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New CEO Discusses Major Transformations

Taking Place at Jupiter Medical Center

BY VANESSA ORR SFHN: There are at least six new buildings in
the planning stages at Jupiter.
In January 2018, Don McKenna joined Jupiter Medical
Center as its president and chief executive officer. He has How are these progressing?
more than 25 years of experience in the health care industry,
and most recently led St. Mary’s Health Care System based in McKenna: I am pleased to report that we have surpassed
Athens, Georgia, where he improved the system’s financial the planning stages and all construction projects are under-
performance, quality rankings and patient perception of way. This creates some disruption for patients, team mem-
care, and was named CEO of the Year by the Georgia bers and visitors, but we believe putting these new, world-
Alliance of Community Hospitals. He spoke with SFHN class services in place as quickly as possible makes more
about his new role at Jupiter Medical Center. sense than doing them one by one over a period of years.
Last year, we broke ground on the new 6,300 sq. ft.
Mastroianni Family Pediatric Emergency Department,
SFHN: What do you see as Jupiter Medical
which is set to open in April 2019. The Pediatric
Center’s biggest challenges? Emergency Department adjoining the hospital’s main ED
Biggest advantages? will offer our smallest patients top-quality pediatric care in
a child-friendly environment. The Pediatric ED will contin-
McKenna: We face many of the same challenges that most ue to be staffed by world-class physicians through our pedi-
hospitals face today. One of the biggest is balancing the atric partner Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
increasing costs of health care–for medication, supplies, We also began construction in late August on our new,
labor, etc.–against the level of reimbursements we receive five-story Patient Tower that will become the new main
from our biggest payors. Our challenge is to compensate for Don McKenna entrance to the hospital and include our Level 2 Neonatal
that differential and continue providing the high level of care Intensive Care Unit (NICU) as well as medical/surgical
and services that our patients expect. I’m happy to say that floors and a concierge floor. The tower is set to open at the
we are achieving that goal. end of 2019. We are also nearing the final stages of construction for our compre-
Our greatest advantage is being a not-for-profit independent medical center. hensive stroke center, open heart surgery suites and 18-bed James J. Felcyn and
We are not part of a system. We say it all the time; health care, like politics, is Louise Brien Felcyn Observation Unit, all of which will be opening between
local and decisions should be made on the local level. The executives who lead December 2018 and January 2019. Our new comprehensive stroke center will
this organization and the trustees who sit on our board and provide governance allow us to provide the most advanced stroke treatments, as well as treat other
live and work in this community. They turn to Jupiter Medical Center to main- complex neurological cases.
tain their own health and have experienced its care and compassion first-hand. Our Timothy and Jayne Donahue Cardiac Surgery program, which will include
We are aware of local health care needs and because we are independent and not- open heart surgery, responds to a longstanding need in our community to treat
for-profit, we are able to affect change in the manner we think is best for our com- complex cardiac cases and will enable us to provide a full range of the most
munity without answering to a faraway board or to shareholders. advanced cardiovascular procedures. And, finally, construction is underway for
the Anderson Family Cancer Institute which will include the most advanced
SFHN: The Community Health Needs Assessment identified technology and treatments for cancer. We expect it to be completed in early 2020.

three priority health needs: cancer, heart disease and SFHN: All of this growth requires funding. Is there a campaign
nutrition/exercise/diabetes. What are Jupiter’s plans
in the works, or plans to expand fundraising opportunities?
for expansion in these areas?
McKenna: In 2015, Jupiter Medical Center Foundation launched the $300
McKenna: We are making a tremendous investment in cancer care. We are million Vision. Innovation. Impact. campaign. Since the launch, the foundation
committed to utilizing advanced technology, such as the CyberKnife M6 for tar- has seen unprecedented philanthropy that would rival some major academic
geted radiosurgery, the da Vinci robotic surgical system, and electron beam intra- medical centers. It is because of the generous philanthropists who appreciate the
operative radiation therapy, also known as e-IORT. We are also building a new, value of having world-class medical care close to home that we are undergoing a
state-of-the-art cancer center. major transformation. We are creating a comprehensive system of personalized
We are expanding cardiac services for the treatment of heart disease. We will health care that combines cutting-edge academic medicine and research through
begin offering open heart surgery and electrophysiology early next year, and to a blend of partnerships, and a world-class patient experience, often lost in large
accommodate those new services, we are building two new operating rooms and systems, predicated on customer service, quality and safety.
a new cardiac catheterization lab. As part of our community outreach, we are
involved in heart health events and educational programs and we host the Jupiter SFHN: How are you enhancing the patient experience?
Heart Club, a popular cardiac support group.
We have a very robust diabetes and nutritional education program that pro- McKenna: Quality care and patient satisfaction have always been priorities for
vides training for adults and children throughout the community. We also partner Jupiter Medical Center. Our patient satisfaction scores are among the best in the
with several community groups to address health and quality of life issues, area and better than both the state and national averages. We consistently receive
including nutrition; diabetes awareness, prevention and management, and exer- the highest rankings in Palm Beach and Martin counties from the Center for
cise. We’re especially proud of our affiliation with Healthier Jupiter, a community Medicare and Medicaid Services, and that is not by accident. We have a Patient
initiative funded by the Palm Healthcare Foundation that empowers residents to and Family Advisory Council, which consists of key staff members, as well as for-
improve their own health. Earlier this year Healthier Jupiter and our Cary mer patients and auxiliary members, who help us improve our programs, policies
Grossman Wellness Center partnered with the Town of Jupiter Recreation and practice standards. We also recently established a new initiative that will be
Department to create a free, nine-week “Couch to 5K” training program that under the direction of Joanne Miller, our new vice president and chief nursing
helped participants gradually increase their physical activity to walk/run in the officer, which will focus on developing programs and services to further enhance
Annual Turtle Trot at Ocean Cay Park. the overall experience of patients and their families. It’s part of our cultural DNA
to put quality first in everything we do and ensure that we exceed our patients’
expectations.

Coming Next Month...

Case Manager Profiles •Case Management Challenges and Achievements •National Breast Cancer Awareness Month-
Go Pink with SFHN&HR• Advances in Oncology Treatment •South Florida Oncology Innovators •Eldercare Trends in South Florida

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10 September 2018 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News