CEO of Sutter Amador Hospital, Anne Platt talks about the hospital's role in the Butte-Amador Fire. 1 of 2

CEO of Sutter Amador Hospital, Anne Platt talks about the hospital's role in the Butte-Amador Fire. 2 of 2

Sept. 15, 2015 - 

Sutter Health made a $300,000 donation today to support fire relief efforts across Northern California communities. The Donations will go to several organizations helping bring food, shelter and other resources to those affected by the massive Butte Fire, still burning in Amador and Calaveras counties and the Valley Fire, still raging in Lake County.

- $250,000 to the American Red Cross California Wildfires Fund to help bring food, water, and emergency shelter to families in need.

- $25,000 to support local mental health services, including grievance counselors, peer support and others to individuals impacted by the fire in Amador and Calaveras counties.

- $20,000 to additional local angencies supporting fire relief in Lake County.

For information on how you can help support relief efforts, visit the American Red Cross Website.

SACRAMENTO, Calif., January 26, 2015– Implementing a collaborative surgical hospitalist program with Surgical Affiliates Management Group, Inc., enabled Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento (SMCS) to achieve significant improvements in timeliness of patient care and clinical outcomes, reduced length of stay and lowered costs—$2 million annually. A new case study, entitled “The Verdict Is In: Surgical Hospitalist Programs Deliver Improved Results throughout the Hospital,” details how these results were accomplished is available at www.samgi.com.

“Implementing a program like the one provided by Surgical Affiliates has helped SMCS to solve a problem, rather than merely address the symptoms,” said Richard SooHoo, Chief Financial Officer of Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento. “What we are most proud about is sustaining these results, and taking this model from just patching the tire, to getting a whole new tire that never has to be repaired again.”

Like many hospitals nationwide, SMCS was facing challenges meeting its emergency and in-hospital call demands. Market forces beyond the hospital’s control exacerbated the issue: rising costs, decreasing revenues and a shortage of surgeons.

According to Michael Abate, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of the hospital and Medical Director of its Adult Medical Hospitalist Program, “The real throughput that is improved – because patients get to surgery more quickly and the length of stay is shorter – is that the hospital beds open up that much faster. If the patient used to be in hospital for five days, they’re now in hospital for three days. For two days that bed is now free because you’re able to get patients into surgery faster and your team is in-house to deal with all subsequent care, so there are real throughput gains and cost savings.”

There is a growing demand for affordable solutions to cover emergency surgery needs and to improve clinical and financial results in hospitals across the U.S. By utilizing the service model developed for trauma and applying it to acute care emergency surgeries, the Surgical Affiliates program brings a team approach with evidence-based care guidelines to acute surgery services. But, it is much more than an answer to the problem of consistent emergency department surgical call coverage. It delivers better and timelier care to patients and creates a “halo” effect throughout the hospital by improving responsiveness and efficiencies across multiple departments.

Carrie Owen Plietz, CEO of SMCS, points to the benefits to patient care and the patient experience that the partnership has created, “The results speak for themselves for increased quality of care and improved outcomes. What the program also delivers is a team of professionals who are inherent within the lifeblood of the organization, and who are committed to ensuring the patients receive great service. It’s not just about clinical outcomes. It’s the connection with family members, healing touches, holding individual’s hands and making sure they enjoy an overall great experience. We are an excellent example of how pulling surgeons in to be part of the collective team is the right direction to go forward in the future. It’s really about that collaboration and finding creative solutions to achieve the desired outcomes.”

The results of the program Surgical Affiliates implemented with Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento were reported in the July 2014 issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. The study proved that a collaborative surgical hospitalist program can improve patient outcomes, appropriately improve CMI, reduce length of stay, and lower costs, sustaining these results over a five year period of time. To read an abstract of the study, “Sustainability and Success of the Acute Care Surgery Model in the Nontrauma Setting,” visit the Journal of the American College of Surgeons’ website: http://www.journalacs.org/article/S1072-7515(14)00220-8/abstract. To request a copy of the full article please visit the Surgical Affiliates’ website at: http://samgi.com.

“Hospitals need to look beyond simple on-call staffing solutions for the emergency department,” said Leon J. Owens, M.D., FACS, CEO of Surgical Affiliates. “With a more integrated program, the entire standard of care for patients is raised. Hospitals benefit from better patient throughput, optimized capacity, and cost savings. And most importantly, patients reap all the benefits of superb, coordinated care.”

For more information or to request a copy of the case study, visit www.samgi.com

About Surgical Affiliates Management Group

Surgical Affiliates Management Group is the first and only surgical hospitalist company with published, proven results that its programs improve patient care, lower costs, reduce readmissions, and enhance hospital throughput and capacity. Surgical Affiliates’ System of Care is a permanent solution to the challenge of providing 24/7 surgical care in the hospital and one that raises the level of hospital performance across the board, preparing these facilities for the world of pay-for-performance and accountable care models. The Surgical Affiliates’ System of Care for general surgery, trauma, and orthopedics is currently in use in hospitals ranging from rural facilities to large community hospitals to multi-hospital systems. For more information, visit the Surgical Affiliates website at http://samgi.com.

About Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento

Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento (SMCS) is a not-for-profit hospital providing acute and advanced care to Sacramento and the surrounding area. SMCS includes two acute care hospital campuses, Sutter General and Sutter Memorial, providing care since 1923, and Sutter Center for Psychiatry, providing psychiatric, mental health and chemical dependency services since 1958. SMCS is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. For more information about the not-for-profit Sutter Health family, please visit http://www.suttermedicalcenter.org.

Posted by TSPN TV 

Officials from the City of Jackson and the Amador County Board of Supervisors, as well as donors and leaders and medical staff from Sutter Amador Hospital, ceremoniously cut a ribbon in front of the Emergency Department marking the completion of the expanded 9,115-square foot, $7.3 million Emergency Department.

The newly expanded Emergency Department is designed with patients in mind. Focusing on convenience and access, the department now has 14 private treatment rooms to accommodate a growing number of patients – all equipped with the latest computer-based monitoring system.  In addition, the comfort of patients and their family members has been addressed with a new covered entrance and expanded lobby.

“After three years of hard work and commitment, our vision to expand much-needed emergency services to our community is now completed,” said Anne Platt, CEO of Sutter Amador Hospital. “I am grateful to the staff, physicians, community members, donors and many others who helped turn our vision into reality. This was truly a team effort.”

More than $1.15 million of the total cost of the Emergency Department expansion came from the generosity of local donors, including the Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians, Sutter Amador Hospital Auxiliary, Valley Emergency Physicians and Armenio and Mary Lou D’Agostini. All gifts, regardless of their size, were essential to the success of this expansion.

“I’m very excited about the completion of our emergency department expansion because I know what it means for our patients and for those of us caring for patients,” said Paul Beatty, M.D., Medical Director of the Emergency Department. “This project has accomplished more than improved access and reduced wait times. It is a testament of our commitment to put patients first and allows us to continue to have the privilege to care for hundreds of families now and for future generations.”

Sutter Amador Hospital became affiliated with Sutter Health in 1991.  Since then, Sutter has continued its commitment to delivering personalized care through its not-for-profit mission within the community. As an entire network, Sutter Health places millions of dollars back into its communities each year. Through these investments and partnerships, Sutter Health is caring for people without health insurance, improving health care facilities and adding vital programs and services. In Amador County alone, Sutter Health provided nearly $5 million in charity care in 2013.

“Sutter Amador Hospital has been a long-term partner to our entire county for years,” said Jackson Mayor Pat Crew. “We are pleased to continue our collaboration with them so our residents may continue to access health care locally.”

Sutter Amador Hospital is affiliated with Sutter Health, a not-for-profit, community-based health system located throughout Northern California. For more information about Sutter Amador Hospital, visitwww.sutteramador.org.

For 33 years, Amador Lifeline has helped seniors and others with disabilities, chronic illnesses, in rehabilitation or on Hospice live independently in their homes by offering medical emergency response at the touch of a button. The not-for-profit program recently received a $2,800 investment from Sutter Amador Hospital to fund the upgrade of communicator equipment that is used in clients’ homes.

“Lifeline allows individuals to remain in their homes and gives them and their families peace of mind knowing that help is available 24 hours a day,” says Virginia Manner, Amador Lifeline supervisor.

The Lifeline system uses a two-way voice communicator and waterproof personal help button that can be worn as a necklace or wristband. In the event of an emergency at home, the wearer presses the button, sending a signal to the Lifeline Response Center dispatcher. The dispatcher evaluates the urgency of the situation and calls either a responder listed on the individual’s care plan or emergency medical personnel when needed.

Sutter Amador Hospital’s community partnership and support will fund the purchase of five two-way communicator units, which will replace aging units that can no longer be repaired. In addition, Lifeline has introduced a new wireless solution called HomeSafe for those who do not have a home phone line. The community investment will also support the purchase of one HomeSafe wireless communicator.

“We value the work of Amador Lifeline and the connections they support and maintain throughout our community,” said Sutter Amador Hospital CEO Anne Platt. “Our partnership with them helps extend the reach of health care.”

Amador Lifeline serves between 235 – 240 clients a month, most of whom are seniors. Manner says the majority of calls to Lifeline are related to falls in the home. Without immediate help after a fall, elderly individuals may suffer pain, emotional distress, or secondary medical problems like dehydration, pneumonia, renal failure and pressure ulcers. The program is invaluable in helping community members live safely at home and preventing hospitalizations.

Lifeline regularly partners with Sutter Amador Hospital and other community organizations to let seniors know about the service.  Medical alert scams are at an epidemic level nationally, and locally, many have also fallen prey to these scams.  Staffed by two professionals and 25 volunteers, Amador Lifeline is the only local, not-for-profit program providing service each day to keep the community’s most vulnerable residents living safe and secure in their own homes.

Sutter Amador Hospital is affiliated with Sutter Health, a not-for-profit, community-based health system located throughout Northern California. For more information about Sutter Amador Hospital, visit www.sutteramador.org.

Sutter Amador's Stroke Coordinator, Tamara Harding talks to Heather Murdock about American Stroke Month.

Rose Radotic speaks with Laurie Webb about the many ways that Amador County residents can help Sutter Amador Hospital.

Anne Platt stops by the Today's Seniors set to discuss some of the new services that are being offered by Sutter Amador Hospital.

Laurie Webb talks with Sharon Bertoli about some of the ways that you can prepare today for end of life decisions that may need to be made in the future.