WINTER /SPRING 2011 Improving the Health of Our Community VALLEY VOICES 8 Overwhelming Support for Valley Medical Center & UW Medicine Affiliation 3 4 12 Treating Coronary VMC & UW #1 in WA for Artery Disease with Medicine Exploring Orthopedic Non-Emergency PCI Strategic Alliance Services A Message from the CEO Strategic Alliance a New Beginning for may have been a little unconventional at times, Valley Medical Center my focus is as intense as it was 27 years ago. This Alliance will be the pinnacle of years of sound fiscal At Valley Medical Center’s management that has allowed for tremendous growth Board meeting on January of our facilities, clinical programs, community 18, the CEOs of UW outreach, specialization and comprehensive subspecialty Medicine and Valley Medical capabilities … and it will also be a new beginning. Center signed a non-binding Letter of Intent to explore As we face the challenges of healthcare reform, budget a Strategic Alliance through deficits and a recession that has left many both which Valley would integrate uninsured and underinsured, this Alliance will ensure with UW Medicine. The Board of Commissioners that residents of this hospital district will continue then unanimously decided to evaluate and pursue to receive quality primary and specialty care close to this administrative recommendation which was met home, irrespective of their financial situation. Residents by spontaneous applause from a standing-room-only will also gain access to enhanced services, research, crowd of community and business leaders, elected medical teaching programs involving Residents and officials, physicians and staff. Fellows, in addition to clinical expertise from one of the top medical organizations in the country that trains Valley Medical Center and UW Medicine share a tomorrow’s leading physicians and medical scientists common mission and vision of providing outstanding today. I could not be more excited. clinical care with a firm commitment to patient safety and excellence. This decision provides exciting As we move forward with discussions with key opportunities to explore what can be accomplished stakeholders and the community, I am proud of what through combined efforts on important initiatives to our staff and community have accomplished at Valley benefit the residents of South King County. by being able to attract the world-class UW Medicine organization and I am thrilled about the possibilities If this Strategic Alliance advances, it will be the most of the future. significant achievement of my career as CEO of Valley Medical Center. When I was hired in 1983 to be the Remarkable things are truly happening at Valley CEO of Valley General Hospital (as it was called at Medical Center! that time), I committed to ensuring that residents of this community had access to state-of-the-art facilities, technology and services as well as first-rate staff and physicians. While my management style Rich Roodman, CEO, Valley Medical Center Turn to page 4 to read about VMC’s potential strategic alliance with UW Medicine! Cover photo: Charles Cortes/Renton Reporter 2 VALLEY VOICES • Winter/Spring 2011 Treating Coronary Artery Disease Through Non-Emergency PCI Coronary Artery Disease Terminology ■■ Coronary angiogram: A test in which a small catheter is guided through a vein or artery into the heart. Dye is given through the catheter, and moving x-ray pictures are made as the dye travels through the heart. This comprehensive test shows: narrowing in the arteries, outside heart size, inside chamber Vance, Valley size, pumping ability of the heart, Medical Center PCI patient ability of the valves to open and close, as well as a measurement of the pressures within the heart chambers and arteries. A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, occurs when one or more regions of the heart muscle experience a severe or prolonged lack of oxygen caused by blocked ■■ Coronary angioplasty: A small balloon is inflated inside the blocked blood flow to the heart muscle. The blockage is often a result of a buildup of plaque, artery to open the blocked area. composed of fat deposits, cholesterol and other substances. Plaque ruptures and ■■ eventually a blood clot forms. The actual cause of a heart attack is a blood clot that Coronary artery stent: A tiny coil is expanded inside the artery to open forms within the plaque-obstructed area which stops the flow of blood. the blocked area and is left in place Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), also known as to keep the artery open. coronary angioplasty, is a procedure to treat the buildup of plaque, creating a bigger opening in the coronary arteries to permit more blood flow to the heart. For many years, Valley Medical Center cardiologists have performed PCI on those hospitalized with a heart attack or with John Nemanich, MD life threatening coronary blockage. While this service continues, just over a year ago VMC added non-emergency PCI as a treatment option. According to interventional cardiologist John Nemanich, MD, “Non-emergency PCI allows the patient to receive a diagnostic angiogram and if a lesion or blockage BEFORE PCI - Blockage is found, the interventional PCI treatment can be performed during the same procedure. It saves the patient from having to undergo two procedures, shortens the length of hospitalization and most importantly, might prevent a heart attack from occurring.” “People who are hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome—chest pain that would likely lead to heart attack—or those with chest pain which significantly impacts their lives, are potential candidates for non-emergency PCI,” says Dr. Nemanich. “Since we’ve been doing this procedure, probably half of our PCI patients have undergone the procedure on a non-emergency basis. PCI can be so beneficial. Most patients experience a significant improvement in the quality of AFTER PCI - Flow Restored their lives. The restored blood flow to the heart helps them feel much better and many can even start exercising again.” VALLEY VOICES • Winter/Spring 2011 3 Valley Medical Center Announces the Exciting Exploration of a Strategic Alliance with UW Medicine Valley Medical Center (VMC) is pleased to announce that the CEOs of UW Medicine and Valley Medical Center signed a non-binding Letter of Intent on January 18, 2011 to explore the feasibility of a strategic alliance. By integrating VMC with the UW Medical Health System, the alliance could: ■■ increase access to healthcare services for South King County residents; improve efficiency of care; align best practice models ■■ expand clinical, teaching and research programs ■■ position both organizations for future Center, Harborview Medical Center, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research healthcare reform opportunities, such UW Neighborhood Clinics, UW Center, and Children’s University as the creation of an Accountable Physicians, Airlift NW, UW School of Medical Group with Seattle Children’s Care Organization (ACO). Medicine and Northwest Hospital. UW Hospital. The components of UW Medicine Medicine also shares in the ownership VMC’s in-depth evaluation with UW Health System currently include: and governance of Seattle Cancer Care Medicine will include the exploration University of Washington Medical Alliance with Seattle Children’s Hospital of the development of an ACO as a proactive response to meeting the challenges of healthcare reform. “UW Medicine and Valley Medical Center share a Benefits to VMC and the commitment to providing outstanding clinical care Community with an emphasis on patient safety and service. Both organizations share a history A strategic alliance would support our mission and vision of providing outstanding of improving the health of the public and would clinical care with a firm commitment enhance our ability to provide national leadership to patient safety and excellence for healthcare reform.” – Dr. Paul Ramsey, CEO, and a shared mission of improving UW Medicine and Dean, UW School of Medicine community health. VMC is interested in exploring the possible expansion of: 4 VALLEY VOICES • Winter/Spring 2011 ■■ Enhanced, specialized services on the VMC main campus and in “With this strategic alliance, we would be able South King County to give our local community access to additional ■■ Enhanced, continued medical clinical services, as well as an additional depth of education and clinical research sub-specialization through the expertise of one of opportunities on the VMC campus the top medical organizations in the United States. VMC brings community focus, a personalized and ■■ Joint community education contemporary patient environment, and a history programs of great clinical outcomes and technical innovation. Combining these Such enhancements should provide features with the excellence of UW Medicine’s clinical, teaching and a broader range of local services for research programs would certainly be a benefit to the residents of residents in the hospital district. Southeast King County.” – Rich Roodman, CEO, Valley Medical Center VMC’s Assets Would Remain District Assets might seek and receive active UW and continue to support their local, Public district hospitals are allowed to clinical appointments. Private practice individual organizations. physicians will continue their privileges affiliate, merge or jointly operate with Alliance with an Organization other public or nonprofit entities under at VMC. It is envisioned that VMC employees, including management Like UW Medicine is Consistent Washington law. Under the proposed with VMC’s Mission alliance, the District would continue level employees, would continue to ownership of its hospital, neighborhood work for VMC. VMC is, and will remain, a community-focused organization. The clinics and other assets and liabilities. All District Board of Commissioners tax revenue would be used exclusively non-binding Letter of Intent enables Would Remain Intact: New Board VMC to explore how a strategic alliance for the benefit of the District and not be Would Oversee VMC Management spent outside the District. The strategic would further enhance its mission. The District’s Board of Commission- alliance would adopt centralized ers would continue as it currently exists.