The Wright Memorial Hospital hospice program has completed a reorganization and began accepting new patients on Aug. 16.
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The Wright Memorial Hospital hospice program has completed a reorganization and began accepting new patients on Aug. 16.
The reorganization includes the following changes:
• Wright Memorial Hospital has partnered with Saint Luke’s Health System to provide the day-to-day management of the Home Health and Hospice and Bereavement programs.
• Staffing changes have been made, including the appointment of Janet Anderson, RN, as the director of the home health and hospice programs; Jackie Walker, RN, appointed to the newly-created position of clinical supervisor; Cheryl Thompson-Samm, MSW, social worker and bereavement coordinator; and Jean Herrin, LPN, staff nurse and volunteer coordinator.
• The service coordinator has been modified for the hospice program in order to assure appropriate response times in meeting patient needs. The new service area generally extends from I-35 east to Princeton and Newtown, southeast to Milan, south to Laclede, west to Highway 13 and north to Bethany and Ridgeway. The Home Health service area has not changed and services will still be provided in the area previously described but as far north as the Iowa state line and as far west as Kidder and I-35 near Altamont.
Further changes include:
• Wright Memorial Hospital Home Health and Hospice offices will relocate to 605 E. Ninth St. in early September.
• The hospice program is researching a transition of electronic medical records that would allow for access to valuable patient information for enhanced patient care. This technology is anticipated to be deployed in early 2006.
• In partnership with Saint Luke’s Health Care System, the Home Health program will begin offering in-home telemonitoring services in which medical information is transmitted to a 24-hour nursing service.
• The Health Watch personal emergency response system will be offered which promotes a more independent and safe environment for elders.
“Wright Memorial Hospital and its Home Health and Hospice programs would like to thank the community for its patience during this time of planning and reorganization,” said John Woodrich, CEO of Wright Memorial Hospital. “We are extremely grateful for the volunteers and chaplains that assist our hospice program in the delivery and patient care centered on the physical, mental and spiritual health of our patients and caregivers. Together we have and will continue to make a positive impact on the comfort and care provided to our patients.”