payersand even some competitorsthat align with our goals and extend our mission. In 2014, adventist health signed a letter of intent to acquire lodi health in lodi, california. Throughout our health system, our workforce is leading the way to make a difference in the lives of those we serve.