Southern Ohio Medical Center

Programs: Southern ohio medical center is an active member of the communities it serves and is involved in various programs and activities throughout the area. Community is what drives somc to achieve excellence in healthcare and to make a difference in the lives of those around us. The economic, educational, recreational and cultural activities of the local area show the wide sweep of somc's community involvement and their efforts to build and maintain strong relationships. It's through these relationships that somc has been recognized for many outstanding accomplishments, receiving such notable honors as ancc's magnet recognition, osha's vpp star status, press ganey's distinctive workplace award, as well as being named one of fortune's 100 best companies to work for and one of modern healthcare's 100 best places to work. Key decisions made at somc are guided by five strategic values: safety, quality, service, relationships and performance. Relationships shape many facets of customer service and the care that is provided within the hospital. It is the hospital's goal to listen and partner with customers to make a difference to those we serve. Additional feedback is also gathered through focus groups conducted by the somc community relations department, as well as the somc executive team's "open door policy," which both provide the opportunity to gather information and suggestions to improve hospital services and understand technological needs. Somc establishes working relationships with organizations throughout the tri-state area to focus on the health and wellness of the community. Somc and its employees participate in a variety of community-based organizations including the ohio river valley chapter red cross board, scioto county health coalition, the chamber of commerce, rotary club, southern ohio performing arts association, the portsmouth area arts council, literacy programs, school boards, committees and churches. Other participatory programs include local little league groups, leadership portsmouth, ohio partnership for excellence, task force on domestic violence, portsmouth kiwanis service club, scioto residential services board, paramedic advisory board, salvation army, river sweep, habitat for humanity and choice housing for the developmentally disabled. Somc also maintains close relationships with southern ohio correctional facility ministries, arthritis foundation, medical reserve corp, parish nurse network, southern ohio diabetes coalition, portsmouth bicentennial board, the shawnee state university board and the southern ohio correctional facility community advisory board. Many benefits are created through these partnerships including sponsorships for cultural affairs, community health and wellness programs, health screenings, education, children's programs and youth activities. One such collaborative effort allows somc to provide adult immunizations for influenza, pneumonia and hepatitis b to hundreds of community members each year. The hospital often donates used equipment to local schools. Nurses and physicians volunteer their time and effort to travel around the somc region and to third-world countries to provide services free of charge or at a reduced rate to populations who greatly benefit from their annual visits. Another program, titled "love your heart," reaches hundreds of kindergarten students each year. Developed in 2000 by the somc intensive care unit to promote early childhood healthy habits, "love your heart" uses characters from the wizard of oz to teach children how to take care of their hearts through healthy eating, exercise and three other hands-on stations. Hospital employees, local nursing students and volunteers from all over the community participate in providing education during this annual beloved program. Through its creative message and inventive approach, participants feel they are making a difference and serving as role models for healthy living. The icu staff was awarded the american association of critical care nurses seabury and smith national community service award for this extraordinary program. The community health and wellness department also actively seeks grants that can be used toward specific community-wide programs. The susan g. Komen grant for the hands of hope program provides free or reduced fee education, screenings and mammograms to promote early detection of breast disease. It links breast cancer patients to resources after breast cancer treatment. Somc is dedicated to educating its appalachian community on self-breast exams providing clinical breast services and diagnostic testing, with a focus on yearly mammograms. For example, october is annually known as breast cancer awareness month and often features many programs, screenings, commercials, flyers and activities that focus specifically on that topic and its education. Somc employees, physicians and medical students give back to the community through internal donation campaigns, such as the "make a difference" campaign. Employees can also give back through somc's "pay it forward" program, where social workers identify patient needs and employees can directly donate items to provide assistance. Many members of the community also volunteer at somc, serving as community ambassadors. Volunteers offer a friendly smile and comforting words to patients and family members, while also assisting within many areas of the hospital. Somc's team of volunteers makes a difference not only in the unpaid hours they provide, but also in their efforts to raise funds to purchase medical equipment, assist with patient needs and provide various community services to aid in making a difference. With the communities and somc working so closely together, somc can proudly say it is able to obtain its goal of "making a difference. "