CMO Notes

Matthew Miller, MD
Chief Medical Officer, WCHN

Danbury/New Milford Single License Integration: New Bylaws
Good progress, a hurdle, and lots of value

Well, we’ve been talking and planning for months about our two hospitals becoming a single license with a single Medical Staff. We’ve talked about the basic implications of that plan, with one Medical Executive Committee, one Chair per department, and one set of Bylaws. With that in mind, an integration committee of physician leaders from both Medical Staffs has been working for months on a brand new version---and it’s almost done.

But we do have a hurdle to overcome. The State has recently determined that our move to a single license will require a complete Certificate of Need application. We have started the CON application but, unfortunately, that delays our complete implementation to a single license for many months and thus delays our ability to officially put a new set of Bylaws in place.

Nevertheless, our new draft documents contain valuable ideas that need not be delayed, even if we have to keep certain functions separate. The new documents also reflect what we think are newer and better ways for us to govern ourselves and to continue our track record of attracting and maintaining a high quality Medical Staff at both our institutions.

Here is the plan:

• The new draft Bylaws will be submitted and, after study, potentially approved at the August (DH) and September (NMH) Medical Executive Committees at both hospitals. New Milford may elect not to do a stand alone version at this time given their more recent bylaws update. There will be two versions. One for approval and “shelving” pending single license approval by the State and one (each) for DH and NMH respectively that maintains all the new improvements but separates critical functions (such as an independent MEC) at both hospitals.
• Once approved, each Medical Staff will have several weeks to review and then to potentially approve at respective General Medical Staff meetings in September (DH) and October (NMH).
• For Danbury, at least, the Board of Directors could approve DH Bylaws at its late September meeting.

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The J. D. Thompson Award for Excellence – winning and more!

Every year just one hospital earns the Connecticut Hospital Association award for excellence - the John D. Thompson Award for Excellence in the Delivery of Healthcare Through the Use of Data.

As most of you know, Danbury Hospital was the proud recipient of the award this year, given to the cardiovascular teams at both Danbury and New Milford for improving the treatment of patients with ST Elevation Myocardial Infarctions. Through a dedicated, sophisticated, rigorous and team based effort, they were able to reduce the Door To Balloon time to less than 90 minutes (the absolute benchmark) in EVERY patient---any time, from any location. Clearly much to be proud of and much to congratulate.

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