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Renown Health President and CEO Tony Slonim, MD, DrPH, discusses efforts nationwide to develop a more effective and efficient way to deliver care. explains the benefits of Renown Health’s population health study with the Desert Research Institute and 23andMe.

Read More About CEO Blog: Improving Health Through Genetics and Big Data

The road through cancer treatment can test even the toughest of spirits. A local organization is handcrafting and donating beaded bracelets to the courageous women who have reached the finish line at Renown Infusion Services. After finishing her sixth and final cycle of chemotherapy at Renown Infusion Services, Joan Jackson told her nurse, Daun Russell, RN, she was tired. Russell returned with a box and opened it -- as she does for all cancer patients completing treatment -- and said, “pick one.” What Jackson was selecting was a beautiful, handmade bracelet crafted and donated by the local Soroptimist organization. Jackson picked a purple bracelet with a tag that read, "Congratulations on completing your treatment. Imagine what you can do now." “Picking the bracelet was such a special thing to mark my last day of chemo,” Jackson says. "Their gesture impacted me for the good after going through so much.”   The women behind the bracelets  Bev Perkins, a member of the Soroptimist International of Truckee Meadows, says the bracelet project began in 2009 as a way of celebrating those who completed cancer treatment. She wanted the project to be hands-on, so she involved the club members by organizing a small budget and asking others to donate jewelry. The group comes together each year to make the bracelets. Perkins disassembles the donated jewelry, adding newly purchased beads to make kits for the bracelets. The volunteers also add a metal tag inscribed with an inspiring word, like “believe,” “hope” or “love.” “It’s a labor of love for us,” says Kay Dumhan, group treasurer. “It’s to show empowerment and to help these women know there are people who are encouraged by them.” “When bracelets are donated there is usually quite a bit of feedback on how much it’s appreciated,” Dumhan says. “We never want to run out so we make sure we have a supply there. We’ve had cancer survivors as members and that makes it all the more personal.”

Read More About Handmade Bracelets a Labor of Love for Cancer Patients

In recent years, healthcare has undergone many important transitions. One of the greatest changes has been the transition from a fee-for-service model to a value-based care model. Historically, healthcare organizations were paid for the amount of services they performed. This payment model resulted in more tests and procedures ordered, which, in turn, increased our country’s health care costs. However, now our government incentivizes health systems to provide the highest quality of care at the lowest cost possible. This new payment model is called value-based purchasing or value-based care. In this model, providers focus on delivering more coordinated and effective care. Additionally, healthcare organizations track important metrics like patient engagement, population health, and hospital readmissions. At Renown Health, we know that progress on these metrics represents real improvements in our patients’ lives. Shifting Focus from Illness to Wellness Healthcare organizations have traditionally viewed a hospital stay as the center of a patient’s wellness journey. At Renown Health, we believe a key part of our job is to help people live well every day. This means we focus not only on treating illness and injury but also on prevention efforts to keep people out of the hospital. For example, our employees help patients hazard-proof their homes to prevent falls, as falls are the leading cause of injuries in older adults. We also provide affordable health screenings to catch disease in its early stages, when it is more treatable. Renown Health also recognizes that many of the diseases our patients face – from diabetes to cancer – have social and environmental origins. We know that creating a healthier community will have a positive impact on their physical and mental health. Renown Health partners with local organizations to address community-based issues like addiction, pedestrian safety, air and water quality, climate change, and nutrition. Working together, we can lower the number of people who need care and improve the health and wellbeing of our community. Creating healthier environments and communities will help us prevent disease, which in turn will help us decrease spending and improve health. Most importantly, it will help people live up to their full potential. Dr. Slonim on Twitter | @RenownCEOTonyMD Interested in hearing more of Dr. Slomin’s thoughts on health and healthcare? Engage with him on Twitter. Follow Tony

Read More About Renown Health Vision for Value Based Care

As a clinician and a cancer survivor, I know that hope is an essential force that drives people to work through difficult situations. I also believe there’s a strong correlation between hope and wellness. Hope inspires us to make healthy choices today with the understanding that these behaviors will benefit us in the future.   In addition, an optimistic outlook helps patients face illness and injury with strength and confidence. While it’s easy for some people to maintain a positive outlook, it’s common to feel hopeless on a bad day. An important part of our job as healthcare providers is to help patients cultivate hope and build a strong foundation that carries them through their medical journey. The Importance of Family A common source of hope, for me and many others, is family. My family has recently welcomed our newest member, my first granddaughter, Emory. Becoming a grandparent has inspired me to reflect on the many blessings in my life. It’s not only been a opportunity to reflect, but also look ahead to the future. I often dream about the things Emory will accomplish one day, the kind of person she will become, and the world I want her to live in. These aspirations have renewed my determination to work hard and lead by example. At Renown Health, we know that hope and resilience are just as important in the recovery process as excellent medical care. That’s why we work with our patients to find sources of strength and inspiration in their own lives. We’re committed to helping our patients keep fighting the good fight for a healthier tomorrow.

Read More About My Inspiration to Keep Fighting Becoming a Grandparent

Hospital food gets a bad rap and maybe it’s deserved. However, at Renown Health we strive to serve patients, visitors and staff meals that are both nutritious and delicious. In this video and blog post, Renown Health President and CEO, Tony Slonim, M.D., Dr.PH., FACHE, shares his thoughts on hospital food and modeling healthy lifestyles.   Everyone knows that what we eat matters for almost every aspect of our health. Eating well can prevent chronic disease, control weight, improve our mood and even strengthen our bonds with loved ones as we come together to enjoy a family meal. Yet despite this knowledge, balancing work or school responsibilities, family life and everything in between can make eating healthy feel like an uphill battle. Recognizing this challenge, Renown Health invests in programming to help our community embrace healthy lifestyle habits – starting with our own employees. Knowing that people often look to their healthcare providers to model healthy behavior, we are deliberate in our efforts to help our employees and their families live well. We also provide healthy dining options in our on-campus restaurants and through our food and nutrition services team. We believe that providing nutritious, appetizing meals helps patients to recuperate from illness or injury, helps their families recharge, and helps our staff fulfill their promise of providing outstanding care. We hope that by serving as models of healthy behaviors, our employees will inspire others to join us in this journey. Dr. Slonim on Twitter | @RenownCEOTonyMD Interested in learning more of Dr. Slomin’s thoughts on health and healthcare? Engage with him on Twitter. Follow Tony

Read More About Beyond Jello A Healthier Approach to Hospital Food