Customer Stories

Beacon Health System’s Successful Journey to Zero Hypo

Enhancing Glycemic Control with EndoTool^® at Elkhart General Hospital.

The Customer

Elkhart General Hospital is part of South Bend, Indiana-based Beacon Health System, the largest locally owned and operated nonprofit healthcare system in the region. Beacon has a network of more than 1,000 physicians and providers across more than 70 locations, representing over 35 specialties. With its nearly 8,000 dedicated associates, Beacon is committed to its mission of delivering outstanding care, inspiring health and connecting with heart with the communities it serves.

The decision to move to EndoTool^® stemmed from the pressing need for a solution that could efficiently manage glycemic control in acutely ill patients. With the complexities of traditional paper protocol methods and the reliance on anecdotal data, Elkhart General Hospital sought a cost-effective and clinically validated alternative. EndoTool transformed glycemic management practices by providing both effectiveness and real-time data accessibility, ushering in better outcomes and workflow efficiencies.

Image L-R: Eli Opacich, PharmD, BCPS PCCCP Pharmacist; Krista Jewel, RN, BSN Charge RN for Flexible Acuity Unit; Kim Henke, RN, MSN, MPA, CCRN-CSC CNS for Critical Care Services; Dr. Edwin Annan, Intensivist, Pulmonologist, Medical Director Critical Care Center

Highlights from Elkhart General Hospital's Glycemic Excellence Journey

Dramatic Reduction in Hypoglycemia and Hyperglycemia Rates: The implementation of EndoTool^® brought a remarkable shift in patient outcomes. Notably, the reduction in severe hypoglycemia events to zero in 2023 underscored the solution’s efficacy in safeguarding patient well-being.

Improved glycemic outcomes pre and post EndoTool:

Outcomes	FY 2019 (Pre-EndoTool)	FY 2023 (Post-EndoTool)
Severe Hypoglycemia (<40 mg/dL)	2.1%	0%
Mild Hypoglycemia (<70 mg/dL)	22.9%	0.27%
Patient days with Severe Hyperglycemia (>180 mg/dL)	56.3%	4.3%

Boosting Staff Efficiency and Satisfaction: EndoTool^® has simplified the management of continuous insulin infusions (CII), resulting in reduced time on CII and clearer transitions to subcutaneous insulin. Both intensivists and nursing staff have noted the ease of use and clarity provided by EndoTool^®, which has improved overall operational efficiency and staff satisfaction.

“EndoTool^® IV has been one of the most significant and impactful process changes that I have been associated with over the past two decades in my role.”

Kim Henke, RN, MSN, MPA, CCRN-CSC CNS for Critical Care Services

Enthusiastic Adoption by the Elkhart Team

The clinical staff embraced the changes brought about by EndoTool enthusiastically. From nurses to physicians, the ease of integration and the tangible benefits became evident from the outset.

The staff’s readiness was evident through planned training and ongoing support mechanisms. The eLearning provided by Monarch serves as the mainstay for EndoTool IV training, requiring all new nursing staff to participate in a simulation-based session equipping them with the knowledge and skills to adapt EndoTool into their day-to-day workflows.

Accessible for inquiries or concerns, they appointed a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) to oversee the process. This investment in training laid the foundation for seamless adoption and empowered frontline staff to use EndoTool with ease and confidence.

Streamlined Operations for Smoother Workflows

Beyond improving patient outcomes, EndoTool^® brought about several operational efficiencies. The automation of insulin dosing recommendations alleviated providers from minutiae, allowing for a more focused and patient-centric approach. Dr. Edwin Annan, Intensivist, Pulmonologist and Medical Director of the Critical Care Center, who has been directing this process, noted smoother transitions to subcutaneous insulin and reduced time on CIIs, signaling a vast improvement in resource allocation and workflow optimization.

“EndoTool^® has been a vast improvement over our previous protocols. Nursing ease of use has been tremendously enhanced and, most importantly, patient safety has been exponentially improved.”

Eli Opacich PharmD, BCPS PCCCP Pharmacist

Looking to the future with EndoTool^®

For Elkhart General Hospital, the most valuable aspect of their EndoTool® experience transcended metrics—it lay in the assurance of patient safety, provider confidence, and simplicity of care delivery. This is significant, considering the evolving landscape of inpatient glycemic management with the proposed changes to reporting by CMS this year.

With the new CMS proposed rule mandating the reporting of glycemic outcomes, Kim Henke, RN, MSN, MPA, CCRN-CSC CNS for Critical Care Services, expresses unwavering confidence. “We feel absolutely confident,” she says when asked about confidence in reporting their glycemic outcomes. “The data speaks for itself, now readily accessible in real time for prompt review and action.”

The success story of EndoTool at Elkhart General Hospital stands as a testament to their dedication to patient safety and the hospital’s inspiring approach to glycemic management setting a new standard for quality care delivery.