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Crouse Hospital's operations department
Back row, left-to-right: Angie Rodgers, Kym Troch, Virginia Staffa, Nancy Desroches, Michelle Durham, Carlette McGlown, Amy Pellman, Jeffery Youngs, Holly Chimber, Carol Kromer, Hamilton Lopes, Linda Warner, Dina Squadrito, Tracy Gillard.
Middle row, left-to-right: Emily Fulton, Erick McCarthy, Carolyn Dupre, Dina D'Onofrio-Aubel, MaryCay Casler, Debbie Brown.
Front row, left-to-right: Hang Nguyen, Christy Cass, Pamela Sunderhaft, Jennifer Obremski, Katie Shepard.
Absent: Sue Hughes, Tom Linquest. |
Our 2008 HIM Team of the Year contest brought another round of impressive entries. This year was all about expanding and improving HIT, whether implementing EHR systems, bringing document imaging in-house or automating release of information.
Spanning from Connecticut all the way to the Philippines and ranging from an intimate group of four to a coordinated team of nearly 200, our 2008 Team of the Year applicants reflected many unique attributes, but they all share a common dedication to high-quality documentation, processing and patient care.
Even tech-savvy staffers need time away from the computer screen, and ADVANCE was delighted to hear how HIM teams across the nation are making the workplace more fun. Appreciation days abound, and some teams are getting more creative with employee morale, such as hosting costume contests, organizing game nights and adopting team aliases like "Coders Gone Wild." HIM staffs are also improving the lives of others through community service projects, charitable bake sales and collections for troops overseas.
Our 2008 judges, still beaming from last year's recognition, were eager to take on the challenge of scoring this year's entries. They evaluated each entry based on seven criteria: awards and recognition, initiative, adaptability, teamwork, above and beyond, knowledge and additional information. While scoring the entries undoubtedly came with some pressure, each judge expressed gratitude for being invited to participate in the process.
The contest was a close call, as many teams demonstrated exceptional work and continuing passion, but ADVANCE tallied the judges' scores, and we are proud to introduce you to our 2008 Team of the Year. Remember, if you didn't win this year, our 2009 contest kicks off in July!
THE WINNERS:
Crouse Hospital
Syracuse, NY
Communication Central
The HIM department at Crouse Hospital in Syracuse, NY, has learned that the best return on investment comes from open communication and teamwork. Its 73-member team strives to maintain positive relationships not only within the department, but across all stretches of medical care.
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Crouse Hospital's transcription services
Back row, left-to-right: Lynne Grande, Rochelle Fiel, Carrie McIntyre, Joanne Culotti, Rosemary Mallore, Barbara Clark, Stephanie Rueger.
Middle row, left-to-right: Carlette McGlown, Cindy Bohlke, Carolyn Dupre, Sandy Suppes, Carol Perfetti, Kelly Glynn.
Front row, left-to-right: Regina Kane, Mandy Hitchcock, Jenny Turo, Dawn Hyde.
Absent: Tracey Kummrow, Barb Durand, Terry Davenport, Jill Mullen, Maureen Capoto, Kathy Gould, Deirdre Bush, Holly Skiff. |
"The hospital in general is going through a cultural change, and [we're] really focusing on our patient satisfaction, customer satisfaction and employee satisfaction," said HIM Director Carolyn Dupre, RHIT, who submitted the contest entry. "We've just made remarkable improvements," she added.
Dupre said she is most proud of the department's high level of employee satisfaction. "We've really come a long way in bringing the group together," she explained.
Annual employee surveys help Dupre gauge how HIM is performing in comparison to other departments at Crouse. Dupre makes sure that HIM stays at the top of the list. She also asks for staff input and insists on implementing their suggestions. She said winning Team of the Year is proof that the system is working.
"It gives me a sense of satisfaction that we're doing the right thing," she glowed. "They work really hard; they're here every day; and just recognizing their good efforts, it makes me proud."
Whether attending administrative meetings or clarifying codes with physicians, Crouse Hospital's HIM department has become a driving force behind the facility's ongoing dedication to quality patient care.
"I have never [before] worked in an organization where when they talk about mission, vision and values, we truly live them here," said Christina Cass, CPC, CMBS, HIM operations manager, who has been working at Crouse Hospital since April.
Among other accomplishments, the HIM department was recognized by the New York State Department of Health for congenital malformation registry and cancer registry reporting and came in third for Most Improved Customer Service at last year's Crouse Choice Awards. Last year, the coding area improved reimbursement by $700,000, and the coding manager was recently recognized for winning two coding disputes that saved the hospital $13,000 in paybacks. Crouse Hospital is also embracing technology; the HIM staff uses NetAccess to reduce errors in patient demographics and just introduced electronic flow sheets.
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Crouse Hospital's HIM leadership
Back row, left-to-right: Katie Shepard, Christy Cass, Aimee Monica, Jeffery Youngs, Cindy Bohlke, Carolyn Dupre.
Front row, left-to-right: Kelley Clifford, Sandy Suppes, Julia Smith, Kathy Hanlon. |
Upholding the hospital's standards hasn't been without challenges. Spatial constraints dispersed the staff across two floors and five offices, and several MTs work from home. But thanks to monthly meetings, daily e-mails and an overall welcoming atmosphere, the HIM staff can scale any barrier.
"We work so closely together every day that the walls that divide do not matter," Cass explained.
In addition to everyday contact, the staff has begun job shadowing all three shifts to further strengthen the lines of communication, while a bimonthly newsletter called "The Health Information Station" provides updates about employees' personal lives, such as a wedding or birth in the family. Even the department's refreshment table, with coffee to sip and photos to browse, invites comfort and conversation.
The team has also taken great strides to bridge the communication gap that often divides medical personnel and HIM.
"Sometimes we're separated between the clinical and the business part of the medical field," Cass said. "This [win] is huge for us because one of our goals this year was to bring HIM-our name-into the hospital and what we do and the importance of patient care."
Dupre said her staff educates other departments and physicians about HIM to ensure they understand the processes needed to maintain standards. "Teaching the doctors what it truly means, coding vs. documentation, they're more apt to work with us and basically respect what we're all about," Dupre said.
Every year, the HIM staff hosts an open house and invites all other hospital personnel to explore the department and learn more about documentation and coding. This year's theme is "Footprints," and Dupre plans to place a path of footprints meandering through the hallways, "just so they can see the trail of the information and how it flows from the units through the HIM department," she said.
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Crouse Hospital's coding department
Back row, left-to-right: Cheryl Cartino, Tinnie McAlpine, Kirsten Hubel, Dorcas Rodriguez, Tara Rachelle Parris, Aimee Monica, Kathy St. Onge, June Stahl, Rebecca Parkhurst, Alice Callahan, Kym Troch.
Middle row, left-to-right: Karen Light, Kelley Clifford, Carolyn Dupre, Kathy Hanlon, Deb Tennity.
Front row, left-to-right: Jill Zablotny, Shannon Tarson, Julia Smith, Linda Runfolo, Tracy Brassil.
Absent: Mary Sutkowski, Sandy Coughlin, Kristen Grant, Donna Breazzano, Linda Okon. |
This alternative approach to education is just one example of how Crouse's HIM team makes the workplace more fun. Department meetings are held outside the office; employees snack on pizza and soda while playing games that promote teamwork, such as a rousing round of "Family Feud."The department is also funding its own Christmas party, so staff members-including the remote MTs-are organizing fundraisers and bake sales.
"It's a huge team builder because we all come together with different ideas and we get to know each other," Cass said.
Their teamwork is also benefiting the community; staffers created "Crouse HIM: Hope in Miracles," a breast cancer awareness group, and they also received rave reviews after coordinating with a summer program that brought young volunteers into the department and taught them about HIM's role in patient care.
The well-established lines of communication both within and beyond the department walls will prove valuable as Crouse Hospital looks toward the future. In addition to working with vendors to implement document imaging-a project Dupre said she hopes to have up and running by next fall-the hospital's IT department is simultaneously developing the means to establish an EHR. "That's a huge undertaking," Dupre attested.
The HIM department will also undergo major renovations as it moves from a paper-based to an electronic environment, including plans to make telecommuting available to coders. Currently, the team is developing a clinical documentation improvement program that will further educate physicians about coding needs.
With so many ambitious projects ahead, the HIM staff at Crouse Hospital is happy to be recognized for what they've already accomplished. They plan to wrap up HIT week and celebrate their win on Nov. 7 with a "Night on the Town" celebration sponsored by ADVANCE. They'll also receive individual certificates, a department plaque and a package of goodies from ADVANCE's Healthcare Shop.
"Our celebrating has begun today and it probably won't end until next year," Cass beamed.
For a complete list of members from the winning HIM team at Crouse Hospital, click here.
Contest sponsored by:
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