March 30, 2016 Edition - Amazon Simple Storage Service · He wasn’t from the area and needed a TB skin ... the word about this generous discount by passing these flyers out

News Blast

5 | 5 | 95 Success Stories are shared by TLC Associates and serve as inspiration to improve and uplift our associates and patients. Read. Improve. Uplift. Repeat. Submit your story to [email protected] to be published in future issues.

From Ginger K. Urban, Regional Clinical Director, Ariz.

Hi, I thought this was a great uplift story because not only did it uplift the patient, but it also uplifted our provider, Linda Roberts, PA-C at the Prescott Valley clinic:

It was December 21, 2015. I know this because it was my birthday. A mother came to the clinic (somewhat anxious) with her grown son. She said she was finally going to get the Christmas present she had wished for years. Her son had finally agreed to go to drug/alcohol rehab. He wasn’t from the area and needed a TB skin test and screening for hepatitis and HIV. I assured her we could do the TB test and that we had a lab in the area where a patient could order his or her own labs. She cried and was so grateful. Apparently she heard someone wish me Happy Birthday, because later that day she sent over a cake.

Thank you, Ginger, for sharing this uplifting story and, thank you, Linda, for going the extra mile to provide excellent service to our patients!

TLC Quarterly Update VideoFrom Colleen Lindholz, President & CEO

I am excited to share the very first TLC Quarterly Update video with you! This video and future quarterly update releases are intended to keep you informed about the company’s financial progress, 5 | 5 | 95 Strategy goals, operational improvements, technology advancements, new services and anything else that we may be doing to improve your work experience and our patient’s care experience.

Please see the instructions below for viewing the TLC Q4 Quarterly Update video. My hope is that you will learn something or many things when watching the video and I want to know about it.

Notice: This document contains confidential and privileged infor-mation that is intended only for employees of The Little Clinic.

Any disclosure, copying, distribu-tion, or reliance upon the con-tents of this document is strictly prohibited.

Inside This Issue:

5 | 5 | 95 Success Stories ................................. 1TLC Quarterly Update Video ............................ 1New Price Changes ......................................... 2eCW Scheduled Outage .................................. 3New Online Resource - Owners’ Manuals........ 4Associate Discount - Dietitian Services ........... 4Eat Well at Work ............................................. 5Survey Ready 365 ........................................... 5Update on PTO Balances ................................. 7Clinical Corner ................................................ 7Friendly & Fresh Testimonial .......................... 9Announcements ............................................. 9

TheLittleClinic.comInside Select Stores

March 30, 2016 Edition

mailto:tlcnewsblast%40kroger.com?subject=

http://www.facebook.com/thelittleclinic

http://thelittleclinic.blogspot.com/

Notice: This document contains confidential and privileged information that is intended only for employees of The Little Clinic.

Any disclosure, copying, distribution, or reliance upon the contents of this docu-ment is strictly prohibited.

Inside This Issue:

5 | 5 | 95 Success Stories ......................... 1

TLC Quarterly Update Video .................... 1

New Price Changes ................................. 2

eCW Scheduled Outage .......................... 3

New Online Resource - Manuals ............. 4

Associate Discount - Dietitian Services ... 4

Eat Well at Work ..................................... 5

Survey Ready 365 ................................... 5

Update on PTO Balances ......................... 7

Clinical Corner ........................................ 7

Friendly & Fresh Testimonial .................. 9

Announcements ..................................... 9

Page 2March 30, 2016 Edition

Give me your feedback by sending an email to [email protected] and share what you liked, didn’t like, what you would like to know more about and how you think we can improve the content for future updates.

Thank you for everything you are doing to make TLC a place where associates love to work and the clinic patients love to get care.

TWO OPTIONS TO VIEW THE TLC QUARTERLY UPDATE VIDEO FROM A KROGER LAPTOP:

Option 1:Ctrl + Click on the URL below:http://ktv.kroger.com/viewerportal/ktv/home.vp?programId=esc_program:22575 View Video

Option 2:Go to KTV.kroger.com Enter your EUID and passwordSearch for “Little” and the video will show up on the listView Video

If you are not yet on a Kroger laptop (Denver, Atlanta, Memphis and Louisville/Lexington) and cannot access the video through KTV, please try one of the following alternative options:

• Ctrl + Click: https://ktv.wistia.com/medias/4695di59zj • TLC Today > TLC Quick Links > Videos (under Categories) > TLC Quarterly Update

I hope you enjoy the video!

New Price Changes Effective April 1From Tara Murphy, Assistant Controller

Many of our services will increase in price effective April 1. This increase comes after much consideration. After reviewing a market analysis of prices within our industry and the increased expenses from our supply vendors, we believe these price increases are modest and should not cause concern for our patients. Please help our patients understand that we continue to be the low cost alternative in healthcare and we strive to do our best at keeping costs down. We remain committed to providing quality service, convenience and the lowest prices possible. Below is a breakdown of the new prompt-pay prices: Office VisitsAll office visits except 99211 $89-$119**Follow-up (99211) remains at: $35

TLC Quarterly Update Video continued...

http://ktv.kroger.com/viewerportal/ktv/home.vp?programId=esc_program:22575

http://KTV.kroger.com

https://ktv.wistia.com/medias/4695di59zj





Inside This Issue:

5 | 5 | 95 Success Stories ......................... 1






Eat Well at Work ..................................... 5

Survey Ready 365 ................................... 5


Clinical Corner ........................................ 7


Announcements ..................................... 9


**PRICE RANGE DISCLAIMERWhen a patient asks questions about the prompt-pay range please communicate:“Charges may vary based on the level of care needed to properly diagnose and treat a patient. Most of the time, visits fall within the range provided, but in more complex cases, additional testing or services may be needed to properly diagnose a patient. If any labs are performed and sent out to a third party laboratory, the patient will be billed directly from the laboratory.”

Sport, School & Camp Physical (Age Specific) Life Event Physical (All Ages) Age 20 & Under $29 ($33 for OH & CO) All Ages $59Age 21 & Up $59*Kroger Associate/Family Discount of $10 applicable for all physicals (including Life Event and DOT).

VaccinationsPrices include an administration charge of $25. Pneumonia (Pneumovax) $110Varicella (Chickenpox) $149 The TV screens, backlit and Price List on TLCToday will be updated on April 1 to reflect the new pricing. Please make sure to use these resources in order to collect the correct prompt-pay amount from the patient.

eCW Scheduled Outage April 5-7From Brad Cumbee, Solutions Architect

WHAT IS HAPPENING? eClinicalWorks and PERK will be down for an extended period of time starting on April 5 at 8 pm EDT until the morning of April 7. When eCW comes back online, it will function just as it did previously. There are no functionality upgrades during this outage. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

Clinics will need to use manual downtime procedures until eCW is back online. Please refer to the Policy & Procedures section on the TLC Today website for Downtime Forms, FORM 501A. These forms will be available to print on March 31. The PERK system will automatically display the following message during the outage: “Temporarily unavailable due to system upgrades to better serve our patients.”

Once eCW has been brought back online, we will use a series of conferences to the regions to alert the clinics eCW is ready for use. Once operational, all patient charts will have to be entered into eCW in a timely manner.

WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?

During this outage, eCW will be upgrading our servers and data infrastructure. This will allow for future scalability as TLC continues to expand and grow.

New Price Changes Effective April 1 continued...

https://tlc.kroger.com/projects/cms/pandp/index.cfm?fuseaction=c.category_view&category_id=B94F17F0-5056-B60C-E9E775E0C9E486D2





Inside This Issue:

5 | 5 | 95 Success Stories ......................... 1






Eat Well at Work ..................................... 5

Survey Ready 365 ................................... 5


Clinical Corner ........................................ 7


Announcements ..................................... 9


New Online Resource for All Manufacturer Owners’ ManualsFrom Tim Jones, Clinic Development

Beginning this week, all manufacturer owners’ manuals for clinic items are available online. A new spreadsheet has been uploaded to the Sharepoint homepage that includes links to all of the manufacturer manuals that are currently being housed in clinics. With access to the most recent and updated copies for all manuals, we can now further align ourselves with 5S CLINIC STANDARDS and RECYCLE/DISCARD ALL OWNERS’ MANUALS currently taking up precious space in our clinic drawers and cabinetry.

In addition to the direct owners’ manual links, the spreadsheet contains a second link to each manufacturer’s homepage. The spreadsheet is also divided into two tabs: one lists all clinic items by Product Category and the other lists all clinic items by Vendor. This comprehensive list covers every item in the clinic from blood pressure monitors and exam tables to shredders and waiting room chairs. If anyone happens to notice an item they currently have in the clinic that is not represented on this list, please let me know so I can add it to the spreadsheet.

If a power failure or network outage restricts access to the manuals, please remember to FIRST contact a nearby clinic or your RCD to gain access and obtain a copy. All paper copies will be housed at the TLC office and an additional set will remain with the Clinic Development Specialist. As a last resort, contact Martha George or Tim Jones for copies.

Check it out here: Owners’ Manuals links by Product Category and Vendor

Associate Discount on Dietitian ServicesFrom Eileen Myers, VP, Retail Dietetics & Nutrition Solutions

NASHVILLE, DENVER, COLUMBUS AND CINCINNATILIMITED TIME OFFER – 50% ASSOCIATE DISCOUNT ON DIETITIAN SERVICES

From April 1 through September 30, all Kroger Associates and immediate families - Union, Non-Union - and TLC will be eligible for a 50% discount on dietitian services. Services include individual counseling, store tours and group programs. As stated by one of our associates, “one thing I have already learned from our dietitians is let’s not talk about what we should not eat, but instead it is about how to become a “foodie” and learn about some new delicious food options that fit into a healthy diet. Each of the dietitians have so much knowledge and can help associates meet their personal nutrition goals.”

Flyers announcing the discounts will be sent to each of the four regions this coming week with dietitians to pass out to associates and post in the break rooms. Please help the dietitians spread the word about this generous discount by passing these flyers out to associates during store huddles and when walking the store. Stay tuned for more to come on some fun events and competitions that will coincide with this limited time offer.



http://teams.kroger.com/na/tlcnp/_layouts/xlviewer.aspx?id=/na/tlcnp/Documents/OWNERS%20MANUAL%20Links%20by%20PRODUCT%20CATEGORY%20and%20VENDOR.xlsx&Source=http%3A%2F%2Fteams%2Ekroger%2Ecom%2Fna%2Ftlcnp%2FSitePages%2FDefault%2Easpx&DefaultItemOpen=1



Inside This Issue:

5 | 5 | 95 Success Stories ......................... 1






Eat Well at Work ..................................... 5

Survey Ready 365 ................................... 5


Clinical Corner ........................................ 7


Announcements ..................................... 9


Eat Well at WorkFrom Allison Kuhn, Director of Retail Dietetics

Have you heard the news? We now have registered dietitian nutritionists in over 30 of our clinics! Each of our dietitians is passionate about bringing health and wellness to our own associates, and whether you have a dietitian in your clinic or not, we want to reach you with the message of good food and good health. So, we hope this monthly column will be a way to help shape the plates of a larger number of team members. Each month we will focus on a “better-for-you” product available in our stores and you may just be surprised at what you see! The foundation of a “healthy” diet is variety, great flavor and foods that nourish us by providing things like fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and antioxidants. Stay tuned each month to learn about these nutritious products that just might be hiding in plain sight. This month’s highlight is our Kroger Unsalted Peanuts. These may appear to be just a humble snack among many, but they actually pack in quite a bit of nutrition. For ¼ cup (about the size of a golf ball), you get an excellent source of vitamin E and a good source of potassium. Plus, they’re low in sodium but off the charts in healthy fats. A final bonus is that they’re a banner brand product, so they’re already at a great price point, made even better with our associate discount. Pro tip: pre-portion in small snack bags at the start of the week to keep your portions on track.

Bon appétit!

Survey Ready 365From Cathleen McKnight, Director, Patient Centered Strategies

The Little Clinic received The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval by accreditation in 2009, followed by reaccreditation in 2012 and 2015. While unannounced visits by the Joint Commission could occur at any time and have not occurred to date within our organization, the likelihood of an intracycle survey at TLC in the next year is likely given timing and clinic growth.

In effort to stay survey ready 365 days a year and most importantly patient ready 365 days a year, Martha George and I will be hosting weekly tid-bits in the News Blast. Topics will range from processes we do on a daily basis to processes used less frequently though equally as important. We hope that the tips will confirm what you already know and promote clarity around the ‘why’ of best practices and expand the comfort of each associate to talk through process with confidence in the event of a survey.





Inside This Issue:

5 | 5 | 95 Success Stories ......................... 1






Eat Well at Work ..................................... 5

Survey Ready 365 ................................... 5


Clinical Corner ........................................ 7


Announcements ..................................... 9


Infection Control – Hand Hygiene

“Soap and water and common sense are the best disinfectants.” –Sir William Osler

Why the basics? Hand cleaning is a 2016 Ambulatory Care National Patient Safety Goal and survey history shows we need the review. In two of three Joint Commission surveys, points of non-compliance where identified in direct observations. Hand hygiene is a standard precaution meaning it is the minimum prevention measure that applies to all patient care. With 80% of all infectious diseases being transmitted by touch, hand hygiene is one of the most important things, alongside immunizations, that you can do to protect yourself and promote to your patients in staying healthy. Safety is a principle practice in health care and core value of Kroger. Each individual has the responsibility to uphold the highest level of safety for our patients and associates.

Is it measurable? Yes. In effort to ensure quality within out clinics, regional leadership conducts direct observations of hand hygiene twice a year with each clinic associate being observed at least once per year.

Survey Ready 365 continued...

» Before and after touching patient or obtaining a lab specimen. (Even if gloves are worn.) » Before entering/exiting the patient’s immediate care environment. » After contact or potential contact with blood, body flueids, excretions or wounding dressings. » Prior to performing an aseptic task. (ex. preparing an infection) » During patient care if hands will be moving from a contaminated body site.

Key Times for Hand Hygiene

» Alcohol based cleanser is the best way to disinfect your hands routinely. If enough product was used, it should take at least 15 seconds of rubbing before your hands are dry.

» Use soap and water if hands are visibly soiled then follow up with alcohol-based cleanser. Rub palm to pal, interlocking fingers, and perform rotational rubbing of thumb and socket for at least 20 seconds before rinsing thoroughly. Turn water off using your paper towel after drying your hands to prevent recontamination.

1. Hand hygiene should be performed and gloves worn during set up of lab testing in the dirty area and performed again with glove change prior to patient contact to obtain specimen.

2. After a specimen is obtained and replaced to the testing areas, hand hygiene should be performed and gloves changed if needed before returning to patient.

3. Hand hygiene should be performed between contact from computer-to-patient and patient-to-computer during registration and visit.

Reason: The provider is entering/exiting immediate care environment. In examples 2 and 3, there is also potential for contamination from the dirty side and lab equipment.

» Hand sanitizer and soap should be kept on separate sides/planes of the sink to ensure the products are not interchanged inadvertently.

» Nail length should be < .25” from the nail bed. If nail polish is worn, it should not be textured or chipped. These present problem areas for bacterial adherence and growth. Although allowable, a growing body of evidence suggests that wearing artificial nails may contribute to transmission of certain healthcare associated pathogens and is not recommended.

» Assure that the soap you are using is specifically referenced in the ordering guide and an SDS is on file. This included brands with scent variation.

» Use TLC provided hand moisturizer to prevent skin irritation and breakdown. Outside moisturizing products are not permitted due to concerns with infection control and chemical safety.

Process Snap Shot

Example Areas for Potential Misses

Other Hand Hygiene Tips





Inside This Issue:

5 | 5 | 95 Success Stories ......................... 1






Eat Well at Work ..................................... 5

Survey Ready 365 ................................... 5


Clinical Corner ........................................ 7


Announcements ..................................... 9


Update on PTO BalancesFrom Barbara Roe, Payroll Manager

PTO balances for hourly associates no longer print on check stubs. To find your current PTO balance, follow these steps:

• Log into Express HR – https://ess.kroger.com • Click “About My Personal Profile” • Scroll down to the section labeled “Time Off Information” • The column labeled “Time Remaining” is your current PTO balance If you have any questions about your PTO balance, please contact me.

Uplift (and a few other thoughts and reminders)From Dr. Patric, CMO

This immediate past Easter Sunday some of our clinics were closed while others had limited hours, nonetheless, as an enterprise TLC addressed the healthcare needs of 1,424 patients who might otherwise have had to wait or have had to go to the ER unnecessarily.

One of those patients was Cora, an 11-month-old whose mother was worried that she might have an ear infection. Since Cora was under our age limit, the TLC clinician, Natalia at our Lebanon clinic, texted me to seek an exception to the policy. This was at 4:15 PM and the only alternative was the ER. The clinician felt very comfortable seeing this child and the ER did not seem like a reasonable “alternative” to the clinician, to me and especially and more importantly to Cora’s mother.

So Cora was seen, diagnosed and treated. Cora’s mother asked the clinician to text me “thank you very much” and to let me know that she was “very grateful that we were open and would see Cora.” I, of course, had very little to do with this service. That credit goes to Natalia. It did start my wheels turning, however, about a Clinical Corner based on the concepts of professionalism, empathy and “the emotional connection.”

https://ess.kroger.com





Inside This Issue:

5 | 5 | 95 Success Stories ......................... 1






Eat Well at Work ..................................... 5

Survey Ready 365 ................................... 5


Clinical Corner ........................................ 7


Announcements ..................................... 9


I asked and Cora’s mother consented for me to share her story and her picture and here she is:

As I thought about this story and looked at this picture, I had several directly related and tangentially related thoughts (shocking, I know):

1. Note the time that Cora was seen. I suspect that Cora fell into the “last patient of the day” category, yet she was gladly seen. It would have been easy to simply say, “Gee, our policy won’t let me see her” and then hurry on home for that ham dinner. Yet, instead, professionalism and empathy prevailed, and the opportunity for an “emotional connection” emerged. Kudos! No. Double Kudos!

2. I am sure many of you have your own “Coras” (or “Carls”) - I know that I do. But if not, or if memory has faded, just make an imprint of this pic and this story in your mind and call upon it when you are working a Holiday or it’s the end of a long day, or both, and realize how grateful she will be (via her mother, of course) that you were there and willing and cable to care for her.

3. There is an old medical axiom that “if you listen to your patient they will give you the diagnosis.” It is often attributed to Sir William Osler and he did indeed teach and preach it, but it dates back to Hippocrates and many other wise clinicians. In this case, however, I think one could say, “observe your patient and they will give you the diagnosis.” Do you concur?

4. The idea of “observation” then leads me to think about the precept in pediatrics of simple but “active” observation of the child before “the laying on of hands.” Much can gleaned from this process (see the third link below).

Here are a few related links to those tangentially related thoughts, for the inquisitive reader:

Stephen Wilkins MPG – Mind The Gap Academy – Listen To Your Patients And They Will Tell You The Problem The Skeptical OB – Doctor, listen to your patient

Columbia University – Points on the Pediatric Physical Exam

Also, don’t forget about the Pediatric Care Resource Center in the Medical Affairs section of TLC Today.

To communicate your own tangentially related thoughts, comments or questions I am at [email protected].

Clinical Corner continued...

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/listen-your-patients-tell-you-problem-stephen

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/listen-your-patients-tell-you-problem-stephen

http://www.skepticalob.com/2009/06/doctor-listen-to-your-patient.html

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/hs/medical/clerkships/peds/Student_Information/Reference_Materials/Pediatric_PE.html

https://tlc.kroger.com/projects/cms/medaffairs/index.cfm?fuseaction=c.category_view&category_id=EAE97334-5056-B60C-E96359D40AEC3AE6

mailto:kpatric%40thelittleclinic.com?subject=





Inside This Issue:

5 | 5 | 95 Success Stories ......................... 1






Eat Well at Work ..................................... 5

Survey Ready 365 ................................... 5


Clinical Corner ........................................ 7


Announcements ..................................... 9


NP Sarah Pair, Iron Bridge Road Clinic, Chester, Va.

Here are some regional compliments I thought I would share. Good morning,Happily, this is not a complaint, just a short note of thanks to The Little Clinic in the Kroger’s on Ironbridge Road in Chesterfield, Virginia.

Having seen the huge line at the nearby Patient First and, realizing that my Anthem insurance would not have been taken anyway, I reluctantly decided to go home and wait it out until Monday morning when my physician’s office would open. Stopping at the light in front of Kroger’s was fortuitous. The Little Clinic sign was inviting so I slipped in and was seen by a delightful nurse practitioner, Sarah Pair.

Things are better with my health and I am very pleased to have added The Little Clinic to my list of available health options.

AnnouncementsApril 2016 Grand Rounds

Date: Thursday, April 28, 2016 5 pm CTTopic: Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders: When Wellness Gets Out of HandSpeaker: Eileen Myers, MPH, RDN, LDN, FANDThe Little Clinic – VP, Retail Dietetics & Nutrition Solutions

Convenient Healthcare & Pharmacy Collaborative 2nd Annual Conference

July 19-21, 2016 | Orlando, Florida Your special discount code is:Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek CHPC16TLC

At the 2nd Annual Convenient Healthcare & Pharmacy Collaborative CE conference, pharmacists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants will join one another in learning the latest about disease prevention, healthcare screenings, chronic care management and treatment of common acute and chronic conditions.

This unique conference will offer attendees the opportunity to network and share best practices while earning up to 10 CE credits on topics ranging from allergic rhinitis to diabetes.

CE Topics include:• Respiratory Disease • Mental Health • Diabetes• Cardiometabolic Conditions • Dermatology • DOT Updates• Allergies • Orthopedics • And more...

Testimonial

