Study: Physicians Willing to Assess Patients’ Spiritual Needs, More Likely to Do So With Education and Training
“Research has long shown that people who are more religious and spiritual have better health and adapt more quickly to health problems compared to those who are less so. Now, the results of a year-long study of health care providers, including physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants across Midwestern and Southeastern states, indicate that a majority of providers are willing to assess the spiritual needs of patients, and that providers who receive training on how to appropriately engage patients on spirituality are twice as likely to regularly conduct spiritual assessments,” GlobeNewswire reports. “The study, called Faith in Practice, was conducted by Adventist Health System, one of the largest faith-based health care systems in the U.S., and Duke University’s Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health. It was designed to examine the attitudes and practices of care providers as they relate to the integration of spirituality into patient care, while introducing practical strategies for the application of spiritual care in the outpatient setting.”
Adventist Health’s Journey to a Robust Virtual Care Network
“Adventist Health is a fully integrated health system with 20 hospitals, many in California. It owns and operates the largest network of rural health clinics west of the Rockies. Over the last four years Adventist has been on a journey from occasional telemedicine use to a more formal virtual care network, leveraging telemedicine at 22 rural hospitals and clinics with another 12 sites in development,” according to the Healthcare Informatics Institute. “In a recent webinar presentation, Robert Marchuk, vice president of ancillary services, said Adventist had been working on telemedicine for several years, but didn’t have a system-wide approach until about four years ago when it started developing a vision around enhanced access to care. As the mechanisms for delivering telehealth services have improved and costs have decreased, Adventist has developed a whole portfolio of telehealth services with a focus on specific business cases, rural settings and sustainability.”
Kettering Medical Center Named in Top 20 Most Beautiful Hospitals
Kettering Medical Center has been named as one of the Top 20 Most Beautiful Hospitals in the United States, ranking number seven on the list, reports WDTN. “Jarrod McNaughton, President of Kettering Medical Center, says this award is for the people who work at the hospital make it a beautiful place. ‘In addition to the hospital and the cancer center, it’s the people inside that make our campus truly beautiful,’ McNaughton said. ‘Our physicians, nurses and staff provide such amazing care to our patients and families in a facility that promotes a healing environment.’”
Shady Grove and Washington Adventist Earn Cardiac Care Awards
“Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, and Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park, are being recognized for providing the highest quality care to heart attack patients by the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR ACTION Registry Get With the Guidelines (GWTG),” according to Montgomery Community Media. “Shady Grove Medical Center earned the 2017 Platinum Performance Achievement Award, which means it consistently followed treatment guidelines for eight consecutive quarters and met a performance standard of 90 percent or better for specific measures. Shady Grove is one of only 193 hospitals in the country to achieve Platinum. Washington Adventist Hospital received the 2017 Silver Performance Achievement Award, which means it followed the guidelines for four consecutive quarters and met a performance standard of 90 percent or better for specific measures. Washington Adventist is one of only 105 hospitals to receive the Silver Award.”
Loma Linda University Health Begins Diabetes Prevention With Employees
“Loma Linda University Health (LLUH) created a diabetes prevention program (DPP) that offers nutritional and exercise options, as well as other lifestyle changes for their employees,” AMA Wire reports. “‘During our pilot in April we utilized the health care teams to do an electronic medical records search for those who met the criteria and our care management team reached out,’ Brenda Rea, MD, DrPH, RD, PT told AMA Wire®. Dr. Rea is a physician lead for the diabetes prevention program and preventive medicine specialist at Loma Linda University Health. ‘For the next group we will be doing biometric screenings for our entire population and, based off of those results, we will send out invitation letters.’”
Amanda Maggard Named CEO for Florida Hospital Zephyrhills
“Amanda Maggard, administrator for Florida Hospital Winter Garden, has been named CEO for Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, effective Sept. 4,” according to Benzinga. “Florida Hospital Zephyrhills is an award-winning 153-bed regional medical center located in East Pasco County, Florida, and a member of Adventist Health System. In this role, Maggard will be replacing Randy Surber, who was recently promoted to CEO for Florida Hospital Heartland Medical Center.”
