Parkview Orthopedic Hospital opened on June 18, 2002. Just under a decade later, on June 16, 2011, SurgeryONE welcomed patients, and was acquired by the health system, becoming Parkview SurgeryONE, in 2014. With such impressive anniversaries and on the heels of a tough few years, it only seemed fitting to celebrate these 12- and 20-year milestones and the co-workers who provide exceptional care to patients in our area.
“We talked to senior leaders and decided that, since it’s summer, it would be fun to have food trucks and outdoor activities,” Julie Fleck, COO, Parkview Ortho Hospital, Parkview SurgeryONE, and senior vice president of Orthopedics, Parkview Health, said. “We have up to 50 patients coming and going each day, so there’s always a lot of activity at our facility. We want everyone to have the opportunity to celebrate with us.”
It’s an occasion that’s incredibly special to Julie, who was the third employee hired on for Parkview Ortho in August 2001. “I was brought on as director of nursing for the Parkview north campus,” she recalled. “We needed so many positions to build our program.”
It’s hard to imagine what things looked like just over 20 years ago, but Julie remembers it well. “When I was out here in 2001, this was a field, with horses and skunks. To be able to watch them build Parkview Regional Medical Center (PRMC) has been incredible. It’s hard to believe, but in the beginning, the buses didn’t even come onto our campus. People would get dropped off at Burger King across the street and they would call security and someone would go and pick the patients up! I remember one day, Dr. [William] Berghoff actually picked a patient up in his car because he was walking with a walker down the main lane trying to get to the ONE campus.”
“Obviously the buses come onto our campus now and, I have to say, I think we’ve done such a good job with signage and wayfinding. Our patients rarely have trouble navigating the buildings.”
Crowning accomplishments
While Parkview Ortho Hospital has earned a number of recognitions, it’s the level of care they consistently deliver that Julie regards as the ultimate prize. “Certainly, the biggest accomplishment in my mind is our returning and satisfied patients. When I round upstairs and see that a patient has chosen us again, then I know we’re doing something right.
“I think it starts with a program we implemented soon after we opened. We placed surgical case coordinators in our offices. These team members are essentially navigators. As soon as a patient decides to have surgery, from the time they start with imaging and all the way through their post-op journey, they are given consistent messaging.”
Another huge satisfier is Parkview Ortho Hospital’s approach to mitigating discomfort. “Our patients absolutely love our approach to pain blocks. We were one of the first sites to do regional pain blocks and, when a patient can go into recovery or be sent home without pain for 24-48 hours, that’s a big deal.”
Parkview’s joint venture with ONE in 2007 created a partnership that helped shape a truly superior patient experience. “Prior to that, the providers were coming to our facility, but once we established our partnership, it really took our service and quality to a whole new level,” Julie said.
In 2013, Parkview Ortho Hospital expanded to add 13 additional patient beds, 4 more operating rooms, an anesthesia space, expanded surgical unit and lobby and MRI imaging. As the demand grows, so, too, does the space, with more construction currently underway.
In 2018, the group was designated a Spine Center of Excellence, followed by Joint Center of Excellence in 2020. They have also been instrumental in Parkview Health’s Magnet® designation, granted by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®
Stepping up during the pandemic
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit northeast Indiana in March 2020, the Ortho Hospital closed for seven weeks, and Parkview SurgeryONE suspended surgeries for 11 weeks. Team members from SurgeryONE were deployed to other areas, and the Ortho Hospital became an overflow area for PRMC.
“The team really came together,” Julie said. “The medical staff was all very supportive of each other. You have to remember, there was a lot of anxiety during that time, as we were learning the best treatment options for COVID. People were worried and it was really challenging.”
When it came time to reopen, it had to be a team effort. “We took so many patients off of the schedule and had to determine how to bring both our staff and our patients back, safely. We wanted to be successful without putting anyone in harm’s way. Our surgical case coordinators found a balance of rescheduling those whose procedures had been canceled and those who were on the schedule. We came back at 6 days a week, including Saturdays. We really stepped up and I was so proud of our team.”
For nearly a year, Parkview Ortho Hospital served as overflow space during COVID case surges, providing 4 of their 37 beds, or more if needed. “There were days when the ER was seeing close to 300 patients a day and admitting around 100. That’s a huge patient volume and we were glad we could help.”
Looking ahead
The team has been accommodating a remodel for the past year, adding two more operating rooms for a total of 10. The additional ORs are expected to be completed in August. This is happening in conjunction with some additional infrastructure updates to the building.
While expansions always come with growing pains, the team has their eyes focused on the future while also reflecting on two decades of progress. “We continue to innovate workflow processes and reengineer our patient care.” This includes length of stay post-op and setting expectations for the recovery process. “The average length of stay used to be three days, and now it’s one and a half. If patients have the right support system in place, it is safe for them to go home to recover. But we have to consider their individual circumstances. We will always do what’s best for our patients.”
We can’t wait to see what the future holds for these dedicated caregivers and team members. Thank you, Parkview Ortho Hospital and Parkview Surgery ONE, for everything you do to help and heal the members of our community.
