Sierra Vista Regional Health Center’s Laboratory Receives Accreditation
Sierra Vista Regional Health Center’s Laboratory has been awarded another accreditation by the Accreditation Committee of the College of American Pathologists (CAP), based on the results of a recent on-site inspection. The College of American Pathologists is a medical society serving nearly 17,000 physician members and the laboratory community throughout the world. It is the world’s largest association composed exclusively of pathologists and is widely considered the leader in laboratory quality assurances. The CAP is an advocate for high-quality and cost-effective medical care. The CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program, begun in the early 1960's, is recognized by the federal government as being equal to or more stringent that the government’s inspection program.
The Laboratory’s medical director, Dr. Guery Flores, MD was advised and congratulated for the “excellence of the services being provided.” The SVRHC Laboratory is one of the more than 7,000 CAP-accredited laboratories worldwide. “The inspectors examined all of the laboratory’s records including quality control, staff qualifications, equipment, facilities, safety program and overall management,” explained Mark Grabowska, SVRHC Laboratory Director.
The SVRHC CAP inspection was conducted by a group from Utah. “The inspection was one 10 hour day with six inspectors.” Each inspector examined the Laboratory, Point of Care Testing, Respiratory Therapy and the hospital which totaled 60 hours total time ‘under a microscope’. They also interview members of the medical staff and administration to determine how the laboratory meets the needs of the organization. This stringent inspection program is designed to specifically ensure the highest standard of care for their patients”, adds Grabowska.
The laboratory at Sierra Vista Regional Health Center earned another two-year accreditation. “The inspection was a positive experience. There were few and minor deficiencies that have been corrected and the CAP accepted. The inspectors were impressed with the hospital, staff, and management of the department. I commend all of the SVRHC Laboratory Staff for the impressive results of this comprehensive inspection. Their hard work and dedication to the regulatory requirements is the reason for our successful inspection,” continues Grabowska.
The Laboratory Staff consists of caring and competent professionals who deliver fast, accurate lab results. SVRHC recently opened a brand new Moorman Avenue Outpatient Services Lab to better serve the public. Now located at 185 Moorman Avenue, open Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm, the professional laboratory staff provides accurate reliable testing, rapid turn around times for test results, and drug screenings. The Moorman Avenue Outpatient Services Laboratory is located conveniently in town with plenty of parking and a minimal wait. If you had routinely received your lab services at the main hospital campus or Lenio Diagnostic Center (now closed), we encourage all patients to start using the Moorman Outpatient Services Lab. No appointment necessary. For information you can call 417-3280.
Congratulations to the Laboratory Staff at Sierra Vista Regional Health Center for receiving this prestigious award in conjunction with the care they give to their patients.
Hospital Graduates First Group of Internal Medicine Residents
The accredited Residency program at Sierra Vista Regional Health Center began in 2007 through the driving forces of William G. Elliott, D.O. and Dr. David Knapp, M.D. Dr. Elliott and Dr. Knapp are two local physicians who took the vision of SVRHC as a teaching hospital, and brought it to fruition. The program was established to give residents the training needed to manage a wide range of clinical, social, and administrative factors that affect health care in rural and urban settings.
On June 13th graduates marked the end of three years of hard work, reminisced about finding their identities, and celebrated their new beginnings in the presence of family and friends. As part of the ceremony, Dr. Elliott, Residency Program Director presented five different prestigious awards to residents, fellows, and faculty members during the hospital’s first Internal Medicine Residency graduation ceremony. The Residents graduating were Leslie Easley, D.O. Chief Resident, Laura Alexander, D.O. and Ziv A. Haims, D.O.
Kope Receives National Appointment
Board of Trustee Chairperson of Sierra Vista Regional Health Center, Lanny Kope, EdD, recently received notice that he was appointed as a board member to the National Board of Advisors at the Center for Healthcare Governance.
The Center for Healthcare Governance is backed by the American Hospital Association as it provides state-of-the-art education, research, publications, services, tools, and other governance related resources to ensure continuity, consistency, and excellence for facilities nationwide in their governance programs.
Established in 2005, the Center for Healthcare Governance is a dynamic community of executives, board members, and physicians who are dedicated to advancing excellence in health care governance. The Center provides its members a plethora of available resources, services, and networking opportunities with other Center members which are integral to developing the leadership qualities essential for achieving organizational success in the healthcare industry today.
“I’m extremely flattered to have been selected for such an honor. Working with the caliber of individuals on the advisory board will be a distinct pleasure and hopefully will make a contribution to hospital governance,” says Lanny Kope. SVRHC President and CEO Margaret Hepburn says, “The appointment of board member to the National Board of Advisors that Dr Lanny Kope has received is very prestigious and I am very proud of him. We are indeed fortunate to have Dr Kope chair our Board of Trustees and share his wealth of Governance knowledge.”
Dr. Kope has served as chair and member of the Committee on Governance and the Leadership Development Committee of the American Hospital Association. He was also a member of the Joint Commission Leadership Accountability Task Force as well as a member of the AHA Congress of Trustees. He was founding chairman and speaker at the Western Regional Trustee Symposium and Regional Trustee Chair and Delegate to AHA Region Policy Board 8. He has served as Chair of PMH Health Resources and Phoenix Memorial Hospital in Phoenix, Chair of Arizona Hospital Federation, Chair of Payson Regional Medical Center Foundation and Board member. Dr. Kope has been a member of the SVRHC Board of Trustees since 2005 and was appointed as chairperson in 2008.
Dr. Kope holds a Doctorate of Education from the Arizona State University. Dr. Kope has an extensive background in education administration and was Deputy Director of Navajo-Hope Indian Relocation Commission. Dr. Kope is also a retired Colonel US Marine Corps Reserves and was the Chair of the Arizona Lottery Commission.
Dr. Flores Named Physician of the Year
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Dr. Guery Flores, MD, has recently been named as “Physician of the Year” by Sierra Vista Regional Health Center (SVRHC). During the hospital’s Service Recognition Banquet, Dr. Flores, the hospital’s Lab and Pathology Medical Director was presented with a special plaque by Dr. Maddur, SVRHC Chief of Staff recognizing Dr. Flores’ dedication to quality heath care over the past decades. “In choosing a member of our medical staff as a physician of the year, our criteria included how this physician demonstrates his commitment to the hospital especially how that commitment was evidenced in the practice of the hospital’s values,” explains Dr. Maddur.
Dr. Guery Flores was also honored at the annual awards banquet for thirty years of continuous service with SVRHC. Dr. Flores served as the Chief of Pathology and Radiology and now is the Laboratory and Pathology Medical Director. “I am honored to receive this award to represent Pathology,” said Flores. "We’re the ones usually behind the scenes working with patient samples, not patients.”
Originally from Concepcion, Bolivia, Dr. Flores attended medical school at the University Nac De Rosario, Faculty De Medicine in Argentina. He completed his Residency at Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Then he finished his Fellowship with the Utah State Medical Examiners Office in Salt Lake City, Utah. Dr. Flores is Board Certified in Anatomic / Clinical Pathology and is an esteemed Board Certified Forensic Pathologist.
Dr. Flores also worked at a private laboratory in Phoenix where they processed specimens sent from Sierra Vista. With a need for a Pathologist in Sierra Vista and a desire to open a private lab, Dr. Flores and his family moved to the high desert of Sierra Vista in 1979. They immediately loved the friendly nature of our community and warm hospitality. That same year, Dr. Flores started his own business, United Pathology.
The need for a medical examiner in Cochise County was soon evident. With supportive fellow medical staff members covering for him, Dr. Flores went to Salt Lake City where he studied and became certified as a Medical Examiner. Shortly thereafter, he became the Cochise County Medical Examiner, a position he currently holds today. Additionally, Dr. Flores is a past president of the Arizona Pathology Association, a member of the board of Trustees of the Arizona Medical Association, and past president of the Cochise County Medical Society.
While our hospital has changed, so too has the medical laboratory profession – most of that thanks to advances in technology. Gone are the days of manual test determinations. Today we are blessed with computerized robotic instrumentation to perform these critical exams. The most revolutionary development in the lab field, however, was that of monoclonal antibody testing. These tests brought abilities only available in big city labs to the local level. For lab people, this is as significant as the fall of the Berlin Wall. It was a huge jump for the world allowing diagnosis of diseases.
Dr. Flores’s wife, Adela, is an attorney and together they have five children. When he’s not serving his profession and community, Dr. Flores enjoys gardening and horseback riding.
Proud of the hospital’s College of American Pathologists Laboratory certification, Dr. Flores also foresees a bright future as we continue to grow and serve our region. Congratulations on your “Physician of the Year Award” and on your 30 years of service.
William G. Elliott, D.O.
Receives Award for Work with Residency Program
Dr. William Elliott, Cardiologist, was presented a special award for his integral work with the hospital’s Residency Program now in its third year and ready to graduate its first group of residents. Margaret Hepburn praised Elliott for his role in bringing the residency program to Sierra Vista. In addition to the internal medicine program now in place, in May the hospital will be starting a family practice residency program.
The Sierra Vista Regional Health Center Residency Program aims to train the next generation of internists to practice innovative, evidence-based, multi-disciplinary medicine. This solid internal medicine training allows residents to explore varied career opportunities and prepares them to achieve extraordinary professional success. SVRHC’s training program teaches residents to provide state-of-the-art patient care in diverse settings.
The Sierra Vista Regional Health Center Residency Program aims to train the next generation of internists to practice innovative, evidence-based, multi-disciplinary medicine. This solid internal medicine training allows residents to explore varied career opportunities and prepares them to achieve extraordinary professional success. SVRHC’s training program teaches residents to provide state-of-the-art patient care in diverse settings.
Safety and Quality Assurance - Joint Commission Accreditation
Sierra Vista Regional Health Center is accredited through The Joint Commission. This agency serves to help ensure and monitor the quality and safety of patient care. We are committed to providing safe and quality care to all patients served. If you feel the services provided have in any way compromised patient safety or not met accepted quality of care standards, please contact the Quality Department at (520) 417-4542 so your concerns can be addressed. If you do not feel these concerns have been adequately addressed after contacting Sierra Vista Regional Health Center, please feel free to contact Joint Commission by either calling them at (630) 792-5000 or writing to Joint Commission at:
The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Blvd.
Oakbrook Terrance, IL 60181