July/August 2012 Spotlight Magazine - St. Anthony's Medical Center

In this issue
3 In your words
6 Better medicine with
Robert Curtin, M.D.
July/August 2012
Serving
with
SAPO
Donna Sertl, office manager of Lemay Internal and Family Medicine

spirit in action
celebrating ‘meaningful use’
Meillissa Anderson, referral coordinator at St. Anthony’s Arnold
Family Health Care, and Ken Brandt enjoyed the recent
St. Anthony’s Physician Organization (SAPO) celebration at the
Magic House with their daughter, Karlee Brandt, 3. More than
500 employees, physicians and family members of St. Anthony’s
attended the party, to honor the 43 SAPO physicians who recently
achieved Meaningful Use certification. The physicians not only
adopted an Electronic Medical Record system that is certified
by the government, but also proved they were actively using the
system as designed. They met or exceeded the quality standards
set by the government, benefiting patients with a strong focus on quality and continuity of care. The physicians
credited employees for providing vital support to help them achieve the certification.
emergency staff make ‘exceptional save’
Congratulations to St. Anthony’s Emergency Department staff,
which made one of only eight “exceptional saves” in the East
Central Region of Greater St. Louis in 2011. Caregivers were
honored at the Exceptional Life Saver awards celebration
May 18 at the Hotel Lumiere in downtown St. Louis for saving
patient Ronald Jones, third from left. With him are, from left,
Randall Speck, M.D.; Jones’ daughter, Ashley R. Zugmaier;
Bethany Bowen, R.N.; Shelby Cox, EMT-P, EMS liaison; Kevin J.
Gibson, M.D.; and Rita Srum, B.S.N., M.S., R.N., nursing director
of the adult and pediatric Emergency Departments.
quick action on the asphalt
A kudos to the St. Anthony’s Physician Organization
(SAPO) staff, who showed amazing resilience and
dedication by saving the life of a young man who had
been dumped in the parking lot of the Fenton Urgent
Care Center after suffering a heroin overdose. Due to a
fire in the building the night before, the urgent care was
closed and equipment and drugs were unavailable, but
Evelyn Young, M.D., left; Ron Finnan, group practice
administrator for St. Anthony’s Physician Organization;
and Jackie Casner, manager of Fenton Urgent Care, got on their knees in the parking lot, applied CPR and used
a defibrillator to resuscitate the man. They are shown at reopening ceremonies of the urgent care center.
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spotlight | july 2012

in your words
What’s the best advice you’ve
ever received from a physician?
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said,
and people will forget what you did, but people will
never forget how you made them feel.
D. Iralonna Shaver
Hyland Behavioral Health B building
Never assume all is okay after having a test if you
do not hear from the physician’s office. If you do not
hear from the physician, always call the office and
have them pull the test to confirm the results.
Yvette Fritts
Heart Specialty Associates
My primary care physician always said, “You should
not take a pill to lose weight. All you need to do is
make sure you are sweating.”
Rhonda Leach
Emergency Department Admitting
“Stay out of tree stands.” My wife is an orthopedic
surgeon...she gets lots of business during hunting
season.
Brandon Koehler
Managed Care Contracting
The best medical advice I ever heard was: Stress is
the cause of more illnesses and disease than most
people realize. Even the word itself…“dis-ease” (the
opposite of ease) says it all. Remove as much stress
from your life as possible.
Denise Hopkins
Pre-registration
During the darkest hours of my personal grief, he left
me a beautiful note and this quote: “Out of suffering
have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive
characters are seared with scars.”
Bobbi Battoe
Pathology
Congratulations to this
month’s winner
Mersida Gusic
Lemay Internal and Family Medicine
Mersida’s answer:
The best advice a doctor gave to me was,
“Listen to your body.”
I know I am overweight, and when I talk about it with
my doctor, he says, “Just go slow and steady and
walk a little bit every day and you will have success.”
He always encourages me. I am doing well with my
weight management now, so I can’t wait to see him
next time and I know he will be proud of me.
Sharon Smith
Breast Center
‘In your words’ is devoted to you, the caregiver and
employee. Watch for questions via the exchange users
email. Each issue, four or five finalists are entered into a
drawing for a $20 Target gift card, though all are winners!
spotlight | july 2012
3

serving with sapo
Never a dull
moment:
Office managers of St. Anthony’s Physician Organization
practices find challenge, satisfaction in each hectic day
Donna Sertl, office manager of Lemay Internal and Family Medicine, reviews data files with receptionist Mersida Gusic.
It takes the
whole staff
working
together
to make a
successful day.
—Sherry Kohlenberger
We’ve all been to the doctor many times, but few of us know the workings of a medical
office from the inside out. What’s it like to manage a busy practice, with phones ringing
nearly non-stop and patients coming and going all day?
“It takes the whole staff working together to make a successful day,” said Sherry
Kohlenberger, group manager of two successful St. Anthony’s Physician Organization
(SAPO) practices, Premier Women’s Health Care and Urogynecology Consultants. “Some
days are challenging, but also very satisfying.”
On a recent Friday, Kohlenberger unlocked Premier’s office shortly before the 7 a.m.
opening time, only to learn that five of the office phones were not working. Her first
challenge was to work with Information Services to have the lines brought back up.
A four-year SAPO veteran, Kohlenberger never is quite sure what the day will hold.
One day, you might find her working the front desk to cover a staffing shortfall. Another
day, she may be found working on payroll, office budgeting and bank deposits of co-pays
and other revenue, coordinating operations with physicians, and dealing with employees,
vendors and patients.
The square of carpeting that sits atop her desk indicates yet more decision-making:
Premier will be expanding soon, with final architectural plans drafted for three new exam
rooms, an additional physician office, and new offices for Kohlenberger and the surgery
scheduler. She’s been working with staff on the plans since October, and will soon adjust
the office layout and schedule to cope with the construction upheaval.
“Every day is something new,” she smiles.
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spotlight | july 2012

A 20-year medical management veteran, Kohlenberger has worked
in the field for 25 years. Her first job involved working with medical
records for a private office on Grand Boulevard, next door to where
the old St. Anthony’s Hospital once stood.
“Being part of a great practice and knowing the confidence that
the providers show in me to make the correct day-to-day decisions to
make our practices the best they can be is very rewarding,” she said.
Donna Sertl agrees. As office manager of Lemay Internal and
Family Medicine, and soon to become office manager of South
County Family and Sports Medicine, she finds that her days fly by.
“We take care of patients sometimes minute by minute,” she said.
“We have a goal to answer the phone within three rings. We do not
have a recording: our patients always get a ‘real’ person to talk to.”
Lemay’s patients pose challenges in both culture and language:
most are from the Bosnian community in south St. Louis and South
County. About 95 percent are Bosnian, and most do not speak
English. To make them feel more comfortable, the staff at Lemay
is Bosnian, as are both physicians. The office uses Bosnian patient
satisfaction surveys, interpreters, signs written in Bosnian, and leaves
appointment openings on the books for patients who walk in and
want to be seen right away.
“The joy of helping patients who have no one else to turn to, due to
the language barrier, is very rewarding,” Sertl said. “We resolve issues
with patients who are so grateful to us, and that makes us all feel so
good.”
Sertl has worked at St. Anthony’s for 25 years. Her typical work
day begins at 7 a.m., when she reviews her emails from the previous
evening.
“I balance all of the co-pays and get the deposit ready for the
bank,” she said. “I help answer the phones, help patients with their
bills to us, and other providers. I help the physicians with computer
issues. I also ensure there is enough staff to cover the physicians
for the day. I meet with outside vendors and payers. I handle all
employee issues and review the physicians’ progress notes daily for
correct coding, documentation, etc.”
It all comes down to care, Sertl noted.
“We are here to serve our patients, no matter what the need is,” she
said. “We are passionate about making sure we care for every patient,
every day.”
And there’s always room for improvement, Kohlenberger said.
“When visiting my physician, I always observe the operation of
that practice to see if there is anything done there that we could
incorporate into our practices,” Kohlenberger said.
Want to make the most of your doctor visit?
Read what Beth Sjoblom, M.D., has to say:
http://bit.ly/stanthonysdoctorvisit.
spotlight | july 2012
Tips from the pros
How can patients make the most
of their doctor visits?
Sherry Kohlenberger: I would advise patients
to communicate with their families about
any questions or concerns they may have.
Please feel free to write down any of these
questions and bring them to discuss with the
providers during their visit. We want our
patients to feel all of their concerns have
been addressed before they leave the office.
Donna Sertl: My advice would be to come
prepared. Arrive 15 minutes early, write the
questions down you want to ask the doctor,
or bring family with you. Arriving early
gives the patient time to think of questions/
concerns before he or she sees the doctor.
Sherry Kohlenberger, right, group manager of two
SAPO practices, reviews demographics with Jessica
Murphey, lead receptionist at Premier Women’s
Health Care.
5

etter medicine
St. Anthony’s Physician
Organization poised for growth
By Robert Curtin, M.D., Plaza Internal Medicine
St. Anthony’s Medical Center
St. Anthony’s is
a great place to
be. Because it’s
an independent
hospital, we’re able
to make decisions
here that impact our
community directly.
—Robert Curtin, M.D..
Dr. Curtin, why did you
make the decision to
become a doctor, and
why did you join the
St. Anthony’s Physician
Organization (SAPO)
team?
I made the decision to become
a doctor to try to help people.
I really enjoy interacting with
people and with their families.
SAPO has been a great place to
be: the doctors and employees
who work at SAPO have been
able to make a difference in the
lives of our patients and their
families. St. Anthony’s is a great
place to be. Because it’s an
independent hospital, we’re able
to make decisions here that impact
our community directly.
How does SAPO tie into
St. Anthony’s overall
mission?
I think SAPO is key to the overall
mission of St. Anthony’s. More
medicine is being practiced in an
outpatient setting, and that’s going
to continue. St. Anthony’s needs
a strong outpatient presence, and
SAPO is able to help it do that.
We also know that patients have
many choices for their healthcare.
We want them to choose
St. Anthony’s and our Physician
Organization.
What is the most
rewarding aspect of your
practice as an internist?
I like dealing with patients
with difficult diseases, often
many diseases at once. I enjoy
interacting with other doctors, and
I like dealing with challenging
illnesses and helping patients and
their families to do well.
As medical director of
SAPO, what achievements
are you most proud of?
What are your goals for
the future?
Quality is one of the things I’m
most proud of. There are a number
of ways we can measure that.
External agencies like the National
Committee for Quality Assurance
(NCQA) can certify physicians,
nurse practitioners and physician’s
assistants in diabetes care and
vascular care (heart/stroke). The
NCQA is an external agency, a
private, not-for-profit organization
dedicated to improving health
care quality. Internally, we
evaluate ourselves with a variety
of measures: numbers of screening
tests, such as those to detect
cancer; vaccination rates, and
other means.
Secondly, we’ve been able to
grow as an organization. In
2002, when SAPO was started,
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spotlight | july 2012

there were seven physicians in
two practices. Today, the numbers
have grown to just under 100
physicians in 15 primary care
offices and 12 specialist offices.
These all are located near the
medical center or in areas where
we can support the medical center.
All of our urgent care offices have
SAPO primary care offices at that
location: A good way to get newer
physicians busy is to have primary
care offices in the same building
as the urgent care.
And that leads us to the third
accomplishment I’m very proud of,
being able to help St. Anthony’s
Medical Center as a whole.
Health care reform
increasingly is focusing
on preventive care.
What opportunities and
challenges does the shift
to preventive care in
general create for the
practices of SAPO as we
look to a new future in
health care?
SAPO has done a great job of
focusing on preventive care.
No matter what comes out of
Washington, D.C., preventive care
and diagnosing illnesses quickly is
key to high-quality medical care.
Can you elaborate on
the grant SAPO received
recently from the
Missouri Foundation
for Health for a patientcentered
medical home
model, or a system of
care in which a primary
care physician works
with patients, families
and other health care
professionals to identify
and access needed medical
and nonmedical service?
When and how will
the grant be put into
practice?
It’s very exciting. There are five
primary care locations within
SAPO that initially are going to
participate: we are one of the
inaugural groups to do this in
Missouri. The idea is to promote
the best primary care practices
to focus on preventive services,
to have great access for patients
to be seen, and to have great
communications with patients and
their families. I think the future of
primary care is going to be offices
and groups that can do that. By
later in 2012, it should all be up
and running.
Need a physician?
Did you know that our
co-workers in the St. Anthony’s
Physician Organization
(SAPO) staff 27 board-certified
medical practices, including
15 primary care physician
practices and 12 specialty
physician practices? Find one
today in your neighborhood. To
schedule an appointment, call
314-ANTHONY (268-4669).
Dr. Curtin and his son, Mark, pose with
a reproduction of the president’s desk at
the Magic House during a party in May
to honor the 43 St. Anthony’s Physician
Organization (SAPO) physicians who
recently achieved Meaningful Use
certification. For more about Meaningful
Use, see Spirit in Action on page 2.
About Dr. Curtin:
A board-certified specialist in internal medicine, Dr. Robert Curtin has a practice at Plaza Internal
Medicine, 12700 Southfork Road. Dr. Curtin has been recognized by the National Committee for
Quality Assurance (NCQA) for the care he provides patients with diabetes, with cardiovascular
disease, or for those who have suffered a stroke. He also serves as medical director for the
St. Anthony’s Physician Organization (SAPO). When not working, Dr. Curtin enjoys spending time
with his family: wife, Laura; son, Mark, 14; daughter, Sara, 11; and cat, Hoho. The family is actively
involved with Boy Scout Troop 314 in Webster Groves and with Gateway Christian Church.
spotlight | july 2012
7

head
Beaches and blue skies for Above and Beyond
grand prize honoree
Franke and family enjoy journey to tropical paradise
The Franke family swam with the
dolphins at Atlantis Resort’s Dolphin
Cay in the Bahamas. From left are Tyler,
Josett and Mark.
Josett Franke, Wound Care Center,
wasn’t expecting any reward when
she teamed with her son, Tyler, and
husband, Mark, to build a scooter
for a patient who had no legs and
suffered recurrent wounds from
scooting herself across the floor.
So Franke was surprised and
thrilled to be selected as the Service
from the Heart Reward and
Recognition Team’s 2011 Above and
Beyond grand prize winner earlier
this year, with the trip of her choice
valued up to $3,000. Franke selected
a beach destination, the Atlantis
Resort on Paradise Island in the
Bahamas.
“I want to thank everyone who was
instrumental in my family and me
being chosen for this honor,” Franke
said.
Above and Beyond honors
employees who go beyond the
normal scope of their jobs to
demonstrate special consideration of
patients, their families and visitors.
Honored employees are selected
each month by the Service from
the Heart Reward and Recognition
Team, and from the monthly winners
a quarterly honoree is selected. The
grand prize winner is selected from
the four quarterly honorees.
In March, the family traveled
to Atlantis for five days and spent
much of their time in and around
the water: snorkeling, kayaking,
paddle boarding, viewing the
marine animals in the lagoons and
aquariums at the resort, being lazy
in the Lazy River, having fun on
the water slides, swimming in the
ocean and looking for shells, and
swimming with the dolphins.
“Our dolphin, Jonah, was a
13-year-old male rescued from
Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina
destroyed the oceanarium that he
and his pod were housed in,” Franke
explained. “They were all together
again and housed in the Dolphin
Cay at Atlantis Resort. We were able
Vacation favorites
Mark: Relaxing with no
agenda, for this workaholic
Josett: Swimming with the
dolphins. “I would recommend
that to anyone who hasn’t had
the opportunity.”
Tyler: The ocean!
to high-five with him, prompt him
to perform tricks, give him a quick
kiss on his snoot (he had a cleft
palate, so he looked a little different
from the others), cradle him in our
arms around the circumference of his
body, run our hands down the length
of his body on top and bottom,
learn about his anatomy and how
dolphins propel themselves. There
was so much we learned with the
interaction that I couldn’t begin to
put it all down here.”
Tyler so enjoyed his first trip to
the ocean that his excitement never
faltered, even when a wave planted
him face-first into the sand and
required him to remove sand from
his nostrils, his mom said. The family
also enjoyed sightseeing, rock wall
climbing, and island delicacies such
as Bahamian conch fritters and a
soda known as Goombay Punch.
“It was an experience that we will
never forget,” Franke said. “I would
like to send a special thank you to
Janette Dietzler, who nominated me
for this award.”
Spotlight is published every other month by the Marketing department
at St. Anthony’s Medical Center.
Editor: Robbi Courtaway, ext. 6894
Graphic design/layout: Kevin McDaniel