Porter Health System Presents Details of Hospital Transfer to Portage Chamber Members

Porter Health System CEO Jonathan Nalli and hospital transfer specialist Colleen Tymensky, RN, MBA, spoke to Portage Chamber of Commerce members at their March 2012 Luncheon to bring forth vital information about the new Porter Regional Hospital and to give details about the transfer process from their campus in Valparaiso to their new facility.

“It’s all new,” explained Nalli. “It’s not just a new department or pavilion or tower or or center or area, everything is new.”

Nalli went on to explain a bit about the new hospital, citing the fact that over three-quarters of the equipment will be brand new in the facility. with just 22% of “origin” equipment being sent over in the hospital transfer.

The main idea of Porter Regional Hospital will focus on quality patient care, going beyond using the state-of-the-art equipment that will be used there. “The color tones, the color palettes, the artwork, the design, are all centered around ‘how do we deal with the patient?’”

The hospital will likely open for tours sometime in May as some equipment begins to be installed, with the hospital seeking official accreditation to operate in late June.

“Today is all about Colleen Tymensky,” Nalli continued, referring to his associate. “She’s the real success behind our transition that will take place in August, and that she has been working on since February 2010.”

Tymensky began by speaking to the Chamber members about the special care taken into the details and minutia of the transfer.

“Everything that we do and every plan that we make, they [the Executive Committee] reviews it, approves it, or modifies it,” Tymensky explained. “Nothing is done unilaterally. That’s in the best interest of the patient.”

After she finished, Tymensky and Nalli answered a couple of questions from the audience about route planning and visitations during the transfer. There are several routes planned in case of any emergency that arises during the transfer, and of the visitations during the transfer, Tymensky stated, “Traditionally families don’t accompany patients on EMS (Emergency Medical Service) transfers; however, we are aware if a parent or caregiver is with them, and that has been addressed with the EMS providers. So, absolutely.”

Nalli closed with some more key dates in regards to the hospital's grand opening, including a Community Celebration planned for July 22, 2012. Stay tuned for details.