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Volume 2, Issue 22 - July 27, 2009 |
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High-Quality Respiratory Care in Berea Saint Joseph - Berea has earned Quality Respiratory Care Recognition under a national program aimed at helping patients and families make informed decisions about the quality of the respiratory care services available in hospitals.
(Left to Right) Scott Thompson, Devonda Flannery, Cherry Ruffing, Anne Henderson and Crystal Noble are part of the Saint Joseph - Berea cardiopulmonary team that received Quality Respiratory Care program recognition in 2009. Members of the team not pictured are: Melissa Richardson, Tracey Cain, Janis Carpenter, Regina Goforth, Scott Hager, Brenda Hamilton, Stacey Irvin, Charles King, Jim Skeen, Brenda Smith, Fred Smith and Shannon Strauss. The Quality Respiratory Care Recognition program was started by the American Association for Respiratory Care in 2003 to help consumers identify those facilities utilizing qualified respiratory therapists. Hospitals that meet the Quality Respiratory Care Recognition program requirements provide a level of respiratory care consistent with strict national standards and guidelines. A full list of hospitals having this designation is available at YourLungHealth.org. Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph - London also received this recognition for 2009: the second year in a row for Saint Joseph - London and the third year in a row for Saint Joseph Hospital. |
In this Issue:
Employee Climate Assessment Celebrations! |
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Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling Master Facility Plan Update New details were released about the replacement facility for Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling. After months of planning and design discussions, the formal design development phase has officially begun. This phase will take approximately two to three months, in preparation for a groundbreaking ceremony, tentatively planned for October. After the groundbreaking, construction will begin in the fall on the new all-private room hospital. The facility will have a total of 40 private inpatient rooms, along with an intensive care unit, operating rooms, and maternity unit. The emergency department will have 14 private treatment rooms. These details are just a few of the exciting plans for the upcoming hospital; more will be shared as the project moves forward. The grand opening is anticipated to be in the summer of 2011. Dependent Eligibility Audit Saint Joseph Health System is joining other Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) facilities in a dependent eligibility audit this summer. During this audit all employees will need to document their relationship with their dependents so benefits coverage may continue. Many employees keep their dependent coverage accurate and current. However, the audit is a good time to think about changes that may have affected your dependents’ eligibility. Examples include changes in marital status and college student status. CHI’s medical, dental and vision plans are included in this audit. The audit will begin Why are we doing this audit? CHI is not alone in conducting dependent eligibility audits. A recent national survey indicates that 61 percent of employers are planning to conduct an eligibility audit in 2009. How the audit works
Eligible dependents are:
Refer to the Catholic Health Initiatives Medical Plan Summary Plan Description for specifics related to eligible dependents. The Summary Plan Description is available in the forms section of the My Handbook tab (HR/Payroll Connection). Documentation must prove relationship
For more information Watch for the New Common Thread Watch for the July/August issue of Common Thread to arrive in your home mailboxes. The new issue features our Saint Joseph family members in Martin who experienced one of the worst floods in history, yet showed brave acts of heroism. Additionally, this issue contains many other examples of outreach, mission and hope across Saint Joseph Health System. Be sure to check out the "Reader Reward" feature where employees can try to win one of three $75 Visa gift cards! If you would like to share your story ideas for an upcoming issue of Saint Joseph Health System's employee magazine, please visit SaintJosephCommonThread.org. You can also read past issues of the magazine at this site. Employee Health Screenings Postponed for Larger Wellness Initiative Free employee health screenings were originally scheduled in July & August at various facilities within Saint Joseph Health System. Saint Joseph Corporate Health Services has postponed these screenings until later this year when a new wellness initiative will kick off for all employees across the system. Please watch for more information regarding this news in upcoming issues of InCommon. Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program Introduced at Saint Joseph East On July 13, Saint Joseph East introduced a new Pulmonary Rehabilitation program designed to treat patients with many types of pulmonary illness (emphysema, asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, black lung, lung transplant or resection, just to name a few). This program will teach patients ways to live and breath better despite having a chronic lung disease. A multidisciplinary team consisting of a medical director, physical therapist, occupational therapist and respiratory therapist will direct a patient’s care as they go through the program. The team will focus on exercise conditioning, endurance training, education and emotional support tailored to the patient’s specific needs. Patients who undergo pulmonary rehabilitation find they are able to do more for themselves, thus renewing their self-confidence. Patients are able to breathe better, increase their strength, decrease their anxiety and/or depression, prevent hospitalizations and reduce medication costs. The ultimate goal of this program is to improve the patient’s quality of life. For more information on Pulmonary Rehabilitation, please call 859.967.5737. GREEN UPDATE Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling is asking its departments to designate a box for scrap paper (paper with print on one side only and free of protected health information). When the box is full, departments are to bring it to materials management, where it will be recycled into note pads. So, think before you crumple! Reduce, reuse and recycle!
An effort of Saint Joseph's Working Green, Living Green team!
Supporting Local Food Saint Joseph - Berea appreciates the flavorful and nutritious value of homegrown produce. To show its support of local farmers who offer a variety of homegrown and organic foods and homemade products, and those who want to consume them, the hospital is partnering with the Berea Farmer’s Market to serve as the exclusive sponsor. This sponsorship includes supporting the biweekly market, various materials including a Berea Local Foods Recipe Book and events such as the first annual Local Food Celebration, held this past weekend. For more information regarding this partnership, contact Greg Gerard at 859.986.6366. CORRECTION: In the last issue of inCommon, incorrect days/times were published for the Berea Farmer’s Market. The market is open every Tuesday and Friday from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. through the first frost of fall behind the Promenade Gallery/Berea College Visitor Center (between Center and Jackson Streets.) |
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Employee Climate Assessment Celebrations! Saint Joseph Health System exceeded every expectation that was set for the Employee Climate Assessment survey this year— every facility had greater than 95% participation and five facilities reached 100% participation! Because of this great accomplishment, Gene Woods is hosting celebrations throughout the system. At each facility, he and his president’s council will serve employees a free meal (both day and night shift). Listen in your Daily Line-Up meetings for more details as the arrangements are made, but go ahead and save the date! Flaget Memorial Hospital (celebrating 97.8% participation): Tuesday, July 28 Go Red with the Legends As the central Kentucky sponsor of the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women movement, Saint Joseph Health System would like to invite its employees, family, friends and communities to an upcoming Go Red event: 'Go Red' with the Legends Wear red and support women's heart health while enjoying an evening of baseball. All Legends ball players will wear red jerseys that night and a heart disease survivor will throw out the first pitch. A portion of the ticket sales will go toward the American Heart Association. Saint Joseph events during the game include health education, screenings, trivia and heart tattoos/balloons for the kids. Buy Tickets:
‘Kentucky Pride Day’ in the Green Leaf Café The Green Leaf Café at Saint Joseph Hospital (cafeteria) is hosting Kentucky Pride Day on Thursday, July 30. Enjoy a lunch of southern favorites made fresh from local ingredients, and enter an employee raffle for gift baskets from the Kentucky Proud Market & Papania’s, Inc. Reception for Dr. Lowell Martin A reception for Dr. Lowell Martin’s retirement will be Thursday, July 30, 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m., at the Seton Complex parking lot. Please stop by to celebrate his contributions to Saint Joseph - Martin over the years and enjoy snacks and fellowship. Memory sharing will begin at 7:30 p.m. School Supply Drive Flaget Memorial Hospital is holding a Back-to-School supply drive through Friday, July 31. Boxes are placed throughout the facility for donations of any school-related items. Please help those children whose families cannot afford all the necessary school supplies for this year. This supply drive is sponsored by the Mission Council’s Outreach and Advocacy Subcommittee. Dinner with Art A dinner and art auction to benefit the Nelson County Community Clinic will be held Friday, July 31 at 6:30 p.m. in the Nelson County Civic Center (321 S. Third St., Bardstown). The Nelson County Community Clinic provides free medical care, basic dental care and medications to eligible residents who lack health insurance. Flaget Memorial Hospital is a sponsor of this event and supports the clinic. The $35 ticket cost is inclusive of beverages and a delicious meal prepared by Bill and Donna Ellis. After the meal, WAVE 3 TV Meteorologist Kevin Harned will be the auctioneer for artwork created by local artists. Contact Ben Wiederholt at Flaget if you would like tickets, 502.350.5046. Cruisin’ On Main A Cruisin’ On Main car show will be held Saturday, August 1 in downtown London from 12 Noon-8:00 p.m. This month will include staff from Saint Joseph - London performing health screenings (from 1:00-6:00 p.m.). Take a stroll down Main Street and check out some of the southeast’s finest cars, motorcycles and trucks. Included will be old street rods, muscle cars, highly modified late models and antique cars. There is no entry fee for cars, participants or to receive the health screenings. Mobile Blood Drive in Lexington Kentucky Blood Center will be conducting a mobile blood drive at Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph East on the following dates.
All registered donors will be eligible to win a 2010 Toyota Camry to be given away by Kentucky Blood Center in September. Visit kybloodcenter.org for frequently asked questions about giving blood. All donors must present a photo ID. Walk-in donations are welcome however to ensure the shortest wait times, appointments are strongly encouraged. Visit kybloodcenter.org to schedule an appointment or call 800.775.2522. Picnic in Nazareth The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth invite all Saint Joseph Health System employees, families and friends to the Nazareth Picnic on Saturday, August 22 from 2:00–8:00 p.m. at the Motherhouse Campus, Nazareth, KY (near Bardstown). A fried chicken dinner will be served in the air-conditioned Motherhouse dining room from 2:00-7:00 p.m. Hot dogs and hamburgers will also be available on the picnic grounds. A variety of prize booths will be featured. Raffle items include monetary prizes (1st prize: $2,000; 2nd prize: $1,000; and 3rd prize: $500) and a hand-made queen-size quilt along with other specials. Entertainment and children’s activities will be offered throughout the day. If you would like to volunteer at the Nazareth Picnic and/or for more information about this event, please call 502.348.1578. Old Fashioned Family Fun Day Saint Joseph - Berea is hosting an “Old Fashioned Family Fun Day” Sunday, August 16 from 1- 4 p.m. to celebrate 2009 successes. Lunch will be served at 1:30 p.m. Gather up the family and head out for the lawn beside the hospital and Blue Ridge Hall for fun and relaxation, rain or shine. Bring folding chairs or a blanket and settle in for a great afternoon. Please let your manager know of your plans to attend and how many will be in your party by August 10. Highlights include:
Volunteer at the 13th Annual Spoonbread Festival The 13th Annual Spoonbread Festival will be held September 18-20 in Berea. There will be many opportunities to volunteer your help in several areas. Saint Joseph - Berea will be involved in the following ways:
Please plan to help out with one of these offerings. The work is fun and you’ll be promoting better health for your community. Contact Katie Heckman in community relations, 859.986.6535, if you’re interested. |
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Lower Back Pain Management In-service Mike Miller, RN, FNP student, will present an hour-long Lunch & Learn program on lower back pain management on Tuesday, July 28 from 12 noon-1:00 p.m. at Saint Joseph - Berea. Employees are encouraged to bring their lunch to the Education Classroom and learn about the latest research surrounding the management of lower back pain. 'Failure to Rescue' Workshop Attention nurses! There will be an educational workshop, titled “Failure to Rescue: Recognizing the Pre-Arrest State,” offered at Saint Joseph - Berea on Wednesday, July 29, from 1-4 p.m. Margie Fuller, RN, BSN will be the presenter. Margie has been employed with Saint Joseph Hospital for 25 years with 21 years experience as a critical care nurse with CCRN certification. This course has been approved by the KBN for 3 contact hours. You can register for the event via the LEARN system (Keyword: Failure, SJB). In-service on Accepting Calls from Deaf, Hard of Hearing On Thursday, July 30 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. in the Education Classroom, Saint Joseph - Berea will be offering an in-depth presentation for staff on how to accept incoming calls from Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals. The topics will be on TDD calls, IP (internet/wireless) calls and other newer technologies. It will also cover Cultural Awareness, Relay Kentucky—including services available, equipment available and a technical demonstration on how to use the service. All employees are welcome, but a representative from each of the following is strongly encouraged to attend: unit secretaries, patient access employees, volunteer services, case managers and social workers. A sign-up sheet is located by the time clock or you can e-mail Elena Baker. Upcoming Diabetes Classes in Lexington Care of the Hospitalized Patient with Diabetes Thursday, August 20, 1:00-5:00 p.m. Learning Objectives Understanding Diabetes
Thursday, August 20, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Learning Objectives |
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Letter to Saint Joseph - London “I wanted to make sure the right people were informed of the quality of staff you have at Saint Joseph - London. I'm sure all Saint Joseph Health System hospitals are equally wonderful, but our experience has been limited to the London facility. My husband had a near fatal heart attack in May and another in June of this year. In both cases, he was surrounded by skilled doctors and nurses who saved his life (with God's help of course). These individuals honestly cared for my husband (and me) and I couldn't be more grateful for everything they did and said during our medical crisis. I want to list names, but I know I would forget a name and that would trouble me beyond words. As a compromise, let me praise them by department.
Hopefully, I have covered the bases. I am so thankful that our area of Kentucky has such a wonderful heart hospital to depend upon. God bless all who are involved.” Letter to Saint Joseph - Martin This was written to the OR staff by a patient who had an outpatient procedure. "Thank you so much for all of the kindness and care that you gave me while I was at your hospital. I am so thankful and grateful to have had such a wonderful group of professional people to take care of me. I have had no problems with my surgery. I am doing great." |
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Improving Discharge Times in Mount Sterling
Employees working on Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling's inpatient units recently celebrated surpassing their goal of increasing the number of discharges by 11:00 a.m. Back Row (from left): Linda Skidmore, Donna Havens, Sheila Jones, Leah English, Sherri Jackson and Jayla Wheeler; Front Row (from left): Becky Dotson, Shelly Sanders, Jackie Napier, Tonya Adkins and Nancy Pennington. As part of the CHI-Saint Joseph Health System throughput initiative to increase the number of discharges before 11:00 a.m., Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling inpatient units recently celebrated achievement of reaching their May goal with an ice cream sundae social for staff. They started the month of May with 21% of discharges taking place before 11:00 a.m., and set a June 1st goal of 30% of discharges taking place before 11:00 a.m. Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling surpassed its goal with a total of 39% of discharges occurring before 11:00 a.m. This achievement could not have been possible without commitment and hard work by all disciplines involved. A special thanks to the charge nurses and case managers for leading the team. Daisy Award Winner Congratulations to Carrie Barnett, R.N. (pictured center with CNO Chris Mays and President Ken Haynes) for being named a recipient of the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses at Saint Joseph Hospital. 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 SaintJosephNurses.org, or look for Daisy Award nomination boxes throughout your hospital. inCommon will frequently highlight Saint Joseph Health System's Daisy Award winners.
Daisy Award winner Carrie Barnett was honored during a surprise celebration thrown by co-workers and members of the executive team at Saint Joseph Hospital.
2009 Spirit Award Congratulations to the Patient Financial Services team at Saint Joseph - Martin for winning the 2009 Spirit Award. Their enthusiasm prompted the idea of a "travelling" award for the Saint Joseph - Martin department that shows the most spirit during Hospital Week. Employees in Patient Financial Services embraced this year's Disney theme, dressing up as their favorite characters. Below, they donned pirate costumes in tribute to the movie, "The Pirates of the Caribbean."
Financial Services' employees at Saint Joseph - Martin imitated "The Pirates of the Caribbean" during the hospital's Disney-themed Hospital Week festivities. Front Row (left to right): Linda Caudill (hook), Judi DeRossett (bird), Donna Bradley (eye patch), Ruth Shelton (red scarf) and Sandy Frasure; Second Row (left to right): Kathy Cox (eye patch), Wendy Sexton, Kristie Johnson (sunglasses), Dolly Carroll and Connie Moore. |
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Employee Climate Assessment Celebration in Mount Sterling Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling employees were acknowledged for their 100% participation in the recent Employee Climate Assessment when Saint Joseph Health System CEO Gene Woods and members of his president's council hosted a celebration July 21, serving employees a complimentary meal. They will travel to all facilities August through early September to thank employees for their input. Every facility had greater than 95% participation and five facilities reached 100% participation in this year's survey.
'Run for the Health of It' in Bardstown Flaget Memorial Hospital was a lead sponsor for the Nelson County Community Clinic 5K Run/Walk, “Run for the Health of It” on June 20. The event raised nearly $10,000 for the clinic’s operations of serving the basic medical and dental health needs of people who are working yet lacking health insurance in Nelson County. Several Flaget employees participated in the event including Bruce Klockars, president, who won first place in the senior age group.
Relay for Life in Martin Saint Joseph - Martin's Relay for Life team raised $12,543.93 this year! This is the hospital's highest total raised for the event, which is held annually to generate funds for the American Cancer Society. This year's event was June 12 at Archer Park, and Saint Joseph - Martin kept its title as the #1 fundraising team in Floyd County. The event grand total was $45,139.36. A heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to Saint Joseph - Martin's Relay for Life effort. Each department’s contributions were immeasurable and one group, Patient Financial Services, had a very personal interest in this year’s event and raised $1,514!
Relay for Life in London Saint Joseph - London's Relay for Life team walked the track at the Optimist Club on June 19 to raise funds for the American Cancer Society.
Golf Classic in London The First Annual Saint Joseph - London Golf Classic can be considered a huge success! Ninety-two participants made up the 23 teams, filled primarily by construction companies working at the new hospital site. The weather cooperated and everyone seemed to have a great time. The event netted a profit of just over $21,000 for the Saint Joseph - London Foundation.
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