Kissito Post Acute Cane Island and Kissito Healthcare Katy, both located in Katy, Texas were selected by The Methodist Hospital System in Houston, Texas to participate in a pilot program aimed at enhancing the patient discharge process in preparation for healthcare reform. Under the proposed Bundled Payment legislation, hospitals will be penalized for readmissions within 30 days following the date of discharge thus motivating hospital systems to locate facilities able to aid in the reduction of readmissions.

Of the 75 facilities located in the Houston, Texas market, only 20 were selected for this program. The selection process was based heavily on the facility’s ability to manage various levels of acuity, expedited referral processes, and past survey history. Linda Collins, Director of Continuity of Care for The Methodist Hospital System, leads the efforts of selecting the facilities in the area able to meet the needs of their patients.

Linda and her team conducted on-site visits with both Kissito Healthcare Katy and Kissito Post Acute Cane Island during the selection process. At Kissito Healthcare Katy, her team found an extraordinary hybrid Skilled Nursing Facility/Long Term Care model able to cater to a high acuity nursing patient with a variety of diagnoses. Additionally, Kissito Healthcare Katy was recently awarded the AHCA Quality Award, a prestigious honor in the Long Term Care industry.

Upon their visit to Kissito Post Acute Cane Island , Linda and her team found a return-to-home program second to none. They were particularly impressed with the Collaborative Care Pathways, collaborative care rounds, and quality customer service focus.

Tom Clarke, President & CEO of Kissito Healthcare, headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia states, “We are very proud to have both of our Houston facilities selected by Methodist Hospital for their SNF Network of Preferred Providers. This recognition is the direct result of our staff’s daily focus on customer service and improved clinical outcomes. We believe the future of Healthcare will see more collaborations such as this, where the region’s high quality Acute and Post Acute providers work together to improve patient outcomes and minimize unnecessary patient transitions. We look forward to being a part of the Methodist TEAM!”

Based in Houston, Texas, The Methodist Hospital System is a non-profit organization comprised of a major academic medical center, three community hospitals, a physician organization and a research institute. Methodist Hospital is the only hospital in Houston, Texas to be named to the 2009-2010 US News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals” Honor Roll.

Mhealth, a plan developed by Kissito Post Acute’s collaborative hospital partner, Memorial Hermann Healthcare System in Houston, Texas is one of several ongoing projects between Kissito Post Acute and Memorial Hermann aimed at reducing costs and preserving benefits while enhancing patient outcomes. Rob Turner, Director of ACO Integration states, “We expect great things from this partnership and are honored to participate in this plan.”

Tricare is a plan afforded to Military Retirees and their families. Having several employees on the management team who are Veterans, Kissito is excited to be a part of the lives of those who have served this great nation and with great appreciation is ready to meet their healthcare needs.

The addition of these plans comes at the hands of newly appointed Director of ACO Integration, Rob Turner. Recently promoted from Kissito Post Acute Cane Island Facility, Rob is working closely with Physicians, Hospitals, Managed Care Organizations, and Patients in preparation for the establishment of Accountable Care Organizations and the possibility of Bundled Payments. The need for innovation in these areas will be critical with the forthcoming challenges brought on by Healthcare/Insurance Reform.

Given Kissito’s four-tiered approach to healthcare delivery, which establishes collaborative partnerships with Physicians, Payors, Patients, and Hospitals, these new affiliations enable Kissito Post Acute to continue to redefine the road to recovery.

The Kissito Post Acute Cane Island Design Contest presented three challenges to the contestants, the first to creatively utilize the existing furniture within the suites while creating a more contemporary look and feel.  Contestants were also challenged to increase the functionality of the suites and determine how to accomplish these feats on a dime’s budget.

Contestants ranged from hobbyists to twenty-five-year veterans of hotel interior design to graphic design students but Tatiana and Ernesto’s design was superbly simple and exactly what Kissito Post Acute Cane Island had in mind.  Tatiana is a stay at home mother and an interior designer by trade while Ernesto is an architect who was part of recent cutbacks by a multifamily design firm.

Tatiana and Ernesto have been contracted to carry out their design across all the rooms at Kissito Post Acute Cane Island and began on Wednesday, May 20th with suite 105.  Both arrived bright and early, smiles on their faces, and began painting, installing new hardware and stenciling the borders of the suites.  Stay tuned for pictures of the newly designed room 105.

FOUNDING: Amity Fellowserve, Inc. conducting business under Kissito Healthcare and Kissito Post Acute,  was founded in 1989 as a Not for Profit “NPO” organization organized under the laws of the State of Illinois. Kissito is an IRS qualified 501 (C) (3) charitable organization holding Group Exemption status under the IRC.

OPERATIONS: Kissito operates its principal executive offices in the states of Arizona, Texas and Virginia. The corporate headquarters is located in Virginia.

EMPLOYEES: Kissito employees 761 people including 31 corporate employees.

CORE VALUES: Kissito Core Values are immutable and guide all we undertake: Integrity, Passion, Excellence, and Respect.

GOVERNANCE: Kissito and its operating entities are governed by an active Board of Directors including: Reverend David Erickson (Senior Pastor of Dundalk, MD based Watersedge Baptist Church), Lynn Hodge (EVP of Morris Cerullo World Evangelism), Wayne Fuquay (Managing Principle of Houston, TX based Wayne Fuquay & Associates a Corporate Consulting and Crisis Management Firm), Ana Clarke (Kissito Director of Missions) and Tom Clarke (Kissito President & CEO).

FINANCIAL: Kissito’s financial statements and IRS 990 filing are available at www.guidestar.org .

MANAGEMENT: Kissito has attracted the best Managers from around the world. Kissito Managers are continually being recognized and rewarded as leaders in healthcare profession. Kissito Managers hold Masters level degrees in Healthcare Administration, Nursing, Organizational Management, Public Health, Communications, Business Administration, Accounting, and Administrative Management. Corporate Managers hold numerous certifications including SPHR, CPA, and Risk Management. Five Corporate Managers hold skilled nursing facility administrative licenses.

RECOGNITION: Kissito facilities and its employees are continually being recognized and rewarded by governmental agencies and professional associations for contributions in the field of healthcare.

Some of the recent awards include:

• Sole recipient of the 2008 Virginia Health Quality Center Gold Star award
• Winner of the 2006 Yuma County, Arizona employer of the year award
• National Association of Health Care Assistants Best Attitude 2008 Employee of the year ( over 2,000,000 assistants are licensed in the USA)
• Winner of the Virginia 2008 Teen Volunteer of the Year award
• Arizona Health Care Association 2008 Certified Nursing Assistant of the year: Cowinner
• Winner of two Virginia Health Quality Center 2008 Bronze Stars
• Kissito Post Acute Cane Island ranked as one of the top three healthcare facilities by the State Quality Rating System (QRS) in Texas. The ranking includes all the 77 nursing facilities in Harris County, Texas.
• Kissito Healthcare Katy recognized as one of the 2009 recipients of the Step I National Quality Award presented by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL).
• Kissito Healthcare Palmview certified as “Excellent” in Quality Performance Scale (scoring 100% in all categories) by Arizona Department of Health Services.