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Volume 2, Issue 32 - November 6, 2009 |
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The Lexington Herald-Leader released the results of its 2009 Reader's Choice competition and Saint Joseph Health System ranked in three categories: Favorite Place to Work: Favorite Place to Have a Baby: Saint Joseph East Favorite Hospital: Readers of the paper (and Kentucky.com viewers) shared their opinions on the best of everything in central Kentucky, including their favorite people, places and businesses. Voting took place August 25-September 15; more than 189,000 votes were counted. The survey results were published in a special supplement in the October 25 issue. Commenting on the first place win in the "Favorite Place to Work" category, Jeff Murphy, regional director of marketing and communications, said, "Being part of a team and embracing core values add meaning to our work here. But what really sets us apart—what's incredibly important to our employees—is that prayer and reflection are part of our work life." Saint Joseph Health System consists of 5,383 employees working at eight facilities. Thanks to all of you who cast your ballot in the 2009
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In this Issue: Meet Jake! Jake is a CHI employee who just turned 50. Knowing he'll probably see the doctor more often next year, Jake is checking out the CHI medical plan options rather than enrolling in the same plan he’s always had. The 2010 medical plan options have changes you'll want to know more about before making your decisions during annual enrollment. Watch the latest HealthTube video—Change is in the Air to learn more. Click here for annual enrollment details. |
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Annual Enrollment Kicks Off! Annual enrollment for Saint Joseph Health System facilities begins today, November 6 and ends on November 20, 2009 (exception: Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling; see details below**). Reevaluate your benefits and make changes that best fit your and your family’s needs. This year, some of the new components of CHI’s Healthy Spirit program will launch. The benefit and program changes you will see for 2010 place an emphasis on preventive care and staying healthy, as well as cost sharing between the employee and Saint Joseph Health System. You should have received your Open Enrollment packet from CHI at your home. This packet includes an annual enrollment notice and a personalized worksheet. If you have not received your enrollment packet by November 6, please contact the HR/Payroll Connection Support Center at 1.888.450.9450. Also, you can still review the LEARN modules that have been assigned to you to learn more about the changes to the medical, dental and vision benefits. You can also visit www.SaintJosephHealthSystem.org to learn more (under “Saint Joseph Employees,” click on “SJHS Annual Enrollment 2010” and look for your facility). This year, enrollment for benefits is online through HR/Payroll Connection on Inside CHI. The following online tools are available to help you decide what plan is best:
**Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling Annual Enrollment Details: Annual enrollment for Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling is underway and ends on November 16. The annual enrollment process is the same as in the past years. Reevaluate your benefits and make changes that best fit your and your family’s needs. Packets are available through the Human Resources Department and any employee who has a question regarding annual enrollment should call the Human Resources Department. You can also review the LEARN modules that have been assigned to you to learn more about the changes to the medical, dental and vision benefits. Plus, you can visit www.SaintJosephHealthSystem.org to learn more (under “Saint Joseph Employees,” click on “SJHS Annual Enrollment 2010” and look for your facility). SJHS Facilities Restrict Children / Young Adult Visitors Visitors 18 and Under: All Visitors: Maternity Visitors: An exception to these restrictions includes a visitor who is critical to the patient’s emotional well-being and healing process. Check our Web site, www.SaintJosephHealthSystem.org, often during this flu season for additional temporary changes to the visitation policies (click on the specific facility sites). Fayette County H1N1 Vaccine Clinics Saint Joseph East and Saint Joseph Hospital (SJE/SJH) continue to work with the Fayette County Public Health Department during this time of limited H1N1 vaccine. SJE/SJH have received a very small amount of H1N1 vaccine and have offered, free of charge, to direct patient care providers of high-risk patients in its emergency rooms and women's services. The next shipment of IM H1N1 vaccine that SJE/SJH receives will be offered to direct patient care providers in other units such as critical care, oncology and med/surg. The Fayette County Public Health Department distributes the H1N1 vaccine to SJE/SJH and it will continue to be offered to direct patient care providers. Because the vaccine that has been distributed to SJE/SJH is very limited, please consider attending one of the Fayette County Public Health Department H1N1 Influenza Clinics listed below. If you go to the influenza clinics, you should be immunized as long as the health department has vaccine. Refer to yesterday's Lexington Herald-Leader (Nov. 5, www.Kentucky.com) for additional information or call the help line at 877.843.7727. November 7, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. November 21, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. December 5, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. December 6, 1-5 p.m. December 12, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. December 19, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Watch Your Mailbox! Watch for the Nov/Dec issue of Common Thread to arrive in your home mailboxes beginning next week! The new issue celebrates the spirit of the holiday season and highlights the wonderful work of our fellow Saint Joseph Health System family members, including Barbara Baumgardner, a registered dietitian with the Appalachian Outreach Program who coordinates gifts and other holiday needs for dozens of families across eastern Kentucky every Christmas. (You can help! Click here.) When you receive your copy, make sure to take the Reader Reward Challenge for a chance to win a $75 Visa gift card. You can share your story ideas for upcoming issues at www.SaintJosephCommonThread.org. You can also read past issues of the magazine at this site.
Healthy Communities Fundraiser in London Saint Joseph - London's Healthy Communities staff is taking orders for long-sleeved T-shirts. Color choices are red, black, white and gray and can be ordered in any size you wish. Proceeds of the sales go to Healthy Communities Outreach programs. For more information, contact June Rawlings at 606.330.3137. Join the Prayer Ministry Saint Joseph Health System encourages employees to bring their spirituality into the workplace. A new opportunity to do just that is the formation of a prayer ministry team at Saint Joseph Hospital. A dedicated voice mail box has been established for patients, families, and employees to leave prayer requests. You can reach the voice mail by calling (9) 313.3444, ext. 7729 (when calling inside the hospital) or 1.859.313.3444, ext. 7729 (when calling outside the hospital). The extension “7729” spells PRAY, so you can easily remember it. Employees who would like to pray daily over these needs as well as requests written in the chapel prayer book are needed. The prayer team meets Monday-Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. If you have a desire to pray daily for the needs of Saint Joseph Hospital, please call Lara Harris at 859.313.2042. Christmas Partners Project Needs You The Appalachian Outreach Program’s (AOP) annual “Christmas Partners Project” is partnering with Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph - Berea, Saint Joseph - Jessamine and Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling this year 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 will need people to play "Santa's helpers" this year and make deliveries. Get your family involved! Annual Employee Campaign Ends Today! “LIVE UNITED” is the 2009 theme for the Foundation/United Way Campaign at Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph - Jessamine and Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling. Thank you to everyone who has already given to the campaign. Your participation will help meet the needs of many critical programs and services that benefit employees and thousands of patients and their families in central and eastern Kentucky. For those who haven't made a pledge yet, please consider doing so today. Any amount will help! There’s still time to donate! The deadline is today, November 6! Please help the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation reach or beat its goal of 50% employee participation for SJH/SJE/SJJ (combined) and 45% for SJMS! Currently, the rate is 45% at SJH/SJE/SJJ and 36% at SJMS. Together, we can all “LIVE UNITED”! Please contact the Foundation office at 313.1705 (SJH/SJE/SJJ) and 497.8855 (SJMS) with any questions. Click here to read how the Surgical Services team at Saint Joseph East contributed to the campaign!
Another United Way Campaign—Saint Joseph - Berea Saint Joseph - Berea is raising money for the United Way. Make your pledge by November 20 and be eligible for a prize drawing for one of three $50 gift cards to Wal-Mart. The department with the greatest percentage of campaign sign-ups will receive a pizza party! Here are some ways you can help: Book Sale: Donate your used books in good condition to the Used Book Sale. Books will sell for $.50 or $1.00. The sale will be held Tuesday, November 10 in the Boardroom. Contact Mary Jo Napier, Katie Heckman, Kathy Combs or Flora Washburn. Auxiliary and Employee Holiday Bake Sale: This year the Auxiliary invites employees to contribute goodies as partners in the holiday sale. The proceeds will support the new Employee Financial Assistance Fund. The sale will be held on Monday, November 16 from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. outside the Gift Shop. Please plan to bring your goodies to the Gift Shop before 9 a.m. It would help if you wrap cookies or brownies in individual wrapping for ease of sale. Here’s what sells really well: cookies, fudge, homemade candy, popcorn balls, cakes, breads, cupcakes, fried apple pies, pies, nut mixes, spiced nuts, homemade soup mixes, dipped pretzels, and much more! |
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Retirement Party for Debbie Ison After 11 years with Saint Joseph, Debbie Ison, Director of Rehab Services (Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph - Jessamine), has decided to retire. Debbie’s last day is today, November 6. Attend her retirement party today between 2-3:30 p.m. in Saint Joseph Hospital Administration, Conference Room 3 & 4. Birthday Breakfast & Pizza Party The Saint Joseph Hospital Birthday Breakfast/Pizza Party for employees with birthdays in October and November will be held Tuesday, November 10 in Cafeteria Meeting Room A. Breakfast will be served from 7-8:30 a.m. and pizza will be served from 5-6:30 p.m. A prize drawing will be held. Blood Drives in Lexington Kentucky Blood Center will be conducting blood drives at Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph East next week. Please give!
Giving blood is one of the most important, rewarding and compassionate things a person can do. One pint of blood can help save the lives of up to three patients. Whole blood can be broken down into blood products such as red cells, platelets and plasma, each of which can help improve or save the life of a patient. Saint Joseph Hospital Wednesday, November 11 Saint Joseph East Visit www.kybloodcenter.org for frequently asked questions about giving blood. All donors must present a photo ID. Annual Food Drive & Christmas Baskets in Martin Saint Joseph - Martin's annual food drive begins Wednesday, November 11 and runs through Thursday, December 10. 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 20. Bring a non-perishable food item for the poor in thanksgiving for your meal. The Christmas Basket Applications for the less fortunate families will begin Monday, November 9 and will end Thursday, December 10. For more information about this program please feel free to contact Judy Salyer at 606.285.6580. Fall Harvest Food Drive in Bardstown Flaget Memorial Hospital is currently sponsoring a food drive to restock the shelves of Saint Vincent DePaul's food pantry. Boxes are placed in departments around the hospital and departments are teamed together in different groupings for some friendly competition (first place winners receive a pizza party). Don’t forget to bring in non-perishable food items. Items in need include spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, ramen noodles, green beans and saltine crackers. Contact Grace Craig at 502.350.5205 with questions. The food drive ends Wednesday, November 11. STARS Gala Enjoy an evening of dining, dancing and entertainment at the 21st Annual Evening with the STARS (Saint Joseph Associates for Renowned Service) Saturday, November 14 at Lexington Downtown Hotel & Conference Center (formerly Radisson Hotel). The Jimmy Church Band will perform and a live auction will be held. Cocktails are from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m., and dinner is at 8:00 p.m. Guests of honor include Robert K. Salley, M.D., Tamara James, M.D. and Jack Kain. Proceeds from the black-tie event will benefit many community programs and outreach services of the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation, including the Appalachian Outreach Program, the Saint Joseph Free Health Clinic, the Patient and Family Assistance Fund and the Phyllis Cronin Nursing Scholarship Program. Tickets are $300 per couple or sponsored tables for ten can be purchased at various donation levels. For more information or tickets, please contact the Foundation at 859.313.1705 or visit http://saintjosephfoundation.org/body.cfm?id=89. |
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Spirituality, Health and Healing Workshop in Lexington There will be an opportunity for interactive group time for employees to share their faith with others and refreshments. Three contact hours will be awarded. Saint Joseph Hospital For more information, contact Chaplain Judy Donohue at 859.967.5676. SJHS Pharmacy Fall Conference Saint Joseph Health System is hosting a continuing education program on Friday, November 13 in the Keeneland Health Education Center in Lexington. There is no charge to attend. The target audience is nurses and pharmacists. Topics that will be covered include: 1) New Drug Update Friday, November 13 Contact Hours: 5 CEUs for both pharmacists and nurses. Pharmacy CEU certificates will be accredited via the Kentucky State Board of Pharmacy for application to Kentucky licensure only and nursing CEU will be provided through the LEARN Resource Center via Keeneland Health Education Center. Registration: Register for attendance via LEARN (keyword: SJHS 2009 Pharmacy Clinical Fall Conference) or by calling S. Smithers at 859.313.2187. LEAD Classes for Saint Joseph Health System Leaders Saint Joseph Health System leaders are invited to participate in the following LEAD (Leadership, Education And Development) classes. To register for any of these classes go to www.SaintJosephHealthSystem.org, click on Education and Events Calendar, and choose Leadership as a category. Click on the desired class. Symphony Leading from the Heart Working Together-Diversity Resolving Conflicts Within Your Team Basic Medical Library Information Skills Classes in Lexington 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 for this class by logging on to Inside CHI, then click the LEARN link on the left side of the screen. For additional information, contact Laurie Henderson at 859.313.1677 Saint Joseph Hospital Saint Joseph East LEARN and Complimentary CE Nearly all clinical staff members are required to complete a certain number of CE hours each year. Complimentary CE, available exclusively through the “Hospital Direct” tab of the LEARN e-Learning Center, provides access to more than 50 continuing education courses for nurses, pharmacists, radiology technicians, respiratory therapists, case managers and physicians. Free CE courses are available to you for assignment through the standard assignment tools and for student self-enrollment through the catalog and Hospital Direct tabs. Check it out! Grant funds for these continuing education activities have been provided by Action Products, Aspect Medical, B. Braun, Baxter, Cardinal Health, Covidien, Encision, KCI, Medegen, Oridion, Pyxis, and Stryker Orthopaedics. |
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Saint Joseph Health System employees can enroll for FREE! Diabetes Lunch & Learns The Saint Joseph Diabetes and Nutrition Center is hosting upcoming Saint Joseph - Berea Saint Joseph East Saint Joseph Hospital November is Diabetes Awareness Month 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 really is 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:
Some form of fast acting carbohydrate should always be carried with the person in the event of hypoglycemia while driving, etc. Also, it would be important to carry some form of identification indicating the person has diabetes.
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A Grateful Patient Speaks about His Experience Saint Joseph – Jessamine RJ Corman Ambulatory Care Center "On January the 4th of this year, at 11 o’clock, I was taken to the emergency room [at Saint Joseph - Jessamine]. As I was pushed into the emergency room, a wonderful physician and nurse met me. And the physician looked at me and said, 'you’re having a heart attack.' Well, that took me back a step. And he opened up my shirt and could see that I was perspiring profusely. The nurse walked over and she said, 'Dr. Woodward, I know you, you baptized me at Centinary many years ago.' And I thought back over 25 years and remember baptizing a lot of people … and I was sure glad to see that nurse that day. They immediately went to work on me and stabilized me. According to the physician, I only had minutes to live. So if I had been anywhere else but in Jessamine County, near this facility, I wouldn’t be here today. And I am very, very grateful. But I need to tell you a little something about Saint Joseph and the kind of care that they give. It begins here in this place but as they put me in the ambulance and drove me to Saint Joseph Hospital I kept hearing them say, 'the team has not arrived.' I didn’t know what that meant. They gave other statistics about blood pressure and being stabilized and all of that language that they used … and then they got me to the hospital. I’ve been in Saint Joseph many times visiting patients and I thought I’d been everywhere in the hospital but I hadn’t been to this place. They took me to an entrance I’d never seen … it was dark, the lights were off and they began to flip the lights on in the hallways. And I kept hearing this phrase over and over again: 'the team has not arrived.' And then we made the last turn, they flipped on the lights, I looked down the hall, and heard them say, 'the team has arrived.' And they opened the doors and there were bright lights and here stand these wonderful physicians and nurses who were ready to go to work immediately on me. I learned later that Saint Joseph keeps a team of doctors and nurses ready for emergencies … and they realize that the great care that they give to heart patients there in the hospital are already busy … and they want a fresh team, ready to go to take care of whomever comes through those doors. Now that’s a tribute to them and to the ministry of Christ that is done by Saint Joseph Hospital and the Catholic Church. So I am very grateful … but it doesn’t even end there. They took care of me and in a few days I was out of the hospital thinking I was well, when in fact, I had to have the stints put in, open heart surgery and then they said, 'you’ll have to have some rehab.' And so, for 30 sessions and 10 weeks, I went to their rehab session (Saint Joseph Cardiac Rehabilitation Center]. And I want to say, and you need to know this, the residents and the people who work for this administration are just amazing people. There were two nurses and a therapist. And what I was impressed with them about was … it didn’t make any difference whether you were black or white, rich or poor, educated or uneducated … they treated everybody there every day with the same compassion and love and kindness that you would expect from professionals who are not only doing their job but who feel called to a ministry. And so I was very, very grateful to be there and to meet them. And guess what … one of those nurses came up to me and said, 'Reverend Woodward you married us many years ago at Centinary and took us into the church.' So I’m very comforted today that I’ve done a few good things in my life because it came home to me." —Sewell Woodward Reverend Sewell Woodword spoke at the blessing ceremony for Saint Joseph - Jessamine on September 16. He is pictured above (sitting) with Lexington Bishop Ronald Gainer. |
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Daisy Award Winner Congratulations to Julie Hamm, RN for being named a recipient of the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses at Saint Joseph - Berea. Julie is a registered nurse on the medical-surgical unit. The award is part of the Daisy Foundation’s national program to recognize the super-human efforts of nurses, and is in place throughout Saint Joseph Health System. Honorees receive a certificate of commendation, a Daisy Award pin, and a sculpture hand-carved by the Shona Tribe in Africa titled “A Healer’s Touch.” In addition, the nurse’s unit is treated to cinnamon buns. To learn more or to nominate someone, visit www.SaintJosephNurses.org, or look for Daisy Award nomination boxes throughout your hospital. inCommon will frequently highlight Saint Joseph Health System's Daisy Award winners.
Congratulations to the first quarter, fiscal year 2010 recipients of the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses listed below! Watch for more spotlights in upcoming issues. Carrie Clark, RN, ICU South, Saint Joseph Hospital Note: The next deadline for nominating a deserving registered nurse for the "Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses" is Monday, November 30. You can complete & submit your nomination online at www.SaintJosephNurses.org, or look for the Daisy Award brochures and nomination boxes throughout the hospitals. If you have questions, call Paula Keally at 859.313.4776. Heart of Saint Joseph Award Congratulations to June Pankey for being named a recipient of the Heart of Saint Joseph Award at Saint Joseph East. June is a charge specialist in the emergency department. Through the Heart of Saint Joseph Award, employees are recognized for outstanding performance in exemplifying Saint Joseph Health System's four core values: Reverence, Integrity, Compassion and Excellence. Any employee can nominate another employee for this possible recognition. The selected employee will receive the Heart of Saint Joseph Award certificate, $75.00, a preferred parking spot for one month and recognition in InCommon. The award is currently in place at Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph East and Saint Joseph - Berea. To nominate an employee, simply go to the Saint Joseph Health System Web site, www.SaintJosephHealthSystem.org (click on your hospital tab, then select "Saint Joseph Employees" and "Recognition & Awards").
SJMS Radiology Receives Perfect Score During MQSA Inspection On October 21, the mammography department at Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling (SJMS) had its annual Federal MQSA (Mammography Quality Standard Act) inspection and the radiology department received a PERFECT SCORE. Thanks goes to Sherry Mullins for the meticulous job that she does in making sure the hospital is compliant with every single aspect of the MQSA Standards, and for the untold number of hours that she spends in tracking all the required documentation that is required for this inspection. Thanks also to Jennifer Pack, Jeannie Cox and Charlene McCurdy for the work they do throughout the year to keep SJMS compliant with these tough MQSA standards. |
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