Volume 2, Issue 11
Through Dec. 1, 2008 |
Food Service Scores on the Rise
A series of logistical changes helped Food and Nutrition Services more than double its Press Ganey scores in October.  |
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| New mealtime procedures at UCH are helping to ensure patients get the right amount of insulin at the right time. | |
Mealtimes Critical for Managing Blood Sugar
Tightened glucose control for a surprisingly large population of UCH inpatients is aimed at improving outcomes, reducing infection rates and lowering mortality rates. |
Cleaning "Surge" Puts Patients in Beds Faster
An intense drive recently cut the time required to "stat clean" rooms by 24 percent. The effort improved patient flow, but can it be sustained? |
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| Clinical Lab medical technologist Connie Runge prepares a sample. | |
Coping with the Flood
The reasons for unrelenting increases in the number of lab test requests could be chalked up to defensive medicine or habit, hospital experts say. But the huge upswing has forced Clinical Lab to police ordering patterns more tightly. |
EAU Gets a Heart
Or at least a way to monitor hearts. After a long quest, the Express Admit Unit -- one of the hospital's well-kept secrets -- plugged in four telemetry units that expand its patient base. |
America on the Move Propels Lowry Staffers from Chairs
Sixty formerly deskbound Finance employees get their assets in gear, wrack up more than 23 million steps and change their office environment. |
UCH in the News
In this issue: the pain of rejection, flu fighting, medical care for dummies, more. Mentions: Joey Failma, Jay Gershen, Ronald Gibbs, Jeff Thompson, Alexander Wiseman. | |
UCH, TCH to explore joint mothers and babies program The two hospitals signed a letter of intent to pool well baby and NICU baby resources in what would be a new facility. But plenty of details have to be ironed out before an agreement is reached. 
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An experiment from Seattle Two AIP units this week launched an effort to get more patients discharged by noon. It's the second "throughput" effort underway at UCH, which sees speedier discharges as critical to easing wait times for patients in the ED and PACU.
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Annual President's Award dinner honors top contributors The winners included a bureaucracy battler, exceptional leaders and unearthers of hidden reimbursement. Above: "Amazing Service" award winner Lisa Kinney of Professional Resources with Bruce Schroffel and Human Resources VP Darryl Varnado. Story, photos:
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UCH supply costs rise $2.5 million for first quarter The figure is almost $380K over budget. The solution may lie in teaching staffers to "tap" and wave wands more often.
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Flu fight! UCH and its Anschutz neighbors brought much-needed flu shots to neighboring Paris and Montview elementary schools as part of an ongoing community service effort. UCH President and CEO Bruce Schroffel (above) was among those cringing at the sight of needles. Story, photos:
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Inside the Insider: The "see-through" hospital Commentary: Reflections on the Insider's first birthday. Plus: last issue's top-read stories and your comments.
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Their other lives are...wow! Three UCH employees spend a good deal of their off-hours training for and competing in triathlons. Above: longtime Triathlon competitor Diane Ridgway of the Electrophysiology Lab.
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Weight loss chronicle With her first journey through Colorado Weigh completed, nurse Michaelene Wolff mulls her lessons and slips back into some "skinny clothes." But the biggest benefit, she writes, wasn't even physical. Last in a series.
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Around UCH Our regular round-up of goings-on, big and small, in and around the hospital community. In this issue: UCH lauds Senator Ken Salazar's support for healthy lung initiatives (above); Stroke Program honored; a moving experience at Sports Med; more...
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The latest on infectious diseases They mutate, so UCH has updated its infectious disease information sheets in CareNotes.
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