Michael Dorso, MD, Presents: Patient Satisfaction Tips

Dr. Michael Dorso, Quality Director at Marshall Medical Center, has spent a great deal of time thinking about patient satisfaction.  It's become a passion for him, and he has managed to put much of it into perspective after 43 years of patient interactions.  He recently spoke to a group of Marshall physicians, and was invited to speak at Marshall’s next Medical Staff Meeting.  Please feel free to contact Dr. Dorso for further discussion at mdorso@epmg.com. Please click the PDF attachment here for the presentation.

Ross Berkeley, MD, Awarded at SAEM!

Ross P. Berkeley, MD, FACEP, Assistant Professor and Associate Program Director at University of Nevada School of Medicine and Quality Director at University Medical Center of Southern Nevada was awarded for 'Best Faculty Discussant Presentation' at the 2008 National Emergency Medicine CPC (Clinical Pathological Case) semi-final competition, held at the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) annual meeting on May 28 in Washington, DC. This is a national competition in which emergency physicians are each provided with a different interesting or unusual patient case and are blinded to the diagnosis and final patient outcome. The faculty discussants then attempt to piece together the diagnosis in the case and present their solution in a PowerPoint presentation to an audience of faculty and resident physicians, while discussing the relevant differential diagnoses and the decision-making process involved in reaching the solution. The patient in the case that Dr. Berkeley was given had a final diagnosis of Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Resulting in Hyperemesis Gavidarum and Gestational Thyrotoxicosis, complicated with Acute Pericarditis. He is now 1 of 6 national finalists selected to advance to the CPC final competition at the upcoming American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Scientific Assembly, taking place in Chicago in October. Congratulations, Dr. Berkeley, on this well-deserved honor!

Top 100 Hospitals: Mercy San Juan Does it Again!

Mercy San Juan Medical Center has been named for the second year in a row as one of the nation’s top 100 hospitals, becoming one of only four California hospitals receiving this designation for 2007.

Thomson Healthcare, an information products company that provides tools and insights to help hospitals improve overall performance, released the top 100 list on its web site (www.100hospitals.com). A story featuring the top 100 hospitals also appeared in this month’s Modern Healthcare magazine as well as on the magazine’s web site (www.modernhealthcare.com). Thomson Healthcare, formerly known as Solucient, compared hospitals across the country in five critical areas: clinical outcomes, patient safety, operational efficiency, growth and financial stability. MSJ Medical Center is among 20 hospitals in the large community hospital category.

Says Brian K. Ivie, President of MSJ, “After winning the award last year, it is very satisfying to repeat as a top 100 hospital. This honor is an incredible tribute to the Mercy physicians, staff and volunteers who focus every day on providing excellent care to our patients. This further solidifies our position as a quality leader not only within CHW but among the premier medical centers in the country. To be named in the top of over 3,000 hospitals nationwide is something that we should all take a great deal of pride in.”

We are proud of MSJ ED’s emergency physicians, mid levels, nurses, and staff for their significant role in this honor!

Jerry Oliaro, DO
Medical Director, Mercy San Juan Medical Center ED

EPMG Spring 2008 Medical Advisory Board Award Recipients:

Program Director of the Year 2008: Francis Domzalski, MD

Dr Frank Domzalski serves as the Quality Director of Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California, where he has worked since 2001. He is an Emergency Medicine residency trained, board certified physician who has worked for EPMG since 2002. Dr Domzalski is a member of the American College of Emergency Physicians. Congratulations to Dr Domzalski for his outstanding contribution to quality and excellence in the Eisenhower Medical Center Emergency Department.

Medical Director of the Year 2008: Jay, Fisher, MD

Dr Jay Fisher serves as the Director of Emergency Medicine at UMC Pediatric Emergency Department in Las Vegas and at the St. Rose Siena Pediatric Emergency Department in Henderson, Nevada. He has been an Emergency Physician with EPMG since 1993. He was also Director of Performance Improvement for Pediatric Emergency Services at University Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada for many years. Dr Fisher is board certified in Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency Medicine, and is a Fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics. EPMG recognizes Dr Jay Fisher for his outstanding leadership and dedication to his department, physicians and patients.

EPMG Physician of the Year 2008: Soledad Raroque, MD, FAAP

Dr Soledad Raroque was recognized for her outstanding contributions to EPMG as our Physician of the Year. Dr Raroque serves as an attending physician at Children’s Hospital Central California, where she has worked since 2001. Dr Raroque is board certified in both Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency Medicine and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr Raroque has achieved the 99th percentile in patient satisfaction (Press Ganey) for twelve consecutive months. Her high productivity combined with her excellent clinical skills and warm personality have earned her the respect and admiration of the local group and of EPMG at large. Congratulations to Dr Raroque for her outstanding patient satisfaction and success in providing the highest quality patient care.

Tribute to Dr Norm Label: 35 Years of Service with EPMG

Norm Label, President of EPMG, was recognized with a moving tribute to his life and work. A slide show set to music featured baby Norm as a busy infant, then a curious schoolboy, and later as an earnest young aviator, physician, husband and father. Later slides featured his antics in the ED including the infamous “Norm’s Angels” and ubiquitous pipe to dissipate evil hospital smells. Norm’s wife Donna and their daughter Alyssa were present for a champagne toast to our fearless leader. Jack Wood roasted Norm’s accomplishments and presented him with an award; Angelina Howard designed the video & tribute.

Children's hospital makes strides in ER wait times

from The Fresno Bee, June 28, 2008:

When your child has an emergency, you're not thinking about seeing a doctor six hours from now; you need a doctor now. Unfortunately in the Valley, that's no simple task. A panic-driven, red-light-running dash to a hospital emergency room can result in a receptionist listening to your breathless request for help by handing you a clipboard, a stack of forms and then telling you and your crying child to take a seat. At Children's Hospital Central California, the average wait for patients to see the doctors was five to six hours -- if they saw the doctors at all. About 13% of patients just left without treatment, and who could blame them? Children, as we all know, often voice their opinions at glass-shattering decibel levels when they want adults to know they're in pain.

Children's Hospital decided that scene was not good enough for its patients and set out to speed things up. Even though the very term "emergency room" sends most parents into an adrenalin flush and a cold sweat, health care professionals calmly refer to this process of getting children in, treated and out as "patient throughput."

Whatever you call it, the hospital staff identified that it was a sick system, addressed it and made significant progress. Over the past two years, waiting times at Children's have been reduced by 30%. The percentage of patients leaving without treatment dropped from 13% to 2%.

One of the problems is that many sick children don't need to be seen in an emergency room, but they lack access to a family physician. They often use the ER as their family doctor. One breakthrough strategy was the creation of an "urgent care" section of the emergency room to treat children with minor problems quickly and send them home. That frees up exam rooms for patients with more serious problems. During this time of financial crisis in almost every public and private sector, there is increasing pressure on hospitals that serve great numbers of poor people, like Children's, to do more with fewer staff members and less money.

It is reassuring that even in such a climate, the hospital is working to give better service to the folks most in need of an extra measure of compassion -- injured or sick children and their families. We hope other Valley hospitals still subjecting their patients to mind-numbing waits in the emergency room will take note of Children's progress and learn lessons from their expertise.

Larry Satkowiak, MD
Medical Director, Children’s Hospital ED

Clinical Excellence

Health Grades has awarded Marshall Hospital the Distinguished Hospital Award for 2 consecutive years. This achievement defines Marshall Hospital as in the top 5% for Clinical Excellence among all hospitals across the United States. Dr. John Tucker, Medical Director for Marshall Hospital ED, commends his fellow ED clinicians for their commitment to delivering outstanding quality in patient care. Marshall Hospital is the only site in the Sacramento Region to receive the Distinguished Award 2 years consecutively. Dr. Tucker adds, “Again, I and our community thank our physicians for all they do to make sure the care Marshall ED delivers is the best in the Nation.”

Marshall Hospital EPMG Clinical Staff:

John Tucker, MD, Michael Dorso, MD, Richard Dunning, MD, Grant Gwinup, MD, Ben Housel, MD, Juliet La Mers, MD, John Schlund, MD, John Velikoff, MD, Norman Label, MD, Timothy Tonini, DO Marc Walter, MD, Steve Linde, NP, Arianna Sampson, PA, Phyllis Allen, NP, Michael Tiska, PA, William Winton, PA, Carla Yorba, FNP

EPMG Champion

The Las Vegas Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities held a Night of Champions ceremony honoring Dr. Dale Carrison for his tremendous work for these children and for the community at large. Dr. Carrison serves as the Las Vegas Regional Medical Director, for EPMG, as well as the Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at University Medical Center. He is also Professor and Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Nevada School of Medicine. Dr. Carrison's extensive medical background includes past Medical Director for the Clark County Fire Department, Medical Director for Mercy Air Aeromedical Transport in Clark County, Nevada, Medical Director for the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, Medical Director for the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and Tactical Physician for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's SWAT Team. He is an editorial Board Member of the International Trauma, Anesthesia and Critical Care Society. Dr. Carrison serves as the Chairman of the Nevada Homeland Security Commission by appointment of the Governor of the State of Nevada.
EPMG recognizes Dr. Dale Carrison for his outstanding contribution to his patients, colleagues and community.

Sacramento’s Top Docs

The December 2007 issue of Sacramento Magazine named Sacramento's Top Docs in 40 specialties. For the field of Emergency Medicine two of EPMG’s finest were named:
Dr. Jack Wood and Dr. Jerry Oliaro
Dr. Wood is an EPMG Board Member and also serves as the President-Elect of the medical staff at Mercy San Juan Hospital, in Carmichael, CA. Dr. Oliaro is the EPMG Medical Director at Mercy San Juan Medical Center Emergency Department.

Mercy San Juan appoints EPMG Physician as President of the Medical Staff

Dr. Jack Wood has been elected President Elect of the Medical Staff at Mercy San Juan Medical Center. Dr. Wood is Chairman of the EPMG Board and an ED Physician at Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Sacramento. Dr. Wood will become President of the medical staff January 2010.

American Academy of Emergency Medicine’s 2007 “Young Educator” Award

Dr. Michael Epter is the recipient of this years “Young Educator of the Year” as determined by the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Epter will receive this award at the AAEM 14th Annual Scientific Assembly in Amelia Island, Florida on February 7, 2008.

Eisenhower Medical Center Awards Dr. Euthym Kontaxis with the Distinguished Service Award

Eisenhower Medical Center will award Dr. Euthym Kontaxis with the Distinguished Service Award at the Annual Holiday Voices Gala on December 1, 2007. The Distinguished Service Award is presented to those physicians that exhibit outstanding patient care in their respective field. Dr. Euthym Kontaxis is the Medical Director at Eisenhower Medical Center, in Rancho Mirage, as well as Director for the 4 Urgent Care Centers, Occupational and Employee Health Center. Dr. Kontaxis also serves as Eisenhower’s Chairman of the Ethics Committee.