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Mon-Vale Health Resources, Inc.
Mon-Vale Health Resources, Inc. is not unique to challenges confronting hospitals and health systems in the United States.
But, according to Louis J. Panza Jr., president and chief executive officer of MVHR, parent company of Monongahela Valley Hospital, the health system entered the new year with a positive outlook for the future. That optimism is based, in part, on advancements and enhancements in 2007.
"Health care, like any business, constantly faces familiar and new challenges to our ability and, hopefully, our willingness to continue providing quality services to our community," Panza, who has more than 25 years of experience in health care, said. "We confronted those demands during 2007 in many ways, all with our patients and community in mind."
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o Construction of a two-story addition at the back of the hospital to house the health system's third CT Scanner. This new 64-slice CT Scanner, introduced in September, provides cutting edge technology including the ability to perform virtual cardiac catheterizations. Lauded as the latest innovation in computed tomography technology, the 64-slice CT Scanner can capture images of a beating heart in five heartbeats or other organs in the body in a second and can perform whole body trauma scans in 10 seconds. This is more than twice as fast as conventional multi-slice CT Scanners.
"With increased patient volume in the Emergency Department and CT scans becoming the preferred test, volumes in this specialty are continuing to grow," Panza said.
o Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) for the treatment of cancer was introduced at the hospital's Charles L. and Rose Sweeney Melenyzer Pavilion and Regional Cancer Center. This ultrasound-based technology allows radiation oncologists to use greater precision in tumor localization prior to the delivery of radiation therapy. It features a process known as BAT (B-mode Acquisition and Targeting), which provides increased image sensitivity with greater tissue contrast resolution for quality images.
"The ultrasound probe and a three-dimensional tracking system with a touchscreen-based treatment room interface combine to pinpoint targets rapidly and accurately at the time of radiation therapy treatment," Panza said. "The high-performance BAT system also offers enhanced views of and the ability to target internal organs.
o The Intensive Care and Coronary Care units at MVH implemented the Smart Pump computerized medication system. The advanced program integrates safety software that can be customized for use with intravenous infusion devices. The system helps reduce medication errors and manages the medication administration process by defining dose limits and by tracking IV drug delivery at the patient's bedside. Smart Pump, Panza explained, is designed to help physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other staff ensure the "right patient receives the right drug in the right dose at the right time and rate."
o Monongahela Valley Hospital's Center for Children's Rehabilitation opened in Suite 202 at 1029 Country Club Road, Monongahela. The multidisciplinary team at this innovative facility provides services to meet the rehabilitation needs of children and young people from birth to age 21 who have been diagnosed with any of a variety of deficits, delays and disorders.
o Thanks to the continued benevolence of the Auxiliary of Mon-Vale Health Resources, Inc., additional Lowboy beds were purchased. These beds are designed to lower closer to the floor and reduce the risk of injuries associated with falls. Staff also are better able to adjust the bed height so the patient's knees are bent at a 90 degree angle to assist them when getting into and out of bed. The beds also are equipped with three levels of alarms to alert staff when a patient is attempting to exit the bed. Another advantage of Lowboys is the patient can be weighed while still in bed, thus eliminating another risk for a potential fall when a patient is moved to be weighed.
o Part of the Auxiliary's annual monetary gift of $75,000 (for fiscal year 2006-2007) also was used to purchase an Exit Writer system for use in the Emergency Department. The computerized program contains more than 2,000 patient instructions and is written in an easy to read style with color illustrations. The instructions are individualized and can contain prescription and referral information at the time of discharge from the ED.
Panza also pointed out that The Residence At Hilltop assisted living community in Carroll Township marked its tenth anniversary in 2007. Constructed by Mon-Vale Non Acute Services, a subsidiary of Mon-Vale Health Resources, in 1997, The Residence At Hilltop offers private and semi-private suites and combines housing, support services, personal assistance and care to residents who need help with the activities of daily living.
Also symbolizing the health system's commitment to enhancing services were appointments in several specialties as the MVH Medical Staff grew to record levels in 2007. This growth, Panza said, "increased services and access to quality health care for our patients" with a Medical Staff that now numbers more than 200 "skilled and dedicated physicians."
Symbolizing this advancement were appointments of physicians in radiation therapy, radiology, otolaryngology and facial plastics, endocrinology, anesthesia and pain management, podiatry, hematology and oncology, and emergency medicine.
The progress of 2007 notwithstanding, Panza emphasized that no one in the health system "should, or will, ever be content to rest on our laurels."
"We will never become too satisfied with doing just the usual good job," he said. "All of the cutting edge technology in the world doesn't mean a thing if all members of our team do not demonstrate the ability and willingness to go beyond the traditional aspects of patient safety and satisfaction. Each of us must be willing to roll up his or her sleeves and roll with the proverbial punches to assure that what we do and how we do it is in the patients' best interest."
Panza said Mon-Vale Health Resources is fortunate in that it has been able to maintain itself as an "independent healthy and viable resource for our community."
"This is due in great measure to the commitment and work of our physicians, employees, volunteers, Board leadership and support from our community," he said. "It has been said that past deeds make for good, sometimes interesting conversation, but not much more. The secret, however, is to sort out those qualities worth retaining and build on them for a better future. Our partnership with our community is always worth building on. Anything we do must exceed good and sometimes interesting. Any success we enjoy must be achieved because it evolves to benefit our patients and our community."
