Construction teams at the site of the new Homestead Hospital recently celebrated the last 800-pound steel beam installed in the $135 million, 388,000 square foot facility. The beam, covered with signatures of Homestead Hospital employees, physicians, Board members and volunteers, was hoisted to the top of the building with an American flag and a tree symbolizing good luck during a topping off ceremony. The new hospital is scheduled to open in late 2006.



This month, we celebrate the heart – not only as the symbol of Valentine’s Day – but also as a core component of health. As nationally-recognized “Heart Month,” February reminds us to take care of our heart, to be active, and to make smart lifestyle choices that decrease risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

But, despite increasing community outreach, patient education programs, and symptom awareness campaigns, cardiovascular (CV) disease is still the number one killer in the United States, and people in all age groups still die from heart attacks, heart failure, stroke, and diabetes.

So what can you do to shift these trends over time?

Over the past decade, heart disease trends have already been changing, most likely due to increases in the availability of advanced treatment options, especially in the community setting. Corazon has worked with multiple clients that have implemented coronary angioplasty with off-site open heart surgery with great success. These programs have provided greater access to care, so patients are seeking treatment for heart attacks or heart disease sooner and closer to home, resulting in better outcomes and higher satisfaction. We have also noticed increases in the scope and reach of community programs implemented by hospitals nationwide. As 2006 gets underway, it’s a great time to strategically evaluate the outreach programs currently in place at your facility, and perhaps consider how to become even more involved in community heart health.

One of the most effective ways to become involved is to implement primary prevention programs that will better educate patients or more accurately diagnose those with cardiovascular disease (CVD). These programs educate people about CVD and the lifestyle changes that will help reduce risks and/or prevent the onset of conditions that can lead to heart attack or stroke.

The importance of primary prevention and risk factor management of CV disease cannot be overlooked. Corazon believes that hospitals taking a proactive stance on preventing and treating CV disease progression before intervention or surgery is necessary can positively impact the community.

A comprehensive approach to CV wellness and disease management often pairs healthcare providers with businesses, churches, or other venues in the community in an effort to offer a variety of options for achieving or maintaining heart health. These partnerships often result in broad-reaching, easily-accessible programs that promote increased personal responsibility for health, along with educational programs. Primary prevention activities often dovetail into more comprehensive programs that span a full spectrum of preventative, educational, and therapeutic modalities. Corazon recommends considering the following options when planning outreach, educational activities, or other CV program development initiatives:

Women’s Heart Program

Today, over 8 million women suffer from heart disease, a condition six times as deadly as breast cancer. With an aging population, this number will only increase as the decade unfolds; however, even with awareness increasing, women (and to some degree, the nation in general) continue to underestimate the threat. Since women over 65 utilize cardiovascular services at twice the rate of men, it is ever-more critical for CV service lines to focus on the female age sector of the population, which has traditionally been inadequately served throughout the U.S.

The market demand for CV programs tailored to the detection and treatment of the disease in women is strong. Corazon believes that expanding upon or creating a women’s heart center will increase hospital visibility and reputation while raising public awareness through various ad campaigns, screenings, and other initiatives.

Lifestyle Advantage®

Following the Dr. Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease has been shown to reverse the effects of CVD with a focus on prevention and alternative methods of cholesterol management. This turnkey approach can be implemented easily, and a sixty-mile exclusivity is given to the provider, so a Lifestyle Advantage® program can be a strong CV service line differentiator in a regional marketplace.

Lipid Clinics

Elevated cholesterol has been shown to be an important of risk factor for coronary heart disease. An outpatient service designed for the proper diagnosis and treatment of high cholesterol, Lipid Clinics are an effective means of secondary prevention of CV disease. Tighter control of lipid profiles is beginning to positively affect heart disease incidence, though many hospitals have not formalized this program. But, with community screening and targeted marketing efforts, hospitals can make great strides in cholesterol management in the community.

Progressive hospitals are finding ways to bridge these and other education and primary prevention programs into the development of secondary prevention and treatment programs, which embed the full range of concepts into a more advanced and comprehensive model of care. The following are examples of programming that address education, prevention, AND treatment:

Hypertension Management Clinics

More than 50 million Americans have hypertension, and there’s a 90% lifetime risk of developing this condition. Despite increasing financial and staff resources being invested in this condition, the disappointing rate of blood pressure control poses continual challenges to healthcare providers. The costs associated with medication, office visits, and laboratory tests to manage hypertension are topping $10 billion per year, but with poor patient compliance, under-developed treatment plans, and a lack of follow-up, this condition can end up costing hospitals more in repeat admissions and treatment for more complex admissions.

Hypertension Clinics are designed to provide integrated care for a variety of medical complications that can result from high blood pressure, including increased risk of heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, dementia, and diabetes. By offering a comprehensive treatment program, the Clinic can serve as a clearinghouse for referring patients to the appropriate specialists, and thus will improve compliance and work to decrease risk factors for further progression of associated complications.

Congestive Heart Failure Clinic

Today, nearly five million Americans suffer from heart failure and over 400,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. To better meet the need of this rapidly-growing population with high mortality, hospitals are developing Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Clinics and associated programs that can improve the quality of life for patients with CHF or those who are at risk for developing this condition. Aggressive management of CHF can result in reduced admissions to the hospital or the ED and/or a reduced length of stay in either setting, which will lead to cost savings as well as improved patient care.

Anticoagulation Clinics

Monitoring the coagulation profiles of patients on Warfarin (Coumadin) therapy is a time-consuming, non-reimbursed service for physicians. Progressive centers and practitioners are opting for protocol-driven, standardized management of this population. Successful web-based and protocol-driven programs are managed by pharmacists with utilization of predetermined care management decision trees. In each situation, all results are reviewed and approved by a physician to assure efficacious care.

All of these outreach program options can greatly improve community heart health, raise awareness of CV disease factors, and also increase visibility and reputation of the hospital. But, while implementing some of these programs or specialty Clinics can require large investments in time and money, along with the need to make significant changes in facility layout, building structure, and/or staffing, others that are less resource-intensive can still improve the health of a community.

So this month, and throughout the year, Corazon advocates the education and outreach component as a way for hospitals to raise awareness in the public and encourage heart-healthy behaviors and lifestyles. Indeed, the education component of early action/detection in the case of heart disease can save lives and work to eventually shift the paradigm from cardiovascular disease treatment to the promotion and maintenance of cardiac health, which will greatly impact people of all ages.



Lower Keys Medical Center staff, along with the Monroe County Emergency Rescue Services, American Medical Response (AMR), and the North Carolina National Guard recently held their first hurricane preparedness drill for the 2006 hurricane season. The Guard flew down the massive C-130 medical transport plane to the Boca Chica Naval Air Station just for the drill. Guardsmen played the role of hospital patients on the third floor of the hospital, and were transferred by ambulance to Boca Chica to be loaded onto the C-130.

Hurricane Drill Team for Lower Keys Medical Center (l-r): Meylan Lowe-Watler, John Norris M.D., Renee Makimaa and Cindy Sayre

North Carolina National Guardsmen play the roles of hospital patients during the drill

These drills are extremely important in assuring that all runs smoothly and everything is accounted for in case of a true mandatory evacuation of the hospital and its patients. June 1st to November 30th marks the hurricane season and it’s crucial that drills are done well in advance to satisfy the necessary state requirements of a mandatory hospital evacuation.



Twelve years ago, Rick and Patty Traegler were spending their weekends cleaning apartments, while still holding down full-time jobs. Now the owners of All Florida Janitorial Services, the couple has built this sideline into a prosperous company, which serves both Broward and Palm Beach Counties.

“My wife and I were looking for a business to start up, and she suggested that we start a cleaning business because she had had experience in that area,” explained Rick Traegler. “So we started out cleaning one apartment on weekends, and the business grew and grew until we were able to quit our full-time jobs.”

All Florida Janitorial Services now has six employees, who do both residential and commercial cleaning. “Most of our commercial work is for professional offices, including doctors, lawyers and real estate offices,” said Traegler. “About 99 percent of our clients are regulars, who we visit once a week or every two weeks.”

The company, which is licensed and insured, also does heavy-duty house cleaning, as well as special cleaning jobs when a business moves, or plans to host a large gathering. All Florida’s staff has also been specially trained to deal with issues pertaining to the cleaning of medical offices, including handling bio-sensitive materials and meeting OSHA’s regulations for germicidal cleaning.

“Our main goal is to keep our clients happy by providing good, consistent service,” said Traegler, who adds that the business handles everything from 1,000-sq. ft. offices to 15,000-sq. ft. offices. “We really get to know our clients, and the way that they like things done.”

Traci Iserman, office manager of Bath & Kitchen Creations, says that their company has been using All Florida Janitorial Services since December. “I would definitely recommend the company to others,” she said. “We are very happy with Rick’s service, because they always do the job.”

One of the things that sets the business apart from other janitorial services, according to Traegler, is that the company works very hard to maintain its staff. “This is a field with a very high turnover rate,” he said, “and when you keep changing staff, it’s hard to keep clients happy.”

Traegler retains staff by paying them more than the going rate and also provides extensive training. “My wife and I personally spend a lot of time with our staff to make sure that they can handle the work that needs to be done,” he said.

Traegler also takes this hands-on approach to his clientele, making sure that all of their needs are met. “I take a personal interest as the owner of this company in opening new accounts and in maintaining our current accounts,” he said. “Every office is different and depending on the account, they may have different requirements. Some people really stress the bathrooms or the exam rooms; other clients have certain pieces of equipment or areas that they don’t want us to touch.”

“One of the advantages of maintaining the same staff is that they know these things because they return to these offices on a weekly, or bi-weekly basis,” said Traegler. “They know all of the tricks.”

While continuing to serve his current clients, Traegler is looking to expand the business as well. “I’d like to add more clients in the areas that we already serve, as well as expand further north into St. Lucie County and Martin County,” he said “I’d like to work our way up the east coast of Florida.”



Look for these ten qualities

Savvy hospitals recognize that the “customer experience” may determine where patients choose to receive care. A consumer’s first experience with the hospital may come through a physician referral line, community event, health screening, workshop or class. Whatever the touch point, hospitals want to ensure that consumers have a consistent and pleasant experience.

Since the telephone and the Internet are the primary ways consumers interact with their hospital of choice, most hospitals have established some sort of customer interaction center. Hospital executives, however, constantly struggle with whether to maintain an in-house call center or outsource to a well-qualified partner. If you are thinking about outsourcing your hospital’s call center, here are ten qualities to look for:

1. Availability. An outsourced call center should be able to expand your hours of operation. We live in a society that operates around the clock, and your consumers should be able to reach a live person 24 hours a day.

2. Optimum Service Levels. An outsourced call center should answer 80 percent of calls within 30 seconds and provide the highest level of customer service standards. Do some “secret shopping” of your own to test the customer service standards of any partner you’re considering.

3. State-of-the-Art Technology. While you focus on healthcare technology, a call center partner should provide state-of-the-art communications technology that is not readily affordable by most hospitals.

4. Multi-Lingual. Look for a call center partner who supports the languages in your market.

5. Best Practices Sharing. A call center partner should have a formal venue through which you can learn about what hospitals like yours are doing – what’s working and what’s not.

6. Benchmarking. The data collected by an outsourced call center should be available so you can see how your hospital’s practices stack up against others in the industry.

7. Cross-Selling Opportunities. Through sophisticated technology, an outsource partner should be able to direct customers to other appropriate services or activities.

8. ROI reports. A desirable call center partner can create revenue reconciliation reports that show a direct correlation between callers and patient visits and downstream revenue.

9. Flexibility to Grow. As your needs change, so should the capabilities of a call center partner. Make sure that the one you choose has the ability to expand.

10. Seamless Interaction. Where the call is being answered should be invisible to the consumer. Look for call advisors with neutral accents.

Selecting a partner who comes into contact with your consumers must be done with careful diligence. The partner should be chosen based on how closely aligned they are with your own corporate culture and customer service philosophy. Using these ten traits will help you find the partner that best fits your hospital’s unique needs.