Buffalo Wild Wings continues to offer its generous support to UMC Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) with the Buffalo Wild Wings (BWW) Golf Tournament. This is the 15th year they have hosted this event.
Tag: App News Post
South Plains Rehabilitation Hospital Opening 26 Additional Beds to Support Community Need
Hospital will host bed expansion grand opening event on July 29, open to patients on August 3.
LUBBOCK, Tex., July 15, 2021 – This month, South Plains Rehabilitation Hospital, an affiliate of UMC Health System and Encompass Health, will open 26 new private rooms to treat patients in need of a hospital-level of care for rehabilitation services. With the addition of 26 beds, the hospital, located at 5406 Colgate Street, can now serve up to 66 patients at a time. The hospital will open the additional beds for patient care beginning August 3.
The hospital is hosting a bed expansion grand opening event on Thursday, July 29, at 2 p.m., including a ribbon cutting ceremony in collaboration with the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce, small group tours, and remarks from hospital leadership. Light snacks will be provided and all are invited to attend. Speakers will include: John Lowe, Vice President of Support Services at UMC; Dr. Timi Tuamokumo, Medical Director of South Plains Rehabilitation Hospital; and Frank Brown, President of Encompass Health’s Southwest Region.
The hospital opened in May of 2019, and since its opening has helped approximately 2,300 patients return to the community at their highest levels of independence. The demand for care lead the hospital to add more beds to help meet the need for intensive and comprehensive rehabilitation services in the area. The hospital serves patients recovering from debilitating illnesses and injuries including strokes, amputations, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and other complex neurological and orthopedic conditions. The interdisciplinary rehabilitation team provides physical, occupational and speech therapies that aim to restore functional ability and quality of life and 24-hour care by registered nurses, many of whom are certified in rehabilitation nursing. Patients receive at least three hours of therapy five days per week, and the hospital offers advanced technology to help patients meet their rehabilitation goals.
“Through our partnership, Encompass Health and UMC have served hundreds of individuals the Lubbock community and beyond over the past three years, and we are incredibly grateful each day to be able to provide life-changing services that help people return to their normal lives,” said Dr. Timi Tuamokumo, Medical Director of South Plains Rehabilitation Hospital. “Because of the trust our community has in our services, we will now be able to help more individuals in our area return to a more independent life and to the things they love most.”
“South Plains Rehabilitation has had a tremendous impact on UMC Health System and the Lubbock region,” said John Lowe, Vice President of Support Services at UMC Health System. “These 26 new beds will allow more patients to receive high-quality, world-class care and service. We are excited about the future of this hospital and our partnership.”
South Plains Rehabilitation has received accreditation from The Joint Commission for meeting the national standards for healthcare quality and safety.
About Encompass Health
As a national leader in integrated healthcare services, Encompass Health (NYSE: EHC) offers both facility-based and home-based patient care through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies and hospice agencies. With a national footprint that includes 140 hospitals, 250 home health locations, and 94 hospice locations in 42 states and Puerto Rico, the Company provides high-quality, cost-effective integrated healthcare. Encompass Health is ranked as one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. For more information, visit encompasshealth.com, or follow us on our newsroom, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
About UMC Health System
UMC Health System is a national award-winning health system comprised of over 4,600 team members and more than 30 care locations. We are proud to partner with two outstanding healthcare organizations: UMC Physicians and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center to provide the West Texas and Eastern New Mexico regions with the best in care. At UMC, Our Passion is You. Whether you are managing a chronic condition, dealing with an unexpected illness, or simply working to stay healthy. Our goal is to be your healthcare partner. Wherever you are in your life’s journey, UMC is there with you every step of the way. We are passionate about getting you well and helping you stay that way.
UMC Breast Imaging + Partners Win Gold Starnet Design Award
In mid-2020, UMC partnered with Condray Design Group to completely remodel clinic space that has now been our new Breast Imaging Center for a year. And we are proud to say the design of this space is officially award winning!
Starnet Commercial Flooring, the world’s largest network of full-service commercial flooring contractors, has revealed the first of several Starnet Design Awards winners of 2021. Now in its 23rd year, the annual competition honors the outstanding projects completed by the membership in partnership with the architects, designers and Starnet aligned manufacturing partners. The Gold in Healthcare was awarded to Starnet Member LVR Commercial Flooring for the company’s work at UMC Breast Imaging Center.
Located in UMC Medical Office Plaza II, the premier breast imaging center of West Texas worked with Condray Design Group and their vendors to execute a full renovation to better fit our vision and mission of healing, including a thoughtful reimaging of the floor to honor breast cancer awareness.
Designers incorporated the iconic pink ribbon throughout the space, creating a soothing, comforting atmosphere in the process.
Design Awards Judge Alison Woolf, LEED AP Associate Principal, Design Director, Huntsman Architectural Group, was immediately impressed by the project, saying, “Condray Design Group so successfully used flooring materials to convey wayfinding, pattern, and brilliance in their design. They did a marvelous job creating a positive, welcoming, and uplifting environment for people to experience in the hardest of times. Excellent work!”
Fellow Judge Andrea Hanson, AIA, WELL AP, Principal, Architect, Licensed Interior Designer, Dekker/Perich/Sabatini, echoed her sentiments, adding, “The material choices were outstanding, seamlessly blending highly cleanable resilient flooring necessary for healthcare environments with carpeting and soft surfaces that manage acoustics and contribute to a quiet, healing environment.”
Project Details:
Project Name: UMC Breast Imaging Center
Starnet Member: LVR Commercial Flooring
Architect: Condray Design Group, Inc.
Starnet Preferred Vendors: Altro, American Olean, ARDEX, Armstrong Flooring, Inc., Daltile, Henry Adhesives, Mannington Commercial, MAPEI, RFMS, Tarkett | Johnsonite, Tarkett | Tandus Centiva, Uzin Utz North America, Inc., XL North Chemical Co.
2021 Healthcare Category Judging Panel An elite panel of architects and designers lent their talent and expertise to this year’s panel:
- Andrea Hanson | AIA, WELL AP, Principal, Architect, Licensed Interior Designer | Dekker/Perich/Sabatini
- Alison Woolf | LEED AP Associate Principal, Design Director | Huntsman Architectural Group
- Cecelia Baumann | Senior Interior Design Student | Savannah College of Art and Design, the University of Creative Careers
For more information about the 2021 Starnet Design Awards and to view all the entrants and winners visit the Starnet Design Awards Website.
About UMC Health System
UMC Health System is a national award-winning health system comprised of over 4,600 team members and more than 30 care locations. We are proud to partner with two outstanding healthcare organizations: UMC Physicians and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center to provide the West Texas and Eastern New Mexico regions with the best in care. At UMC, Our Passion is You. Whether you are managing a chronic condition, dealing with an unexpected illness, or simply working to stay healthy. Our goal is to be your healthcare partner. Wherever you are in your life’s journey, UMC is there with you every step of the way. We are passionate about getting you well and helping you stay that way.
UMC Provides Free Car Seats to Those in Need
More than 700 children a year in Texas are injured due to motor vehicle crashes. And three out of four car seats are installed wrong. Having a car seat, and making sure it is installed properly, can help lessen the chances of injury and death in an accident. That’s why UMC wants to partner with caretakers to protect the children of our region by providing a free car seat to those in need!
UMC Trauma & Burn Services has offered a Car Seat Safety Program, through the Safe Riders Traffic Safety Program, for a little over three years now. However, this program had to be put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are very excited that the program can now be safely resumed!
Through this car seat safety program, any parent, caregiver or expecting parent in the last trimester of pregnancy who is in need of a car seat can attend a one-hour car seat safety class and receive a FREE car seat.
Car Seat Class dates for 2021 are:
- June 25
- July 23
- August 27
- September 24
- October 22
To register for a class, please call 806.761.0660.
“We are so excited to finally be able to support the community in this way again,” said Melissa Sickles, UMC Trauma & Burn Services Program Coordinator. “There are so many preventable injuries to kids, especially young ones. A car accident at any speed can cause serious long-term consequences to an unrestrained child, that could result in serious harm or death. A properly installed and fitted car seat can be a lifesaving means of protection, but car seats can be costly. We have an opportunity here to provide this resource to the community, so we want to be sure the need is met!”
Through the program, UMC Trauma & Burn Services also performs car seat check-ups for caregivers who already have car seats installed in their vehicles. This is a free service in which our certified car seat technicians can help make sure car seats are installed safely and correctly.
For more information about UMC’s Car Seat Safety Program, visit: bit.ly/umc-car-seat
About UMC Health System
UMC Health System is a national award-winning health system comprised of over 4,600 team members and more than 30 care locations. We are proud to partner with two outstanding healthcare organizations: UMC Physicians and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center to provide the West Texas and Eastern New Mexico regions with the best in care. At UMC, Our Passion is You. Whether you are managing a chronic condition, dealing with an unexpected illness, or simply working to stay healthy. Our goal is to be your healthcare partner. Wherever you are in your life’s journey, UMC is there with you every step of the way. We are passionate about getting you well and helping you stay that way.
UMC Becomes the First Hospital in the Region to Offer Next-Generation Heart Device
Monday, May 24, 2021, UMC became the first hospital in the region to offer the next-generation WATCHMAN FLX™ device to patients with atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm).
Texas Tech Physicians Deephak Swaminath, MD, Ankush Lahoti, MD, Mohammad Ansari, MD, and Pooja Sethi, MD, successfully implanted the WATCHMAN FLX™ Left Atrial Appendage Closure device on patients with atrial fibrillation and bleeding issues– a major feat for the health system and its partner, the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.
This procedure aligns with UMC’s commitment to keeping the community safe while ensuring high-quality, technologically advanced care: it will allow us to provide comprehensive atrial fibrillation care at UMC Heart Center, along with complex ablation procedures.
Pictured from left to right: UMC’s WATCHMAN rep, Mohammad Ansari, MD, Pooja Sethi, MD, Chris Teague, RN, Ankush Lahoti, MD, Deephak Swaminath, MD, Lee Hernandez, RTR, and Kristen Bonner, RN
The hospital was the first in the region to offer the original WATCHMAN™ device in October 2020. The next-generation device has a new design to help treat more patients safely and effectively to ensure the best long-term outcomes. It offers select patients with atrial fibrillation an alternative to blood thinners to prevent a potentially life-threatening stroke.
The WATCHMAN FLX™ is implanted in the heart in a one-time procedure through a catheter, similar to a standard stent procedure. It is placed in the left atrial appendage of the heart, blocking off the part in which 91 percent of all strokes related to atrial fibrillation originate.
The WATCHMAN FLX™ device closes off the left atrial appendage (LAA) of the heart to keep harmful blood clots that can form in the LAA from entering the bloodstream and potentially causing a stroke. By closing off the LAA, the risk of stroke may be reduced and, over time, patients may be able to stop taking their blood thinner.
Heart patients should contact their cardiologist or Primary Care Provider to see if they are a candidate for the WATCHMAN FLX ™.
To learn more about the UMC Heart Center’s comprehensive cardiac care, visit: umchealthsystem.com/medical-services/cardiac-care
About UMC Health System
UMC Health System is comprised of over 4,600 team members who have made our organization “One of the Best Companies to Work for in Texas®” by Texas Monthly. Together with medical staff, volunteers, and leadership, we share a strong commitment to our patients—Our Passion is You! Why choose UMC? Because we are teaching the leaders of tomorrow while offering a culture of service today.
UMC to Thank Brown Elementary Teachers and Staff & Present a Check to the School
UMC knows teachers go above and beyond every day to enrich the lives of children in our community—even more so this last year with having to find new ways to connect with and continue to teach students in the midst of a pandemic. UMC will say thank you to the staff of Brown Elementary School on Wednesday evening with a mask-uerade themed Teacher Appreciation Dinner.
In light of all of the mask wearing we continue to do to help stop the spread of COVID, attendees were asked to design and wear a unique face mask for a chance to win a contest!
UMC sponsors Brown Elementary through the Lubbock Independent School District’s Partners in Education program. UMC has held numerous clothing, food and school supply drives for the school since UMC joined the program in 2010. This is the eleventh year UMC has hosted the appreciation dinner. To express our gratitude towards the school, UMC will also be giving Brown Elementary a $2,000 check.
“Education partnerships ensure that all youth complete their education prepared to be responsible citizens who significantly contribute to the economic, civic, and social environment in which they live and work,” said Kristi Duske, UMC Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, who leads UMC’s sponsorship efforts of Brown.
“This night is not about UMC; it’s about these teachers,” said Kristi. “It’s a chance for us to say ‘thank you’ for the jobs they do and the impact they have on our community.”
UMC would like to thank the many local businesses, who provided door prizes for this year’s dinner, as well as employee donors who made it possible to present Brown Elementary with a $2,000 check!
Who: UMC Health System and Brown Elementary staff
What: Brown Elementary Teacher Appreciation Dinner
When: 6 PM Wednesday, May 26th
Where: UMC McInturff Conference Center
About UMC Health System
UMC Health System is comprised of over 4,600 team members who have made our organization “One of the Best Companies to Work for in Texas®” by Texas Monthly. Together with medical staff, volunteers, and leadership, we share a strong commitment to our patients—Our Passion is You! Why choose UMC? Because we are teaching the leaders of tomorrow while offering a culture of service today.
UMC set to open an Outpatient Therapy & Rehab Center
Today, UMC Health System finalized the purchase of Zach’s Club gym, located at 7105 Kewanee.
UMC Team Rehab partnered with this Zach’s Club location in December 2012—almost 9 years ago—to provide outpatient physical therapy services to the surrounding community. Earlier this year, when Zach’s Club approached the health system with an option to purchase the facility, UMC saw the opportunity to expand services and access to the people of Lubbock county.
“UMC Health System is excited to expand our outpatient services through this comprehensive therapy center, which will provide patients with integrated care based on their individual needs,” said John Lowe, PT, MBA, FACHE, Vice President of Support Services at UMC. “The center will allow UMC Team Rehab to continue to provide quality rehabilitation services for Lubbock and the South Plains.”
The center will continue to provide outpatient physical therapy but will now also provide occupational and speech therapy services for adults and now children, as well! Additionally, the UMC Activities Center, a center that provides fitness classes and activities that support your quest for a healthy lifestyle, will be re-locating to this facility in October 2021.
The current Team Rehab clinic at this location will remain open and fully functioning as we prepare for additional services to be added.
About UMC Team Rehab:
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at UMC Health System is a multi-disciplinary team of athletic trainers, exercise specialists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech and language pathologists, and physical therapy assistants providing in-patient and out-patient services throughout the Lubbock area. We give every person our best, so they can live life to the fullest. We strive for excellence in: clinical skills, leadership, mentorship, fiscal responsibility and functional improvement.
About UMC Health System
UMC Health System is comprised of over 4,600 team members who have made our organization “One of the Best Companies to Work for in Texas®” by Texas Monthly. Together with medical staff, volunteers, and leadership, we share a strong commitment to our patients—Our Passion is You! Why choose UMC? Because we are teaching the leaders of tomorrow while offering a culture of service today.
UMC Recognized for Converting Mom/Baby Rooms to Medical-Surgical Rooms During COVID-19 Pandemic
The following was recently written by Baby-Friendly USA highlighting the work the UMC Family Birth Center did during a COVID-19 surge in 2020. UMC has permission to pass on for use.
Beginning this past August, UMC Health System in Lubbock, Texas, began experiencing a surge in COVID patients and decided to divert non-COVID patients to other floors in order to open up capacity. The Postpartum unit was among the units selected.
“At first, we had one ICU unit and one Med-Surg unit designated for our COVID patients,” said Malory Foster BSN, RN, CLC, Perinatal Quality Specialist at UMC. “When the COVID units got overwhelmed, they started spilling over into other units and we had to convert some of the postpartum rooms to med-surg.”
“Our nurses had to take care of things they weren’t used to at that point. For example…men,” she says with a laugh. “We all had to adjust a little bit.”
The team also had to convert some regular rooms in the Mom/Baby units to negative pressure rooms to care for mothers who tested positive for COVID. And the hospital added a medical tent to accommodate the increased demand for beds. Through it all, they were able to stay on track with Baby-Friendly practices.
“It was disruptive for sure,” says Malory, “but not to where processes changed.”
The biggest challenge, according to Malory, was the fact that information changed from day to day.
“It felt like every day, possibly every shift, information was changing,” she remembers. “What are the current facts and how do we use that information to effect change?”
In addition, it was also challenging to keep staff focused on daily tasks against a backdrop of larger, global issues.
“Everyone was consumed with COVID and the worry of transmission from provider to patient or patient to provider. I think the drive to do all the little things like charting felt secondary with everything else at the time,” says Malory. “So, it was a mindset issue we needed to overcome.”
But overcome they did.
“I have to give it to our staff,” says Malory. “They were willing to do what needed to be done. Looking back on it, I feel like it has gone fairly well for a pandemic.”
About UMC Health System
UMC Health System is comprised of over 4,600 team members who have made our organization “One of the Best Companies to Work for in Texas®” by Texas Monthly. Together with medical staff, volunteers, and leadership, we share a strong commitment to our patients—Our Passion is You! Why choose UMC? Because we are teaching the leaders of tomorrow while offering a culture of service today.
UMC Opens Brand New Children’s Emergency Center
UMC is opening our brand-new Children’s Emergency Center. The new campus is an emergency room just for kids, with access to more resuscitation and trauma rooms than any other hospital in West Texas.
Local Schools Raise Money to Provide Life-Changing Care at UMC Children’s Hospital
For two weeks out of this spring semester, students from 28 schools in and around the Lubbock area participated in the ‘Miracle Pennies Campaign’ benefitting UMC Children’s Hospital through Children’s Miracle Network. Students were asked to bring their spare change to participate in dress-up days, student vs. teacher basketball and dodgeball games, kiss the pig contests and more.
UMC Express Care Clinic Provides Drive-Thru Flu Vaccines
The UMC Express Care Clinic at South Plains Mall will provide a safe and easy way for the public to get their flu shot for the upcoming flu season.
As flu season approaches, UMC encourages the public to get the flu vaccine. Due to the pandemic, UMC knows this can be challenging, therefore a drive-thru vaccine station will be set up to keep people safe and distanced.
Who: UMC Express Care Clinic at South Plains Mall
What: Drive-thru flu vaccines
When: October 10th , 9AM to 2PM
Where: South Plains Mall parking lot near Olive Garden
UMC drive-thru Flu Vaccine Quick Facts:
• Appointments are required
• To schedule an appointment, call UMC Physicians Corporate Office at 806.761.0356
• Flu shots will be free for most insurances
UMC Health System has developed a strong and enduring culture, adhering to the motto Service is Our Passion, our ‘why.’ This sustains UMC as the employer of choice— consistently ranking among the best places to work in Texas by the Best Companies Group – and the provider of choice – ranking among the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation for patient experience by HealthGrades.
UMC Birth Center Earns State’s Highest Rating
The UMC Family Birth Center and Family Care Unit has been designated a Level IV maternal care facility, the highest level of care available. The Maternal Designation followed a site visit conducted by the Texas EMS Trauma and Acute Care Foundation (TETAF) with final designation presented through the Texas Department of State Health Services.
All aspects of labor and delivery at UMC – Family Birth Center, Family Care Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit – now have the highest rating available.
“This designation certifies that UMC offers the highest level of care for the most complex obstetric patients,” Dr. Edward Yeomans, a Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist and Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. “Achievement of Level IV Maternal Designation speaks to the expertise of our clinical staff and the processes we have in place to assure quality care and excellent patient outcomes for both the mother and the baby.”
A Level IV maternal care facility provides and demonstrates comprehensive care for pregnant and postpartum patients ranging from low-risk conditions up to and including the most complex medical, surgical and obstetrical conditions that present a high-risk of maternal morbidity or mortality.
In 2013, the Texas Legislature created levels of care designation for neonatal and maternal care in Texas hospitals. The maternal levels of care designation rule became effective on March 1, 2018 and the designation for maternal level of care is an eligibility requirement for Medicaid reimbursement beginning September 1, 2021. The intent of the legislation is to assure both neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and maternal care birthing facilities have the resources and expertise to provide high-quality, specialized patient care that leads to the best outcomes for both mothers and babies.
To receive designation levels according to services, the hospital must demonstrate compliance to the state rules. Patient care standards must follow national evidenced-based standards. Verification surveys, such as performed by TETAF, evaluate that hospitals meet certain standards for caring for babies and mothers based upon designation level. The level of care designated by the Texas Department of State Health Services ranges from Level 1 (Basic Care) to Level IV (Comprehensive High Risk) care. Once hospital designation is achieved, the designation is current for a period of three years.
UMC joins nine other organizations in Texas to achieve Level IV Maternal Designation. The other Level IV organizations are in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, El Paso, and Houston.
UMC Health System has developed a strong and enduring culture, adhering to the motto Service is Our Passion, our ‘why.’ This sustains UMC as the employer of choice—consistently ranking among the best places to work in Texas by the Best Companies Group – and the provider of choice – ranking among the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation for patient experience by HealthGrades.