HCA eNews

HOSPITAL CORPORATION OF AMERICA RECOGNIZED BY INFORMATIONWEEK AS ONE OF NATION’S MOST INNOVATIVE USERS OF BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0000

Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) announced today that it has been named to the InformationWeek 500, which lists the nation’s most innovative users of business technology. HCA is ranked No. 242.

The 2009 InformationWeek 500 companies were revealed on September 14, 2009 at an awards ceremony held during the InformationWeek 500 Conference at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, California.

HCA, which has 163 hospitals and 105 freestanding surgery centers in 20 states and England, was selected for its continued development and implementation of hCare, the company’s comprehensive program for advanced health information technologies. HCA’s hCare builds on foundational electronic health record functions and will include computerized provider order entry and decision support. HCA is already among the 15% of American hospitals that use bar-code medication administration systems. HCA’s hCare also integrates outpatient treatment into the electronic health record, and will include patient health records that capture health information from visits to doctors.

Earlier this year, HCA was selected as one of Computerworld’s top workplaces for information technology professionals. HCA is also listed among Fortune’s “Most Admired” healthcare companies.

The company’s Information Technology & Services department (IT&S) employs more than 3,000 employees across the U.S. and includes four data centers and fourteen division support centers responsible for delivering IT services to HCA as well as more than 145 non-HCA hospitals and facilities. This includes the full array of IT services, including business analysis, systems development, integration, information security, customer support, education services, technology infrastructure support and services. HCA IT&S provides the opportunity for IT professionals to work on many advanced technology projects.

HCA was founded in Nashville, Tenn. more than 40 years ago when Dr. Thomas F. Frist, Jr., his father Dr. Thomas F. Frist, Sr., local businessman Henry Hooker and entrepreneur Jack Massey set out to provide communities with better quality healthcare. Today, HCA is a leading provider of healthcare services, and its approximately 191,000 employees served approximately 18 million patients in 2008. The company has developed industry-leading patient safety initiatives to prevent healthcare-associated infections like MRSA and bar-code systems to help improve medication safety.

InformationWeek identifies and honors the nation’s most innovative users of information technology with its annual 500 listing, now in its 21st year, and also tracks the technology, strategies, investments and administrative practices of America’s best-known companies. Additional details on the InformationWeek 500 can be found online at www.informationweek.com/iw500/.

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All references to “Company” and “HCA” as used throughout this document refer to HCA Inc. and its affiliates.

Dr. Richard Tayrien is New Chief Health Information Officer

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0000

Tayrien, 56, will report to Dr. Jonathan B. Perlin, President of HCA’s Clinical Services Group and Chief Medical Officer. He will lead an expanding team of clinicians and informaticists and be responsible for the continued development and implementation of hCare, HCA’s comprehensive program for advanced health information technologies.

HCA’s hCare builds on foundational electronic health record functions and will include computerized provider order entry and decision support. HCA is already among the 15% of American hospitals that use bar-code medication administration systems. HCA’s hCare also integrates outpatient treatment into the electronic health record, and will include patient health records that capture health information from visits to doctors.

“During his 25 years in medicine, Dr. Tayrien has proven to be an innovator and gifted leader,” said Perlin. “He has extensive experience creating and deploying clinical information systems that promote quality and efficiency and improve patient safety. We are very pleased to welcome him to HCA.”

Currently, Tayrien is Vice President, Clinical Information Systems for Catholic Healthcare West, where he is responsible for strategy, development and implementation of clinical information systems. He previously was Regional Medical Director for Clinical Informatics at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center/Barrow Neurological Institute. Tayrien practiced internal medicine for the first 18 years of his career.

Tayrien recently served on the Inpatient Work Group of the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT), an official certification body for electronic health records. In addition, Tayrien was recently recognized by the Association of Medical Directors of Information Systems (AMDIS) for his leadership in the deployment of an electronic medical record and computerized provider order entry system.

A graduate of Oklahoma State University, College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tulsa, Tayrien received his undergraduate degree in biology from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Okla. He is boarded in internal medicine and a Fellow in the American College of Osteopathic Internists.

Bracken on 2009 "100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare" List

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:00:00 -0000

HCA President and Chief Executive Officer, Richard M. Bracken, has been named to the 2009 “100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare” list. The results of the eighth annual recognition program were announced today by its sponsor, Modern Healthcare, an industry publication. Mr. Bracken is number 16 on the list.

President Obama topped the list of the most powerful individuals in healthcare in 2009 and several individuals high on the list have connections to Capitol Hill or the White House.

In explaining how the list was created, the publication announced, “Readers submitted more than 25,700 nominations, up 76% from 14,600 last year. Modern Healthcare then placed the 301 people who received the most nominations on a final ballot, which was accessible on Modern Healthcare’s Web site.

From May 25 through June 26, readers visited the site to vote for the 10 candidates they believe should make the final list of the 100 Most Powerful. Readers cast just under half a million vote – a 10% increase compared with last year. The 100 people who received the most votes made the final list with the ranking determined by number of votes received. The magazine reserved the right to resolve voting irregularities.”

The full report and complete “Top 100” listing is on ModernHealthcare. Site registration is free but it is required to view the articles and documents

Lake Erie College creates bachelor's in nursing

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:00:00 -0000

Lake Erie College in Painesville has partnered with Columbus’ Mount Carmel College of Nursing to create a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Under the partnership, students would receive a bachelor of science in biology from Lake Erie College after completing 3½ years of coursework. Students then would spend three more semesters at Mount Carmel earning a bachelor of science in nursing.

Students who complete this accelerated degree program would get provisional admission to Mount Carmel’s master’s degree program, which has specializations in adult health, nursing administration and nursing education.

Source:Craines Business News

Hotel workers turned nurse's aides

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:00:00 -0000

The eight Pacific Nurse’s Aide Training Center graduates last month had more in common than being classmates who completed the program together.

All were former or current hotel industry workers as well.

Some had been laid off or had their hours cut dramatically. Others had seen this as an opportunity to supplement their incomes. Another few had… read this story online at Maui News, Maui HI.

Ard joins elite ranks

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:00:00 -0000

Dr. Nell Ard, RN, CNE was recently inducted into the National League for Nursing’s Academy of Nursing Education. She is one of only 65 people inducted into the league.

“With the induction of this class, there are still less than 100 in the league across the U.S.,” Ard said. “I’m very proud of that. I received a letter notifying me. I was pleased and surprised. From a professional standing, it validates what I’ve done with my career. This was one of the best moments in my career.”

Read this story online at Star Community Papers, Plano TX.

Mother and daughter, employees at St. Joseph Medical Center, honored for nursing skills

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:00:00 -0000

Early one morning two nurses sat in the St. Joseph Medical Center lobby, the mother radiating an aura of kindness, a weary daughter, at the end of her emergency-room night shift, not as much so.

Instead, the daughter presented an image of forthrightness and competence, though obviously tired. She also appeared honest, blushed a bit when conveying a truth about her life or work. At first glance, she is someone you would want in your corner in an emergency.

Read this story online at The Reading PA Eagle.

Iraq Nursing Program Crosses Social Barriers and Offers New Hope

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 07:00:00 -0000

Luma Falah once dreamed of becoming a dentist, but sanctions, war and a strict Islamic culture in her home country of Iraq made her dream impossible.

But now Luma is on the front lines of health care as a nursing aid in the village of Saqlawiyah in Western part of the country.

In this area surrounding Fallujah, villagers adhere to the most conservative Islamic and tribal traditions. Men and women do not interact on any level, not even if it’s a matter of life and death.

Read this story online at FoxNews.

Passing rates surpass state, national average

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:00:00 -0000

According to a summary report that was recently presented to the State Board of Community Colleges, the 2008 National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) results show the passing rate of nurses graduating from a North Carolina Community College surpassed both the state and national average.

The current national pass rate for the Associate Degree Nurse (ADN) program ranked at 86 percent and the state at 89 percent.

Read this story online at The Stanly News and Press.

CJW Medical Center Awarded Certifications from the Joint Commission

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:00:00 -0000

CJW Medical Center has earned the Gold Seal of Approval™ for health care quality. The Joint Commission renewed CJW Medical Center Disease-Specific Care Certification for Stroke and awarded new certifications in the areas of Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), Colorectal Cancer, and Total Hip Replacement and Total Knee Replacement. The certification for Colorectal Cancer is only the second such certification designated in the entire country.

To earn these distinctions, a disease management program undergoes an extensive, unannounced, on-site evaluation by a team of Joint Commission reviewers every two years. The program is evaluated against Joint Commission standards through an assessment of a program’s processes, the program’s ability to evaluate and improve care within its own organization, and interviews with patients and staff.

“This certification means CJW Medical Center does the right things and does them well for their patients,” says Jean E. Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q., executive director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, Joint Commission. “CJW Medical Center voluntarily pursued this comprehensive, independent evaluation to enhance the safety and quality of care we provide,” says Peter Marmerstein, CJW Medical Center CEO. “We’re honored to achieve this distinction and showcase our commitment to quality in these areas and we are especially proud of the colorectal certification because it demonstrates that our Thomas Johns Cancer Hospital is truly a regional leader in cancer care.”

The Joint Commission launched its Disease-Specific Care Certification program in 2002. It is the first program of its kind in the country to certify disease management programs. A list of programs certified by the Joint Commission is available at www.jointcommission.org.