2024 brought another year of excellence in a variety of ways to OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center that encompassed, among other things, clinical operations, service offerings, community outreach, and the introduction of a new – and unique – Mission Partner.
First, and most importantly, in terms of clinical excellence, OSF Saint Anthony’s received a total of seven (7) awards/certifications/accreditations in recognition of its diligent dedication to providing and sustaining a patient-centered focus in its health care Ministry.
Last year, OSF Saint Anthony’s was the only hospital in the St. Louis metro east region to receive two (2) consecutive “A” grades from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them. Lisa Schepers, DNP, MBA, RN, NE-BC, Chief Nursing Officer, OSF Saint Anthony’s, emphasizes that the hospital receiving two consecutive “A” grades is further fact that patient safety is always at the forefront of patient care at OSF Saint Anthony’s. “Our physicians, nurses and staff provide the safest, high-quality care to those we serve every day. Receiving the highest grade from The Leapfrog Group is validation of the work of our Mission Partners and we support the transparency about quality and safety that the Leapfrog grades provide.”
OSF Saint Anthony’s also received two (2) honors for its stroke care. First, in February 2024, OSF Saint Anthony’s earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Heart-Check mark for Primary Stroke Center Advanced Certification. Then just six (6) months later in August, the hospital once again received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.
“OSF Saint Anthony’s is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” says Dennis Sands, MD, Chief Medical Officer, OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center. “Receiving these two recognitions means we’re continuously implementing exceptional efforts to foster better outcomes. It’s a signal to the Riverbend region the quality-of-care OSF Saint Anthony’s provides meets the unique and specialized needs of stroke patients.”
Clinical excellence recognition extended across the hospital campus to the OSF Moeller Cancer Center in October by receiving accreditation under the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Commission on Cancer (CoC) Accreditation Program. The ACS CoC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival and quality of life for patients with cancer by setting and raising standards.
CoC accreditation is granted to institutions committed to providing high-quality cancer care by demonstrating compliance with the CoC standards. Each cancer program must undergo a rigorous evaluation and review of its performance and compliance with the CoC standards. To maintain accreditation, cancer programs must undergo a site visit every three years. The CoC accreditation standards supply the structure for providing all patients with a full range of diagnostic, treatment, and supportive services either on-site or by referral, including community-based resources.
“In the fight against cancer, providing excellent care is critical to fulfilling our Mission of serving with the greatest care and love,” says Schepers. “This accreditation is a testament to all of our Mission Partners at OSF Moeller Cancer Center and their commitment to provide the highest standards of comprehensive, compassionate and cutting-edge care to cancer patients in the Riverbend region.”
Award-winning national recognition in 2024 also included OSF Home Health at OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center being recognized by Strategic Healthcare Programs (SHP) as a “Superior Performer” for achieving an overall patient satisfaction score that ranked in the top 20% of all eligible SHP clients for the 2023 calendar year. “This recognition underscores our commitment to providing high-quality, compassionate home care services.,” says Christie S. Kamp, RN, BSN, CRRN, Manager, Alton Home Health Care and Hospice, OSF HealthCare.
Clinical excellence in any health care entity flows directly from the skill and competence of its employees, and one Mission Partner (i.e. employee) at OSF Saint Anthony’s was recognized for his mentorship of future health care leaders. Casey Zaring, RPh, PharmD, clinical on-site pharmacist services manager, received the 2023-2024 Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) Preceptor Excellence Award from the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy. Zaring’s honor was awarded within the Health System Pharmacy category. Dr. Zaring’s recognition was highlighted by comments such as “Casey is very passionate about pharmacy, and you can tell by how he runs his rotation. He caters the experience to each of his students based on what their goals are and what they see themselves doing after pharmacy school. He truly cares about his students.” Zaring, an OSF Saint Anthony’s Mission Partner since 2015, received the award in his first year as an SIUE School of Pharmacy preceptor.
Community hospitals like OSF Saint Anthony’s realize that its front door to residents is the Emergency Department (ED) – and in 2024, more patients entered OSF Saint Anthony’s through the ED than in 2023. “Whether a patient’s need is more acute in nature or serious, maybe even traumatic, hospitals are judged by the care that has been and can be provided in the ED,” says Traci Bromaghim, director of patient care – emergency services.
One very specific example of clinical excellence advancement of Emergency Department care at OSF Saint Anthony’s in 2024 was the efficiency in which care is delivered to patients. Specifically, the Emergency Department was able to reduce its “door-to-doctor” time by 15% from 20 minutes to 17 minutes. Door-to-doctor time is the time between a patient arriving at an emergency department (ED) and seeing a doctor - it can include the time from registration or triage, whichever is earlier.
“Door-to-doctor time is a key metric for measuring patient satisfaction and the quality of care,” says Bromaghim. “Why is it important? First, reducing waiting times can improve patient access to care, it can also reduce the number of patients who leave without being seen, and long wait times can negatively impact the patient experience.”
Outpatient services in health care are growing due to technological advancements, patient demand, and evolving health care industry trends. In 2024, one vital area OSF Saint Anthony’s realized an increase in outpatient services was in its Imaging Services. With nine (9) specific radiologic services available to Riverbend region patients, the Imaging Services department saw volume increase by 2.57%.
Modalities provided within the hospital’s Imaging Services department include:
- Cardiology diagnostics
- Cardiology stress testing
- CT-scans
- Diagnostic radiology testing
- Neurodiagnostic testing: electroencephalogram (EEG) & electromyography (EMG)
- Mammography
- MRI
- Nuclear medicine
- PET-scan (mostly related to oncology services)
- Ultrasound
To extend its health care Mission beyond the hospital campus, OSF Saint Anthony’s, and leaders from OSF OnCall, its digital health division, unveiled a unique option for individuals to get connected to care resources in their neighborhood. OSF OnCall Connect On the Go began offering an easy connection to services through its van operating in the Riverbend area.
The mobile unit, which interacted with more than 1,168 individuals in 2024, is staffed with digital health navigators who provide advocacy, education, and support for individuals 18 and older, using technology and digital tools that can empower patients to be more involved in their own health and wellness.
The OSF OnCall team offers a variety of health resources for the community:
- Provide free health screenings, including checking blood pressure, pulse, blood glucose and total cholesterol
- Help people schedule appointments with primary care providers or teach them.
- Support for downloading and using health apps such as OSF MyChart; showing how to connect to OSF OnCall Urgent Care for a virtual visit available 24/7
- Connection to resources in the Riverbend region for unmet needs that contribute to overall health such as food, housing or transportation
Another very successful outreach initiative for OSF Saint Anthony’s has been its annual Back-to-School Celebration – which in 2024 celebrated its third year and witnessed its second consecutive year-over-year growth in attendance. Just as in 2023, 2024’s event was held at Alton Square Mall and witnessed an estimated crowd approaching 800 attendees. 2023’s event saw attendance close to 700 individuals with the inaugural year’s event, 2022, surpassing 500 attendees.
Finally, the Riverbend region was introduced to a new, and unique, Mission Partner that began roaming the halls of the hospital. Through the generosity of Dwight and Cheryl Werts (and Werts Welding & Tank Service Inc), Dwight the robot began making his way through the halls of OSF Saint Anthony's between the Emergency Department and the Lab. Dwight the robot transports lab tests between the two departments which in turn frees up an Emergency Department Mission Partner to provide continuous bedside care to patients. “Dwight" comes with his own name badge and "speaks" as he moves about the hallways and on and off the elevator.
Between May 15 – December 31, Dwight the robot:
- Completed 11,508 round trips between the Emergency Department and the Lab
- Traveled a distance equal to more than 558 miles
- Surpassed a total run time of 716 hours
More information for OSF Saint Anthony’s can be obtained by visiting www.osfsaintanthnoys.org.