Hartford Business Journal

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The Comprehensive Women's Health Center at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center is designed to be a warm environment. happen. "But we really try to focus on outcomes that matter to patients," which St. Francis learns from constant surveys of patients, he said. While he said patient satisfaction scores have been among some of the state's high- est in categories such as likelihood to recommend, or rating the hospital 9 or 10, Rodis continues to look for improvement. In its Connecticut Joint Replacement Institute (CJRI), for example, St. Francis began tapping the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM) on outcomes that matter to patients. For hip and knee replace- ment patients, what matters are things like pain relief, return- ing to function and the lifestyle one wants, such as playing golf and tennis again, returning to work and improved mobility, Rodis said. "Those are the outcomes that matter to patients, frankly," he said. "Prior to things like ICHOM, we never really asked those questions to patients." Even before patients are surveyed, though, all are contacted after discharge to ensure, among other things, that they don't have questions, filled their prescriptions, are taking medications properly and know when their next appointment is. "That's very, very important to maintain our relationship with the patient beyond the acute episode of care in the hospital," Rodis said. St. Francis also emphasizes access to care, making it convenient, for example, through FastCare clinics with extended hours in several Stop & Shop stores, multiple blood-draw clinics throughout the region, and its InQuicker online appointment scheduling program for minor emergency care. It's also access to information, which St. Francis provides through its MyCare por- tal informing patients of test results, medications and more. The hospital has used mailings to remind women, for example, of the time elapsed since their last mammo- gram and offer the ability to book the next one online. Hospitals, too, can use social media to target specific age groups for colonoscopies and mammograms, for example, Rodis said. "I think that's the next wave," he said. "We in health care have been a little late, I would say, to use social media as a way to keep patients engaged, but I think we're catching up now." Also with an eye on patient-centeredness, St. Francis built its Comprehensive Women's Health Center to be comfortable and convenient, from valet parking to pri- vate registration areas, and a warm environment that includes fluffy robes akin to those in top-rated hotels and wraparound services like massage and acupuncture. For mammograms, women get test results while they're there and then are introduced to staff for immediate follow-up tests or consultations if necessary. It's convenient, but also decreases the anxiety women have about waiting for the results of a lab test, Rodis said. It might be easier to send a letter a few days later about test results, "but that's not patient-centered care," he said. The hospital also tries to bridge health disparities in the community through its Curtis D. Robinson Center for Health Equity, reaching out to men, for example, in barber shops and church groups who might not otherwise get into the health system to educate them about the need for prostate screenings and offer free screenings and provide the care if they can't afford it. Through that program, at least 40 men in Hartford have been identified with prostate cancer and treated, Rodis said. It costs St. Francis money to offer such programs, "… but the health of my com- munity is important to me, it's not just financial health of our hospital," Rodis said. "Obviously, the financial health of our hospital is important, but I think we have a greater role … to make sure we have healthy communities." St. Francis also is attacking healthcare costs through care coordinators for patients like those with heart failure and COPD who have a high chance of hospital readmis- sion. The coordinators can reach out to patients at home and ensure they're following the care specific to their condition, Rodis said. "And by that way, you obviously prevent the readmissions, reduce the costs and do the right thing for patients," he said. n John Rodis, president of St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center.

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