Showcase for Sharing Page 9 - SSM Health Care

A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION BY SSM HEALTH CARE FOR EMPLOYEES, PHYSICIANS AND FRIENDS • WINTER 2009
Showcase for Sharing
Page 9
ssmhc.com

The Meaning of $5
Sr. Mary Jean
As we begin a new year
at SSM Health Care — the
138th since our founding
in 1872 — I invite you
to think about what you
might do with $5 to make
a difference in the world.
And then I urge you to
do it!
With $5, Mother Odilia
began what today is SSM Health Care, an organization that cares for more
than 2 million people each year. It’s astonishing when you think that so little
could make such a huge difference over time.
Last spring at SSM Health Care-St. Louis Mission Days, the story of our
founding Sisters was told, and a video featured employees stating what they
would do if they suddenly found $5. Among the thousands of SSM St. Louis
employees who heard the story and watched the video was Karen Snyder, a
psychologist at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center.
A few days later, Karen was getting ready for work, when her husband
came in from taking out the garbage and told her he’d found $5. Her
amazement surprised him. “Finding five dollars is nice,” he said, “but it’s
hardly amazing.”
Over the next few weeks, Karen thought about the $5. She felt that it
meant something special, and she wanted to spend it on something significant;
on something that would make a difference. Then she remembered a friend
of her daughter’s who founded an organization to provide clean drinking
water for people in the developing world. It was called 3for5.
Thinking back to the story of Mother Odilia, Karen decided she, too,
could make a difference with her $5. She gave the money to 3for5.
Five dollars won’t end thirst for millions of people, but Mother Odilia
would tell us small gifts have a way of growing beyond our imagination.
Five dollars and faith were all the founding Sisters needed.
As we begin a new year at SSM Health Care — the 138th since our
founding in 1872 — I invite you to think about what you might do with
$5 to make a difference in the world. And then I urge you to do it!
God bless you.
SSM HEALTH CARE is sponsored by the
Franciscan Sisters of Mary
OUR MISSION
Through our exceptional health care
services, we reveal the healing presence
of God.
OUR VALUES
Compassion • Respect • Excellence
Stewardship • Community
CORPORATE OFFICE
477 North Lindbergh Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63141
Phone: (314) 994-7800
Fax: (314) 994-7900
DIXIE PLATT
Senior Vice President-
Mission & External Relations
SUZY FARREN
Vice President-
Corporate Communications
ALAN WESLEY
Corporate Publications Manager
ANNICE BARNES
Distribution & Editorial Assistant
HOW TO CONTACT US
Send questions or suggestions to
alan_wesley@ssmhc.com
MEDIA INQUIRIES
Reporters seeking additional information
should contact chris_sutton@ssmhc.com
SSM Health Care provides equal employment
opportunities, without regard to
race, color, religion, sex, age, national
origin, sexual orientation, veteran status,
or disability to all qualified applicants
and executives.
OptimiSSM is printed on recycled paper
that is recyclable.
WHO WE ARE: Missouri: SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center • SSM DePaul Health Center • SSM St. Joseph Health Center • SSM St. Joseph Health Center–Wentzville • SSM St. Clare Health Center • SSM
St. Joseph Hospital West • SSM St. Mary’s Health Center-St. Louis • SSM Home Care • SSM Integrated Health Technologies • SSM Support Services • St. Francis Hospital & Health Services • St. Mary’s Health
Center-Jefferson City • Illinois: St. Mary’s Good Samaritan, Inc.-Mount Vernon and Centralia campuses • Wisconsin: Boscobel Area Health Care • Columbus Community Hospital • St. Clare Hospital and Health Services
St. Clare Meadows Care Center • St. Mary’s Hospital-Madison • St. Mary’s Care Center • Stoughton Hospital • Oklahoma: Bone and Joint Hospital at St. Anthony • St. Anthony Hospital • Unity Health Center (North
& South)
2

OptimiSSM
A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION BY SSM HEALTH CARE FOR EMPLOYEES, PHYSICIANS AND FRIENDS • FALL 2009
Welcome to OptimiSSM!
We wish we could send you this year’s
Showcase for Sharing in powder form so
you could just add water and stir it to life.
The mix would fizz. It would be refreshing,
but it also would make you thirsty for more.
We did our best to give you a taste inside
this edition.
Inside this issue:
Continue Courageously
Messages from employees
about the Franciscan Sisters
4of Mary.
If you would like something sweet and
warm, read the employee comments
about the Franciscan Sisters of Mary in
our Continue Courageously blog.
In keeping with this liquid theme, a toast
to you for all your work and dedication in
2009. We only managed to offer a glimpse
at some of the wonderful things you accomplished.
We think 2010 will be an even
better year because of you, and because …
well … our name is OptimiSSM.
SSM’s Got Talent…
and energy, and humor, and knowledge,
and a lot of people who aren’t afraid
to share all that talent, energy, humor 9and knowledge to make things better.
On the Cover:
Foreground, Bill Jennings,
president of SSM St. Mary’s
Health Center, Richmnd
Heights, Mo. Background,
Gaspare Calvaruso, president
of SSM St. Joseph Health
Center, St. Charles, Mo., on
stage as part of the performance
by the Colonscopies.
Regular Features:
SuperCarol
Super Carol versus the Apathy Atomizer of
20Count Von Shortcut and Bad Habitus.
How We’re Doing. . . . . . . . 16
Around SSM . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3

The Franciscan Sisters of Mary have not only given us a
legacy of care. They have shown us the power of devoted
lives. Below are some of the comments to the Sisters from
SSM employees — just a few of the many lives the Sisters
have touched.
“One thing I always admired
about Sr. Betty is not only did she
know the name of every employee
who worked at St. Mary’s, she
also knew about our families.
And Sr. Susan Scholl would
stop by my office early in the
morning to just chat. Even though
she was the president of the
hospital, she never acted like she
was above talking with anyone. She was supportive during my breast
cancer diagnosis and recovery, and through my mother’s death. Sr. Susan
is truly a strong and courageous leader and woman I admire.”
— MARILYN PRESTI, ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY, CLINICAL PERFORMANCE
IMPROVEMENT CENTER, SSM HEALTH CARE-ST. LOUIS
“You have touched lives and
hearts in your ministry. It is so
true to state that through your
good works and examples we
have been shown how to live
the mission.”
— VELMA BERNSKOETTER, TRAN-
SCRIPTIONIST, ST. MARY’S HEALTH
CENTER, JEFFERSON CITY, MO.
“Doing what is right for the people we serve
— simply because it’s who we are — shines
through in everything she (Sr. Betty) does.”
— NEIL KIESEL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR-MARKETING
AND COMMUNICATIONS, SSM HEALTH CARE ST. LOUIS
4

“If you have worked for SSM any
length of time, I feel that you get
the knowledge that this is more
than a job; it is a calling. I feel that
SSM is truly in the hands of wonderful
people who will continue
the earlier works of the Sisters.”
— NANCY BARNES, PATIENT FINANCIAL
COUNSELOR, BUSINESS OFFICE,
ST. FRANCIS HOSPITAL AND HEALTH
SERVICES, MARYVILLE, MO.
“I am very grateful for all the years of service
each and every Sister has given to living out
St. Mary’s mission.”
— VICKY SVOBOTA, LIFELINE REPRESENTATIVE, SSM
ST. MARY’S HEALTH CENTER, RICHMOND HEIGHTS, MO.
“Every day, I see and feel the mission of the
early sisters in the attitudes and love of our
employees. Thank you to the Sisters for all of
their efforts to ensure that continuity!”
“The hospital’s mission attracted me
to SSM and the mission is what keeps
me here. Thank you so much for all
that you do and have done. Your
work and your stories inspire me.”
— FRANCESCA FERRENTELLI, PROGRAM
MANAGER, ADULT TRANSITIONAL CARE, SSM
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
— NANCY HAILE, RN, REGULATORY COORDINATOR,
SSM DEPAUL HEALTH CENTER, BRIDGETON, MO.
5

“What a blessing Sr. Betty has been to thousands
of people within SSM Health Care. Heartfelt
thanks to Sr. Betty and all the Sisters for trusting
that we will carry on the mission. It is in our hands!”
— EUNICE HALVERSON, CORPORATE VICE PRESIDENT-
QUALITY RESOURCE CENTER
“Thank you, our dear Sisters, for
leading us in our mission. I have experienced
this firsthand, as a patient
and as an employee of SSM. I am
proud to be a part of SSM, and will
do all I can to continue courageously.”
— SHARON SARNES,
CORPORATE CLAIMS ASSISTANT
“I have been a nurse for 38 years and love what
I do. It has become a way of life, a way of serving
others. Thank you for the opportunity to do the
Lord’s work here at DePaul.”
“For 29 years, I have had the privilege and honor of working with the
Franciscan Sisters of Mary. I have been inspired, taught, mentored, and given
opportunities that I never expected to have.”
— DEBBIE HENDERSON, DIRECTOR OF NURSING,
CRITICAL CARE UNIT, SSM DEPAUL HEALTH CENTER,
BRIDGETON, MO.
6
— BILL THOMPSON, PRESIDENT, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
OF SSM HEALTH CARE

“I went into nursing for the same values that I found at SSM. Thank you
for all that you have put into this ministry. I would not want to do any
less in the future.”
— JAN ZIMMERMAN, RN, NURSING AND COMPLIANCE
COORDINATOR, ST. MARY’S HEALTH CENTER,
JEFFERSON CITY, MO.
“Continuing courageously is a must for me. I am
determined to complete a task that I have been
inspired to partake in, thus I have the satisfaction
of knowing that I have done my best to follow
through to the end.”
— GLENDA BASTAIN, STAFF ACCOUNTANT,
SSM HEALTH CARE-ST. LOUIS
“Each day when I come
to work, I know I have
been handed down a
legacy that has been
entrusted unto my care.”
— GLENN REITZ, CHAPLAIN,
SSM DEPAUL HEALTH CENTER,
BRIDGETON, MO.
“Hello to all of you wonderful servants
of our Lord. The work you do in service
to our Lord is very rewarding.”
— DENISE HOPFINGER,TRANSCRIPTIONIST/EKG
TECHNICIAN-CARDIOLOGY DEPARTMENT,
ST. MARY’S GOOD SAMARITAN INC.-
MOUNT VERNON CAMPUS
7

“Sister Rose’s words from
the film brought tears to my
eyes. I believe our mission
here is very real and
very possible — to ‘reveal
the healing presence
of God.’”
— RHONDA WHELAN,
DEPARTMENT TECHNICAL
ASSISTANT, SSM DEPAUL
HEALTH CENTER,
BRIDGETON, MO.
“I take great pride in working for SSM and this
video just really hit home and let me understand
exactly why I wanted to be a part of St. Francis
Maryville.”
— TAMMY THOMPSON, PATIENT ACCOUNTING AND
REGISTRATION MANAGER, ST. FRANCIS HOSPITAL
AND HEALTH SERVICES, MARYVILLE, MO.
“I truly love what I do and I’m proud say I work
for SSM. Neither of which would be possible
without the Sisters and their mission.”
— JOANNE KRAMER, INTAKE COORDINATOR,
SSM HOME CARE
“Spiritual Leadership. Exemplary Management. I am proud to work
within an organization that embraces those values. And then to have
the opportunity to hear the stories of our Sisters! Individually and collectively
they live those values.”
— CAROLE HALBERG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ST. MARY’S FOUNDATION, MADISON, WIS.
8

SSM’s Got
They must have known something special was going to happen because
a record-breaking number of people showed up for this year’s Showcase for Sharing.
The more than 350 participants were not disappointed. If the pages that follow
look like a lot of fun and a wonderful exchange of information
were happening, you’ve got the right picture.
The Colonoscopies, from left: Don
Eggleston, corporate vice president,
mission and values; Chris Sutton, corporate
communications manager;
Bob Porter, President and chief strategy
officer, SSMHC-St. Louis; Jackie
Maassen, administrative assistanthuman
resources and organizational
development, SSMHC-St. Louis;
Dr. Kevin Johnson, vice president
and chief medical officer for SSMHC-
St. Louis; Bill Jennings, president of
SSM St. Mary’s Health Center, Richmond
Heights, Mo.; Gaspare Calvaruso,
president SSM St. Joseph
Health Center, St. Charles, Mo. Not
pictured; Alan Wesley, corporate
publications manager.
Dr. Kevin Johnson, vice president
and chief medical officer for SSM
Health Care-St. Louis and guitarist
for The Colonoscopies, and Eunice
Halverson, corporate vice president-Quality
Resource Center.
Foreground, Bill Jennings, president of SSM St. Mary’s
Health Center, Richmond Heights, Mo. Background,
Gaspare Calvaruso, (yes, Gaspare Calvaruso)
president of SSM St. Joseph Health Center,
St. Charles, Mo., during the performance of Born
Percentiled by The Colonoscopies. The song was
a spoof of the Steppenwolf song Born To Be Wild.
First verse as follows:
Get your motor runnin’
On Press Ganey’s highway
Lookin’ for percentiles
And a ninety-nine our way
9

The Presidents Present
The SSM hospital presidents were allotted 3 minutes to present about what they were
most proud of during the year and why it mattered to patients. Their creativity was
boundless, ranging from the presentation of SSeMMYs to two hospitals to the secret thoughts
of another president made audible to the audience as she presented! And everything in between.
During their presentation,
Gaspare Calvaruso (left), president
of SSM St. Joseph Health
Center, St. Charles, Mo., and
Drew Rector (right), president of
SSM St. Joseph Hospital West,
Lake Saint Louis, Mo., receive
an SSeMMY.
Sherry Hausmann (right), president of SSM St. Clare Health Center, Fenton, Mo.,
enjoys watching Kelly Pearce (inset left), RN, director of nursing operations at
St. Clare, and 12 other employees she brought on stage with her to demonstrate
the tremendous growth the hospital has experiened in just its first seven
months of operation.
Left: Brent VanConia from St. Mary’s Health
Center, Jefferson City, managed to work in
the fact that St. Mary’s won the 2009 Missouri
Quality Award during his presentation on
using the Kotter Model for change to achieve
milestone improvements.
Bill Jennings from St. Mary’s Health
Center, Richmond Heights, Mo, described
the challenges of achieving
a financial turnaround — which St.
Mary’s achieved — when the main
highway to your hospital (Highway
40) is closed for two years.
Kerry Swanson from St. Mary’s Hospital,
Janesville, Wis, a work in progress,
recounted what it’s like to be president
of a virtual hospital.
DePaul Health Center’s (Bridgeton,
Mo.) Pat Komoroski revealed the five
things you DON’T want to hear during
a Joint Commission site visit.
10
Gray Cox from St. Francis Hospital & Health
Services in Maryville, Mo., described an innovative
approach to diabetes led by the
hospital.
While presenting the exceptional results
at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s
Medical Center, Sherlyn Hailstone shared
her real thoughts with the audience
through an audio recording.
Frank Byrne, of St. Mary’s Hospital, Madison, WI, did double duty as the
day’s emcee and a presenter on Daily Operations at the hospital.

The Presenters
From “Reducing Falls” to “Achieving Better Outcomes for Older Adults,” from “A Model for
Physician Engagement” to “Making Continued Medical Education More Convenient to Physicians,”
the topics at Showcase for Sharing focused on providing exceptional care. It seemed like there
was a topic for everyone, as the record number of Showcase participants eagerly crowded
into each session to learn more.
Calvin Robinson, team leader for radiation oncology
North Operating Group, SSM St. Joseph Medical
Park, St. Peters, Mo., checks out one of the Showcase
for Sharing exhibits. Eleven exhibits provided
information on SSM’s past, present and future
Debra Hull, RN, diabetes
instructor, St. Francis
Hospital and Health
Services, Maryville, Mo.,
during her presentation
“A Journey with Joe into
Diabetes” The presentation was a fun approach to preventing
diabetes, including demonstrations that help
children learn to lower the risks of developing the disease,
and the a new DVD for children to be used in
schools and homes.
Andrew Sutton, physicians relations
manager, SSM Cardinal
Glennon Children’s Medical
Center, during his presentation
“Pediatrics on Demand: Increasing
Physician Satisfaction by
Making Continuing Medical
Education Convenient.” Sutton
talked about increasing physician
satisfaction by making continuing
medical education opportunities
more convenient for physicians.
Chad Aduddell, president of Bone and Joint Hospital at St. Anthony, talks
about physician engagement during his breakout session “A Model for
Physician Engagment: Bone and Joint Co-Management Company.”
Ginger Croft, RN, staff development-infection control, St.
Mary’s Care Center in Madison, Wis., led a session on pain
management. She shared the care center’s experiences and
lessons learned. The results at the care center have been great:
since March, the number of residents reporting moderate to severe
pain has been reduced by almost half. Croft, is displaying
the much coveted prize for her presentation: an autographed
photo of Sr. Mary Jean and a Snuggie. Bruce Merrell, president
of St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Inc.-Centralia campus, also received
a the Sr. Mary Jean photo and a Snuggie for his presentation
Journey to Exceptional and his leadership in the
remarkable turnaround performance of the hospital
Sr. Mary Jean Ryan, FSM, chair and
Chief Executive Officer, addresses the
general session of Showcase for Sharing.
“Our folks know how to put on a
show — and they are doing fantastic
work!” said Sr. Mary Jean.
SSM Home Care’s Becky Clausen,
massage therapist, and Alison Ruehl,
president of SSM Home Care, demonstrating
the benefits of Home Care’s
massage program “Healing Hands”
for Home Care patients and families.
11

Sandra Anderson, president of
St. Clare Hospital and Health
Services, Baraboo, Wis., shows
participants that easy access to
a roll of toilet paper is important
to patients with limited mobility.
Brian Mabus,
IS manager
Integrated Health
Technologies, presented
“Mileage
and Windshield
Time Reduction,” a
look at the time lost
and mileage traveled
by Integrated Health
Technologies personnel
who support the SSM Physician Organization.
CQIplus analysis reduced the time by
71.5 percent and saved $22,000.
Docudrama Illustrates Difficult Decision
for Family and Doctors
Three family members and four doctors with widely different
views try to agree on how to treat or not treat an 81-yearold
patient who is severely ill.
Depending on their personalities, the amount of time they
have spent with the patient, and their relationship to the
patient, they have many conflicting ideas about what should
be done. This was the setting for “Forgoing Treatment: A
Physician’s Leadership Council Docudrama.”
The patient’s husband is a quiet man and hesitant to speak
up. His daughter, who has just recently seen the patient for
the first time, insists that everything be done to save her
mother and has mentioned firing physicians and bringing
lawsuits. The son, who has visited his mother often, is beginning
to accept that she may not get well but has difficulty overcoming
the strong personality of his sister.
The physicians offer various solutions: The vascular surgeon
holds out hope that the patient might recover. The general
surgeon offers the possibility of exploratory surgery to find
the source of the patient’s internal bleeding. An infectious
disease specialist believes the patient will not recover. The
neph rologist also supports limiting treatment as does the
critical care specialist.
Somehow, all of these people must come together and
decide what is best for a patient who can no longer make
these decisions for herself.
Annette Kuhlo, supervisor of patient accounts,
SSM Home Care, presented Improving Efficiency
of Insurance Authorization for Patient Visits.
Changes as a result of analyzing the process
decreased repetitive work for clinicians and
decreased write-offs, resulting in a $28,000
reduction in these write-offs compared to 2008.
Lynn Olson (standing), director
of health information services,
St. Mary’s Hospital, Madison,
Wis., Gabrielle Jensen (sitting),
director of business services,
St. Mary’s Hospital, Madison,
Wis., presented Reduction in
Gross Days in Accounts Receivable:
Work Smarter Not
Harder. As a result of cooperation
within business services
and health information services,
the accounts receivable process
was reduced by seven days.
12
Tina Garrison,
director of clinical effectiveness, presented
“SSMHC-St. Louis Nursing Unit Performance/
Nursing Data Hub.” Nursing staff now have
unit-specific data for quality, safety and satisfaction
readily available in a simple format that
makes the information easy to understand.
From left, Chris Sutton, corporate communications manager; Lorraine Kee,
manager, corporate Web communications; Michael Panicola, corporate vice
president-ethics; Dr. Bob Sarama, vice president of medical affairs, SSM
St. Joseph Health Center, St. Charles, Mo.; Dr. Dan Hoffman, vice president
of medical affairs, St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Inc.; Dr. Kevin Johnson, vice
president and chief medical officer for SSM Health Care-St. Louis; and Dr. Laura
Sprague, critical care physician, SSM St. Joseph Health Center, in a Physician
Leadership Council Docudrama. Dr. Andy Kosseff, medical director, system
clinical improvement (not pictured), was the moderator of the docudrama which
depicted a conference between a family who is dealing with a dying family
member and the physicians who are treating the patient.

Social Media Makes its Showcase Debut
You Were Connected
This Showcase for Sharing
not only featured Twitter.
The corporate communications
team posted videos, interviews
and photos on Facebook and
Flickr on the Internet and corporate
intranet sites.
Annice Barnes, SSM corporate communications
assistant, helps Cathy Wisely-Osika,
RN, nursing clinical specialist, med-surg,
St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Inc. to post a
tweet about Showcase for Sharing.
Above: Dr. Kersey Winfree, chief medical officer,
presented on ways to make physicians more aware
of patient safety efforts.
Left: Jerry Rumph, executive director of diagnostic
services, North Operating Group, SSM Health Care-
St. Louis, presented Service Excellence-We Can
Effectively Compete with Freestanding Imaging Centers.
Responding to customer feedback, process services were put in place to make diagnostic services
better. The results have been a 5.4 increase in patient volumes, and improved patient satisfaction.
Employees of SSM St. Clare Health Center, Fenton, Mo., celebrate
great results.
Dr. Phillip Vaidyan, SSM St. Mary’s
Hospital, Richmond Heights, Mo.,
presented “Project Boost: Better
Outcomes for Older Adults
Through Safe Transitions,” an
effort to reduce 30-day readmission
rates for general medicine
patients and improve financial
performance. The impact
Improved patient satisfaction
scores, better flow of information
between hospital and outpatient
physicians, and identification of
high-risk patients and treatments
for them to reduce their chance
of readmission.
Bill Thompson, President, Chief Operating Officer, and Sr. Mary Jean
Ryan, FSM, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, sharing a high five at
the end of a successful Showcase for Sharing.
13

Project: Team Leader Certification
Employees receiving a Team Leader Certification must complete
a nine-day course, pass a test, and successfully complete a
CQIplus project.
SSM Home Care
Annette Kuhlo, authorization coordinator/insurance lead
Auroa Lenza, information systems manager
SSM Integrated Health Technologies
David Rootz, CQI director
Brian Mabus, information systems manager
St. Mary’s Health Center-Jefferson City, Mo.
Denise Webber, cardiovascular quality coordinator
Sherry Wyatt, director surgical and orthopedic unit
St. Mary’s Good Samaritan, Inc.
Michelle Darnell, vice president of systems improvement
SSM Behavioral Health Services
Dona Schaefer, director of central intake
St. Clare Hospital and Health Services-Baraboo, Wis.
Melinda Schoen, CQI project coordinator
SSM Physicians Organization
Jennifer Merzlicker, project manager/CQI facilitator
Sr. Mary Jean Ryan presenting a CQIplus project team leader certificate to Denise Webber, cardiovascular
quality coordinator, St. Mary’s Health Center, Jefferson City, Mo. See the complete list
of those receiving the project team leader certification above.
During her presentation
“Patient Safety-Reducing
Falls,” Kerrie Conroy, team
leader, SSM St. Clare Health
Center, Fenton, Mo., talks
about reducing the number of
patient falls at the hospital.
During a general session presentation, Bruce Merrell, president of
the Centralia, IL, campus of St. Mary’s Good Samaritan, Inc., explained
to the audience what the hospital has done to achieve
exceptional results.
14

The Reviews Are In
for SSM’s Got Talent!
“I’ve gotten some good laughs, and I’ve seen the
lighter side of SSM. Too frequently I think we get
caught up in what we are doing — and I heard
some great ideas.”
Mike Panicola, corporate vice president-ethics
“We’ve seen a lot of creativity and a lot of talent.”
Chad Aduddell, president, Bone and Joint Hospital
“I came to learn more about what’s going on in
the network and to see what my colleagues are
doing that I can take back to Jefferson City.”
Cathy Abrams, RN, executive vice president,
chief operating officer, chief nurse executive,
St. Mary’s Health Center, Jefferson City.
“We had great collaboration with physician services
and centralized scheduling. We came together
as a team working towards a common goal. That has
been inspiring to me. That teamwork, along with
the engagement of our staff was a recipe for success.”
Jerry Rumph, executive director of diagnostic services,
North Operating Group, SSM Health Care-St. Louis
talking about his presentation on competing
with freestanding imaging services.
“I just came out of a presentation (SSM Health Care-
St. Louis presentation on effectively competing with
freestanding imaging centers) and saw some results,
creating a vision for a service line, and bringing
different partners together to accomplish a common
goal.”
Calvin Robinson, team leader for radiation oncology
North Operating Group, SSM St. Joseph Medical Park,
St. Peters, Mo.
“We are breaking ground with a new and fun outof-
the- box approach to diabetes prevention that
has never been done before. We don’t just say ‘eat
right and exercise,’ but we explain, down to a cellular
level, why it is important.”
Debra Hull, RN, diabetes instructor, St. Francis Hospital and
Health Services, Maryville, Mo., on her diabetes presentation
“Our emergency department improved from 9th to
92nd percentile in 14 months because our patients
see our doctors faster.”
Leslie Allen, process management consultant, St. Mary’s
Good Samaritan Inc.-Mount Vernon, on the
positive turnaround in the ER at St. Mary’s.
“The talent has been wonderful, and I’ve felt the
energy in the entire audience.”
Laura Jelle, vice president of operations St. Clare Hospital
and Health Services, Baraboo, Wis.
“It’s been great. Everything is well put together and
I think Sherlyn Hailstone (president of SSM Cardinal
Glennon Children’s Medical Center), by far, has been
the best president in the place.”
Brian Kennedy, ER team leader, SSM Cardinal
Glennon Children’s Medical Center.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to share our
success stories and add a little humor. I applaud
senior leadership for sharing their success with
humor. That really sets the tone.”
Joe Rocklage, ambulatory project manager,
Project Beacon, IHT
“It has been exciting, including this presentation
about diabetes (St. Francis Hospital and Health
Services, Maryville, Mo.,); specifically about addressing
kids. Out nutritionist does this with the
kids on our unit and I would like to take this back
to her.”
Debra Little, recreation therapist in the adolescent
psychiatric unit, St. Joseph Health Center- Wentzville, Mo.
15

2009 Showcase for Sharing
What’s Being Stolen:
Electronic Health Record Implementation Tools
SSM Integrated Health Technologies
This presentation included tools used during the EHR implementation at
St. Mary’s to ensure a successful “go live.”
From Nine to Ninety
St. Mary’s Good Samaritan, Inc., Mount Vernon, Ill. campus
Good Samaritan’s Emergency Department has made significant strides. Through
innovation, Lean concepts and process redesign, the department has been
able to dramatically raise its patients’ “willingness to recommend” and
employee satisfaction.
Living and Celebrating Our Mission
SSM Health Care - St. Louis
SSM-St. Louis successfully launched a new concept for Mission Days. All employees
were invited to participate in a half-day event focused on how the work
we do everyday relates to our mission.
Patient Safety - Eliminating Falls
SSM St. Clare Health Center, Fenton, Mo.
The number of falls was greatly reduced on a unit using innovative design,
a “buddy” model, and bed and chair alarms. “Fall leaf” cards are posted
outside patient rooms to identify at-risk patients.
Project Boost: Better Outcomes for Older Adults Through Safer Transitions
SSM St. Mary’s Health Center, St. Louis, Mo.
St Mary’s is one of 30 hospitals nationwide participating in Project Boost.
Information sharing between the hospital and outpatient physicians is improved,
ensuring that high-risk patients are identified and specific interventions are
offered.
A Journey With Joe into Diabetes
St. Francis Hospital & Health Services
St. Francis is educating youth about diabetes. The final destination is the
production of a partly animated DVD that will go onto the public schools
in the 2010-2011 school year.
Forgoing Treatment: A Physician Leadership Council Docudrama
SSM Health Care, Corporate Office
SSM’s new Forgoing Care Guidelines are a very important aid to clinicians,
patients and families facing difficult decisions in futile, end-of-life situations.
SSM Rx Express - Joint Venture Marries High Touch with High Technology
SSM DePaul Health Center, St. Louis, Mo.
SSM Health Care - St. Louis and The Corner Pharmacy have formed a joint
venture called SSM Rx Express. Opened on August 24, 2009, SSM RX Express
gives patients the convenience of having their prescriptions delivered directly
to them before they leave the hospital at no additional cost.
St. Mary’s Journey Toward Being Exceptional
St. Mary’s Good Samaritan, Inc., Centralia, Ill. Campus
How St. Mary’s has been able to transform itself and dramatically increase its
clinical results, physician and employee satisfaction, and financial performance
to better serve the residents of Southern Illinois..
Who’s Stealing It:
St. Mary’s Health Center, Jefferson City, Mo.
St. Francis Hospital & Health Services, Maryville, Mo.
St. Mary’s Care Center, Madison, Wis.
St. Mary’s Hospital, Janesville, Wis.
St. Clare Hospital & Health Services, Baraboo, Wis.
St. Mary’s Good Samaritan, Inc. Mount Vernon, Ill.
campus
St. Anthony Hospital, Oklahoma City, Okla.
SSM St. Clare Health Center, St. Louis, Mo.
St. Mary’s Good Samaritan, Inc. Centralia and
Mount Vernon, Ill. campuses
SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center,
St. Louis, Mo.
Bone & Joint Hospital at St. Anthony, Oklahoma
City, Okla.
SSM Home Care
St. Mary’s Good Samaritan, Inc. Centralia campus
St. Clare Hospital & Health Services, Baraboo, Wis.
SSM St. Joseph Hospital West, Lake Saint Louis, Mo.
St. Clare Hospital & Health Services, Baraboo, Wis.
St. Clare Hospital & Health Services, Baraboo, Wis.
SSM St. Joseph Hospital West, Lake Saint Louis, Mo.
SSM St. Mary’s Health Center, St. Louis, Mo.
St. Mary’s Hospital, Madison, Wis.
SSM DePaul Health Center, St. Louis, Mo.
16

What’s Being Stolen:
Get On Board - Train For Pain Management
St. Mary’s Care Center, Madison, Wis.
Instead of preconceived notions on how to treat patients with pain, this presentation
encourages caregivers to take a more holistic approach to reducing
patients’ pain by going back to such basics as human touch and listening to
patients to find out what they need.
Insurance Preauthorization Process
SSM Home Care
In 2008, SSM Home Care wrote off $29,000 due to the lack of insurance authorizations
for patient visits. That figure has been reduced by increased accuracy.
The improvement approach included the DMAIC (define, measure, analyze,
improve and control) methodology; flow charting before and after; and
Lean tools.
Working Smarter, Not Harder
St. Mary’s Hospital, Madison, Wis.
Improvements can be replicated in other facilities to meet the goal of reducing
days in accounts receivable.
Performance Improvement Reports/Nursing Data Hub
SSM Health Care - St. Louis
The nursing data hub is a centralized location for all nursing audit forms, results
and tools. By centralizing the reports, caregivers have info on their patients
at the bedside and can make the best decisions for them.
Joint Presentation: Core Measures
St. Mary’s Health Center, Jefferson City, Mo.
By establishing a set of core measures as the standard of care, the vice president
of medical affairs and the chair of medical staff performance and improvement
are better able to champion compliance. Peer-to-peer interventions are also
used to garner physician support and compliance.
Who’s Stealing It:
St. Clare Hospital & Health Services, Baraboo, Wis.
St. Mary’s Health Center, Jefferson City, Mo.
SSM St. Joseph Health Center, St. Louis, Mo.
St. Mary’s Hospital, Janesville, Wis.
SSM St. Clare Health Center, St. Louis, Mo.
St. Mary’s Good Samaritan, Inc. Mount Vernon, Ill. campus
SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center,
St. Louis, Mo.
St. Clare Hospital & Health Services, Baraboo, Wis.
St. Francis Hospital & Health Services, Maryville, Mo.
St. Francis Hospital & Health Services, Maryville, Mo.
SSM St. Clare Health Center, St. Louis, Mo.
St. Mary’s Health Center, Jefferson City, Mo.
St. Mary’s Hospital, Madison, Wis.
SSM DePaul Health Center, St. Louis, Mo.
SSM St. Clare Health Center, St. Louis, Mo.
SSM St. Joseph Hospital West, Lake Saint Louis, Mo.
This presentation outlined the importance of core measures and how focusing
on each miss as a root-cause analysis is driving clinical culture change. Progress
is celebrated with medical and hospital staff.
Bone & Joint: A Model for Physician Engagement
Bone & Joint Hospital at St. Anthony, Oklahoma City, Okla.
A new co-management model has brought together providers and the facility
in a sustainable partnership with aligned goals for the benefit of patients.
Physician Safety Fair
St. Anthony Hospital, Oklahoma City, Okla.
To increase physician understanding of patient safety efforts at St. Anthony
Hospital, a safety fair gave them attendance credit which was advertised via
flyers and screensavers, marketed in physicians office and announced at meetings.
Using Staff Engagement to Design our Relationship-Based Care Practice
St. Clare Hospital & Health Services, Baraboo, Wis.
The presentation showcased the synergy of shared leadership and the
relationship-based care model. It also showcased the systematic approach to
principle-guided redesign of nursing practice and demonstrated its applicability
to other disciplines and how it can lead to coordinated care.
Toilet Paper Holder (from Presidents’ Presentation)
St. Clare Hospital & Health Services, Baraboo, Wis.
A St. Clare employee created a simple device to help patients avoid dropping
toilet paper rolls on the floor and out of reach. This innovative creation increased
patient satisfaction and saved cases of toilet paper for the organization.
SSM St. Joseph Hospital West, Lake Saint. Louis, Mo.
SSM St. Mary’s Health Center, St. Louis, Mo.
St. Mary’s Health Center, Jefferson City, Mo.
St. Mary’s Health Center, Jefferson City, Mo.
SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center,
St. Louis, Mo.
St. Mary’s Good Samaritan, Inc. Mount Vernon, Ill.
campus
SSM St. Clare Health Center, St. Louis, Mo.
St. Mary’s Good Samaritan, Inc. Centralia campus
17

How We’re Doing:
Patient Care
At SSM Health Care, our Mission is at the heart of everything we do. We say that
“through our exceptional health care services, we reveal the healing presence of
God.” But how can we tell how well we are living our Mission We measure three
things: exceptional patient care, exceptional commitment from our employees and
physicians, and exceptional financial performance and growth. In each issue of
OptimiSSM, we’ll highlight the results from one of these areas to let you know
how we’re doing.
For this issue, we’ll focus on the quality of the care we give our patients.
We measure and track a lot of clinical data, but we focus on results in four key
areas to determine how well we are accomplishing our Mission of “exceptional
patient care.” These areas are: heart failure, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), pneumonia,
and surgical care improvement project (SCIP). These are also the quality of
care measures that are shown on Hospital Compare, a Website that was developed
by both the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Hospital Quality
Alliance: Improving Care Through Information (HQA). This online tool shows
how often hospitals give the recommended treatments known to get the best results
and allows patients to compare hospitals. Research has shown that these treatments
provide the best results for most patients with those conditions and are an
important part of the patients’ overall care.
For example, in the area of SCIP, we know that hospitals can reduce the risk of infection after surgery
by providing the right medicines at the right time on the day of surgery. Collaborative teams
throughout SSM Health Care focus constantly on specific care processes such as this for surgical care.
So why should this matter to you It means that you can feel confident that we are doing everything
we can to make sure that you receive the best care possible.
18

Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP)*
Composite Scores YTD September 2009
SSMHC
St. Marys Health Center, Jefferson City
Bone & Joint Hospital at St. Anthony
St. Francis Hospital, Maryville
SSM St. Mary’s Health Center, St. Louis
SSM St. Joseph Health Center, St. Charles
SSM St. Joseph Hospital West
SSM DePaul Health Center, Bridgeton
St. Mary’s Hospital, Centralia
Good Samaritan Hospital, Mount Vernon
St. Mary’s Hospital, Madison
SSM St. Clare Health Center, Fenton
St. Anthony Hospital, Oklahoma City
St. Clare Hospital, Baraboo
92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100
Percentage
This graph reflects the percentage of times patients received the recommended treatments and medications for their surgeries.
*See previous page to learn what SCIP means.
100%
95%
90%
85%
Monthly SCIP Composite Scores
for SSM Health Care, 2007-2009
Jan-07
Mar-07
May-07
Jul-07
Sep-07
Nov-07
Jan-08
Mar-08
May-08
Jul-08
Sep-08
Nov-08
Data source: PIR Current Month for System Acute Care Hospitals
Jan-09
Mar-09
May-09
Jul-09
Sep-09
SSM’s overall percentage increase from Jan. 2007 to Sept. 2009
in providing the recommended treatments and medications for
surgery patients.
Point of Optimissm
The four hospitals that have most improved the recommended
care for sugery patients from Sept. 2008
to Sept. 2009 were as follows:
Bone and Joint Hospital at St. Anthony,
Oklahoma City
St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Inc.
Mount Vernon Ill. campus
SSM St. Joseph Hospital West,
Lake Saint Louis, Mo.
SSM St. Joseph Health Center,
St. Charles, Mo.
To read more about SSM Health Care’s commitment to quality, visit www.ssmhc.com.
19

Around
SSM
MISSOURI
St. Mary’s Earns MQA
JEFFERSON, CITY, Mo. — St. Mary’s Health
Center earned a Missouri Quality Award
(MQA), one of the most respected statelevel
quality award programs in the country.
Modeled after
the Malcolm
Baldrige National
Quality Award,
the MQA honors
excellence in areas
such as organizational
performance,
leadership,
customer service
Brent Vaanconia, president
of St. Mary’s Health Center,
with the hospital’s MQA
and satisfaction.
St. Mary’s
award is the 11th
earned by SSM
since MQA began in 1992 — the most by
any health-care system in the state.
Three SSM Hospitals Recognized
as Top Performers
ST. LOUIS — Three SSM hospitals have
been named top performing hospitals in the
Premier Inc. healthcare alliance QUEST:
High-Performing Hospitals initiative.
SSM DePaul Health Center, Bridgeton, Mo.;
SSM St. Joseph Health Center, St. Charles, Mo.;
and SSM St. Mary’s Health Center, Richmond
Heights, Mo., received top performance awards
in the national three-year QUEST project.
The hospitals improved patient care, safety,
reduced mortality rates, and costs for patients.
New Sleep Disorder Center
Means Better ZZZ’s
LAKE SAINT LOUIS, Mo. — On Nov. 4, the
people served by SSM St. Joseph Hospital
West were miles closer to getting a diagnosis
for their sleeping problems.
That’s the date when the SSM Center
for Sleep Disorders will open on the second
level of the H.W. Koenig Medical Building
at the hospital. This new center, which will
serve western St. Charles, Lincoln and Warren
Counties, joins the SSM Center for Sleep
Disorders at SSM St. Joseph Health Center
in St. Charles, Mo., which primarily serves
the eastern portion of St. Charles County.
Put Your Hands Together for
DePaul’s Perfect Surveys!
BRIDGETON, Mo. — When you receive two
perfect surveys from the Joint Commission,
and one of the surveyors tells you that this
is “absolutely unheard of,” you deserve a
round of applause. SSM DePaul Health
Center has earned accreditation from the
Joint Commission for both its stroke and
joint replacement (hip and knee) programs.
Joint Commission standards are regarded
as the most rigorous in the industry and the
staff have been preparing for months.
Both programs underwent an extensive,
on-site evaluation by a team of surveyors
and problems were identified.
DePaul Partners with County
for H1NI Vaccination of
Pregnant Residents
BRIDGETON, Mo. — SSM DePaul Health
Center joined with the St. Louis County Health
Department to offer free H1N1 (swine flu)
vaccinations to pregnant residents of St. Louis
County on Oct. 31. .
According to the health department, pregnant
women are at particular risk from the virus.
Sixteen nurses administered 1,220 flu vaccinations to
women and 82 to children in a single day at SSM DePaul
Health Center.
20

ILLINOIS
St. Mary’s Hospital
Celebrates Centennial
CENTRALIA, Ill. — The Centralia Campus
of St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Inc., known as
St. Mary’s Hospital, celebrated 100 years of
ministry to the community on October 11.
A Centennial Mass was held at St. Mary’s Church in
Centralia to celebrate the 100th anniversary of St. Mary’s
Good Samaritan Inc.-Centralia Campus.
OKLAHOMA
Bone and Joint Announces
New Robotic Procedure
OKLAHOMA CITY — Bone and Joint
Hospital at St. Anthony is the only facility in
Oklahoma City to offer MAKOplasty, a new
robotic technology. MAKOplasty is a partial
knee resurfacing procedure using robotic arm
Dr. Thomas Tkach talks about MAKOplasty technology
at a community education event.
technology. This enables surgeons to precisely
replace the diseased portion of the knee while
preserving healthy tissue that surrounds it.
St. Anthony and SSM Health
Care of Oklahoma Support
Nursing School Expansion
OKLAHOMA CITY — St. Anthony Hospital
has not forgotten its historic connection to the
Oklahoma City University’s (OCU) Kramer
School of Nursing. The OCU school of
nursing was the original St. Anthony School
of Nursing.
St. Anthony and SSM Health Care of
Oklahoma also have an eye to the future and
the critical need for nurses. The OCU nursing
program has seen a 382-percent growth in
enrollment over the past few years.
That increase has led to an OCU announcement
that the nursing school will begin an
$8.5-million expansion, and St. Anthony
and SSM Health Care of Oklahoma will
contribute $100,000 over a five-year period
to the expansion project.
St. Anthony Extends Care Via
Electronic Communications
OKLAHOMA CITY — St. Anthony Hospital
and Oklahoma State University Center for
Health Sciences will partner to extend specialty
medical care to underserved areas of
western Oklahoma. Patients in rural parts of
Oklahoma will have access to St. Anthony
specialists via electronic communications.
Seven rural hospitals and clinics are expected
to be part of this telemedicine partnership
beginning in January. Plans are to add five
more sites during the summer of 2010.
WISCONSIN
Ground Broken on St. Mary’s
Janesville Hospital
JANESVILLE, Wis. – SSM Health Care of
Wisconsin and Dean Health System broke
ground on the new St. Mary’s Janesville
Hospital and Dean Clinic Janesville. Completion
of the $150 million project is set for
late 2011.
The 50-bed hospital will total approximately
163,000 square feet, and the Dean
Clinic will total approximately 150,000
square feet. The 50-acre site incorporates
space for planned future growth of both the
hospital and the clinic.
St. Mary’s Hospital Recognized
for Organ Donation Efforts
MADISON, Wis. — St. Mary’s Hospital was
one of two Madison-area hospitals to receive
a medal of honor from the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services for its efforts
to improve organ donation rates in Wisconsin.
For hospitals to achieve this recognition,
three out of four patients who were eligible
to donate organs must become organ donors.
SSM-WIDE
Winners of the “Lights,
Camera, Scrub!” Contest
Winners of the hand washing video contest
were as follows:
Grand prize: The telemetry department,
SSM St. Joseph’s Hospital West - Lake Saint
Louis, Mo. Their winning video was called
“Get Smart, Get Clean!”
Second place: The marketing department
“Foam in, Foam out” by St. Anthony Hospital
in Oklahoma City.
Other contest honorees were Gordon
Yenzer, St. Anthony Hospital, Oklahoma
City, named best actor for “Foam in, Foam
out”; Teri St. Clair, SSM Physician Organization,
best actress for “Wash Your Hands”;
SSM of Wisconsin and Steve Van Dinter for
“Going with the Flow” for best short video;
and SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s
Medical Center, St. Louis, and Bob Davidson
for “We’d Rather You Lather” for best
use of hands.
St. Mary’s Conversion to EHR
Makes It a Majority
RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Mo. — SSM
St. Mary’s Health Center conversion to the
electronic health record (EHR) on Nov. 7
means SSM Health Care has passed the
halfway point. Eight of 15 SSM hospitals
now have EHR.
21

Calendar
of Events
January
February
March
1 New Year’s Day
Cervical Health Awareness Month
6 Upland Hills mental health event. Patricia Lorenz presents Humor for the Health of It
7 New Models for Medical Staff Integration seminar
18 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday
21 Annual Celebrity Chef event, St. Anthony Hospital
23 SSM Hospice and Home Care Foundation trivia night fundraiser in Maryville, Mo.
1 Black History Month
American Heart Month
5 Women & Heart Disease event, SSM Heart Institute, St. Louis
10 Heart Fair Off the Square, St. Mary’s Hospital, Madison, Wis.
12 Abraham Lincoln’s birthday
13 Women & Heart Disease event, SSM Heart Institute, St. Louis
14 Valentine’s Day
Chinese New Year
15 George Washington’s birthday/Presidents Day
16 Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras
17 Ash Wednesday
23-24 Planning Innsbrook meeting, St. Louis Airport Marriott
27 SSM DePaul Auxiliary turns 50. Gala at the Renaissance Grand downtown St. Louis
1 National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
7 National Patient Safety Awareness Week
10 Healthy Heart Screening, SSM St. Clare Health Center, Fenton, Mo.
14 Daylight Saving Time begins
National Poison Prevention Week
17 St. Patrick’s Day
20 First day of spring
23 American Diabetes Alert Day
28 Palm Sunday
30 SSM St. Clare Health Center, Fenton, Mo. one year old.
Passover begins
22

SHE’S BACK!
SUPER CAROL VERSUS THE
APATHY ATOMIZER
SSM’s Super Carol thwarts the plot of Count Von Shortcut and Bad Habitus
as they try to keep employees from stopping the line at SSM Generic
General Hospital.
Super Carol knows you should speak up when something isn’t right. You
don’t have to be a superhero to do it, but you do have to have the courage
to say “wait a minute, let’s talk about this.”
© 2009 SSM Health Care
23

Photo by Laura Morris
Peace be with you.