Keeping Up - What's New
Marketing Update
Joe Carofano
Vice President, Marketing and Communications
Western Connecticut Health Network
A new name is on the way!
I want to thank all of you who participated in our network naming survey back in September. Your insights and opinions made a difference. As a result of staff feedback, we went back to the drawing board to seek out a more appropriate name that accurately reflects our vision and our positioning on “wellness”.
We engaged Lexicon, a premier naming agency to help us. Working with the marketing/planning committees and the leadership team -including clinical leaders- we evaluated 28 new names, short listed them to four and are close to making the final selection.
The objective of this intensive work is to build brand awareness for the network, keep our communities well informed, promote wellness and, ultimately, drive new patients to your office.
In mid-December I will be hosting physician focus groups across all three campuses to tell you where we are on the name selection and, importantly, to get your ideas on how we should be focusing our marketing efforts. Your ideas will help shape our 2015 marketing and communications.
As physicians, you have enormous influence over where your patients seek care. My goal is to create a distinguishable brand that people and health care providers are drawn to. With your help and guidance, I hope to make our network stand out above all others in today’s crowded marketplace. I look forward to working with you.
WCHN PHO Accepted as Accountable Care Organization
Financial rewards through shared savings.
The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has awarded The WCHN PHO acceptance into the 2015 Medicare Shared Saving Program as an Accountable Care Organization (ACO).
The Medicare Shared Savings Program financially rewards ACOs that lower their growth in health care costs while meeting performance standards on quality of care. The program fosters provider cooperation to improve the quality of care for Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) beneficiaries and to reduce unnecessary costs. Providers and hospitals participate in the Shared Savings Program by being part of an Accountable Care Organization (ACO). Participation in the ACO is voluntary.
When you care for Medicare beneficiaries assigned to the ACO you do not assume any financial risk; only the savings are shared. If we are able to meet the quality metrics and financial benchmarks set by CMS the shared savings will go to those participating in the ACO. There are currently 473 physician providers and several hundred non-physician providers who have signed up to participate in the program.
Our acceptance as an ACO represents a major and essential milestone for the network. As an ACO we can develop the competencies that move us towards clinical integration and towards being rewarded for delivering value.
We in healthcare will continue to see traditional fee-for-service reimbursement replaced by value-based purchasing based on cost and quality. Health plans, patients and purchasers of healthcare are demanding greater value for their healthcare dollar. By developing the WCHN ACO we can provide the infrastructure, experience, and support to test new models of care in a risk free environment. Participation in the ACO will give us an opportunity to develop the necessary skills and competencies that will ensure our continued success in the future by demonstrating and delivering value to our patients.
Rowena Bergmans
Vice President
Clinical Integration and Population Health
Facilities Update
Mike Daglio
President, Norwalk Hospital
SVP, Western Connecticut Health Network
As a member of the Medical Staff you can’t help but notice the significant amount of investment that is taking place to modernize the facilities at all three campuses. Below is a summary and timeline of the major construction initiatives currently underway:
- Danbury Hospital
Buck Pavilion
Construction of the Buck Pavilion is complete and all departments that have been identified to occupy the Pavilion - the Emergency Department, ICU, Step Down, and the Surgical Floor - have been safely moved into the Pavilion.
Maternity
The post-partum rooms and main waiting area renovations were completed on May 31, 2014. Renovations to labor and delivery started October 2014 and are projected to be completed by June 16, 2015
- New Milford Hospital
Emergency Department
Construction is underway and expected to be completed on March 15, 2015, with a go-live date projected to me May 15, 2015.
Main Lobby
The Main Lobby Renovations have also begun with an anticipated opening of December 10th.
- Norwalk Hospital
New Pavilion
Construction of the new McGraw Center at Norwalk Hospital is on schedule. The schedule of departments to move into the new Center is below:
A) Level 3 – ED Occupancy (Move #1) – 1/21/15
B) Level 1 – Registration Occupancy – 1/19/15
C) Level 5 – Ambi Surg PACU & P/P (Move #1) – 3/2/15
D) Level 5 – GI Occupancy – 2/23/15
E) Level 3 – Rad Onc (Cancer Center opens w/Medical Oncology) –10/1/15- LINAC Delivery by 1/10/15; Commissioned by 5/1/15. CT Simulator
Other Renovations at Norwalk Hospital
A) Level 5 – Ambi Surg Recovery (Move #2) – 8/1/15
B) Level 3 – ED Occupancy (Move #2) – 7/12/15
C) Level 3 – Wound Care Occupancy – 7/10/15
D) Level 3 – ED Administration Occupancy (Move #3) – 11/3/15
E) Level 3 – Med Onc Occupancy (New/Renovated Areas) – 11/1/15
TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement) program Celebrates Anniversary
Danbury Hospital recently reached the one year anniversary of its TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement) program. Patients, families, heart valve team members, and staff who helped bring this multidisciplinary program to fruition gathered in the Robilotti Center for an evening of celebration. Patients with severe symptomatic calcific aortic stenosis who are deemed high risk or inoperable for traditional surgical aortic valve replacement are eligible for this procedure. This less invasive valve replacement procedure can be accomplished through the femoral artery or other approaches. To refer a patient for TAVR, an appointment can be scheduled with the multidisciplinary heart team by calling (855)743-2781 or (855)7HEART1.
Norwalk Hospital Cardiology Receives Echocardiography Re-accreditation by IAC
Norwalk Hospital Cardiology has been granted a three year re-accreditation in Echocardiography in the area of Adult Transthoracic and Adult Transesophageal by the Intersocietal Accreditations Commission (IAC). “Our staff is committed to providing quality Echocardiography services. This re-accreditation confirms our commitment to excellence,” said Karen Palaia, manager of cardiovascular services, Norwalk Hospital.
IAC accreditation is a “seal of approval” that patients can rely on as an indication that the facility has been carefully critiqued on all aspects of its operations considered relevant by medical experts in the field of Echocardiography.
Early detection of life threatening heart disorders and other diseases is possible through the use of Echocardiography procedures. While these tests are helpful, there are many different facets that contribute to an accurate diagnosis based on Echocardiography testing. The skill of the Echocardiography sonographer performing the examination, the type of equipment used, the background and knowledge of the interpreting physician and quality assurance measures are each critical to quality patient testing.
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