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Volume 1, Issue 3 - November 14, 2008 |
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'Topping Out' Ceremony Today in London
A "Topping Out" ceremony began today at 1:30 p.m. at the new hospital site, located at Parker Road and Route 192 – just off Interstate 75. The beam that employees spent the last couple of weeks signing is being hoisted atop the new structure along with a similar beam signed by the construction staff. These will be the final two beams to be placed, completing the steel portion of the project. At the ceremony, Gene Woods, CEO of Saint Joseph Health System, Virginia Dempsey, president of Saint Joseph - London, and Mike Fiechter, board chair, spoke about this major milestone in the overall construction of the project and what the new facility will bring to the citizens of Laurel County.
Watch the construction in progress at Saint Joseph - London. The latest construction photos are posted at SaintJosephHealthSystem.org. |
Top Stories |
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Employees
at Saint Joseph - London are becoming part of history
today as a final steel beam covered in their autographs is being placed
on top of the new hospital structure.
The
new hospital is approximately 322,000 square feet and sits on 54 acres.
The all-private patient rooms will overlook a 3.5 acre pond surrounded
by a walking area. Saint Joseph - London will increase from 89 to 120
licensed beds with the new facility, which is scheduled to open in the
spring of 2010. |
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Nuclear Medicine Studies Now Offered in Martin
Pictured: Mark Barao, application specialist with Siemens (left), and Cheryl Foscardo, a nuclear medicine tech from Saint Joseph East, assisted Sam Forsyth, radiography tech, with Saint Joseph - Martin’s first nuclear medicine study on September 3. All studies are read by Central Kentucky Radiology of Lexington.
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The
new nuclear medicine department at Saint Joseph - Martin offers
the whole range of nuclear medicine procedures, excluding only nuclear
medicine therapy. An open house
will be held on Monday, November 17 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Employees are
invited to help celebrate the new department and enjoy refreshments.
A
Saint Joseph Sleep Wellness Center has opened at Saint Joseph
- London. The new center will provide diagnosis and treatment
of sleeping and waking disorders including Insomnia, Restless Legs Syndrome
(RLS), Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD), Narcolepsy, Gastroesophageal
Reflux (GERD) and shift-work disorders. An open
house will be held on Monday, November 17 from 2-4 p.m;
a ribbon cutting will be at 2 p.m. The Sleep Wellness Center is located
at 1370 West 5th Street, Suite 1 (behind the old Lexington Clinic offices).
Employees are invited to stop by and meet the staff, learn more about
the program offerings, tour the facility and enjoy refreshments. |
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Six Days until We're Tobacco Free!
LEARN MORE, VIEW A PRESENTATION: Employees are encouraged to view a presentation regarding our new tobacco-free campus policy. Employees at SJH/SJE/SJB/SJMS/SJL can find the presentation on their Intranet homepage. Employees at SJM and Flaget can access the presentation through Inside CHI, via this link: http://collab.catholichealth.net/gm/document-1.9.329177/tobacco_free_presentation.ppt IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO QUIT: People who quit smoking live longer than those who continue to smoke. Smokers who quit substantially reduce their risk of premature death. Saint Joseph Health System employees can enroll in the Quit For Life smoking cessation program for free by calling 1.866.QUIT.4.LIFE (866.784.8454) or visiting QuitNow.net. Call your human resources office if you have any questions about this new benefit. KICK-OFF EVENTS: For the November 20 kick-off, Saint Joseph - Berea will host several events for employees including a health fair from 10 a.m.-12 noon, 3-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. in the front lobby and board room. Highlights will include acupuncture, massage, education and wellness tips. Employees can exchange a pack of tobacco for a pack of gum. Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph East will host health fairs that day: in the front lobby at Saint Joseph Hospital and in the HR hallway at Saint Joseph East.
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Saint
Joseph Health System's mission calls us to create healthier
communities. In order to be faithful to our mission as a health care
provider, we will become tobacco free for all patients, employees and
visitors beginning next Thursday, November
20, 2008, the day recognized annually as The Great American
Smoke-out. The new policy means that patients, visitors and employees
are prohibited from using any tobacco products anywhere on hospital
grounds and will apply to all properties that are considered part of
SJHS, including our clinics. 
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America
Recycles Day As you know, Saint Joseph Health System launched a "Working Green, Living Green" team this week to help decrease its carbon footprint, continually improve practices and raise awareness among employees. In honor of America Recycles Day on November 15, the team has provided some facts and tips to put into practice. RECYCLING:
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
At Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph East and Saint Joseph - Berea, you can recycle your old magazines and books for visitors and patients to enjoy. Please make sure your magazines are no more than six months old. At Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph East, drop your donations off in the Volunteer Office. At Saint Joseph - Berea, drop your donations off in the Gift Shop. If your unit is in need of magazines or books for patients and/or waiting rooms, call the Volunteer Office at Saint Joseph Hospital (859.313.1290) and Saint Joseph East (859.967.5759), or the Gift Shop at Saint Joseph - Berea (859.986.6519). The Volunteer Office at Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph East conducts an ongoing technology recycling fundraiser to help protect the environment and earn dollars for their future projects. Please donate your used digital cell phones, ink jet cartridges, DVD movies/video games, portable DVD players, laptop/notebook computers, MP3 players, chargers (for cell phones, games, etc.) and/or digital cameras. All manufacturers and models accepted– working or not! Your used items may be tax deductible (forms can be picked up in the Volunteer Offices) and will be recycled in accordance with EPA regulations or refurbished and sold. 100% of the proceeds will help fund future Volunteer Guild projects. Drop them off in the Volunteer Office at Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph East. Call 859.313.1290 for more information. |
DID
YOU KNOW: The Cintas Document Management bins
placed throughout several Saint Joseph Health System facilities are
used for the disposal of confidential information. However, they can
also be used for recycling paper! The shredded material is recycled
to help keep the environment free of waste. |
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The Thanksgiving services for Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph East will be on Tuesday, November 25 in the hospital chapels. Any employee who would like to share a brief 1-2 minute “expression of gratitude,” can e-mail Judy Donohue at Saint Joseph East or Scott Buck at Saint Joseph Hospital. Canned goods and nonperishable items will be accepted for God’s Pantry. The services will be at 11:30 a.m. at Saint Joseph Hospital and 1:30 p.m. at Saint Joseph East. Fall Harvest Food Drive in Bardstown The outreach and advocacy subcommittee of the mission council at Flaget Memorial Hospital will be sponsoring a food drive to restock the shelves at the Saint Vincent DePaul food pantry. Boxes will be placed in departments around the hospital and departments will be teamed together in different groupings for some friendly competition. For more information, contact Ben Wiederholt at 502.350.5046.
Saint Joseph - Martin's annual food drive runs through Monday, December 8. Items can be dropped off at the hospital time clock. Also, there is a food drive item exchange for the Thanksgiving Dinner on Friday, November 21. Bring a non-perishable food item for the poor in thanksgiving for your meal. Call Judy Parsons at 606.285.6470 for more information. Christmas Baskets in Martin Saint Joseph - Martin's Judy Salyer has applications available for a Drift Food Pantry Christmas Basket until Friday, December 5. The baskets are for those less fortunate and will contain food, toys and clothing items. If you know someone that needs a little help this Christmas, particularly our patients, please contact Judy at 606.285.6580. Christmas Partners Project in Lexington, Berea and Mt. Sterling The Appalachian Outreach Program’s (AOP) annual “Christmas Partners Project” is partnering with employees of Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph - Berea and Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling to help make Christmas brighter for families and individuals in need throughout eastern Kentucky. If you or your department would like to sponsor a family, senior couple or individual in need, providing them with basic necessities and gifts, contact Barbara Baumgardner at 859.313.4447, Jeanie Lawson at 606.843.0920, or Sr. Joan Wilson at 859.498.2585. In addition to sponsors, the program desperately needs people to "play Santa's helpers" this year and make deliveries. Get your family involved! Show your children the true meaning of Christmas. A Homegrown Program to Help Our Own in Berea
Each $10 donation will purchase one “light” on the Lights for Life Christmas tree in honor or in memory of a friend or loved one. The tree lighting ceremony will take place Friday, December 5 at 6 p.m. with a brand new outdoor Christmas tree on the lawn. Live Christmas music and refreshments will be provided. To find out more about the program, contact Katie Heckman at 859.986.6535. Help-Hope-Healing Support through the Holidays Hospice of Nelson County, a service of Flaget Memorial Hospital, will host a "Help-Hope-Healing" support group on Thursday, November 20 from 7-8:30 p.m. Social Worker Starr Caldwell and Hospice Chaplains Dixie Kimberlin and Karl Lusk will discuss ways to help individuals cope with these emotionally difficult times. There is no cost to attend and it will be held in the rear of the Flaget Health Connection/Hospice building at 111 N. Third (502.350-5570).
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Annual
Food Drive in Martin
Saint
Joseph - Berea’s homegrown program, Lights for Life,
helps low income and uninsured patients receive health-restoring prescription
medicines at no cost. If you would like to make a contribution to this
fund, please fill out a Lights for Life form which can be found at the
Hospitality Desk or in Administration. |
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Provide Consent Now to Access Your 2008 W-2s Online in Late January
Annual Enrollment Deadline is Next Week!
Annual enrollment ends Friday, November 21. Use HR/Payroll Connection to enroll online! Or you can enroll by phone by calling the HR/Payroll Connection Support Center at 1.888.450.9450. (Note: Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling will use the traditional enrollment method.) Employees Can Save 7% on Dell Computers Catholic Health Initiatives' system-wide agreement with Dell for the purchase of computers and monitors includes a seven percent discount for employees. If you are interested in this discount, you must use CHI’s member id number (HS3666356) when making your purchase. The discount does not apply to products already discounted on some other type of program. For more information, log on to Inside CHI, and click: Resources/Business Tools/Computer Discounts. 'LIVE
UNITED' Employee/United Way Celebrations Employees at Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph East who made donations to the annual Saint Joseph Hospital Employee Foundation/United Way Campaign are invited to attend the Campaign Celebration on Wed., November 19. It will be held at noon at the water wall (front lobby) at Saint Joseph Hospital and in the Education Center (Room A) at Saint Joseph East—Listen for an announcement regarding the time; it will follow the SJH celebration. Refreshments will be served and all participants are eligible for several prize drawings. Community Flu Shots in Jessamine County Saint Joseph Health System will provide flu shots on Saturday, November 22 inside the Nicholasville Lowe’s in Jessamine County from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Adults only. The cost is $15; cash and checks payable to Saint Joseph Health System. All major insurances accepted including Medicare.
There is still time to receive your vaccine to help prevent the spread of influenza. Flu shots are being offered for free to all employees. If your medical insurance is through Saint Joseph Health System, please bring your insurance card with you when you get your flu shot. Note: You are not required to have your medical insurance through Saint Joseph Health System in order to receive a flu shot.
Flaget
Memorial Auxiliary Bazaar Help the auxiliary to keep helping patients at Flaget Memorial Hospital. Attend a bazaar on Friday, November 21, 9 a.m-2 p.m., at the Bardstown United Methodist Church (corner of 2nd St. & Flaget Ave.) for lunch, crafts, gifts, baked goods and a raffle. November is Diabetes Awareness Month During the month, watch for facts, myths and inpatient information regarding diabetes in inCommon, brought to you by the Saint Joseph Diabetes & Nutrition Center.
DIABETES FACT: It is best to NOT use chocolate or candy bars
or add sugar to juice in order to treat low blood sugar. TRUE!
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is defined as a blood sugar that is less
than 70mg/dl. Treatment of this is to eat 15 grams of carbohydrate,
which is considered 1 (one) serving size and to check the blood sugar
in 15 minutes. These steps are repeated until the blood sugar is above
70mg/dl. The ADA (American Diabetes Association) warns against using
chocolate or candy bars to treat low blood sugar. They contain extra
fat and calories that are really not needed. Also, the fat they contain
slows down absorption. Adding sugar to juice is NOT recommended as well.
It is best to use just 15 grams (one serving) of simple carbohydrate
foods to treat hypoglycemia, such as: Use of insulin can increase the risk of hypoglycemia. However, in auditing hypoglycemia events within Saint Joseph Health System, the rate of hypoglycemia is well below the national average. Hypoglycemia should not deter us from using insulin as the primary treatment for hyperglycemia. Following the hypoglycemia protocol is the key to proper treatment for someone with low blood glucose. A copy of the hypoglycemia algorithm is located at SaintJosephNurses.org under the Clinical Tools section. Remember, use of insulin is the best treatment for high blood glucose in hospitalized patients. Contact Dana Graves for additional information.
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Beginning late January 2009, CHI and Saint Joseph Health System
are excited to announce 2008 and all future W-2s will be available from
the My Pay tab of HR/Payroll Connection. 
Annual enrollment is the one time of year Saint Joseph Health
System employees can review their current benefit elections
and make changes or adjust their level of coverage for the coming year.
Review your information packet that you received in the mail from Catholic
Health Initiatives, including important enrollment tips and things to
consider as you make your 2009 benefits decisions.
Flu
Shots for Employees
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Fall Critical Care Conference
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If
you are a nurse and care for acutely or critically ill patients, you’ll
definitely want to be a part of the Fall Critical Care Conference, “Enhancing
Your Critical Care Skills,” sponsored by Saint Joseph
Health System. It is a time to learn and to rejuvenate. This
is more than an educational conference. It’s an experience, an
encounter that only you and your colleagues from across the central
Kentucky region can truly understand and appreciate. Through this educational
experience, you’ll come away with new ideas and a fresh perspective.
And this year, it is presented by one of the world’s most exciting
experts in critical care—Laura Gasparis-VonFrolio! Whether you’re
at the bedside or in a leadership role, you’ll find plenty to
fill your professional and educational reservoir. Please tell your friends
and co-workers about this conference. It will be held December 4 &
5 in the Saint Joseph Hospital Blakley Auditorium. Attend either day
and receive 6.9 contact hours. To register or for more information,
please visit |
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Basic Medical Library Information Skills Get hands-on experience in using our medical information resources, including Saint Joseph’s Virtual Medical Library. This course is open to anyone interested in using these resources for work, study and research for school, or to do research to learn about health conditions or patient/family education. Register online at www.SaintJosephHealthSystem.org (education & events calendar). For additional information, contact Laurie Henderson at 859.313.1677.
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Saint
Joseph Hospital- Medical Library |
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Sister Margaret Maginnis, SCN
Sister
served in the apostolate of health care as a lab technician, technologist
and lab supervisor in Kentucky and Washington, DC, for 38 years. After
acquiring a master’s degree at Kent School of Social Work in Louisville,
Sister served as a social worker for Catholic Charities, director of
social service at Nazareth Home and in parish outreach. In retirement
Sister lived in Versailles, Ky., and later served in the Apostolate
of Prayer at Nazareth, Ky. Sister became a resident at Nazareth Home
in July 2008. Memorials may be made to SCN Missions, P.O. Box 9, Nazareth,
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Sister Margaret Maginnis, SCN, formerly Sister John Emily Maginnis,
94, a native of Faustwell, Pa., died at Nazareth Home, Louisville, on
November 6, 2008. She had been a Sister of Charity of Nazareth
for 75 years. |
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STARS Event Celebrates 20th Anniversary It was an evening of dining, dancing and fabulous entertainment as the Evening with the STARS event celebrated its 20th Anniversary on Saturday, November 1 at the Lexington Downtown Hotel and Convention Center. The STARS (Saint Joseph Associates for Renowned Service) Committee has hosted this event since 1989 to help raise funds for the mission and outreach programs of the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation. World-renowned recording artist Don McLean was the featured entertainment and the guests enjoyed his music, including the hit song, “American Pie.” Guests also enjoyed a live auction, which included items such as: a Cabo San Lucas Condo, Fur Coat from Embry’s, Fly-Fishing weekend on the Cumberland River, a pendant from Designs Unlimited and a Hilton Head Harbour Town Condo. Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit the Patient and Family Assistance Fund. In the 20-year history, STARS has raised nearly $700,000 to provide funding to programs such as the Appalachian Outreach Program, Nursing and Allied Health Scholarships, Patient and Family Assistance Fund and other vital projects of the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation. “Through the hard work of the STARS Committee, volunteers and the generosity of the friends of Saint Joseph, this event raises money for many of the worthwhile programs and services at Saint Joseph,” said Barry Stumbo, president and CEO of the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation. He added, “our philanthropic partnerships with the community allow us to continue the ministry and mission began by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth 131 years ago.”
Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling Celebrated Golda Copher On October 9, the employees of Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling celebrated Golda Copher's retirement and expressed appreciation for the 42 years that she worked at the hospital. Golda, who worked in patient access, received many nice gifts and cards of well wishes. Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling employee Lynn Lockridge wrote a special poem just for Golda and many of her co-workers, friends and family attended.
Golda Copher
Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling Provided Screenings at Fall Festival On October 4, Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling employees attended Saint Patrick's Catholic Church's annual Fall Festival fundraising event. They provided cholesterol and blood sugar testing and information about The Joint Commission "Speak Up" program to the large crowd in attendance. The Saint Joseph Diabetes & Nutrition Center and the Joint Replacement Center at Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling were also represented.
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