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SPOTLIGHT
St. Anthony’s at Hyland Behavioral Health:
40 YEARS OF SERVICE
Now known as Hyland A, this building was the original location of the Hyland Center when it opened in 1977.
2 BY THE NUMBERS
St. Anthony’s at Hyland Behavioral Health
3 IN YOUR WORDS
What is your tradition of service to St. Anthony’s?
6 BETTER MEDICINE
An interview with Rajesh Swaminathan
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B Y
T H E
N U M B E R S
St. Anthony’s at Hyland Behavioral Health
$1 million Goal of Hyland’s new fundraising campaign
50 151
Estimated percentage of individuals with a severe mental illness who will have a substance use disorder in their lifetime.
2
Number of employees at Hyland
9,000+ 300
Number of patients assessed per month by Assessment and Referral Intake staff
4.98 45 days
Average length of inpatient stay at Hyland At right: A portion of a mural entitled “New Beginnings,” painted by artist Siegfried Reinhardt. It can be found in the Great Room of Hyland Education and Training Center.
SPOTLIGHT
From left: Heath Chipman, RN, 1A Unit; Cindy Adkerson, Unit Secretary, 1A Unit; Tracy Leake, RN, HBH Float Pool; and Diana Hardin, BSN, RN, 2A Unit, discuss a patient’s progress in a treatment team meeting.
Average inpatient daily census at Hyland
12,886
Number of patients admitted to Hyland programs each month
1977
The year Hyland opened
Number of patients in Hyland Outpatient per year
9.5
years
Average tenure of a Hyland Behavioral Health employee
What’s your tradition of service to St. Anthony’s? Our winner:
My tradition of service to St. Anthony’s is to treat every patient like they were my mom or dad: with love, compassion and expert care. I try to meet all their needs, not just physical. I frequently ask them about their fears and do what I can to allay them. Just letting people know you care goes far to reduce their anxiety and makes them feel better physically and emotionally.
Timmie Caruso, RN
SICU/Rapid Response
My tradition of service is to assist the nurses to the best of my ability. I always ask if I can do anything to help and help cheerfully. While I’m working, I remind myself to put the patients’ needs first and think of how I would feel in their shoes.
I like to “live every moment like an angel flies.” Every patient gets the compassion and peace that comes from only above. Amy Usry Breast Center
Tasha Lackey Hoffman, PCT Float Pool
The Brennan family has helped deliver care, literally for many years as OB/ GYNs at St. Anthony’s. First, Drs. Robert and George Brennan, dating back to the old hospital on South Grand; and now Richard Brennan and myself. Proud to be a part of St. Anthony’s. James Brennan, MD Medical Director, OB/GYN department
In March of 2006 I started at the main information desk as a volunteer receptionist. I loved the work that I was doing so I put in an application for employment. In December 2006 I was hired to work at the main desk and the Heart and Vascular information desk. In December 2016 I celebrated 10 years as an employee at SAMC. Today I still volunteer with the medical center for special events. Cynthia Steiger Information Desk
A simple smile is powerful. Whether I smile at a patient, a visitor or a co-worker, they usually smile back and for a brief moment that individual feels welcomed and important. It can enhance your interaction with them. Lori Groh Occupational Medicine
My tradition is to treat everyone as I would want to be treated. Kind words and a warm smile can turn someone’s day around. A positive mentality is contagious to any environment. For projects, I like to set my own standard. I know if I am passionate about the work I do, it will be successful. It is essential to be able to stand behind your work and know you represented St. Anthony’s well.
I have served SAMC for sixteen years in cardiac/vascular and am honored to be of service to nurses, doctors, patients and their families. Ministering to all these wonderful people has brought me closer to God. Sister Mary Ann Eultgen, Sister of Christian Charity (SCC) Pastoral Care
I am a patient care advocate promoting individualized therapeutic care while prioritizing patient safety at Hyland Behavioral Health. I’m patient-focused to enhance shortterm and long-term treatment compliance for optimal well-being. Madeline Freivogel, RN, BSN Hyland Behavioral Health Inpatient Float Pool
June Potts Marketing FEBRUARY 2017
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Right: On hand for the unveiling of plans for the Hyland Center were, from left, actress Mercedes McCambridge; Robert Hyland, Chairman of the Board of St. Anthony’s Medical Center, and George Casey, Vice President of St. Anthony’s Medical Center.
St. Anthony’s at Hyland Behavioral Health:
4 Top: Terese Leach, RN, 2C Unit, Cindy Adkerson, Sect Tech, 1A Unit, discusses patients on the unit. Bottom: Amy Alexander, MHA, LCSW Executive Director for Behavioral Health, looks at chart reviews.
The stigma surrounding mental health issues has decreased. Amy Alexander
SPOTLIGHT SPOTLIGHT
40 YEARS OF SERVICE On a highway headed to Iowa in northern Missouri, an over-the-road trucker was considering killing himself. Despondent and desperate, he phoned St. Anthony’s at Hyland Behavioral Health. Linda Hopkins, pre-assessment counselor at Hyland, was on the other end of the line. During their 40-minute conversation, she encouraged and reassured him and helped him form a plan to get help. She was worried for his safety and for others on the road, but was unable to get the man to divulge any identifying information about his truck or its location. She left work that day worried for him. The man called back several days later. He said being able to talk to Linda had stopped him from harming himself because he felt someone cared. He planned to seek help and was encouraged to attend outpatient sessions at Hyland. “For every person we admit here, we may counsel five about what they need to do,” noted Linda, a 30-year veteran employee with a master’s degree in clinical psychology. “That’s very satisfying to me.” This month, Hyland celebrates its 40th anniversary of helping people improve their lives. The services of Hyland have evolved over the years with changes in healthcare delivery, but the mission remains unchanged. “Hyland’s nurses, patient and psych care techs, counselors, social worker and recreational therapists work as a team to provide treatment with compassion to patients with mental health issues,” said Amy Alexander, Executive Director, Behavioral Health and Home Health at Hyland Behavioral Health. Amy added more than 40 employees have been with Hyland
for more than 15 years, and the average tenure of the staff is 9.5 years. “Hyland has a unique culture in healthcare; this tenure speaks volumes for our employees’ commitment to the organization and the patients they serve.” Through the years, many advances have been made in behavioral medicine, and the stigma surrounding mental health issues has decreased, Linda said. “When I started at Hyland, there was so much stigma associated with getting any mental health or drug addiction treatment that it used to be called the Stress Unit, because that name wasn’t so scary,” Linda recalled. “It’s now met with more openness, compassion and acceptance.” FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE AREA Mary Sidlo, RN, was part of the team that worked on the edge of St. Anthony’s campus 40 years ago to forge an exciting new tradition in mental health care. She remembers that cold winter as if it was yesterday. Private facilities for the treatment of alcoholism and drug abuse were practically nonexistent in the region when Hyland Center for the Care and Rehabilitation of the Alcoholic Patient opened its doors on Feb. 1, 1977. Mary, Martha Eggers, RN, and Mary Ann Kinsella, RN, were part of the team of doctors, nurses, techs and counselors at the new center. Martha and Mary Ann now work as Care Managers in Utilization Management; Mary works in ED Charging in Health Information Management. “When we started, a month before the opening, the building was not quite finished,” Mary recalled. “At times we worked with our coats on. We carried in bedframes and mattresses, getting the building and units ready.” Hyland Center was the dream of the late Robert Hyland, longtime chairman of the board at St. Anthony’s Medical Center, senior vice president of CBS Radio and general manager of KMOX. St. Anthony’s Board of Directors decided in 1974 to build a treatment and rehabilitation center for adults with alcoholism or drug dependency. Two 40-bed units were connected by an enclosed passage over the trademark blue lake that would become a noteworthy feature of the center (now Hyland Education & Training Center). Dr. Joseph B. Kendis, a pioneer in the field of alcoholism treatment, was appointed chief of the medical center’s Section of Chemical Dependencies. Hyland Center was named for Robert Hyland’s father, a surgeon. “We had people from all over the country coming here,” Martha said. “Elsewhere in the country, there was the Betty Ford Center and the Hazelden Addiction Treatment Center, but certainly in this area, Hyland was a big name at the time.” Mary admitted the first patient, who completed treatment on Feb. 20, 1977. “At that time, a usual length of stay was four weeks,” Mary said. (continued on back page)
Continuing a caring tradition The services at Hyland Behavioral Health have evolved through the years. St. Anthony’s Psychiatric Center opened in June 1986, including treatment for eating disorders and dual diagnoses, with pediatric and geriatric units. Today, inpatient adolescent and adult psychiatric services are offered on two floors of the Hyland B building, and chemical dependency and many other services are offered on an outpatient basis. “The staff is very committed to that same common goal of helping to improve the lives of our patients,” Mary Ann said. “The people I have met through the years, both staff and patients, have truly enriched my life.” In addition to alcohol and drug abuse, patients may suffer from depression, problems with anxiety or relationships, or those struggling over a loss, whether through a death or a breakup. “I love working with the adolescents and their families on a daily basis,” said Dianne Gawedzinski, a licensed professional counselor, clinical therapist and 28-year veteran of Hyland who has worked with adolescents in the Intensive Outpatient Program since 1992. “It’s challenging at times but it’s also very rewarding.” Hyland Behavioral Health has received Achievements in Clinical Excellence (ACE) Platinum status for providing effective and efficient clinical care from Optum, a leading global information and technology-enabled health services organization. “We often receive patients who have been at other hospitals, who have been here before and decided to come back,” Dianne noted. “They always have good things to say about us and prefer our programs.”
FEBRUARY 2017
5
AN INTERVIEW WITH
Rajesh Swaminathan – CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER —
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Dr. Swaminathan came to St. Anthony’s in January from Anderson Hospital in Maryville, Ill., where he served as the Medical Director of the Intensive Care Unit. He brings more than 16 years of experience as an intensivist and medical director in the St. Louis area, including previously spending two years at St. Anthony’s as a hospitalist/intensivist. He is board certified in both internal medicine and critical care medicine. He earned his Doctor of Medicine from Saint Louis University School of Medicine, completed his residency at Mercy Hospital St. Louis, and completed his fellowship in critical care at Mercy and Saint Louis University. Dr. Swaminathan takes over this leadership position from David Morton, MD, who retired after serving St. Anthony’s and his community for almost 30 years.
SPOTLIGHT SPOTLIGHT
Dr. Swaminathan, are you from the St. Louis area originally? What is your impression of St. Anthony’s? I grew up in Chicago and Peoria, Ill., and moved to St. Louis in 1986, where I attended Saint Louis University undergraduate and medical schools. My first job after finishing my fellowship was at St. Anthony’s. Many of my relationships with physicians, nurses and administration started here. I found it to be a very collegial, organized and patient-oriented institution. It is good to be back home, working with the colleagues and staff that I’ve known throughout the years. Tell us about your role as the Chief Medical Officer. A Chief Medical Officer’s role is one that has many facets, and I believe the central theme of that role is to have an emphasis on collaboration, to have a drive to foster relationships, and to have an intimate knowledge of the hospital’s culture and environment, such that positive outcomes and a high quality of care can be achieved. A CMO is an educator, a communicator, a negotiator, a mentor, a listener, a facilitator and a visionary. I hope to exemplify these characteristics, and enhance the success of an already successful hospital.
Below, the Swaminathan family. From left: Sohaan, Selina, Rajesh, Geeta and Sohil.
What are your goals for ensuring the highest quality of patient care at the medical center? The primary goal to strive for is optimum patient care, achieved through evidence-based practice, good communication, and delivery of care that is centered on quality and well-defined quality measures. Establishing clear-cut processes in each department is paramount to the delivery of the standard of care, the standard of excellence that St. Anthony’s provides for patients. With this approach, I believe we can improve patient outcomes, reduce length of stay, reduce readmission rates, improve patient satisfaction, and create an atmosphere of excellence, in every realm.
A CMO is an educator, a communicator, a negotiator, a mentor, a listener, a facilitator and a visionary. — RAJESH SWAMINATHAN
We understand you also are an accomplished musician? I started playing the guitar as a teenager. I’ve been involved with several bands throughout the years and have had the privilege of playing in many venues in St. Louis and in the region. Although I don’t have much time these days, I always try to play whenever time allows; it is certainly a passion of mine. Please tell us about your family, your interests and hobbies. I met my wife, Geeta, at Saint Louis University. This year we are celebrating our 25th anniversary. We have three children: Selina, Sohaan and Sohil, and they are all in college presently. In my spare time, in addition to playing the guitar, I enjoy reading, spending time with my family, baseball, tennis, movies, and keeping current with the ever-evolving world of health care.
FEBRUARY 2017
S T . A N T H O N Y ’ S C H A R I T A B L E F O U N D A T I O N :
Moving forward, one peace at a time
Top, from left: Mary Arand, LCSW Case Manager, 1A Unit; Karen McComb, Consultant (standing); Sarah Michaelis, Music and Recreational Therapist, 2A Unit; Amy Alexander, MHA, LCSW Executive Director for Behavioral Health, and Kay Green, PLPC Case Manager, 2A Unit. Bottom: Linda Hopkins, MA, Intake Counselor (left), and Martha Eggers, RN Care Manager.
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HUMBLING JOURNEY TO RECOVERY The center boasted a diverse patient population, including a few celebrities along the way, but everyone was there for the same reason, Mary Ann said. Their drug or alcohol habits left them jobless, penniless and estranged from their families. Services for youth began in 1985 with the opening of Hyland Child and Adolescent Center for chemically dependent adolescents or those with emotional disorders. “We had the privilege of seeing many people battle the disease of addiction, come out winners and then share their experiences by coming back to volunteer,” Mary Ann said. EXTENSIVE TRAINING WAS INTEGRAL TO THE PROGRAM “I was sent to the Rutgers School of Alcohol Studies (in New Jersey) for three weeks and then to Hazelden (in Minnesota) for family therapy for a week as I was also a part of the startup for family education at Hyland,” Martha said. “It was humbling and also encouraging to see how the patients and family struggled with this disease and how they moved to recovery and healing.”
St. Anthony’s at Hyland Behavioral Health seeks to deliver quality behavioral healthcare that ensures the safety, preserves the dignity and enhances the wellbeing of patients who entrust St. Anthony’s Medical Center with their care. Hyland’s highly trained professionals are dedicated to their patients, families and the community. Services offered include: • 74 inpatient beds (22 adolescent beds and 52 adult beds) for ages 12 and up • Assessment and Referral Center (A&R) at Hyland Education & Training Center • Array of outpatient services for adolescents and adults, including individual and group counseling • Intensive Outpatient Programs for adolescents ages 12 to 18 and adults 18-plus • Dialectical Behavior Therapy program, a structured interventional therapy program designed to help patients manage long-term problems • Chemical dependency program • Inpatient and outpatient electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) Please consider partnering with St. Anthony’s Medical Center and Hyland Behavioral Health to address the needs of those with mental illness with a contribution to the St. Anthony’s Charitable Foundation’s Hyland Community Fund. Every donation helps to further programs to address the critical needs of addiction and mental health in our community. Your support of the Hyland fundraising initiative, “One peace at a time,” will help ensure safety and preserve dignity while enhancing the well-being of patients. The need is great. For more information, visit https://www.sacf-giving.org/ or call (314) 525-7330.
Spotlight is published quarterly by the Marketing Department of St. Anthony’s Medical Center. Writer: Robbi Courtaway, ext. 4003 Photographer: June Potts, ext. 4934 Graphic Designer: Stephen Walker, ext. 4767