GRMC Joins New Healthcare Alliance

Grinnell Regional Medical Center announced this week it is part of an agreement to be part of the new University of Iowa Health Alliance with four of Iowa’s premier healthcare organizations. 

This alliance is about building the scale and skills needed to create clinical connections and expertise for providers – both hospitals and healthcare providers. 

By coming together with hospitals across the state to gather information, GRMC benefits from the large scale of clinical information for providers, data, and resources. Building a data warehouse and employing staff to manage the health of a population and the infrastructure for medical homes is expensive. This alliance pools the resources of four major institutions and their affiliated hospitals and clinics to create clinical integration. The clinical integration for providers in the Grinnell area will include setting protocols, establishing standards, and developing consistent processes to improve patient outcomes, ensure quality of care, and reduce costs. 

This alliance formation helps GRMC get ahead of a wave that is slowly but surely approaching the healthcare market. The patients, in the near term, should not experience any noticeable change in the care given at GRMC or at any of the hospitals that are a part of this alliance. 

“We know how to manage acute care very well. But, as we move toward payment for performance and being responsible for the health of populations we need a data warehouse to manage the health risks of the population,” explains Todd C. Linden, GRMC president and CEO.

One crucial point of this new agreement is that it is an alliance and not a merger. GRMC retains its independence and autonomy. GRMC assets remain GRMC’s and are administered by its independent volunteer-based GRMC board of directors. 

“Accountable Care Organizations,” ACOs, will continue to gain momentum as a method to improve health outcomes and contain cost of healthcare. 

 “We spent the past year studying plans and options for ACO structures and benefits. Through our affiliation with Mercy, GRMC has been at the table as we formed the alliance. All the partner organizations realize the cost of health and the speed of the growth in the cost curve must be slowed. 

It’s better to be on the front side of the change than following,” Linden says. 

Insurance company actuaries know how much it costs to provide care for a population. Health providers need this information now to know their estimated costs to care for the individuals in ACOs. This alliance will bring together the skills and scale to gather that information and share best practices so that providers improve quality and efficiency. 

The UIHA also emphasizes that physicians and healthcare providers should moderate the dialogue with the patient yet work with professional management for the best operations. The physicians and the involved individuals at GRMC agree that this is an intelligent and intuitive choice. Providers pool together clinical information to improve patient outcomes and quality of care. 

Linden further explains, “We anticipate that this decision will create a symbiotic working relationship between a large group of excellent hospitals in the state and benefit the patient.  We’re at a tipping point in healthcare. Access to clinical data will help providers realize a clear direction for patient care. Whether the Affordable Care Act continues or not, changes in healthcare are happening at a very rapid pace. The pressure from the market drives change. 

“As a nation, the government, corporations, and individuals can not afford healthcare. Changes in the delivery are coming and GRMC cannot be an island. We’re not big enough to take on the risks of change or not changing. With this alliance, we can be at the table and have a say in the future of healthcare, which ultimately benefits our patients and our community,” Linden says.  

Tama/Toledo Sports Physicals Offered by GRMC

Grinnell Regional Medical Center’s Wellness Services will host a sports physical screenings for middle and high school students at Deer Creek Health Center, 401 First Ave., Toledo.  The sports physical screening dates are Wednesday, July 18, and Wednesday, Aug. 8. Appointments will be begin at 1 p.m. each day and will be scheduled up to 4 p.m. Students should bring their immunization records and their activity physical form. The student does not need to be a regular patient of Deer Creek Family Care to take advantage of the sports screening. 

The purpose of a school or activity sports physical is to make sure student athletes are physically ready to play their game. Completing the physicals will be Sherry Parks, PA-C, and Jessie Collum, ARNP. 

These are sports screenings and not full well child physicals. Payment will be made at the time of the appointment. No insurance claims will be filed. The fee is $30 per student with $20 being donated back to the school of the student’s choice. 

For complete well child physical or immunizations, students will need to schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider during regular office hours. Deer Creek Family Care accepts new patients. Call 641-484-2602 for wellness, annual and well child exams. 

To make an appointment for a school sports screening, call the Deer Creek Family Care at 641-484-2602. 

Lynnville Get Your Sports Physical and Support Your School

Lynnville Medical Clinic will host Well Child Checks for area middle and high school students, where providers will complete their sports physical requirements. Grinnell Regional Medical Center and its 

Lynnville clinic will donate $20 to the school of the student’s choice from well child exams with sports physicals during the summer months.  

In 2011, Lynnville Medical Clinic donated $660 to area school districts for student activities from the fees collected during the summer sports physical donation program. 

Well child exams include checking immunizations, nutrition counseling, and preventive care in addition to meeting the purpose of a school sports physical, to make sure student athletes are physically ready to play their game. This is also a good opportunity for the physician or nurse practitioner to speak with healthy students about issues such as nutrition, wellness, and avoiding drugs, alcohol, and smoking. 

Kasey Herbers, PA-C, and Guy McCaw, MD, will provide this service in the clinic. They both emphasize the value in having students become familiar with their primary care providers so young adults build a relationship and trust with their healthcare team. 

Physicals will be filed with insurance if applicable. Students with insurance should provide their insurance card and make a co-payment as required by their insurance provider. A cash discount is available for those without insurance. The donation is limited to middle school and high school students only.

To make an appointment for a school sports physical, call the Lynnville Medical Clinic at 641-527-2929. The Lynnville Medical Clinic is located at 303 East Street, Lynnville. It is an affiliated clinic of Grinnell Regional Medical Center. 

Victor Get Your Sports Physical While Supporting Your School

The Victor Health Center will host Well Child Checks for area middle and high school students, where providers will complete their sports physical requirements. Grinnell Regional Medical Center and its Victor clinic will donate $20 to the school of the student’s choice from physicals during the summer months –July and August.  

In 2011, Victor Health Center donated $1,400 to the HLV, BGM and Williamsburg school districts for student activities from the fees collected during the summer sports physical program. 

Well child exams include checking immunizations, nutrition counseling, and preventive care in addition to meeting the purpose of a school sports physical – to make sure student athletes are physically ready to play their game. This is also a good opportunity for the physician or nurse practitioner to speak with healthy students about issues such as nutrition, wellness, and avoiding drugs, alcohol, and smoking. 

Wendi Beck, PA-C, and Roy Doorenbos, MD, will provide this service in the clinic. They both emphasize the value in having students become familiar with their primary care providers so young adults build a relationship and trust with their healthcare team. 

Physicals will be filed with insurance if applicable. Students with insurance should provide their insurance card and make a co-payment as required by their insurance provider. A cash discount is available for those without insurance. The donation is limited to middle school and high school students only.

To make an appointment for a student physical, call the Victor Health Center at 319-647-7511. The Victor Health Center is located at 709 Second St., Victor. It is an affiliated clinic of Grinnell Regional Medical Center. 

GRMC Ranks High for Patient Safety and Cost Efficiency

Two recent studies are showing how well Grinnell Regional Medical Center ranks in the state for patient safety and cost efficiency.

The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit group focused on patient safety, has graded 2,651 hospitals nationwide for their patient safety outcomes. The study looked at 26 measures such as hospital-acquired infections, injuries, falls, and medication errors.

In Iowa, 26 of the total 118 hospitals were graded and GRMC was one of five Iowa hospitals to earn an A. Nationally, The Leapfrog Group recognized 729 hospitals with an A grade, 679 hospitals received a B, and 1,111 hospitals were given a C. Beyond a C, 132 hospitals were labeled with “grade pending.”

In 2010, GRMC was named a Top Hospital by The Leapfrog Group.  The Leapfrog Group is a coalition of public and private purchasers of employee health coverage. Their mission is to work for improvements in healthcare safety, quality, and affordability. It is an independent advocacy group working with a broad range of partners, including hospitals and insurers. Members include Chrysler, FedEx Corporation, IBM, and Motorola, among many others.

The second study, conducted by Kaiser Healthcare News, ranks Grinnell Regional Medical Center seventh in the state of Iowa for cost-efficiency in caring for Medicare patients. A nationwide study completed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ranked the state of Iowa as the ninth most efficient state in providing Medicare patients with healthcare. Medicare released their findings of the differences in cost both geographically and between hospitals of different sizes.

“What they found does not surprise us,” says Jack Fritts, GRMC’s chief financial officer. “We’ve been talking with our elected officials for years that we not only provide some of the highest quality healthcare in the country here in Iowa, but we provide that care at a substantial value.”

The study looked at the national mean cost for caring for an average Medicare inpatient visit. Using that mean, they created an “efficiency index.” An index of one means that Medicare spends about the same per patient at a particular hospital, as it does per patient nationally. This measure of relative cost effectiveness is an improvement over previous studies because it “normalizes” the data to eliminate differences due strictly to payment rates and it includes costs incurred 30 days after discharge from the hospital.

Hospitals were then ranked on either side of the efficiency index of one. The average efficiency index for Iowa was .91 and GRMC’s efficiency index was .87, well below the national mean.

“The current Medicare reimbursement system is a fee-for-service system,” says Fritts. “That means that Medicare pays when tests and x-rays are ordered. The system inadvertently rewards healthcare providers for usage. Now, Medicare is moving to a fee-for-performance system and we’ve known for a long time than when the system begins to pay for careful usage of healthcare while providing excellent patient outcomes, we would be at the top of the list instead of at the bottom.”

The results of this study could provide guidance for policymakers about what it means to provide cost-efficient healthcare and whether lower costs are tied to the quality of the care provided. This research provides some evidence that even with keeping costs low, up to 30 percent below the national average for GRMC, hospitals can provide outstanding patient care.

“Hospitals will be rewarded for their efficiency and for the quality of care they provide patients,” says Fritts. “Our goal has always been to provide the best healthcare and patient experience we possibly can in the most cost-effective way. Medicare and organizations like The Leapfrog Group are now starting to hold other hospitals to that standard as well.”

Golf Tournament Tees Off Grinnell Games

Golfers from around the area gathered at Grinnell Golf and Country Club on Friday, June 8, for the Grinnell Games Golf Tournament. This tournament was a partnership between Grinnell Regional Medical Center and the Grinnell Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Grinnell Golf and Country Club. Both the morning and afternoon sessions were full with 72 golfers playing 18 holes in each session. 

Taking home the $1,000 prize was the team of Shane Hart, Nick Kuiper, Peter Marsho, and Jeff Millet sponsored by The Identity Group. It was a very competitive finish in the first flight as all three teams posted a score of 56. Place was determined using scores on certain individual holes. Second place went to the team of Jeff Bates, Scott Gilbert, Mike Mesick, and Mike Winblade, sponsored by HyVee Food Store. Taking third place was the team sponsored by Lincoln Savings Bank, Rich Gogg, Amanda Hintz, Steve Opsal, and Jim Ramsey.

Second flight winners were from Cisco Systems with Kent Chapman, Scott Ireland, and Sean Parker. Second place, second flight went to the team of Tony Foth, Jim Green, Tom Szary, and Heidi Thompson, sponsored by Associated Computer Systems. Third place, second flight went to Team BMI/GRMC of Tom Mellon, Tom Mellon, Jr., Levi Kannedy, and Vladimir Titarenko.

Third flight winners were Jay Herbers, Mark Johnson, Ryan O’Roake, and Adam Smith, sponsored by Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company. Second place, third flight went to the team sponsored by Brookwood, Inc. and Schoon Construction of Matt Hagman, Jack Schmidt, LeRoy Schoon, and Mike Wood. Third place, third flight went to JT Anderson, Skip Lowe, Tim Lowe, and Mark Thayer, sponsored by Bernie Lowe and Associates.

This year’s eagle sponsors were Associated Computer Systems, Bernie Lowe and Associates, Cisco Systems, Grinnell College, Grinnell State Bank, Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company, and JELD-WEN.

The GRMC golf outing is a best shot, four-person team format planned by a committee of community members. They are Jeanette Budding, Dr. Scott Collings, Mary Duke, Becky Froias, Scott Gilbert, Dr. Nick Kuiper, Denise Lamphier, Darcy Swick, and Jan Veach.

“We are excited to be working with the Grinnell Chamber on this golf tournament,” says Todd Linden, GRMC president and CEO. “It really is a great partnership for the entire community.”

“This spring when I have been at meetings out of town talking about Grinnell Games and this golf tournament in particular, I talk about this great collaboration between the hospital and the chamber,” says Angela Harrington, executive director, Grinnell Chamber of Commerce. “The most common response is, ‘That’s so Grinnell.’

The golf tournament included contests at each hole. On the first hole, golfers tried to see who could land closest to the pin in one shot. The winners were Tim Lowe and Becky Froias, who each picked up a $50 HyVee gift card, courtesy of HyVee Food Store.

On hole 2, golfers competed to have a better tee-off than Grinnell Golf and Country Club pro Mitch Burr. Bernie Lowe and Associates put up $500 to the first golfer to get a hole-in-one. No one was able to earn the $500 prize.

Kim Chapman and Doug Messick each won $50 in Grinnell Chamber Bucks, courtesy of KJWW Engineering, for the longest drives on hole 3.

The University of Iowa Community Credit Union sponsored the contest on hole 4. Tony Foth and Dee Fairchild won $50 in Grinnell Chamber Bucks, for sinking the longest putt. 

At hole 5, Tyler Harter and Jamie Wang claimed the contest landing their ball closest to the bedpan and each won $50 in Grinnell Chamber Bucks.

Michael’s sponsored the contest on hole 6. Jonathan Manatt’s name was drawn from a four-way tie to win $50 Michael’s gift certificate getting closest to the pin in two shots. The women’s winner was Donna Zylstra.

GRMC Wins Bronze in 2012 Aster Awards

Grinnell Regional Medical Center has once again been awarded the prestigious Aster Award in the 2012 Special Event category. This year’s bronze award went to “You: Untangled,” the 2011 Women’s Health Focus and Baby Fair. The event focused on helping women integrate humor, relaxation, and self-care into their everyday busy lifestyle.

            The Aster Awards recognize outstanding healthcare professionals for excellence in their advertising/marketing efforts for the past year. Nearly 3,000 entries from across the United States as well as Canada and South America were considered in the 2011 entries. The award put GRMC in the top 16 percent of all entries that entered the competition.

The 2011 GRMC Women’s Health Focus and Baby Fair featured over 40 booths ranging from breast health, obstetrical services, childcare resources, sleep medicine, foot care, public health, hospice care, community resources, nutrition, wellness, and more. Women enjoyed a girls’ night out with catered food and several door prizes. Members of all teams worked hard to help organize an event that would be enjoyed by women of all ages and bring them together from different walks of life.

 “This is a great honor to be recognized nationally for this event.” said Denise Lamphier, GRMC director of communication and development.

            Awards were issued for entries that received top marks from judges placing them in the top 16 percent of the nation for advertising excellence.  Judging criteria included creativity, layout and design, functionality, message effectiveness, production quality and overall appeal.

            All winners are posted on the Aster Awards website (www.AsterAwards.com), as well as published in Marketing Healthcare Today, a national healthcare marketing magazine.       

            The 2012 Women’s Health Focus and Baby Fair will be Wednesday, October 3, at Grinnell High School, starting at 4:30 p.m.