Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center

Thanking the Business Community During Breast Cancer Awareness Month

September 28, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

In 2022, these organizations raised nearly $220,000 to support the Baskin Breast Care Center.

Each October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month brings together our business community in a way that’s both gratifying and humbling to me.

Quad Cities businesses of all kinds – a custom car builder, dance and fitness studio, propane supplier and restaurants, to name just a few – host a variety of unique events that share a common goal. They are all dedicated to helping family members, friends, neighbors and co-workers who are facing breast cancer by supporting the Baskin Breast Care Center at Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC).

In 2022, these organizations raised nearly $220,000 to support the Baskin Breast Care Center. Those funds support breast health education in the community, help ensure the center’s clinical team has the latest technology, and provide professional staff education.

Gifts from the business community also assist financially vulnerable families during breast cancer treatment. They believe, as we do, that no one should have to choose between purchasing life-saving medication and buying groceries for their family. These donations provide breast cancer patients essential support – medication, grocery vouchers, transportation to treatment and more.

Additionally, these businesses have engaged other local companies and individuals by seeking sponsorships for their philanthropic activities and recruiting volunteers to give their time. They have done more to create a network of caring around the Baskin Breast Care Center than our organization could have done on its own.

Our Baskin Breast Care Center team is inspired by the support they receive from area businesses, organizations and individuals. In fact, I hope you are proud to learn that the Baskin Breast Care Center is Northern Arizona’s only Breast Imaging Center of Excellence. This accreditation, which comes from the prestigious American College of Radiology, signifies that the Baskin Breast Care Center has achieved the highest practice standards possible. That’s quite an impressive accomplishment.

I will end this column as I began it, by expressing my sincerest gratitude to all of the businesses as well as non-profit organizations, community-service agencies and individuals for their support of the Baskin Breast Care Center in October and year-round. Your engagement and dedication enable our team to offer exceptional care in our community and throughout Northern Arizona. QCBN

By Anthony Torres

Anthony Torres, M.D., FACP is president and CEO of Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center.

YRMC Partners with Office of Highway Safety for Car Seat Safety

September 27, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Keeping your child safe is one of the most important jobs of caregivers.

The Family Resource Center at Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) will continue sponsoring free child car seat safety programs, thanks to a 2023 grant from the Governor’s Office on Highway Safety. The $10,012 grant allows YRMC’s Family Resource Center to:

Offer car seat safety checks.
Distribute free child car seats.
Provide car seat safety education.

In previous years, 97% of the car seats checked as part of the Family Resource Center’s Car Seat Safety Program arrived in an unsafe configuration. This greatly increases a child’s risk of injury or even death in the event of a car accident.

To receive a free car seat, caregivers need a vehicle with working seat belts. They also participate in a one-time, 30- to 45-minute session that includes child safety car seat education, a safety check guide and hands-on installation of the car seat in their vehicle.

Caregivers who already have car seats are invited to have them checked at no cost by a nationally certified child passenger safety technician. Scheduled weekly, these sessions cover all aspects of child car seat safety. For example, car seats typically expire six years after the manufacture date, at which time the seat can no longer adequately protect a child.

Keeping your child safe is one of the most important jobs of caregivers. YRMC’s Family Resource Center and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety have made it easier for people of the Quad Cities to do just that. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call YRMC’s Family Resource Center at 928-771-5651. QCBN

Virtual Nurses Working Bedside Day and Night

September 6, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

YRMC West is the first hospital in the Southwest to offer this service.

Hospital patients in Prescott, along with their families, can now talk to a nurse on demand, virtually, at any time, with the tap of a screen. Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) West is the first hospital in the Southwest to provide this high-tech service. Hospital officials say the new Virtually Integrated Care program (VIC) is designed to improve the patient experience and reduce the workload of bedside nurses.

Through a high-definition camera, video screen and two-way audio, each patient at YRMC West can talk with a live human registered nurse 24/7. Chief Nursing Executive Officer Tracey McCollum says virtual nurses can answer questions, provide information about procedures, follow through on dietary requests and make rounds with physicians.

“The virtual nurses can look into the room and see if everything is in place,” she said, pointing out that this is especially important for patients who are at risk of falling.

The virtual program also helps to address the nursing shortage that is an issue in Arizona and nationwide. March statistics show that nationally, 75% of hospitals have a 15.7% vacancy rate for nurses. Making the shortage worse, in the West, there is a 22.4% annual turnover rate on average. At YRMC, it is reported to be about 18% per year.

By 2027, officials say the U.S. could be short 800,000 nurses. “We need to be creative to stretch our workforce,” said McCollum. “This virtual program expands the ability of the staff to take care of the patient.”

So far, five nurses have been hired for the VIC program. When fully staffed, that number is expected to increase to 11. Those joining the virtual nurse team must have a bachelor’s degree and two years of experience in surgical nursing.

While working to retain current nurses, Dignity Health also encourages people to join the profession. McCollum says those with nursing aspirations can start as nursing assistants, so they are making money while they are going to school. She adds that many nursing students at Yavapai College have their school paid for by grants, and new graduates can start working at $35 per hour.

The VIC program was developed by the Dignity Health/CommonSpirit network. It is expected to be available for patients at YRMC East in Prescott Valley in 2024. QCBN

By Stan Bindell, QCBN

Courtesy Photo: Virtual nurses are registered nurses hired specifically for the new YRMC program, available to talk with patients in real time around the clock.

New Horizons in Healing After Surgery

July 28, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

At Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC), an exceptional team is working hard to bring ERAS to our community.

The latest medical advance on the minds of many healthcare providers is not a new treatment, technology or medication. It’s a new way of thinking about how we care for patients undergoing major surgery called Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS).

At Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC), an exceptional team is working hard to bring ERAS to our community. These healthcare providers – physicians, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, rehabilitation specialists and more – have embraced ERAS because it’s based on the best available science. And, most importantly, it gets great results. Data from a number of large studies show ERAS programs:

Reduce complications by 50%.
Shorten hospital stays by 30 to 50%.
Improve patient satisfaction.

The ERAS Experience from the Patient’s Perspective

ERAS begins as patients are contemplating surgery and continues through recovery. ERAS protocols – developed by the non-profit ERAS Society – provide a surgery-specific roadmap for every phase of a patient’s surgical journey. Here are a few ways that patients experience ERAS:

Before surgery – Clinicians help patients prepare physically and mentally for surgery using ERAS strategies that improve nutrition, physical fitness and more. They also share information about the patient’s specific operation and discuss concerns the patient may have.

During surgery – The surgeon and anesthesiologist work together to reduce the physical stress of the operation on the patient. Fluid management is a good example of ERAS protocols at work in the operating room. Typically, patients receive fluids during surgery to manage their blood pressure. The problem is that too much fluid can lead to excessive water weight, which can delay recovery. ERAS protocols call for careful fluid management for speedier healing.

After surgery – ERAS protocols encourage patients to eat and walk sooner following an operation. Research shows that the quicker food is re-introduced, the less need there is for intravenous medications and fluids. Additionally, walking reduces muscle loss, improves respiratory function, and lowers the risk for pneumonia.

As a physician, I’m enthusiastic about ERAS and its potential to promote healing following surgery. It’s an example of how advances in medicine can come in many different forms. QCBN

By Anthony Torres, M.D., FACP

Anthony Torres, M.D., FACP, is president and CEO of Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center.

YRMC’s Grant Program: Working Together for a Healthier Community

June 28, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

What is that shared value? It’s an understanding that health care is a partnership between YRMC and the community.

When I joined Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) earlier this year, one of my first impressions was that YRMC’s team – from caregivers to support staff to executive leaders – share a core value about what it means to serve the people of Yavapai County.

What is that shared value? It’s an understanding that health care is a partnership between YRMC and the community. This health care partnership was evident on June 15 when YRMC announced its 2023 Community Grant recipients. The grants provide financial support to local programs that address specific community health needs identified by YRMC.

The following organizations received a total of nearly $320,000 to support programs that focus on behavioral health, chronic disease and housing/homelessness.

Care Management/Adult Day Health Services program, sponsored by The Susan J. Rheem Adult Day Center

Building a bridge between the acute health care services YRMC provides and the supportive services offered in the community can ensure a successful transition from hospital to home. This is especially important for older adults dealing with chronic illness. This YRMC-Susan J. Rheem Adult Day Center program is designed to improve the quality of life for older, chronically ill individuals by offering at-home medical monitoring and access to care-management services.

Transportation and Support Services Project, sponsored by People Who Care

Adults with vision loss, low vision or physical disabilities will receive transportation services and home-safety inspections from People Who Care, thanks to this YRMC Community Grant. The project’s goals are to promote independent living, encourage healthy living choices and increase the health knowledge of program participants.

Economic Revitalization Project, sponsored by the Prescott Chamber of Commerce Foundation

The Economic Revitalization Project is a multi-year initiative to both improve the economy and address the social needs of Yavapai County. The ambitious effort begins with data collection and community input to better understand the county’s challenges and opportunities. This will be followed by the creation and implementation of a plan that ensures the people of Yavapai County will thrive for years to come.

Veterans Integrated Care, sponsored by U.S. VETS – Prescott

The Veterans Integrated Care program offers comprehensive services to veterans 58 years old and older. With the YRMC Community Grant, the program will provide case management services, counseling, coordinated wellness activities, housing, career development assistance and meals. All of this happens at the U.S. VETS Liberty Pointe campus in Prescott, which features a medical clinic with primary care services, palliative medicine, assisted living and hospice care.

Prescott Valley Afterschool Childcare, sponsored by The James Family Prescott YMCA

Almost every working family faces the challenge of finding safe, affordable and high-quality afterschool care for their children at some time. The Prescott Valley Afterschool Childcare program will provide that to families with children in kindergarten through 6th grade. The program – sponsored by the Prescott YMCA – will be located in Prescott Valley.

YRMC is proud to partner with these five organizations through its Community Grant program. While the scope of their work varies, each organization offers services designed to improve the health and well-being of people throughout our community. QCBN

By Lorette Brashear

To learn more about YRMC and its services, visit DignityHealth.org/YRMC.

Lorette Brashear is the communications specialist at Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center.

Courtesy Photo: Dignity Health YRMC President and CEO Dr. Anthony Torres is pictured with U.S. VETS – Prescott representatives Valerie Crossman, Monica Vohs, and YRMC Chief Financial Officer Matt Rice.

YRMC Launches Employee Recognition Programs: DAISY and Bumble-BEE Awards

May 25, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Nominees whose actions most align with YRMC’s organizational values will be selected for DAISY and Bumble-BEE Awards.

Nearly every day at Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC), I hear from a patient or family member about a nurse or other employee who made a positive difference to them during their time at YRMC West in Prescott or YRMC East in Prescott Valley.

These heartfelt messages helped inspire two new employee recognition programs at YRMC. The programs give patients, families, visitors and others the opportunity to recognize the extraordinary work of individual YRMC team members. They include:

The DAISY Award – This international recognition program rewards and celebrates the clinical skill and compassionate care nurses provide. It was created in 1999 by the DAISY Foundation and has been adopted by health care organizations worldwide, including YRMC.

The Bumble-BEE Award – All YRMC employees (non-nursing team members) are eligible for this award. It recognizes YRMC employees whose efforts, support and kindness make a difference to patients, families and others.

These recognition programs have two features that distinguish them from most employee recognition programs. First, they give voice to the people YRMC serves – patients, families and community members. And second, the programs highlight the extraordinary – and sometimes unseen work – YRMC employees do every day.

Four times a year, three nurses and three staff members from both YRMC campuses will receive the DAISY Award or Bumble-BEE Award.

An objective and anonymous system was developed to select the award recipients. Nominees whose actions most align with YRMC’s organizational values will be selected for DAISY and Bumble-BEE Awards. Those values include:

Respect – Behaves in a way that honors self and others.
Integrity – Is consistent and honest in word and deed.
Quality – Provides service excellence in meeting others’ expectations.
Commitment – Demonstrates dedication to one’s work, personal development, the organization, and YRMC’s mission and vision.
Accountability – Follows through and is answerable for one’s performance.

To learn more about the DAISY and Bumble-BEE Awards visit, YRMC.org/daisy-bee. QCBN

By Tracey McCollum

Tracey McCollum, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, is the chief executive nursing officer at Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center.

Serving Our Country: YRMC Emergency Director Promoted to Colonel

March 31, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

As an organization, YRMC is an excellent example of what a strong military-civilian partnership looks like.

Rob Barth, MSN, MBA, RN, CEN, director of Emergency Services at Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center, is now also a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserves. That’s a rank only 2% of all Air Force officers achieve during their careers.

“This promotion is an honor and blessing, especially at this point in my military career,” said Barth. “I’m approaching 21 years of service and eligible for retirement. That makes the promotion even more significant to me.”

The promotion ceremony took place recently at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. During the ceremony, Shannon Barth – also a YRMC employee – removed the silver oak leaf cluster from her husband’s uniform and replaced it with the new silver eagle. This formalized the promotion from Lieutenant Colonel Barth to Colonel Barth.

During a separate ceremony later that day, Barth was named commander of the 624th Aeromedical Staging Squadron at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. In that role, he will lead approximately 86 Air Force reservists and four active-duty airmen.

Barth’s new squadron has a dual mission. It conducts medical exams on airmen, ensuring they are medically ready for deployment to any location worldwide. Additionally, the squadron must be prepared to set up a hospital anywhere in the world within 72 hours.

Years of Stellar Service

At age 36, Barth made a life-changing decision: He would serve his country by joining the Air Force Reserves. “I called the Air Force recruiting office the day after Sept. 11,” he said. “I wanted to do my part.”

Commissioned as an officer in 2002, Barth was assigned to the 944th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. He has served there for most of the past 20 years. Barth began his service at the squadron as a critical care and emergency/trauma nurse and concluded as the squadron’s deputy commander.

Barth has received numerous awards throughout his Air Force career. The two most important to him are the “944th Fighter Wing, 2004 Company Grade Officer of the Year” and the “Humanitarian Service Medal.” The latter recognized Barth’s role in helping evacuate Haitian citizens who were severely injured during the country’s 2010 earthquake.

A Military-Civilian Partnership

According to YRMC Chief Nursing Executive Officer Tracey McCollum, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, both the community and YRMC have benefited from Barth’s service in the Air Force Reserves.

“Rob brings best practices from the military and applies them to his work at YRMC,” McCollum said. “The way we triage patients in the Emergency Department is a good example of that.”

She notes that Barth has also developed excellent leadership skills through his military service. This has created a strong, cohesive and high-functioning team in the Emergency Department.

The military also understands the benefits of the military-civilian partnership, according to Barth. “The depth of experience reservists bring to their service is valued by the Air Force,” he said.

Words of Appreciation

Barth also values YRMC’s support of his military service. “YRMC has always been extremely supportive of my military training time. As an organization, YRMC is an excellent example of what a strong military-civilian partnership looks like.”

As McCollum says, YRMC’s team is proud of Barth’s service to our country. “To be able to say that we have a colonel working in our four walls is actually pretty great.” QCBN

By Bridget O’Gara

Bridget O’Gara is a writer, communications strategist and project manager who specializes in health care. Bridget has spent her career writing about healthcare topics. She works with mission-driven healthcare organizations, including hospitals, other healthcare providers and advocacy organizations.

A Caring Heart: Dr. Soundos Moualla is YRMC’s Physician of the Year

February 25, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Moualla’s relentless commitment encompasses the compassion she generously shares with patients and their families.

Soundos Moualla, M.D., FACC, FSCAI – Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center’s 2022 Physician of the Year – describes the passion and drive she pours into her work as “relentless commitment.”

“My parents and grandmother guided me to always do my best and to treat every patient as family,” said Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Moualla of the James Family Heart Center at Dignity Health YRMC.

Moualla’s resolve to care for patients with heart disease began as a child. She recalls putting her ear on her father’s chest and listening to the whooshing sound of his heart murmur. Eventually, her father underwent open heart surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. And years later, after earning a medical degree from the National University of Ireland in Dublin, Moualla returned to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota to pursue an internal medicine residency and an interventional cardiology fellowship. Moualla also completed her fellowship in cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic.

Joining the James Family Heart Center
Moualla joined YRMC’s James Family Heart Center in 2017 to oversee the Structural Heart Program, which had started the previous year. Among her first major initiatives was the expansion of the Heart Center’s successful Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Program. Moualla also helped implement processes to identify patients with valvular heart disease early and expedite the delivery of state-of-the-art treatment by the heart team. All of this, she notes, was accomplished with the collaboration of the cardiothoracic surgical team, other cardiologists, primary care physicians and inpatient hospitalists.

Moualla also worked with physician colleagues and clinical team members to create a comprehensive Structural Heart Program. In a short time, the team introduced an array of advanced interventional heart and stroke-prevention procedures – transcatheter mitral valve replacement and repair, paravalvular leak closure, left atrial appendage closure and more.

“We now have a full-blown, comprehensive Structural Heart Program,” Moualla said. “That would not be possible without teamwork. Physicians, advanced practitioners, nursing and clinical staff, administrative staff and every member of the Structural Heart team contributed to building the program. This award is truly a recognition of their work and the James Family Heart Center team.”

Passionate About Patient Care
Moualla’s relentless commitment encompasses the compassion she generously shares with patients and their families.

“Structural heart disease is a disease of the elderly,” she said. “In a community with a significant number of retirees, structural heart services are fundamental. Serving these patients and providing good patient outcomes is the most rewarding aspect of my work.”

This is underscored by the many YRMC team members who nominated Moualla for Physician of the Year. According to one colleague, “Dr. Moualla treats her patients and their loved ones as though they are her own family. She spends extended time with her patients and gets to know each of them as people, not just as a diagnosis.”

Moualla also volunteers her time and expertise, providing medical care to homeless patients and refugees. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, cooking and traveling.

YRMC’s Physician of the Year is selected annually by YRMC employees and medical staff. QCBN

By Bridget O’Gara

Smart Monitors Available for Diabetes Management

December 28, 2022 By quadcities Leave a Comment

“Understanding the reason for a patient’s fluctuating glucose levels leads to targeted care plans,” Wilson said.

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is a game changer for people with Type I and Type II diabetes. That’s how Bonita Wilson, RN, CDCES, diabetes educator at Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC), describes the impact of CGM technology on the lives of people with diabetes.

“CGM is the latest and greatest way to monitor blood sugar levels,” she said. “And, it’s done without finger sticks.”

This is good news for the one in 10 Americans who live with diabetes, some of whom may need up to seven finger sticks a day to monitor their glucose (blood sugar) levels. Even better news is that CGM gives people greater control of their blood sugars and their long-term health.

“With CGM, patients can see the results of their dietary choices as they’re experiencing them,” explained Wilson. “If you eat a high-carb food, your CGM registers how that’s affecting your glucose levels as it’s happening. It’s immediate and it’s meaningful.”

CGM’s smart technology also provides trending data that a healthcare provider can download and review for patterns. This creates a complete picture of how blood sugar levels change over time. It also helps people with diabetes – and their providers – understand how food, activity, stress and illness affect their blood sugar levels.

“Understanding the reason for a patient’s fluctuating glucose levels leads to targeted care plans,” Wilson said. “This is important to diabetes management.”

How Do CGM Systems Work?

CGMs include the following three components that work together to gather and share information on blood sugar levels.

Glucose Sensor: This is painlessly inserted under the skin of the upper arm or abdomen either by the individual or, if the model requires, a healthcare provider. How frequently your sensor needs to be changed depends on the CGM model. It can vary from approximately six days to six months.

Transmitter: This small piece – which fits on the sensor – gathers information on the individual’s glucose levels and wirelessly sends the data to the receiver.

Receiver: A smartphone app or a small monitor captures the information from the transmitter and immediately displays current glucose levels. Some CGMs also send glucose information directly to an insulin pump.

The data gathered from a CGM is shared with whomever the patient designates – their healthcare provider, spouse or a neighbor.

“There’s lots of fear about high and low blood sugar levels,” said Wilson. “This CGM feature keeps people close to you informed of your glucose levels so they can check in if there’s a dip or spike. It’s a great safety feature.”

Diabetes, CGM Education Program Offered

YRMC’s Diabetes Education program is for anyone with diabetes, from the newly diagnosed to people who have lived with diabetes for decades. Recognized by the American Diabetes Association for Quality Self-Management Education, YRMC’s menu of learning opportunities include:

Pre-Diabetes Session: An hour-long, free information session presented by Wilson that YRMC will host a total of six times in 2023 – three in Prescott and three in Prescott Valley.

Individual Consultations: During one-on-one meetings, Wilson advises people on all matters related to their diabetes, including CGM.

Diabetes Self-Management: Wilson leads this five-week series, which covers an important “M” topic each week – meals, motion, medications, monitoring and mindfulness.

“Participants learn from each other and they learn that they are not alone,” said Wilson of the Diabetes Self-Management series.

Wilson calls the series an underutilized Medicare benefit, as only 7% of people who are eligible for it actually take advantage of the opportunity. QCBN

By Bridget O’Gara

Check out DignityHealth.org/YRMC for more information about the Diabetes Education program or call 928-771-5794 in Prescott or 928-759-5920 in Prescott Valley.

Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center

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