Healthcare Information System Characterstics and Needs

P r i n t

MHA Vila Health™ Activity

Health Information System Characteristics and Needs

• Vila Health Challenge • Health Information System Characteristics and Needs • Email #1 • PDF Documents • Interview Selection • Email #2 • Conclusion • Credits

Vila Health Challenge As the field of health informatics grows, health care professionals at all levels will assume more responsibility for different elements of health information. In order to be effective at managing a complex health care organization, leaders must understand their organization and the people within it who have a stake in the creation, use, and protection of health data.

In this activity, you will identify two areas of Vila Health's St. Anthony Medical Center which you will then analyze and discuss from the perspective of Health Informatics systems and needs.

MHA Health Care Informatics Outcomes

• Discuss the HIS needs of two medical departments, services or clinics.

Health Information System Characteristics and Needs Vila Health is a system of health operating facilities in the Minnesota and Wisconsin area. While they have a well established Electronic Health Record, there are still issues with interoperability and insufficient interfacing with some of their health information systems. Leadership at Vila Health is working hard to determine specific needs at all levels of the organization and to that end has requested middle managers evaluate individual departments and services from the perspective of what health information is generated, used, and shared with other HIS users.

Email #1

Departmental Evaluations From: Evelyn Unger, Administrative Assistant

Welcome aboard! I've been told that you will be assisting with our evaluation of the current state of health information management systems and needs at St. Anthony Medical Center. I uploaded some information about the hospital to your folder that I think will be helpful for you to determine which teams to assess.

Thanks, Evelyn

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PDF Documents PDF Link

About Us Recognized both nationally and locally for its expertise and dedication to patients' health, St. Anthony Medical Center is a key element in Vila Health's mission to be the premiere system of health in the Twin Cities metro area. We work with over 150,000 individuals each year as they face illness and other challenges to their health and wellbeing. We offer not only the traditional specialties you would expect from a state-of-the-art healthcare facility but also complementary or alternative services you can't get anywhere else. We are consistently ranked as one of U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals in the U.S.

Our Services Whether patients need inpatient care, outpatient treatment, post-surgical care, or behavioral health services or referrals, St. Anthony Medical Center can help. We offer the following services and many others:

• AIDS/HIV care • Cardiac/vascular care • Endovascular care • Integrative health • Joint replacement • Kidney care • Mental Health • Neurological care • Oncology • Orthopedics • Reproductive medicine

Leadership • President:

As president and CEO of St. Anthony Medical Center, Geoffrey Vaughn oversees St. Anthony's strategic direction by working with the Board of Trustees to shape and implement the mission and values of the Vila Health organization within St. Anthony Medical Center's entire system.

• CFO: Owen Welch oversees all hospital financial matters, including revenue cycle, supply chain, financial planning, accounting, taxation, reimbursement, and contract negotiation and management.

• Vice President of Operations: Carla Neustadt brings over 25 years of health care leadership to her role as Vice President of Operations. Responsible for both logistical and administrative operations, Carla has led key initiatives in upgrading St. Anthony Medical Center's ability to maximize the effectiveness, security, and integration of electronic health record and business information systems.

• Vice President of Medical Support Services: Christopher Hewitt oversees the administrative and management support services, which provide support with credentialing, continuing medical education, orientation, and other related policy, regulatory, and legal requirements in support of not only the medical staff, but also our nursing and allied health professionals.

• Vice President of Medical Services: Harold Liss provides oversight and guidance to the inpatient and outpatient clinical services found at St. Anthony Medical Center. Harold brings a deep knowledge and understanding of best practices to the role. He has been particularly involved in supporting the integration of electronic health records at all levels of St. Anthony's medical services.

• Director of Clinical Operations: George Fink oversees diagnostic and therapeutic services at St. Anthony Medical Center, which includes diagnostic services such as clinical or

pathology laboratory services as well as therapeutic services such as physical, occupational, or speech therapy.

• Vice President of Specialty Services Bringing over 30 years of health care experience to the position, Thomas Hayes helps ensure that St. Anthony's Centers of Excellence and other specializations deliver exceptional quality of care, comprehensive services, and an indisputably patient-centered system of health.

St. Anthony Medical Center Foundation With the generous charitable gifts of donors across Minnesota, St. Anthony Medical Center Foundation invests in medical advances, technologies, and facilities, and funds new programs for the overall wellness of patients and the community at large.

Donors may make an unrestricted gift, or if they prefer, the following programs and centers can be targeted for donor gifts:

• The Institute for Alternative Medicine: The Institute offers alternative treatments like reiki, massage, acupuncture, and others to patients who want to reduce their stress, diminish their symptoms, and heal faster after surgery or other treatment.

• The Bariatric Surgery Center: The Bariatric Surgery Center at St. Anthony's Medical Center offers hope to patients who have struggled with obesity and weight loss, in the form of surgical options like gastric banding and gastroplasty. As a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence, our medical and surgical teams work with patients to create a comprehensive solution to weight-loss.

• The Cardiovascular Center: Using cutting-edge diagnostic equipment and treatments, the Cardiovascular Center is the premier choice for patients with a wide variety of heart or vascular conditions or disease in the Twin Cities metro area.

• Clellan Card Cancer Center of Excellence: Drawing from a broad team of cancer specialists, the Clellan Card Cancer Center strives to provide the best and most advanced care possible for our patients, to access and contribute to the latest scientific knowledge, and to translate that knowledge into demonstrably improved experiences for our patients in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, the Midwest, and the world.

• Diabetes Care and Education Institute: St. Anthony Medical Center's Diabetes Care and Education Institute is a recognized leader in innovation around diabetes treatment, management, and education. With a focus on creating a system of health in which the patient is an active agent in his or her care, the Diabetes Care and Education Institute focuses on creating strong links between the latest research and day to day diabetes care and education.

Medical Services St. Anthony Medical Center provides a full range of inpatient, outpatient and emergency care services more than 135,000 patients annually. Founded in 1913, St.

Anthony Medical Center has been serving the Minneapolis/St. Paul and surrounding communities for over a century. We employ more than 1150 people and offer a wide variety of medical services to our patients.

• Medical interventions Our highly experienced and qualified team of board-certified specialists offers informed consultation and state-of-the-art treatments to residents of the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota. Heart and vascular care, neurological care, orthopedic care, and many other specialties are available at St. Anthony Medical Center. For every major organ and organ system, we strive to provide a system of health by offering the tools and knowledge patients and their families need in order to be active participants in determining the best outcomes for their circumstances.

• Rehabilitative interventions Our world-class Rehabilitation Services include comprehensive rehabilitative consultation and treatment for both short-term and long-term conditions and disabilities. This includes both inpatient and outpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, amputee rehabilitation and more.

• Specialty services As part of our commitment to providing the best treatment options and a holistic patient experience, St. Anthony Medical Center's specializations offer innovative medicine and compassionate care to the patient, family and other involved individuals.

Medical Services: Inpatient Clinics St. Anthony Medical Center is part of the Vila Health system of health and is committed to meeting patients where they are in the health continuum. Whether you are facing serious medical challenges or seeking ways to improve your current health, St. Anthony Medical Center and Vila Health want to be your partners in meeting your health needs.

Specializations:

Behavioral: As part of the Vila Health system of health, St. Anthony Medical Center offers access to a wide range of services designed to meet immediate and long term needs. Our staff will work with you to create a treatment plan designed for your needs and circumstances.

Behavioral Health St. Anthony Medical Center takes pride in its compassionate, educated approach to all types of behavioral health needs. Patients who suffer from eating disorders, psychiatric conditions, chemical dependency or abuse, and co-occurring disorders have found relief at St. Anthony Medical Center.

Assessment. We provide phone or in-person assessment for patients who come to the Emergency Room, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We assess each patient's need and create a care plan that may include any or all of the following. Inpatient treatment. Adults, adolescents and children can get treatment from our on-staff

psychiatrist, psychotherapists, chemical dependency counselors and other helping professionals, such as:

• Group, individual and family therapy • Medication management • Crisis services • After-care planning • Substance abuse assessments

Network: As part of the Vila Health system of health, St. Anthony Medical Center offers access to a wide range of services designed to meet immediate and long term needs. Our staff will work with you to create a treatment plan designed for your needs and circumstances.

Emergency Department St. Anthony Medical Center is a Level I trauma center with facilities for responding immediately to cardiovascular emergencies, neurological emergencies, and all manner of health crises, from prevention through rehabilitation. Our Emergency Department's professional medical and health care workers responds quickly to each emergency, including but not limited to:

• Broken bones or dislocated joints • Severe pain, particularly in the abdomen • Persistent or severe chest pain • Difficulty speaking, altered mental state or confusion • Head or eye injuries • Loss of vision • High fever or fever with rash • Persistent shortness of breath or wheezing • Weakness or paralysis • Deep cuts that require stitches • Rape • Suicidal behavior

For conditions that require immediate but not emergency attention, you are encouraged to utilize our Urgent Care Clinics, located in and around the Twin Cities and the surrounding communities.

Endocrinology

The diagnosis and treatment of metabolic disease is the province of St. Anthony Medical Center's Endocrinology clinic, and our endocrinologists have the experience and training to identify, diagnose, and treat a wide variety of metabolic and endocrine disorders.

• Diabetes The most well-known and common metabolic disorder is diabetes, and our physicians work with nurse and dietitian educators to not only treat patients but also educate them in how they can treat themselves and improve their blood glucose management with changes in their diet and lifestyle. For patients who require insulin to manage their diabetes, the care team

teaches patients about their disease and how to use insulin, count carbohydrates, and use an insulin pump. Non-insulin patients receive education about managing their weight and glucose, and any medications that their physician recommends.

• Metabolic Bone Disorders For patients with metabolic bone diseases like osteoporosis, our physicians collaborate with primary care doctors to diagnose and effectively treat these conditions. Dynamic endocrine testing is available on site, and the clinic has the capacity to administer intravenous therapies or other drug infusions on site as well.

• Tumors For patients who are diagnosed with thyroid, parathyroid, or adrenal tumors, our endocrinologists will consult with the patient's primary care doctor and with surgeons at St. Anthony Medical Center to determine the best course of treatment.

St. Anthony Medical Center's Diabetes Care and Education Institute is a recognized leader in innovation around diabetes treatment, management, and education. With a focus on creating a system of health in which the patient is an active agent in his or her care, the Diabetes Care and Education Institute focuses on creating strong links between the latest research and day to day diabetes care and education.

Geriatric

For specialized elder care for the whole patient, St. Anthony Medical Center's Geriatric Services offer treatment and care for the conditions that often accompany aging. Our medical staff and health care professionals have extensive experience with the problems of aging, including immobility, speech difficulties, cognitive limitations, and other special concerns that aging patients often present with. The clinic offers primary care, consultation and education about specific conditions, and other medical services to seniors. For seniors who need referrals for skilled nursing facilities, the clinic helps to coordinate care with physicians at those facilities.

Maternal and Fetal Medicine

The miracle of life can sometimes need a little help. At St. Anthony Medical Center's Maternal and Fetal Medicine department, we offer the best and most comprehensive care for pregnant women and their unborn babies, from conception to newborn care. Perinatologists at the clinic work hand in hand with patients' trusted OB/GYN or primary care physicians. Among the services we provide are:

• Preconception care • Genetic counseling • Prenatal diagnostics • Ultrasound • Specialized testing • First trimester screening

For mothers and unborn babies facing complications, our medical staff has extensive experience and can support families through a broad variety of needs that may occur during and after pregnancy and childbirth.

Medical/Surgical

St. Anthony Medical Center's medical/surgical unit cares for patients who no longer need to be in the Emergency Room, post-op care, or other acute care units, but who need more recovery time or treatment before they can be discharged.

Services available in the medical/surgical unit include:

• Bedside physical therapy • Cardiac monitoring • Post-surgical observation • Post-trauma observation • Occupational, speech, and massage therapy • Specialized wound care • Rapid response to dramatic changes in heart rate, breathing, blood

pressure, or other vital signs

The unit's nursing staff provide these and other services to patients who have chronic conditions, recent trauma, or recent surgeries or procedures.

Nephrology

As diabetes and high blood pressure become more common, problems of the kidney do too. Nephrologists, nurses, dietitians, and other medical and healthcare professionals coordinate care and education for patients who present with kidney issues. With on-site diagnostic tests such as glomerular filtration rate, urine protein, or albumin-to-creatinine ratio testing, St. Anthony Medical Center nephrologists can determine the best course of treatment for patients who present with kidney problems.

Neurology

For patients with diseases or injuries of the brain, spinal cord, or central nervous system, the neurologists at St. Anthony Medical Center have the experience and rigorous training to provide the best in diagnostic and treatment. Our neurologists can diagnose and treat a broad array of neurological disorders, whether patients suffer from movement disorders, migraines, dementia, cognitive deficiencies, or other brain-related problems. The treatments they offer include:

• Botox injections for movement disorder • Baclofen administration via pump therapy • Nerve conduction testing • Deep-brain stimulation • Vagal nerve stimulation • Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)

After assessment and evaluation, St. Anthony Medical Center's neurologists will design a care plan that includes all necessary treatment, recovery, and follow-up

care. For those patients with brain or spine tumors, they coordinate treatment plans with the Cancer Center. Our on-site diagnostic technologies for neurological disorders include:

• CT scanning • PET scanning • PET scanning • EMG (electromyography) • EEG (electroencephalography) • MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) • Evoked potentials • Myelogram • Ultrasound

Operative Services

St. Anthony Medical Center offers a wide range of surgical care. Our surgeons are board certified and represent the best that the Twin Cities medical community has to offer.

Among our surgical specialties are:

• General surgery • Trauma surgery • Neurosurgery • Gastroenterology • Cardiovascular • Ophthamology • Oral and maxillofacial • Cancer • Spine and peripheral surgery • Orthopedic Surgery • Pulmonology • Transplants • Urology • Gynecology/obstetrics • Bariatric surgery

We provide elective and emergency surgeries for children and adults in our six- operating theater suite. Each patient receives expert pre-op consultation and care, as well as post-op and medical/surgical care if more recovery time is needed. The hospital's pre-op nurses coordinate each patient's needed medications, lab tests, and arrival, while post-op nurses assist with medication management and discharge either to the medical/surgical unit or from the hospital. They also help get services, support, and necessary equipment or supplies for post-surgery care.

Orthopedics

Patients with musculoskeletal conditions like arthritis, joint injuries, and bone fractures can get top-notch care at St. Anthony Medical Center's Orthopedics clinic. The clinic has 36 private rooms for patients recovering from knee or hip replacements, and the clinic offers hand/elbow, foot/ankle, and other orthopedic

care. For patients who require joint replacements (conducted by St. Anthony Medical Center's Operative Services), the clinic offers group therapy and activities, because research has shown that support is critical to successful healing after a joint replacement. The hospital's physical therapists and occupational therapists deliver therapeutic treatment and education at the bedside, and can continue to deliver therapy and home exercise programs after the patient has been discharged.

Among the procedures our orthopedists can perform:

• Knee replacements • Hip replacements • Total, partial, and reverse shoulder replacements • Hip resurfacing • Pain management • Endoscopic surgeries • Carpal tunnel release • Hand and wrist fracture treatment • Foot and ankle fracture treatment • Morton's neuroma excision

Pulmonology

The Pulmonology clinic at St. Anthony Medical Center offers comprehensive care for patients with lung diseases and breathing conditions. The diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities of our care team, which includes pulmonologists, a chest radiologist, and two lung cancer experts, are known across the Twin Cities and Minnesota. The care team evaluates each patient and uses the following diagnostic tests to determine their condition and the best course of action for improved breathing or lung health:

• Cardiopulmonary exercise tests • Exercise stress tests • Heart catheterization • Methacoline challenge tests • Pulmonary function tests • Sputum induction

Our pulmonologists are skilled in traditional pulmonological procedures but have also studied interventional pulmonology, a relatively new and less invasive set of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. These procedures include:

• Airway stent • Balloon bronchoplasty • Bronchoalveolar lavage • Flexible or rigid bronchoscopy • Indwelling pleural catheters • Pleurodesis • Pleuroscopy • Thoracentesis

The team works with the hospital's Respiratory Therapy department to coordinate immediate and ongoing care for patients with lung and other breathing problems.

Reconstructive surgery

Patients who survive traumatic and disease-related injuries often need reconstructive surgery to restore the affected area to normal (or close to normal) appearance or function. For these patients, the expertise of St. Anthony Medical Center's reconstructive surgeons is often the best answer.

Some of the most common reconstructions conducted at St. Anthony Medical Center are:

• Breast reconstruction: for patients who have a congenital condition that requires reconstruction, or for patients who have had a mastectomy due to a cancer diagnosis.

• Cleft lip and palate reconstruction: for pediatric or adult patients with cleft lips or malformed palates.

• Craniofacial reconstruction: For patients who have suffered damage to the head or face, usually in traumatic injuries, or patients with congenital facial deformities or tumors.

• Hand and wrist reconstruction: for patients with damage to arteries, nerves, veins, or the musculoskeletal structure of the hand or wrist from repetitive stress, injuries, osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Stroke Care

From the emergency event to restoring to the fullest functioning possible, St. Anthony Medical Center has the expertise and technology to handle strokes. Our Emergency Room is equipped for immediate response to a stroke, including intravenous medication and 24/7 availability of hospital neurologists who specialize in stroke. Treatments like clot removal, and cerebral angioplasty are immediately available, and the hospital's imaging department is available 24/7 to create images that help with diagnosis, not only of the immediate problem but also contributing factors. Once the patient is stabilized, neurologists coordinate a plan of care with the patient's primary care physician and other specialists at the hospital. This might include further treatment, such as stents or other interventions to address narrowed head or neck arteries. Physical, speech, and occupational therapy are available at the bedside and on site so that rehabilitation begins the moment the patient is ready.

Urology

Urinary troubles can create havoc in a patient's life, and the most advanced treatments and interventions for common urological problems are available at St. Anthony Medical Center's Urology clinic. Men and women with urological disorders can find relief from their conditions from the on-staff urologists at the clinic. Among the more common conditions we treat are:

• Genitourinary cancers • Kidney and bladder stones • Voiding dysfunctions and incontinence

• Prostate-related diseases (e.g. cancer and enlarged prostate) • Neuro-urology • Female urology • Erectile dysfunction • Urinary tract infections • Inguinal hernia

For prompt diagnosis of presenting conditions, the clinic has on-site capability for tests like X-rays, CT scans, blood tests and urine tests. Whether the needed intervention is surgical or pharmacological or both, our highly qualified urologists will work with primary care physicians and any other needed specialists to treat the problem effectively.

Vascular Medicine

Aneurysms, varicose veins, and deep vein thrombosis are all examples of vascular diseases that can be treated at St. Anthony Medical Center's Vascular Medicine clinic. These diseases can affect many systems of the body but are primarily problems with veins, arteries, lymph vessels, and the blood. Specialists in the Vascular Medicine clinic can collaborate with cardiovascular and other specialists to make sure that each patient's condition is accurately diagnosed and appropriately treated with the most advanced interventions available. They confirm their diagnosis or theory with diagnostic tests such as:

• CT scans • Abdominal aortic ultrasound • Carotid artery ultrasound • Peripheral arterial evaluation • Peripheral venous evaluation

If blockages or narrowing of vessels is causing other symptoms, physicians will use such treatments as angioplasty or stenting. They also educate patients about any lifestyle changes that could help ameliorate the condition.

Medical Services: Outpatient Clinics Allergy and Asthma

Allergies, asthma, and other immune-related problems meet their match at St. Anthony Medical Center's Allergy and Asthma clinic. Our board certified allergists work with each patient to minimize symptoms and determine their source, then create a detailed care plan to address the cause.

Allergies St. Anthony Medical Center allergists will test patients experiencing allergies to determine which allergens are causing their symptoms, then inform them about their best options, whether it's a course of allergy shots, recommended changes in lifestyle or environment, or changes in diet.

Asthma

St. Anthony Medical Center's physicians work with nurses and respiratory therapists to help patients understand how asthma works, the signs, triggers, and symptoms to watch for, and ways to control asthma once episodes begin. They also consult with the Emergency Room to treat patients who present with severe asthma symptoms.

Immunology For patients with disorders related to their immune systems, the immunology team works with other disciplines to diagnose such conditions as:

• Immunodeficiencies • Crohn's disease • Osteoporosis • Rheumatoid arthritis • Lupus

Audiology

Difficulties with hearing can be isolating, and St. Anthony Medical Center's Audiology department has the experienced, board-certified audiologists and diagnostic equipment to treat patients with a wide variety of hearing disorders. Our audiologists evaluate each patient to determine whether the cause of the hearing loss is congenital or acquired, and what treatment or treatments will help to correct the problem. The department's state-of-the-art equipment allows pure tone air and bone conduction testing, otoacoustic emissions testing, tympanometry, acoustic reflex testing, and more.

Among the services our audiology department provides are:

• Adult hearing evaluations • Pediatric hearing evaluations • Otoacoustic emissions testing • Auditory processing assessments • Tinnitus evaluation

St. Anthony Medical Center does not provide hearing aids, but provides patients with referrals to local providers.

Dermatology

For common and uncommon skin problems, St. Anthony Medical Center's Dermatology clinic has state-of-the-art treatment facilities and experienced dermatologists who can handle simple to complex conditions for adults and children. Besides treating common problems such as rosacea, dermatitis, acne, and the like, dermatologists are also expert at determining whether a troubling skin spot is actually skin cancer. If a patient gets a diagnosis of skin cancer, the dermatologist will work with the patient's primary care doctor and, if needed, other St. Anthony Medical Center specialists for comprehensive care.

Ear, Nose, and Throat

St. Anthony Medical Center offers comprehensive care for disorders of the ear, nose and throat. Not only do our ear, nose, and throat (ENT) physicians have extensive experience and training in diagnosing and treating these disorders, they have a wealth of consultative experience to draw from other departments, including Audiology, Reconstructive Surgery, Allergy and Asthma, Sleep Medicine, and more. Among the conditions our ENT physicians treat are:

• Hearing loss • Dizziness • Balance issues • Nose and sinus disorders • Larynx disorders • Lesions or tissue masses in the head and neck • Sleep apnea

Our ENT physicians are skilled in diagnostic testing and treatment of these disorders. The clinic features advanced equipment for balance testing, MRIs, electrocochleography, electroencephalography, scratch-and-sniff testing for smell and taste disorders, and many other diagnostic tests. After diagnosis and/or treatment, physicians will make referrals for speech therapy, swallowing therapy, sleep studies, or other needed services to make sure the patient makes the most complete recovery possible.

Internal Medicine

The Internal Medicine clinic focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases, and St. Anthony Medical Center internists have a long course of study in adult medicine. Clinic staff include internists and residents who are rotating through the clinic. They work with nurses, social workers, and physical therapists at the hospital and elsewhere to coordinate the best possible care for adult patients who are at least in their teens.

Each of our internists has spent at least three years learning about diseases that occur in adults. They act as primary care doctors, seeing patients for ordinary preventive care as well as conditions that need treatment.

Our internists and residents treat patients for a wide variety of conditions, including common ones like:

• Hypertension (high blood pressure) • Diabetes • Cardiovascular disease • Osteoporosis • Chronic pain • Migraine

Podiatry

For patients with disorders, congenital conditions, and injuries of the foot and ankle, St. Anthony Medical Center's Podiatry clinic offers state-of-the-art diagnosis

and treatment. Our podiatrists have the skills to diagnose many foot-related problems and to deliver the appropriate treatment, whether surgical or nonsurgical. They create a plan of treatment and recovery, and coordinate with physical therapists at the hospital to direct the patient's rehabilitation. For more complex treatments or conditions, our podiatrists can consult with orthopedic and other surgeons at St. Anthony Medical Center as necessary, or refer patients to the hospitals Prosthetics and Orthotics department for orthotic supports and other interventions.

Conditions our podiatrists treat include, but are not limited to:

• Arthritis • Bone spurs • Broken bones • Bunions • Calluses • Claw toe • Corns • Deformities and flat feet • Fungal infections • Hammertoe • Mallet toe • Morton's and other neuromas • Plantar fasciitis • Plantar's warts • Sports injuries

Prosthetics and Orthotics

Traumatic injuries, debilitating illnesses, chronic conditions, and other problems can sometimes be addressed with prosthetic or orthotic devices. With a huge array of specialists throughout the hospital to consult with, the Prosthetics and Orthotics department at St. Anthony Medical Center is the best place in the Twin Cities for pediatric and adult patients who need a device designed and fabricated for their particular issue. Our prosthetists, orthotists, and technicians are certified in orthotics and prostheses, and they help patients with such conditions as Morton's neuroma, cerebral palsy, amputations, spina bifida, scoliosis and many more. They constantly build on their experience working with the most modern, lightweight materials through continuing education on myoelectrics, suction sockets, graphite systems and other technologies. Each patient receives a support or prosthetic specifically tailored to their physical needs and lifestyle, and St. Anthony Medical Center prosthetists and orthotists work with each patient to make sure the fit is comfortable and the function is acceptable. They make any modifications necessary.

Among the procedures the clinic can do are:

• Custom foot orthoses • Knee, ankle, and foot orthoses • Bracing (sports, post-polio, spinal, post-op, scoliosis) • Prosthetic designs • Microprocessor knees

• Graphite composites • Thermoplastics • Trans-femoral anatomical suction sockets • Trans-tibial silicone suction sockets • Prosthetic feet • Ultra lightweight prostheses • Myoelectric prostheses • Cranial helmets

Rheumatology

Rheumatic and autoimmune disorders can be life-threatening and cause chronic pain, fatigue, and other unpleasant symptoms. The physicians at St. Anthony Medical Center's Rheumatology clinic care for patients with all kinds of these disorders. They also consult with specialists at the hospital to manage rheumatic conditions' effects on multiple organ systems.

Commonly treated disorders include:

• Arthritis • Rheumatism • Ankylosing spondylitis • Behcet's disease • Dermatomyositis • Gout and pseudogout • Lupus (SLE) • Marfan's syndrome • Psoriatic arthritis • Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) • Polymyalgia rheumatia • Polymyositis • Reiter's syndrome • Rheumatoid arthritis • Sjogren's syndrome • Scleroderma • Temporal arthritis • Vasculitis

To relieve patients' symptoms and restore them to higher function, St. Anthony Medical Center's rheumatologists deliver treatments like joint aspiration, plasma exchange therapy, and other cutting-edge interventions. Physical and occupational therapists augment treatment, and physicians coordinate with nurses and patients' primary care physicians to educate patients on how to live with their rheumatic conditions.

Sleep Medicine

For relief from insomnia and other sleep-related disorders, St. Anthony Medical Center's Sleep Medicine is the place to go for sleep-deprived patients. Each patient receives a thorough evaluation and history of their sleep disturbance, and physicians at the clinic use both pharmacological and behavioral interventions to address the problem. Physicians are familiar with the physiological conditions that

can cause sleep disturbances, but also the psychological ones, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and others.

Conditions we regularly treat include the following, but St. Anthony Medical Center physicians have knowledge of and experience with many more:

• Restless leg syndrome • Sleep apnea • Narcolepsy • Periodic limb movement disorder • Insomnia

In cases where cognitive-behavioral or pharmacological interventions are ineffective, patients can come to St. Anthony Medical Center's Sleep Center for sleep studies that help diagnose sleeping problems.

Therapeutic Services Occupational Therapy

A stroke, a car accident, or a congenital condition can profoundly affect the way a patient walks, writes, or performs many of the daily tasks of living. To help patients lead safe, independent and productive lives, St. Anthony Medical Center has five occupational therapists on staff. These therapists evaluate each patient and develop a plan that incorporates pain control, inflammation management, and sensitivity management, as well as treatments and home exercises to build strength, improve range of motion, or relearn function.

Whether a patient has a stroke or tendonitis, our occupational therapists use many methods and adaptive equipment to make each patient as mobile and functional as possible, including the following interventions and evaluations:

• Alternative communication devices • Constraint-induced movement therapy • Neurodiagnostic testing (such as electromyography) • Mobility equipment and seating evaluations • Feeding evaluations • Splinting and casting • Functional vision retraining • Sensory stimulation

Eye Care

Tests, treatment, and corrective lenses for all kinds of vision problems are available at St. Anthony Medical Center's outpatient Eye Care Clinic. The clinic is staffed with 12 board-certified physicians who can test and examine patients' eyes for the purpose of prescribing glasses or contacts. They also routinely screen patients for common eye problems like glaucoma and macular degeneration. They provide the following services on a regular basis:

• Eye health assessment • Vision screening

• Retinal assessment • Glaucoma testing • Macula assessment

Three of our physicians are also board certified opthalmologists who can provide comprehensive care for all manner of eye disorders. Our optometrists refer patients whose routine eye exams reveal emerging problems like cataracts or glaucoma, and patients can see our opthalmologists without a referral. Among the conditions we treat are:

• Eye infections • Glaucoma • Cataracts • Cornea, ocular surface, and external eye disease • Uveitis • Strabismus • Orbital lymphoma • Retinoblastoma • Eyelid cancers • Retinitis pigmentosa • Cone-rod dystrophy

Pharmacy

At St. Anthony Medical Center's pharmacy, we don't just fill prescriptions. We offer experienced pharmacists whose many specialized services help patients to take charge of their medications and get the maximum benefit from them. Before patients leave the hospital, our pharmacists can visit them at bedside to deliver and explain their medications. Especially when patients are receiving treatment from multiple providers, pharmacists review patients' medication lists, then consult with physicians to make sure that unnecessary, duplicate, or potentially conflicting medications can be removed or modified. For conditions with more complex medication regimens (such as organ transplant protocols or blood-thinning medications), pharmacists answer patients' questions and give specialized advice for how to get the most benefit.

Our pharmacy also offers the following services:

• Prompted refills • Prescription mail delivery • Medication management program • Unused medication donations • Expired or unwanted medication disposal • Prescription assistance program for low-income patients

Physical Therapy

To help patients rebuild strength, range of motion, and flexibility after surgery or injuries, physical therapists at St. Anthony Medical Center work in each department to deliver bedside therapy and educate patients about post-discharge self-care. After surgery, many patients rebuild their strength and keep injured areas mobile to prevent scar tissue and limited range of motion. Our licensed physical therapists

consult with physicians to create a plan for therapy and home care, which might include teaching stretches or strengthening exercises or activities to avoid until recovery is complete. They also teach patients how to get out of bed, go to the bathroom, and do other daily tasks safely while they continue their recovery.

Our therapists provide care at the bedside or in the hospital's physical therapy clinic. They use the following techniques to speed healing and encourage mobilization:

• Heat • Cold • Ultrasound • Electrical stimulation • Soft tissue mobilization • Therapeutic exercise

Respiratory therapy

Patients with lung diseases and breathing problems know that St. Anthony Medical Center has the expertise to assess and determine the best possible course of treatment. Each of our pulmonary care specialists has extensive knowledge of the common lung diseases, such as asthma, emphysema, cystic fibrosis), and many more. They evaluate and treat on an inpatient and outpatient basis. For more complicated cases, such as lung diseases that may lead to a needed lung transplant, our pulmonary specialists can consult with physicians in other specialties across the hospital.

Common diseases we treat include:

• Interstitial lung disease • Acute respiratory failure • Sleep disorders • Pulmonary hypertension • Emphysema • Asthma • Cystic fibrosis • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD

Our Respiratory Care department provides pulmonary function, spirometry, and other diagnostic tests, and plan care for each patient. Once treatment is determined, our staff of registered and certified respiratory therapists provide services including:

• Ventilation management • Gases delivery • Airway care • Medication delivery • Sleep studies • Pulmonary rehabilitation

Speech Therapy

St. Anthony Medical Center offers speech therapy services for the assessment, evaluation, and treatment of speech and language disorders. Our experienced speech language pathologists perform many diagnostic tests and assessments to determine the nature and extent of a patient's speech or language problem. They have extensive education and experience in such disorders as:

• Swallowing disorders • Facial droop • Voice disorders • Cognitive disorders • Dysarthria • Aphasia

Whether the condition is physiological or neurological, developmental or acquired, our speech pathologists are trained in using the following interventions and assessments:

• Augmentive/alternative communication • Neuromuscular stimulation • Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallow (FEES) testing • Modified Barium Swallow Study testing • Alaryngeal communication

Diagnostic Services Clinical Lab

Our highly trained, professional staff of technologists, technicians, and phlebotomists can perform a vast array of diagnostic tests in our 50,000-square- foot facility to help properly diagnose patient conditions. These tests take place on site as soon as possible after a doctor's order. With 600 lab professionals and 15 pathologists on staff, the more than 150 tests offered by St. Anthony Medical Center include:

• ABO & Rh type • Adult food allergy profile • Blood urea nitrogen • Fungal antibody panel • Hemoglobin A1C • HIV-1 proviral DNA • LDL cholesterol • Pancreastatin • Potassium • White blood cell count

These tests, and the many other tests done at St. Anthony Medical Center, can be completed and reported to your practitioner the same day. For specialized tests, we send specimens to the Mayo Medical Laboratory Laboratory, and in these cases turnaround time may be longer.

Imaging

St. Anthony Medical Center offers comprehensive, state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging, with same-day appointments available when needed. Our highly skilled medical imaging technicians keep patients as comfortable and informed as possible while creating high-quality images. Once images are ordered by physicians, the Imaging Center schedules the appointment and produces images within 24 hours to be read in consultation with the hospital's staff of 12 on-site, board-certified radiologists.

Some of our imaging services include:

• Cardiovascular imaging • Vascular angiography • Angioplasty • Bone density testing • Bone densitometry • DXA scans • CT scans • Colonoscopy • Mammography • Electrocardiogram • Fluoroscopy • MRI • Nuclear medicine • PET scans • Cardiac stress tests • Bone scans • Lung scans • X-rays

Specialty Services Bariatric

For some patients, weight loss can be a matter of life and death. Patients who struggle with their weight often develop related conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, and joint pain. That's why St. Anthony Medical Center's Bariatric Surgery Center has been offering bariatric surgeries since 2001.

The Bariatric Surgery Center has four bariatric surgeons who can perform several weight loss procedures for patients who are at least 100 pounds overweight or have a body mass index of 45. Together, they've performed more than 7,000 of these surgeries, and they're dedicated to helping patients live healthier, happier lives.

A few of the surgical options that our surgeons offer are:

• Sleeve gastrectomy surgery to reduce the size of the patient's stomach. • Gastric bypass surgery to alter the patient's stomach and limit their caloric

intake.

• Vertical banded gastroplasty surgery to change the path of food through the patient's stomach.

• Adjustable gastric banding to limit a patient's ability to eat food at one time.

St. Anthony Medical Center's support doesn't end with surgical recovery. Our nurse clinicians help patients prepare for surgery and heal afterward. Our registered dietitians and exercise specialists take over from there, working with patients to help them create a diet and exercise plan that will allow them to maintain the weight loss they achieve after surgery.

Clellan Card Cancer Center

A cancer diagnosis means it's time to bring out the A team, and that's what patients get at St. Anthony Medical Center's Clellan Card Cancer Center. We bring together experience, technology, and compassion to create the most healing environment possible for cancer patients. Once a tumor has been detected, our oncologists evaluate the patient's medical history and orders further diagnostic testing if necessary. The Cancer Center has on-site CT, PET and MRI scanners for same-day imaging and complete localization of the tumor. With that information, the oncologist creates a complete treatment plan, including the type of therapy, frequency, amount, and method of delivery. The Cancer Center's experienced physicians use specialized equipment to deliver radiation treatment, chemotherapy, and more advanced treatments such as CT stimulation, high dose rate brachytherapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, and volumetric arc therapy.

Rehabilitation The center's nurses, nurse clinicians, and social workers help patients to recover from treatment and/or surgery and to gather necessary resources for the journey from diagnosis to remission.

Our oncologists have a combined 90 years of experience with the following cancers (among many others):

• Breast cancer • Brain cancer • Gastrointestinal/esophageal cancer • Liver cancer • Lung cancer • Lymphoma (Hodgkins and non-Hodgkins) • Pancreatic cancer • Prostate cancer

Cardiovascular

St. Anthony Medical Center's Cardiovascular Center is the Twin Cities choice for the best in heart and vascular care. With services for everything from preventive cardiology to valve replacements and heart transplants, the Cardiovascular Center is equipped to handle almost any kind of heart or vascular problem.

Prevention Patients with previous cardiovascular-related health problems or risk for them can be evaluated for their level of risk and receive nutrition and exercise counseling for

ways to minimize their risk. Diagnostic tests are available on-site, and the Cardiovascular Center can also refer patients to stress management and other services that help address the psychological aspects of heart disease.

Diagnosis The Cardiovascular Center offers a full range of imaging and testing services for the detection of heart conditions. These include:

• Calcium scoring tests • Angiograms • Echocardiograms • Electrocardiograms • Nuclear imaging • MRI • Chest x-rays

Treatment St. Anthony Medical Center's Emergency Room is equipped to handle heart and blood vessel emergencies, and so is the Cardiovascular Center. But the Center also offers preventive and responsive treatments to many cardiovascular diseases.

• Our surgical team has the experience to handle cardiac, thoracic, and transplant-related surgical services for conditions such as aortic aneurysms, cardiac valve repair, heart transplants, and more.

• Our electrophysiology physicians diagnose and treat patients with heart rhythm issues such as fibrillations, tachycardias, and premature contractions.

• Our cardiologists use catheter-based devices to repair structural problems like artery disease and defects.

Integrative Medicine (Alternative)

A great deal of research is being done into the effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM, and that research helped lead to The Institute of Integrative Medicine at St. Anthony Medical Center. The Institute is a place for patients who want to augment traditional interventions and therapies with alternative medicine.

Whether patients are looking to reduce the stress and anxiety of medical problems, diminish the intensity of their symptoms, or enhance the healing process, the Institute offers a wide variety of alternative treatments.

Institute patients have used alternative therapies in the following ways:

• Yoga: to rebuild strength and increase flexibility after chemotherapy • Chiropractic: to reduce pain and increase mobility after surgery • Acupuncture: to reduce pain and swelling after knee surgery or to reduce

nausea after chemotherapy • Massage: relief of postoperative pain • Reiki: to reduce stress and anxiety for cancer patients • Aromatherapy: to reduce nausea-related chemotherapy

For patients who are looking to improve their overall quality of health, the Institute also offers wellness coaching, mindfulness training, and nutrition counseling.

Spine

St. Anthony Medical Center is second to none in delivering the most advanced treatment of injuries and conditions that affect the spine. For common conditions like low and upper back pain, or more complicated injuries to the spine and nerve roots, St. Anthony Medical Center's care team includes a physiatrists, nurse practitioners, nurse clinicians and physical therapists.

Our physicians will evaluate each patient's spine condition and draw from other disciplines to create a complete treatment, rehabilitation and physical therapy plan. The center offers imaging, electromyography, and injection therapy services on site, and if surgery is indicated, the care team provides education to each patient about proper pre- and post-op care.

The Spine Center has dealt with the following conditions and many more:

• Arthritis and osteoarthritis • Disc degeneration • Fractures • Herniated discs • Kyphosis • Lordosis • Nerve root injuries • Osteoporosis-related spinal fractures • Sciatica • Spondylolisthesis • Spondylolysis • Stenosis

Patient Services Medical Records

Vila Health uses an electronic medical record system so that patients can access their entire medical history and specific information (such as test results) quickly and easily. St. Anthony Medical Center and all hospitals and clinics in the Vila system use this system, so that all providers can access patient contact information as well as details about medical history, medications, allergies, test results, and other pertinent health information. The system allows providers across Vila Health System, including nurses, physicians, and pharmacists, to access patient information and coordinate care. In the event that patients need to send their health records to hospitals, clinics, or providers outside of the Vila Health System, our records specialists help patients with printing and/or sending records.

Admissions and Discharge

St. Anthony Medical Center maintains a qualified staff of admissions counselors who help patients with admissions. For elective admissions – planned stays at the hospital for procedures or surgery – counselors answer questions about the online

pre-registration process or conduct the process via telephone. They gather necessary information, answer patient questions, and provide information regarding the hospital stay, including such details as where to park, what to bring, and more. These counselors help patients when they leave the hospital, including connecting them with resources and referrals within the hospital and in the larger community.

Billing and collections

Questions about bills go to our staff of billing specialists, who help patients understand the services they received and the cost of those services.

Our customer service department can answer questions about:

• Hospital bills • Home health, medical laboratory, hospice, emergency, and medical

equipment bills • Online bill pay • Refunds: If there is an error in a bill pay transaction. St. Anthony Medical

Center will verify the error. If an overpayment is discovered, a refund will be issued within 10 to 30 days.

• Financial assistance: If patients are having trouble paying for services, the hospital offers financial assistance programs.

• Address changes

Dietary

Food and dining options at St. Anthony Medical Center include the cafeteria, a café, and vending machines throughout the hospital. The cafeteria is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and serves:

• Breakfast 6:30-9:30 a.m. • Lunch: 11-1 p.m. • Dinner: 5-7 p.m. • Soup/salad bar, deli, grill: 11 to 5 p.m.

St. Anthony Medical Center also offers education and counseling for patients with nutritional health needs. Our experienced dietitians meet with patients on an outpatient basis to explain how their diet can support healing and health, and which foods may undermine their recovery.

Social Services

At St. Anthony Medical Center, we understand that health is more than getting treated for symptoms. Access to health care, good discharge planning, education, and other support services are crucial for patients to fully recover. Our Social Services department coordinates all of the psychosocial aspects of healing. Our case workers help patients in all areas of the hospital with their needs after discharge, which may include food, shelter, follow-up care, or help with grief and loss. They work with patients and their families to design an appropriate post- discharge plan, which takes into account their physical healing, medication management, basic needs, and needed resources such as medical supplies or

outpatient therapy. Finally, our case workers intervene on behalf of patients when necessary to protect their access to health care or their rights where insurance companies or other entities are concerned.

Support Services Biomedical Technology

Our Biomedical Technology department is staffed with experienced technicians and information system specialists who install, calibrate, operate, repair, and maintain that equipment. They coordinate system installations and upgrades, and make modifications to make sure that the equipment adheres to medical standards and hospital guidelines. They design equipment and support systems that the hospital needs, and test all equipment on a regular, documented schedule so that information is always available about the equipment's last test, calibration data, repair record, and more. Technicians and specialists participate in the planning process for buying new equipment, advising hospital leadership about which equipment is necessary and the requirements for integrating it with the hospital's information systems. They also design and provide user training and support.

Central supply

A steady supply of sterilized equipment and instruments is crucial to any hospital's function, and St. Anthony Medical Center's Central Supply department works 24/7 to make sure that surgical instruments, medical devices, and other equipment are sterilized and stored properly to maintain that sterilization.

• Decontamination After use, all surgical instruments and medical devices must be decontaminated in the hospital's special automatic washers and other decontamination equipment. Our sterile processing and distribution technicians inspect each item after decontamination to make sure it is clean, then assembles and organizes items into the right instrument trays and sets for later use.

• Sterilization For items that require sterilization, our technicians run the autoclaves and other sterilization equipment. They also keep detailed records of each item that has been cleaned, sterilized, and stored.

• Distribution Our technicians deliver sterile supplies wherever they are needed, and pick up used ones for decontamination and sterilization. They stock crash carts, organize medical supplies, and keep inventory control so that sterile supplies don't expire.

Information Technology

The Information Technology department at St. Anthony Medical Center keeps the hospital's [number] employees connected to each other and to the resources they need to deliver the best patient care possible. Our IT professionals build, install, maintain, and troubleshoot all in-house hospital systems, managing regular

maintenance and upgrades for these systems. The help desk provides 24/7 user support, and the department also conducts formal and ad hoc training in the proper and safe use of the hospital's network and applications.

The hospital's users rely on the following systems maintained by IT:

• E-mail • Electronic medical record • Formulary database • Building/environmental system • Patient flow software • Medical billing • Accounting • Medical equipment networking

For third-party applications the hospital needs, the IT works with those vendors to install, monitor, and maintain those applications.

Safety

It's ironic but true: Hospitals, which exist to help improve health, can be hazardous places. Infectious organisms, sharp instruments, and other dangers can threaten the safety of employees and patients alike. That's why safety is St. Anthony Medical Center's top priority. The hospital's safety department investigates every safety- related incident at the hospital, including falls, infections, accidental needle sticks, equipment-related injuries, and incidents in the parking ramp, to prevent similar accidents from happening in the future.

Safety analysts work with the Accreditation Department to analyze how St. Anthony Medical Center is complying with The Joint Commission's Physical Environment of Care standards. They also monitor the hospital's compliance with local, state, and federal regulations regarding safety in hospitals. Finally, they conduct safety tours of all areas of the hospital, and when changes in procedure become necessary, they deliver training to related personnel to ensure compliance with new safety measures.

The safety department analyzes safety data across the hospital and benchmarks St. Anthony Medical Center's performance to national hospital safety statistics. The department's reports on St. Anthony Medical Center's safety record, which compare its performance to that of other, comparable hospitals, go to the hospital's vice president of operations.

Security

St. Anthony Medical Center maintains an open-door environment so that patients, visitors, and practitioners can move about freely. This creates security challenges, as open-door environments can become opportunities for criminal behavior. To protect patients, employees, and property, our security department employs technology and human presence to monitor open areas, employee-only areas, and the parking ramp.

Patients and visitors can enter through various exits during daylight hours, but in the interest of safety, they may only enter the hospital through the Emergency Room between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Our security personnel are on duty 24/7 to make sure that visitors, patients, and staff are safe. All loading docks and receiving areas are monitored by surveillance video and security personnel to prevent theft of valuable medical supplies and equipment.

All employees are issued badges that allow them access to the areas they need to reach for patient care. Alarmed doors prevent anyone from entering staff-only areas without the proper credentials. Finally, a campus-wide building security system allows our security personnel to monitor all entrances and exits in a central location and deploy a response when needed.

Environmental Services

Our Environmental Services professionals take pride in keeping St. Anthony Medical Center clean, organized, and safe.

• Supplies Medical supplies, clean linen, and other needed supplies are restocked regularly by Environmental Services. They assemble medical supplies into packs according to different departments' needs, and deliver emergency supplies when needed.

• Cleaning Environmental services professionals conduct regular cleaning of furniture, woodwork, floors, walls, windows, vents, fan fixtures, and doors in every area of the hospital. They also clean patient rooms and get them ready for the next patient.

• Waste removal The regular removal of ordinary trash falls under Environmental Services, but they are also responsible for removing and disposing of medical waste using specified bags and containers.

• Equipment Facilities workers in the Environmental Services department maintain the hospital's vast array of equipment, as well as the hospital's physical plant, documenting their regular schedule of inspections and repairing or replacing any malfunctioning equipment.

Operations Finance

To make sure the hospital is guided by sound financial principles, St. Anthony Medical Center's budget analysts create an annual budget that dictates the funds each department gets for its day-to-day operations and special projects or investments. They examine volume and utilization patterns, look for developing trends, and conduct long-range forecasting and financial modeling. Using this data, they participate in the strategic planning process of the hospital.

Financial professionals conduct the hospital's financial operations, including paying salaries, paying suppliers, and working with the billing department to collect on unpaid bills.

Accountants analyze the actual flow of funds in and out of the hospital, including accounts receivable, accounts payable, and other functions. Accounting guidelines they establish govern how the departments report their finances and control their spending. On a quarterly basis, the hospital's accountants prepare financial statements and other related documents for review by the Board of Trustees and C-level leadership.

HR

At St. Anthony Medical Center, our Human Resources department knows that people are our most important resource. Great patient care is delivered by great people who have a great place to work. We achieve that mission by making sure that our employees have the background, training, and resources to be their best.

The Human Resources team provides the following services:

• Recruitment and Talent. • Employee and Labor Relations. • Organizational Effectiveness. • Workforce Development. • Occupational Health Services. • Volunteer Services. • Human Resources Operations.

Medical Support Services Accreditation

St. Anthony Medical Center is accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO). The hospital meets or exceeds the Joint Commission's rigorous standards of quality and patient safety. These standards include such measures as infection control, documentation of care and treatment, transplant safety, and many more.

Joint Commission regulators may survey the hospital at any time to evaluate its compliance with JCAHO standards, and the accreditation department works with regulators to gather all requested data or other materials.

Patients or family members may contact our Quality Department if they believe our staff or policies have in any way compromised safety or quality standards, or they can contact the Joint Commission itself by calling (800) 994-6610. Further information on the JCAHO complaint process can be found online at: Online: http://www.jointcommission.org/report_a_complaint.aspx

Credentials and privileges

To ensure that all St. Anthony Medical Center physicians are approved to practice both at St. Anthony Medical Center and at other hospitals and clinics, the

Credentials and Privileges department provides administrative support for applications from physicians and medical staff. Working with regulatory agencies, universities, hospitals, and internal departments, credentialing specialists manage pre-application, application, and reappointment processes for all physicians.

They also verify the education, training, work experience, licensure, and other information for each physician and licensed independent provider, such as physician assistants, advance practice nurses, and non-physician providers such as psychologists. The specialists also prepare required reports for St. Anthony Medical Center's Credentials Committee.

Quality Assurance

St. Anthony Medical Center's Quality Assurance Department is responsible for continual review of our processes and practices in an effort to identify opportunities to improve current care. Working in partnership with the Quality Assurance Committee, the Quality Assurance Department identifies cases for internal and external review. Data from these reviews is used to determine whether changes in policy or procedure would improve quality of care. When policy changes are necessary, the Quality Assurance department communicates those changes to the staff through a variety of channels.

Nursing Support Services Credentials and development

St. Anthony Medical Center's Department of Nursing supports the development of the nursing staff through ensuring that continuing education opportunities are available and that these opportunities adhere to principles of adult education, evidence based practice, research, and professional development as well as ensuring that these programs meet current standards and requirements. Additionally, our nurse credentialing program is intended to ensure that credentials for all nurses are objectively evaluated to ensure the very best care and safest environment to our staff and patients.

Nursing informatics

St. Anthony Medical Center knows that the increasing use of data and computer technology is transforming healthcare. Clinicians, particularly nurses, are key components of any strategy to use health informatics to assess, evaluate, and improve processes, workflows, and knowledge. St. Anthony Medical Center's Nursing Informatics department assists in this process by serving as a liaison between the IT department and nursing through participation in the development of training, identification of areas of improvement, and reporting on St. Anthony Medical Center's compliance with meaningful use and other requirements of the Affordable Care Act.

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Interview Selection Examine St. Anthony Medical Center's divisions and departments, and the health information needs of those departments. Then choose two departments outside of the general hospital setting. Discuss with your peers the different systems, HIS characteristics, and functions that the two chosen departments need for the services they provide.

• Diagnostic Services • Leadership • Medical Services: Inpatient Clinics • Medical Services: Outpatient Clinics • Medical Support Services • Nursing Support Services • Operations • Patient Services • Saint Anthony Medical Center Foundation • Specialty Services • Support Services • Therapeutic Services

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Email #2

From: Evelyn Unger, Administrative Assistant To: Learner

There is a meeting this afternoon for all those individuals who are working on the HIM characteristics and funtions evaluations. You are not expected to have a formal report or presentation – the team is simply checking in to discuss findings and the implications of those findings.

I've sent you an email invitation to the meeting, but wanted to give you a heads up as it is this afternoon.

Evelyn

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Conclusion

Congratulations on completing the demonstration!! As you prepare to discuss your findings, consider all the ways health information is created and used in different parts of any health care organization. Remember that the data extends beyond the EHR and can include scheduling, billing, medical test results, personnel scheduling, transportation within the facility, and so much more.

The choices you've made at each step of this activity have been logged for you.

If you would like to review the department information, you may try the activity again.

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Credits Subject Matter Expert: Christopher Miller DHSC Doctor of Health Admin

Interactive Design: Mark Bune, Justin Lee, Matt Taylor

Instructional Design: Felicity Pearson, Anne Geske

Project Manager: Catherine Baumgartner, Amanda Holman, Tom Kapocious

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.