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w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m O c t o b e r 2 0 14 • I NSIGH T | 31 someone else saying that as soon as the call comes in, the radiology tech or someone else will immediately make sure the machine is turned on so it's ready to go. It's little stuff that really adds up." And if HFM didn't have a cath lab available, the residents of Manitowoc County would have to travel to Green Bay for that service, which means it would take longer for them to receive the treatment. "at's a perfect example of a service we offer that's critical to the community," Herzog says. Along with innovation, the word "community" comes up frequently in discussions with HFM leaders. Whether it's the hospital's religious roots or being one of the area's largest employers, Herzog said HFM plays an integral role in the community. "We provide high-quality, good-paying jobs," Herzog says. "But it goes beyond that. Our employees are involved in different activities and organizations." Stockhausen says it all boils down to doing the right thing, whether in its business practices and treatment of employees or improving community health. e Robert Wood Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute documented a 52 percent improvement from 2009 to 2012 in Manitowoc County's overall clinical care, moving the county from 31st to 15th among the state's 72 counties. "Keeping patients healthy and out of the hospital is good for the community and patient. We — the employees — are really part of the fabric of the community. I see parents of patients in the grocery store around town," she says. "We're really part of Manitowoc and feel it's important to make decisions here that help create a healthier community." One of the challenges with improvement and innovation is keeping it going. at's where Jane Curran-Meuli, HFM's new chief operating officer, comes into play. She joined the hospital in June aer a long career with Affinity Health System in Appleton, including serving as chief operating officer for Affinity Medical Group. Trained as a nurse, she hopes to more closely unite the clinical and administrative sides of HFM while maintaining the organization's innovative energy. "I've been so inspired in my short time here how everyone — from the housekeeping staff in the hospital to the physicians — are focused on doing what's right for the patient and open to making changes," Curran-Meuli says. Mary Mauer, HFM's chief innovation officer, says part of HFM's innovation success is recognizing that sometimes ideas don't work. "e important thing is to keep it going and realize that for every one idea that doesn't pan out, there are three or four that will and that it's OK," she says. Patient safety and health remain at the heart of everything at HFM. For example, when the hospital looked to improve its Code STEMI process, it turned to all the employees who are part of the process. Code STEMI is the term used when a patient is having a heart attack. e American Heart Association set the goal of 75 minutes from the time a patient seeks medical help to having the balloon inserted in the artery. e longer a patient goes between the heart attack and angioplasty, the more the heart muscle is damaged. At HFM, that number is an average of 20 minutes. "at was huge. We had employees step up and say when the ambulance calls one in that they'll hold the elevator open so the second the ambulance arrives, they can go right in and there's no waiting," Driggs says. "And then it was HFM's innovation efforts have kept patients out of the hospital by routing them to physicians in clinics for routine care and helping patients with chronic diseases to better maintain their health to prevent acute conditions and hospitalization. C O U R T E S Y H O LY FA M I LY M E M O R I A L