Clara Barton Medical Center continues to stand as a beacon of healthcare excellence in our community, thanks to the unwavering support of its foundation members. Over the years, foundation members and community support have been essential to the success of funding a range of critical upgrades and innovative projects that have significantly enhanced the hospital’s capabilities.
It has always been Clara Barton’s mission to provide top-quality healthcare services to the community. However, maintaining and expanding these services often comes with substantial financial challenges. This is where the heart of the Clara Barton Foundation members truly shines.
Foundation members have been the driving force behind numerous upgrades that have propelled the hospital forward, making it a state-of-the-art healthcare facility. Their generous contributions have made possible projects like the expansion of therapy services, providing cutting-edge EKG machines, cardiac rehab equipment, defibrillators, 3D mammography, IV pumps, blood analyzers, in-house pharmacy expansion, acquisition of 13 patient recliners, and bringing MRI services in-house.
Most recently, members have had a direct and profound impact on patient care by replacing the patient telemetry monitoring system utilized throughout the hospital. This upgrade has increased daily monitoring capabilities from 16 patients to up to 32 patients and is projected to benefit over 13,000 patients annually. Nearly $98,000 was raised at the foundation benefit event in June. With all the equipment costing over $398,000, the foundation will be working on fundraising for this project throughout the year, turning to staff and community members for support.
“With this important project, our members’ generosity has had a hospital-wide impact, enhancing the monitoring systems in pre-op and post-op surgery areas, emergency and outpatient services, and inpatient hospital rooms,” said Michelle Moshier, Clara Barton Foundation Director. “Our loyal supporters have allowed our organization to acquire not just monitors and new equipment – but a lifeline to next-level patient care, and we couldn’t be more grateful.”
A patient telemetry monitoring system is an important tool for examining heart rate and rhythm, blood pressure, breathing rate, and oxygen levels. It’s a non-invasive system that has the capability to detect problematic cardiac rhythms through a series of sensors that sound an alarm when an issue is detected. In addition, central monitoring allows nurses and providers access to real-time data, making it one of the first lines of defense in providing appropriate care in a critical situation.
The introduction of the new patient monitoring system in the surgery department has led to significant improvements for both patients and staff. Pre-op and post-op areas now have wall-mounted monitors at all 8 private patient bays. When a patient is checked in, they remain continuously connected to the monitor for their entire stay. This is made possible by the portable telemetry box that pops in and out of the monitors and travels with patients, ensuring consistent monitoring as they move through different departments. Eliminating the need for frequent unhooking and re-hooking saves supplies and enhances workflow efficiency.
“This new monitoring system represents a notable advancement in patient care throughout our facility,” said Valerie Romine, Director of Surgery at Clara Barton. “Specifically in pre-op and post-op, this system transformed our workflow and increased efficiency. These monitors allow our medical professionals to see real-time data on patients that can be seen not only in our department but also in the ER and on the nursing floor. The increased efficiency and having extra sets of eyes on our patients allows our nurses to really focus on bedside care and ensuring each patient has the best experience possible while in our care.”
The positive impact extends beyond the surgery department, substantially benefiting emergency and outpatient services as well. The system’s monitor memory and enhanced functionality make it considerably easier to use, particularly with critical care options on the monitors during emergencies. This translates to quicker response times and reduces the potential for false alarms, which the old equipment often experienced. In addition, the staff finds the system’s smaller size facilitates transportability around patients and ensures a seamless monitoring process. These upgrades have transformed the hospital’s ability to provide high-quality care, particularly in critical and time-sensitive situations.
The hospital’s inpatient floor has similarly benefitted from this new system’s portability and convenient features. Unlike before, all this equipment uses the same cables/lead wires and can easily be switched to a portable unit without any loss of monitoring capabilities. This has greatly improved the patient’s continuity of care, offering complete coverage as the patient, sometimes critically ill, moves between departments. In addition to the user-friendly aspect, the remote monitoring system means there are always more clinical eyes on a patient’s real-time data. With a central monitoring station in both the ER and the inpatient nurses’ station, all the data for every patient is being monitored throughout the entire facility.
“This remote monitoring system is so crucial because if it alarms and/or someone sees a critical change in a patient’s vital signs or cardiac rhythm, our medical professionals can intervene in seconds, producing better patient outcomes,” said Paulette Soupiset, Director of Nursing at Clara Barton. “If we can recognize a significant change or decline in a patient’s condition early, the immediate response can mean the difference between life and death. We are incredibly lucky to have this kind of equipment in our rural community!”
The Clara Barton Foundation would like to thank everyone who has already participated in this year’s membership drive. Each contribution plays a role in helping reach their goal for the new patient monitoring system. It is foundation members and their caring contributions that ensure Clara Barton Medical Center remains at the forefront of healthcare innovation, providing cutting-edge equipment and facilities for the community.
If you are interested in becoming a foundation member and contributing towards this current project, please visit www.clarabartonhospital.com/donate or call the foundation office at 620-292-0814. Your involvement will help Clara Barton Medical Center maintain an ever-increasing quality of healthcare, guaranteeing that friends, family, and neighbors have access to the best patient care in the area.
