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Putting Patients First

MEETING THE COMMUNITY’S OUTPATIENT NEEDS

Not too long ago the word “hospital” was almost always preceded by the phrase “admitted to.”

This was because a visit to a hospital often meant at least an overnight stay and frequently even longer stays. But advances in both medicine and technology have made it so that most procedures at Holyoke Medical Center can be conducted on an outpatient basis, allowing the patient to go home on the same day.

It’s easier on patients and their loved ones, and the convenient location of numerous departments within Holyoke Medical Center adds to the patient’s comfort level and overall satisfaction.

“I’d say 80 percent of our surgeries are now done as outpatient procedures,” said Mike Zwirko, vice president of Outpatient Services at Holyoke Medical Center.

But shorter visits don’t mean any lessening of attention to patients. Holyoke Medical Center’s outpatient team still puts the patient’s needs first and foremost.

“We have shifted our philosophy to a more patient-centered and community care approach, and a team approach,” Zwirko said. “We don’t want any patient to feel like they are just a number on a waiting list.”

“Quality, convenience, ease and access right here at home is what we offer. We want the patients to have it their way. Our team will provide the expertise and fast turn-around-time (TAT). It’s more than just performing a procedure. It’s building a relationship.”

Zwirko said this attitude applies no matter what the circumstances or how far the patient’s primary care physician may be.

“We try to accommodate everyone’s work schedules and even when a patient has gone to a doctor in Boston or Springfield, we make every effort to get tests done as soon as possible and send the results via fax or radiology images on a CD,” Zwirko added.

Holyoke Medical Center has dozens of services and departments focusing on meeting the needs of outpatients.

For example, one big outpatient area is surgery, where many procedures now are done in just a few hours. With the advances in laparoscopic techniques, numerous surgeries, such as gall bladder, hernia repair and many orthopedic operations are all done as outpatient procedures.

“We have a great bunch of people working here and the focus is always on the patients,” said Patricia Tobey, a registered nurse who serves as the operating room manager. “We strive to provide the best care for them in warm professional environment. And there will always be an RN at their side.”

Lynn Grondin, the nurse manager of short stay surgery, the post anesthesia care unit and medical day stay surgery, agreed.

“We work like a well-oiled machine and strive to have everything go smoothly as possible,” she said. “We try to alleviate fears and answer everyone’s questions as they go through a procedure.”

Tobey added that the staff will even help arrange van transportation for those without a ride home, as patients can’t drive themselves after surgery.

Another area of outpatient services is occupational and physical therapy. Jeff Reed heads up this area as well as the hospital’s anti-coagulation services. Reed said his unit offers a full range of therapies including specializing in ones such as orthopedic neck and back injury, work injuries, vestibular and balance rehabilitation, cardiac rehabilitation, as well as hydrotherapy, wound care and post-natal exercise programs

“One of great values is that it’s all one-on-one, individualized care for each patient and it’s all done by licensed therapists. No aides or techs are used for treatment,” Reed said.

As far as the anticoagulation services, Reed said they are run by specially trained nurses, who are authorized by doctors to adjust levels of anti-coagulants based on test results making for a faster turnaround time for patients.

Additionally, many radiology procedures are now outpatient services. Jim Suprenant, manager of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, said 70 percent of his work, including everything from MRIs to CT scans to radiation therapy, is outpatient. Some of these procedures are even done on demand, such as X-rays. Suprenant added that Holyoke Medical Center’s accreditation partially is based on how well its outpatient services are run.

I think the outpatient care is important in terms of the quality standards that hospitals are held to for accreditation,” he said. “You have to have good staff and good equipment and that’s what we have here at Holyoke Medical Center.”

Among the many other areas at Holyoke Medical Center offering outpatient services are Speech & Audiology, Hearing Aids, Sleep Studies, Cardiology, Laboratory, Ultrasound, Oncology, The Women’s Center, Cardiac Rehab, Occupational Therapy, The Work Connection, Behavioral Health, Respiratory Therapy/Pulmonary Medicine, Clinical Nutrition and Obstetrical Services.

For further information call HMC’s Health Promotion Line at (413) 534-2789.