Longmont United Hospital

A Planetree Healing Environment For permission to reprint any portion of this magazine, to let us know that you are receiving more than one copy, or if you would prefer not to receive the publication, please write to: CIRCULATION@TRUENORTHCUSTOM.COM OR CALL 800-624-7496. To submit a publication idea, email kirsten.pfotenhauer@luhcares.org or call 303-485-4298. Dear Friends, Summer is here and Longmont United Hospital is in the midst of many positive changes regarding the way we care for patients. Our recent merger with Centura Health enables LUH to continue providing the best quality care and meeting the healthcare needs of our patients and the communities we serve. Throughout this year, LUH is introducing a variety of new providers and increasing access to care throughout our service area. We are excited to oer increasingly convenient and accessible primary care as we further our mission of providing value to the community. Our commitment to growing a team of world-class providers will give way to the expansion of our current service areas, as well as the addition ofnew specialties. Most notably, with the help of Centura Health, LUH recently opened an Emergency and Urgent Care Center at Indian Peaks Medical Center in Frederick. This facility will provide around-the-clock access to emergency and urgent care services. This innovative approach to healthcare allows us to provide our patients with appropriate, accessible and timely care. Coming this November, LUH will also be updating our electronic medical records (EMR) to a more advanced, state-of-the-art system, Epic. This will allow us to better serve our patients through streamlined software technology and more comprehensive medical records. Ultimately, this means better communication between our patients' healthcare providers and Centura facilities, which will improve carequality. As we move into this new season of change, LUH will continue to work together with Centura Health to foster new innovations to enhance the quality of care our patients receive and ultimately improve the health of our patients and the communities we serve. Sincerely, Mitchell C. Carson President & CEO Longmont United Hospital Longmont United Hospital has joined an international mental health movement to train hospital staff and community members to provide mental health first aid. A A MESSAGE FROM OUR President and CEO MISSION Mindfu l IN 2001, AUSTRALIANS Betty Kitchener, a health education nurse, and Tony Jorm, a respected mental health literacy professor, launched Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)—a comprehensive program that aims to foster mental health literacy and aid the public in identifying, understanding and responding to mental health issues. The overall goal of the program is to have as many people trained in mental health first aid as there are trained in CPR and medical first aid. During the last 15 years, MHFA has grown substantially and is now adopted in 21 countries, including the United States. LEARNING AND LEADING One of a growing number of hospitals in the Centura Health System to adopt this program, LUH launched its first class in February 2016 to address the high prevalence of mental health problems and teen suicides in surrounding communities. "In the past five years, suicide has moved from the third leading cause of death in people ages 15 to 25 to the second leading cause," says John Kellow, Psychiatric Triage Clinician at LUH. "Suicide is becoming an epidemic among the youth in Colorado as well as across our country. One of the ways to combat this epidemic is to decrease the stigma surrounding mental health issues—which often deters people from seeking help—by educating people about mental health. We can change that experience." MHFA is an eight-hour course that covers how to spot the signs of mental health problems and provides attendees with specific skills needed to properly help someone struggling with mental health issues or experiencing a mental health crisis. "The course is designed for all people and organizations that comprise our community," says John, who is both a Youth and Adult certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor. "Join us in creating a culture in which mental health is openly talked about and addressed in healthy, proactive ways." › To sign up for or learn more about MHFA, contact John Kellow, Psychiatric Triage Clinician at LUH, at 303-651-5281 or via email at john.kellow@luhcares.org. John Kellow 2 / LONGMONT UNITED HOSPITAL SUMMER 2016

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