Adventist Health Glendale | Healthline Quarterly | Early Spring 2018

Award-winning care! Consecutive high grades Adventist Health Glendale is getting straight A’s—for the sixth time in a row! The Leap- frog Group, a national non-profit health care ratings organization, recently released new Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades. The organization assigns letter grades of A, B, C, D and F to hospitals nationwide based on their performance in preventing medical errors, infec- tions and other harms. Adventist Health Glendale was one of 832 awarded an “A” for its commitment to keeping patients safe and meeting the highest safety standards in the U.S. “We are proud to have earned our sixth consecutive A grade from Leapfrog,” says Despina Kayichian, MD, vice president of Medical Affairs and Quality at Adventist Health Glendale. “It is evident that our physicians, nurses and associates are committed to providing excellent care, while maintaining good communication and transparency in all processes. We want community members to feel confident that we put patient safety first so they can have peace of mind when being treated at our hospital.” Winning with compassionate care Adventist Health Glendale’s Therapy & Wellness Center was once again voted Best by the Los Angeles Daily News Readers’ Choice Awards—for the fifth consecutive year! The center provides key outpatient therapy, physical rehabilitation services, sports medicine programs and a variety of wellness classes focused on fitness and disease prevention. “The reason we have won year after year is mainly due to our associates’ specialized skills and attention to detail for patient care,” says Kirk Bentzen, manager of rehabilita- tion services at the Therapy & Wellness Center. “We make sure to focus on different pa- tient issues. If someone has problems running or has pain in their shoulder or back, they can come by to meet with our experts. We’ve got patients covered literally from head to toe!” says Bentzen proudly. Thank you to everyone at the Therapy & Wellness Center for their hard work and commitment to our patients, and thank you to our community who voted our center the best. Glendale’s Best 2017 Our mission is to “Live God’s love by inspiring health, wholeness and hope.” The Ad- ventist Health Glendale team of physicians, nurses and associates is always prepared to make sure each patient is given the best treatment plan with the best possible outcomes. We are proud to be voted Best Hospital once again by Glendale News-Press voters for the fourth year in a row! This is a true testament of how the community feels about our hospital. The Readers’ Choice survey invites readers in the City of Glendale to vote for various organizations and services in the community. the pond,” Halprin recalls, “but I didn’t think I was ever bitten by mosquitoes.” And so began what Halprin recalls as his “three- month odyssey…definitely an entry into the Misery Hall of Fame,” as he underwent treatment in three L.A.-area hospitals and a nursing facility. Aiding and abetting recovery In January 2016, a friend recommended that he contact the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department at Adventist Health Glendale for outpatient care. With the guidance of the department’s highly skilled occupational and physical therapists, Halprin is now walking about 11,000 steps a day, hiking in Griffith Park and driving his own car (modified with an alternate gas pedal on the left, using his stronger leg). He’s even in-line skating! Although still using a cane for balance, he is looking forward with enthusiasm to a full recovery. A lineup of neuro expertise “Adventist Health Glendale has a unique outpatient service that most hospitals and clinics don’t provide— an outpatient neurological rehabilitation program,” says Marion Watson, Administrative Director. “We provide outpatient occupational, physical and speech therapy services specifically for people with neurological disor- ders and deficits.” Watson explains that the hospital’s neurological rehab program is provided by therapists “who specialize in evaluating and treating people recovering from strokes, traumatic brain injuries, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries and many other types of To find a physician at our award-winning hospital, visit AdventistHealthGlendale.org and search under “Find a Doctor.” neuro conditions.” She adds, “All therapists working in the outpatient neuro program have advanced, special- ized education and training specifically geared to treat- ing neurological disorders.” Also available are two unique programs: driver reha- bilitation and low-vision rehabilitation. Driver rehabili- tation provides interventions and training to help get people safely back on the road. Tracking the steps to healing Meanwhile, Halprin, a film and TV screenwriter with major studio credits, continues to make steady progress. “Nerve damage heals slowly, but I’m seeing results every day, measured in steps…. I still have a waddle when I walk,” he says with a grin. “I’m working to normalize my gait. This has certainly been a valuable lesson in patience.” Grateful patient recovers —Continued from front page 2 EXCELLENCE