August 2017 News for Munson Healthcare Medical Staff Right Things, Right Reasons Christine Nefcy, MD, FAAP, Chief Medical Officer at Munson Healthcare, shares thoughts about her first 12 months at the helm. Defining the systemic direction Despite the complexities, Nefcy the house?’” “It helps keep things has taken time. Last year, Nefcy said that best practices at each in perspective”, she laughs. met with Munson Healthcare’s hospital have elevated the system’s Another piece of advice she chief medical officers to begin approach to care. always keeps in mind is to “do the that process, she said. “Our behavioral standards right things for the right reasons.” “The big things that came out document was created by the “We have a great opportunity here of that meeting were that they CMO in Charlevoix; Grayling’s to work together as a system and wanted to work on shared approach to high-risk OB learn from each other’s strengths governance, reducing variation, patients is a best practice,” she and our weaknesses. We really are clarification of roles, culture, said. “We will likely be adopting stronger together.” leadership development, some of Manistee’s quality removing silos, and optimizing measurement practices, and Dr. Christine Nefcy can be Christine Nefcy, MD, FAAP the EHR,” Nefcy said. “They Cadillac really led the way in their reached at 231-935-6556 and Chief Medical Officer wanted to make sure we were development of a massive blood [email protected]. aligned clinically, operationally, transfusion protocol.” and financially.” Just hours into her first day on the With an eye to year two, Nefcy job last year, Dr. Christine Nefcy From there the group met said she has three goals in said that communicating with monthly, inviting various mind: continuing leadership physician leaders was her biggest regional physician organizations, development, system peer review, In This Issue… priority. “I want to get a good recruiting, communication, and increased transparency understanding of their priorities and, each quarter, chiefs of staff to drive quality and safety 2 Welcome System and their concerns in terms of and leadership from physician improvements. Director of Quality being a part of a system,” she said organizations. See pg. 5 for what 2 Provider Satisfaction And even though there is so about her open-door philosophy. the CMO team has accomplished Survey much work to do, Nefcy says she “Physicians should feel very so far. 3 Cardiovascular Update keeps it all in perspective. welcome to come in and chat.” 4 Maternal Fetal With a year under her belt, Nefcy “When I talk to physicians going Medicine Update Twelve months on, Nefcy praises admits the role is “a big job.” into administrative roles, I remind 5 Meet Our CMOs the leadership, mission, and “This field is a complex one with them that even though there’s 9 Cerner Ambulatory vision that is now shaping the lots of moving parts, layered on really important stuff going on at Phase One system’s “true north, a patient- top of very different hospitals this level, nothing is really emer- 10 Health Care’s Lean centered community.” with cultures and histories – then gent,” she said. “I have a poster in Journey “We have some really awesome on top of that a federal change my office that says, “When there’s 11 HIPAA leaders here, physicians and and uncertainty with payment an emergency, no one shouts, ‘Is 11 MACRA otherwise, plus a great mission and the future,” she said. “There’s there a hospital administrator in 12 PAMA and vision,” she said. “But there’s a lot going on.” 12 CMS ABN Form still a lot of work to do.” munsonhealthcare.org/ForPhysicians Page 1 | thePulse Getting to Know commitments to high quality all of these areas. I am also a very Tom Peterson, MD, FAAP and comprehensive safety are outcome-driven person. That is Munson Healthcare’s new VP of Quality and Safety started very apparent. Folks have been what truly makes the work fun. extremely inviting and friendly in June and we caught up with him for a quick Q&A during Can you tell us a little bit about as well. his first week: your personal life? What’s your game plan for I met my wonderful wife in 9th the first 90 days? My first grade, and we’ve been married What attracted you to this priority is to learn — about 35 years. We have three great role? I have worked in many the system, the history, the kids, with two of them working areas of health care the past personalities and the culture — in the medical field and one in 25+ years, so being part of an and understand the good things marketing at PepsiCo. My dad excellent high-quality, growing that are happening and where was also a physician, and with my system like Munson Healthcare we could improve. Leadership son in the field, it gives us three was a draw for me. Also, I engagement is a big deal in the generations of Dr. Tom Petersons. quality and safety world so I wanted to work for a system What’s the first tourist need to get to know the system that has a true commitment to attraction you plan to hit in leaders in these areas and safety and quality work. Not northern Michigan? We have understand what we’re already every health care organization covered Leelanau and Old doing. I am a big proponent incorporates safety and quality Mission peninsulas already, of a shared learning approach, into their mission and values, or and just received a gift from my Tom Peterson, MD, FAAP especially in a new system. Vice President, Quality and Safety a framework like True North. children to kayak off of Sleeping Traverse City was another Why is it so important to Bear Dunes. We also want to hike have someone overseeing North Manitou Island. Nordhouse “My approach for quality and safety is that everyone both quality and safety? If you Dunes is also on our list, and we does it together. We can’t work in silos and it can’t are overseeing both, then you are looking forward to the many can really integrate all areas of northern Michigan festivals. just be a clinical approach.” these disciplines. My approach Is there anything else you’d like for quality and safety is that us to know? Traverse City is the Where were you working prior attraction. My family and I had everyone does it together. We smallest city we’ve ever lived in so to accepting this role? I came always talked about coming can’t work in silos and it can’t it is a new experience. However, from SCL Health in Denver, CO, to northern Michigan so we’re just be a clinical approach. The we’ve been very impressed with where I was Vice President and trading mountains for lakes. tools, methods, and resources Chief Safety Officer. This was everything it has to offer. We What are your first impressions need to work for everyone. a 9 hospital system in 3 states, feel very fortunate to be here. of our system? With Munson Is there anything else you’d approximately 15,000 employees. What is the best way to reach you? Healthcare being a relatively like physicians to know? I’m a Prior to that, I was Executive I can be reached at 231-935-6519 new system, I think there will pediatrician by profession and Director for Safety, Quality, and (office),616-717-0911 (cell), be opportunity to help build worked for many years in the Community Health at Helen and [email protected]. and shape a system culture, quality, safety, and the population DeVos Children’s Hospital. Please contact me at any time! which I find exciting. But the health worlds. I have a passion for Provider Satisfaction Survey Results Helpful Creating an Excellent Place to provider satisfaction and engagement administration. This was a follow up senior leaders focus on the areas Practice for providers is something with your local hospital. The survey to the survey conducted in February that truly matter to providers. Munson Healthcare strives to ran March 20 – June 12. 2015 and will help us gauge progress We are currently analyzing the achieve. on the initiatives that resulted from The areas addressed in the survey survey results, but will be sharing that survey. Earlier this year, Munson were nursing, emergency services, these with our medical staff later Healthcare medical staff were radiology, pathology, anesthesiology, We had a 79 percent response rate, this year. asked to participate in a survey, laboratory services, surgical services, which was very much appreciated. Thank you to all providers who by web or phone, to determine medical records and information, and Your feedback will help physician and participated in the survey! Page 2 | thePulse munsonhealthcare.org/ForPhysicians Cardiovascular Services Cardiovascular Services cardiologists and additional more patient visits, consolidate and the body puts a layer of continues to expand as we look staff now offer extended hours heart and vascular testing cells over it within three for three new cardiologists to and expanding testing. The equipment, add Lab space, months, taking the risk of join the current 19-member clinic has the capacity for up and provide for a more rapid infection down to zero. Traverse Heart and Vascular to 2,000 patient visits and assessment of patients whose • Were among the first group (THV) physician team in FY18. 600 heart tests per year. primary care physicians, or of health systems in the Also, Cardiothoracic Surgeons the Emergency Department, A cardiologist and two APPs country to receive bioresor- of Grand Traverse added a sixth feel have an urgent need.