Landing Zone Safety Training Restructured

InFlight
|Spring 2014|
A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE
FOR FRIENDS OF HEALTHNET
AEROMEDICAL SERVICES, INC.
Landing Zone
Safety Training
Restructured
Learn The Latest from
Our
Partner Hospitals
CHH, CAMC & WVUH
On the
Cover
Air Methods pilot, Joe Nestor,
completes an EC-135 pre-flight
checklist prior to departure from
Charleston Area Medical Center’s
General Hospital.
Customer Profile
Southern Ohio Medical Center
Cover Photo
by Mark Mennie
Contents
Customer Profile: Southern Ohio Medical Center.......2
Center ......2
Welcome from President/CEO Clinton Burley
Burley.............3
............3
Award......................................3
Base 5 Crew Receives Award
.....................................3
Week..................................4
Celebrating National EMS Week
.................................4
System-wide Landing Zone Presentation
Presentation....................4
.................4
Hospital............5
.........5
Knowledge Heals: Cabell Huntington Hospital
CAMC Ranked Among Top 5% in Nation:
Center...................................6
................................6
Charleston Area Medical Center
Helicopter Base Set to Move
Emergency Department Expansion Underway
Healthcare............................7
.........................7
West Virginia University Healthcare
Touching Base
Base.............................................................8
............................................................8
Upcoming Events
nTACTICS Conference Canaan Valley Resort
April 25–April 27, 2014
Davis, W.Va.
nTNCC class
Thursday, May 22, and Friday, May 23
Roane General Hospital, Spencer, W.Va.
Air transportation provided by
HealthNet Aeromedical Services and MedFlight are the preferred
providers of critical care transport to SOMC and have been since
2006. HealthNet Aeromedical Services and MedFlight value the
relationship with SOMC and share their commitment to safety and
excellence.
Southern Ohio Medical Center (SOMC) is a 222-bed 501(C)(3)
not-for-profit hospital in Portsmouth, Ohio, providing emergency and
surgical care, as well as a wide range of other healthcare services.
SOMC has been in the community since 1954. It is the mission of SOMC
to truly make a difference in the lives of patients, employees, and the
surrounding community.
The operation of SOMC follows guidelines of The Joint Commission,
the nation’s predominant standards-setting body in healthcare, and
SOMC has received top honors from that organization for meeting
standards. SOMC currently employs 2,200 full-time employees and parttime employees, has a medical staff of more than 140 physicians and
specialists, and is supported by approximately 800 regular volunteers.
SOMC, a rural hospital and one of Fortune magazine’s 100 Best
Places to Work in America, is striving to provide the highest quality of
care to make healthcare a remarkable experience for everyone served.
It is the mission of SOMC to make a difference in the lives of patients,
employees, and the surrounding community.
SOMC was the first and only hospital in the region to achieve the
American Nurses Credentialing Center’s highest honor, the Magnet
recognition status. This
honor recognizes national
excellence in nursing.
Receiving the national gold
standard for safety and
health, SOMC has also been
awarded the Voluntary
Protection Program Star
Designation, placing SOMC
in the top 1 percent of
hospitals nationwide in
safety excellence.
HealthNet Aeromedical Services is a shared service of
HealthNet Aeromedical Services
is fully accredited by
A Message From
Our President/CEO
HealthNet Aeromedical Services Values Statement
We value safety above all. Safety is our culture and is evident
in every aspect of our operation.
The four core values that guide HealthNet Aeromedical Services are
safety, quality, service and education. It is not by chance that safety
comes first. Our focus on operational safety is the most important part
of what we do every day.
Recently the Federal Aviation Administration released a revised set
of regulations guiding air ambulance operations. These standards will
not be required for another four years and were actually proposed by
the National Transportation Safety Board several years ago. While the
wheels of government can turn very slowly, a safety culture can’t wait
that long.
Undoubtedly, helicopter transport of critically-ill or injured persons
carries with it inherent risk. Our job is to educate, equip and empower
those conducting these transports in order to mitigate these risks.
Within our program, we have done just that. It is key for friends of
HealthNet Aeromedical Services to know that safety remains our top
priority. Here are a few examples:
Aircraft Age
When brand new aircraft are delivered to our Ripley and Buckhannon,
W.Va. bases in late spring, the average age of our nine aircraft fleet will
be 2.5 years. That is unmatched for a program our size in the United
States and represents a significant investment in new airframes and
emerging technology.
Aircraft Equipment
The HealthNet Aeromedical Services fleet is equipped with specialized
tools to increase operational safety. Terrain avoidance systems, inflight collision avoidance systems, night vision goggle functionality,
auto pilot capabilities on both twin and single engine aircraft and more
are found across the system. Some of these items are required by the
new regulations, but not for several more years. Others are not even
proposed at the present time.
Base 5 Crew Receives Award
A
Base 5 flight crew received an appreciation award from the
Alderson Volunteer Fire Department and EMS for the 2013 “Call of
the Year.” The plaque was presented to the flight crew by Frankie
Jones, Chief of Alderson Fire and EMS, who is also a part-time flight
paramedic for HealthNet Aeromedical Services.
Flight Nurse David Adkins, Flight Paramedic Tim Swicegood, and
Pilot Tracy Orfield were presented a plaque and a framed picture of the
aircraft for their participation in the care and transport of a 39-year-old
Safety Department and Safety Management System
Few flight programs of HealthNet Aeromedical Services size maintain
a dedicated internal safety department. Within our safety program we
have two degreed safety professionals who guide development and
implementation of an internal Safety Management System. They are
supported by safety representatives at each work location and robust
safety resources from our member hospitals and aviation vendor.
Air Medical Resource Management
Air Medical Resource Management is a structure which serves
to guide the activities of team members during all phases of flight
operations. It encourages constant communications, coordination and
cooperation. Within the HealthNet Aeromedical Services system this
structure extends to communicators who are considered the “fourth
crew member” on each flight.
Flight Team and Communicator Training
Extensive initial and recurrent training for all persons involved in
flight operations is a must. While we expect and deliver robust training
for new flight team members and communicators, it is structured,
recurrent training that serves to reduce complacency.
Since 1986 HealthNet Aeromedical Services has safely completed
nearly 70,000 patient transports throughout central Appalachia. This
impressive record did not happen by chance. It is rooted in culture,
diligence, attention to detail and the belief that by educating and
empowering team members, correct decisions will be made at the most
critical times.
When you make the call to request HealthNet Aeromedical Services to
transport a critically-ill or injured patient, you can be assured that those
responding are well trained and supported by aircraft and equipment
that easily exceed industry standards. Nothing less is acceptable.
Thanks for your continued confidence in us.
Clinton V. Burley
HealthNet Aeromedical Services, Inc.
President/CEO
By Kay Eliason
Flight Team Leader
Base 5
patient that was critically injured in a
motor vehicle crash. The patient spent
over 70 days at Carilion Roanoke
Memorial Hospital but was ultimately
discharged to home after a full recovery.
We recognize the hard work and dedication that our prehospital and
fire service providers provide to local communities and are proud to be a
part of the chain of survival.
Spring 2014 // InFlight
3
Celebrating National EMS Week – May 18-24
By Jason Spears
Director of Business Development
HealthNet Aeromedical Services
T
hose of us in emergency services see
Paramedics and EMTs in the normal course
of every day. Whether in an emergency
department or in an intensive care unit, we interact
with our EMS professionals daily. From wheeling in
an active cardiac arrest to transporting a patient
Jason Spears
home, we catch a glimpse of their day. That glimpse,
however, barely scratches the surface.
The importance of EMS goes back to the days of LA County Fire
Paramedics Johnny Gage and Roy DeSoto on Emergency! which was
filmed in the early 1970s. We watched Johnny and Roy go screaming out
of Station 51 in that red Dodge pick up and thought…that is the coolest
job in the world. I still log in to Netflix and watch with wonder as they
transmit EKGs to Nurse Dixie McCall and Dr. Kelly Brackett at Rampart, and
perform lifesaving interventions, all from the screen of my iPad. The series
was a first to show a new program with “Paramedics” and was filmed in
cooperation with Los Angeles County Fire Department. The impact of
Johnny and Roy was so great to EMS that their gear, helmets, turnout gear,
defibrillators, trauma boxes, and the ever-present “Bio-Phone” can now be
seen in the public service display at the Smithsonian Museum of American
History.
Hollywood is full of myths and legends. All of us can remember Dr.
Green from NBC’s ER intubating without looking down the tube, or Johnny
magically getting a cardiac arrest back by one precordial thump. As reality
was sometimes absent, Hollywood did one important thing for EMS; it
put us on the map. EMS is exciting, it’s dangerous, and it intrigues the
audience. It makes for excellent entertainment, but in reality the risks are
great, and the rewards are sometimes absent.
President Gerald Ford declared the first “National Emergency Medical
Services Week” in 1974, and it still flourishes today. The week of May 1824, 2014 our nation will celebrate the professionals that put it on the line
every day to save lives. We celebrate these individuals who never know
what lies behind that door on any given call.
We in the United States sometimes take things for granted and
sometimes don’t think of our first responders until we need them.
HealthNet Aeromedical Services, along with our partner hospitals, will
celebrate with cookouts and other events, but I challenge us as individuals
to go beyond that. Reach out to the next paramedic or EMT you see and
shake their hand, personally thank them for doing a job many couldn’t.
Thank them for being there in our darkest hours, and for having the
ability and drive to keep moving forward to the next call, even when what
they witnessed can weigh down even the strongest person. Join me in
appreciation for the fact that they stand on the line for us all.
System-Wide Landing Zone Presentation
Chris Blank, EMT-P
Flight Paramedic
HealthNet Aeromedical Services Base 3
I
How We Made It Happen
t all started with a camera…
Not long after changing aircraft at Base 3 from the A-Star to the EC130, I added a GoPro® Hero3 to my camera bag. If you are not familiar
with the GoPro Cameras, they are small, rugged, HD video cameras used
for extreme sports. I mounted it to my helmet one day to see what the
video would look like on a flight. After looking over the video clip, I began
discussing with Flight Team Leader Jeremy Higginbotham how we could
add footage like this to help our customers understand what it was like to
sit in our seats, what our views are like and how what we see from the air
is different from that which can be seen on the ground. We immediately
began discussing updating the standardized landing zone (LZ) safety
presentation which was created several years before.
We researched other flight program presentations, making certain our
presentation provided accurate information to assist fire departments
and EMS agencies set up a safe LZ and know what information is most
helpful to us when we land. After writing the scripts, I looked for a suitable
location for the video shoots. I am very grateful to the Hamlin, W.Va., Fire
Department and Lincoln County, W.Va., EMS who helped coordinate the
locations and shoots.
After all the supporting images and video were complete, a committee
was formed to review the presentation and, after the final review, books
4
InFlight // Spring 2014
were assembled for each base. Each copy also has a flash drive containing
three presentations, one for each geographic region of our vast service
area, and the videos. The book also includes the LZ risk assessments with
accompanying explanations.
In December 2013 one of the first presentations was taught by Angie
Boggs, Flight Nurse, HealthNet Aeromedical Services Base 3. The LZ
presentation was taught at the Cannonsburg Volunteer Fire Department, in
Boyd County, Kentucky, where she also serves as a Volunteer Firefighter/
EMT. Boggs commented, “It was really neat to be an instructor of this
inaugural presentation.” Considering her dual-roles as Flight Team Member
with HealthNet Aeromedical Services and volunteer at Cannonsburg
Volunteer Fire Department, she further said, “The one-hour presentation
gave me the opportunity to see the significance from both sides.” Jonathan
Ferguson, Assistant Fire Chief at Cannonsburg Volunteer Fire Department,
said about twenty volunteer firefighters attended the presentation and
highly recommended other fire departments and EMS agencies take
advantage of this presentation. “They (HealthNet Aeromedical Services)
often assist us and we should have as much knowledge and preparation
as possible before the aircraft and crew arrive. I think this training should
be mandatory,” Ferguson added.
If your agency is interested in scheduling a landing zone safety
presentation call (304) 340-8000. Trained team members will come onsite to present this training at no cost.
KNOWLEDGE
HEALS.
At Marshall Orthopaedics and
Cabell Huntington Hospital,
a commitment to academic excellence
results in award-winning patient care.
By Doug Sheils
Director, Marketing & Public Relations
Cabell Huntington Hospital
F
or Dr. Ali Oliashirazi, Professor and Chair of the Department of
Orthopaedic Surgery at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards
School of Medicine, academic excellence and highest quality
orthopedic care go hand in hand. The internationally-acclaimed surgeon
has cultivated a team of orthopedic surgeons that is unparalleled
throughout the region, both in knowledge and in skill.
“When I came to Huntington, the goal of the medical school, the
university and the hospital was to start an academic orthopedic
department,” Dr. Oliashirazi said. “It wasn’t easy. We were looking for
people who were at the top of their game, who really knew their stuff, but
we wanted them also to be able to teach their trade well. These are two
completely different sets of skills.”
Fast-forward 12 years, and Marshall Orthopaedics is now the largest
orthopedic group in the Tri-State, with every orthopedic subspecialty
represented, including total joint replacement, sports medicine, hand
and upper extremity, foot and ankle, oncology, pediatric and general
orthopedics. In 2013, Cabell Huntington Hospital, led by the skilled
surgeons of Marshall Orthopaedics, was named Number One in West
Virginia and the Tri-State for joint replacement, was listed in the top 5
percent of hospitals in the U.S. for joint replacement and received five out
of five stars for total knee replacement, total hip replacement and overall
“
“
The quality of care patients
receive in an academic
setting is unmatched.
– Dr. Ali Oliashirazi
Professor and Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine
Dr. Ali Oliashirazi (right), Professor and Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic
Surgery at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine,
discusses a case with Dr. Tigran Garabekyan, an orthopedic surgeon.
orthopedics by Healthgrades, the nation’s leading independent hospital
quality ratings organization.
“The national recognition Marshall Orthopaedics earns year after
year can be traced back to the department’s passion for academics,”
Dr. Oliashirazi said. “The quality of care patients receive in an academic
setting is unmatched.”
“In an academic institution, there are many layers,” he said. “When I
treat my patients, not only do I see them, but my physician assistant and
my nurse see them. Furthermore, my residents and medical students see
them as well. That’s why we get so many awards; when you have many
eyes looking at the same thing, and everyone’s voice is heard, the results
are phenomenal.”
The faculty is also actively involved in research and clinical trials and
regularly publish their work in medical journals.
Dr. Franklin D. Shuler, associate professor and vice chair of research,
leads the research effort at Marshall Orthopaedics. The department’s
dedication to developing new treatment modalities and incorporating
cutting-edge technology is exciting from a professional standpoint, but
Dr. Shuler said the research program has one motivating factor — the
patients.
“Because we do research, we are true experts in our field, able to
provide the most state-of-the-art care,” he said. “Research is how we find
out ways to better take care of our patients, both now and in the future.”
It is a commitment to excellence in every aspect of the department,
from award-winning surgery to internationally-recognized research, that
sets Marshall Orthopaedics apart.
To make an appointment with a Marshall Orthopaedics surgeon,
please call 304.691.1262. n
Spring 2014 // InFlight
5
CAMC recognized as
only West Virginia hospital ranked
among top 5% in nation
By Dale Witte
Marketing & Public Affairs
Charleston Area Medical Center
6
InFlight // Spring 2014
“
Our success comes from
everyone working together
and being committed to
doing the right thing for
every patient, every time.
“
C
harleston Area Medical Center has been ranked among the nation’s
top 5 percent of hospitals, according to an independent study
of mortality and complication rates for nearly 4,500 hospitals
nationwide as released by Healthgrades, the nation’s leading healthcare
ratings company.
CAMC is the only hospital in West Virginia and one of only 260 hospitals
nationwide to achieve the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical
Excellence™ based on its outstanding clinical quality performance.
“This award acknowledges the achievements CAMC has made to
provide our patients with consistently high levels of clinical care,” said
Dave Ramsey, CAMC’s president and CEO. “Our physicians and staff
have demonstrated the commitment and collaborative spirit necessary
to implement the best possible programs and processes that produce
exceptional clinical outcomes, which this recognition validates.”
The Healthgrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence
is presented only to those hospitals that stand out above the rest for
overall clinical care across a broad spectrum of services. While many
hospitals have specific areas of expertise and high-quality outcomes
in certain areas, the select hospitals recognized with this award exhibit
comprehensive high-quality care across multiple clinical specialties.
“National honors like these are important because they represent
years of commitment to excellence by our physicians, clinicians and
staff,” said Dale Wood, CAMC’s chief quality officer. “For patients, this
recognition represents objective confirmation that we are continuing
to offer exceptional quality, and they can feel confident that they are
receiving high quality care.”
From 2010 through 2012, if all other hospitals performed at the level
of Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence, 156,036 lives could
have potentially been saved.
“We’re fortunate to be part of a health system that places quality and
patient safety at the forefront,” Wood said. “Our success comes from
everyone working together and being committed to doing the right thing
for every patient, every time.” n
– Dale Wood
Chief Quality Officer
Charleston Area Medical Center
HealthNet
Aeromedical Services
Helicopter Base Set to Move
By Amy Johns
Director of Public Affairs
Planning, Marketing & Communications
WVU Healthcare & Health Sciences
D
ue to the expansion construction at Ruby Memorial Hospital,
HealthNet Aeromedical Services will move some of its Morgantown,
W.Va. operations to a facility under construction at Morgantown
Commons, near Morgantown Mall.
The current ground helipad on the hospital campus sits in the
footprint of the new 10-story tower, so relocation is necessary.
The new complex will feature two helicopter pads, a hangar, a pilots’
trailer and a refueling station.
HealthNet Aeromedical Services helicopters will continue to land on
the roof of Ruby Memorial Hospital for patient delivery, but the flight
operations and holding area will move to the new location.
The pads are poured and soon will be painted. This will become
the primary pad and crew quarters location for HealthNet Aeromedical
Sevices Base 1 EC-145 helicopter and crew.
The crews are excited for the move to the new location. The
construction process has been top notch with excellent quality provided
by Josh Clovis- the project manager from WVUH. The actual base move
is tentatively slated for the week of May 5th where the existing crew
quarters and mechanics offices will be trucked from the existing location
on campus up to the new location.
After the project is completed and the newly located base is operational
a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house will be announced. n
Emergency Department
Expansion Underway
A
s part of WVU Healthcare’s expansion efforts, the Ruby Memorial
Hospital Emergency Department (ED) is currently undergoing
renovations. The nine-phase project will span about three years.
The ED will expand from its present 14,000 square feet and 25 treatment
spaces to a total of 40,000 square feet and 47 treatment spaces when
the project is finished. Five areas for pre-admission holding will also be
added to the ED.
Phase one was completed in January; it involved the ED utilizing
renovated space formerly occupied by Rehabilitation Services on the
third floor of Ruby Memorial. Six treatment spaces were added, along
with a results-pending area.
By Amy Johns
Director of Public Affairs
Planning, Marketing & Communications
WVU Healthcare & Health Sciences
“The second phase, which
is currently underway, will
have the largest impact,” said
Valerie Hanlon, R.N., director of
emergency services for WVU
Healthcare. “Phase two includes the addition of 16 rooms and two
sizable workstations for providers and staff.”
Later phases will include the addition of a workstation for Medical
Command, which serves 26 counties in the state. In addition, the number
of treatment spaces approved for patient resuscitation will double from
four to eight. n
Spring 2014 // InFlight
7
Touching Base
HEALTHNET AEROMEDICAL SERVICES, INC.
110 WYOMING STREET, SUITE 101
CHARLESTON, WV 25302
Highlights from the HealthNet Aeromedical Services team!
NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION
US POSTAGE
PAID
ASHLAND, KY
PERMIT NO. 102
Base 2 – Ripley, W. Va. : Classes and A New Aircraft
•
•
•
•
TNCC class scheduled May 22 and 23 at Roane General Hospital,
Spencer, W.Va.
On March 16, 2014, Base 2 conducted a Trauma First Responder
course at Sissonville Fire School, Sissonville, W.Va. This was an
excellent 1-day course designed to provide any emergency responder
some very basic life-saving knowledge and skills to utilize until other
medical personnel arrive at the scene.
Other classes were conducted on March 12 and 13 at Jackson General
Hospital, Ripley, W.Va. and on March 24 and 25 at Braxton Memorial
hospital, Sutton, W.Va., and April 7 and 8 Base 2 hosted a PALS/PEPP
course in Ripley, W.Va.
In May we anticipate the delivery of our brand new EC-130, and
are looking forward to hosting an open house to showcase the
new aircraft. Keep an eye on the HealthNet Aeromedical Services
Facebook page and Twitter feed for announcement of the specific
date.
Base 3 – Hamlin, W. Va. : Supporting Our Customers
Providing education programs is difficult for some of our local EMS
agencies. Their lack of funding and/or qualified instructors makes it
difficult for them to provide high quality classes and events. They require
assistance from outside agencies. Sometimes this is in the form of
HealthNet Aeromedical Services personnel coordinating and staffing
the entire class or just assisting an agency by providing instructors and
support.
In the month of February we had both occur. Early that month HealthNet
Aeromedical Services Base 3 staff, coordinated and instructed an
Advanced Medical Life Support (AMLS) class at Mason County EMS. This
2-day class was attended by EMS personnel from Mason County, Fayette
County, Putnam County and Grant County, W.Va. Sometimes though, an
agency just requires instructor support. Late in February, Boone County,
W.Va. EMS requested instructors for an AMLS class. Brian Justice was
coordinating the class but needed a few additional instructors. Chris
Blank and Amee Douglas provided lectures for the class and support with
skills stations met this need. Assisting our customers with educational
assistance is all part of being OneTeam.
Air transportation provided by
Base 6 – Buckhannon, W. Va. : TACTICs and A New EC-135
•
Base 6 is excited for the arrival of their new EC-135 aircraft scheduled
for delivery in May. All flight crew members have remained
busy completing a high volume of patient missions despite the
uncooperative winter weather.
Base 8 – Martinsburg, W. Va. : New Assistant Medical Director
•
Base 8 is very proud to welcome Dr. Michael Londner as our Associate
Medical Director. He brings many years of experience in flight
opartions, emergency medicine, and EMS to our system. He is a
great asset to our program and will help us grow outreach efforts to
our local EMS and hospital partners.
HealthNet Aeromedical Services is a shared service of
HealthNet Aeromedical Services
is fully accredited by