Memorial Health System 2014 Annual Report

2014 Annual Report

2014 Annual Report 01

We are pleased to share with you Memorial Health System’s 2014 annual

report. Our health system experienced another very successful year as we

continued to advance our mission to improve the health of the people and

communities we serve.

The achievements and patient stories highlighted in this year’s report

showcase how strong our organization remains by working together, doing

what’s right for our patients and staying focused on our mission, vision,

values and goals. None of this success would be possible without our

dedicated employees and volunteers, our skilled physician partners and the

support of the communities in which Memorial’s seven affiliates call home.

In 2014, we continued to grow our services and advance how we provide

care to the people we serve. In April, we welcomed Passavant Area Hospital

in Jacksonville as our health system’s seventh affiliate. This affiliation, along

with several other partnership ventures we cultivated last year, represents the

importance of collaboration in navigating today’s healthcare environment. To

best serve our patients, we must work together with our community partners

to treat a growing number of people while continuing to improve the quality of

care they receive. We are seeing great success in these endeavors.

We also saw significant progress over the past year on our historic

Advancing Care by Design expansion project at Memorial Medical Center.

In early 2015, we will complete the first phase of our surgical expansion,

unveil part of our new Main Lobby, and open the Memorial Center for

Learning and Innovation (MCLI). The MCLI will be an important resource

to all health system employees as well as our partners with the Southern

Illinois University School of Medicine, regional emergency responders and

future members of our community’s healthcare workforce.

Our never-ending motivation to learn and improve is fueled by our desire to

provide our patients with the best possible care when they need us. We have

a bold vision to be a national leader for excellence in patient care—and by

continuing to invest in our employees, further advancing our patients’ quality

outcomes and remaining focused on providing great patient experiences, we

are well on our way.

Thank you for your continued support of Memorial Health System. We are

honored and grateful to hold the important role we do for the people and

communities we serve.

dear f r i e n d s

Edgar J. CurtisPresident & Chief Executive Officer Memorial Health System

John D. BlackburnChairman Memorial Health System Board of Directors

A u t u m n 2013

Memorial Physician Services Earns National Medical-Home Recognition

In October 2013, all 10 of Memorial Physician Services’ primary care sites—located in Springfield, Chatham, Jacksonville, Lincoln and Petersburg—were recognized as Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Homes, the highest level possible from the National Committee

for Quality Assistance.

The physician-led care teams provide all healthcare needs and coordinate treatment across the healthcare spectrum. Medical home healthcare providers demonstrate the benchmarks of patient-centered care, including open scheduling, expanded hours and appropriate use of proven health information systems.

The designation puts Memorial Physician Services on par with a small but elite group of healthcare providers nationwide that have been able to achieve Level 3 status, which is valid for three years.

Patient-centered medical homes are rapidly gaining momentum and attention as an innovative approach to primary care. The intent is to offer more personalized, coordinated, effective and efficient care.

024Memorial Health System


Memorial Weight Loss & Wellness Center Has Successful First YearIn the first year since it launched, the Memorial Weight Loss & Wellness Center has helped nearly 500 people in the medically managed arm of its program each lose an average of 26 pounds, or 8 percent, of their body weight within six months.

In addition to weight loss, patients reported improved self-esteem, and their cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels improved. Nicole Florence, MD, an internal medicine physician with Memorial Physician Services, leads the medical management branch of the program.

The Memorial Weight Loss & Wellness Center launched in October 2013 as the only central Illinois-based program offering customized, physician-led weight-loss and wellness services.

Memorial Bariatric Services, established in 2002, is the surgical branch of the Memorial Weight Loss & Wellness Center. Memorial Bariatric Services expanded its regional presence in fiscal year 2014 by launching its third partnership with another central Illinois hospital, Decatur Memorial Hospital. Max Hammer, MD, a surgeon with Springfield Clinic, leads the bariatric program as its medical director.

Since the Memorial Weight Loss & Wellness Center’s launch, nearly 200 people have benefitted from weight-loss surgery through Memorial Bariatric Services.

Patient privacy and safety is important every day at Memorial Medical Center. But, for one day, for one patient in particular, Memorial’s Security team was supplemented by a police escort, several dark SUVs, and Liberian and United States Secret Service members.

That patient? President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia, Nobel Peace Prize winner and Africa’s first female president.

“It was like something out of the show 24,” said Shari Hill, MSN, RN, director of Baylis Day Surgery.

And, in an operation worthy of Jack Bauer, the whole thing was kept top secret.

“We planned for months prior to her surgery,” Hill said. “It was important to us that patient care go completely uninterrupted, that each patient would receive the same great care we try to provide every day.”

President Sirleaf came to Memorial by way of Saadiq El-Amin, MD, PhD, shoulder and sports medicine specialist in orthopedic surgery at SIU School of Medicine. Dr. El-Amin first met the president when he was doing medical mission work in Liberia.

Admitted under an alias to protect her security and identity, President Sirleaf was provided a complete medical workup—including a primary care assessment, cardiac stress and vascular tests and a mammogram—in addition to her wrist surgery, with a team that

included Michael Neumeister, MD, chair of SIU’s Department of Surgery.

These additional medical tests and services were more than great patient care — they were a matter of protecting a head of state.

“This is one of the most influential women of our time and, at 75 years old, people were concerned about her health,” Dr. El-Amin said. “Her critics and detractors could have used the possibility of poor health against her. Now they can’t.”

President Sirleaf spent 72 hours at Memorial. In that time and the time leading up to it, only a handful of people knew her identity.

“All anyone knew was that this was a high-profile patient,” Hill said. “The Secret Service teams were so impressed, they said they’d come to Memorial next time they needed surgery.”

Hill received a certificate of appreciation from the Secret Service, commending her on her team’s “superior contributions.”

She said caring for the president was one of the most exciting things she’s ever been able to do.

“President Sirleaf is changing the world,” she said. “It was an honor to take care of her.”

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Chooses Memorial

MHCCI Receives CARF Accreditation

In September, Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois received notification from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) that all 13 of its programs surveyed were awarded the maximum three-year accreditation.

“Your organization should take pride in achieving this high level of accreditation,” wrote Brian J. Boon, president and chief executive officer of CARF International. “This achievement is an indication of your organization’s dedication and commitment to improving the quality of the lives of the persons served. Services, personnel and documentation clearly indicate an established pattern of practice excellence.”

Jan Gambach, MHCCI president and Memorial Health System’s administrator of behavioral health, said she was especially proud of the long list of strengths noted by the surveyors.

“They really tell the story of what a great organization MHCCI is, made up of caring, dedicated people committed to the recovery of the individuals we serve,” she said.

The surveyors also shared that numerous clients reported positive experiences working with the direct care staff and reception staff in multiple program areas. Quotes from clients include: “My therapist is invaluable to me,” “I couldn’t get through the day without her” and “Staff go above and beyond.”


A u t u m n 2013

MHCCI Increases Suicide Prevention Efforts

As part of a focused effort to prevent the risk of suicide in the populations it serves, Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois increased its education and awareness efforts in 2014.

MHCCI’s Crisis Center is one of just 155 centers of its kind in the United States selected to be a part of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Network. This network provides a 24-hour, toll-free hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Following the suicide of celebrity Robin Williams, the Suicide Lifeline accepted a record number of calls and provided media experts for interviews and suicide-awareness information.

Since October 2013, 35 MHCCI employees have received training to help them feel more comfortable, confident and competent in helping to prevent the immediate risk of suicide. ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) teaches suicide first-aid intervention and focuses on safety.

MHCCI also sponsored a professional development conference in May 2014 featuring the presenter Alan L. Berman, PhD, ABPP, a nationally recognized expert in suicidology and suicide prevention. More than 60 MHCCI clinical employees attended and were trained on these evidence-informed techniques.


Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois is expanding its ability to help patients by providing on-site behavioral health services to adults and children when they see their primary care physician.

“The goal is to help people maintain consistent health, rather than waiting for things to bubble up into a crisis,” said Jan Gambach, MHCCI’s president and Memorial Health System’s administrator of behavioral health.

Partnering with primary care physicians and pediatricians, Memorial Counseling Associates, a program of MHCCI, has placed several behavioral health professionals in local physicians’ offices. When physicians see patients who could benefit from a behavioral health session, they can refer them to the professionals in their clinics as part of that same appointment. Their patients also can access psychiatrists through this model.

“We’re not waiting for someone to come to our door,” Gambach said. “We’re providing early identification of and intervention for behavioral health concerns in a setting that’s comfortable and familiar to the patients.”

MHCCI, which provides mental health services to approximately 9,000 adults and children in a six-county region, first began providing these services at Memorial Physician Services – Lincoln.

MHCCI expanded to other Memorial Physician Services’ clinics in Chatham, Jacksonville, Petersburg and Springfield and partnered with Southern Illinois University School of Medicine’s Center for Family Medicine and its Department of Pediatrics.

“Integrating primary care and behavioral health services is of crucial importance,” said Janet Albers, MD, professor and chair of SIU’s Center for Family Medicine. “We need to stop treating mental health issues separately from physical issues. Integration provides better opportunities for screening and early intervention when a concern is identified.”

Advantages of this integration include fewer hospitalizations, increased use of behavioral healthcare, better compliance with treatment and increased satisfaction.

These expanded services are also provided to children through the Children’s MOSAIC Project, a community-wide collaboration with MHCCI as its lead agency. MOSAIC has coordinated more than 10,000 mental health screenings of children in community-based settings.

“Parents frequently turn to their child’s primary care provider when they have concerns,” said Melissa Stalets, MOSAIC’s director. “By having our therapists attached to primary care providers, we are able to reach children and families much earlier than if we waited for them to seek care at a specialty clinic or if they never choose to seek services.”

MHCCI Further Integrates Behavioral Healthcare into Primary Care Settings

MMC Cafeteria Launches Green Light, Choose Right In fall 2013, Memorial Medical Center’s Food and Nutrition Services introduced a comprehensive traffic-light food labeling system— “Green Light, Choose Right”— to help employees and visitors to the MMC cafeteria make the healthy choice an easy choice. New, lighter offerings were added to the menu, and items with higher calorie counts were offered less often. Other changes included sensible portions, elimination of deep fat fryers and revised recipes.

Kathy Canaday, manager of Patient Access Services in the Emergency Department at Memorial Medical Center, credited the “Green Light, Choose Right” initiative as an important factor in her successful weight loss.

“I’ve been a lifelong dieter, but this time it was the small changes that made a difference,” said Canady, who lost 90 pounds. “The cafeteria has played an important part in my weight loss. I know I will find something nutritionally sound that I can count in my day. The staff is so helpful—they tell me what they include in the recipes, and they are excited about what they are offering.”


On Oct. 8, 2013, George Rudis began his day the way he always does—with a run at the Sacred Heart-Griffin track. For the 62-year-old Springfield native and lifelong athlete in training for a marathon, everything seemed normal.

“I got up like I do every day, got to the track and we ran our first mile as a warm up,” he said. “I went to check my watch, and, the next thing I knew, I woke up two days later in the hospital. I remember nothing beyond that.”

In the time in between—the time he doesn’t remember—George nearly died three times.



During their run, George’s running partner heard a thump. That thump was George hitting the ground.

“Attempts to revive him had been unsuccessful, and that’s usually not a good sign for survivability,” said David Griffen, MD, PhD, president of the Memorial Medical Center medical staff and chair of the Division of Emergency Medicine for SIU School of Medicine. “But something told me that we had a chance for him.”

Upon arrival at MMC, George’s heart was fibrillating and not pumping any blood, just moving blood around “like a can of worms,” Dr. Griffen said.

Two technicians performed CPR until his heart was able to pump again. That’s when the team launched its Star 80 program, designed to quickly get heart attack patients into the Cardiac Cath Lab, where he flatlined for the second time. Two stents were put in to open up George’s clogged arteries.

At 3 a.m., the hospital called George’s family. They were losing him again. One of his stents was malfunctioning.

Stephen Chen, MD, interventional cardiologist with Springfield Clinic, was called in to administer a third stent. And he did so blindly.

“He couldn’t see because of all the bleeding, so he just felt around,” George said. “When he was done, the whole room applauded.”

Crediting the entire MMC team, George is grateful for the care he received—care he’ll never remember but will also never forget. He has been able to meet and thank most everyone involved with his care, including Becky Farley, one of his ICU nurses.

“This is why I’m a nurse,” Farley said with tears in her eyes. “Getting to meet George is one of the best moments of my career.”

His experience has left a lasting impression on his care team.

“We are very thankful,” Dr. Griffen said. “This is exactly why we do what we do. We are very grateful that he was our patient.”

The feeling is mutual, and, for George, he knows his experience speaks to an entire Memorial culture.

“There’s an environment here where everybody looks at the positive. They love what they do and care deeply about getting done what they need to get done for the patients,” he said. “What can I say but thank you?”


MHS, SIU Launch Midwest Healthcare Quality Alliance The Midwest Healthcare Quality Alliance (MHQA) launched in January 2014 with the goal of developing innovative solutions for improving healthcare access, quality, safety and community outcomes in central Illinois.

A partnership between Memorial Health System and Southern Illinois University HealthCare, the alliance is designed to leverage the combined strengths of both organizations to create new solutions needed to address the complex healthcare requirements of today and in the future.

One focus of the alliance will include incorporating the principles of Lean Six Sigma, a quality improvement methodology, to improve the quality and safety of regional patient care while reducing costs and improving access.

The MHQA’s co-executive directors are Charles Callahan, PhD, MBA, FACHE, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Memorial Health System, and Harald Lausen, DO, chief medical officer for SIU HealthCare at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.

Five leaders from each organization comprise the MHQA’s governing board. The Midwest Healthcare Quality Alliance will be based on the fourth floor of the new Memorial Center for Learning and Innovation.

W i n t e r 2013-14

Memorial Care Coordination Initiative Meets Complex Patient Needs

Memorial Care Coordination Services is an initiative launched in 2014 designed to help patients who have complex medical needs. In its first year, the program enrolled 250 patients.

Each patient is assigned a complex care manager, who is either a nurse

or a social worker. The complex care manager acts as the patient’s “best friend in healthcare” and assists the patient with access to care, long-term healthcare goals and care planning. The goal of the program is to create a stable source of support and guidance so patients are able to meet their own healthcare needs.

“We started this program to take a greater role in patient wellness, both in and out of the hospital,” said Jay Roszhart, administrator of clinical integration and care coordination. “We know coordinating care results in better outcomes. This initiative helps patients get healthy and access the resources they need to stay healthy.”


The Community Support Services lobby at Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois in Springfield features artwork designed to inspire—all created by clients. The original pieces, produced by five artists, include handmade bracelets, hair ties, drawings, poetry and an oil-on-canvas painting, as well as a unique piece consisting of a pair of papier-mâché geode sculptures with 11 poems inside, one on each of the geode’s crystals. The poems, which are about the client’s experiences and path to recovery, are framed so they can be more easily read.

The artwork is part of the Art & Soul project, which began last year as an effort to honor the role creativity plays in the lives of people dealing with mental illness. The creative process assists with recovery by providing an enjoyable activity, distraction from negative thoughts and an outlet for expressing feelings that may be difficult to talk about. The results of this process—often touching and beautiful pieces that tell stories about the lives of the artists—are put on display as a source of inspiration to other clients.

Art & Soul Wall Artists Find Beauty in Recovery


Memorial Bariatric Services Receives Three-Year Reaccreditation

In January, Memorial Bariatric Services, the bariatric surgery program at Memorial Medical Center, was reaccredited by the American Society for Metabolic Surgery.

“Achieving this three-year reaccreditation demonstrates that Memorial’s bariatric program meets the needs of weight-loss surgery patients by providing multidisciplinary, high-quality, patient-centered care,” said Max Hammer, MD, medical director of Memorial Bariatric Services and a Springfield Clinic surgeon.

Memorial Bariatric Services has performed more than 1,000 bariatric surgeries since its founding in 2002. The program is part of the Memorial Weight Loss & Wellness Center.

“As Memorial fulfills its mission to improve the health of the people and communities it serves, this designation reaffirms that we meet the highest standards of safety, efficacy and sensitivity in the surgical treatment of severe, life-threatening obesity,” Dr. Hammer said.

Patients receive care before, during and after surgery from a dedicated team of healthcare professionals that includes nurses, dietitians, social workers, clinical psychologists and physical therapists. Memorial offers three types of bariatric procedures: laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding and laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy.

Counselorsfeatured on the Art & Soul Wall

I am like a puzzle

Put together wrongThey tear me apart

And force meTo put myself

Back together againEach time this happens

The pieces fitA little bit better

And I am that much closerTo being whole again


christine KOhlrus tentatively hit the first nOte on the xylophone, then another.

“This is my first time trying this song,” she said, pulling the sheet music closer to see it. “But we’re going to see how it goes.”

Kohlrus volunteers for Memorial Home Services Hospice, visiting hospice patients to talk with or read to them. On this day, she sat at the foot of Clara Dilley’s bed, where she comes to play music and chat every week.

Within a few seconds, the tune became clear and Clara smiled in recognition. Amazing Grace. Clara’s daughter-in-law, Pam, patted her hand and announced it’s always been Clara’s favorite hymn.



For 17 years, Clara Dilley, 89, of Shelbyville has lived at Heritage Manor in Carlinville. In spring 2014, Clara was admitted to Memorial Home Services Hospice because her health was failing. However, Clara’s experience in hospice was a remarkable one. After about two months, her caretakers were surprised when Clara began showing improvement.

“Two months ago she was not very responsive,” said her daughter-in-law, Pam Dilley. “Now Clara is sitting up, getting dressed, going to meals and even gaining back a little weight.”

Ronda Dudley, director of Memorial Home Services Hospice, says some patients do improve when they start receiving hospice services.

“Our team focuses on quality of life for every patient—physically, emotionally and spiritually,” she said.

Dudley notes that hospice provides expert care in pain and symptom management, which is a contributing factor to their overall improvement.

“The patient’s focus shifts from curing an illness to embracing quality of life and enjoying what they love most,” Dudley said.

Kohlrus has been volunteering for Memorial Home Services Hospice for a little more than a year—for the first three or four visits to Clara, she brought books or Reader’s Digest magazine to read aloud from.

Clara had not responded much, and Kohlrus learned that Clara enjoyed music. So the next visit, she brought a few music boxes. To everyone’s surprise, Clara smiled upon hearing the music—in her younger days, Clara played the piano and had always been a musical person.

Before volunteering for Memorial Home Services Hospice, Kohlrus was a special education teacher for 20 years.

“I was not a classroom teacher, but instead visited my students in their homes,” she said. “So I’m very comfortable going to people where they are.”

Memorial’s hospice program has more than 75 volunteers, like Kohlrus, who visit hospice patients and their families.

“Getting to know our patients as individuals is essential to excellent hospice care,” said Becky Gabany, volunteer and community education coordinator. “Our volunteers play such an important role in the patient’s care through the compassion, caring presence and companionship they provide.”


S p r i n g 2014

“Overwhelming” is how Erma Tester, 80, describes the grief she experienced when Everett, her husband of 63 years, passed away in the fall of 2012. She cried for seven months straight and couldn’t sleep at night.

The anxiety and depression grew until one night she became obsessed with the logistics of dealing with Everett’s things, including his vast array of tools. The right side of her face began to throb, and a panic took over. She called her daughter at 1:30 a.m. and went to the emergency room for tests, which came back normal.

Afterward, her primary care physician, Rick DelValle, MD, referred her to Taylorville Memorial Hospital’s Senior Life Solutions, a program that provides participants with a different kind of toolbox—one equipped with resources to handle life’s challenges. Erma attended the program twice weekly for 12 weeks, and it changed her outlook for the better.

“The program helps you work through your troubles. It also helped me realize that others are going through problems worse than mine,” she said. “Plus, the staff is like one big family. It’s a great program.”

Taylorville Memorial Hospital’s Senior Life Solutions debuted in 2014. Richard Alexander, MD, of Memorial Physician Services – Vine Street,

designed the program to assist people suffering from depression, unresolved grief, anxiety or nervousness, isolation or loneliness, difficulty coping with health and physical changes, difficulty concentrating, sleep or appetite changes, anger, low self-esteem and other issues brought on by aging. The program provides participants with a variety of support services including group, individual and family therapy; medication management for behavioral health diagnosis; and coordination of the patient’s care with the individual’s primary care physician.

Since graduating from the Senior Life Solutions program, Erma enjoys gardening, tending her flower beds, walking and biking. She also helps watch her three great-grandkids and sleeps soundly through the night.

“I’ve learned to take life one day at a time,” she said. “Don’t worry about tomorrow.”

Taylorville’s Senior Life Solutions Program Graduates First Participants


Harold Makes it to the Top When it comes to overcoming obstacles, Harold Whitnall has faced and conquered it all. A Vietnam veteran who lost his father to emphysema, Harold’s lung has collapsed five times in the past 40 years, beginning when he was 25 years old. Diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Harold, now 65, was suffering on a daily basis with a severely limiting condition.

“I was having trouble breathing, period. I couldn’t mow my lawn, couldn’t vacuum my house, so I talked to my doctor and asked if there was anything I could do to make this better,” Harold said. “He said I had three choices. I could do lung volume reduction surgery, be put on oxygen or I could go to pulmonary rehab. I asked what that was and he said, ‘It’s you putting in the effort to breathe.’ So I went. And it’s the best thing I ever did.”

Memorial Medical Center’s Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation is a multidisciplinary program that provides education and exercise classes to help those with moderate to severe lung disease improve strength and

endurance so daily activities can be accomplished more easily.

Over the past two and a half years, the Divernon native’s twice-weekly rehab appointments have improved his abilities more than he previously dreamed.

“I used to get winded just doing warm-ups,” he said. “After five minutes on the treadmill at a speed of one-and-a-half miles per hour, I was exhausted.”

In February 2014, Harold left those old obstacles in his dust and completed the American Lung Association’s Fight for Air Climb, climbing 32 flights of stairs in 27 minutes, 8 seconds. He credits MMC’s Cardiopulmonary Rehab team for getting him all the way to the top.

“It’s the best thing I ever did,” Harold says. “It gave me my life back. It’s different, but it’s back.”

Passavant Area Hospital Becomes a Memorial Health System Affiliate In April 2014, Passavant Area Hospital in Jacksonville became Memorial Health System’s fourth hospital.

Passavant is the second largest hospital in the health system. Founded in 1875, the Jacksonville hospital has 900 full- and part-time employees and is staffed for 93 inpatient beds.

It’s fully accredited by The Joint Commission and earned status as a Magnet hospital—the highest honor a healthcare organization can receive for professional nursing practice—in 2009. It earned a four-year redesignation in March 2014.

At the time of the affiliation, Janet M. Terry, chair of Passavant’s board of directors, cited the partnership with Memorial Health System as an opportunity to better position the hospital to meet the healthcare needs of the people and communities it serves as it adapts to national healthcare reform.

Doug Rahn, DBA, was named Passavant’s new president and CEO after serving six years as the health system’s executive vice president and chief operating officer.



fOr years, procrastination and fear of surgery kept Lincoln-area farmer Mike Conrady from considering surgery for his hips.

Finally, when nothing eased the pain and he couldn’t sleep at night, he met with Tomasz Borowiecki, MD, a Springfield Clinic surgeon with Memorial’s JointWorks program. After reviewing X-rays, Dr. Borowiecki pronounced the left hip “completely worn out” with bone against bone and the right hip in “not very good shape.” Together they decided to replace the left hip.

Three years later, on a Disney trip with his wife and daughters, Mike decided to have the second replacement done.



Before his first hip replacement, Mike, 48, attended an optional JointWorks class to learn about the procedure and what to expect afterward.

“It was very informational, and I highly recommend it,” he said. “There is a surgical nurse and a physical therapist. First they walk you through what the doctor will do, then the routine at home and with physical therapy.”

Through Memorial’s innovative JointWorks program, an experienced team of orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and therapists guided Mike and other patients from presurgery education through postoperative rehabilitation. The goal is to eliminate pain and discomfort in unhealthy joints and increase mobility, enabling the patient’s return to the highest possible quality of life.

After both surgeries at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital, Memorial Home Services employees monitored Mike’s vitals at home for the first week. They drew blood, checked blood pressure and managed his pain levels. Physical therapists came during the second week and started him on basic exercises including leg kicks to the side, front and back as well as foot pumps to improve circulation. After three weeks at home, Mike returned to ALMH to work out at the rehab center under the supervision and encouragement of therapists Tim Heitzig, Randy Miller and Michelle Whittington.

“The physical therapy program at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital is outstanding,” Mike said. “After six weeks, I was ready to rock and roll. It is such a great facility with great machines, and the staff was amazing.”

Mike’s whole attitude has changed since having the hip surgeries. He enjoys going for walks with his wife and participating again in their family’s active schedule.

“You don’t realize how much pain you are in until you go have it done,” he says. “It was a challenge to even stand up. You can’t ‘what if?’ life. You just have to do it. I can’t recommend it enough to those who experience that kind of pain. Your whole attitude changes toward life.”


Taylorville Memorial Hospital’s Labyrinth Helps People Find Peace

Peace is possible at Taylorville Memorial Hospital.

The hospital installed a portable labyrinth inside its former gift shop in May 2014 to allow people to take a contemplative walk along its winding path to help them find peace amid life’s stresses. It’s a dream come true for Sister Rose McKeown, ASC, the hospital’s pastoral care chaplain.

“The labyrinth provides a sacred space where anyone can come and walk and find peace and serenity and sometimes even an insight into an issue or problem that one is living with,” McKeown said.

Unlike the multiple paths and dead-ends of a maze, the labyrinth is a single path that curves and winds to its center. Visitors, patients and staff are encouraged to walk the path slowly and in silence as they navigate the turns on their journey inward. Once in the center, they can sit or stand as they spend time in prayer or meditation before beginning their walk out of the labyrinth.

The walking path is 18 feet in diameter. People can choose to play soft instrumental music as they amble along the path. McKeown has provided journals where walkers can share what they learned.

ALMH, TMH Named Emergent Stroke-Ready Hospitals In June 2014, Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital was named an Emergent Stroke-Ready Hospital by the Illinois Department of Public Health. In September 2014, Taylorville Memorial Hospital earned the same honor.

“This designation ensures that all stroke patients, regardless of where they live, have access to rapid care within the narrow treatment window,” said Dolan Dalpoas, president and chief executive officer of ALMH.

To be eligible for the stroke-ready hospital designation, both hospitals adjusted their emergency stroke care policies and procedures to align with nationally recognized, evidence-based standards, such as those from the American Heart/Stroke Association.

“Time is brain when it comes to stroke, so every second we save is critical. The sooner we can begin treating a stroke, the better the outcomes are for the patients we serve,” said Anna McCormick, MD, the medical director in Taylorville Memorial’s Emergency Department.

S u m m e r 2014


Springfield Clinic First 900 Building Open The Springfield Clinic First 900 Building opened in June 2014. The new building is located north of the Springfield Clinic First 800 medical office building on the Memorial Medical Center campus. It houses more than 70 of Springfield Clinic’s physicians, surgeons, advanced practitioners and staff.

The four-story, 132,000-square-foot building holds several specialty healthcare services, including the clinic’s Center for Women’s Health, lab and radiology services, Colon and Rectal Surgery, General Surgery and Cancer Center.

“Our partnership with Springfield Clinic has been based on our shared commitment to provide convenient access to quality healthcare, which aligns directly with our mission to improve the health of the people and communities we serve, and Springfield Clinic’s mission to provide the highest quality healthcare to central Illinois,” said Ed Curtis, Memorial’s president and chief executive officer.

The 900 Building is the latest medical office development collaboration by Springfield Clinic and Memorial Health System. Other projects include medical office buildings in Taylorville, Lincoln and Jacksonville.


In 2014, Memorial Medical Center’s Stroke Center achieved recertification as an advanced primary stroke center from The Joint Commission. An on-site survey assessed the Stroke Center’s compliance with disease-specific care requirements, clinical practice guidelines and quality and performance outcomes of patient-centered care. Memorial first received certification in 2010 and has achieved consistent recertification since.

Annually, the Stroke Center provides comprehensive services across the continuum of care from prevention to recovery for more than 700 patients. This includes dedicated stroke response teams that provide fast diagnosis and instant treatment to stroke patients.

Since the last survey, the Stroke Center expanded services to include Neurointerventional Radiology, which offers minimally invasive mechanical clot retrieval and aneurismal coiling, and

partnered with surrounding rural communities to build an efficient and knowledgeable network of hospitals ready and capable of expediting time-sensitive care of stroke patients. The Stroke Center actively engages in community education and outreach efforts to increase awareness of signs, symptoms and risk factors of stroke.

“This recertification is a credit to the partnering physicians, nurses, rehabilitation therapists and the entire stroke care team, whose dedication and hard work ensure that our patients receive care that is second to none,” said Amanda Conn, RN, BSN, coordinator of Memorial’s Stroke Center.

In August 2013, Memorial was one of a handful of healthcare organizations in Illinois to earn a rare fivefold accreditation for rehabilitation services from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, which included stroke inpatient specialty.

MMC Stroke Center Recertified by The Joint Commission


MHCCI Receives More Than $171,000 in United Way Grants

Four Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois programs received substantial funding awards from the United Way of Central Illinois in fiscal year 2014.

“This funding supports vital services not fully funded by traditional resources,” said Jan Gambach, president of MHCCI. “It assists some of the most vulnerable people in our communities who are in desperate need of a helping hand.”

Areas that received funding included:

• The Children’s Center ADHD Clinic, which provides evidence-based treatment for children who have ADHD, including screening, therapy, psychiatric treatment and parent support and education.

• The Acute Care Psychiatric Clinic, which provides adults rapid access to psychiatric assessment and treatment.

• Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH), which serves adults who have a serious mental illness and are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

• The Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which provides a 24-hour, toll-free hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

In July, Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital earned the CNOR Strong designation from the Competency & Credentialing Institute (CCI). This designation is given to facilities that have at least 50 percent of its Operating Room nursing staff CNOR certified as well as rewards and recognizes these certified nurses. This is the first year CCI has awarded this elite status to facilities nationwide.

The CNOR certification program is for perioperative nurses interested in improving and validating their knowledge and skills and providing the highest quality care to their patients. Certification also recognizes a nurse’s commitment to professional development. It is an objective, measurable way of acknowledging the achievement of specialty knowledge beyond basic nursing preparation and RN licensure.

ALMH Recognized for Support of Perioperative Nursing Certification

S u m m e r 2014

Tori Seward Beats Stroke at 33

Tori Seward, 33, knows from experience that a stroke can happen

to anyone at any age at any time. In June 2013, the hairdresser with

an infectious smile suffered a vertebral artery dissection in

her neck, which led to a brain bleed, which led to a stroke.

At Memorial Medical Center, she spent two weeks in the neurology nursing

care unit before embarking on five-hour

daily therapy treatments. The rehabilitation significantly improved her ability to return to a normal life. There, she learned how to use a wheelchair, then a walker and a cane. Today she walks without any aids. To celebrate her progress, Tori walked alongside MMC’s Heart & Stroke Walk teams in May 2014.


Performance Plus Gives Athletes and Active Adults in Lincoln a Physical Edge

Memorial SportsCare at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital provides athletic training for both young athletes and active adults as a local extension of the Memorial SportsCare program at Memorial Medical Center.

In 2014, the number of athletes who participated in personal training increased to 15, and they saw measurable improvements in their skill sets.

“Almost everyone improved their standing jump by at least one inch,” said Missy Anderson, athletic trainer at ALMH. “We had several kids improve their approach. They were able to take

three steps and then jump as well. Everyone improved on their reactive balance tests, too.”

Memorial SportsCare at ALMH originally began as a school outreach program but now offers community education seminars, injury prevention programs, athletic

rehabilitation services and some diagnostic services to meet the ever-changing field of sports medicine.

In addition, athletic trainers visit participating schools to assess injured athletes, follow-up with students already in a rehabilitation program, and assist coaches with injury prevention and recognition. They attend practices and games at both Lincoln Community High School and Lincoln College, giving coverage to sports with higher risk of injury.

Memorial Partnership with Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach Benefits Developing Countries

Surplus medical supplies once destined for disposal in landfills are instead traveling overseas to developing countries in desperate need of safe, functional medical equipment, thanks to a partnership Memorial Health System holds with the Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach.

Since 2006, Memorial Health System has donated everything from surplus syringes, needles, blood pressure monitors, infant scales and pill crushers to hospital beds, multi-purpose carts, EKG/ECG units and much more. These items travel to the Mission Outreach warehouse in Springfield where they are inventoried, inspected and repackaged for distribution to health facilities in underprivileged areas in other countries. Last year, MHS donated nearly $70,000 worth of surplus items at a weight of 28,260 pounds.

“This program provides an opportunity for Memorial to donate used but serviceable equipment to Mission Outreach, which ensures it gets directed to organizations around the world that really need it,” said Bill Ryan, director of supply chain operations for Memorial. “Our older technology may be ‘cutting edge’ for a clinic or hospital in a third-world country. We could sell the surplus equipment and supplies, but a better use is to donate it to organizations that can really use it to save lives.”

More than 300 Logan County Athletes Receive “ImPACT” Concussion Test

ImPACT-trained athletic trainers from Memorial SportsCare at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital collaborated with Lincoln Junior High School in summer 2014 to test more than 300 Logan County athletes ages 10 and up at no charge. The testing gives athletes a baseline in the case of a concussion, which allows physicians, athletic trainers and families to make a more informed decision about timing the return to a sport following a head injury.

“During testing, we identified more than one athlete who failed the ImPACT test, which indicates they are currently concussed,” said Todd Mourning, ALMH rehabilitation manager. “The lingering effects of those concussions would have gone unnoticed if not for this program. We were able to ensure they are receiving appropriate referrals and a follow-up plan.”

A grant from the Illinois Critical Access Hospitals Network and support from the Abraham Lincoln Healthcare Foundation prompted the program this year, which included the purchase of an iPad for mobile testing. ALMH will continue the free testing in fiscal year 2015 with support from the Abraham Lincoln Healthcare Foundation.

F a l l 2014

Memorial Health System announced in September 2014 a new partnership with the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) and the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) College of Nursing to bring UIC’s Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) program to the UIS campus. The new BSN program at UIS can be completed in four years of full-time study and involves two phases: two years of pre-nursing and general education courses at UIS, and two years of professional nursing courses, which will be delivered on the UIS campus by UIC College of Nursing faculty.

“UIC’s College of Nursing is among the top-ranked schools for nursing in the country,” said Marsha Prater, RN, PhD, senior vice president and chief nursing officer for Memorial Health System. “Their presence locally is a very positive development in our continued efforts to help address the growing demand for highly qualified registered nurses and to strengthen the local pipeline of nursing professionals to meet our community’s needs.”

To support this initiative, Memorial Health System has pledged financial support and resources, including scholarships for high-performing students, access to Memorial’s clinical sites for students’ clinical rotations and the opportunity to practice their skills in the new Simulation Center in the Memorial Center for Learning and Innovation.

In addition to the BSN program, a select group of graduate nursing programs will also be available at UIS.

“This collaboration between MHS, UIS and UIC is an academic-service partnership model that is being promoted nationally as an innovative approach to expanding our nation’s nursing workforce,” Prater said. “We are extremely proud to be a part of it as we continue to pursue our vision to be a national leader for excellence in patient care.”

MHS Partners with University of Illinois to Develop New BSN Program

Memorial’s Blood transfusion efforts take top honors In September 2014, Memorial again earned top honors in a statewide quality excellence competition sponsored by the Illinois Hospital Association, the IHA Institute for Innovations in Care and

Quality’s fourth annual Quality Excellence Achievement Awards.

Memorial Medical Center was recognized as the top project in its category for its project “Lean Six Sigma Methodologies Reduce Red Blood Cell Transfusions by 32 Percent in a Tertiary Medical Center.”

By reducing red blood cell transfusions by nearly a third, the hospital was able to speed treatment delivery, decrease adverse reaction risks and produce $2.8 million in annual cost savings, said Charles Callahan, PhD, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Memorial Health System.

In 2013, Memorial Health System received the top quality award in the healthcare system category for work directed at reducing hospital-acquired pressure ulcers.

“This award recognizes the outstanding work of many throughout the hospital to fulfill our mission,” Callahan said. “It further validates the evolution of our quality and safety program, that we are working on the right things and achieving nation-leading results.”


Solar Panels One Part of Efficiency Measures Underway at ExpressCare

Memorial’s North Dirksen ExpressCare became the first facility in the health system to capture solar power upon the installation of solar panels in early October 2014. Memorial has been committed to reducing energy consumption and has been able to reduce energy cost by an average of 30 percent with projects such as equipment scheduling for HVAC systems, control strategies for static pressure and lighting control sensors.

A grant from Illinois Clean Energy allowed Memorial to install the solar arrays, which will produce about 25 percent of the summertime electrical load. Memorial contracted with Microgrid to install high-efficiency solar modules on the roof and add a solar panel awning to the south side of the building to maximize solar capacity. Micro-inverters were also used to optimize output from the panels. Memorial employees will be able to access energy output information on the solar panels via a login to a website that records information on the panels.

F a l l 2014



chase Whitehead, 8, was unable to communicate verbally when he was diagnosed with autism and sensory processing disorder and referred to Taylorville Memorial Hospital’s Rehabilitation Services in 2010.

“He was scared and nervous about all of it,” Chase’s mom, Stacey, recalled of her then-4-year-old when they arrived for the first session. “But he was so comfortable with the folks there from the very beginning. They are so helpful and resourceful. It’s a friendly and relaxing atmosphere.”

It’s also effective. Today, Chase is in second grade and has shown “100-percent improvement,” according to Stacey. And the staff at Rehab Services includes some of his biggest fans.


2014 Annual Report 01304Memorial Health System


Speech pathologist Casey Davis beams when she talks about her young client. The two meet twice a week after school for 30-minute sessions. Early on, Davis introduced Chase and his parents, Stacey Whitehead and James Denton, to sign language. Now, Chase is phasing out the sign language on his own as he increases his spoken vocabulary.

“He is a sweet, affectionate, funny boy with a passion for trains, swimming, riding his bike and playing games on his iPad,” Davis said. “The most rewarding thing is seeing his sense of humor, his charm and all these great traits emerging as he expresses himself.”

TMH’s Rehab Services program continues to grow. Two speech therapists and one physical therapist now see pediatric patients. In 2014, Davis began an early intervention program for children birth to 3 years old. With these youngest clients, she works with families in the home for up to an hour at a time.

In Chase’s case, the sessions at TMH have been supplemented by the work his parents do at home with him. They have been tireless in their efforts with him and always try to expose him to new things—his first movie was Frozen, and he loved a summer field trip to Springfield’s Knight’s Action Park.

“Stacey and James have always been so receptive to new ideas and ways of doing things,” Davis said. “She even set up an online Facebook support group for parents to share resources.”

Another TMH staff member, Teresa Nolan, administrative assistant in Radiology, heard about Chase and made him a weighted lap blanket with Thomas the Tank Engine on the front. The blanket calms and relaxes him when he’s struggling to sit still and feel regulated.

Stacey remembers when Chase first started talking and how excited he was to indicate what kind of food, toys and books he wanted and then to be understood. It was a huge breakthrough for their family that would lead to many more as he continues his work at TMH with his friends in Rehab Services.

“They love their patients,” Stacey said. “And he loves them.”


Memorial Health System Leadership MeMBers Of the cOrPOratiOn

Frank V. Aguirre, MDRobert E. AlbertR. Lee AllenDonald A. AltorferKaren BarberRichard D. BarclayLynne D. Barkmeier, MDCarolyn E. BarrisClifton R. BaxterDale M. BeckerElaine E. BirtchJohn D. BlackburnGeoffrey A. Bland, MDJames A. BrittonCharlotte B. BrownColleen BrownJames E. BrownTerry J. BrownJames P. BrunerAnn BurtonLarry A. BurtonJulie E. CelliniRobert T. ClarkeLisa CoakleyG. Virginia Conlee

Ann CoombeEdgar J. CurtisCynthia A. DavisJ. Kevin Dorsey, MD, PhD

Eugene L. DrendelWilliam R. EnlowMark H. FergusonEllen J. FierstenBrenda H. FletcherJames C. Forstall, PhDDonald H. FunkRandall S. GermeraadJames L. Gildner, MDMark E. GraueClifford L. GreenwaltDavid L. Griffen, MD, PhD

Marshall T. Hale, MDMax D. Hammer, MDMark E. Hansen, MDNina M. HarrisShelley HoffmanJoseph M. HurwitzRalph S. HurwitzA. Dale HustonGeoffrey R. Isringhausen

Jennifer IsringhausenLeroy A. Jordan

Paul R. Kasa, MDSusan J. Koch, EdDJerry E. Kruse, MDBridget LamontRobert C. Lanphier IIIDr. Lonnie H. LeeRichard H. LeviMary F. Loken, PhDPenny LorenziniCherrilyn MayfieldMichael McGlassonDaniel R. MeckesSylvia A. MillerGary D. NeubauerM.G. NelsonRoy NewmanG. Joseph NicoudMary W. NinkerDwight H. O’KeefeCarolyn OxtobyJames W. Patton IIIStephen L. PattonWilliam W. PattonSergio A. PecoriHoward A. Peters IIICarol J. Hansen Posegate

George W. PreckwinkleWilliam D. Putman, MDDon E. Ramsey, MD

Dean E. Robert, Jr.J. William RobertsJohn R. Rodenburg, Jr.Diane K. Rutledge, PhDSusan K. ScaifeCraig R. SchermerhornWilliam R. SchnirringWilliam A. SimpsonHenry Dale Smith, Jr.J. Christopher SmithShirley J. StoldtJanet S. StoverGuerry L. SuggsMartha S. SumnerA.D. Van MeterAndy Van MeterCharlotte Warren, PhDBrian R. WhistonTodd W. WiseElvin G. Zook, MD

BOard Of directOrsJohn D. Blackburn, Chairman

Randall S. Germeraad, First Vice ChairmanDiane K. Rutledge, PhD, Second Vice Chairman

Edgar J. Curtis, President

Carol J. Hansen Posegate, Secretary

Dale M. Becker, Treasurer

James P. Bruner, Immediate Past Chairman

Reginald H. BentonMark H. FergusonNina M. HarrisJoseph M. HurwitzGeoffrey R. Isringhausen

Richard H. LeviMichael W. Neumeister, MD

Sergio A. PecoriHoward A. Peters IIIWilliam D. Putman, MDDean E. Robert, Jr.Janet M. Terry

eMeritus MeMBersClifton R. Baxter Robert T. ClarkeWilliam R. EnlowJames C. Forstall, PhDClifford L. GreenwaltRobert C. Lanphier IIIDwight H. O’Keefe

Surgical Services Expansion Phase 1

S p r i n g 2013 S u m m e r 2014 S p r i n g 2015 S u m m e r 2015 W i n t e r 2016

Scheduled to complete Winter 2014

Surgical Services Phase 2Scheduled to complete Fall 2015

Memorial Center for Learning and InnovationScheduled to complete Spring 2015

Patient Care Tower and Main LobbyScheduled to complete Winter 2015


William R. SchnirringMartha S. SumnerA.D. Van Meter

Memorial Medical CenterBOard Of directOrsJohn D. Blackburn, Chairman

Randall S. Germeraad, First Vice ChairmanDiane K. Rutledge, PhD, Second Vice ChairmanEdgar J. Curtis, President

Carol J. Hansen Posegate, Secretary

Dale M. Becker, Treasurer

James P. Bruner, Immediate Past Chairman

Lynne D. Barkmeier, MDMark H. FergusonDavid L. Griffen, MD, PhD

Joseph M. Hurwitz Geoffrey R. Isringhausen

Susan J. Koch, EdDMark Kuhnke, MDDean E. Robert, Jr.Craig R. SchermerhornTodd W. Wise

eMeritus MeMBersClifton R. BaxterRobert T. ClarkeWilliam R. EnlowJames C. Forstall, PhDClifford L. GreenwaltRobert C. Lanphier IIIDwight H. O’KeefeWilliam R. SchnirringMartha S. SumnerA.D. Van Meter

Memorial Medical Center FoundationBOard Of directOrsBridget L. Lamont, Chair

Rob Pietroburgo, Vice Chair

Edgar J. Curtis, President

Ann Coombe, Secretary Gary D. Neubauer, Treasurer

R. Lee AllenGeri Lynn ArrindellG. Virginia ConleeDavid L. Griffen, MD, PhD, FACEP

Jennifer IsringhausenCherrilyn MayfieldJ. William RobertsHenry Dale Smith, Jr.Valera YazellDonald H. Yurdin, MD

Abraham LincolnMemorial HospitalBOard Of directOrsBradley J. Nikles, Immediate Past Chairman

A. Patrick Doolin, Chairman

Ronald L. Schilling, Chairman-Elect

Deron K. Powell, Treasurer

Dolan C. Dalpoas, President

William B. Bates, JDRichard E. Bivin, MD David A. CampbellDennis M. Carroll, MD

Mary E. ConradyGreg A. EimerPaul R. Kasa, MDBradley E. NealMary Rose Morehead

Abraham LincolnHealthcare FoundationBOard Of directOrsEric D. Graue, ChairmanGail L. Nunnery, Vice Chairman

Dolan C. Dalpoas, President

Debra A. Curry, Secretary

Kent E. Cross, Treasurer

Dianne S. BreenDavid A. CampbellKaren Sams DavisHarold L. DrakeShirley S. EdwardsJune A. HarnackeJeanette JohnsonA. Kraig KrauseJudith N. LozierDonald R. LudwigMichael E. MaskeMary Rose Morehead

Bradley E. NealDeron K. PowellClyde R. ReynoldsMary Beth Sparks

Taylorville MemorialHospitalBOard Of directOrsDaniel W. Austin, Chairman

Daniel J. Raab, President

Gary A. Spurling, Vice Chairman

James E. Adcock, Secretary

Thomas F. Ford, Treasurer

Yaser B. Freij, MDMargaret J. (Peg) FryPavi S. Gill, MDLoretta A. KahleJohn Daniel LittekenRonald E. Mizer, DDSCarl J. NiemannBernadette M. Salisbury

Main EntranceJan. 2016

S p r i n g 2013 S u m m e r 2014 S p r i n g 2015 S u m m e r 2015 W i n t e r 2016


alicia adaMs rushed intO MeMOrial Physician services – JacKsOnville carrying her 7-week-old son, Carter, in his car seat.

The night before, Carter, who had been recovering from a recent hospital stay for a respiratory virus, was giggling like a normal infant but didn’t want to eat. Alicia had been checking his breathing regularly, but everything seemed fine.

When she awoke, Carter’s color “was not looking good.” She put him in his car seat, threw a blanket over him to protect him from the bitter February morning and drove to her pediatrician’s office. She dashed inside and put Carter’s car seat on the front desk, demanding to see the doctor.

“I pulled back the blanket,” she said, “and he was as blue as a Smurf.”




Marie Swift was working at the front desk when Alicia, a registered nurse and mom of four children brought in her youngest child. When Alicia pulled the blanket back, Carter’s eyes were open, but he was sluggish. Swift quickly contacted Krista Martin, LPN, who told her to have Alicia bring Carter back to the pediatric area.

As she took Carter to an exam room, Martin noticed that he was cold to the touch and was barely breathing. She asked Amber Adams, another licensed practical nurse, to get oxygen. Nurse practitioner Lacy Beard, accompanied by Beth Maro, a nurse practitioner student, followed Martin into the exam room. By now, Carter had stopped breathing; Beard immediately started mouth-to-mouth.

Memorial Physician Services – Jacksonville is connected to Passavant Area Hospital. Beard and Maro ran through the hospital, up a flight of stairs and to the Emergency Department, all while giving emergency breaths to the infant. Brandy Hayes, CMA, contacted the Emergency Department staff to alert them the infant was on the way.

“I couldn’t be more proud of how everyone worked together to save this child’s life,” said Carolyn Lawrence, RN, manager of clinical services for Memorial Physician Services – Jacksonville.

From there, Passavant’s Emergency Department staff took over as physicians, nurses and other clinicians sprang into action to save Carter.

“He was so limp and out of it and so gray,” Alicia said. “He didn’t cry once, he didn’t move once. He just laid there like a ragdoll.”

Carter, who had been born five weeks early, had a rare side effect of RSV, the respiratory virus that had landed him in the hospital for a three-day stay the week before. Although the virus had cleared up, he developed pneumonia and both of his lungs had collapsed.

“He would have died. They told me he had maybe 30 minutes left,” Alicia said. “I can’t thank them enough for saving him.”


Taylorville MemorialHospital FoundationBOard Of directOrsEric Kahle, PresidentDavid Hixenbaugh, Vice PresidentGloria Brummer, SecretaryShelly Cappellin, TreasurerBob AppletonPenny BlilerWilliam A. CopeJohn L. Ferry, DDSDr. Gregg FuerstenauJerry D. Gardner, DDSRoger HickmanDennis J. KennedyMeg KettelkampJoyce LangenSr. Angela Laquet, ASCScott McClureMary McNeelyDaniel J. RaabRichard ShawJudy Swigert eMeritus MeMBersWilliam B. HopperGeorge A. Westrick

Passavant AreaHospitalBOard Of directOrsJanet M. Terry, Chairwoman

Greg Lepper, Vice Chairman

Douglas L. Rahn, President

Gary Scott, SecretaryReginald H. Benton, Treasurer

Douglas A. AweKeith O. BradburyGinny FanningEric A. Giebelhausen, MDDonald HeadenJames E. Hinchen, MDGilbert P. JoehlPhyllis N. Lape, PhDSteven T. Lillpop, MDNancy SpangenbergKelly StaakeThomas L. Veith

Passavant AreaHospital FoundationBOard Of trusteesKeith R. Lape, PhD, PresidentLinda Donovan, Vice President of Stewardship and Gifts

Ron Tendick, Vice President of Nominations

Mary Fergurson, Secretary Steve Turner, TreasurerFrank CummingsGinny Fanning Alban HaxhinastoHobart HinderliterGilbert Joehl Lisa Musch Gary Scott Jan Terry

hOnOrary trusteeFred Osburn

Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois2013–2014 BOard Of directOrsRandall S. Germeraad, Chairman

Janet S. Stover, Vice Chair

Janice Gambach, President

Jennifer Morrison, Secretary

Michael E. O’Shea, Treasurer

Richard Alexander, MDCharles BeardLinda BollensenCatherine J. Gonzalez, JDLillie JasperMichael L. McGlassonLinda MeyerJohn MilhiserReg MillsSandy Robinson IIWanda Lee RohlfsLeigh Steiner, PhDCynthia Thomas, MD

2014–2015 BOard Of directOrsRandall S. Germeraad, Chairman

Janet S. Stover, Vice Chair

Janice Gambach, President

Jennifer Morrison, Secretary

Michael E. O’Shea, Treasurer

Richard Alexander, MDCharles BeardLinda BollensenBrent BorahCatherine J. Gonzalez, JDLillie JasperLinda MeyerJohn MilhiserReg MillsSandy Robinson IIWanda Lee RohlfsScott SabinLeigh Steiner, PhDCynthia Thomas, MD

MeMOrial Medical center fy2014 fy2013Licensed Beds 500 500Patient Days of Care 115,230 116,967Discharges 23,588 24,523Births 1,635 1,620Average Length of Stay 4.89 4.77Surgical Procedures 20,112 21,514Outpatient Visits 410,881 402,756

MeMOrial hOMe servicesHospice Days of Care 47,633 47,412Home Health Patients 3,637 3,679

MeMOrial Physician servicesClinic Visits 281,930 279,440

Passavant area hOsPital Licensed Beds 121 Patient Days of Care 4,839 Discharges 1,458 Average Length of Stay 3.32 Outpatient Visits 38,161

aBrahaM lincOln MeMOrial fy2014 fy2013 hOsPitalLicensed Beds 25 25Patient Days of Care 3,597 3,801Discharges 1,092 1,114Average Length of Stay 3.29 3.41 Outpatient Visits 48,632 42,690

taylOrville MeMOrial hOsPital Licensed Beds 25 25Patient Days of Care 4,180 4,827Discharges 1,174 1,362Average Length of Stay 3.56 3.54Outpatient Visits 36,971 36,452

Mental health centers Of central illinOisTotal Clients Served (unduplicated) 9,373 9,457Mental Health Clients 7,151 7,172Memorial Counseling Associates Clients 1,938 1,998Developmentally Disabled Clients 284 287

Passavant Physician assOciatiOnClinic Visits 12,014

MHS Operat ing Stat is t ics


sites Of careMental Health Centers of Central Illinois, Springfield

Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois, Jacksonville

Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois, Lincoln

The Children’s CenterWest Lake CenterMemorial Counseling Associates

Logan-Mason Rehabilitation Center

Memorial PhysicianServicesBOard Of directOrsMarshall T. Hale, MD, Chairman

J. Travis Dowell, President

Robert W. Kay, Secretary/Treasurer

Edgar J. Curtis, DirectorMark E. Hansen, MD, Director

Paul R. Kasa, MD, Director

Charles D. Callahan, PhD, Director

advisOry cOMMitteeNicole Florence, MDJames Gildner, MDMarshall Hale, MDMark Hansen, MDPaul Kasa, MDSteve Lillpop, MDGerald Suchomski, MD

clinic sitesMemorial Physician Services – Capitol Healthcare, Springfield

Memorial Physician Services – Chatham

Memorial Physician Services – Jacksonville

Memorial Physician Services – Koke Mill, Springfield

Memorial Physician Services – Lincoln

Memorial Physician Services – North Dirksen, Springfield

Memorial Physician Services – Petersburg

Memorial Physician Services – South Sixth, Springfield

Memorial Physician Services – Vine Street, Springfield

Memorial Physician Services – Women’s Healthcare, Springfield

satellite clinic sitesHorace MannConcordia Village

Friends of MemorialBOard Of directOrs Julie Davis, PresidentLinda McKenna, Past President

Judy Nordstrom, President-Elect

Toni Martin Co-Vice President of Education

Carrie Cantrall Co-Vice President of Education

Karen Bade Vice President of Membership

Melissa Bahlow, Secretary

Paula Harwood, Treasurer

Sandy BorowieckiDee ClumpSusan HelmLisa CoakleyPaula KaplanMary Lou RoszhartJoyce TomawBrenda FletcherMary Kay ReedSally GodbeyChris ReavisGail BuoyAlice RolfGerriAnne Huey-GrahamRani Harms

Memorial HomeServices BOard Of directOrsDouglas L. Rahn, DBA, Chairman

Kevin R. England, Vice Chairman

Thomas G. Westrick, President


Dolan C. Dalpoas, Director

R. Scott Kiriakos, Director

Daniel J. Raab, Director

PrOvidersMemorial Home Services, Taylorville

Memorial Home Services, Lincoln

Memorial Home Services, Springfield

Passavant Home Services, Jacksonville

Memorial HealthVenturesBOard Of directOrsCharles Callahan, PhD, Chairman

Kevin R. England, Vice Chairman/President


Jay Roszhart, DirectorR. Scott Kiriakos, Director

MHS Consol idated Statement of Operat ions (dollars in thousands)

revenues fy 2014 fy 2013 Net Patient Service Revenues $725,959 $645,829Capitation Revenues 53,889 53,091Hospital Access Improvement Payments 33,235 32,741Other Operating Revenues 31,231 28,338

Total Operating Revenues 844,314 759,999Total Non-Operating Gains (Losses), Net* 29,763 38,061

total revenues $874,077 $798,060

exPensesSalaries and Benefits $384,930 $350,120Physician Fees 60,062 55,949Patient Service Supplies 230,548 204,432Hospital Provider Assessment 18,385 19,014Purchased Medical Services 33,455 31,785Depreciation and Amortization 52,719 47,443Interest Expense 12,648 10,665Excess Available for Facilities Improvement Funds* 81,330 78,652

total expenses $874,077 $798,060

* Excludes inherent contribution of acquired entities


fOr ricKy rOgers, things never caMe easily. He had a hard time holding a job, he wasn’t able to focus on everyday tasks, and then there were the voices. But he didn’t know what was wrong. He just knew it was seriously affecting his life.

“I grew up in an environment where no one understood what I was going through,” he said. “I always felt like something was going on. I worried a lot and couldn’t focus or do things at the same level as the other kids. I felt embarrassed that I wasn’t like everyone else. I didn’t have answers.”

Eventually, Ricky got that answer: He was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He knew he had to get help. But he wasn’t sure where to start.

“A big part of mental illness is having to ask for help,” he said. “And how do you tell someone you’re not normal?”




Ricky, a 38-year-old father of two, didn’t understand what was happening to him. These voices weren’t as one might imagine. In fact, he didn’t know they were voices. He thought they were just thoughts—his thoughts—an internal audio telling him how to act and feel.

“There’s a difference between someone telling you ‘knock that can over’ and feeling like you need to knock the can over,” Ricky said. “That’s how my voices would persuade me. If it was raining outside and the voices told me it was sunshine, you can best believe I was going to leave my umbrella at home.”

This went on for years before Ricky realized his voices were something more than just negative thoughts. They had done significant damage to his life—he was unable to hold a job or carry on successful relationships.

In 2008, Ricky was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Through the services at Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois, Ricky learned coping skills, began taking medication and, for the first time, met with people who understood his illness and could help him. As his symptoms diminished, he made the decision to take another big step: He wanted a job.

“I was like a flower blossoming and I wanted people to see me. I wanted to get out and live life,” he said. “So I woke up and said I want to work.”

Ricky’s recovery specialist told Ricky about MHCCI’s Individual Placement and Support (IPS) program that provides individual counseling and teaches coping skills for individuals like Ricky who lack the skills and confidence to find a job. That’s when he met John Hall, employment specialist with the program. Together, Hall helped Ricky obtain and learn how to use a computer and apply for jobs online, and performed mock job interviews in preparation for the real thing.

Looking back on his first interview, Ricky said “that walk to the door was the longest walk in the world. It was like the first day of school.”

Once his anxiety subsided, Ricky appreciated the training—and the confidence and support of the IPS program.

“Working with John and MHCCI, they’re proud of me,” he said. “They believe in me. They believe I have the right to a job.”

Today, Ricky is approaching one full year of continuous employment. He is grateful for the program and what it gave him.

“I never thought I deserved a job,” he said. “But it’s a lot different when you have someone to help you. Now, I have a lot of responsibilities, a lot of work and I’m having a ball.”


Healthcare Summit Brings Together Springfield Services and Medical Professionals In April, Memorial Medical Center and the Sangamon County Medical Society sponsored the Summit for Coordinated Healthcare Across Springfield. The event, funded by a grant from the Memorial Medical Center Foundation, featured speed-networking sessions where community agencies delivered five-minute presentations to physician office representatives in an effort to connect resources with patients. An agency fair was held to provide additional information and resources.

Some of the agencies in attendance included Memorial Care Coordination Services, The Children’s Center, Children’s Dyslexia Center of Springfield, Gateway Foundation, Memorial Counseling Associates, Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois, Pregnancy Care Center of Springfield, Sojourn Center and other organizations that provide valuable health and human service to the area. These agency representatives were able to meet with individuals from area medical offices and discuss methods to work together in an effort to provide follow-up care to patients.

Community B e n e f i tAddressing Diabetes

ALMH Diabetes Support Group Offers Help and Hope Nearly 10 percent of the population in Logan County has been diagnosed with diabetes.

To promote self-management and healthier living to its patients, Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital continues to provide a monthly support group for people with diabetes mellitus. The meetings are free and no registration is required. Jennifer DiPasquale, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator, leads the group.

“The diabetes support group is a great opportunity to get practical and timely information to learn how to manage your diabetes,” DiPasquale said.

Addressing Obesity

Mom’s Night Out Focuses on Healthy Families In February, Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital and the Healthy Communities Partnership hosted “Mom’s Night Out – Leading Your Family to Health,” a free event designed to give local moms an opportunity to learn about creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for their families.

Expert speakers were on hand to teach participants about healthy behaviors, including tips on creating an active family lifestyle and making successful behavioral changes. There was also a live cooking demonstration to highlight fast and healthy family meals.

“We felt it was important to support local moms. Instilling healthy habits in our children is so important and much

easier than changing behaviors later in life,” said Angela Stoltzenburg, manager of Healthy Communities Partnership. “Moms are important role models and their behaviors have an enormous impact on the health of their children.”

Access to Care


Addressing Cardiovascular Disease

Health Jam Teaches Healthy Lesson

Memorial Heart and Vascular Services worked with more than 160 fourth- and fifth-grade students from Black Hawk and Ball Charter elementary schools through the grant-funded two-day 4-H Health Jam program in fiscal year 2014.

Health Jam engages elementary-age youth from low-income families in the exploration of daily physical activity, experiential study of body systems and health careers. Heart and Vascular Services employees provided sessions on heart health using the Kids’ Heart Advantage obstacle course, opportunities for students to listen to their own heartbeat and interactive time focused on healthy eating and exercise. Staff also presented a session about the harmful effects of tobacco products using the “Mr. Gross Mouth” model. Students viewed the breathing of a damaged pig’s lung that had been exposed to tobacco products.

“The students were very engaged in the activities and demonstrated increased learning,” said Paula Harwood, RN-BC, BSN, manager of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and heart failure at MMC. “We are excited to continue our collaboration with Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and the University of Illinois Extension to provide this kind of quality health programming for children.”

Addressing Diabetes

Passavant Area Hospital Offers Indoor Walking Wellness Program for Community

Whether they’re senior citizens, moms with small children or workers on their lunch hour, Jacksonville-area residents are able to lap the concourse on the top of “The Bowl” at Jacksonville High School from November through March, thanks to a partnership between Passavant Area Hospital and the high school.

Eleven laps around the concourse equal a mile, and the concourse receives more than 10,000 visits each winter season. Open between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. on weekdays, the indoor workout is a popular destination for community members. On occasion, Passavant nurses and dietitians also provide blood pressure and body fat screenings for the walkers.

The Walking Wellness program specifically supports the community health-needs assessment in which metabolic syndrome is a priority. Those are conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Regular exercise, including walking, is an excellent way to stay fit and improve cardiovascular capacity.

Passavant, which joined Memorial Health System in 2014, completed a community health-needs assessment for Morgan County that identified the following priorities: access to care, metabolic syndrome, early sexual activity among teens/sexually transmitted diseases and adolescent substance abuse.

Addressing Obesity

Access to Care

Memorial Offers Free Hearing Screenings

When Memorial Medical Center offered free hearing screenings during Better Hearing Month in May, the turnout was larger than expected—so much so that an additional screening date was scheduled in June. A total of 184 people received the free service.

“We were pleased with this turnout, and grateful for this opportunity to provide screenings to the public,” said Lori Faber, certified clinical audiologist at Memorial’s Hearing Center.

Hearing loss is the third-leading ailment affecting people older than 65. It can hamper quality of life, cause misunderstandings, heighten stress and cause unnecessary fatigue. The Memorial Hearing Center is staffed by clinical audiologists certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association and the American Academy of Audiology. They specialize in the identification, assessment and prevention of hearing loss.

Addressing Obesity


In 2014, thousands of area students received a universal social and emotional health screening. If a student screened positive, a follow-up assessment, intervention and care coordination were made available thanks to a collaborative partnership between the Children’s MOSAIC program and Springfield Public Schools.

“This program is seeing results,” said Melissa Stalets, MOSAIC project director. “The key to success in area schools has been having strong support and buy-in at all levels from the superintendent to principals, social workers, teachers and staff.”

This past year, more than 8,000 children were screened in primary care and school settings, including Matheny Withrow Elementary, Lawrence Head Start, St. Patrick Elementary, Washington Middle and Southeast High schools. More than 1,000 children and their families received mental health services in community settings. A future goal is to provide support to all 15,000 students in the district and all 27,000 children in Springfield.

“We’re invested in the success and well-being of students in all areas of their development,” said Cindy Knight, supervisor of student support services for Springfield District 186. “We share a vision of improving our practices of identifying needs and being responsive in supporting our students and their families. The MOSAIC model and our partnerships help make this happen.”

Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois leads MOSAIC, bringing together a number of local organizations in order to transform children’s mental health services in Springfield. The program, which strives to focus on children’s social and emotional health and create access for all children to high-quality care, is funded by the Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation.

Memorial Home Services Provides Free Monthly Health Screenings Memorial Home Services provides monthly health clinics in six locations to provide people with free blood-sugar or blood-pressure screenings.

The free screenings allow people “to keep tabs on their health,” said Linda Windell, a home health aide for Memorial Home Services. “It’s regularly scheduled for them. We also give them a reference card with the reading that they can take to their next doctor appointment.”

Windell and another home health aide, Becky Daugherty, help coordinate the screenings at Taylorville Estates, where an estimated 10 residents have their blood pressure checked on the fourth Thursday of every month.

Other sites include Brenden Gardens and Senior Services of Central Illinois, both in Springfield, as well as the senior citizens’ centers in Kincaid, Morrisonville and Taylorville. All six sites provide an estimated 2,200 screenings annually.

Taylorville Memorial Supports Girls on the Run Programs

Taylorville Memorial Hospital supported local chapters of Girls on the Run during the 2013-14 school year, providing financial support and volunteers.

The hospital provided $200 each to chapters in Taylorville and Morrisonville and plans to provide similar support in the 2014-15 school year, said Cheryl Fahl, the hospital’s community relations specialist who served as a coach and running partner for Girls on the Run. TMH’s dietitian, Janelle Cornell, also provided healthy eating presentations.

Girls on the Run is a national nonprofit organization that empowers girls to pursue their full potential. The girls learn life skills to help them understand who they are, value teamwork and recognize how they connect with the world.

After being in the program, 83 percent of participants and their families indicate that they have a more positive attitude toward exercise, and 92 percent said they would be more likely to participate in other healthy family events.

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital and Memorial Medical Center also support Girls on the Run. Memorial’s support totals $10,000, and includes donations from Friends of Memorial for scholarships for girls who otherwise might not be able to participate in the program.

Addressing Cardiovascular Disease Addressing Obesity

MOSAIC Project Touches the Lives of High-Risk Children

Access to Care

Access to Care

Memorial and SIU Provide Care to Uninsured Patients

For more than 15 years, Memorial Medical Center has helped Medicaid and uninsured patients access care at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine’s Center for Family Medicine, which became a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in 2012. The Center for Family Medicine provides care for low-income patients who may have difficulty finding a primary care physician.

“More than 60 percent of our patients live at or below the federal poverty level,” said Janet Albers, MD, SIU School of Medicine chair of Family and Community Medicine and director of SIU Center for Family Medicine. “Memorial’s support has made it possible for us to provide care in a state-of-the-art facility that also helps us offer training for medical residents who are specializing in family medicine.”

Memorial has provided financial support to the SIU Department of Family and Community Medicine since 1999. Memorial Medical Center also provides care for patients from Center for Family Medicine, as well as Central Counties Health Centers, regardless of their ability to pay for that care. Many qualify for charity care assistance. Memorial Medical Center’s patient charity care totaled $10,754,000 in fiscal year 2014.

Memorial Expands Diabetes Education, Outreach Efforts

Memorial Diabetes Services, a program of the Memorial Weight Loss & Wellness Center, expanded efforts to reach people with diabetes this past year. In addition to self-management, prediabetes and gestational diabetes classes, Memorial sponsors a growing number of support groups, including one at Hy-Vee grocery store that resulted in a record turnout. Plans for next year are to expand the support group to reach more people in the

community.

Throughout the community, Memorial has a strong presence at a variety of events and screenings. In November 2013, Memorial put on a Diabetes Awareness Fair with the YMCA. In June, Memorial partnered with the

YMCA, American Diabetes Association and Novo Nordisk to host a Celebrity Chef event. Featuring Food Network personality Curtis Aikens, the event featured a cooking demonstration and a health fair with screenings.

Memorial participated in several additional diabetes-related community outreach events, including the Taste of Home, Senior Celebration and various health fairs in the area.

Addressing Obesity Addressing Diabetes



Unpaid Medicaid .................................................. $42,959,848

Cash/In-Kind Contributions ................................... $28,004,000

Charity Care ........................................................ $14,431,887

Community Health Improvement ............................. $1,140,000

Health Professions Education .................................. $1,057,000

Subsidized Health Services ............................................ $7,000

Community Benefit Operations ................................... $174,000

Community Building Activities .................................... $194,000

Research .................................................................. $310,000

Total Community Benefit.................................... $88,278,000

Bad Debt ............................................................. $15,473,000

Unpaid Medicare .................................................. $37,050,000

Total Unreimbursed Services ........................... $140,801,000

Total Costs of Unreimbursed Services $140,801,000

All other FY2014 Expenses $792,747,000

IN FISCAL YEAR 2014, Memorial Health System provided $140,801,000 in unreimbursed services to the people and communities we serve.

Every day, Memorial Health System makes a difference in people’s lives. Whether we are educating new nurses and doctors, supporting community partnerships or caring for our patients regardless of their financial circumstances, we embrace our mission to improve the health of the people and communities we serve.

For the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2014, Memorial Health System affiliates provided more than $140.8 million in unreimbursed services to the communities we serve. This includes community benefits totaling nearly $88.3 million, comprised of charity care, unpaid costs for patients insured by Medicaid, support for health professions education, clinical research, community donations and community health improvement initiatives.

Memorial Health System hospitals’ FY2014 community benefits include:

Memorial Medical Center community benefit total of $64.0 million • Charity care - $10.8 million • Unpaid Medicaid - $24.8 million • Other community programs - $28.4 million

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital community benefit total of $7.3 million • Charity care - $1.2 million • Unpaid Medicaid - $6.0 million • Other community programs - $141,000

Taylorville Memorial Hospital community benefit total of $6.1 million • Charity care - $1.3 million • Unpaid Medicaid - $4.7 million • Other community programs - $93,000

Passavant Area Hospital community benefit total of $4.1 million* • Charity care - $447,000 • Unpaid Medicaid - $3.6 million • Other community programs - $30,000 * These dollars reflect community benefits from April 1-Sept. 30, 2014, when Passavant affiliated with Memorial Health System. Passavant’s FY14 total community benefits were $9.4 million, including charity care of $2.3 million; unpaid Medicaid $7.0 million; and $105,000 in other community programs.

Additional community benefits totaling nearly $6.8 million came from the health system’s three other affiliates, Memorial Health System and Memorial Health Ventures, a nonprofit subsidiary. The total community benefits provided by each were:

• $1.7 million from Memorial Physician Services • $887,000 from Memorial Home Services • $85,000 from Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois • $2 million from Memorial Health System • $2.1 million from Memorial Health Ventures

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Documents

Memorial Health System 2014 Annual Report