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Volume 4, Issue 36 - September 16, 2011 |
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Saint Joseph - Berea Recognized as
‘Top Performer’
Saint Joseph - Berea was named one of the nation’s top performers on key quality measures by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America. Saint Joseph - Berea was recognized by The Joint Commission based on data reported about evidence-based clinical processes that are shown to improve care for certain conditions, including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care and children’s asthma. Saint Joseph - Berea is one of only 405 U.S. hospitals and critical access hospitals earning the distinction of top performer on key quality measures for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance. Inclusion on the list is based on an aggregation of accountability measure data reported to The Joint Commission during the previous calendar year. For example, this first recognition program is based on data that were reported for 2010. To be recognized as a top performer on key quality measures an organization must meet two 95 percent performance thresholds. First they must achieve a composite performance of 95 percent or above after the results of all the accountability measures for which they report data to The Joint Commission were factored into a single score, including measures that had less than 30 eligible cases or patients. Second, they must meet or exceed a 95 percent performance target for every single accountability measure for which they report data, excluding any measures with less than 30 eligible cases or patients. Saint Joseph - Berea was recognized for achieving these thresholds for the Surgical Care Improvement Project. In addition to being included in the September 14, 2011, release of The Joint Commission’s “Improving America’s Hospitals” annual report, Saint Joseph - Berea will be recognized on The Joint Commission’s Quality Check website. |
In this Issue:
Difficulty Click here
Or visit our news site, CommOnline, |
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Integration for Kentucky NewCo Continues — Progress Made The partners and sponsors of what, for now, is referred to as “Kentucky Newco,” are continuing
the meticulous detailed planning for integrating Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare, Saint
Joseph Health System and University of Louisville Hospital|James Graham Brown Cancer
Center. The partners and sponsors have established 13 teams — most of which have a number of subteams — composed of representatives from all entities. More than 125 people from the partner and sponsor organizations are serving on the planning teams. Team leaders met in Lexington on September 7 to report on progress to date, track movement to goals and identify needs to advance to integration. Over the coming weeks, these leaders and other team members will be reaching out to additional employees from each organization for assistance with information gathering, communications, feedback or additional planning tasks. The teams and leaders are listed in the current issue of Partnership Progress. You can read this partner update and others at CommOnline. Flaget Memorial Hospital Named
One of
United States’
Flaget Memorial Hospital was recently named one of the United States’ 65 Great Community Hospitals by Becker’s Hospital Review. To compile this list, the Becker’s Hospital Review editorial team analyzed and reviewed data from numerous sources, including U.S. News & World Report magazine, American Nurses Credentialing Center, and Thomson Reuters, to identify remarkable hospitals. For inclusion on this list, hospitals needed to have fewer than 550 patient beds and minimal teaching programs. The top 65 hospitals selected annually by Becker’s Hospital Review, a bimonthly publication offering up-to-date business and legal news and analysis relating to hospitals and health systems, were recognized as high-performing leaders in patient care, clinical quality and community outreach. Flaget was one of only four Kentucky hospitals named to the list. Flaget President Sue Downs said this recognition is meaningful because it demonstrates "a strong, ongoing commitment by our nurses, physicians and entire staff to provide person-centered care — treating patients and their families with dignity and respect and partnering with them to achieve the best outcomes.” Flaget Cancer Center’s Martin Named One of “Top Docs” The staff members of Louisville Magazine conducted a survey asking the 2,000-plus members of the Greater Louisville Medical Society to name the top doctors in the area. As a result of that survey, Dr. Monte Martin, the medical oncologist/hematologist who heads up the Flaget Cancer Center with Dr. Joe Lanzillo, radiation oncologist, was named among the area’s “top docs” in the August issue of the magazine. Click here to read the issue. Needless to say, the staff at Flaget Cancer Center and Flaget Memorial Hospital is proud to have one of the “top docs” caring for patients. Martin is a native of Kentucky who has practiced medical oncology for seven years. He is a member of Saint Joseph Health System Physician Enterprise. Flaget Cancer Center offers chemotherapy and radiation therapy and includes support to patients in the form of massage therapy, social services, dietitian coverage, spiritual care, pain management, insurance advisors, a library of books and handouts, and a computer for internet access. Learn more at www.FlagetCancerCenter.com. The Perfect Gift Campaign Congratulations to Satessa Grimes, who submitted the winning entry to rename the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation Employee Campaign. Her submission, “The Perfect Gift,” was selected out of more than 60 submissions. The Foundation would like to thank everyone who submitted such great names for the Campaign; it was a very hard decision. Satessa was awarded an iPod nano, given to her by Foundation CEO/President Barry Stumbo (right). The Perfect Gift Campaign will kickoff at Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph - Jessamine on September 27 and Saint Joseph East on September 30. 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. Each employee will receive a Pledge Card from their Captain and employees may designate where their donation will be made: to the Foundation and/or the United Way of the Bluegrass. New this year is the option to donate PTO to the Foundation and the ability to join the “Day of Giving” Society for those that donate eight hours or more of PTO. Please help support The Perfect Gift Campaign and help us make our participation goal of 50% (SJH, SJJ, SJE combined). For more information, please contact Anna Taylor at 859.313.2055. HR Reminder: Health Care Assistance Program Applications Due Sept. 23 Remember to mail your application for the Health Care Assistance Program by Friday, September 23! Employees who are potentially eligible for the Health Care Assistance Program were mailed their introductory letter and application packet last month. The Health Care Assistance Program was initiated by Catholic Health Initiatives to help eligible full-time employees with out-of-pocket costs such as coinsurance, deductibles and prescriptions. To be considered for the program you must be a full-time CHI employee, have been hired by August 1, 2011, and your total household income from your 2010 federal tax return must be equal to or less than 150% of the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Very Low Income guidelines for your work location. Refer to your packet for more information. If you have questions or would like additional information about this program, please contact the HR/Payroll Connection Support Center toll-free at 1.888.450.9450. On Hold: Flash Drive Encryption Software The Flash Drive encryption project, which would require a password to save to and retrieve data from flash drives, is on hold until further notice. As a result of robust testing, the ITS project team is seeking improvements that will make the software easier to use; you will be notified of an expected release date. In the meantime, you are reminded to exercise vigilance and care whenever using flash drives to ensure the security of patient, hospital and other confidential information. Depending on the type of information stored, such as patient records and personal information, if a flash drive is lost or stolen it may be necessary to report the risk to federal oversight agencies. Nursing Mentors Needed The Mobile Mentoring Team is looking for outstanding, experienced RNs to serve as mentors to new graduate nurses at Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph East. Mentors who fulfill the program requirements will receive a $250 bonus. To qualify, RNs must be in a non-exempt status, possess excellent technical skills, outstanding workplace behavior which exceeds expectations, and be void of any current performance improvement or corrective action. If interested please speak to your unit manager, clinical educator or Anna Hinton, HRBP, in human resources for more details.
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Berea Spoonbread Festival THIS WEEKEND Saint Joseph - Berea is a proud sponsor of the 2011 Berea Spoonbread Festival this weekend, September 16-18. Events include exhibits, concerts, food, contests and family fun. Visit www.spoonbreadfestival.com for a complete schedule. The Spoonbread 5-K Race & 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk will start and end at Saint Joseph - Berea tomorrow, September 17. On-Site Registration is $25, with T-shirt subject to availability. Please arrive 45 minutes prior to the 8 a.m. race start time.
Retirement Celebration for ER Physician Jack Geren You are cordially invited to join in celebration of Dr. Jack Geren on Monday, September 19, 5-8 p.m., in the community room at Saint Joseph - Jessamine. Dr. Geren is an emergency room physician with years of service to Saint Joseph. World Chicken Festival Saint Joseph - London is once again a sponsor of the World Chicken Festival, to be held September 22-25 in downtown London. The festival features entertainment, vendors, arts & crafts, carnival rides, contests, plenty of food and the world’s largest skillet. Visit www.chickenfestival.com for a complete schedule of events. Saint Joseph - London will host a booth at the festival, distributing information and promotional items. Faces of Cancer Exhibit
A pictorial exhibit of Nelson County cancer survivors is on display at Flaget Cancer Center on the Flaget Memorial Hospital campus through September 23. 4th Annual Stephen P. Shepherd Golf Scramble Golfers are invited to play in the 4th Annual Stephen P. Shepherd Golf Scramble Friday, October 7 at Gay Brewer, Jr. Course at Picadome in Lexington. Registration and lunch (provided) is at 11:30 a.m. The shotgun start is at 1 p.m. Entry costs are $60 per player (checks payable to Wanda Shepherd). You can sponsor a hole for $75 (checks payable to Hospice of the Bluegrass). Other donations accepted and appreciated. Proceeds go to Hospice of the Bluegrass in memory of Steve Shepherd, who was a helicopter pilot for Air Methods and beloved by many throughout Saint Joseph Health System. His wife, Wanda, and their sons created this event in his honor. Enter by mailing the following information to Wanda Shepherd/646 Wichita Dr./Lexington, KY 40503/859.533.0655: Team Name, Player Names (4), Phone Number, E-mail. Or drop off information at Gay Brewer, Jr. Course by Sept. 26. Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Saint Joseph Health System is participating in the 2011 Komen Lexington Race for the Cure on Saturday, October 15 in the fight against breast cancer. Those interested in participating can register online by going to the Lexington affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure website and clicking on "join an existing team" (look for team name Saint Joseph Health System): http://www.komenlexington.org/site/TR/Race/ You can contact team leader Janet Morgan in the Saint Joseph Breast Center for more information at 859.967.5454. |
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Upcoming LEARN Assignments Revised Our Values and Ethics at Work: Read & Acknowledge by Oct. 31 Catholic Health Initiatives’ (CHI) Our Values and Ethics at Work Reference Guide has been revised and distributed to all employees through LEARN, CHI’s online learning management system. This electronic version of the guide includes an acknowledgement and certification and will capture employees’ signatures electronically. Because this is a revised version of the guide, all employees must read the document and sign the acknowledgement. Employees hired before July 1, 2011, are required to sign the acknowledgment by October 31, 2011. Employees hired on and after July 1 will receive the guide as part of the new hire process. Check your LEARN account regularly for your assignments, so you are not past due on mandatory training! Modules that are currently assigned are:
All assignments are mandatory unless marked optional.
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Commemorating 9/11 On September 9, prayer services to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 were held throughout Saint Joseph Health System. A special invitation was extended to former and active military personnel and their loved ones. Representatives from local police, fire and EMS also were invited.
Run for the Health of It Flaget Memorial Hospital and Flaget Memorial Hospital Foundation sponsored this year's Run for the Health of It, a 5K Run/Walk hosted by the Nelson County Community Clinic. The event was held August 13 in Bardstown and several Flaget staff members participated. Flaget supports the Nelson County Community Clinic, providing financial assistance, supplies and advanced diagnostic tests. The clinic’s mission is to provide free medical, pharmaceutical and dental services to people who are working but are uninsured and underinsured. All proceeds from Run for the Health of It benefitted the Nelson County Community Clinic.
End-of-Summer Celebration in Bardstown Flaget Memorial Hospital hosted a hospital-wide end-of-summer celebration September 8. The tropical-themed party, set to Beach Boys music, featured a tiki bar (non-alcoholic), pictures, drawings, karaoke, and a favorite summertime dessert contest.
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