2007: A Year of Change

Keith Okeson
LifeCare Medical Center
President/CEO

A name change, growth in services, and a commitment to quality and safety are among the highlights at LifeCare Medical Center as we reflect on 2007. To say this has been a year of success is an understatement. We have had a tremendous year!

Greenbush Manor was named for its excellence in caring for residents..

Following the leadership of our Board of Directors, Roseau Area Hospital and Homes, Inc. changed its name and became LifeCare Medical Center effective October 1, 2007. The vision for the name change is to bring all departments of the organization under one corporate name. It recognizes the growth of the organization into a medical center and offers ownership of the organization to the population served, which now reaches beyond the boundaries of Roseau County.

The term "LifeCare" describes our scope of service encompassing everything from birth to senior services. The new name was unveiled in September during the "Back Yard Bar-B-Q" at Roseau's Memorial Arena. Over two thousand people attended a community-wide barbecue to celebrate the unveiling. The number of people who attended this event demonstrates the regionâ•?s support of the decision to rename the organization.

We continue to add services at LifeCare Medical Center. In 2007 we introduced Convenience Care as a reaction to public desire for an urgent care arrangement. Staffed by personnel from our Emergency Department, Convenience Care operates evenings and weekends 365 days a year. Offering a less expensive alternative to the Emergency Room, this new service has been well received by patients of all ages and is one more demonstration of implementing our motto, "Caring for Generations."

Fundraising generated more than $25,000 for the Health Care Fund.

In 2007, we were honored with two awards of recognition. In September, Greenbush Manor was identified as one of only 380 nursing homes in the country to be awarded the Excellence in Action award by My InnerView, an independent evaluator of the 16,000 nursing homes across America. Recognizing resident
and family satisfaction with the nursing home, the award is a testament to the great care provided by the Greenbush Manor staff and LifeCareâ•?s effort to continually improve quality.

In addition, LifeCare Medical Center received an award from the Minnesota Hospital Association for its efforts to reduce falls in the hospital. We received the "Safe from Falls" award for small hospitals for our use of bed alarms, providing education, and improving communication to reduce the number of falls at the hospital. The acute care nursing staff deserves a great deal of credit for their efforts in this initiative.

Greenbush Manor and Roseau Manor continue to provide excellent care to our nursing home residents and our numbers prove it. The census at each facility remained strong in 2007. It is especially rewarding to know these facilities allow seniors to remain close to their loved ones and receive the care they need.

As always LifeCare was an active member of the community in 2007, providing health education in many forms including our own Go Red for Women campaign. We participated in health fairs, provided wellness services, and published the 50th issue of our newsletter HealthMatters. Fundraising efforts also made great strides in 2007. Our foundation continues to grow, thanks in part to our second annual major fundraising
event "Partners for Health" which was held in November at the Roseau City Center.

Attended by an estimated 150 people, the event raised over $25,000 for the General Endowment Fund, which is used to fund activities and programs that promote health in the region. LifeCare Medical Center experienced a strong financial year in 2007. The overall volumes throughout the organization remain strong. Our financial position will allow us to invest in the latest technology and equipment, maintain our facilities, and offer a competitive salary and benefit package. We are fortunate to have a visionary Board of Directors, talented and committed Medical Staff and employees, and support from the region. Our success helps to ensure healthcare will be available to the people of the region for years to come.

President/CEO Keith Okeson (on stage) and LifeCareâ•?s Board of Directors celebrate the name change at the Back Yard Bar-B-Q. From left to right are: Cory Vatnsdal, Pete Helgeson, Steve Haugen, Audrey Olson, Pete Granger, Dr.Ralph Herseth, Jon Johnson, Therese McBride, Carmen Przekwas, Carolyn Eeg, and Mike Hetteen (Chairman). Not pictured: Paul Everson and new member Chuck Lindner.

LifeCare Health Care Fund awards grants

The LifeCare Health Care Fund recently awarded grants to several local health care facilities and projects. Stemming from four individual funds within the LifeCare Health Care Fund, grants were awarded through:

• General Endowment Fund – Which awarded $558 to the Warroad Care Center toward the purchase of a bladder scanner.
• Maggi Adams Equipment Fund – This fund awarded three grants including $3,500 to LifeCare Greenbush Manor for oxygen conservers; a grant of $5,300 to LifeCare ER for a trauma stretcher; and $315 to LifeCare Medical Center for the purchase of a venoscope.
• Hospice Fund – This fund awarded $1,350 for the purchase of end-of-life care equipment.
• LifeCare Roseau Manor Fund – Awarded $765 for a beauty shop hair dryer.

A component fund of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation, the LifeCare Health Care Fund was founded in 2004 through the generosity of the late Maggi Adams. Since then, it has grown from a Medical Equipment Fund to a group of many individual funds all under the LifeCare Health Care Fund umbrella. Newest of
these is the Think Pink Breast Cancer Fund in which all money raised will be used locally to benefit area breast cancer patients.

For information on applying for future grants or opportunities to support the LifeCare Health Care Fund, contact LifeCare Development Coordinator, Sue Grafstrom at (218) 463-4742.

Greenbush Manor ranked
among the nation's best

LifeCare Greenbush Manor has received national recognition for its commitment to continuous quality improvement by one of the nation's leading independent healthcare research firms.

According to an independent survey conducted by the Wisconsin based group My InnerView, Greenbush Manor scored in the nationâ•?s top 5% for overall satisfaction by residents and their families, earning it the "Excellence in Action" award. Only 380 of the nation's 16,000 nursing homes received this distinction.

"The letter of congratulations was a pleasant surprise," says Shannon Carlson, the administrator of Greenbush Manor, formerly known as Greenbush Community Nursing Home.

"This is an absolute reflection of the efforts of Director of Nursing Marjean Wolff and the entire Greenbush Manor staff."

.Greenbush Manor scored in the nation's top five percent for overall resident and family satisfaction in a recent survey