Award-Winning Care for Taos County

The success of an organization is measured from different perspectives. There is, of course, the empirical assessment, wherein collected data is analyzed against predetermined standards. Then, there is the subjective impression, which is not grounded in data but in personal experiences.

The residents of north-central New Mexico can be proud of the fact that Holy Cross Medical Center has once again garnered acclaim on both fronts, notably during a year in which a pandemic challenged medical facilities across the country and the world.

Holy Cross received a four-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The rating is indicative of overall hospital quality and is a combination of data compiled from both Medicare and general population patients. The designation means that Holy Cross remains one of the highest rated hospitals in the state.

The Holy Cross accreditations by Det Norske Veritas and International Organization for Standardization – the gold standards in measuring patient safety – were also recertified in recognition of the hospital’s adherence to and excellence in those criteria.

For those who have sought treatment at Holy Cross, its stellar ratings don’t eclipse the caring, nurturing attention patients receive. “Our patients often tell us they’d choose us over a larger hospital because they receive patient-centered care that makes them feel like a friend or a family member,” said Bill Patten, chief executive officer at Holy Cross for the last five years.

Over its eight decades of service to the public, HCMC has grown to include over 400 permanent staff members and 80 physicians whose specialities include internal medicine, wound care, dermatology, OB-GYN, orthopedics, general surgery, urology. anesthesia, pediatrics, pathology, hospitalist clinical care and a fully staffed emergency department.

“Clearly, our greatest success in 2020 has been our management of the coronavirus pandemic and the overall health of the community,” said Patten. “Last year we performed an airborne contaminant drill which gave us an unexpectedly timely head’s-up and paved the way for the public-private entities and partnerships we relied upon to get through the initial stages of the pandemic.” Both he and Gayle Martinez, marketing and communication manager for HCMC, noted the myriad other components contributing to the medical center’s continued favorable outcomes including:

• Best-practice intergovernmental cooperation with Rick Bellis, town manager, and Brent Jaramillo, county manager, to construct and maintain an annex building and outdoor tents supporting safety of HCMC facilities and community access for testing;

• Receipt of a $10K grant from Kit Carson Electric Cooperative for purchase of personal protective equipment; pending application for expansion of appropriate bandwidth service supporting off-site medical services;

• Coordination with Centinel Bank in obtaining PPP monies totaling $4.8 million in nonreimbursable funds, and $7 million in advanced Medicare funding;

• Participation in the Enchanted Circle Community Organizations Active in Disaster, a network of private, public and nonprofit agencies to ensure regional coordination in a disaster response;

• Upgrade and augmentation of primary oxygen supply system to ensure year-round, plentiful supply;

• Introduction of two innovative respiratory therapies – vapotherm and high-flow oxygen – reducing the need for ventilators in appropriate candidates and advancing quality of care beyond COVID; introduction of bluetooth-enabled stethoscopes for patient and provider safety; and

• Negotiation with labor union to make hourly “essential worker” stipend a permanent raise for its employees.

What does the future hold for HCMC? Patten said one of the most exciting innovations will be the continued development of the Rural OB Access and Maternal Services program, funded by a nationally coveted grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration.

“One of the biggest challenges in rural areas is providing quality obstetric care,” Patten noted. In order to address the lack of available service in outlying areas, Patten said, “We have partnered with Taos First Steps home visiting program, the Questa Health Clinic, Miners Colfax Medical Center and Union County

General Hospital to provide a home monitoring program for expectant mothers.”

The $3 million, four-year grant funds kits for patient use, including pulse oxymeter devices and blood pressure cuffs, and iPads on which to report their statistics. Those who remain in the program “get to keep the iPad as an incentive to join the program,” he said. “Programs such as ROAMS and our permanent expansion of telemedicine services for all patients go a long way to expanding the reach of our essential services across the region,” Patten explained. “Our ongoing success in hiring exceptional physicians such as Drs. John Foster (medical director of hospitalists) and Heather Marshall (medical director of ED) is also a huge benefit for the community.”

And, he added, “our board of directors – who, at the height of the crisis, took a step back and allowed the medical professionals to do their jobs – should also be recognized for their leadership in building a successful structure that’s both effective and sustainable.” The officers are: Chris Stagg (president); Trinidad De Jesus Arguello (vice president); Lucille Gallegos-Jaramillo (secretary); and Menice Santistevan (treasurer). With the upcoming flu season looming, along with the influx of outdoor sport enthusiasts,Patten remarked, “we know we are well-positioned for moving into the future, thanks to strategic planning, community participation, our staff and our leadership.”