Download St. Mary Unveils Phase III Expansion of Bristol–Myers Squibb

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growth
Town Hall Meeting
Highlights
St. Mary Unveils Phase III Expansion of
Bristol–Myers Squibb Pediatric Emergency Care Center
During the recent series of town hall
meetings, more than 800 colleagues
heard updates from senior leadership on
the current construction and renovation
projects (see page 6 for full story),
the relocation of eight administrative
departments to a new site in Newtown,
safety initiatives, and the Affordable Care
Act (ACA [read more on page 3]). Twentythree town hall sessions took place
between September 30 and October 9 at
the main St. Mary campus in Langhorne,
the 828C Building in Newtown, the LIFE
St. Mary Center in Trevose, and the Mother
Bachman Maternity Center in Bensalem.
St. Mary welcomed members of the community to the
newly opened Phase III expansion of the Bristol–Myers
Squibb Pediatric Emergency Care Center with a
blessing ceremony on October 22.
“After three years of construction, we reached Phase
III of our Emergency Care Center, which is among one
of the greatest accomplishments for St. Mary Medical
Center,” said Greg Wozniak, President and CEO, during
the celebration.
The ceremony included a welcome from Wozniak, a
reflection and blessing by Father Raju Pilla, Chaplain,
St. Mary Spiritual Care Department; as well as remarks by
Frank Guarrieri, Chairman, St. Mary Board of Directors;
Todd Buch, President, St. Mary Foundation Board;
Richard Leshner, DO, Chief of Cardiology and President
of the St. Mary Medical Staff; Gary Zimmer, MD,
Chairman of St. Mary Emergency Medicine; Raymond
Talucci, MD, Director of St. Mary Trauma Services; and
Charles Kunkle, MSN, CEN, CCRN, BC–NA, Director of Emergency Services and Critical Care.
Continued on page 5
In addition to Greg Wozniak, President
and CEO, Mary Sweeney, Vice President,
Colleague Resources and Development,
and Jeff Yarmel, Executive Vice President
and Chief Operating Officer, provided
timely updates on topics of interest to
St. Mary colleagues. Below are highlights
of the topics discussed.
Department Relocations
Further discussion was shared on
departments housed in the 828C
Building moving to 41 University
Boulevard in Newtown, adjacent to the
LaSalle University campus. The move,
Continued on page 6
community benefit
Honoring Breast Cancer Survivors
and Increasing Access to Care
St. Mary Medical Center is recognizing survivors of breast cancer not only during Breast Cancer
Awareness month in October — but also in November at the first-ever 92.5 WXTU and St. Mary
Medical Center Breast Cancer Survivors Celebration Luncheon on November 13 at Triumph
Brewery. The luncheon will be attended by approximately 125 guests, including 40 breast
cancer survivors who were nominated by close family and friends to take part in the event.
“St. Mary Medical Center is honored to be hosting this event; we’re committed to helping
our patients fight this battle and to continually raise awareness of breast cancer,” says Susan
Continued on page 7
quality
St. Mary Recognized Again By Local Community and National Joint Commission
St. Mary Medical Center continues to earn national
recognition and accreditation for demonstrating
excellence in clinical quality — most recently from
the Joint Commission and from the American
Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary
Rehabilitation.
strict, evidence-based accountability measures
linked closely to positive patient outcomes.
St. Mary is one of only 1,099 hospitals designated
as a Top Performer and is the only one in Bucks
County to be recognized as such.
In addition to this latest recognition, St. Mary
maintains Joint Commission advanced certification
in stroke, and certifications in breast cancer, heart
failure, joint replacement (hip and knee), and
sleeping disorders.
Joint Commission Recognition
St. Mary has been named to the Joint
Commission’s list of Top Performer on Key Quality
Measures® hospitals in the organization’s recently
produced annual report,“Improving America’s
Hospitals: The Joint Commission’s Annual Report
on Quality and Safety 2013.”
“At St. Mary, providing safe, high-quality patient
care is our number one priority at every level in
the organization. We benchmark ourselves to be
in the top 10th percentile of all hospitals in the
The Joint Commission’s Top Performer
designation is based on performance related to
Continued on page 5
people
St. Mary Colleagues Celebrate Years of Service
Colleagues gathered at
Celebrations in Bensalem
on September 12 to
celebrate the Colleague
Service Awards dinner
recognizing 443 awardees
for their services to St. Mary
Medical Center for the last
five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and
55 years.
and CEO, remarked during
the awards banquet.
Left to right: Dot Tonzelli, Fran Shlegle, Diedre Parikh, Debbie Shore, Liz Liotta,
Cheyron Hawthorne, and Nelly Marsula
“It is a privilege to recognize
each of you and to stand
here tonight to thank you
for your commitment and
service to St. Mary; we’re
honored to share this
evening with you and to
celebrate this milestone,”
Greg Wozniak, President
From left to right: Sr. Pat Warman, OSF; Sr. Mary Louise Burchell, OSF; Sr. Elizabeth
Murphy, OSF; Sr. Kathleen Shadell, OSF; Sr. Patrice Feeney, OSF; Sr. Marie Barbara
McNamara, OSF; and Sr. Mary Ann Potenza, OSF
Guests enjoyed a cocktail
hour followed by a
multi-course, sit-down
dinner. Brief remarks
were provided by Frank
Guarrieri, St. Mary Board
President, and Richard
Leshner, DO, Medical
Staff President. Wozniak
also provided a welcome
and congratulations to
colleagues followed by
Father Raju Pilla saying a
prayer.
As guests finished their
meals, Jim Gentile, RN,
Post-Anesthesia Care
Unit, acted as emcee and
provided the entertainment
during the presentation of
the awards. He highlighted
the Sisters of St. Francis
for their service, including
Sister Eileen Hennessey,
who has served more than
55 years at St. Mary.
Gentile also introduced
colleagues working 30 to
35 years to the podium
for speeches by their
supervisors and asked
colleagues serving five, 10,
15, 20, and 25 years to stand
for recognition.
service
The Affordable Care Act
St. Mary is Ready for the Health Insurance Marketplace
A large segment of the region’s
uninsured population will be able
to select a healthcare plan that
better fits their budget as the new
health insurance marketplace
opens from October 1, 2013,
through March 31, 2014.
During this unique enrollment
period, St. Mary will educate
consumers about the enrollment
process and help them understand
the differences in various plans
available to them.
“Healthcare reform is complicated,
and people are trying to understand
the right thing to do for themselves
and their family,” says Greg
Wozniak, President and CEO.“In
Pennsylvania, you can pick a plan
that has your primary care physician
or, if you don’t have a physician, you
can build a relationship with one in
the plan you pick.”
Throughout this process,“our
vision is for people to view St. Mary
Medical Center as their trusted
health partner they can turn to for
answers and for help,” Wozniak says.
The marketplace provides insurance
programs covering essential health
services at lower premiums and
out-of-pocket costs. Many people
will qualify for tax credits and,
depending on your income, you
may receive assistance in paying
for your insurance. Marketplace
plans cover a wide range of
services, including ER visits, doctors’
appointments, hospitalization,
maternity and newborn care, rehab,
mental health and substance abuse
services, prescriptions, preventive
care, pediatrics and more.
qualify regardless of age, gender,
health status, or pre-existing
conditions. They are most likely:
Low- and moderate-income
individuals and families who
do not have employer-based
insurance and who do not
qualify for Medicare or Medicaid;
n
How to Get Health Insurance
Individuals and families whose
incomes are too high for Medicaid
and make 100 percent to 400
percent of the poverty line (that’s
between $22,000 to $89,000 a
year for a family of four).
n
Through the marketplace, individuals
can compare options based on price,
benefits, and other features. All plans
are provided by private insurance
companies — not the government.
Pennsylvania and New Jersey
residents can purchase insurance on
the federally facilitated exchange at
www.healthcare.gov.
People who had previously been
denied coverage for pre-existing
health problems and are now
eligible for insurance.
n
“The marketplace allows
consumers to purchase health
insurance much like they’re used to
purchasing auto or homeowners
insurance,” says Brian Burgess, Vice
President, Strategy and Business
Development.
There are four levels of plans
ranging from the lowest premiums
but higher copays, deductibles,
and coinsurance bronze plans to
the high-premium, lower copay,
deductible, and coinsurance
platinum plans.
A special website is dedicated to
helping patients and consumers
navigate the options. The site
is: www.stmaryhealthcare.org/
insurance. Or, colleagues and
consumers can call 217.710.5888.
“People who are struggling to pay
their bills are likely to see significant
subsidies that will make health
insurance very, very economical,”
says Burgess.
Who Qualifies?
What Colleagues Can Do
All U.S. citizens and legal residents
who meet income guidelines
will be trying to figure out the right
plan for themselves and their family.
St. Mary is launching an advertising
and communications campaign,
which includes a print ad, Web
materials, direct mail, and outreach
programs for the community.
“St. Mary has trained counselors to
help anyone who calls our referral
line or goes to our website work
through the process and understand
what is available,” says Burgess.
Why It Matters
St. Mary is proud to be a trusted
resource for the hard-working
Pennsylvanians who will be
shopping for affordable coverage.
The health insurance marketplace
aligns with our mission to expand
access to care for the underserved
in our communities.
“The health insurance marketplace
has the power to advance our
mission, make healthcare affordable
for individuals, and strengthen our
hospital’s ability to improve the
health of our communities,” says
Terri Rivera, Vice President, Mission
and Community Health. “It is critical
that we each learn all we can about
how they work — and that we share
this information broadly with those
we serve.”
Information will be coming out over
the next several weeks, and people
For Benefits-Eligible Colleagues
For Colleagues Who Need Health Insurance
St. Mary will continue to offer comprehensive health coverage in 2014 for benefits-
Consider coverage options through a plan of your spouse’s employer or your parent’s
n
n
eligible colleagues.
n If you were benefits eligible in 2013, you will likely be benefits eligible in 2014 unless you
have had an employment status change (for example, moving from full-time to per diem).
n Similar to other years, if you are benefits eligible, you will be able to choose the
St. Mary health plan that works best for you and your family during benefits open
enrollment, October 21 through November 8.
n To make this process easier for you, open enrollment will be a “passive enrollment.” This
means you can just let most of your current elections “rollover” into 2014 (more details
coming soon).
employer (if you are under age 26), Medicaid, Medicare, or the new health insurance
marketplace.
n If you decide to enroll through the marketplace, you will need to provide information
about St. Mary Medical Center and our health plans.
n The healthcare reform law requires almost all U.S. citizens and legal resident aliens to
have healthcare coverage starting January 1, 2014, or pay a penalty.
n If you have questions about this information, visit www.healthcare.gov to learn more.
growth
New Physicians on Staff Provide Specialized Urology Care
Jamison Jaffe, DO, and Justin Harmon, DO,
two of the region’s leading urologic surgeons,
have joined the medical staff at St. Mary Medical
Center and opened a new office of their practice,
Comprehensive Urologic Specialists, in Suite 334
of the St. Clare Medical Building on the St. Mary
campus in Langhorne.
Dr. Harmon and Dr. Jaffe specialize in diagnosing
and treating conditions of the urinary tract in
men and women, and of the reproductive system
in men, utilizing medical management and
specialized surgical procedures.
Having completed hundreds of cases, Dr. Harmon
and Dr. Jaffe are among the most experienced
urologists in the region to perform complex
procedures using robotic surgical technology.
Both doctors are accomplished presenters who
train physicians across the country in minimally
invasive and laparoscopic surgical techniques,
especially for the treatment of prostate cancer.
invasive treatment options for kidney stone
disease, erectile dysfunction, incontinence, painful
urination, enlarged prostate, infections, and cystitis.
The capabilities of Comprehensive Urologic
Specialists will serve to expand the robotic
surgical program at St. Mary Medical Center.
Dr. Justin Harmon
Dr. Jamison Jaffe
Both physicians completed fellowship training
in laparoscopic and robotic urologic surgery at
the prestigious L’institute Mutualiste Montsouris
in Paris, where the laparoscopic prostatectomy
procedure was pioneered.
Dr. Harmon and Dr. Jaffe have extensive
experience in the treatment of other urologic
cancers, including bladder, kidney, ureter, adrenal
and testicle. They also specialize in minimally
“The community relies on St. Mary for access to
the best technology and most advanced clinical
expertise. The knowledge and skill of these
accomplished surgeons support our mission
in providing the highest quality of care in the
treatment of cancerous and non-cancerous
conditions of the genitourinary tract,” says Susan
Sample, Service Line Administrator of Oncology.
To request an appointment with Dr. Harmon or
Dr. Jaffe, call 215.710.4490.
quality
Medication Safety Strategies at St. Mary Medical Center
Patient safety is an integral part of the organizational culture at St. Mary Medical Center, and we have
made fundamental changes in our internal processes relating to medication safety in response to a
report published in 1999 by the Institute of Medicine. This report found that nearly 7,000 patient deaths
each year were caused by preventable medication errors.
According to Suzette Cunicelli, RPh, Director of Pharmacy Services, changes include the implementation
of new technology and work flows for the ordering, storage, dispensing, and administration of medicines.
“As healthcare professionals, we have a responsibility to put our patients’ safety above all else. We must all
take a greater role in medication safety and do our part to protect our patients and limit the number of
preventable medication errors that occur,” Cunicelli says.
What We Have Done
n
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Meditech — The Meditech electronic health record system allows for the use of an electronic
medication administration record (eMAR). This feature displays all medicines prescribed for a
patient and the status of those orders, whether the order is awaiting verification by a pharmacist or
acknowledgment by a nurse. The administration times are provided and if a dose is past due, the
system alerts the user. Nurses can document the reason for not administering a dose that is due.
Barcode Medication Administration — Another safety feature is barcode medication administration
(BCMA), which helps ensure that the intended patient receives the intended medication.
“Patients’ wrist bands contain a barcode that links specifically to their eMAR. The medication barcode
is in the drug dictionary within Meditech, and if the incorrect barcode is scanned prior to patient
administration, the system alerts the user to the discrepancy,” explains Jessica Ellis, PharmD,
Medication Safety Officer and Lead Pharmacist.
n
Smart Pumps — Smart pumps are used for intravenous medication administration. With this device,
the nurse selects the medication to be infused and the rate or dose the patient was prescribed. The
system is set with dose range limits for each medication, so if the setting falls outside of that range, it
Continued on page 7
Five Rights of Medication Administration
1. The right patient
2. The right drug
3. The right dose
4. The right route
5. The right time
Cunicelli and Ellis also advise
colleagues to also consider a sixth
right of administration:
the right indication.
ED Phase III from page 1
The crowd also was introduced to
Denise Keegan and her 7-yearold son Carter. The boy received
emergency care at St .Mary this
summer after he suffered a severe leg
laceration.
As a nurse, Keegan knew how to
handle the situation from a medical
perspective, but emotionally it was
difficult. The paramedics took Carter to
St. Mary, and Keegan followed with her
10-year-old daughter. Carter’s injury
required 19 stitches, which were done
with the aid of nitrous oxide to alleviate
pain and stress.
In addition to having one of the first
24/7 pediatric emergency care centers
in the area, St. Mary is the only hospital
in the region to implement the use of
nitrous oxide (N2O) in treating children.
The practice of providing light sedation
of N2O is a safe and effective way to
reduce the pain and anxiety children
and parents face in stressful situations
such as administering stitches, mending
lacerations, or helping with broken
bones. Nitrous oxide is very fast acting,
with virtually no side effects, according
to doctors.
As Carter showed off his treated leg
at the blessing ceremony, his mom
said,“Coming here was dramatic for
all of us, but we felt love and kindness
from everyone at St. Mary. We highly
recommend your hospital to everyone.”
This final phase of the $22 million
construction project completes the
expansion of the pediatric care center,
which is specially designed to meet
the specific emergency medical needs
of children and their families. Features
include 11 private treatment rooms, a
pediatric triage area, separate reception
areas for potentially infectious and
noninfectious conditions, and a specially
equipped pediatric resuscitation room.
The project has been generously
supported by a $2 million grant from
the Bristol–Myers Squibb Foundation.
To view more event photos, check out
the St. Mary website, the My St. Mary
Intranet, and our Facebook page.
community benefit
Comprehensive Concussion Program of Bucks County
Helping Students Recover and Thrive
After a Traumatic Brain Injury
A partnership between the St. Mary Trauma Center
and the Bucks County Intermediate Unit #22 Brain
STEPS Team is helping youth athletes — and their
coaches and parents — tackle the ever-present
and prevalent problem of concussion.
According to a report recently published by Safe
Kids Worldwide:
n
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Concussions account for 12 percent of
hospital emergency department (ED) visits by
youth athletes — or one concussion-related
ED visit every three minutes.
Athletes ages 12 to 15 comprise 47 percent of
all sports-related concussions treated in the
hospital.
“The Comprehensive Concussion Program of
Bucks County was introduced in 2011. The goals of
the program are to help schools, families, and the
athletes themselves understand the impact that
a concussion can have on learning and academic
performance and to support students returning to
school after a traumatic brain injury,” says Trauma
Prevention Coordinator Kimberly Everett, who
works with the 17 high schools and four middle
schools that currently offer the program.
Targeted Interventions
After a concussion, students may experience
headaches, dizziness, or balance issues related
to post-concussive syndrome. In these cases, a
decrease in mental and physical activities is an
important part of the healing process. Students
may need to take “brain breaks,” short periods of
rest in the nurse’s office during the school day.
“Sometimes note taking triggers symptoms in
the classroom, so having teachers give kids their
notes on paper instead of making them write can
be helpful,” says Everett.“Or sometimes the noise
while changing classes or eating lunch is too much
for students after a concussion, so they may have
to change five minutes before or after everyone
else. Small accommodations like these can help
students function and get through their day.”
ImPACT Testing
In addition to facilitating the coordinated
management of care after a concussion, the
Comprehensive Concussion Program assists
schools with the implementation of statemandated concussion education and baseline
Continued on page 8
Quality Recognition from page 2
United States — not just in quality indicators for clinical care,
but also in patient satisfaction. Our guiding belief is that if we
provide high-quality care, our patients will be satisfied, which
will fuel St. Mary’s growth in providing important services to the
community,” says Sharon Brown, Vice President, Patient Care
and Chief Nursing Officer.
To view or download the Joint Commission report, visit
www.jointcommission.org.
Best of Bucks Award
The Bucks County Courier Times recently asked readers about their
favorite services in the community — and St. Mary Medical Center
was voted again as the Best of Bucks 2013.
It’s our mission to provide high-quality care in our community,
and we’ve been dedicated to that mission since our founding in
1973. St. Mary is honored to be Bucks County’s most trusted and
preferred name in healthcare.
Town Halls from page 1
scheduled for November 23,
will include the following
departments: Community
Health, Langhorne
Physicians Services, Patient
Financial Services and
Finance, Marketing and
Physician Services, BCHIP
and the IT training room.
New teams to join the
location are Operations
Improvement and
Colleague Relations.
the list of major topics
discussed during the
town halls. For example,
the new 41 University
Boulevard building will be
secured with card-access
technology. Updates
on safety included an
increase in duress buttons,
which were added to the
Pharmacy recently, as well
“Colleague Relations and
Operations Improvement
will move to the new
location to support the
expansion of the OR and
to provide more working
space for the departments,”
according to Wozniak.
Colleagues will have an
opportunity to tour the new
building when construction
is completed.
as assistance call stations
added to the St. Clare main
entrance. In addition, the
parking garage added
improved signage to all
assistance call stations. A
safety tip of the month is
also issued to all colleagues.
In an effort to continually
improve safety and security,
Harry Myers, Director
of Safety, Security, and
Emergency Management
and his team, completed an
assessment in June on the
safety and security of the
“Within our commitment
to safety, we check all doors
on the perimeter each night
to ensure they’re locked. If
visitors remain on campus
after hours, we encourage
all nursing stations to call
Security to issue visitor passes
for those guests staying after
hours,” says Myers.
Safety escorts are available
to colleagues on campus
and can be arranged by
calling the switchboard
(“0”). Other security
measures include a 24-hour
safety patrol throughout
the campus.
All colleagues are invited
to attend one of the next
town hall meetings to learn
about key St. Mary updates.
For a schedule of upcoming
dates, visit the Colleague
Resources section of the My
St. Mary Intranet.
Safety Tips
To encourage safety and security at St. Mary, the following safety and security tips are
highly recommended:
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Secure your belongings at all times.
n
Immediately report any spills, potholes, slippery conditions, or other safety concerns
to the switchboard by dialing “0.”
n
Report any unusual sounds, packages, or persons while on campus to Ext. 5555.
n
If, after hours, you see someone trying to access the locked doors of the perimeter
and this person does not have access, notify Security immediately.
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Always make sure to lock your computers when you’re away from your desk
— even if just for a second.
Safety Initiatives
Colleague and workplace
safety were also among
hospital, off-site locations of
the hospital, and physician
practices, which led to the
added duress buttons and
assistance call stations.
growth
St. Mary Rehabilitation Hospital and Main Campus Construction Progress
During the recent town hall meetings, major
construction updates were shared on the
development of the St. Mary Rehabilitation
Hospital. The new facility is scheduled to
accept its first patient in May 2014.
Currently, sidewalks are being poured for a
pedestrian walkway from the main St. Mary
campus to the new hospital, turning lanes are
to be developed, and trees are being planted
around the perimeter of the new site.
In addition, on October 8, the construction team
unveiled a head-wall mock-up, a demonstration of
where clinical items will be located in the patient
room, in addition to all electrical work and the
bathroom. Lisa Haney, Executive Director, Inpatient
Rehabilitation, along with rehab nursing and
medical staff are working with the project team to
continue development of the patient rooms.
further back from the highway — a common
colleague question.
“The new 50-bed hospital will allow us to expand
inpatient rehab services to better meet the needs
of Bucks County residents,” says Haney.“Currently,
the rehabilitation unit at St. Mary ranks in the
top 4 percent of 789 nationwide rehabilitation
facilities based on clinical outcomes and
evaluated by the UDSMR® in its Program
Evaluation Model.”
During the town hall meetings, Wozniak also
explained why the new hospital is being set back
“We wanted the rehab unit further back due
to the traffic and our 24/7 availability; it is
best for our neighbors to not look out and
see a four-story building. We want to be a
good neighbor to the surrounding area and
to provide a quieter setting for patients,”
according to Wozniak.
Other Projects Planned and Under Way
MS1A is receiving a cosmetic upgrade four
rooms at a time, while the contractor selection
process is underway for planned renovations to
the lobby and Labor and Delivery. The cafeteria
is in the first phase of being remodeled, a project
that includes new furniture and remodeling of
the serving areas. Six new healing gardens and a
rooftop mural are also in the works.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month from page 1
Sample, Service Line Administrator
of Oncology.“We look forward to
celebrating our survivors at this event
and educating the community on our
continuum of care here at St. Mary.”
for the event can be found at
www.925xtu.com/contest/
celebration-luncheon-0 or at
www.StMaryHealthcare.org.
Leading up to the celebration
luncheon, 92.5 WXTU has partnered
with St. Mary to collect hundreds of
nominations for the warriors in pink
and to share their stories on the air
for WXTU listeners. The stories were
read by 92.5 WXTU radio hosts Doc
Medek and Andie Summers.
While celebrating breast
cancer survivors, St. Mary also is
providing services that benefit
the community central to our
identity and mission as a Catholic
healthcare organization. Through
targeted outreach programs
such as the St. Mary Breast Health
Initiative (BHI), we are addressing
some of the region’s greatest
areas of unmet need.
Winning nominations will be invited
to the luncheon as guests of honor
to hear a private concert by Sheryl
Crow and remarks from radio hosts
Medek and Summers; Sister Marie
Barbara, St. Mary Chaplain, Spiritual
Care department; Stacy Krisher,
MD, Medical Director, St. Mary
Breast Center; and Sample. Details
Bucks County women age 40 and
older receive free clinical breast
exams and screening mammograms.
According to Debbie Jankowski,
Breast Health Initiative Coordinator,
since the BHI’s inception in 2008
through September 2013, more
than 1,880 low-income Bucks County
women have been screened for
breast cancer. Of that number, 27
women have been diagnosed with
breast cancer, and one was diagnosed
with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
St. Mary Breast Health Initiative
“This has been an unusual year
in that we’ve had more positive
diagnoses — 10 diagnoses in nine
months — than we’ve had in total
for any given year,” says Jankowski.
The BHI is made possible by
an outstanding collaboration
between the St. Mary Breast
Center, the Radiology team, and
our breast surgeons. Through the
BHI, financially eligible, uninsured
In addition, the women treated this
year also are dealing with more
serious socioeconomic challenges
than seen in prior years.
“We’ve been doing our best to
get these ladies the help they so
desperately need, from arranging
transportation to and from medical
appointments, to helping women
apply for financial assistance, and
referring them to other resources for
dental, vision, and primary medical
care,” Jankowski says.
“Thanks to the BHI, we have the
chance to make a difference through
prevention, education, and early
detection. Many of the women served
feel comfortable sharing their health
concerns with me. Through the BHI,
they begin to establish a connection
to St. Mary Medical Center,” shares
Lisa Sortino–Sowa RN, MSN, CRNP,
CBEC, Certified Registered Nurse
Practitioner.
Medication Safety from page 4
will either provide a warning to the user or a
hard stop.
“A hard stop will not allow the medication to
be infused with the current settings, and the
medication cannot infuse until the settings
have been changed to be one within the
appropriate range,” says Ellis.
n
Patient-Controlled Analgesia — Designated
patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pumps
allow patients to safely manage the amount
of pain medication they receive within predefined limits. The pumps allow necessary
information to be programmed into the pump
to administer this type of medication safely.
“The benefits of using PCA therapy is that
patients control how much medication they
receive based on their need at that particular
time. This method can decrease risks
associated with pain medication treatment
and avoid overdoses of potentially strong
medications that can cause significant side
effects,” notes Ellis.
n
Computerized Provider Order Entry
(CareLink) — The implementation of CareLink in
2012 brought with it many potential advantages
to decrease medication errors. CareLink allows
automatic generation of prescriber alerts for
allergies, adverse drug reactions, therapeutic
duplications, and drug-drug interactions.
“It also decreases the risk of misinterpretation of
medication orders due to illegible handwriting
and eliminated the need to decipher signatures
of prescribers in order to clarify any medication
orders in question. Prescribers now enter orders
while onsite or remotely, which decreases the
need for telephone orders,” says Cunicelli.
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Look Alike/Sound Alike Medication List — A
list of look-alike/sound-alike medications has
been developed to raise awareness of brands
that may be confused due to having similar
names, such as Azilect® and Aricept®. We also
have developed a list of “high-alert” medications
that are more likely to cause patient harm if
involved in an administration error.
What Colleagues Can Do
Every colleague who is involved in direct patient care has an important role in supporting
efforts to prevent medication-related errors.
“Use all safeguards put in place to the fullest extent. Workarounds may save time, but they do
not save lives the way using the equipment as intended has proven to do. Pay attention to
the alerts you receive from the safety equipment. Communicate clearly with other healthcare
professionals and ask questions when you are unsure. Use the resources available to you.
We have patient safety officers, a medication safety officer, and 24/7 pharmacist coverage,”
Cunicelli says.
If a medication error or a near-miss does happen, focus on the system and what process
improvements could take place.
“All errors that reach the patient, as well as near-misses, should be reported using the Midas+
system, which is accessible through SMMCLinks. The problem cannot be fixed if the situation
is unknown, and reporting an error or near-miss could prevent a similar situation from taking
place in the future. All reports are thoroughly investigated and considerations for process
improvement are discussed at the Medication Safety Committee meetings quarterly,” she adds.
For more information on medication safety or to discuss a concern, contact Ellis at
215.710.2031 or [email protected].
people
ST. MARY CALENDAR
Values in Practice Award
Tuesday, Oct. 15 – Friday, Nov. 15
Mandatory Colleague Flu Shots
Honors LIFE St. Mary Team
Check the My St. Mary Intranet for a current
schedule of times and locations
LIFE St. Mary colleagues Mary Ellen Davis, Kira
Fragassi, and Carrie Weiss, RN, recently received the
Colleague-to-Colleague Values Award under the
St. Mary Medical Center value of Justice.
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Information: 215.710.5795
Saturday, November 2, 9 am – 1:30 pm
Orthopedics 2013
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Sheraton Bucks County Hotel
400 Oxford Valley Road, Langhorne
Registration: 215.710. 4612
Monday, Nov. 4 – Monday, Nov. 25
Colleague Engagement Survey
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Visit the My St. Mary Intranet or SMMC Links
to access the online survey
Information: 215.710.5192
Tuesday, November 19, 8 am – 4 pm
Annual St. Mary Trauma Conference
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Sheraton Bucks County Hotel
400 Oxford Valley Road, Langhorne
Registration: 215.710.5900
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
Emergencies
Ext. 5555 (To report emergencies)
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St. Mary Hotline
Ext. 7777 (For important announcements, such
as severe weather and emergent situations)
Davis, Community Liaison for LIFE St. Mary, and
Weiss were nominated by Social Worker Carol
Benderson–Lighter, MSW, LSW, for visiting
participants of LIFE St. Mary and sharing turkey
dinner with them last Thanksgiving.
In addition, Benderson–Lighter nominated Fragassi, Medical Records Coordinator,
because she took care of a LIFE St. Mary participant who had to evacuate his home for days because of
Hurricane Sandy. Fragassi visited the LIFE St. Mary participant at a motel to make sure he didn’t feel isolated
and to ensure he knew LIFE St. Mary cared about him.
“LIFE St. Mary is a unique program because it provides all-inclusive care to our participants who enroll,
usually for the rest of their lives. Because of this, our colleagues become very involved in the lives of our
participants and often of their families,” says Benderson–Lighter.“I’m privileged to see acts of extraordinary
kindness from so many of my colleagues. I was particularly inspired by how Carrie, Kira, and Mary Ellen went
above and beyond the call of duty at times when our participants were most vulnerable. Each of the three
older adults who were helped by them shared with me how much these acts of kindness meant to them.”
The Colleague-to-Colleague Values Award program allows you to nominate individuals and
departments that exemplify the St. Mary values of Excellence, Integrity, Justice, or Collaboration.
Nomination forms are available on the My St. Mary Intranet and on the VIP Board outside the cafeteria.
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President and CEO
Ext. GREG (4734)
(To share concerns and ask questions)
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Carebridge
800.437.0911 (To contact the EAP)
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Work-Related Injuries
1. Contact supervisor
2. Notify Colleague Health, ext. 5827
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Compliance
[email protected] or
800.254.0458 (To report concerns related to
Compliance/HIPAA)
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Joint Commission Quality Monitoring
[email protected] or
800.994.6610 (To report issues relating to
safety, quality)
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Spirit is published by Marketing & Communications and is
posted on the Intranet.Submit news items to Liz Brachelli
at [email protected] or 215.710.5839.
Concussion Testing from page 5
neurocognitive testing before the fall, winter, and
spring sports seasons. Everett estimates that 300 to
500 students at each participating school take part
in the immediate post-concussion assessment and
cognitive testing (ImPACT) — upwards of 7,500
kids this year alone.
“The ImPACT test, which is done in a school
computer lab, evaluates memory, reaction
time, and additional cognitive processing.
If a child sustains a concussion, the test is
administered again to help determine his or her
ability to return to their academic and athletic
environments,” she explains.
Other Programs
Prevention of brain and other traumatic injuries
is a multidisciplinary effort at St. Mary Medical
Center. Our Trauma team collaborates with
St. Mary physicians and clinical departments —
including Neurology, Neurosurgery, Rehabilitation,
www.StMaryHealthcare.org
www.facebook.com/stmaryhealthcare
Neuropsychiatry, and Orthopedics — to deliver
community-education programs designed for the
needs of various age groups. These groups include
children, adolescents, adults, and older adults.
If you are interested in more information
regarding any of these programs,
call 215.710.2350 or email keverett@
stmaryhealthcare.org.
Game Changers
Stats, Stories and
What Communities Are Doing
to Protect Young Athletes
AUGUST 2013
The St. Mary Medical Center–
Brain STEPS collaboration is
featured on page 8 of “Game
Changers,” a Safe Kids Sports
Report published in August
2013. St. Mary is the lead
organization for Safe Kids
Bucks County.
Download the report from
www.safekids.org (go to What
We Do>Library>Research
Reports).