Cherry Festival Scone Fundraiser helps raise money for Providence St. Joseph Medical Center Café Remodel Thank you to all of you who supported us at the 2010 Cherry Festival in Polson by buying one or more of our delicious cherry scones baked by our very own “Top Baker” Amanda Barry, Cook, at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. Also, a very special “Thank you” to Jackie Cripe from Jackie M’s of Polson for the donation of our booth. St. Joes plans on updating our café and will use the proceeds of the scone sale for the remodeling project. If you haven’t tried our café for breakfast or lunch – you are missing a reasonably priced special treat! The café is open from 6 A.M to 6 P.M. Monday – Friday. Help us create a new name for our café by e-mailing your suggestions to rcantrell@saintjoes.org or calling Robyn at 890-5597.

ST JOSEPH MEDICAL CENTER LAUDED FOR SURGICAL CARE After completing more than two years of work in the National Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP), St. Joseph Medical Center has been formally commended for its outstanding successes. “St. Joseph Medical Center is an example of excellence. In nearly every measure endorsed by the SCIP project, St. Joseph is performing at 100 percent. Using these professionally recognized protocols ensures that St. Joseph’s surgical patients are being given the best possible care,” said Erin Minnerath, quality improvement coordinator at Mountain-Pacific Quality Health, the state’s Medicare quality improvement organization (QIO), which implements the SCIP project in Montana. Mary Moberly, Director of Nursing and Clinical Quality at St. Joseph, said the center’s success was due to the interplay of several factors, including the energetic focus on quality and excellence that new CEO James Kiser has introduced. She also recognized the dedication of the medical center’s surgeons, Doctors Bagnell, DePuy and Righetti and all the surgical staff. The National Surgical Care Improvement Project, a program of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, offers tools, resources, and consultation to hospitals working on improving surgical care. Within the program, hospitals work on ensuring use of several evidence-based measures known to improve safety for surgical patients. Examples are choosing the most appropriate antibiotic, administering antibiotics within optimal time frames, using medicines that help prevent postsurgical blood clots, clipping rather than shaving hair (which prevents skin abrasions and possible subsequent infection) and protecting patients with certain heart problems through appropriate timing and use of medications that help circulation. According to Minnerath, many hospitals and surgeons adopted these measures as soon as it was clear that research supported them. However no one was tracking their use, and when hospitals did start looking they found room for improvement. “In this ever-changing world of medical care, it’s important to stay educated on developments,” said Moberly. She also said that instituting policies and procedures was important and committing to goals as well. In addition to the SCIP goals she noted that St. Joseph focuses on the National Patient Safety Goals. The patient safety goals, which address surgery as well as other areas of care, are promoted by the Joint Commission, which accredits health care organizations. Moberly said St. Joseph was committed to maintaining its level of success through the end of the SCIP Project in 2011 and beyond. She said the changes made have become part of a new culture at St. Joseph Medical Center that ensures optimal care for patients facing surgery.

St. Joes Joins Teen In Anti Meth Message A local teen has joined forces with St. Joseph's Medical Center to send a strong anti-drug message to fellow teenagers in Polson. As part of the Montana Meth Project, Kyle Butterhof, son of long time St. Joseph Hospital employee Joe Butterhof, took it upon himself to create a dramatic and heartfelt art campaign to address the horrors of meth addiction. At son Kyle's request, Joe approached James Kiser, St Joseph CEO, with the idea of hospital sponsorship to enable the artwork to reach its intended audience. Mr. Kiser said "we immediately thought it was a great idea in keeping with our goal to care for the youth of our community". Mr. Kiser readily agreed to the project sponsorship with the donation of materials and labor necessary to erect a new billboard structure on Medical Center owned land directly across the street from the Middle and High Schools. The project artwork created by Kyle will be prominently displayed on the billboard. "This is a high visibility area where it would reach most of the local teens", said Kiser. "We believe that this is a positive community education campaign and we wanted to do our part". The hospital plans to continue using this message space as a targeted outreach program to the youth of the Polson community with future postings. Kyle's contribution to the project is artwork depicting the physical landslide exhibited in the appearance of an addict experiencing the horrific detrimental effects to their body as a result of use of the drug methamphetamine. When asked what motivated his decision to get involved with the Montana Meth Project, Kyle, age 18 said “I like the ad campaign; I feel it’s really effective and I just wanted to contribute to the cause. My idea was to create a cute girl who turns into an ugly meth zombie.” Have these signs made an impact on Kyle? He says yes “they have deterred me".

Cherry Festival Scone Fundraiser helps raise money for Providence St. Joseph Medical Center Café Remodel In the picture from left to right: Jennifer Forbis – Executive Assistant, Physician Services Kimberly Slack – Patient Financial Advocate, Providence SJMC Kimberlie McClain – RCM Manager, Providence SJMC Thank you to all of you who supported us at the 2010 Cherry Festival in Polson by buying one or more of our delicious cherry scones baked by our very own “Top Baker” Amanda Barry, Cook, at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. Also, a very special “Thank you” to Jackie Cripe from Jacki M’s of Polson for the donation of our booth. St. Joes plans on updating our café and will use the proceeds of the scone sale for the remodeling project. If you haven’t tried our café for breakfast or lunch – you are missing a reasonably priced special treat! The café is open from 6 A.M to 6 P.M. Monday – Friday. Help us create a new name for our café by e-mailing your suggestions to rcantrell@saintjoes.org or calling Robyn at 890-5597.

Polson 2nd Grade Hospital Tours St. Joseph Medical Center staff is honored to host the Cherry Valley and Linderman Schools annual Polson 2nd Grade Hospital Tours. Each spring the St. Joe’s Hospital staff looks forward to giving the tours to the second graders to lessen fears and answer questions while addressing misconceptions. After watching popular television shows such as ER and Gray’s Anatomy, many second graders talk about careers they hope to have in the medical professions. Classes arrive and are escorted to a reception area where each child receives hospital slippers, masks, and identification wrist bands. After the students are gowned and ready they proceed through a private tour of several different hospital departments. In Radiology, technologists show examples of x-rays of various bones and tell students what to expect if they are ever a patient in need of an x-ray. They also demonstrate how a CT scanner works. In the Emergency Room some volunteer students are able to have their blood pressure checked as well as their pulse rates and blood oxygen levels while having various equipment demonstrated to the rest of the class. The Polson Emergency Services staff brings their ambulance to the emergency room for the tours so that each child has an opportunity to get in the ambulance, ask questions, and have their picture taken. The last stop in the tour is the Endoscopy lab where a miniature camera is demonstrated. After a walk through the hospital, students receive cookies, juice and balloons for the trip back to the classroom.

Chuckwagon BBQ Dinner & Auction SAVE THIS DATE! St. Joseph Medical Center's Charity Chuckwagon BBQ Dinner & Auction - July 31st, 2010 at Denny & Lucy McCrumb's Barn on Finley Point. For ticket information or registration information please call Toni Young at 883-1676 or Donna Whealon at 883-8424

CHILDBIRTH CLASSES The following is the 2010 Childbirth Education Class schedule. February 5 & 6, April 2 & 3, June 4 & 5, August 6 & 7, October 1 & 2, December 3 & 4. Classes include a Friday evening and a Saturday morning class. Friday evening is 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday morning is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Contact the OB Department at 883-8438 or Florence Brown at 883-8430 for more information or to register.

New Chief Executive, St. Joseph Medical Center James Kiser has been selected as the new Chief Executive of St. Joseph Medical Center. James comes to the position after service at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, WA. James brings exceptional leadership to the organization with his more than 20 years of healthcare administration and we are excited about the level of commitment and stability he brings to both St. Joe’s and the community of Polson. Highlights from James’ career accomplishments include: Served as Chief Operating Officer for Providence St. Peter Hospital, a 390 licensed bed facility in Olympia, WA. Provided leadership as President and CEO of St. James Healthcare, Butte, MT Oversaw a $60M facility expansion Achieved Most Improved Patient Satisfaction Scores in the nation as measured by Avatar, receiving “Exceeding Patient Expectations” award for five consecutive years A strong history of healthcare advocacy both Nationally and for Montana James is no stranger to rural Montana healthcare or the Sisters of Providence; he has a proud history of Mission service to a variety of large Catholic health care systems and is recognized by others for his demonstrated experience as a collaborator, skilled businessman and courageous leader. James will be joined by his wife, Lorie, as they make their home permanent in Polson. Please join me in warmly welcoming James and his family to our organization and community.

St.Joe's Employees Donate 500 LBS of food to Food Bank Employees of Western Montana Medical Clinic-Polson and St Joseph Medical Center recently ended their 3rd food drive of the year with their biggest donation to Loaves and Fishes. The employees set an impressive goal of 500 pounds for their October food drive, and achieved their goal with just a few pounds to spare. Donations were collected at St Joseph Medical Center and then weighed on a large portable scale used for patients. In order to collect a useful assortment of items for the Food Bank organizers drew up a list of “most-needed food items.” The list was made into slips of paper and participating employees drew slips of paper with a particular food item on it. Employees found this an easy way to shop for what the Food Bank needed. Organizers at St Joseph Medical Center found that employees could maximize their dollars by knowing their purchase of 3-4 boxes of pancake mix and bottles of syrup were needed items for the shelves at Loaves and Fishes.

AIM teams up to clean up Emily Ibbs, left, and Alexis Geldrich, both of Polson, help the highway 93 cleanup. JETTE HILL — Forty-five bags of trash, four bags of recyclables, countless wrappers and bottles later, the two-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 93 between mile markers 68 and 70 was clean. St. Joseph Medical Center’s new All of Us in Motion club put together the highway clean-up last Saturday. AIM is an employee-based group with the focus of trying to get employees involved in the community. Seventeen employees showed up with their spouses and children to pick up trash. The oddest thing found was a beat-up dog cage. “We also saw a dead deer, but that’s expected,” organizer Kim Slack said. The participants donned bright-green vests donated from SJMC and walked along the side of the road. The vests will be reused at other events, like Hoopfest. The day started with a breakfast in the hospital’s cafeteria at 7:30 a.m. “They set the tone for the day,” Slack said of the chef’s breakfast. What was supposed to be a continental breakfast turned into a healthy spread of food fit for a king. “Eggs, hashbrowns, sausage,” Slack said. “It was great. We expected something simple like yogurt and fruit.” The AIM program was started a month ago and hopes to do a highway cleanup three times a year with more participation. “We had awesome feedback,” Slack said. “That’s why it’s called All of Us in Motion, not just a few of us.”