NE

TEAM

Annual Report 2013

Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center

You are at the center of our Team!
Message from the Director

Patrick L. Sullivan, FACHE

Dedicated Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health 

Care Center employees 

and volunteers once again 

made the year 2013 – our 

third year of existence as the 

nation’s first and only ederal 

health care center – one to 

remember. We continued 

to provide the best patientcentered care around as 

we improved the way we 

do business using the Lean 

management model, and 

we opened and expanded 

services for our patients.

We were honored to continue 

with our sacred mission of 

“Readying Warriors and Caring 

for Heroes,” which means we 

provide health care for all of 

the U.S. Navy’s new recruits 

as well as other Active Duty 

personnel, their families, and 

tens of thousands of Veterans 

from Northeast Illinois and 

Southeast Wisconsin.

Our accomplishments were 

many in 2013. We expanded 

our Telehealth services to 

make it more convenient for 

patients of our community 

based outpatient clinics 

(CBOCs) in Kenosha, Wis., and 

Evanston and McHenry, Ill. to 

receive medical care closer to 

home. We moved our Kenosha 

CBOC into a new and bigger 

building to better serve our 

many Wisconsin Veterans 

with more comprehensive 

care, such as audiology and 

Telehealth services.

We celebrated the 25th 

anniversary of our nationally 

recognized Domiciliary 

Care for Homeless Veterans 

Rehabilitation Program, 

which has touched the lives 

of thousands of Veterans in 

a lasting way. We opened a 

beautiful courtyard at our 

Community Living Center 

and a new Walk-In Center for 

Homeless Veterans, continued 

construction on new Green 

House® homes for Veterans, 

added another MRI, and 

kicked off oom-service-style 

dining for our inpatients.

These are just a few of the 

2013 successes, which would 

not have come our way 

without the hard work of our 

approximately 3,000 Sailors 

and civilian employees – 

many who are Veterans, too 

– and hundreds of dedicated 

volunteers. All of us here at 

Lovell FHCC strive every day 

to provide excellent care to 

every patient, every time. We 

sincerely thank our patients 

for choosing Lovell FHCC, 

and we look forward to more 

“first ” and “bests” in 2014.

Contents 11 PatientCentered Care 17 Lean 19 Talent 

Management

1
Message from the Commanding Officer and 

Deputy Director

Captain José A. Acosta, MC, USN 

Our third year as a federal health care center, the 

only one like it in the nation, 

literally flew y as we focused 

on providing excellent 

patient-centered care every 

day to every patient. 

Whether it is medically 

qualifying young people

new to the Navy, or providing 

expert medical care to 

Veterans in our Community 

Living Center, or serving 

all our beneficia ies in our 

inpatient units, and in our 

many specialty outpatient 

clinics, our Sailors and civilian 

staff and olunteers just keep 

doing what they do best - 

taking care of our nation’s 

warriors and heroes.

In this 2013 annual report, 

you will see the broad scope 

of services we provide and 

our impressive statistics. 

For example, Lovell FHCC 

filled mo e than 1 million 

prescriptions in 2013, and had 

more than 800,000 patient 

visits.

We were responsible for 

ensuring the medical 

readiness of more than 40,000 

new Navy recruits in 2013 at 

the Navy’s only basic training 

facility. To accomplish this 

feat, our staff t USS Red 

Rover administered nearly 

300,000 immunizations and 

made 17,000 pairs of glasses. 

Our branch clinic, USS 

Osborne, is one of the Navy’s 

largest dental facilities. The 

FHCC was the first o open a 

Caregiver Support Center in 

the Department of Veterans 

Affair . We opened two Green 

House® homes – grouphomes for Veterans with 

service-connected disabilities 

who need long-term 

residential medical care. We 

will be opening two more 

this next year.

Our new Education Center 

of Excellence is under 

construction and will be 

another accomplishment 

that will set us apart. Our 

providers, corpsmen and 

other clinicians will be able 

to hone their skills in the 

center’s state-of-the art 

simulation center.

And while numbers 

sometimes impress, it 

is the professional and 

passionate patient-centered 

care behind the numbers 

– provided by our loyal 

employees – that continues 

to propel us forward. 

I, too, thank you for 

choosing the Captain James 

A. Lovell Federal Health Care 

Center, and I look forward to 

serving you in 2014.

21 Innovation 23 By the numbers...

25 Leadership

2
Happy 3rd 

Birthday

Lovell FHCC!

“As we begin our fourth 

year of integration, it’s 

important to refle t

on the history of 

our facilities and 

the success of our 

integration. Just like

Building 200H, Lovell 

FHCC continues to 

ready our warriors and

care for our heroes.”

Patrick L. Sullivan, 

Director

The Capt. James A. Lovell Federal Health 

Care Center (FHCC) celebrated the third 

anniversary of its integration Oct.10, 2013, 

by opening a 53-year-old time capsule 

from the former Naval Hospital Great Lakes 

that preceded it.

Lovell FHCC Director Patrick Sullivan and 

Commanding Officer and Deputy Director 

Capt. José Acosta led the event. Acosta 

pried open the shoe-box-sized time

capsule outside the East entrance of the 

Lovell FHCC Ambulatory Care Clinic, where 

a monument will be built out of bricks 

from “Building 200H,” as the Naval Hospital 

was known locally.

Lovell FHCC Commanding Officer and Deputy Director 

Capt. José Acosta removes items from a time capsule 

from the former Naval Hospital Great Lakes with help 

from (left to right) Capt. Rodney Worden, Naval Facilities 

Engineering Command Midwest; Lovell FHCC Executive 

Officer Capt. David Jones, and Naval Station Great Lakes 

Commanding Officer Capt. Bill Bulis. 

3
25-Year

Anniversary

Building 66

Domiciliary

Where the lives of 

homeless

Veterans are changed 

every day for

the better

The unassuming red brick building on the 

main campus of the Lovell Federal Health Care 

Center in North Chicago has been home – and 

salvation – to thousands of Veterans in the 25 

years since it opened in 1988. 

The Homeless Domiciliary opened modestly, 

with a staff of 20 and 60 bed . Lovell FHCC was 

known as the North Chicago VAMC (Veterans 

Affairs edical Center) at that time, and the 

Homeless Dom as it came to be known was one 

of 10 piloted by the Department of Veterans 

Affairs n tionwide to address the growing 

problem of homelessness among Veterans.

“The Dom, its program, and especially the staff, 

saved my life at a time when I felt my life was 

worthless and not worth living,” said Lewis 

Jenkins, one of the “alums” of the program. Jim 

Palmere, another graduate, said, “one of the 

most changing events in my life,” when asked to 

describe what the program meant to him.

Many homeless Veterans who came through 

the program in the beginning – staying up 

to two years – had a dual diagnosis of mental 

health and substance abuse problems.

Today, the program serves many young 

Veterans of confli ts in Iraq and Afghanistan, 

homeless for economic reasons as well as PTSD, 

traumatic brain injuries, and substance-abuse 

issues.

Close to 5,000 Veterans have come through the 

program and have had the opportunity to take 

a different path and turn their lives around. 

4
Veterans Mural 

Project

The Veterans Mural Project 

began in 2011 with a panel 

art project that produced 

37 paintings depicting the 

contributions of Veterans and 

Active Duty Service Members 

to our country, families and 

community. A book of the art 

panels was produced, and the 

art panels are now displayed 

throughout the FHCC.

The second stage of the project 

resulted in the production of a 

32-foot-long ,7-foot-high mural 

titled “Defending Freedom 

through the Ages.” The mural 

depicts significa t military 

encounters and the sacrifi es of 

Veterans and their families from 

the beginning of our nation’s 

history to the present. This 

mural is now displayed in the 

Ambulatory Care Clinic. 

The two-year FHCC Mural 

Project brought approximately 

100 Veterans, Active Duty 

Service Members and FHCC staff

together in a cooperative effort 

that exemplifies the pu pose 

and mission of Lovell FHCC. 

The Mural Project was funded 

by the Koziol Family Foundation 

which supports Veterans and 

promotes the use of expressive 

arts in the healing process. 

With the success of this project 

we are looking forward to 

developing additional mural 

projects in the future. 

Veteran Howard Jacobs, who was drafted into service in World War II from Highland Park 

and still resides there, paints in the foreground. Jacobs painted the section on the left, 

depicting the Revolutionary War, the first of the military conflicts to be portrayed in the 

mural. Vietnam Veteran Dave Watling, Pleasant Prairie, Wis., paints to his right.

5
Staff TeamSTEPPS Training

The Team Strategies and Tools 

to Enhance Performance 

and Patient Safety Initiative, 

commonly referred to as 

TeamSTEPPS, was undertaken 

by our facility in response to 

functional segregation within 

and across teams, as well as 

to provide our staff with ne 

team-building skills designed 

to facilitate cooperation and 

ensure patient safety.

Implementation began facility 

wide in January 2013, with the 

goal of fostering a climate of 

effective communication and 

teamwork as evidenced by:

1. A decrease in safety 

incidents wherein ineffective 

communication is found to be a 

causal or contributing factor.

 

2. An increase in perceived and 

observed teamwork in daily 

operations within and across 

teams with a focus on effective 

communication.

The initiative occurs in three 

continuous phases: Phase I 

Assessment and Planning, 

Phase II Training, and Phase 

III Implementation and 

Sustainment. The initial 

training aspect of Phase II 

was completed by December 

2013: All current employees 

completed fundamentals 

training. 

While no collective data 

analysis is performed prior to 

Phase III, which began January 

2014, there already have been 

instanceswhen employees’use 

of TeamSTEPPS tools and 

strategies has impacted patient 

safety; as well as resulted in 

successful confli t resolution at 

the lowest level. Staff t USS Red 

Rover, USS Tranquillity, General 

Surgery Clinic, General Surgery, 

in the Community Living Center 

and Housekeeping reported 

TeamSTEPPS sucess stories. 

As we move toward Phase III Implementation and Sustainment, the focus will be 

on establishing TeamSTEPPS within the daily operations of our departments and 

measuring and evaluating the performance outcomes. 

Hospital Corpsman 1st Class, Robert Trottman trains staff on the 

importance of communications during a TeamSTEPPS class.

6
Lovell Legends compete in 

National Wheelchair Games

Lovell Legends athletes brought 

home the gold – and silver and 

bronze – from the 2013 annual 

National Veterans Wheelchair 

Games in Tampa, Florida. The 

event is the world’s largest 

annual multi-sport wheelchair 

event for military Veterans 

who use wheelchairs for sports 

competition due to spinal 

cord injuries, amputations or 

neurological problems. 

The eight-member team won 

nine gold medals, three silver, 

one bronze and returned with 

good memories to last a lifetime.

Nate Davenport, a fi e-time 

Lovell Legends team member, 

said the prospect of the 

annual trip inspires him to “get 

stronger” in times of medical 

crisis. Davenport resides in the 

Community Living Center at the 

FHCC, and won a silver medal 

in the motor rally event. “It’s an 

adventure, that’s for sure,” he 

said. “There’s nothing like it.”

The other athletes who 

represented Lovell FHCC were 

Steve Aoyagi, Ramon Calderon, 

Dan Dorsch, Ed Tolliver, Karen 

Van Benschoten, William Watson 

and David Wells, Sr. 

Aoyagi won gold in table tennis 

and nine-ball, and silver in 

bowling; Watson won silver in 

motor rally; Wells won bronze 

in basketball; Van Benschoten 

won four gold medals in table 

tennis, nine-ball, slalom and 

motor rally; Calderon won a gold 

in weightlifting and Dorsch won 

gold medals in swimming and 

track events and a bronze in the 

javelin throw. 

Lovell Legends member Bill Watson competes in the discus.

FHCC Named Leader in LGBT Health Care

For the first tim , the Lovell 

FHCC participated in the 

Healthcare Equality Index 

(HEI). We were recognized as a 

leader in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual 

and Transgender health care 

by the HEI. To be named a 

leader in LGBT health care, the 

FHCC had to meet the “Core 

Four” Leader Criteria set by 

HEI:

1) Patient Non-Discrimination

2) Equal Visitation

3) Employment NonDiscrimination

4) Training in LGBT PatientCentered Care

The FHCC was one of 91 VA 

medical centers and the only 

military treatment facility 

recognized as a leader in LGBT 

healthcare.

7
Regional 

Innovation Award

National

Transportation 

Award

Lovell FHCC has placed emphasis on 

environmental stewardship. In doing so, 

we were honored with three awards from 

the Environmental Protection Agency’s 

(EPA) Federal Green Challenge Program. We 

won a Regional Innovation Award for our 

innovative tool called the Cold Composting 

Calculator. This tool can estimate cold 

compost amounts, or grass clippings, for any 

installation nation-wide. We won a Regional 

Overall Achievement award, in large part, due 

to our management of energy. With proper 

management of our on-campus cogeneration 

power plant, we sold three times the amount 

of electricity back to the utility (ComEd) than 

was used in 2012: approximately 3 million 

to 1 million kilowatt hours (kWhs). The FHCC 

also won a National Transportation Award for 

tripling our fully electric vehicle fleet in 2012 

The Green Environment Management (GEMS) 

Committee hopes for continued success in all 

of these areas and more. 

Employee Aaron Watkins drives one of the FHCC’s 

electric vehicles.

8
Volunteer Lovell FHCC!

Minna-Rae Friedman and Veteran Darnell Jones 

prepare cookie dough during an open house for 

the new Green House Homes at Capt. James A. 

Lovell Federal Health Care Center. 

9
“Our volunteers are 

part of our ‘One Team,’ 

playing an integral role 

in meeting our promise 

of ‘Readying Warriors 

and Caring for Heroes.” 

Patrick L. Sullivan, 

Director

Volunteers can be seen just about 

everywhere, doing anything from manning 

information desks in the Caregiver Support 

Center and at entrances, to helping with 

recreational events, to bringing drinks, books, 

magazines, bananas and even therapy dogs 

to patients.

The Lovell FHCC depends on the goodwill of our 

benefactors and volunteers who wish to give 

something back to America’s heroes.

Volunteers provide many important functions 

throughout the health care facility and help 

make our patients’ stay more enjoyable. 

Volunteers may perform a number of services, 

and a volunteer’s talents are closely matched 

with one of our many assignments.

Volunteer Training 2013 - each year Lovell FHCC 

sponsors Volunteer training. Volunteers learn about 

safety, privacy practices, infection control, security, 

ethics and other subjects pertinent to volunteering.

Lavera Davis, American Legion Auxiliary 10th District 

president, helps set up for the annual Holiday Gift 

Shop put on by the Illinois American Legion Auxiliary to 

give Veteran patients a chance to shop for their familly 

members. The members have the task of wrapping the 

presents and mailing them to family members’ homes. 

The gifts and postage are free for the Veterans.

Harpist Arilyn Mitchell, 13, from the Milwaukee Youth 

Symphony Orchestra, plays the harp at the quarterdeck of the Lovell FHCC for patients and staff to enjoy. 

Mitchell, the daughter of Chief Logistics Specialist Brian 

Mitchell, of Navy Region Midwest, has played the harp 

for four years and enjoys using her talents to spread joy.

No Veteran Dies Alone Initiative - Dana Hatwig, a 

trained companion volunteer, assists in providing 

patients with a dignified and comforted death by 

talking, reading or quietly sitting with Veterans 

whenever family and friends are unable to be there, or 

for Veterans who may not otherwise have loved ones to 

comfort them.

10
Room

Service Style

Dining

Lovell FHCC is the first o implement room-servicestyle dining as well as restaurant-style dining to benefi

inpatients, and patients of our domiciliary residential 

treatment programs.

We are excited to be able to contribute to patientcentered care by providing what patients want to eat, 

when they want to eat it.

The transition allows patients the freedom of ordering 

their meals and snacks during Nutrition and Food 

Service’s (NFS) extended hours from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

daily. Meals are delivered to patients within 45 minutes 

after they order.

In the dining room, which serves patients enrolled 

in residential treatment programs, orders are taken 

restaurant-style off of a ne , expanded menu, and food 

choices are made to order.

“Other benefits include educed food waste, increased 

ability to honor cultural food preferences, promotion of 

patient-centered care, excellent customer service, and 

alignment of the FHCC with other private, progressive 

hospitals,” said Wanda Parks, Lovell FHCC Chief, NFS.

From left, Wanda Parks, Division Officer, Chief, 

Nutrition and Food Services; Marcus Gregory 

and Jerry Lee, both N&FS workers.

11
Patient-Centered Care

Shortly after turning 50, Navy Veteran Terri 

Washburn, a mail clerk at Lovell FHCC, decided it 

was time to take back control of her health and 

sign up for TeleMOVE!. Washburn lost 32 pounds in 

the first our months after joining.

“I can breathe better because I’ve lost weight, and 

I’m not carrying as much weight now when I walk,” 

Washburn said. “I have energy all day; I’m eating 

the best I have in over 25 years.”

TeleMOVE! is an at-home derivative of the 

Department of Veterans Affairs “MOVE!” weightmanagement program offered through Lovell 

FHCC Telehealth services. TeleMOVE! assists 

Veterans who want to regain control of their 

weight by helping them create a healthy lifestyle.

Washburn was issued a MOVE! handout booklet, 

a pedometer and a weight scale, and even 

participated in the 80-day program a second 

time. She said the self-paced, automated system 

from home made a positive impact on her life by 

monitoring her eating and exercise patterns and 

providing continuous feedback.

Washburn said TeleMOVE! and the Lovell FHCC 

care coordinators have truly changed her life and 

helped her generate a positive self-image. 

Lovell FHCC employee 

TeleMOVES! into

healthier lifestyle

An innovative approach to the planning, delivery, and evaluation of 

health care that is grounded in mutually beneficial partnerships among 

patients, families and providers.

“I just really love this program, it’s really helped me out,” 

Washburn said. “I get so much feedback from everybody 

about how much weight I’ve lost, and that really makes 

me feel good and keeps me going.”

12
Community Living Center 

Courtyard

Retired Navy Captain and former NASA astronaut 

James A. Lovell joined Lovell FHCC leaders, Lovell 

FHCC Community Living Center (CLC) residents and 

staff, and project donors – The Grainger Foundation 

and AMVETS Wheeling Post 66 – to cut the ribbon on 

a new courtyard May 30.

The new courtyard is anchored by an expansive 

four-season room with walls of windows, designed 

to seamlessly connect CLC indoor and outdoor 

living spaces. The courtyard 

has therapeutic, home-like 

amenities, including multiple 

fl wer gardens, trees and 

shrubs; a water feature; a 

gazebo for small performances 

and activities; paths; seating 

areas and wheelchair-accessible fl wer beds.

The Grainger Foundation and AMVETS donated 

funds to help pay for the project. CLC residents may 

now take advantage of many home-like spaces both 

indoors and out.

Donations from The Grainger Foundation and AMVETS helped pay for a new

Community Living Center (CLC) courtyard. From left to right, Gloria Sinclair from 

The Grainger Foundation; Patrick Sullivan, Lovell FHCC Director; John Howard, 

The Grainger Foundation; Community Living Center resident James Frohnapfel; 

Capt. James A. Lovell in the center holding the scissors; CLC resident Ralph 

Barzwoski; Tony Altieri, Wheeling AMVETS Post 66; Capt. José Acosta, Lovell FHCC 

Deputy Director/Commanding Officer; and Joyce Wadlington, Associate Chief 

Nurse for the CLC, cut the ribbon.

13
Kenosha 

Clinic Relocation, 

Expanded

Services

The expanded Kenosha Community Based 

Outpatient Clinic features new audiology 

services and improved mental health care for 

Veterans in Southeast Wisconsin.

In August, Lovell FHCC celebrated the opening 

of the clinic at a new location in 

Kenosha. Lovell FHCC Director Patrick 

Sullivan said, “I am proud to see 

the growth of our Kenosha clinic, 

now moving into this new, larger, 

patient-centered facility. Here, we can 

provide more services to our Veterans, 

ensuring we continue to provide them 

the health care they have earned in a 

convenient location.”

The approximately 8,000-squarefoot space has two sound booths for 

audiology services and computer 

rooms that will allow for expanded 

Telehealth services such as teleretinal 

services and telediabetes clinics. 

Telehealth services bring medical care 

closer to home for Veterans, allowing 

them to receive services such as precolonoscopy consultations in a local 

CBOC instead of having to travel to the 

main hospital in North Chicago.

Nearly 1,700 Veterans annually use the Kenosha 

CBOC, and that number is expected to grow by 

23 percent in the next two years. 

Julie Burrow, LPN , Kenosha CBOC , inventories supplies in the blood 

draw room.

14
Clinical video Telehealth uses video-conferencing 

technology to securely link health care providers with 

patients in convenient locations. This technology 

allows Lovell FHCC providers who work at the North 

Chicago, Ill. facility, the ability to connect with 

patients at any of the community clinics. 

Patients appreciate the convenience and ease of 

the Telehealth clinics, said audiologist Dr. Darrin 

Worthington, who is based at the North Chicago 

facility. “Telehealth clinics are the perfect marriage 

of technology and patient convenience, provide a 

high-level of patient interaction, and are surprisingly 

intimate,” Worthington said recently after treating a 

Marengo, Ill. Veteran who traveled to the McHenry 

CBOC for his appointment.

Worthington’s patient, Veteran David Schultz, said 

it was much easier to get to his teleaudiology 

appointment in McHenry, and he did not notice a 

difference in the quality of care he received.

 “It didn’t feel different than an in-person 

appointment,” said Schultz, who added he would 

“defini ely take advantage of it again.”

For Schultz’s appointment, McHenry CBOC staff set up 

special equipment including a video otoscope, and 

with the help of a nurse at the CBOC, Dr. Worthington 

was able to conduct his usual, thorough audiology 

exam from his office in North Chicago.

Lovell FHCC is committed to offering Veterans highquality, comprehensive care. Utilizing clinical video 

Telehealth services is one way we fulfill this mission

Lovell FHCC expands 

Telehealth Clinics

LPN Paula Mantas uses a video otoscope on Veteran David 

Schultz at the McHenry clinic. Schultz’s audiologist, Dr. Darrin 

Worthington, speaks with the patient through the clinical video 

teleconference equipment. 15
Get Well Network®

This past year, Lovell FHCC began installing the Get Well 

Network® in patient rooms. The Get Well Network® is 

an interactive patient-care tool that uses the television 

in a patient’s room to engage directly with the patient 

while in the hospital. 

Get Well Network® lets patients watch movies and 

TV, surf the web, check email, play games and music. 

It also serves as a useful educational tool for patients, 

by allowing providers to tailor educational video 

programming so patients can learn about their 

conditions, medications and communicate with their 

care team. 

Health care providers at Lovell FHCC will be able to use 

the network, dubbed IPC or Interactive Patient Care, 

to order patient education and medical teaching, and 

provide dietary and pain-management information 

to their patients. They may also survey patients about 

their care, and solicit other timely feedback that will 

help patients receive the best care possible.

Over time, the FHCC can tailor and develop the 

technology for specific use , for example room-servicestyle dining. Or, the system could be set up to allow 

patients to order items from the Canteen for delivery to their rooms.

One use already identified or future implementation is syncing the 

network with MyHealtheVet, used by Veteran patients to manage their 

care online.

“This is a great patient-centered idea. It will be a great tool,” Lovell FHCC 

Director Patrick Sullivan said at a recent Get Well Network® briefin , “It will 

be a value to our patients and our staff.”

The network is intended to compliment the work nurses do and give 

patients an interactive tool to help improve their care and shorten their 

hospital stays. The network will be available to residents of the FHCC’s 

Community Living Center and Green House® homes, as well as inpatients 

throughout the facility.

IPC allows for education, 

teaching, entertainment, 

and other features to 

improve patient care 

and ultimately shorten 

hospital stays

16
Rapid Improvement 

Event (RIE) -

Discharge Process 

on 133-4A/B 

The FHCC has a strategic initiative to implement Lean Six 

Sigma (LSS). One of the first s eps is to select an area to 

focus on, a Value Stream, and then create specific p ojects 

called Rapid Improvement Events (RIEs) to streamline the 

way care is provided.

The first RIE as for the Inpatient Value Stream with the 

intent of improving the discharge process on the MedicalSurgical floo , Building 133, 4A/B. The team implemented 

multidisciplinary huddles twice a day to improve planning 

and communication for inpatient discharges. These daily 

coordination huddles – attended by doctors, residents, 

nurses, other clinicians, pharmacists, social workers, 

dietary personnel, housekeeping, even IRM (Information 

Resource Management) representatives, essentially every 

employee involved in each patient discharge – increased 

the number of patients being discharged before 10:30 

a.m. from 1 percent to 25 percent, and improvements are 

still being made. This project resulted in early morning 

blood draw test results returned two to four hours earlier, 

and improved scheduling for radiology exams. 

The team is continuing to work on other barriers to speedy 

discharges, including the barrier of getting patients where 

they need to go after they are discharged, particularly 

those who are returning to Lovell FHCC inpatient/

residential programs. Reducing or eliminating barriers 

depends, in part, on RIE team members participating in 

“Gemba Walks,” the LSS name for physical walk-throughs 

of areas involved in the targeted process improvement.

Left to right, resident Dr. Amin Sharieff; HN Kleinhardt; Mary 

Ann Allred, RN, Nurse Manager and Maria Buensuceso, RN, 

hold a “discharge huddle.”

17
Lean

One of the RIEs recently completed was 

the Medication Delivery to Domiciliary 

Patients in buildings 7,11 and 66. 

Previously, all domiciliary patients 

needing medication had to walk to the 

Outpatient Pharmacy to pick up their 

medications. Refills ere delivered to 

patients two times a week. With the new 

process, medications including non-refil 

medications are delivered to patients 

twice a day, fi e days a week. 

The new process involves Vocational 

Rehabilitation Unit (VRU) members, 

allowing the pharmacy technicians 

who used to perform the deliveries to 

now dedicate that time to patient care. 

Monthly patient medication compliance 

increased from 66 percent to greater than 

90 percent. Defects in the process were 

reduced from 29 per week to equal to or 

less than 5, and pill wastage was reduced 

by $41,496 annually. 

Another RIE improved the Periodic Health 

Assessment (PHA) process at Branch Health Clinic 237. The end result of the 

project was that 100 percent of Active Duty staff passed their PHA the first ti , 

compared to 14 percent in the past. In addition, they decreased cycle time 

from 181 to less than 90 minutes, and reduced unnecessary lab tests being 

drawn from 30 each week to zero. The project implemented standard work, 

visual management, daily huddles, appointment templates, and saved $18,085 

annually in supply costs. Additionally, now Sailors who need a PHA completed 

waste less time getting their PHA done, allowing them to return back to duty 

earlier.

RIE - Medication 

Delivery 

Vocational rehabilitation unit Veterans Percy Champion on the left and Kittrell Thorpe deliver prescriptions three times a day for patients 

enrolled in residential treatment programs. They pick up the medications from the pharmacy in Building 133CA and, using a locked metal 

cart, deliver the medications to the nursing staff in Building 7. 

An organizational philosophy of process improvement to 

optimize quality, efficiency, and safety, achieving internal 

and external stakeholder satisfaction.

18
FHCC Leadership Council instituted an 

Integration Award to recognize departments 

and services that seamlessly serve VA and 

Department of Defense patients and staff, 

or have rearranged patient-care delivery to 

accommodate VA and Department of Defense 

patientsmore conveniently. Each associate 

director nominates an area, and the winner 

is selected by the Leadership Council once 

a quarter. The winner is recognized by the 

director and deputy director, and given a 

Certific te of Integration and a banner to 

hang in the department’s work area. The 

following winners were recognized during FY 

2013: Dental Services, Information Resource 

Management, Pharmacy, and Pathology and 

Laboratory Medicine Division.

Lovell FHCC 

Integration Awards

Integration Award, 2nd Quarter - Information Resource 

Management

19
Talent Management

The FHCC is on a journey to Magnet Recognition ®. This designation recognizes 

health care organizations for nursing excellence and quality patient care. Magnet® 

hospitals adopt evidence-based criteria that result in a positive work environment 

for nurses and all employees as evidenced by increased staff s tisfaction, patient 

satisfaction and improved patient outcomes. Throughout this journey we will 

strive to:

1. Promote quality in a setting that supports professional practice

2. Identify excellence in nursing services to patients/residents

3. Disseminate best practices in nursing services

Some of our accomplishments 

thus far include the majority 

of our registered nurses (RN) 

practicing with a minimum of 

a bachelor degree (BSN). The 

Institute of Medicine (IOM) 

recommends 80 percent of RNs 

hold a BSN or higher by the year 

2020. There is a growing body 

of evidence showing a positive 

association between RNs with 

higher education and patient 

outcomes. In addition, every year 

we increase the number of RNs 

certified in their a ea of work. This 

is exciting news because certifie 

nurses are regarded as experts in 

their fiel .

Magnet Journey 

To recruit and retain highly qualified, engaged staff, promote through 

recognition and reward, develop through succession planning, and 

strategically deploy staff to achieve an optimal organizational structure.

Emergency Department clinical nurse, Steven Smith takes 

the vital signs of Navy Recruiter YN2 Michael Borphy.

20
Innovation

On the forefront of technology, research, medical best-practices, and 

integrated health care delivery.

A Navy hospital corpsman wipes the sweat from 

his forehead with one swift swoop of his forearm, 

attempting to steady his breathing while rescuing a 

fellow service member in the intense heat. Explosions 

are occurring all around him at an increasing rate, and 

he can smell the gun smoke from rifles being fired 

nearby. In the midst of the chaos, he finishes banda ing 

the wound of his buddy and moves toward the next. 

Then, all at once, the explosions cease, the smells of 

battle fade, and the projectors are shut off.

The Lovell FHCC is constructing a state-of-the-art 

simulation center that will allow Sailors and civilian 

health care staff the oppo tunity to train in many 

areas, including a military training room that creates 

a battlefiel , to help them sharpen their skills and to 

sustain clinical expertise.

The simulation center will be part of the Center for 

Healthcare Education Excellence (CHEE), and also 

will offer a simulated intensive care unit bed, four 

medical surgery beds, an operating room, a two-bed 

emergency department, a dental simulation room, an 

apartment-style room for home-health training, and 

a part-task training room for specialized, single-task 

training evolutions. The evolutions will include surgical 

laparoscopic, vascular access and airway trainers, as well 

as birthing simulators. The center will utilize three adult, 

one child and one baby-sized high-fideli y manikins.

Along with Department of Defense and Veterans Affair 

employees, the simulation center will train reservists, 

residents and other medical trainees in the region.

Lt. Cmdr. Stan Hovell, Lovell FHCC’s education and 

training department head, said Lovell FHCC’s simulation 

center will introduce nurses and corpsmen to 

procedures in simulation so they can become proficie t 

in new areas, and be able to provide more services at 

the FHCC.

Lovell FHCC 

Education Center 

of Excellence 

Simulation Center

Dr. Norm Lee, Simulation Center medical director, gives 

Surgeon General of the Navy and Chief of the Navy’s 

Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Vice Adm. Matthew L. 

Nathan a tour of the soon-to-be simulation center at the 

Lovell FHCC. 

21
FHCC Breast Clinic

The Lovell FHCC Breast Clinic continues to 

increase its Veteran, Active Duty and dependent 

patient population. From 2012 to 2013, the 

Veteran patient population doubled. The Breast 

Clinic saw nearly 400 new patients for medical 

issues ranging from breast pain to breast cancer 

and offered a wide range of services, including 

over 2,500 in-house mammograms with the 

facility’s state of the art mammogram machines. 

Lovell FHCC also performed several dozen 

biopsies in the past year, using the latest in 

biopsy technology with the stereotatic machine. 

Stereotactic technology uses a computer to 

enable providers to locate and obtain a sample 

at the precise center of the questionable area 

by using “stereo” X-rays and a special biopsy 

needle. This new technique is replacing surgical 

biopsies which require incisions and can be 

more disruptive to a patient. Lovell FHCC is 

proud to offer one of the most comprehensive 

breast health clinics in the region.

Dr. Marybeth Barr, Radiologist from the 

FHCC Women’s Imaging Center

22
FHCC By the Numbers

Captain James A. Lovell Federal 

Health Care Center

3001 Green Bay Road

North Chicago, IL 60064

847-688-1900 | 800-393-0865

Evanston Community Based 

Outpatient Clinic

1942 Dempster Street

 Evanston, IL 60202

Phone: 847-869-6315

Kenosha Community Based 

Outpatient Clinic

8207 22nd Avenue

Kenosha, WI 53140

Phone: 262-653-9286

McHenry Community Based 

Outpatient Clinic

620 South Route 31, Suite 4

 McHenry, IL 60050

 Phone: 815-759-2306

FHCC Locations

Total 

Operating 

Budget

$489,702,998

Staffing

Civilian-2,283 

Active Duty-850

Stay Navy-17

Contractors Navy-218

Patient Visits 

Outpatient 

Visits-827,853

Emergency Room Visits-18,841

Total Dental - 214,228

Inpatient 

Admissions-4,809

23
USS Osborne Dental Clinic

3440 Ohio Street

 Great Lakes, IL 60088

 Phone: 847-688-2100

USS Red Rover

1020 11th Ave

 Great Lakes, IL 60088-3012

 Phone: 847-688-5568 Or 

847-688-5568

USS Tranquillity

2430 Illinois Street

 Great Lakes, IL 60088

 Phone: 847-688-6755 Or

 847-688-6755

Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher 

Medical/Dental Clinic

2410 Sampson Street

 Great Lakes, IL 60088

 Phone: 847-688-6712 Or 

847-688-2469

Total 

Immunizations

272,248 

Volunteers

1,033

Volunteer hours

52,572

Donations

$257,620

Pharmacy 

Prescriptions 

Total Outpatient 

prescriptions 

processed: 

1,055,309 

Total Inpatient fills: 

1,259,252

24
Patrick L. Sullivan, 

Director of the Captain 

James A. Lovell Federal 

Health Care Center, 

is responsible for the 

strategic leadership and 

operations of the federal 

health care center. He 

leads an integrated VA/

DoD team of people, 

serving Veterans, Active 

Duty military, retirees 

and DoD dependants. 

The Lovell FHCC is 

responsible for the 

medical readiness 

of more than 40,000 

Navy recruits that pass 

through Naval Station 

Great Lakes.

Master Chief Maurice 

Coffey is the Command 

Master Chief at the Captain 

James A. Lovell Federal 

Health Care Center. As 

the Command Master 

Chief, he is the senior 

enlisted advisor and works 

as a liaison between the 

Director/Deputy Director 

and the enlisted ranks. 

He is responsible for all 

quality of life, discipline, 

training and morale 

among enlisted members 

assigned to the federal 

health care center. 

Dr. Tariq Hassan is the 

Chief Medical Executive, 

Associate Director of 

Patient Care at the Captain 

James A. Lovell Federal 

Health Care Center. In 

his current position, he is 

responsible for overseeing 

all medical functions and 

direction at the federal 

health care center.

Captain David E. Jones 

is the Executive Officer 

of the Captain James A. 

Lovell Federal Health 

Care Center. He was 

appointed to the position 

on August 23, 2013. As the 

Executive Officer, CAPT 

Jones is responsible to the 

Commanding Officer for 

the military performance 

of duty, training, and good 

order and discipline of over 

850 sailors (officer and 

enlisted) assigned to the 

Command. 

Captain José A. Acosta, MC, 

USN is the Commanding 

Officer and Deputy 

Director of the Captain 

James A. Lovell Federal 

Health Care Center. As 

the Deputy Director, he 

supports the Director 

with all leadership and 

administrative functions 

within the health 

care center, maintains 

Uniformed Code of Military 

Justice authority, and is 

responsible for the dayto-day operations at the 

federal health care center. 

FHCC Leadership

25
Captain Kathleen Ann 

Michel is the Associate 

Director of Fleet Medicine 

and Deputy Navy Nurse 

Executive at the Captain 

James A. Lovell Federal 

Health Care Center. In this 

position, she is responsible 

for all Branch Medical 

Clinic: industrial hygiene, 

environmental health, 

preventive medicine 

and occupational health 

operations. As the Deputy 

Navy Nurse Executive, she 

shares the responsibilities 

for all FHCC Nursing 

Personnel with the Senior 

Nurse Executive.

Dr. Sarah Fouse is the 

Associate Director of 

Patient Services and 

Nurse Executive at the 

Captain James A. Lovell 

Federal Health Care 

Center. She is responsible 

for the operation and 

evaluation of education, 

geriatrics and extended 

care/Community Living 

Center (CLC), rehabilitative 

medicine, supply 

processing (SPS), customer 

service and ancillary 

services. Fouse is the 

organization’s executive 

level nursing leader with 

full responsibility for the 

direction of nursing care 

delivery. 

Captain Dale Barrette is 

the Associate Director of 

Resources at the Captain 

James A. Lovell Federal 

Health Care Center. In 

this position, Barrette is 

responsible for fiscal and

budget management, 

business planning and 

operations, human 

resources and total 

workforce management, 

information resources and 

information security at the 

federal health care center.

Marianne Semrad is the 

Associate Director of 

Facility Support for the 

Captain James A. Lovell 

Federal Health Care Center. 

In her position, Semrad 

is responsible for the 

direction and coordination 

of all administrative 

functions including 

patient administration, 

facility management, 

communication, police 

and safety, logistics 

and managed care. She 

is also responsible for 

equipment and space 

management, acquisition 

and contracting.

Captain Jim Oxford is 

the Associate Director 

of Dental Services at the 

Captain James A. Lovell 

Federal Health Care Center. 

In his position, Oxford is 

responsible for all dental 

operations at the nation’s 

first ederal health care 

center. 

26


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