Lourdes Hospital: The Ministry of Health - Health Executive - RedCoat Publishing - Inside Healthcare

The rain began on June 28, 2006. By early afternoon, floodwaters had enveloped New York-based Lourdes Hospital. By six that evening, the staff and patients of this 267-bed acute care facility had been evacuated.

John O’Neil, President and CEO

“Losing power directly impacts our patients’ safety, which is always our first concern,” said Lourdes’ President and CEO John O’Neil. “Early in the morning, we began making plans to evacuate the hospital. We were constantly preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.”

The smooth and timely evacuation of the hospital was due in large part to the years of time and effort the hospital’s employees and administration spent on developing a culture of safety and empowerment, and it paid off. While O’Neil was busy dealing with other parts of the emergency, staff members began evacuating the hospital’s high-risk patients.

“They didn’t want to evacuate under a crisis situation,” he said. “Rather than waiting for the go ahead, the staff took action as soon as the potential for patient harm came into play.”

But the staff’s desire to go above and beyond didn’t stop with the evacuation. Employees traveled with their patients to the other two hospitals in town to ensure patients were comfortable. One of the strengths of Lourdes, said O’Neil, is the authorization it gives to its nurses to make decisions that are the best for the patient, which is why the hospital is one of only 230 in the nation with a Magnet designation.

“If anyone sees an unsafe situation, they have the right and responsibility to bring attention to it and expect it to be dealt with,” said O’Neil. “Everyone works together for what’s best for the patient. Our core values focus on respect for everyone, care of the poor, and service excellence. They work together as we try to create a model community for employees.”

100% access
A model community in the eyes of Lourdes and parent company Ascension Health, the largest Catholic health system in the nation, is one where employees are inspired to care about how patients are treated, regardless of their ability to pay. “We don’t just call ourselves a hospital; we are a health ministry,” said O’Neil. “Using the term ministry brings the spiritual nature of what we do into focus.”

Lourdes does its part in creating easier access to healthcare with its Mission in Motion program, a digital mobile mammography van; and its mobile dental van, which primarily serves low income and Medicaid-eligible children in schools throughout the region. A broader push to improve access to healthcare, however, lies in Ascension Health’s 100% Campaign: Ensuring Healthcare Access and Coverage for All.

“With the presidential election looming, we believe now is the time to impress upon our congressional leaders and presidential candidates that healthcare is a right in this country,” said O’Neil. “It’s a tragedy that there are 47 million uninsured individuals in the US today. We need to find a way to see that everyone has access and coverage for quality healthcare.”

And quality is the key word in this campaign, one of the guiding features of which is to redesign the healthcare delivery system. To do that, Ascension proposes moving away from the two-tiered system where those who pay get adequate coverage while those who are unable to pay must consider vaccines and preventive care optional, doctor’s visits a luxury, and coverage for prescriptions an almost unattainable dream.

In April, Ascension Health and its hospital leaders made approximately 70 Capital Hill visits with senators and congressional representatives to discuss the campaign. On a more regional basis, Ascension Health leaders are promoting access initiatives in their own communities, examining what the needs are of their specific communities.

“The needs we have in Binghamton are different than those in Nashville, Tenn.,” said O’Neil. “We’re identifying what the gaps are and how we can serve those gaps to ensure everyone in those communities has 100% access to the healthcare they need. It plays into our faith-based ministry, working hard to ensure everyone has the type of access and coverage they need to lead healthier lives.”

Culture of safety
O’Neil said the story of the success of the 2006 flood and the journey the organization is embarking on toward 100% healthcare access and coverage for all is a testament to the hospital’s employees and the culture of the organization.

The culture of safety that O’Neil references stems from a call to action that began several years ago. It’s an integrated strategy through which Ascension Health and all of its ministries will improve clinical excellence and safety; create innovative, patient-centered healing environments; and expand access to care for the uninsured and undersinsured. Said O’Neil: “It is a commitment to deliver healthcare that works, is safe, and leaves no one behind.”

Lourdes’ organizational commitment to safety is exemplified by the priority-for-action teams in place to address adverse drug events, pressure ulcers, nosocomial infections, perinatal safety, and more. Lourdes is also a leader in IHI’s collaboratives designed to lead to better patient outcomes and reduce patient harm.

Most recently, Lourdes unveiled an education program for itstaff called Smart About Safety. The comprehensive initiative includes behavioral error prevention techniques and is designed to reduce the number of errors or mistakes and, ultimately, reduce the number of events of harm. The goal is to reduce the number of events by at least 80% within two years.

“We understand that despite our best intentions, harm to patients can occur. Instilling a culture of safety where we are mindful of what we do every day contributes to improving patiensaid O’Neil. “Our culture is one in which we care for each other and for those we take care of.”

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