WorkingWell on Journey to Baldrige Quality Award

WorkingWell, Franciscan Alliance's Northern Indiana Region network of occupational health care providers, recently received a High Level Bronze-Indiana State Malcolm Baldrige Award, which is a step toward qualifying to achieve the highly coveted Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

The Bronze award recently was announced by The Partnership for Excellence, the Baldrige-based awards program for Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia. The group partners with organizations using the internationally based Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence.

Applicants are evaluated by an independent board of examiners in areas of work force focus, operations focus, leadership, strategic planning, customer focus, measurement, analysis and knowledge management, and results.

Tim Ross, WorkingWell regional administrative director, said the honor resulted from a team effort.

"I was humbled by how Franciscan Alliance Northern Indiana Region leaders pulled together to support WorkingWell staff to achieve this prestige award. This was a team effort by all."

He added, "The journey started with WorkingWell's National Association of Healthcare Providers certification, which laid the foundation to achieve our International Organization for Standardization certification for all five WorkingWell clinics. The Baldrige award is the latest in achievements that WorkingWell has accomplished in our quest for high quality standards."

Ross said the next step in the journey for the ultimate Baldrige award will be earning the tri-state-level honor, which is the next goal.

"We will utilize Baldrige criteria to continuously improve quality objectives to become the best occupational health clinics."

Ross also credited Moulay Alaoui, regional business transformation specialist, for providing information that matched WorkingWell processes to Baldrige criteria.

WorkingWell clinics are located in Crown Point, Hammond, Michigan City, Munster and Valparaiso. To learn more, visit workingwell.org.

About the Award
The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recognizes U.S. organizations in the business, health care, education, and nonprofit sectors for performance excellence. The Baldrige Award is the only formal recognition of the performance excellence of both public and private U.S. organizations given by the U.S. president. It is administered by the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, which is based at and managed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Up to 18 awards may be given annually across six eligibility categories -- manufacturing, service, small business, education, health care, and nonprofit. As of 2010, 91 organizations had received the award.

The Baldrige National Quality Program and the associated award were established by the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Improvement Act of 1987. The program and award were named for Malcolm Baldrige, who served as United States Secretary of Commerce during the Reagan administration, from 1981 until Baldrige’s 1987 death in a rodeo accident.

Stroke Awareness Month: Remember to Act FAST

The acronym FAST is an easy way to remember signs of stroke and what to do if you think a stroke has occurred. However, it is important to always keep in mind that the most important thing to do is to immediately call 9-1-1 for emergency assistance.

FAST stands for:

• (F)ACE. Ask the person to smile. Check to see if one side of the face droops.
• (A)RMS. Ask the person to raise both arms. See if one arm drifts downward.
• (S)PEECH. Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Check to see if words are slurred and if the sentence is repeated correctly.
• (T)IME. If a person shows any of these symptoms, time is essential. It is important to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. Call 9-1-1. Act FAST.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health, offers up an award-winning video to build awareness about the signs of stroke and the need to call 911 to receive immediate medical treatment. The video includes information on stroke symptoms, treatment, and risk factors, and features medical experts, stroke patients and their families. Take a look:

Happy Nurses and Hospital Week!

In today's specialized world, we are often tempted to compartmentalize our lives, putting our professional interests in one corner and our spiritual concerns in another.

To Florence Nightingale - the founder of Nursing - fragmenting one's life in this way would have been unthinkable. Nightingale's life work of social action was her way of honoring God. As she put it, "My work is my must." She was and still is an icon of wholeness, an emblem of a united, integrated life. In fact, the integrity of her nursing practice depended on this holistic approach.

In 1875, Mother Maria Theresia - the founder of the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration - accepted an invitation to send Sisters to America. Religious persecution in Germany did not stop her from following the One who led her. Like Florence Nightingale, Mother Maria Theresia was determined to keep nursing and hospital ministry as a mission.

As we celebrate National Nurses Week and National Hospital Week, may their examples inspire us!

"It's My Time" to Get an Annual Mammogram

A MAMMOthon program, consisting of digital mammogram screenings, free chair massages and giveaways, including watches, will take place May 11 at Franciscan Hammond Clinic, 7905 Calumet Ave., Munster, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call (219) 836-3600 to schedule. Here, a physician referral is required.

The program will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 18 at Franciscan St. Margaret Health - Hammond, 5454 Hohman Ave. Call (219) 933-2635 to schedule.

Chair massages will be available from 3 to 7 p.m. at all locations. Participants also may enter a drawing to win an Apple iPad.

MAMMOthon is sponsored by Franciscan Alliance’s Spirit of Women program, which offers information and activities to encourage and enhance women’s health. Early detection is said to be key in beating breast cancer.

Ball of Strength Helps Participants Get in Shape

Participants in Franciscan Alliance's monthly Franciscanfit Mallwalkers program at Westfield Southlake Mall on April 25 received a lesson in how use of a mini-ball can help boost core body strength.

Jane Bogordos, fitness supervisor for Franciscan Omni Health & Fitness centers, demonstrated numerous techniques to participants.

Blood pressure screenings also were offered by Barbara Neely, a cardiac rehabilitation technician at Franciscan St. Margaret Health - Hammond, and by Christy Cleveland, a registered nurse in that unit.

The program takes place on the fourth Thursday of each month on the mall's lower level, outside of the JC Penney store.

For more information, call (219) 931-3322.

For more photos of this event, check us out on Facebook at facebook.com/FranciscanNWI.

"It's My Time" to Get an Annual Mammogram

Take the time to have your annual screening mammogram!

An inaugural MAMMOthon program, consisting of digital mammogram screenings, free chair massages and giveaways, including watches, will take place from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 27 at Franciscan St. Anthony Health - Michigan City, 301 W. Homer St.

The program will take place in the hospital’s Breast Imaging Center, on the first floor.

The event is sponsored by Franciscan Alliance’s Spirit of Women program, which offers information and activities to encourage and enhance women’s health. Early detection is key to beating breast cancer.

Chair massages will be available from 3 to 7 p.m. Participants also may enter a drawing for an Apple iPad.

Mammogram appointments are required. Screening cost is covered by most insurance companies.

For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call (219) 877-1980.

Other programs will be offered on May 11 at Franciscan St. Margaret Health - Dyer, Franciscan Hammond Clinic in Munster and at Franciscan St. Anthony Health - Crown Point, and on May 18 at Franciscan St. Margaret Health - Hammond.

Volunteers Give Help, Heart

Volunteers Glenda Bolton, Dorothy Alexander and Mimi Wadas
stand in the hospital’s outpatient surgery center.

"The greatest benefit is helping others. Doing something for others makes me feel better about myself," says Dorothy Alexander, a volunteer at Franciscan Physicians Hospital.

Alexander began volunteering in mid-February, hoping to meet other people. "I got to the point that I could no longer work and I had too much time on my hands. I called Mary Higgins and she set up the orientation for me to be a volunteer. I'm helping out twice a week and hoping I can be here more."

Higgins, director of mission services, kicked off the hospital's volunteer program, which has 42 members thus far, in February. "I'm very excited about the new volunteer program within our hospital. I have enrolled so many great and capable people who are highly motivated to provide assistance and be a part of our Franciscan team. They're helping create new ways to serve Munster and the Northwest Indiana community," states Higgins.

Volunteers provide a variety of essential services. A range of age, history and educational background bring numerous benefits to the hospital.

Glenda Bolton is among those who contribute. Bolton, who assists twice weekly at the hospital, is a retired sixth-grade school teacher from Cedar Lake. "I just retired from teaching and wanted to help out," Bolton says.

"As a teacher, I naturally enjoy the interaction and when I assist with patient escorting, I get the exercise I need. It’s really nice to help out and spend time with other people."

Benefits to volunteers don’t outweigh those received by the hospital. Since its inception, the volunteer program has offered the hospital numerous advantages. "Volunteers have been essential for us as patient representatives, greeters in the surgery lobby, transporters and information providers, among other various positions that are valuable to the operation of this facility," says Higgins.

Hospital president Barb Greene acknowledges the importance of each individual. "Within our facility, we've garnered a community of caring and devoted employees whose focus is solely on the patient and their care. Since February, our volunteer program has quickly melded into that community. My appreciation of these individuals is great and I look forward to the expansion of the program."

To join the volunteer program or for more information, call (219) 922-5897.