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Winter 2007
F r a n k f o r d
Quality is TOPS at Frankford!
Frankford Hospitals’ New Approach to Performance Measures,
Performance Improvement (PI), Data Tracking and Dissemination
Frankford Hospitals have recently adopted a
new approach to performance measures,
Performance Improvement (PI), and
data tracking and dissemination. The
acronym that has been chosen for the
effort is TOPS. It was selected because
it infers that at Frankford we strive to
be TOPS, making quality, both in clinical
and organizational performance, our
priority. TOPS will be something you
will be hearing more about, as it will be
used to refer to Frankford’s “balanced
scorecard” for organizational development as well as our efforts toward
becoming a top performer in clinical
outcomes. The section below explains
more about TOPS. The column at
the right includes answers to some
frequently asked questions regarding
our performance measures.
T:
O:
P:
S:
Team and Talents
Operational Outcomes
Patient and Physician Focused
Strategic Direction – New Services
Team and Talents:
• Turnover Rates
• Vacancy Rates
• Training and Development Hours
• Absentee Rates
• Employee Engagement
Operational Outcomes:
• Quality/Clinical Indicators
• Operational Indicators (e.g. overtime,
FTE management, supply cost control)
• Financial (e.g. budget performance,
revenue growth)
Patient and Physician Focused
• Patient Satisfaction
• Patient Safety
• Physician Satisfaction
• Physician Recruitment
Strategic Direction – New Services
• Share TOPS Performance
Monitoring and Benchmark Results
• Strategic Direction
• New Services/Programs
• Service-line Development and Growth
In This Issue:
TOPS
Quality is TOPS at Frankford
Performance Measures –
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the performance measures?
Performance measures include specific
medical information collected from
a patient’s medical record. We are
collecting information on patients with
heart attacks, heart failure, pneumonia
and surgeries.
Why were they developed?
To measure how well we provide care
to our patients.
Who developed the performance
measures? The Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services (CMS) is a
government agency that developed the
performance measures. It provides
health insurance for people 65 years
and older, persons with disabilities
under 65 years old, and kidney failure
patients requiring dialysis or transplant.
Welcome to the Frankford Pulse Newsletter!
We are pleased to present the first issue of the Frankford Pulse newsletter! The
Pulse is the result of much discussion with many groups within our Hospital family,
including senior leadership, our employees and medical staff, about the need to create
a communication vehicle that would celebrate Frankford’s many achievements as
well as provide updates on hospital policies, initiatives and events. This inaugural
issue chronicles many of the highlights that have taken place over much of the last
year as well as current service, program and policy updates. Going forward, we will
publish the newsletter on a quarterly basis. Ultimately, the Pulse will evolve into what
all of us would like to make it, and be a successful venture because of all of our efforts.
Do you have a story idea? Has your department recently participated in a special
event or been honored with an award? Please let us know about it so we can include
it in future issues of the Pulse. You can forward story ideas, information, and/or
photos to the Marketing Department via e-mail at [email protected], phone at
215-612-4952, or fax at 215-612-5001.
I look forward to working with all of you to continue to celebrate our successes
and make the Pulse be one of them!
Maria Cerceo Slade
Director, Marketing, Public Relations and Communications
Editor, Frankford Pulse
Frankford Hospitals
Use the Road Map to Follow the Right Path
Our New Code of Conduct Shows You the Way
What is our goal? To be known to the
community we serve as providers of
top quality care!
As a healthcare organization, Frankford Hospital is required
to publish a Code of Conduct. This document is intended to
be a “road map” to assist all staff in our day-to-day decision
making. The Code of Conduct is meant to clarify our hospital’s
mission, values and principles, ultimately defining the
character of our organization.
Much has been written lately about the codes of conduct for many organizations
and their lack of usefulness or effectiveness. For example, the code of conduct at
the now defunct Enron Corporation was a hefty 65-page document. Beautifully
bound and printed, the Enron code of conduct specifically prohibited many of the
activities that were secretly conducted, activities that eventually led to the company’s
destruction. Were the guilty employees of Enron, many of them senior management,
ignorant of the code or did they just act in reckless disregard of it?
As part of the annual policy review process, Frankford Hospital, with approval
from our Board of Directors, has updated our Code of Conduct. Still retaining the
“Do the Right Thing” theme and tagline, the revised Code of Conduct has been
clarified to just 45 simple words. Here they are:
At Frankford Hospital, we will provide exceptional care to our patients, show
respect and dignity toward all members of our community, honor our patient’s
right to privacy, comply with all applicable laws, avoid conflicts of interest, and
conduct all business practices with honesty and integrity.
The shortness of our code should make it easy to remember and its simplicity should
resonate with everyone’s intrinsic perception of “doing the right thing.” Most times the
shortest route to any destination is a straight line. Our new Code of Conduct, our new
“road map,” provides for us a very straight path to the character of Frankford Hospital.
To learn more about our new Code of Conduct and how it should be incorporated into
our daily activities, visit the Compliance page on our Intranet site at www.fhcs.org.
Learn More About
Hardwiring Excellence ...................2
The Center for Gynecology and
Women’s Health Expands ..............3
Why are the selected treatments chosen?
The selected treatments have proven
to provide the best results for patients
with these illnesses.
When do these treatments happen?
Some occur when the patient first
arrives at the hospital, some occur
during the stay, and some are for care
the patient should receive at discharge.
Who uses this information?
The information is provided to CMS,
the Joint Commission on Accreditation
of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO),
insurance companies, and most
importantly, patients.
How does a patient use this information?
The information provided can help
a patient make informed decisions
on where he or she would like to
receive care.
“Fearless” Frankford Campus ICU Nurse
Wins on NBC’s Fear Factor ...........5
2
Winter 2007
F r a n k f o r d
Frankford’s Department of Surgery Expands
Hardwiring Excellence
By Grace A. Odums, Manager, Training and Organizational Development
By now you have heard the buzz
around the book: Hardwiring
Excellence, by Quint Studer.
If you haven’t, let us catch you up.
Quint Studer, President of The Studer
Group, LLC, is the former president of
Baptist Hospital. Not the Baptist
Hospital we know today: the entity
rated #1 in Patient Satisfaction in the
nation, three years consecutively.
That’s what the book is about – how he,
his leadership team and his associates
or employees, in lock step, marched
their way to service excellence victory.
Mr. Studer became president of Baptist
Hospital in 1996, a time when employees
were resigning – 30% turnover ratio,
morale was very low, profit margins
were almost non-existent and patient
satisfaction hovered between 9th and
40th percentile.
Between 1997 and 2003, Quint and
his leadership team, along with every
associate (employee), committed
themselves to a definitive business
strategy, engaged a clear business
model and together, transformed their
organization into the Baptist Hospital
we know today. Together, they achieved:
Patient Satisfaction in the
99th percentile
• 12% employee turnover
• 34% increase in patient volumes
• Upgraded bond rating by Moody’s
(the Wall Street Gurus)
• $1.8 million addition to the
bottom line
These accomplishments secured
and continue to garner industry
accolades like:
• Sodexho Marriott Service Excellence
Award
• USA Today Quality Cup (in association
with Rochester Institute of Health)
• Malcolm Baldridge Award
Baptist Hospital is consistently
ranked among the top 100 “Best
Places to Work” by Fortune Magazine
and top 50 “Best Places for
Professionals of Color” by Diversity
Inc. Magazine; all
of which are
earmarks of an
Employer of Choice.
The book, Hardwiring
Excellence, details the
nine pillars upon which an organization
must actively build its enterprise – in
order to achieve and sustain breakthrough
performance in each of the following
key areas: PEOPLE, PROCESSES,
PATIENTS, PROFITABILITY
Here’s an excerpt:
“…Through this journey, I learned
that the results come from hardwiring
(meeting) agendas, (performance)
evaluations, (organizational) communication, training, (hiring) selection,
discharge phone calls, thank you
notes, and more. This way, hardwired
behaviors drive the system if the leaders
change. This is crucial since most staff
and physicians will work at a facility
longer than the average CEO.
Hardwiring excellence supports the
organization’s values and sustains the
gains. This, then, is why I wrote the
chapters to come: to lay out the actions
and behaviors all organizations can
use to hardwire excellence.”
In the months to come, all department
directors, managers and supervisors
will be invited to participate in the
required learning series entitled, what
else: Hardwiring Excellence – offered
through Frankford Hospital’s Learning
University – Management and Leadership
Performance Institute.
After the management sessions are
completed, abbreviated versions of the
workshop will be offered to all front
line team members.
So, managers – if you haven’t secured
a copy of Mr. Studer’s book, please
check in with your Campus Administrator.
And as you read through the book,
in preparation for the learning series,
please be certain to share with your
staff what you glean from the book,
because “…results come from hardwiring communication.”
Jennifer Chalfin Simmons, MD, Breast Surgeon
After a brief leave, breast surgeon Jennifer Chalfin Simmons, MD,
has returned to Frankford’s Department of Surgery. Specializing
in the treatment of breast disease, Dr. Simmons’ areas of expertise
include minimally invasive biopsies, skin sparing mastectomies and
sentinel lymph node procedures. Working closely with Frankford
radiologists, pathologists, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists,
she also provides seamless, comprehensive care to the breast cancer
patient. Dr. Simmons has resumed her practice both at the
Torresdale and Bucks County Campuses.
Richard S. Chang, MD, Thoracic Surgeon
Richard S. Chang, MD, recently joined John A. Heim, MD, in
surgical practice at Frankford Hospitals’ Bucks County, Torresdale
and Frankford campuses. Both Drs. Chang and Heim specialize
in thoracic surgery. Dr. Chang’s areas of expertise include the
surgical management of benign and malignant disease of the
lung, mediastinum and esophagus. He is skilled in pulmonary
resections, video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), esophageal
surgery, esophageal stenting, video mediastinoscopy, trachealbronchial stenting, tracheal resections and laser bronchoscopy. Dr. Chang received
his medical degree from Hahnemann University. His training includes a surgery
residency at New York Medical College and a Cardiothoracic Surgery fellowship
at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Jefferson Medical College.
Jeffrey M. Finkelstein, MD, DMD, FACS, Otolaryngologist
Jeffrey M. Finkelstein, MD, DMD, FACS, is a board-certified
otolaryngologist specializing in general ENT, sinus surgery and
head and neck surgery. Dr. Finkelstein’s training includes a surgical
internship and residency at the University of Chicago Hospitals and
Clinics. He received a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Medical
College of Pennsylvania and a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree
from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.
Dr. Finkelstein is a member of the American Medical Association
and the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.
Alliric I. Willis, MD, Surgical Oncologist, General Surgeon,
Laparoscopic Surgeon
Alliric I. Willis, MD, recently joined Jeffrey T. Brodsky, MD,
in surgical practice at both the Torresdale and Bucks County
Campuses. Dr. Willis’ areas of expertise include surgery of the
head and neck with particular interest in minimally invasive
surgery for thyroid cancer and parathyroid disease. His other
areas of expertise include the surgical treatments of melanoma
and breast cancer with interests in breast conservation surgery
and sentinel lymph node biopsy. Dr. Willis’ educational background includes an
undergraduate degree from Harvard College and a medical doctorate from the
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. His surgical training includes a
residency in general surgery at Washington University in St. Louis, Barnes-Jewish
Hospital, and a surgical oncology fellowship at Fox Chase Cancer Center,
Philadelphia. Dr. Willis is a member of the Society of Surgical Oncology.
Press Ganey 101
Press Ganey is the Patient Satisfaction
Survey tool that is utilized by Frankford
Hospitals to measure the satisfaction
of our inpatients, and Emergency
Department and Ambulatory Surgery
patients. Each of Frankford’s fellow
Jefferson Health System (JHS) member
hospitals also use the Press Ganey
Patient Satisfaction Survey.
Not every patient who receives care at
Frankford Hospital receives a survey.
Patients are randomly selected from
the uploaded patient files sent from
Frankford to Press Ganey. Press Ganey
mails surveys to patients’ homes with
a postage paid envelope enclosed.
Patients complete and mail the survey
back to Press Ganey. Each survey
includes a letter from Frankford’s
President and CEO, Roy Powell,
encouraging the patient to complete
the survey. Survey results are compiled
and returned to us quarterly, however;
members of the Administrative or
Management staff can access real time
results via the Press Ganey web site
any time day or night.
The Press Ganey tool asks patients
to rate their experience with us on a
scale of 1–5 with 1 being VERY POOR
and 5 being VERY GOOD. Press Ganey
tells us that to improve our scores we
should focus on moving the 4s to 5s.
We need to change our patient’s
perspective of us from being GOOD
to being VERY GOOD. How is that
accomplished? Communication,
Communication, Communication and
focusing on the three top priority
index questions, which are:
• Staff included you in decisions
regarding treatments
• Responsiveness to concerns and
complaints
• Staff sensitivity to inconvenience
continues on page 8
Winter 2007
F r a n k f o r d
Neurosurgeon Merylee E. Werthan, MD,
Honored at Retirement Celebration
Frankford Hospitals’ Board of Directors,
Administration and Medical Staff
recognized Dr. Merylee Werthan for
her pioneering role in the field of
neurosurgery and the leadership she
provided both Frankford’s Department of
Surgery and Division of Neurosurgery
since 1968, at a surprise retirement
dinner held in her honor at the
Torresdale-Frankford Country Club
on August 9.
Described by the American Board of
Neurosurgery as someone with “excellent character,” Dr. Werthan served as
an ambassador for Frankford Hospital
to fellow members of the medical staff,
our patients and community for nearly
40 years. Her commitment to Frankford,
along with her dedication to patient care,
left an indelible mark on the hospital
and make her an irreplaceable member
of the Frankford family.
3
Pastoral Care Services Expand
Frankford Hospitals’ Pastoral Care Program has expanded over the last year to
include on-call clergy from various denominations for the emergency needs of our
patients. The lay pastoral care volunteers who visit patients at each campus attend
a five-week course and hospital orientation before being accepted into the program.
This team has an interfaith approach and will visit patients of any religion to provide
spiritual comfort, and sometimes just a smile and a hello. Among the three campuses,
the volunteers visit with an average of 2000 patients a month and are also available
to counsel and support hospital staff.
Prayer services are offered in the chapel at the Torresdale Campus for people of
all faiths every Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m. Services last approximately 15 minutes,
and are open to patients, staff and visitors. A service of Christian prayer is also
offered in the chapel on the first Sunday of every month at 1:30 p.m. Local clergy
and pastoral care volunteers lead services. All are welcome to attend.
Frankford Hospitals’ Outpatient Physical & Occupational
Therapy Center Expands Hours
Roy A. Powell (right), President and CEO,
Frankford Hospitals, presents neurosurgeon
Merylee E. Werthan, MD, (left), with a commemorative plaque at her retirement celebration.
The Center for Gynecology and Women’s
Health Expands
Since the Center for Gynecology and Women’s Health opened at the Torresdale Campus
in mid-July, the service has continued to grow and expand. The Center, located in
Suite 106 of the Torresdale Medical Office Building, offers patients the expertise of
gynecologists Dr. Gregory Bolton, Dr. Richard Krauss, Dr. Deborah Schrager (see
story at right), and nurse practitioners Marie McClay, CRNP, MSN, and Tracy McGorry,
CRNP, MSN.
This experienced and dedicated staff offers a range of women’s health services
to their patients. In addition to general adult gynecology, the group specializes in
adolescent gynecology, coordinated care for breast and gynecological diseases, minimally
invasive surgical treatments for a range of gynecological conditions, the latest
treatments for pelvic floor disorders and bladder problems, premenstrual syndrome
and menopause management, and osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
The Center also offers a variety of cosmetic services including laser hair removal, leg
vein therapy, skin rejuvenation and BOTOX® injection therapy for facial wrinkles.
The Center for Gynecology and Women’s Health offers convenient appointment
hours including evenings and early mornings. In the coming months, the Center will
also begin to offer services at the Bucks County Campus. We will include information
regarding a Bucks County office location, hours and phone number as soon as the
details are finalized in an upcoming issue of the Pulse. For more information on
the Center or to make an appointment, please call 215-612-4143.
The staff at the Medical Plaza proudly
assists the community to excel to new
levels – from the weekend warrior to
the elite athlete – through newly
extended hours: Monday through
Thursday (7 a.m. – 8 p.m.) and Friday
(7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.).
Experienced physical and occupational
therapists provide expert care in orthopedics, sports medicine, geriatrics,
work conditioning, vestibular rehabilitation and ergonomic assessments.
The staff includes board-certified physical
and occupational therapists, certified
strength and conditioning specialists,
a certified hand therapist, a certified
lymphedema therapist, an orthopedic
clinical specialist, and a certified
McKenzie specialist.
The state-of-the-art facility, conveniently located on the southwest
corner of Grant Avenue and Roosevelt
Boulevard, is 5,500 square feet. It
offers the latest equipment including
an isokinetic dynamometer as well
as a professional staff with extensive
experience in various specialty areas.
For more information on the
Center’s physical, occupational or
hand therapy services, please call
215-676-9711.
Deborah Schrager, MD, Returns to Frankford Hospitals,
Joins the Center for Gynecology and Women’s Health
From left to right: Richard Krauss, MD, Gregory Bolton, Sr., MD, Tracy McGorry, CRNP, MSN, and
Marie McClay, CRNP, MSN.
Deborah Schrager, MD, returned to Frankford Hospitals in midJanuary, rejoining partners Gregory Bolton, MD, and Richard
Krauss, MD, and nurse practitioners Marie McClay, CRNP, MSN,
and Tracy McGorry, CRNP, MSN, at the Center for Gynecology and
Women’s Health. Dr. Schrager will provide gynecologic care to
patients in Suites 106 in the Medical Office Building at the Torresdale
Campus. She will also begin to see patients this spring in a new
office in Langhorne, PA, located near the Bucks County Campus.
Appointments with Dr. Schrager are immediately available and can
be made by calling the Center at 215-612-4143.
4
Winter 2007
F r a n k f o r d
Frankford Hospitals to Participate in
“Seven in ’07” Smoke-Free Initiative
On January 19, 2007, Frankford Hospitals,
along with the six other hospitals with
locations in Bucks County, recently
made a commitment to become a 100
percent smoke-free environment as
part of the “Seven in ’07” smoke-free
initiative. This new policy will make all
outdoor areas of each of our hospital
campuses, outpatient centers and
office buildings located in Bucks
County and Philadelphia “smoke-free”
by the end of 2007.
Smoking is currently prohibited
inside all of Frankford’s buildings and
only allowed in designated areas outside.
The new policy will prohibit smoking
by employees, patients and visitors
outside all of Frankford’s facilities as
well. Frankford is extending the effort
to include our Philadelphia locations
in accordance with the city’s recently
passed smoking ban ordinance, which,
in addition to applying to restaurants
and bars, covers all public buildings
including hospitals.
While the “smoke-free” initiative is
an important step toward providing a
healthy environment for our hospital
community, it will impact many,
including employees and physicians,
as well as patients and their families.
To aid in this transition, Frankford is
committed to providing support and
resources to those who make the decision
to quit smoking, including smoking
cessation workshops and classes.
We will continue to provide updates
3 South Opens at the Bucks County Campus
One of 14 private rooms on 3 South, a new inpatient unit at the Bucks County Campus.
In November, the Bucks County Campus received Department of Health (DOH)
occupancy for 3 South, a new 14-bed inpatient unit. 3 South features 14 private
rooms, all equipped with telemetry monitoring systems. The rooms allow for
patient privacy and have been well received by both patients and physicians.
Carole Medoff, Vice President, Frankford
Hospitals, accepted a plaque from the Bucks
County Health Improvement Partnership
(BCHIP), recognizing Frankford’s participation
in “Seven in ’07” at a press conference held
at Bucks County Community College in
Newtown, PA.
The Cancer Center at Frankford Hospital Honors
Breast Cancer Survivors at Annunal Luncheon
on progress toward the goal of becoming
“smoke-free” in future editions of the
Pulse. This is the first project of its
kind in the country and we are excited
to be part of an effort that promotes
health and wellness. Thank you in
advance for your support of this
important initiative.
The Critical Crew Returns to the
Dragon Boat Festival
The Torresdale Campus ICU Nursing Staff participated in the 5th Annual Philadelphia
Dragon Boat Festival on October 7, 2006. “Critical Crew” was making its second
appearance in the festival, after taking the gold in their 2005 race category. This
year’s team was a combination of some novices, as well as many returning members
from the 2005 team.
With the support of family, friends and colleagues, Critical Crew raised over $6,000.
The team donated part of its proceeds to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to
support research to battle childhood cancers. The remaining funds were donated to a
program to provide mammograms to uninsured or underinsured in need of this service.
The “Critical Crew” rowers from Torresdale Campus ICU return to the Dragon Boat Festival
for the second year.
Radiation Oncologist Shari Rudoler, MD, (right) greets breast cancer survivors at The Cancer Center
at Frankford Hospital’s annual Breast Cancer Survivors’ Luncheon held on October 25, 2006 at
Rosewood Caterers. The buffet luncheon featured the keynote presentation, Spirit Soaring, Laughter
Roaring, Spirituality and Humor, by Yvonne Kaye, PhD, CT, a motivational speaker, humorist, author,
bereavement specialist, columnist, and businesswoman. Guests also had the opportunity to
participate in a Question & Answer Session with panelists from The Cancer Center at Frankford
Hospital, including Medical Oncologist Julia Kennedy, DO, Radiation Oncologist Shari Rudoler, MD,
and Breast Surgeon Jennifer Chalfin Simmons, MD.
Bucks County Campus Emergency Department
Expansion Continues
In late January, construction was
completed on Phase 3 of the six-phase
Bucks County Campus Emergency
Department expansion project. Phase 3
involved completing the interior finish
upgrades of four fast-track patient
treatment cubicles and the cardiac
rooms. Phases 1 and Phase 2 opened
four new private treatment rooms and
renovated two older private rooms.
The triage area was also expanded to
include two new beds. These initial
phases also involved renovating the
patient registration area to enhance
patient privacy. Phase 4 is now underway, which will expand and renovate
the nursing station as well as add a
new medication preparation room.
New treatment room in the Emergency
Department at the Bucks County Campus
F r a n k f o r d
Finance Department Improves Finances
Through Luxury Car Raffle!
Winter 2007
5
Frankford’s Own Jeannine Keenan, RN, BSN,
CCRN, Wins Fear Factor Grand Prize
Congratulations to 10 Finance Department employees who walked away $10,700
richer (collectively) following the Frankford Hospital Foundation Luxury Car Raffle!
The announcement of the winners was made at the Bucks County Campus on
September 28, 2006, during a Health Fair that close to 100 members of the Lower
Bucks Chamber of Commerce attended. While not enough tickets were sold to
award the original grand prize (the choice between $25,000 or a 2006 Chrysler 300
Touring), the 10 winners each walked away with $1,070. Four other winners
(Jennifer Buck-Capilli, Joe DeFusco, Lou Yellin and May Raburn) took home
between $500 and $2,000 each.
Additional congratulations and thanks to Lisa Thomas who won a 42" Hitachi
Flat Screen, Plasma TV. Lisa sold 25 Luxury Car Raffle chances, beating her nearest
competitor (Mary Ann Hornung) who sold 19. Thanks to all employees who participated, and to the Frankford Hospital Auxiliary who donated the television!
NBC’s Fear Factor host Joe Rogan (center) congratulates Jeannine Keenan, who teamed with exhusband Jimmy to win the grand prize.
Winners of Frankford Hospital Foundation 2006 Car Raffle Grand Prize ($10,700 total prize):
Front row: (left to right) Linda Manini; Carl F. Gregory (Frankford Foundation President); Richard
Gordon and Helene Montini. Back row: (left to right) Elizabeth Beatrice; Deborah DiPaolantonio;
Mike Donaghy; John Fazen and Jacqueline Kingman. Missing from photo: Pam Marren and Irene
Ovecka.
Nursing Education Fair Provides Information for
Nurses of Today and Tomorrow
Frankford Hospitals’ Nursing Resource and Professional Development Council
co-sponsored a Nursing Education Fair on October 26, 2006, with Nursing Spectrum
magazine. Held at the Torresdale Campus, this event was provided to support both
those interested in pursuing a nursing career and nurses looking to continue
nursing education.
Representatives from a variety of local nursing schools, including those that
offer RN to BSN, RN to MSN and BS, or BSN to MSN programs, as well as our own
Frankford Hospital School of Nursing, staffed exhibits at the fair. This event was
open to all Frankford employees and the general public. Over 150 attended, including
Frankford nurses, nurse practitioners and other hospital employees and some of
their family members. The event coordinators received positive feedback from the
school representatives regarding the attendance and hospitality of our staff!
Jeannine Keenan, RN, BSN, CCRN, has
always been one to step up to the plate,
but she never dreamed that millions of
TV viewers would witness her moxie.
Keenan and ex-husband Jimmy recently
accomplished daredevil feats and bested
three other divorced couples on NBC’s
reality show Fear Factor.
Keenan originally auditioned to be
on Fear Factor because her brother
Michael coaxed her to be his partner at
an open casting call in Philadelphia.
When judges planned a show for divorced
couples some two months later, they
asked her to appear with her ex-husband.
Keenan says her ex, a former SWAT
member of the Philadelphia Police
Department, was a natural for the contest.
“We had no idea what the stunts would
be until right before we had to perform,”
says Keenan, an ICU staff nurse at the
Frankford Campus. “It was scary, but
we put our past aside, and friends that
we are, worked as a team again for a
shot at the $50,000 grand prize.”
To win the prize Keenan and Jimmy
had to balance themselves on 12-inch
beams above the deck of a moving ship,
scoop up stinging scorpions that were
crawling around their heads, and race
through a very dangerous obstacle course.
Keenan has always been the kind of
person who chooses the more challenging
path-hang-gliding school for vacation
and what she calls a “blood and guts”
career in the ICU.
“People at work say I give 100% of
myself and typically care for the worst-ofthe-worst patients,” says Keenan. “When
they ask me how I stay so calm, I tell
them I just do what I know I have to do.”
Three hundred friends and members
of the Frankford Hospital staff threw a
party in her honor, complete with
video airing of the September 6 Fear
Factor episode. “When I heard you
were competing, I knew you’d win,”
one staff member told her.
Most of the winnings, split 50/50,
will go to fund their children’s school
tuition plus a 1966 red Plymouth
Barracuda for 15-year-old James, and
upcoming surprises for daughter
Jeannine, 13, and son Jude, 10.
Keenan thinks the experience was the
best reward, proof of what can happen
when you don’t give up. “You can do
everything you imagine, I tell the 14year-old girls on the Bustleton Believers
softball team that I coach,” Keenan says.
“All you have to do is believe in yourself.”
Excerpts of Jeannine’s story were
previously published in The Nursing
Spectrum.
Frankford’s Diabetes Education Program Merits
American Diabetes Association (ADA) Recognition
(From left to right): Some of the Education Fair volunteers included Sue Shotzbarger, RNC, Sue McMullen,
RN, MSN, CCRN, Bea Leyden, RN, BSN, CCRN, Dot Wojtylak, RNC, MSN, CNA, BC, and Mary Walsh, RNC, BSN.
Frankford Hospitals’ Diabetes Self-Management Education Program recently once
again received certification from the American Diabetes Program (ADA). In late
December, Frankford’s Program was honored with the ADA’s Education Recognition
Certificate, which assures that educational programs meet the National Standards for
Diabetes Self-Management Education Programs. These Standards were developed
and tested under the auspices of the National Diabetes Advisory Board in 1983 and
were revised by the diabetes community in 1994 and 2000. Frankford’s Diabetes
Program has been providing diabetes education and support services to patients since
1989 when the program was certified through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
“We are pleased to once again receive the honor of ADA certification and look forward
to continuing to provide an excellent service that makes an everyday difference for
people living with diabetes,” says Sharon Ulmer, RN, CDE, Manager of Frankford’s
Diabetes Program.
For more information on the Diabetes Program, please call 215-831-2122.
6
Winter 2007
F r a n k f o r d
The Cancer Center at Frankford Hospital Paddles
to Success at the 2006 Dragon Boat Festival
New Audiology Center Opens at the
Torresdale Campus
The Cancer Center was honored to take part in the 5th Annual Philadelphia Dragon
Boat Festival on Saturday, October 7, 2006, on the Schuylkill River along Boat
House Row. Set in Chinese tradition, dragon boat racing is one of the fastest growing
water sports in North America.
With a combined wish to raise money for The Cancer Center and market its
services, 24 employees from various hospital departments, their family members
and friends, all first-time participants, came together to train and compete in this
exciting event.
While most teams represented Philadelphia communities and businesses, some
participants came from as far as Canada to join in the fun. This daylong event
consisted of more than 125 boats competing against one another to finish a series
of 500 meter races. Each boat was ornately decorated in Chinese fashion with a
colorful dragon head and tail holding a crew of 20 paddlers, one drummer and a
steersperson.
The team members worked together to guide the boat through the water as fast
as possible. Needless to say, this took a great deal of strength, coordination and
teamwork. Despite adverse weather conditions the day of the race, the team members
pulled together and proudly paddled their way down the river while being cheered
on by supporters and spectators. Team supporters enjoyed a day of fun under team
tents that were lined along the riverbanks.
The event raised over $7,000 for The Cancer Center.
A new full-service Audiology Center recently opened at the Torresdale Campus.
The Center, which operates out of the Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy
and Speech Therapy Department on the 2nd Floor of the Torresdale Campus, offers
hearing screenings as well as hearing aid evaluations and consultations. The Center
also sells reasonably priced hearing aids with warranties and labor contracts, which
include complimentary cleanings and adjustments. Both the prices and services are
more favorable and comprehensive than those offered by local hearing centers and
hearing aid retailers. For more information, please call the Torresdale Audiology
Center at 215-612-4001.
Certified Audiologist Michelle Goldstein, MS, CCC-A, prepares to administer a hearing test with the
assistance of the latest audiology equipment and a sound treated booth at the Torresdale Campus.
The Preventive Health and Wellness Departments and
Frankford School of Nursing Students Present Health Fair
at Bucks County Elementary School
Frankford Nurse Champions Help Halt Hunger
Staff from Frankford’s Preventive Health and Wellness Departments and students
from the Frankford Hospital School of Nursing provided important health information
to students from St. Joseph the Worker School in Fallsington, PA on February 1, 2007.
The health fair was held as part of St. Joseph’s Catholic Schools Week celebration.
Nearly 200 students from St. Joseph’s, including preschoolers through eighth
graders, were treated to information about nutrition, exercise, the human skeleton,
safe babysitting practices, poison safety, and the benefits of handwashing. The
health fair was held in the school’s gymnasium where the students were able to
remain with their individual classmates and move from one exhibit to another,
learning and asking questions as they moved through the room.
Frankford Hospitals’ Nurse Champions
helped organize HALT Hunger, a
holiday food drive that collected 2,363
non-perishable food items among the
three hospital campuses in November.
These items were donated to the
following organizations which provide
food to members of our communities
in need, including: Frankford
Group Ministries (food cupboard),
Holmesburg Methodist Church (soup
kitchen), Saint Matthew Church (food
cupboard), Calvary Chapel (food cupboard), and A Women’s Place (shelter
for victims of domestic violence).
Thanks to everyone who participated
for your contributions and generosity!
Mark your calendar! The next food
drive to support programs in the
Frankford communities will be held
for two days: March 27 & 28, 2007.
More information will be distributed
Frankford Hospitals’ Nutrition Center Director Erica Brigati, RD, discusses the nutritional value of popular
children’s foods and snacks with a group of students from St. Joseph the Worker School in Fallsington, PA.
The Cancer Center’s team of paddlers celebrates after a successful day at the 2006 Dragon Boat Festival.
Boxes of food donations for the HALT Hunger Food
Drive in the Main Lobby at the Torresdale Campus.
regarding collection locations.
Please bring a non-perishable food
item to help Halt Hunger.
F r a n k f o r d
Winter 2007
7
Fore! The Frankford Hospital Foundation Golf
Classic Has Another Successful Outing
Frankford Hospitals Celebrate National
Wear Red Day
Over 150 golfers enjoyed the course at
Frankford-Torresdale Country Club and
helped raise over $185,000 to support
the Frankford Hospital Health Center
Clinic on May 22, 2006. Special thanks
to title sponsor M&T Bank as well as
W.H. Meyers Construction Company
and Cross Castner Architects for their
generous support.
Thanks to the following employees
and volunteers who have graciously
served as members of the Golf Committee:
Ray Breswick, Greg Doran, Tom Drotar,
Lili Gillman, Kelly Gribbin, John Osgood,
May Raburn, Marc Schlessinger, Debbie
Sinclair, Maria Cerceo Slade, Gail
Sullivan, John Quinn, Bob Trauffer,
Heidi Volpe, Dominic Webster. Over
the past three years the Frankford
Hospital Golf Classic has raised over
a half million dollars in net revenue
to support various hospital programs.
We look forward to another successful
Golf Classic this year, which will be
held on May 21, 2007.
The Cardiac Rehabilitation and Preventive Health and Wellness Departments championed
Frankford Hospitals’ first celebration of National Wear Red Day, a day created by the
American Heart Association (AHA) to raise awareness of heart disease in women, on
Friday, February 2. Heart disease is presently the Number 1 killer of women in the
United States.
To mark the important day, all Frankford employees, medical staff, and volunteers
were invited to wear an article of red clothing to work. The halls of our buildings
were full of red on February 2 as staff members showed their support by donning
red sweaters, red scrubs, red socks and even red surgical caps.
As part of the awareness campaign, complimentary blood pressure screenings were
also offered to employees, patients and visitors at all hospital campuses, outpatient
centers and off-site office locations. At the screenings, staff sold the AHA “Red
Dress” pins as well as raffle tickets for prize packages that included heart healthy
cookbooks, a gift certificate for a massage at the Wellness Center and other fun
items. Through this effort, $240 was raised for the AHA and $238 for Frankford’s
Cardiac Rehabilitation Program.
The winners of the raffle packages were Celia Matthews, A/R Customer Service,
5009 Frankford Avenue, Dolores Fox, Medical Records, Frankord Campus, Chris
McKeever, RN, PACU, Torresdale Campus, Carol Comstock, RN, OR, Bucks County
Campus. Thanks to all who participated.
Thanks to the generosity of the Frankford Hospital
Auxiliary, Central Scheduling’s own Helen Konrad
will enjoy the white sandy beaches of Bermuda!
Helen was one of hundreds of Frankford employees
who entered the Golf Classic’s Bermuda trip raffle
that raised over $4,000 to support the Frankford
Health Center Clinic.
Quality & Patient Safety Corner
“Quality & Patient Safety Corner” will
be a regular feature of the Pulse. It will
include important information related
to patient safety, Joint Commission on
Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
(JCAHO) survey guidelines and updates,
and Performance Improvement (PI) initiatives. In this issue, the process of
medication reconciliation is
reviewed and includes a definition,
important facts and a pertinent
case study example.
What is Medication
Reconciliation?
Medication reconciliation is
the process that compares
a patient’s best-known list
of current medications against the
physician’s admission, transfer, and/or
discharge orders.
Discrepancies are brought to the
attention of the physician and, if
appropriate, changes are made to
the orders.
Why should Medications be
Reconciled?
• To Prevent Adverse Drug Events
• It’s the Right Thing to Do!
Medication Reconciliation Facts from
the Institute for Healthcare
Improvement (IHI)
• Forty-six percent of all medication
errors occur at transition points
(e.g., admission to hospital, transfer
between units, discharge from hospital).
• Medication reconciliation ensures
that patients receive all intended
medications and no unintended
medications following transitions in
care locations.
• Medication reconciliation can virtually
eliminate errors occurring at transitions
in care.
Can You Speak JCAHOese?
Q. A JCAHO surveyor asks, “How
do you reconcile medications?”
The correct answer is:
A. Medications are reconciled at
admission, transfer and discharge.
The Medication Reconciliation
Form, located in the H & P Section
of the patient chart, is used as a
reference tool in the reconciliation
process when prescribing medications.
Ellen DeMayo (2nd from left), Wellness Coordinator, performs a blood pressure screening for
Francine Dellmyer (left), Medical Records, as Amy McCrae, PT, GCS, (right), Manager, Physical
and Occupational Therapy, Torresdale Campus, purchases a “red dress” pin from Linda Danila, RN,
(2nd from right), Wellness Department nurse, at the “Wear Red” Day celebration held in the
Torresdale Campus cafeteria.
The Cancer Center at Frankford Hospital Celebrates
National Cancer Survivors Day with a Hawaiian Luau
For more information on Frankford’s
Patient Safety initiatives, please call
Robert Giannini, Patient Safety Officer,
at 215-612-5321.
Case Study
A 68-year-old woman was discharged
from the hospital on a HMG-CoA
reductase inhibitor (statin) and
resumed her home statin. Eleven
days later she returned to the hospital
with a diagnosis of severe rhabdomyolysis due to statin overdose.
Several factors contribute to the
potential for patient confusion regarding
his or her medication regimen,
including multiple names for a single
drug and formulary variations when
the patient receives medications from
more than one pharmacy.
Cancer survivor AnnaMae Werner (left), and her friend Pat Robolick (right), both of Tullytown,
PA, “celebrated life” at The Cancer Center at Frankford Hospital’s 4th Annual National Cancer
Survivors Day event on June 11, 2006. Werner and Robolick, along with hundreds of cancer
survivors, their family members and caregivers, enjoyed a Luau on the grounds of the Cancer
Center that included Hawaiian inspired cuisine, music, games, raffles and prizes.
In its 19th year, National Cancer Survivors Day is an annual, worldwide Celebration of Life
held in hundreds of communities throughout the United States, Canada, and other participating
countries to recognize the lives of people living with a history of cancer, and focus attention
on the issues of cancer survivorship.
8
Winter 2007
F r a n k f o r d
Torresdale Heart Center Construction Update
Torresdale Intensive
Care Unit (ICU) Wins
Prestigious AACN
Beacon Award
Only 56 Hospitals in U.S. Have
Received This High Honor
The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the
Torresdale Campus recently earned
the Beacon Award for Critical Care
Excellence, an award given by the
American Association of Critical-Care
Nurses (AACN) and specifically
designed to recognize the nation’s top
hospital critical-care units. Critical-care
units that receive the Beacon Award
have demonstrated that they provide
the very best in nursing care, exhibit
high quality standards, including
exceptional care of patients and their
families, and foster healthy work
environments. Criteria for winning a
Beacon Award include: innovation/
excellence in recruitment and retention,
education, training and mentoring,
evidence-based practice and research,
patient outcomes, creating and
promoting healing environments, and
leadership and organizational ethics.
Congratulations!
continued from page 2
Press Ganey 101
These are the areas that, according
to experts at Press Ganey, are most
important to our patients.
If you are not familiar with the
Press Ganey report, ask any member
of Administration or Management for
a copy. Read it and familiarize yourself
with the questions and make a commitment to yourself and our patients
that you, as an important member of
the Frankford team, will make a positive
difference in the perception of patients
and their families.
An architectural rendering of the new Heart Center entrance and lobby.
Frankford Campus News Briefs
x The Frankford Community
Development Corporation recently
relocated their offices to 4900 Griscom
Street, a property owned by the
Hospital and located near the
Frankford Campus. Special thanks
to the Plant, Operations and
Maintenance (POM) staff for their
work on the renovations, which
helped accomplish this community
service initiative.
x A small conference room that can
accommodate up to eight people was
also recently constructed within the
library area at the Frankford Campus.
x The mother of a son recently treated
in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at
the Frankford Campus forwarded a
letter of appreciation for the care
that he received. Excerpts of the letter are included below. These words
of praise demonstrate how well we
can work together as a team to provide our patients and their families
with a positive experience.
“…Frankford Hospital is the best.
…The nurses, WOW. They are great.
They treated me so well. They held
my hand and listened to my concerns.
They answered my questions. They
helped me understand how things
would happen. They were nurses, and
they cared. …The entire Frankford
Hospital Staff was great. The people
that cleaned were great. Thank you,
Frankford Hospital. You are rated in
my book as #1. Keep up the good work.”
Latino Community Outreach Initiative Continues to
Expand at the Frankford Campus
The Frankford Campus continues
to build an outreach program for its
growing Latino patient population.
Over the last several years, the
Hospital has added many resources
and services to address the needs of
the Latino patient. These efforts have
included the addition of bilingual
signs, patient menus and education
materials, Spanish television station
options, and Spanish-speaking telephone operators who staff the
Hospital’s Central Scheduling Call
Center (215-831-5800).
Frankford has also recruited a number
of Latino employees, including a Spanish
Community Liaison, the Hospital’s Chief
Legal Counsel, nurses and laboratory
technicians, as well as Spanish-speaking
volunteers who staff the main information
desk. Many of the Hospital’s Latino
employees are also certified Spanish
interpreters available to assist
F r a n k f o r d
Roy A. Powell, President & CEO, Frankford Hospitals
Gary L. Perecko, COO, Frankford Hospitals
Albert P. Tomchaney, MD, CMO, Frankford Hospitals
Maria Cerceo Slade, Director, Marketing, Public
Relations & Communications, Editor, Frankford Pulse
Kelly Grimaldi, Marketing & Public Relations
Assistant, Editorial Assistant, Frankford Pulse
Article and photo ideas, contact: [email protected]
or 215-612-4952 or FAX 215-612-5001
Marketing, Public Relations & Communications Department
Frankford Hospital – Torresdale
Mansion House, 2nd Floor, Knights & Red Lion Roads,
Philadelphia, PA 19114
Betzaida Cruz, Spanish Community Liaison
Spanish-speaking patients.
For more information about Frankford’s
Latino community outreach initiatives,
please call Betzaida Cruz, Spanish
Community Liaison, at 215-831-2272.
www.FrankfordHospitals.org/pulse
JG 07.1536
Renovations are currently underway
for the new Heart Center, which will
be located on the 2nd Floor of the
Pavilion Building at the Torresdale
Campus. The 30,000 square foot, stateof-the-art facility will contain three
new cardiac catheterization laboratories,
two electrophysiology service (EPS)
laboratories, two open heart operating
room suites, seven new coronary care
unit beds, and a 14-bed pre-operative
and recovery unit. One of the openheart operating rooms is approximately
900 square feet and will be equipped
with the new SKYTRON® SkyVision
system that will provide two-way video
conferencing. The Heart Center is
scheduled to open in late fall 2007.