As Prowers Medical Center enters the third year of a six-year project designed to address needs identified by our patients and this community in a needs assessment deployed in December of 2021, we are already seeing successes from several programs and getting ready to launch additional initiatives.

“We are working to better support patients with all aspects of life that influence their health,” said Amber Rider, Director of Quality and Patient Safety. “From transportation and housing to utilities and food security and more, we know from our Community Health Needs Assessment findings that Prowers Medical Center has the opportunity to take a leadership role in helping support the overall wellbeing of our patients and the residents of Prowers, Bent, Baca and Kiowa counties.”

In particular, the Hospital Transformation Project is tackling public-health issues such as:

• Chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes and COPD—helping patients maintain better health and preventing the need for hospital readmissions

• Depression and anxiety in pregnant people and new parents

• Non-opioid pain-management alternatives

• Broad-based community care for patients with behavioral health needs or substance use disorders

Here are a few highlights of the Hospital Transformation Project so far:

Patient Integrated Collaborative Care Committee

Keep Your Family Healthy: Back to School Tips

Help keep your family healthy as you navigate the busy back to school season.

• Schedule a check-up for your kids if it’s been a year or more since their last one. • Prioritize sleep. Sleep helps our immune systems work properly.

• Emphasize proper handwashing before eating and after blowing your nose, touching animals and using the bathroom.

To schedule a checkup appointment with a primary-care provider, call Prowers Medical Center Clinic at 719-336-6767.

To increase the affordability of health care and prevent hospital readmissions, our Patient Integrated Collaborative Care Committee—or PICC—meets weekly to ensure discharged patients have all the resources they need to stay well and independent at home.

“The PICC meeting has provided a valuable resource to ensure that the findings and interventions started in the hospital for patients are continued well after discharge,” said Dennisha Longoria, Prowers Medical Center’s Lead Case Manager. “With the collaboration among our members, we are seeing great success in patients being followed more closely by multiple professionals and no longer slipping through the gaps. Patients are getting the services and support that they need to improve their quality of life and health outcomes. While there will always be readmissions due to uncontrollable circumstances, we are seeing a reduction in readmission rates for individuals who experience social disparities.”

Alternatives to Opioids

Our ALTOs project focuses on helping control the pain of our patients without the use of opioids, which lessens the risk of opioid addiction. Our providers are trained to use non-opioids for patient pain control whenever possible. Surgical nerve blocks, NSAIDs, topical local anesthetics such as lidocaine, and other painkillers can be used to manage pain without the risk of addiction posed by opioids.

MAT—Medication-Assisted

Treatment Patients who arrive at our emergency room experiencing withdrawal are carefully assessed and treated with evidence-based practices proven to aid in recovery. Starter doses of medications such as Suboxone for opioid withdrawal and Antabuse for alcohol withdrawal are available on a case-by-case basis to help Emergency Department patients who have begun the process of quitting and need support in navigating the side effects of withdrawal.

“We hope interested community members will come to our Community Conversation event in early September to learn more about what’s happening with the Hospital Transformation Project,” Rider said. “We’re also continuing to look for community feedback and ideas.”

You’re Invited! To learn more about our improvement initiatives and give your feedback, come to our Community Conversation event on Wednesday, September 6, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Lamar Community Building. Dinner will be provided. Please RSVP at least two days in advance by calling 719-336-6739.