Page 6 – Here for Life

Redesigning the patient experience

June 9, 2017

Preparing to move to the new Clinic and Specialty Center next April is much more than packing boxes and moving the equipment to a new location. In reality, it represents a tremendous opportunity to rethink clinic flow, standardize the process and determine what it will take to deliver the best experience for our patients and the most efficient model for providers.

That’s why our orthopedic team started participating as a Model Cell, and evaluating every aspect of their operation almost two years in advance of their anticipated move. They are piloting tests of change to enhance our services, and the improvements will be imbedded in every clinical area that is moving to the new building. (more…)

It’s tick season! Prevent contact, know the signs and symptoms.

June 9, 2017

Take preventive measures against ticks year-round, especially in the warmer months from April to September, when ticks are most active.

How can I avoid contact with ticks?

Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
Walk in the center of trails. Avoid walking off the trail.

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What healthcare can learn from a rock ‘n’ roll club: People, process & culture

June 6, 20174

Guest post by Andy Cook, MHA

On a perfect Saturday evening, 2,500 people gathered under the façade of the legendary First Avenue music venue for a concert to honor and memorialize Prince. Midway through a classic Prince tune, a Hennepin EMS ambulance drove past on 7th Street with its siren perfectly in tune with the band. This was just chance, of course. But it also made me think about what healthcare can learn from a rock club.

Maybe I’m unique in seeing this connection because I live in both the healthcare and music worlds. By day I am a manager at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC), overseeing Neurology, Sleep Medicine, Pulmonary, EEG & EMG. On evenings and weekends, I am writing, recording, and playing shows along with my friends and bandmates on the music scene. (more…)

Gun safety awareness – talk to your kids

June 2, 2017

Firearm injuries and violence take the lives of more than 30,000 people every year in the US. Children and youth are killed by guns almost as frequently as by motor vehicles. At HCMC, a leading trauma center in our state, we see firsthand the devastating impact of these injuries and deaths. This June, in conjunction with the city of Minneapolis and the State of Minnesota, we will support Gun Violence Awareness by emphasizing gun safety with our pediatric patients and their families. National Gun Violence Awareness Day is Friday, June 2^nd, 2017. The National Safety Council has declared June as National Safety Month. (more…)

Think F.A.S.T. – educate yourself about the symptoms of a stroke

May 19, 2017

May is Stroke Awareness Month so it’s a good time to learn some interesting facts about strokes and the importance of recognizing the signs of a stroke. It is often thought strokes only happen to older people and that isn’t true. A stroke can happen at any age. In fact, stroke is on the rise in adults age 25-55. For people under the age of 45 almost ¾ experiencing the signs of a stroke would wait and seek medical attention only if symptoms progressed. At HCMC about half of stroke patients are younger than age 65. (more…)

A spinal injury that changed a young man’s life

May 18, 2017

Spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries can happen in an instant and may significantly change a person’s life. This was the case for Nick Maestas, who ended up with a spinal fracture after a diving accident in rural Minnesota.

Fortunately for Nick, he was taken to Cambridge Hospital where he was immediately evaluated. The medical staff at Cambridge transferred Nick via helicopter to one of Minnesota’s Level 1 trauma centers, Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC). At HCMC, Nick’s family was met by the trauma team in the emergency department. At this point, Nick was stabilized and several tests were done to determine the full extent of his injuries. (more…)

When you’re not ready for hospice: the IMPACT care model

May 15, 2017

IMPACT is a Medicare model utilized at Hospice of the Twin Cities that provides support and care coordination for terminally-ill patients who live at home, have Medicare Parts A & B eligibility, and who continue to treat their CHF, COPD, HIV or cancer diagnosis.

IMPACT patients are not yet ready for hospice and continue to get treatment for their illness. The model provides hospice-like support through telephonic case management along with social work, home health, and spiritual care services, adding to a patient’s plan of care and treatment. Oftentimes, stigma alone prevents patients from choosing hospice, and if such services are offered as patients treat their disease, their quality of life can improve significantly. Ultimately, they are likely to experience the benefits of hospice – seeing it as enhancing and not ending life – and will opt for hospice when ready. (more…)

Measles is on the rise – what should you do?

May 3, 2017

Measles infections continue to spread in Minnesota with cases reported in Hennepin, Ramsey and Crow Wing counties. Unvaccinated children are getting this vaccine-preventable disease, most of whom are under five years of age. HCMC is working closely with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) as they monitor and provide guidance for this recent outbreak.

Measles is highly infectious and can cause severe illness leading to hospitalization or even death. Early symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes. A rash then develops which spreads from the head to the rest of the body. Complications from measles include ear infections, pneumonia, and encephalitis (brain infection).

Measles spreads quickly among people who have not been vaccinated. The Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is highly effective in preventing measles if you are exposed.
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Welcome to Here for Life

How can I avoid contact with ticks?

Guest post by Andy Cook, MHA