New facility plan updates

Some of the information that follows has been in a previous announcement, but several more details have been developed to keep you updated (the latest details are in bold).

In our Absolute Quality journey as a Duke LifePoint hospital, Marquette General is making short- and long-term plans for our main campus facility.

It’s crucial that the community we serve be kept abreast of the most up to date information as possible in this regard.  The following is the latest update on our facilities planning:

An overall cosmetic facelift of existing hospital facilities

• In a matter of weeks, paint, carpet and many other aesthetic upgrades will begin in the Skywalk and entrances to the Operating Room and Imaging Services.

Ambulatory Surgery Center

• The 18,000 square-foot shell for this facility already exists beneath the “West Building” Emergency Department/Trauma Center addition.
• This major new construction project is expected to be started during this calendar year.

“West Building” Addition

• Four stories will be added to the existing “West Building”.
• The first two floors will house 32 private patient rooms each.
• The Family Birthing/NICU will relocate to the third floor.
• The fourth floor will be a shell for future expansion.

Medical Office Building.

• This new facility will be located between the “West Building” and Seventh St. It will include four to seven floors.
• It will feature an adjoining parking ramp, and a bridge will also be built to connect the facility to the expansion over the West Building.
• The MOB will house MGH employed physicians and some patient services. MGH will utilize existing  physician offices at the Upper Peninsula Medical Center for non-clinical departments and services.
• The Brain & Spine Center will move to the MOB building, with the use of its current space too be determined.

Cancer Center, Radiation Oncology, infusion services and oncologist offices

• These services will be located in the “1984 Building,” creating a unified cancer center.
• The Center will build up from Radiation Oncology, and the second floor will be a new infusion center.
• Oncologist physician offices will also relocate to the new center.

Patient Tower Renovation

• The “1981 Building” patient units will be renovated, redesigned and transformed for 22-24 private patient rooms on each unit.
• The design of the private patient rooms in the 1981 tower will mirror those in the West Building addition.

St. Luke’s Building

• The St. Luke’s building will be razed, and a new support services facility will be built in its place.

North Building

• Part of the North Building will become a Cardiac Center, which will include cardiologist physician offices, and occupy the space presently occupied by the Family Birthing Center/NICU.

Other details

• A new main entrance to the hospital will be constructed west of the ED.
• Nuclear Medicine will move to the new Cardiac Center.
• Over the next three years, the bulk of the projects will be started, with all of them started within five years.

Many other improvements, additions and demolition of some existing structures are on the drawing board, with details to be released as plans are finalized.

Marquette General names new chief operating officer

Ed Banos, 48, has been named president and chief operating officer for Marquette General.

Banos comes to Marquette from Texas where he served as president and chief executive officer of Good Shepard Medical Center.

Prior to that, he worked at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pa., and at Tenet Health Northshore Medical Center and Tenet Health Care Park Plaza Hospital in Florida.

Banos reports directly to Gary Muller, who remains CEO of Marquette General. The new executive structure is part of a broader hospital strategy that calls for Banos to take on a large portion of daily operational responsibility for the hospital, allowing Muller to spend a greater portion of his time developing Superior Health Partners.

Muller said, “SHP was formed in July of 2010 with just two hospitals, MGH and Bell Hospital. It now consists of nine Upper Peninsula hospital affiliates and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. As the independent hospitals comprising SHP increasingly unite behind strengthening healthcare quality and access in the region, I am compelled to direct more of my expertise and energy into this effort. Ed Banos has an amazing depth of large hospital leadership experience. Reporting to me, his role will be to ensure MGH operations continue to forge ahead with our ongoing transition to a Duke LifePoint hospital, while I simultaneously endeavor to strengthen and broaden the core mission of Superior Health Partners.”

A native of Pittsburg, Banos earned a master’s degree in health administration from Armstrong Atlantic State University. He earned his undergraduate degree in Health Records Administration from the University of Pittsburgh School of Related Health Professions.

“I am excited to join the Marquette team and be a part of the Duke LifePoint organization as they invest in the healthcare of the Upper Peninsula,” said Banos.

Ed and his wife, Brenda, have relocated to Marquette.

Facilities Plan Taking Shape

As you know, we have made a lot of progress over the last several months since MGH joined Duke LifePoint Healthcare. With Duke LifePoint, MGH is now nearing finalization of a short- and long-term facilities upgrade plan.

While timetables, specific costs and many other details are yet to be determined, we want to share with you some of the high points of the plans that are taking shape:

• An overall cosmetic facelift of existing hospital facilities will be in full swing in a matter of weeks. That means paint, carpet and many other aesthetic upgrades.
• Ambulatory Surgery Center. The 18,000 square-foot shell for this facility already exists beneath the “West Building” Emergency Department/Trauma Center addition. This major new construction project is expected to be started during this calendar year.
• “West Building” Addition. Four stories will be added to the existing “West Building”. Family Birthing/NICU will relocate to this new facility. In addition, 60 private patient rooms will occupy the new facility.
• Medical Office Building. A several-story structure, with adjoining parking ramp will be located between the “West Building” and Seventh St. The MOB will house MGH employed physicians and some patient services. MGH will utilize existing  physician offices at the Upper Peninsula Medical Center for non-clinical departments and services.
• Cancer Center. Radiation Oncology, infusion services and oncologist offices will be located in the “1984 Building,” creating a unified cancer center.
• Patient Tower Renovation. The “1981 Building” patient units will be renovated, redesigned and transformed for private patient rooms. The design of the private patient rooms in the 1981 tower will mirror those in the West Building addition.

Many other improvements, additions and demolition of some existing structures are on the drawing board, with details to be released as plans are finalized. We will keep you fully informed as final plans are confirmed.

February 2013 Employee of the Month

Congratulations to Melinda Laitinen, Registered Nurse for Medical/Oncology, for being selected as Employee of the Month for February 2013.

Here are some of the thing’s that Melinda’s coworkers had to say about her:

• “Melinda goes above and beyond in her patient care. I have worked with her on evening shift since November 2011, and she is an excellent resource for both staff and patients. Melinda has taught me a lot about compassion. I have witnessed many tender moments she has had with her oncology patients–they love Melinda. She is kind, honest, and caring. She is innovative in her patient care as well, always looking for new solutions to problems to keep the patient as comfortable as they can be.”

• “Melinda is a great co-worker. She is always willing to lend a hand when needed. She goes out of her way to make a patient’s stay here better. I have seen multiple patients form a close relationship with her and request her as their nurse. One patient’s child decided to name their baby Melinda! She has a great skill set, and has helped me improve my own clinical skills.

• “I recently witnessed Melinda having a discussion with a very anxious family. Their loved one had a new cancer diagnosis, and they were in shock and confused. She explained the chemotherapy process and drugs to them, and provided them with an educational video that the family and patient watched together. She explained the information in the Chemotherapy folder to them, and Melinda was able to reassure the family about the chemo. She also stressed to them that if they had any questions, to please ask, and if she didn’t know the answer, she would find one. They appeared visibly reassured, and even had some laughs together. Everyone knows when times are tough, a sense of humor is always helpful! Melinda has a great sense of humor and a genuine smile.”

Do you know of an employee who is exemplary in their job and has a willingness to help others such as patients, guests, fellow employees and physicians?  If so, the Employee of the Month Program is a great way to recognize an employee. Nomination forms are available on MGHSNet under Electronic Forms.

March 2013 Pulsar Award: Credentialing Team

Pictured from left are: A. Gary Muller, FACHE, Marquette General CEO; Lori Hicks, Medical Staff Coordinator; Roni Bur, Credentialing Specialist, Upper Peninsula Health Plan; Theresa Stewart, Physician Recruitment Coordinator; and Dr. Tom Noren, Marquette General Chief Medical Officer.

Congratulations to the Credentialing team for being chosen as the Pulsar Award winner for March! The Credentialing team ensures that only highly qualified medical staff members enter our health system and, accordingly, it constitutes a patient’s first line of protection and safety. Faced with the responsibility of collecting, collating, and evaluating a vast amount of information about each applicant in a relatively short period of time, the Credentialing team members must be stalwart guardians of compliance who, even as they expeditiously advance the credentialing and privileging process, must never compromise meticulous examination of each and every application. Put another way, they, despite many pressures, follow a straight line without cutting corners. Moreover, the members of the Credentialing team must be adept at working collaboratively with medical and hospital staff colleagues during the application process. Every application is forwarded to our CVO (credentials verification organization) which is the Upper Peninsula Health Plan. Our Medical staff office then coordinates the whole approval sequence right through to the appropriate Department Chair and on to the Credentials Committee. Thanks in large part to our Credentialing team, we received no Medical Staff citations from the Joint Commission during our recent survey. More importantly, our Medical staff, which provides services in 63 specialties and sub-specialties, boasts outstanding qualifications. Our Credentialing team, vigilant, disciplined, and dedicated, is determined to help maintain these high standards at Marquette General.

The Credentialing team includes:

• Lori Hicks- Medical Staff Coordinator
• Roni Bur- Credentialing specialist, UPHP
• Theresa Stewart- Physician Recruitment Coordinator
• Ginger Maki- Executive Assistant to the CMO
• Dr. Greg Ghiardi- Chair of the Credentials Committee

Marquette General Family Medicine receives MCIR Site of Excellence Award

Pictured from left to right are: Laurie McGee, Marquette County Health Department – IAP (Immunization Action Plan) Coordinator; Genevieve Pokley, MGFM – Secretary; Kate Burnett, MGFM – LPN; Jeffrey Sergey, MGFM – Senior Clinic LPN; Kathryn Harrington, MGFM – Practice Manager.

Marquette General Family Medicine was recently presented the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR) Site of Excellence Award. This award is given to provider sites that go above and beyond state requirements. The clinic has achieved exceptional compliance rates for immunized children, regularly meets the 72 hour constraint for entering information into the state registry and balancing inventory with regularity. Congratulations to the crew at Marquette General Family Medicine!

Wellness program for postpartum moms

Bloom is a special wellness program for moms who are 6 weeks to 1 year postpartum. Watch the news story below for more information, or click this link to view the brochure → http://bit.ly/XWgyKs