Mercy auxiliary recaps year; recognizes its many volunteers

Thursday, January 19, 2012
Mercy Health Auxiliary President Cliff Patterson (left) and his wife, Nancy, auxiliary vice president, pose for a photo after she was recognized for 14,000 hours of volunteer service to the organization during the group's annual meeting Wednesday. (Ruth Campbell/Tribune)

From awards recognizing the hours logged by volunteers to new equipment and regulations, the Mercy Health Auxiliary's annual meeting Wednesday covered a wide variety of topics.

Some 65 of the organization's 92 members gathered in the McAuley Room at Mercy Health Center to see some old friends and hear a review of the year's events and what's coming up. Fort Scott Community College nursing students Kim Bowen, Jessica Brandt, Ashton Jackman, Nicole McNutt and Vicki Treskis expressed their appreciation for the auxiliary scholarships that have made it possible for them to attend nursing school.

FSCC Director of Nursing Bill Rhoads and Director of Admissions and Scholarship Coordinator Mert Barrows were also on hand. The scholarship was established about 10 years ago, and for 2011-2012, six awards of $1,250 were given. This spring, Rhoads said there are 102 nursing students and the spring class had a 100 percent passing rate on the state license exam.

Recognized for their work making Carebears by Caroline Lowery (right with the microphone) on Wednesday were (left to right) Barbara Stuart, Dorothy Fetters, Patsy Dossetter, Kathleen Durbin and Clara Schwartz. (Ruth Campbell/Tribune)

"It seems so trite to say thank you. We know how hard you work to raise this money," Barrows said, adding the auxiliary's dedication is unbelievable.

Pat Callanan, executive director of patient care services, said it makes a "big difference" to have students at Mercy. "It keeps us on our toes," said Callanan, who oversees all inpatient and specialized nurses in Fort Scott and Independence.

He added the hospital has had one new radiology room installed with another being worked on right now. New telemetry and intensive care monitors are also being put in and one of the ambulances is being refurbished.

Lana Brewster, executive director of medical records, talked to members about patient privacy. She noted the hospital will be audited this year by the U.S. Office of Civil Rights to make sure there are no privacy breaches.

Penalties can cost many thousands of dollars, depending on the number of patients impacted, Brewster said. If there are 500 or more patients affected, they must be notified quickly and the media must also be told, she said.

There is also a recommendation that data on laptops or jump drives that leave the hospital be encrypted and password protected, Brewster said.

Coordinator Customer Satisfaction Nancy Pruitt stressed the importance of patients filling out satisfaction surveys, noting Medicare mandates that they be sent out. Mercy's vendor, Press Gainey, computes the results. Starting in October, she said, Medicare will reimburse the hospital partially based on those results.

Pruitt said auxiliary members should greet people with a smile, take them where they need to go and try to anticipate their needs. She added people have a choice of where to go for health care and "we want to keep those patients right here in Fort Scott."

Head of Infection Prevention/Employee Health Mary Wynn said Medicare may also be mandating hospitals have 90-95 percent of doctors, staff and auxiliary members get flu shots. Those who don't get the vaccine may have to wear masks around the campus.

Wynn added no positive flu cultures have been discovered in Fort Scott, but there have been some around Kansas.

President Cliff Patterson said a fall golf tournament is being planned as a September fundraiser for the organization.

Maybell Mertz said the golf pro from Greenbrier in Chesapeake, Va., is being used as a consultant for the first annual Mercy Auxiliary Golf Tournament and will fly in this fall. "Everybody we talk to is excited about this because they know it will be a good thing," Mertz said. She added physicians from Mercy and Via Christi in Pittsburg are ready to sign up, as are linksters in Fort Scott.

Mercy Director of Pastoral Care William James Schafer spoke about the inroads his team of 11 has made this past year visiting with people in the hospital waiting room, in addition to the traditional patient room visits. He said they have learned to prioritize, tackling the neediest cases first. He said anyone can offer five words to people they meet at the hospital: "May I pray with you."

Auxiliary Membership Chairwoman Shirley Palmer said new members are needed in every area. She noted there are 92 members and 10 are on a leave of absence. Ten members were gained this past year. Auxiliary members put in 15,448 hours in 2011 and used 2,847 of time banking. Recognized with pins for their hours of service were:

* 500 hours: Barbara Stuart, Peggy Stevens, Carol Popp, Shirley Palmer and Lucille Griffith.

* 3,000 hours: James Stradley and Paul Maldonado.

* 4,000 hours: Cliff Patterson.

* 5,000 hours: Jean Conner and Caroline Lowery.

* 14,000 hours: Nancy Patterson.

Ninety-two-year-old Ruby Fink, a 47-year auxiliary member, still makes calls to remind people of meetings. Cliff Patterson introduced her, declaring, "You're the best."

"This is one of my happy moments of the year," Fink said.