by Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer

If you find yourself looking for James Brigida, you will most likely have to look up in the sky. He will be one of the three crew members on the Medi Flight helicopter. James is a Flight Nurse and a National Registered Paramedic.
Born in Las Angeles, CA and raised in the bay area, James was in his early twenties when he decided to visit a cousin in Oklahoma. He liked Oklahoma so much, he decided to move here and go to nursing school. That was sixteen years ago and he has enjoyed his job ever since. Having a job as a paramedic in 1998, he soon had the opportunity to be a flight paramedic. From there, he became an RN, and then a Certified Flight Registered Nurse. “I was getting great critical care experience and good basic knowledge. Now, I work for Medi Flight based out of Chickasha, OK and the parent company, Air Methods is based out of Denver, CO,” he said.
James explained how the helicopter crew consisted of one pilot, one nurse and one paramedic. “We have to do some life-threatening actions. There are two different types of flight emergencies calls. 1. Scene flight; a call made by a firefighter or a policeman. 2. Transfer call; these are the phone calls usually coming from smaller towns where there is no hospital; needing to transfer the person by helicopter,” James said. “Either way, the flight nurse and paramedic have to know what to do, how to do it and when to do it. We have seconds to take care of that patient in a unique and isolated situation while we are 1,000 feet in the air. We have to have critical thinking skills, performing emergency procedures. Seconds count! The flight nurse and flight paramedic work as equals,” he added.
“Flight nurses have bits of the same schedule as a firefighter. We work 24 hours, twice a week. We have eight flight nurses and eight flight paramedics with four shifts, rotating the schedule. Medi Flight is at Grady Memorial Hospital in Chickasha, OK. Mr. Deacon Vice is the Medical Director of the ER there,” James commented.
Does the helicopter fly in any weather? “Actually, the pilot of the helicopter is like a weatherman. They have to know all of the weather conditions before taking off. There has to be 1,000 feet from the ground to the ceiling (clouds) and be able to see two miles ahead for visibility. In the winter, they have to watch for the helicopter freezing over,” James replied.
Asking James to describe himself, he said, “I’m an outgoing, passionate guy that has a true desire to help. I am a great team player and have a lot of empathy for others.”
What advice would you give to someone if they wanted to be a flight nurse? “I would encourage them to start out by getting experience in the critical care unit. The reason is the fact that all of this training and experience will get them closer to becoming a flight nurse. Also, get all of the certifications you can. It will be even better when you try to get a job as a flight nurse,” James answered.
James isn’t always up in the sky though. “I also have a second job,” James said. “I work at the OU Trauma Center in the ER. This is the one and only Trauma Center in Oklahoma. I am blessed to have a job that I love, doing what I love to do, helping others and fulfilling my passion for flying.”
Living in Edmond, OK, James is married to the love of his life, Patty. They have three children, Matthew, 18, Dante, 20 and Alejandra 22.
James’ hobbies include exercise; working out at a great place called True Grit in Edmond, OK. “It can be a great stress-reliever,” James said. “That’s pretty much my hobby. Working out and sleeping. I love to sleep,” he said with a laugh.
From the days of his childhood, dreaming of aviation and flying, James is blessed to have the title Flight Nurse. “I get to take care of patients and fly in a helicopter. I continue to learn and use my critical thinking skills in my everyday job. I have a wonderful family and I continue to help others in any way that I can, in the air and on the ground,” James said.
Asking James to sum up his life in one word, he answered, “passionate”.

SHAWNEE, OK – Two of the many incredible facts about the Monarch Butterfly is that they are important and beautiful. Join the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and several conservation partners for the FREE pollinator workshop and lunch on May 29 in Shawnee. This workshop is titled, “Monarch Butterfly, Importance of Pollinators” and it is certainly one in which you will want to bring a friend.
At this workshop, Michael Sams of NRCS will talk about NRCS Monarch and Pollinator Conservation Efforts in Oklahoma.
Tonee Wolf of the Choctaw Nation will provide a Choctaw Nation Pollinator Project update. Also, the Chickasaw Nation Pollinator Initiatives will be covered.
Plus, Jane Breckinridge will share about projects of the Euchee Butterfly Farms.
NRCS partners for the workshop include, the Oklahoma Tribal Conservation Advisory Council (OTCAC), other USDA agencies and conservation groups. The Seminole, Shawnee and Konawa Conservation Districts are the district partners for the workshop.
Our conservation program discussions will be led by Farm Service Agency, National Agriculture Statistics Service, NRCS, and the Oklahoma Conservation Commission and others.
The workshop will be held on May 29th and will start at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at Citizen Potawatomi Nation (CPN) South Reunion Hall, located at 1702 Gordon Cooper Dr., in Shawnee, 74801. The South Reunion Hall is located behind the CPN Putt Putt and on the south side of Firelake grocery store.
Attendees are encouraged to pre-register by May 23rd by calling Marie Youngblood, (405) 273-2076, ext. 3 or emailing Jane Breckinridge, [email protected] or contacting Dr. Carol Crouch [email protected] , (405) 742-1203. The workshop is open to the public.
Questions?
Email [email protected].
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
If reasonable accommodation is needed please notify when you RSVP to Dr. Carol Crouch at 405-742-1203 or [email protected].
Who: Open to the Public
When: 10 a.m., Wednesday, May 29 – RSVP DUE May 23rd
Where: Citizen Potawatomi Nation (CPN) South Reunion Hall, located at 1702 Gordon Cooper Dr., in Shawnee, 74801. The South Reunion Hall is located behind the CPN Putt Putt and on the south side of Firelake grocery store.

SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital and the City of El Reno have reached an agreement for SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital to begin leasing a portion of the facility formerly known as Mercy Hospital El Reno. A definitive agreement was finalized on April 2.
Under the terms of the lease agreement, effective May 1, SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital began operating the emergency department of El Reno hospital as a department of SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital. SSM Health St. Anthony will maintain a full service, 24/7 emergency department in order to serve the needs of the residents of El Reno and surrounding communities. In support of the emergency department, SSM Health St. Anthony will also offer outpatient services including laboratory services and diagnostic imaging to provide convenience for patients. Although acute inpatient services will not be provided, the freestanding emergency department will ensure seamless protocols for immediate transfer of any patients needing a higher level of care.
Services will continue to be provided at the current address on Parkview Drive while the City of El Reno constructs a new $9 million facility patterned after SSM Health St. Anthony Healthplex locations with a campus featuring a freestanding emergency department, and diagnostic services. The City of El Reno will be the owner of the new freestanding emergency department facility. In addition, SSM Health will construct an adjacent building to house urgent care, primary care physicians and specialty physicians to round out the new medical campus.
In mid-May, SSM Health Medical Group will also provide urgent care and primary care services at 2315 Parkview Drive. Providers in this location will include Robert DiCintio, PA-C, Alex Rasmussen, PA-C, and Alina Quy, APRN-CNP.
“SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital is pleased to have been selected by the City of El Reno to be the community’s health care partner. We look forward to expanding our ministry into El Reno and keeping important health care services within the community,” stated Joe Hodges, President, SSM Health – Oklahoma.
“We have worked closely with SSM Health St. Anthony to develop a long-term approach to provide health care services for our residents,” stated Mayor Matt White. “Our partnership with SSM Health St. Anthony will ensure continuity of health care in our community.”
Miller Architects was engaged by both the City of El Reno and SSM Health for the design of the new health facility campus, and Waldrop Construction will serve as the construction manager. Miller and Waldrop have worked together on many successful projects for SSM Health.
For more information about our providers and urgent care service, please call 405-231-8866.

By Darlene Franklin

(Happy Mother’s Day)

In my childhood, I thought my mother knew everything. In my teens and early twenties, I thought I knew everything and she knew nothing. In my thirties, I decided Mom knew more than I thought and by my forties, I realized she knew a whole lot more than I do, and she was right most of the time. Now In my fifties and sixties, I wish she was here so I could just talk with her.
(paraphrase of an anonymous saying about fathers)
This bit of folk wisdom gets me every time. The older I get, the more I recognize my mother’s wisdom and forbearance. I miss her, terribly.
Then I wonder, “am I turning into her?” I am, after all, now the matriarch of my family.
Although Mom and I made a point of preparing for motherhood, we shared feelings of doing a sub-par performance at the most important job in our lives. My son, in spite of his rocky beginnings, handles the task of raising a family in today’s world much better than I ever did. That gives me hope that I did something right.
Did my mother feel the same way? Did she wonder where I found the grace to be strong and grow in wisdom and persevere in the midst of the trials I faced? Did she doubt herself or did she give herself any credit?
If I could ask her, I suspect we would both agree to a reversal of the saying I used above. It would read something like this:
When I became a mother, I had to know everything, or pretend I did. I was responsible for this helpless human being.
Then my children became teenagers. I didn’t know how to lead them in the right direction. What I did say, they misunderstood and dismissed.
In their twenties, they found a steady home, and love, I decided they had learned something after all, and I respected their right to make their own decisions.
(True for too many) Then my child was imprisoned/lost to drug addiction/committed suicide, and I knew I had utterly failed.
But my son married and started a family and actually me for help. In his thirties, he bragged about my growing writing career. He called me several times a week, to talk about two common passions—the Bible and movies—to brag on the grandkids and to ask my opinion. I wondered how this marvelous, mature young man had come out of me.
And now, as I am drawing nearer to death, my grandchildren think I know the answer to every question—because they haven’t stumped me yet—and they want me to life forever.
Dearest son, dearest daughter-in-law, dearest grandchildren. I won’t. I can’t. Besides, you don’t need me. You need the Lord, the fountain of wisdom. But you already know that.
As human beings, we all go through a spell where we question our family’s values and establish our own. I suppose that’s our free will at work, the same principle that t allows us to say “no” to God.
Yes, our children often pick up some of our bad habits. But here’s the good news: they also practice some of our good habits, too.
Take my family. Some of our less than endearing family traits? A tendency to obesity. We sometimes lose ourselves in a dreamworld instead of staying grounded in reality. We find it easy to procrastinate and inconvenience those around us. We struggle with a family history of sexual and physical abuse.
Sounds ugly, and it can be.
Some of our good traits? A faith that is a strong in my granddaughter as it was in my mother. We’re smart, creative, and love to learn.
Now I sound like I’m bragging. Not really. Have you ever heard how our strengths are our weaknesses turned inside out, and vice versa? Rejoice when our children reflect our strong points. Share with them what we’ve learned about our weaknesses. They’ll treasure that wisdom later in life. Daughter learns from mother. Daughter becomes a mother. Now daughter teaches her children.
What a beautiful cycle God designed for us. Although I use the words “mother” and “daughter” here, in honor of Mother’s Day. the sentiment rings true across the family board, Celebrate it!

Intimate Portraits in Chamber Music

Oklahoma City, Okla., — The Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble will present its eighth annual Summer Chamber Music Festival June 6, 8, 9 and 11 at the historic St. Paul’s Cathedral in downtown Oklahoma City (127 NW 7th Street at Robinson). This four-concert festival will explore that most celebrated aspect of chamber music—its intimacy. Intimate Portraits in Chamber Music gets up close and personal with classical music’s most intimate expression: sonatas, trios and quartets, featuring works by Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Dvorák, Piazzolla and others. Parking is free just south of the cathedral.
Chamber Music has covered a lot of ground since Joseph Haydn developed the string quartet in the mid 18th century, but the art form remains at its very core what Goethe called “a stimulating conversation between intelligent people,” with us, the audience, listening in.
Works on the program are: Concert No. 1 – 7:30 pm, Thursday, June 6 – Sonatas Francis Poulenc, Sonata for Clarinet & Piano – Johannes Brahms, Sonata No. 2 for Viola & Piano in E-flat Major, Op. 120, No. 2 – Richard Strauss, Sonata for Violin & Piano in E-flat Major, Op. 18
Concert No. 2 – 7:30 pm, Saturday, June 8 – Duos and Trios Bohuslav Martinu, Trio for Flute, Cello & Piano – Ludwig van Beethoven, Sonata for Cello & Piano No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69 – Carl Frühling, Trio in A Minor for Clarinet, Cello & Piano, Op. 40
Concert No. 3 – 4:00 pm, Sunday, June 9 – Trios with Strings The Mae Ruth Swanson Memorial Concert – Ludwig van Beethoven, String Trio in C Minor, Op. 9, No. 3 – Ingolf Dahl, Concerto a Tre for Clarinet, Violin & Cello – Franz Joseph Haydn, London Trio No. 1 in C Major, Hob. IV:1 for Flute, Violin & Cello – Ernö Dohnányi, Serenade for String Trio in C Major, Op. 10
Concert No. 4 – 7:30 pm, Tuesday, June 11 – Quartets Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Quartet in F Major for Oboe, Violin, Viola & Cello, K.370 – Astor Piazzolla, Libertango and Oblivion for Clarinet, Violin, Cello & Piano – John Mackey, Breakdown Tango for Clarinet, Violin, Cello & Piano – Antonín Dvorák, Piano Quartet No. 2 for Piano & Strings in E-flat Major, Op. 87
Musicians appearing in the summer festival are: Gregory Lee and Katrin Stamatis (violin), Mark Neumann (viola), Zachary Reaves (cello), Parthena Owens (flute), Lisa Harvey-Reed (oboe), Chad Burrow (clarinet), Amy I-Lin Cheng, Sallie Pollack and Ruirui Ouyang (piano).
Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble, Oklahoma City’s own chamber ensemble, presents fine classical chamber music in the beautiful and acoustically-rich St. Paul’s Cathedral at NW 7th and Robinson near downtown Oklahoma City. Tickets are $20 at the door. Children, students and active-duty military personnel admitted free with ID. Free parking south of the cathedral. For more information, visit us at www.brightmusic.org

Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in adults in the U.S., affecting more than 54 million people with more than 100 distinct types of the disease.
To make matters worse, there are no approved treatments for the most common form of arthritis—osteoarthritis. It stems from the loss of cartilage between bones and joints and will affect more than half of all Americans over the age of 65.
Understandably, this has led to much concern about the future of arthritis treatment.
“We all want to live long enough that we eventually have some wear-and-tear form of arthritis,” said Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation Vice President of Clinical Affairs Judith James, M.D., Ph.D. “But we don’t want any disability or limitations from it that tend to occur as we age. What we need is a disease-modifying drug.”
James, a rheumatologist and internationally recognized expert on arthritis, said that advancements in treating other forms of arthritis offer hope for similar developments in osteoarthritis.
“In the past decade, we have seen big changes in treatment for several types of arthritis, including the introduction of drugs and interventions for less-common forms like rheumatoid arthritis,” said James.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic illness mainly characterized by inflammation in the lining of the joints, and it affects more than 1.3 million adults in the U.S. James currently serves as principal investigator on a clinical trial called StopRA, a prevention study for the disease.
“We are testing people who are at high risk of developing RA. Our goal is to get them on treatments that may help prevent the disease from ever occurring,” she said. If you are interested in participating or finding out more about the study, please call 405-271-7745 or email [email protected].
The National Institutes of Health invests more than $500 million annually toward understanding and treating various forms of arthritis. Some of that work is happening at OMRF, including research by scientist Tim Griffin, Ph.D., who studies the effects of obesity on the development of osteoarthritis.
“Much of what we initially learned about osteoarthritis came from studying end-stage diseased tissues when people had their joints replaced,” said Griffin.
However, technological advances in imaging and biomarkers have allowed scientists to study earlier stages of disease. Griffin says that this has given new hope for a cure.
“We now think of early-stage OA as resulting from a family of different conditions, such as obesity, trauma, or aging,” he said. “Treatments that target the specific cause of osteoarthritis at the early stages may delay or even prevent disease.”
Multiple studies have shown that a diet avoiding inflammatory foods like saturated fats and refined carbohydrates can help protect you. Griffin’s lab recently found that diets high in saturated fats increased the risk of joint inflammation in mice—even before cartilage loss began.
“We are working on this disease in earnest and continue to understand more and more about it,” said James. “I am increasingly hopeful that we will see a treatment for osteoarthritis in our lifetime.”
But while we await the first osteoarthritis drug, what can we do in the meantime?
“‘Move as much as you can,” said James. “The more you sit, the stiffer and more painful your joints become. Other keys are to maintain a reasonable body weight and participate in joint-safe exercises like swimming or using an elliptical machine.”

by Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer

Located in the sought after city of Edmond, OK, you will find The Veraden, a clear choice for today’s retirees and their families. With medical services, shopping, restaurants and hospital all close by, conveniences are built right it. Danna Johnson, RN is the Executive Director at The Veraden. Danna Johnson has been a nurse for over 25 years and an Executive Director at other long-term care for 11 years.
Opening in January in 2017, The Veraden modernizes and redefines the retirement experience. With independent, assisted living and memory care apartments, every need is addressed with styles and compassion.
Born and raised in Dodge City Kansas, Danna attended school in Kansas and the Belleview University of Nebraska. She moved to Oklahoma City, OK in 2010.
What qualities make a good nurse? “A nurse needs to be caring and compassionate, striving for excellence in everything they do, have a positive attitude and make the residents happy. The residents come before anything else,” Danna replied. “There are 142 residents here and each one of them is special in their own way. Their care is the main focus of the caregivers here at The Veraden,” she added. “The title of Executive Director is only as good as the people underneath them,” Danna commented. “Here, we care about the one-on-one with the families. Everyone works very hard making the residents happy. Their happiness makes the whole day brighter.”
What is your favorite part of your job? “I love spending time with each of the residents and I like helping serve their lunch to them, helping any way I can. I think I spend more time in the dining area than anywhere else because I want to visit with all of the residents,” she said. “The number one concern is to make the resident feel loved, cared for and happy. I like to make them smile and laugh!” Danna answered.
“The biggest challenge in healthcare is the turnover in our 3-11 shift. Sometimes, the third shift can be the hardest shift to cover. We always seem to manage though and I think that is because everyone is willing to help out the other. Teamwork plays a very important part in working here, “Danna said.
Danna enjoys her job as Executive Director and sees herself here at The Veraden in five years from now or longer. “I like my work here and there are a lot of great nurses, caregivers and staff here. We support each other and we all help out in any way that we can,” Danna said. “That can be hard to do in a workplace such as nursing and long term care, “she added.
Asking Danna to describe herself, she replied: “I am a happy-go-lucky person; I smile a lot and laugh a big portion of the time. People say that I have a contagious laugh and the residents know when I am coming down the hallway. We try to keep the residents happy. None of us want to let the residents feel sad about anything,” Danna commented.
Recognition speaks volumes here at The Veraden. “We got voted as being the best Senior Care facility in Edmond, OK for 2018. It was such an honor because the people of Edmond voted for us and votes were announced in the Edmond Sun newspaper that we won! We even won over the winners that had been chosen for the last nine years. What a great feeling to be honored as the best senior facility in Edmond, OK,” Danna said. “In April 2019, there will be an Awards Banquet and one person from each area (The best of the best) of Veraden will be chosen and for that reason will attend the Annual Banquet.”
Danna enjoys spending time with her husband, Tony and her daughter Hannah – 16 and son Dean – 10. “Family time is very important to me,” Danna said. When asked what her favorite T.V. medical show was. “I hardly ever have time to watch T.V. but when I did; my favorite medical show was ER. I guess that tells you how long it has been since I watched a show like that,” she said with a laugh.
“Every day at work, I start off with a positive quote for our nurses, caregivers and staff. I like to set a positive attitude first thing in the morning. It seems to brighten everyone’s day, along with the residents,” Danna said. On a personal note, Danna’s daily words of encouragement are live, laugh and love. “I live by those words every day,” she said.

story and photos by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

For 48 years, Dr. Bailey McBride taught and lived at Oklahoma Christian University in Edmond.
“I love the students. The students were just so good,” Dr. McBride said. “They have great hearts. They have great sense of purpose and destiny for their own lives. They’re fun to work with and get to know.”
So when the time came after nearly a half century to stop teaching, McBride couldn’t imagine leaving campus.
Turns out he didn’t have to.
Nestled right on the 200-acre college campus is Tealridge Retirement Community, a full-service community providing independent, assisted living and memory care services to the community of Edmond.
The all-inclusive retirement community located in Edmond is designed for maintenance-free comfort, which freed up McBride to retire on his terms.
Dr. McBride remembers his decades at Oklahoma Christian fondly.
“Over the years there was a lot of changes in the way students looked at life,” he said. “When I first came to OC they looked at life much more positively than students nowadays do but I’ve seen some cycling back. “The last year I taught I had some of the most positive and optimistic freshman I had ever had. I really enjoyed it.”
Tealridge Retirement Community was also where he met his wife, Linda.
The two went out for lunch and things were never the same.
Now the pair will celebrate their second wedding anniversary this June in London. Linda’s grandchildren will come along for a trip of a lifetime.
“I really like the people who are a part of this community,” Dr. McBride said. “There isn’t anybody here that I don’t really enjoy being around. They’ve got great stories to tell and they’ve had great life experiences.”
“Good people.”
One of those people Dr. McBride admires is Cheryl Parker.
At 92, Parker has called Tealridge home for the better part of 12 years.
Along the way she was able to help guide two sisters through health issues, all the while coming back to Tealridge to rest and recharge.
“When they were beginning to build this they sent people out to different congregations to let them know what was happening,” Parker said. “We weren’t ready then to think about it but we put it in the back of our mind.”
“When it became time to think about coming over here my husband really was ready.”
Even after the passing of her husband, Parker knew Tealridge would always be her home.
“I knew several people and that helps a lot,” she explained of the feeling of comfort she felt when she moved in.
Across the hall from Parker lives Sarah Fleming, a relatively new Tealridge resident.
Fleming found her way to Tealridge the hard way from Lake Tenkiller.
“I fell four times in January flat on my face out in public of course,” she laughed. “My daughter lives in Edmond and had heard about Tealridge.”
Keeping up with a large house on an acre of land had become too much for Fleming. Living at the lake was fun, but being close to family and services when she needed them the most was more important.
Fleming found her faith at 15 and she believes it led her to where she is today.
“I have no doubt that this is where God wants me. I love people. I love getting to know people,” she said.
It only took a week before Tealridge Executive Director Melissa Mahaffey, MHA, asked Fleming to come visit her in her office.
The offer was extended for Fleming to help welcome new residents.
“I know this is where I’m supposed to be,” she laughed.
After seven houses in 14 states, Fleming says this is the first time she’s ever lived in a city.
And she loves it.
Dr. McBride and wife, Linda, are a different story.
Linda has two daughters – one in Colorado Springs and one in Edmond.
“When they decided I needed to be close to one of them the one with the grandchildren won out,” she said. “I told them up front I wasn’t playing favorites but … that certainly entered into the decision.”
Todd Markum and his wife, Nancy, sold their home just a half mile away to move to Tealridge.
“We always wanted to be here,” he said.“ We got the chance to do it and came.”
Their third-floor residence has a view overlooking geese, ducks and people fishing in the nearby pond. Ask around and the stories are similar among residents.
Tealridge Retirement Community was a choice. And one that everyone is glad they made.

by Bobby Anderson
Staff Writer

A new healthcare delivery concept partnering Integris and Emerus Holdings, Inc. is popping up all over the metro.
And the move is creating more options for local nurses.
As part of its expansion initiative, Integris, the state’s largest nonprofit health care system, entered into a joint venture partnership with Emerus, the nation’s first and largest operator of micro-hospitals, to build and manage four new community hospitals.
“Oklahomans have told us they want quicker, more convenient medical care without compromising quality or safety,” said Timothy Pehrson, president and chief executive officer at Integris. “These community hospitals allow us to do just that, bring high-quality care closer to home for many of the residents we serve.”
In February, Integris Community Hospital at Council Crossing, 9417 N. Council Road., opened followed by Integris Moore Community Hospital at 1401 SW 34th St. at the end of the month.
In March, Integris Del City Community Hospital, 4801 SE 15th St, began accepting patients.
Later in May, the Integris OKC West Community Hospital at 300 S. Rockwell Ave., will open.
Emerus Holdings Inc., is the nation’s first and largest operator of these small-format facilities and promises the new sites will bring a transformative concept of health care to Central Oklahoma.
Emerus Chief Executive Officer Craig Goguen said the company is honored to partner with INTEGRIS, an award-winning, highly respected health system brand, as it expands its footprint throughout central Oklahoma.
“Our transformative concept of health care allows great health systems like Integris to expand its reach into the community to provide a variety of patient services that are fast, convenient and economical,” Goguen said.
Christopher McAuliffe, BSN, MBA, RN, CAPA is the Emerus market chief nursing officer and says the new concept will bring options for both consumers and health care workers.
“In addition to serving areas considered underserved in their healthcare needs, the small-scale, fully licensed inpatient hospital is open 24 hours, seven days a week,” McAuliffe said. “It is conveniently located in communities where patients live, work and play, providing them with quick and easy access when they have emergency medical needs. If the patient requires additional specialty services, working with our partner, INTEGRIS Health, we can quickly access appropriate services and make transfers, as needed.”
McAuliffe said the concept is using the same electronic medical record system used by Integris.
The small-scale inpatient hospital provides many efficiencies resulting from its smaller footprint. Parking is ample and accessible, compared to the large hospital setting.
“There are several resources, from a clinical standpoint, that improve quality of care,” McAuliffe said. “We have a CT/X-ray room dedicated specifically to our patients. We do not do any outpatient diagnostics, leaving the RT to focus only on those patients who come through the ED or an ordered inpatient test.
“We also have staff cross-trained to do many different roles. All clinical staff, RT, ED Tech and Nursing staff are thoroughly trained in our lab. This allows us to quickly complete a lab order, from start to finish, without having to wait on the tube system or on another department in a remote location to complete.”
McAuliffe stressed that the hospitals will operate through a teamwork concept that has Emerus numerous awards including the Guardian of Excellence Award for Superior Patient Experience from 2013 to 2017.
These new community hospitals will serve a variety of patient needs including emergency medical care, inpatient care and other comprehensive health services. While the ancillary services vary, each community hospital has a set of core services including the emergency department, pharmacy, lab and imaging.
The rest of the services depend on the needs of the community, but common examples include primary care, dietary services, women’s services and low-acuity outpatient surgeries. The community hospitals offer:
* Health system integration — allowing for care coordination, consultation and seamless transition across the care continuum
* Fully licensed as a hospital and subject to all hospital conditions of participation and regulatory requirements
*Emergency-trained physicians and outpatient ambulatory clinical services on site — ensuring patients receive the highest quality care, when they need it
* Inpatient bed capacity — allowing patients to stay closer to home when lower level admissions/recoveries are needed
* All patients accepted without regard to insurance or ability to pay, including Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare
* Community-based hospitals open 24 hours a day, seven days a week – offering ease of access to our patients
“The joint venture with Integris greatly benefits patients,” McAuliffe said. “In the metro, several of the Integris facilities have been experiencing large volumes of patients, resulting in some challenges. Our 32 additional inpatient beds allow Integris the opportunity to have additional clinical resources.
“The 32 additional ED beds help reduce the strain on the often overcrowded Emergency Rooms Integris frequently experiences.”