Our Lady of Lourdes Medical CenterCamden, New Jersey

Our Lady of Lourdes

•Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, NY

•Member of Catholic Health East

•Mission to serve Camden area

•410 Bed hospital with separate wellness center

Summer Institute of Public HealthTwo projects …

• Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH)

• Hepatitis C Screening

Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH)“A patient-centered medical home integrates

patients as active participants in their own health and well-being. Patients are cared for by a physician who leads the medical team that coordinates all aspects of preventive, acute and chronic needs of patients using the best available evidence and appropriate technology. These relationships offer patients comfort, convenience, and optimal health throughout their lifetimes.”

From American Academy of Family Physicians website

Why PCMH?• U.S. economy is buckling under

the weight of healthcare costs

• Costs projected to increase as population ages

• Medicare payment system pays physicians for piece-work which encourages procedures and specialist consultations.

• Reformed payment system would reward primary care physicians who achieve quality of life markers for patients.

Dr. Rink’s Proposal:• Totally integrated software

• Freestanding medical plaza which will house primary care and specialty physicians, nutrition specialists, exercise facilities and wellness care

• All services not given at health plaza will be referred to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital

• Track patient outcomes and create individual patient health management plans

PCMH: Objectives and Experience•Worked closely with Dr. Lisa Rink

•Learned more about hospital administration

•Identified funding sources

•Evaluated software platforms for the project

•Created presentations for pitching PCMH

Hepatitis C Screening Project (Hep C)

Screen individuals

believed to be in a

population with

high rates of infection

Why Hep C Screening?

• Studies have shown that Egyptian and Pakistani populations have high rates of infection. Some have suggested as high as 18% (after natural clearing, 12%)

• No known studies have been done to see what the infection levels are of Egyptian and Pakistani American populations

• Hepatitis infects 4 times as many people as HIV, yet there are many HIV treatment clinics and only one treatment clinic in NJ for Hep C

Dr. ElGenaidi’s Screening Proposal:•Conduct screening events at mosques during

prayer and community activity times

•Educate population about the risks of Hep C and how to prevent transmission

•Track results with the goal of publishing data about this understudied American population

•Refer patients who test positive for treatment

Hep C: Objectives and Experience•Worked closely with Dr. Hisham ElGenaidi

•Researched grant proposal writing and methods

•Identified potential screening methods

•Made strategic plans for which mosques to target, when to conduct screenings and gathered logistical data about conducting screening events

Conclusion of Experience•Better understanding of how a hospital

and health system operate

•Discovered I want to become an executive in a hospital and eventually a health system

•Decided to pursue an MBA/MPH after completing my undergraduate work