In 2008, Southwest General provided a variety of services to benefit community residents and assure that their health care needs were met. Click here if you would like to download a copy of our Community Annual Report. These ongoing services include:
Community Emergency Medical Services (EMS)—Emergency medical services at IX Center Functions, fairs and other community events.
Community Nurse Program—Community health education and screenings through health and wellness programs, health fairs, worksite health education programs, community events and other venues. . In 2008, 29,346 community members participated in community nurse programs, health fairs and community events. A total of 10,701 health screenings, such as blood pressure measurement were performed at our ten wellness sites.
Community Outreach—Non-medical services to the homebound, frail elderly within Southwest General’s taxing district. Services include Friendly Visiting, Telephone Reassurance, Volunteer Driver and Shopping Assistance. Often these are significant deciding factors that can force a person out of an independent lifestyle. During 2008 the program received 51 new clients and provided over 2300 services.
EMS Education Program—Education for approximately 570 pre-hospital care providers (paramedics, EMTs and 911 dispatchers). This program includes all educational programs required to maintain certification for the State of Ohio. Programs are provided at both the hospital and local fire stations. We are an accredited training center for Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) through the American Heart Association, and we provide certification training to EMS professionals for nine cities as well as Cleveland Hopkins Airport and NASA Glenn Research at Lewis Field.
EMS Medical Control—the departments below have chosen Southwest General to provide Medical Control. An EMT must function under the direction of a Medical Director /Physician. They follow written patient care protocols and “act” for the physician in the field.
- Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
- Berea Fire
- Brook Park Fire
- Brunswick Fire
- Brunswick Hills Fire
- Columbia Township Fire
- Hinckley Township Fire
- Middleburg Heights Fire
- NASA/Lewis Research Center
- Olmsted Falls Fire
- Strongsville Fire
As one ages, a person’s ability to function and remain safe and independent within the community is impacted by physical, psychological and social changes. These changes often result from either a treatable problem or are the consequence of chronic illness. Small changes in the older adult’s ability to perform activities of daily living or the caregiver’s ability to provide support impact major life decisions. Even a small improvement in functional status can have a significant positive effect on the individual and/or their family. Southwest General offers several different programs to address these unique needs.
The Gatekeeper Program—Provides free clinical services to frail elderly in order to keep older adults independent and safe at home. Typically, the nurses provide health education and consultation for specific medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cognitive impairments. They reinforce the importance of medication compliance. The Gatekeeper Social Workers provide supportive services with enrollment in public programs, transportation assistance, meal service, and linkages to a variety of services. In addition to direct care, the Gatekeeper Program provides community training to educate community workers on at-risk symptoms the elderly might exhibit. In 2008, there were 263 referrals to the program from community volunteers, physicians, family members and clients, resulting in 191 clients served, 712 home visits made and 901 telephone calls made in association with this program. Since 2001, the estimated cost savings from the Gatekeeper Program in American Health care dollars is almost 14 million dollars ($13,703,482) by prevention of premature nursing home placement.
Geriatric Assessment/Elder Evaluation Program—Anoutpatient, consultative, hospital-based comprehensive assessment that utilizes a multidisciplinary approach. The core team consists of a geriatrician, geriatric clinical nurse specialist and social worker. Additional members of the health care team include a psychologist, dietitian and occupational, physical and speech therapists. The evaluation assesses the various dimensions that impact the older adult’s life as well as affect one’s physical and psychological functioning. The program emphasizes the involvement of family and other caregivers in the assessment and treatment plans for the client.
Health Connection—Physician referral and health information phone service staffed by a registered nurse. In 2008, over 9300 calls were received for physician referrals, information, nurse advice, domestic violence and pregnancy information.
Medication Disposal Program— A program started in 2007 with the city of Olmsted Falls to help residents safely dispose of unused medications. With few options in the area, the program is a pioneering effort that allows residents to drop off unused medicine at Southwest General for disposal. It has been expanded and now includes the following cities: Berea, Brook Park, Columbia Township, Middleburg Heights, Olmsted Falls and Strongsville. Southwest General is one of the few health care facilities that offer this service to its customers.
The Neighborhood Care Center—A health clinic established in 1998 to assist the growing numbers of residents in our taxing district that have jobs but no health insurance. It’s the only free clinic in Ohio supported by entirely by a hospital. The sole purpose is to bridge the gap in healthcare for the working poor by providing healthcare services on a temporary basis until such time as they are eligible for health insurance through their employer or through a publicly funded program. Eligible patients must be employed, have no health care insurance or government medical care assistance or aid, have an income level within 200% of the federal poverty level and live within one of the six taxing communities. It is staffed by volunteer physicians, nurses and clerical staff. In light of the current economic situation, the Center has become more necessary than ever. Doctors saw 624 patients in 2008, up 18 percent from 2007.
School Health Program—Provides service to the Berea City School District (BCSD) which is comprised of the following three of our taxing communities: Berea, Brook Park and Middleburg Heights. The BCSD consists of two high schools, two middle schools and seven elementary schools housing approximately 8,000 students. During the 2007-2008 school year, a school nurse was stationed in each building for 6 hours of every school day, providing basic first aid, assistance with medications, control of communicable diseases, and state-mandated health screenings. Specialized care is also provided in the classroom to a number of students with special needs, which includes accompanying them on their daily school bus ride. In addition, a nurse is provided 24/7 at Camp-Mi-Bro Be, which runs 5 consecutive days over 5 weeks, for all sixth graders in the district. The school health staff regularly provides anecdotal education to parents, students and school staff on a variety of health topics during the course of their everyday work. A total of 49,847 student clinic visits were completed in the 2007-2008 school year.
Sponsorships/Donations—Southwest General supports United Way, the American Heart Association and many other local and national organizations involved in community health and wellness activities.
Van Transportation—Free van transportation for residents of Southwest General’s taxing district that are unable to provide their own transportation. 2008 was a very successful year for this program with consistent growth averaging over 20 new clients per month. The program grew a total of 12% and ended the year with over 8150 one-way trips.