Healthy Living Newsletter
Focusing on the Future
After two years at the helm, Mercy Hospital President
& CEO Peter Karadjoff continues to work to build a healthcare
institution dedicated to exceptional customer service.
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| The light on the cross adorning
Mercy Hospital once again shines as a symbol for Mercy
employees, physicians and patients; and serves as a
beacon of the continued commitment to provide outstanding
medical care and service to the community. |
Planning for the future in the healthcare industry is an
ever-evolving activity. Healthcare is not and never will
be a constant. New and life saving medical advancements,
increased regulations, changes in insurance reimbursement,
and an ever-expanding availability of healthcare services
all play key roles.
“It’s an exciting time,” comments Peter
Karadjoff, Mercy Hospital President and CEO, who in November
celebrated his second anniversary at the helm of the 51-year-old
healthcare institution. “When you stand back and look
at the activities of a vital healthcare environment you
get a sense of the level of cutting edge processes that
are happening all around you. None of these activities,
however, are as important as maintaining an awareness of
why we’re here in the first place: to offer our community
exceptional care and outstanding customer service.”
Customer service has been a focus of Karadjoff throughout
his tenure at Mercy. Building important relationships with
Mercy’s stakeholders has been the emphasis for the
healthcare executive.
“Physicians, volunteers, employees and, most importantly,
patients are at the core of a successful institution. Mercy
had been well-known for the care and service it had been
affiliated with; it was my goal to shine a light on that
commitment again.”
A healthcare professional for nearly 20 years, with an
education in business engineering, Karadjoff continually
works to design business systems that empower hospital staff
to bolster Mercy’s relationships in the medical environment.
Reflecting Back
“Mercy has been developing systems and offering
cutting edge technology for a number of years, and it has
been vital,” explains Karadjoff. “My goal and
the goal of the leadership team now is to shift focus to
our core roots.”
Mercy Hospital was the first in the community to offer
advanced computer technology in the form of electronic medical
records capabilities, patient allergy alerts and advanced
systems for the communication of medical testing results
to benefit patients and physicians. Through its expansive
computerization, Mercy has been the leader in offering this
cutting-edge technology on a local level.
“This computerization is the future of healthcare,”
says Karadjoff. “We have and will continue to endure
a number of growing pains from this process, but the payoff
for patients in the end will be an immense benefit. This
emphasis on computerization has also positioned area patients
for access to a future rich in medical advancement.”
Although maintaining a keen eye on advanced technology,
hospital leadership also must remain focused on increased
customer satisfaction and service initiatives.
A Forward Vision
“Our method is simple,” says Karadjoff, “looking
at our healthcare services from the human perspective begs
the questions: what are we doing right, and where can we
meet new challenges?”
Mercy has focused its attention first on outstanding customer
service initiatives. “The hospital’s 20-minute
emergency room guarantee, the private rooms program, and
providing outpatient express testing have all been successful
for our patients,” continues Karadjoff. “Soon
we will announce an express admissions process and are working
to design new property opportunities for area physicians.
We will also begin to report our outstanding cancer survival
rates, which surpass the national statistics reported by
the National Cancer Data Base for colon, lung, prostate
and breast cancers.”
Mercy employees are also dedicated to offering outstanding
customer service and are working in concert with hospital
administration to provide services that are devoted to the
needs of patients.
As a result, in a recent Gallup Survey focusing on employee
engagement, Mercy’s staff reported employee satisfaction
in the 64th percentile, compared to other hospitals utilizing
the Gallup Survey process. “It’s clear from
the result of the survey, Mercy staff feel their work is
important and are committed to their jobs.” Karadjoff
states.
And it’s paying off.
The Mercy Hospital Board is also pleased with the direction
in which Mercy is headed. “I enjoy working with Peter,”
says Mercy Hospital Board Chair Tim Ward, President of Eastern
Michigan Bank. “Peter builds a sense of teamwork in
any environment. He brings individuals of diverging points
and perspectives together and draws upon their strengths
to move Mercy forward in a progressive way.”
“Mercy Hospital is deeply rooted in and committed
to this community,” concludes Karadjoff. “About
60 years ago, community residents determined the need for
this hospital, raised millions of dollars and invited the
Sisters of Mercy to provide necessary medical care and services
to the Blue Water Area. Today, we’re dedicated to
stewarding that investment in the most successful way.”
Mercy Hospital Reports Outstanding Cancer Survival Rates
Outstanding cancer survival statistics are about to become
available through the 2004 Mercy Regional Cancer Center
Annual Report. As the publication will attest, Mercy has
once again scored a victory for cancer patients in the community.
Mercy’s report reflects five-year survival statistics
that surpass national survival rates as provided by the
National Cancer Data Base for breast, colon, prostate and
lung cancers.
Coming on the heals of Mercy’s recertification by
the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of
Surgeons which proclaimed Mercy an area leader in cancer
care, this report will offer the community an indepth look
at the programs and services offered through the Mercy Regional
Cancer Center.
“At Mercy, we share the leadership distinction of
being a CoC certified program with other oncology programs
including Karmanos Cancer Institute, Henry Ford Health System,
Michigan State University, University of Michigan and even
the nationally renowned Mayo Clinic,” comments Kanu
Dalal, MD, Co-Chair of the Mercy Cancer Committee. “The
release of Mercy’s 2004 Cancer Care Annual Report
will continue to reflect that status through a detailed
account of Mercy’s outstanding five-year survival
data.”
Mercy offers a complex and comprehensive array of cancer
services partnering with area leaders in cancer care to
offer the most advanced diagnostic and treatment capabilities
available in beating cancer close to home.
The Mercy Regional Cancer Center Annual Report will be
available in the very near future. To order your FREE copy
as well as the latest cancer screening guidelines for breast,
prostate and colorectal cancer, please call (810) 985-1603.
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