Personal Care, Professional Service

When it comes to quality measures, Parkview Ortho Hospital ranks among the region’s best. “We can say that we consistently post some of the best scores in the region,” says Julie Fleck, senior vice president and chief operating officer for Parkview Ortho Hospital. 

Nonetheless, it isn’t the numbers that matter most to Fleck and her colleague Dr. Alan McGee, orthopedic service line physician executive; it’s the patients themselves.

“We want every patient’s journey through this facility to be very personalized,” says McGee. 

In order to do that effectively, the entire staff must work toward the same goal – and they do.

“It takes everybody on the team to do their job, from the environmental services technicians to the physicians,” says McGee. “Every employee is committed to working in the best interest of the patient.”

The process starts even before a patient enters the hospital. Physicians map out an individualized plan of care, and nurses who serve as surgical care coordinators contact the patient to arrange for lab work and answer questions. They also schedule a pre-operative class that will help the patient know what to expect before and after their specific procedure. Upon check-in, the staff welcomes each patient by name and provides a get-well card that travels with the patient. Each attending staff member signs the card so that the patient can identify caregivers along the journey.

“We’ve been able to create something really unique for our patients,” says Fleck.

Of course, outstanding service must be coupled with comprehensive, state-of-the-art care in order to deliver truly superior outcomes. Parkview Ortho Hospital excels in this area, as well, offering cutting-edge treatment and specialized treatment options. Its joint venture collaboration with Ortho NorthEast (ONE) allows Parkview Ortho Hospital to provide sub-specialized care in spine, total joint replacement, trauma, orthopedic oncology, sports medicine, hand and foot surgery, and pain management, all at a high level of expertise.

“Our strongest suit is our subspecialty care,” emphasizes McGee.

The reputation it has earned for quality care is backed up by the numbers. In 2018, physicians with Parkview Ortho Hospital performed more than 12,000 surgeries with an inpatient length of stay 17 percent shorter than the expected average. In addition, the hospital realized a readmission rate that was 47 percent better than the expected average. The facility also received the region’s only 5-star HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) rating and has achieved Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

It all harkens back to the philosophy of personalized patient care. In making sure each care plan is the right one for each patient, the care team aims to be as minimally invasive as possible. This applies not just to the procedure itself, but also to the type of anesthesia used. Most patients, says Fleck, are eligible for a regional block rather than general anesthesia. This helps shorten their recovery period and allows them to get up and moving again more quickly. In fact, in many cases patients will have their first physical therapy encounter on the same day as their surgery.

“Patients who get up and move on the day of surgery generally feel better than those who lie in bed without moving until later,” explains Fleck.

Indeed, patients are able to go home more quickly after surgery. Over time, Parkview Ortho Hospital has been able to reduce the average length of inpatient stay from three days to less than two, and many outpatients return to their own environment on the same day as their procedure. 

Success stories abound. When asked to recount a few memorable examples, McGee and Fleck struggled to narrow the list; they have just too many from which to choose. The woman who recently underwent a total knee replacement procedure and went home the next day after physical therapy had her up and walking is not unusual. Neither is the Fort Wayne athlete who flew back from overseas to have his torn ACL repaired at Parkview Ortho Hospital – and was able to go home the same day.

With excellent outcomes like these, more and more patients specifically choose Parkview Ortho Hospital for their elective procedures. 

“We have lots of repeat customers,” says Fleck. “We’ve had patients say this is the best hospital experience they’ve ever had.”

It’s all part of a culture of care that has been deliberately and meticulously built around a collaborative team. According to Fleck, Parkview Ortho Hospital employs an extensive hiring process that includes testing, leader and team interviews, and an evaluation for cultural fit. The subsequent onboarding process is tailored to each individual’s specific needs. Two educators focus on the inpatient unit, while a third focuses on procedural areas. New staff members are assigned nurse mentors to help them adjust. All of this leads to low staff turnover.

“We like to help people get what they need to do their job and then stay with us,” explains Fleck.

Parkview Ortho Hospital’s reach extends beyond its walls. Its collaborations with community hospitals, for example, allow patients in outlying communities to receive care without having to travel. Providers in Parkview’s Huntington, LaGrange, Noble, Whitley and Wabash facilities collaborate with ONE to deliver the same quality service. In addition, Parkview Physician Group orthopedic providers and ONE provide approximately 70 trainers who work on-site at 41 area high schools, colleges and club sports teams and they offer a concussion clinic at their Ortho Express walk-in facility.

No matter how someone comes in contact with Parkview Ortho Hospital, however, one thing remains certain: “When a patient comes here,” says Fleck, “they’re going to get that same high level of service.” 

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