The first year of a partnership between Warren General Hospital and LECOM Health has brought $9.5 million in improvements and capital, according to WGH CEO Rick Allen.

That money has bought a new nurse call system, a cardiac monitoring system, and other critical accessories needed in a hospital, he said at Warren General Hospital’s annual public meeting on Monday.

Allen said the hospital is also on its way to buying a new cancer linear accelerator — a machine needed for radiation in cancer treatments. The hospital hopes to have the machine up and operational by 2021.

“It’s the latest and greatest bells and whistles to approaching the care of cancer,” said Allen.

The partnership has also brought a traditional residency program to WGH.

There are currently between seven and eight third- and fourth-year LECOM medical students rotating within the hospital. There are also LECOM pharmacy students rotating.

“These bright young men and women in white coats, we have been delighted with these students being here and what they offer,” said Allen. “It’s kind of like all boats rise. You’ve got these young minds here challenging us every day, which is going to raise our level.”

WGH has recently announced a traditional cardiology rotation through the partnership. Dr. Matthew Becker will be visiting the hospital a couple of times per month to offer the rotation option. The cardiology rotation was a specific request asked of the partnership by the hospital’s board.

“This is so the care can be done here in Warren and patients don’t have to travel to places such as Erie,” said Allen.

The hospital is further looking in to bringing more specialties into the rotation to broaden options for care on a local level.

WGH will be welcoming 11 graduate RNs for a “very intense orientation and onboarding experience to get them prepared to care for patients within the hospital.”

Allen announced the hospital’s Press Ganey scores, a software to gain insight on patient experience. The program is used by 3,000 of the 6,000 hospitals in the United States according to Allen.

WGH’s RehabWorks received a 90th-percentile rating.

“That means, our patients’ experience (in RhabWorks) is rated in the top 1% of hospitals across the nation,” said Allen. “I’ll call that world-class, certainly national-level top performance.”

The Cancer Center is consistently ranked in the 90th or top 80th percentiles. The Home Health Care is consistently in the top 80th percentile. The IMSAC Unit is ranked in the 84th percentile.

The ER seems to have made the largest move in ranks since 2014.

“Press Ganey said our ER was in the 7th percentile in 2014,” said Allen. “Last month… (our ER) achieved the 87th-percentile and the 84th-percentile the month before that. That’s working hard and achieving our vision.”

WGH has also implemented a new computer based RQI training. The program offers updates and certifications in CPR and other advanced life saving methods.

New services this year for the hospital include the walk-in clinic in North Warren, the wound care…. and corporate care.

“When I arrived we only had seven or eight contracts with local businesses (for corporate care),” said Allen. “We are now up to 83 and growing.”

The program provides those employees of contracted businesses with preventative care and other wellness services.

Allen announced the accomplishment of a two-year long process to achieve the designation of the 340B Pharmacy Program. This is a technical program that allows for the purchase of pharmaceuticals at a discounted rate. It took the hospital two year to apply to the federal government for the designation.

The hospital welcomes Nickole Egger as the new Director of Human Resources. However, they will now be looking for a replacement for Egger’s previous position, Regulatory and Compliance Manager.

New Physicians to WGH include: Dr. French, Pediatrician; Dr. Burns, ObGYN; Dr. Onojobi, Oncology; Dr. Vuocolo, General Surgeon; Dr. Faulk, ER Hospitalist; Dr. Meloro, Hospitalist; and Dr. Sacher, Hospitalist.

New Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) include: Angela Damore, Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner; Nathan Zigler, Physicians Assistant; Andrew Braun, Physicians Assistant; and Judith Dvorsky, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists.

According to Allen, within the past five years, the hospital has recruited between 15 and 18 physicians.

Allen was most pleased to announce that the hospital was in the green for their operating margin for the first time in the past 15 years.

The hospital still has some capital needs and cash requirements, such as pension funding.

“We’re not out of the woods yet, but we’re moving in the right direction,” said Allen. “It’s not about making money, but providing enough money so we can give appropriate care to our community residents and beyond.”