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Saint Francis Hospital Provides Innovative Care with Ultimate Convenience SPONSORED CONTENT T he health care industry is constantly changing and adapting, creating new techniques for treatment, advancements in procedures, and innovations for surgery. But these cutting- edge developments can only help to serve the community if a patient feels comfortable going in to get them. In a conversation with President of Saint Francis Hospital, Thomas Burke, BPharm, M.B.A, we explore the hospital's efforts to make this state-of-the art health care accessible to all. Q: How does Saint Francis Hospital work to provide convenient services to your patients? A: It is in our core Mission to serve our community, and the best way to encourage proactive health care is to make things as easy as possible for the patient. It is our brand promise to listen, partner, and make it easy. For example, we partner with community physicians and listen to the needs that patients call attention to. It starts with something as simple as providing free valet parking when patients arrive, or the patient transport we provide inside the hospital to get patients where they need to be with ease. But we go way beyond that. We aim to provide convenience in unique ways, like through our Women's Care Concierge, our Patient Care Navigator in our Spine Institute, or our newly developed Surgical Concierge program. Trinity Health Of New England also supports robust Telehealth services, which have become increasingly important during the COVID-19 pandemic. In many cases, our virtual care services make it possible for our providers to connect with their patients while the patient remains in the comfort of their home. Q: What services do the Women's Care Concierge, Patient Care Navigator, and Surgical Concierge offer in order to make things more convenient for patients at Saint Francis? A: Quite honestly, patients can get lost in the complexity of the health care system. Our services provide ways to help cut through the red tape. We are proud to offer holistic care through our Women's Care Concierge. One phone number provides a streamlined approach to get everything the patient needs in a simple way, connecting her to a Women's Health Nurse Navigator who will help guide the patient through her care. That can mean helping to find the right specialist, ensuring appointments are booked, and following up on tests and treatment. The nurse navigator works with the patient to create a comprehensive plan for better health, including annual visits and mammograms, mental health care, and nutrition services. It is personalized, 360-degree care designed to fit every patient. We follow the same model with our Spine Institute Patient Care Navigator. Patients are immediately connected to a patient care navigator, who remains with them through the entirety of their treatment. This program has been proven to improve access to specialty spine care, reduce wait times for appointments, improve coordination of care, and ultimately provide a better quality of life for the patient. Our newest care navigator program is soon- to-be offered through our Surgical Department. The new Surgical Concierge will take what we've proven to be an effective model of comprehensive patient care and apply it to our general surgery services. Q: How does Saint Francis combine innovation with this convenience? A: It is so important that as we look to improve conveniences, we combine it with innovation. We are committed to making sure our patients have easy access to the most state-of-the- art care, regardless of why they are coming to us. As a member of Trinity Health Of New England, we offer a regional network of services and physicians that allow us to provide the best possible care to our patients, no matter where they live. We were recently named to Newsweek's list of World's Best Hospitals, which is a recognition for hospitals that stand out for consistent excellence, including distinguished physicians, top- notch nursing care, and state- of-the-art technology. We are constantly assessing, growing, looking at evolving needs, addressing them as they develop and as research warrants, all in order to continue to be the top choice in health care in the region. Q: What are some of these new innovations? A: Trinity Health Of New England is committed to state-of-the-art, innovative procedures. Saint Francis is the only hospital in Connecticut with the latest CyberKnife System technology. This is a specialized robotic radiation machine used to deliver precisely targeted intense radiation to tumors located anywhere in the body. Delivering a precise dose in a precise location means a significantly fewer side effects and less recovery time from the procedure. In our Smilow Cancer Hospital at Saint Francis, we are offering new pharmacy services to provide extra convenience to our cancer patients as well as a new lab dedicated to cancer research and clinical trials. Additionally, our Connecticut Joint Replacement Institute is a state-of-the art "hospital within a hospital" facility. Here, our highly skilled orthopedic surgeons and their care teams can share their extensive expertise in the latest joint replacement techniques. New technologies such as the Airo Mobile Intraoperative CT provides diagnostic quality images designed for use in the operating room. This gives surgeons up-to- date information during surgery to allow for timely and informed decision making. Q: Medical experts are discussing the need for a greater focus on cardiovascular care as we move out of the pandemic. What kinds of innovations are you implementing there? A: Saint Francis Hospital was recently the first hospital in the region to implement the newest Impella device, a minimally invasive heart pump. We also recently completed the first WATCHMAN procedure to be done at our facility. This procedure provides patients with a common type of heart arrhythmia an alternative to taking blood thinners for the rest of their lives. We also offer robotic-assisted cardiac surgeries. It is important to note, this is just a small number of the innovative treatments, procedures, and advancements we are making on a regular basis at Saint Francis. It is extremely satisfying to be coming through the other side of one of the greatest health care challenges in a century and get back to focusing on the future. That means implementing these incredible technologies and looking for new techniques, locations, and ways in which to serve our community. Q&A with Saint Francis Hospital President Thomas Burke Thomas Burke, BPharm, MBA President of Saint Francis Hospital