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Volume 2, Issue 5 - February 27, 2009 |
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New Strategic Plan Unveiled
Saint Joseph Health System’s (SJHS) strategic
plan for 2009-2014 is intended to provide clear guidance and direction
for the newly created organization. The plan aligns SJHS’s efforts
in the coming years by strengthening the organization’s
ability to create healthier communities and transform the way care is
delivered across Kentucky. SJHS’s core strategies
within the plan are: |
Top Stories |
People:
To develop top talent and a culture of leadership in health care practices
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50th Anniversary of the First Open Heart Surgery in Lexington
Dr. Richard R. Crutcher, 97, will attend a celebration at SJH next Tuesday, Mar. 3 to mark this milestone; everyone is invited to help celebrate between 2-4 p.m. in the front lobby. Pictured is an article that appeared in The Lexington Leader in 1959 titled, “Lexington Boy, 8, Is Recovering From Delicate Heart Operation.” The article described Danny Wilson’s congenital heart defect, how the heart-lung machine made open-heart surgery possible, and the optimism of Danny’s doctor about his recovery. |
March
3, 2009, will mark the 50th anniversary of the first open heart surgery
in Lexington, performed at Saint Joseph Hospital
(SJH) by Dr. Richard R. Crutcher and a team of 15 people. The team
trained for nine months prior to the surgery. The patient was an 8-year-old
boy with a congenital heart defect. The case was more difficult than
was anticipated, but successful. The Sisters kept a prayer vigil in
the chapel during the surgery. At that time in 1959, SJH was located
in Lexington’s downtown district, on West Second Street. |
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Want to lose weight? Get fit? Have more energy? Join Saint Joseph Health System's "Spark4Life" Challenge! Saint
Joseph Health System will launch an employee wellness initiative
the week of Mar. 16 called "Spark4Life." Employees throughout
our hospitals will compete for cash prizes during a 12-week challenge
that will test their willingness to take action to improve their lives.
The challenge, hosted by Corporate Health Services, will require participants
to eat healthier, be more active and seek knowledge on how to live healthier.
This challenge is all about taking small steps that will add up to big
results and an overall lifestyle change!
'Lettuce' Eat Right
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Get
Sparked! 
On
Mar. 2 at Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph
- Berea, and Mar. 30 at Saint Joseph East,
Nutritional Services will launch a new healthy initiative in the cafeterias
called “Lettuce Eat Right.” Healthier menu options will
be introduced, along with the availability of nutritional information.
Items that are deemed healthy will be identified to help in your selection
process and goals of living healthier. As you "spark" into
action for the "Spark4Life" challenge (see above), you'll
be inspired by the new menu choices. Look
for other exciting new changes in the cafeterias including the transition
to a “greener” eating environment. |
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Employee Benefits Communication from Your HR Team
Full-time and part-time employees may receive up to eight confidential sessions for themselves, their spouse and dependents per year, not to exceed sixteen visits for the family. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call the Behavioral Medicine Network at 1.800.455.5579. If you are an employee of Flaget Memorial Hospital, you may receive three free, confidential sessions per problem, per dependent family member, per year. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Mark Cain at the Lighthouse Counseling Center at 502.348.5454.
Town
Hall meetings are currently being held at hospitals throughout the system.
Below are upcoming dates. Flaget
Memorial Hospital Saint
Joseph - Mount Sterling Saint
Joseph Hospital (Night Shift) Remember to mark your calendars for the system-wide Town Hall meetings with Gene Woods March 11-12. Watch for more details soon.
Watch
the construction progress at the new Saint Joseph - London hospital
site. Visit www.SaintJosephLondon.org
(click on: About Us; New Hospital Updates; See Latest Remember to 'Spring Forward' At 2 a.m. on Sunday, Mar. 8, groggy Americans will turn their clocks forward one hour, marking the beginning of Daylight Saving Time. |
Saint
Joseph Health System offers an Employee Assistance Program
(EAP) intended to help you and your family members access professional
assistance that can make it easier to cope with a variety of personal
issues and life challenges. Counselors are available to assist with
problems such as marriage counseling, chemical dependency treatment
programs, grief and loss, and other personal situations. The EAP is
completely confidential and available at no cost to employees or their
immediate family members. 
WebCam
Monitoring Construction
Images)
anytime you want to peek at the activity. The new hospital
is expected to open in 2010. |
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The Center for Weight Loss Surgery at Saint Joseph East is excited to announce their upcoming event: the 6th annual Bari Ball. The Bari Ball is a special evening held by the center to celebrate the success of all post-op patients and give thanks to their friends, family and the staff at Saint Joseph East that have contributed to their care and success. Attendance has increased every year. Last year, more than 300 people attended and enjoyed a night of dancing, karaoke and light refreshments. The event will be held Friday, Mar. 6 from 7-11 p.m. at the Double Tree Suites in Lexington. Please contact the Center for Weight Loss Surgery at 859.967.5518 if you have any questions or to make reservations. Diabetes 'Lunch and Learn' Sessions in Berea
Mid-Continent University Information Events in Lexington A representative from Mid-Continent University will host information tables at Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph East next week to discuss the programs offered by the school. The 18 to 24-month programs are ideal for employees in all areas/departments including nursing, business office, medical records, clerical and support staff. You can take one class at a time, one night per week, and still be classified as a full-time student. Classes are held in Lexington and online. Grants and financial aid are available. Visit with the representative during these times:
Saint
Joseph Hospital Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month Event in Bardstown Flaget
Memorial Hospital and the Kentucky Cancer Program (KCP) will
join together in observing this year’s National Colorectal Awareness
Month — a movement designed to increase awareness and education
about colorectal cancer, and to spread the message that this cancer
is preventable, treatable and beatable. On Friday,
Mar. 6, there will be a display of educational materials
on the subject in Flaget’s lobby. The public is invited to come
by and pick up pamphlets. Flaget Memorial, the KCP and other agencies
will also be setting up a storefront display at the Towne Mall in Elizabethtown
that will be kept there through the end of March. |
Bari
Ball in Lexington
Diabetes
"Lunch and Learn" sessions will be held on Wednesday,
Mar. 4 and Wednesday,
Mar. 18 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. (both days) at the Saint
Joseph - Berea Diabetes & Nutrition Center, located on
the fourth floor of the hospital. Employees are encouraged to attend
either session, bring their lunch and participate in a 20-30 minute
discussion on blood glucose control. For more information, contact 
Saint
Joseph East |
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Bedside
nurses who perform patient documentation (RNs, LPNs, CEs, CNS, New Grad
Nurses) are invited to attend a workshop, "Legal Aspects of Nursing
Documentation," on Monday, Mar. 16
from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Blakely Auditorium at Saint
Joseph Hospital (note the change in the start time). Earn 7.8
CEUs. View
course objectives and register online at www.SaintJosephHealthSystem.org
Myth Busters for Managing Pain in the High Risk Patient The focus of this workshop will be on patients at risk for or who are diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Capnography, trending for anticipation of incidents, and rapid response interventions will be discussed. The workshop is Tuesday, Mar. 17 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Keeneland Health Education Center at Saint Joseph Hospital (Saint Joseph Office Park, Building D, 4th Floor). Earn 4.5 CEUs. View course objectives and register online at www.SaintJosephHealthSystem.org (education & events calendar).
The focus of the "Spirituality, Health and Healing" workshop is to understand the role of spirituality in the lives of persons with serious or life-threatening illness and to discuss the role of caregivers in supporting a patient's spiritual journey through healing relationships. A workshop will be held on Friday, Apr. 17 from noon to 3 p.m. in the Education Center at Saint Joseph East (Medical Office Building, 2nd Floor), and on Friday, Apr. 24 from noon to 3 p.m. in the Keeneland Health Education Center at Saint Joseph Hospital (Saint Joseph Office Park, Building D, 4th Floor). Earn 3.0 CEUs. View course objectives and register online at www.SaintJosephHealthSystem.org (education & events calendar). |
Legal
Aspects of Nursing Documentation
Spirituality,
Health and Healing Workshop |
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Heart of Saint Joseph Award
Photo: SJB President Greg Gerard presented Gayle with her award. On her nomination form are several examples of why Gayle was selected for this award. A colleague said, "Gayle brings a strong and quiet faith with her to work. Some people talk about faith all the time and some live that faith every day. Gayle is one who lives her faith and demonstrates kindness, understanding and love at all times. She never loses her patience at work or if she does she does not show it. She does what needs to be done no matter what job she is given and she does it cheerfully. She is upbeat and by example encourages others to approach their work in the same manner. She supports fellow employees with prayer. "Gayle is a loving person who shows the same compassion to all that she has for her own family. She is a pillar of strength in a family that has had its share of health problems. She helps her mother and sisters in every way she can. She is a loving and supportive mother. Gayle now works at a desk and gives exemplary customer service to staff and outside vendors. It is a shame she is not on the front lines sharing her attitude and approach with our patients and their families." Gayle shows excellence in her work by her approach to helping to make her department run smoothly. A colleague said, "She started at Berea Hospital in housekeeping. Her managerial skills were identified early; she managed housekeeping for awhile and now assists with the day-to-day runnings of the facilities department. She is resourceful and creative as she problem-solves. She has good common sense. She is prompt. She has follow-through. She is a great asset to her department and to the hospital." The Heart of Saint Joseph Award is currently in place at Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph East and Saint Joseph - Berea. Nominate a deserving co-worker at www.SaintJosephHealthSystem.org ("Recognition & Awards" under "Saint Joseph Employees"). |
Congratulations
to Gayle Green for being named the March/April Heart of Saint Joseph
Award recipient at Saint Joseph - Berea (SJB). Gayle,
who works in the facilities department, is known as the "go-to"
person for many employees because her approach to problem-solving is
well recognized. She is known to be fair, helpful, resourceful and compassionate. |
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Lenten
Reflection After his baptism by John in the Jordan, Jesus went out into the desert to receive a baptism by fire. This desert sojourn was also a ritual of purification: purifying his thoughts, his desires, and his intentions as he discerned how he would minister in a world that too often resembles the parched wasteland of the desert. When Jesus embarked on his retreat into the desert, he was tempted and tested in the same ways we are, but in doing so he was showing us the way to recover our true self—a journey of self-discovery that will bring us a future full of hope. Ask yourself: Am I willing to enter into the desert of self reflection to discover my true identity? |
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Care Packages for Soldiers Saint Joseph - Martin recently assembled care packages for a medic unit of 85 soldiers, deployed from Shelbyville, serving in Afghanistan. Employees contributed items, made monetary donations and packed 21 boxes, totaling 350 pounds, for shipment. Judy Parsons, director of pastoral care, and the mission committee thank the employees who "had a heart" and gave the soldiers a Christmas in February.
Left to right: Volunteer Evelyn Smith, Judy Parsons (background), Leigh Ann Carroll and Vickie Fry, both of the cardiopulmonary department, assembled care packages at Saint Joseph - Martin for a medic unit of 85 soldiers serving in Afghanistan.
Left to right: Social Worker Judy Salyer, Vickie Fry, Leigh Ann Carroll and Judy Parsons Waneta P. Newsome Award
Kathy Stumbo (left), president of Saint Joseph - Martin, and Judy Parsons (right), director of pastoral care, presented Larry Robinson with the Waneta P. Newsome Award on Feb. 2 at Saint Joseph - Martin. Larry has worked as a full-time employee of the maintenance department since 1992. This award recognizes those individuals whose performance on the job gives special meaning to Saint Joseph’s core values of Reverence, Integrity, Compassion and Excellence. Blessing of Hands & Ash Wednesday
Saint Joseph - Berea Mission Leader Flora Washburn (above, left) blessed the hands of Melissa Lepore, med/surg, on Feb. 20 during a day-long recognition of all persons who work in health care ministry. Washburn held short services throughout the departments and blessed employees' hands with oil from St. Clare's in Berea. She also held an afternoon service where individuals and volunteers could participate. Saint Joseph - Berea Mission Leader/Chaplain Flora Washburn (above, right) received ashes from Father Nick Pagano at the Saint Joseph - Berea Ash Wednesday service. A Donation of Comfy Pillows
Flaget
Memorial Hospital Communications Coordinator President's Circle
Ken Haynes (top photo), president of Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph East and Saint Joseph - Jessamine, was overwhelmed with the turnout for the first ever President’s Circle luncheon on Jan. 22 in the Keeneland Health Education Center. The purpose of the President’s Circle is to recognize those employees who gave at least $500 to the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation’s fall campaign. Members were recognized with a President’s Circle Pin. More than 40 persons attended the event and almost 80 became members of this inaugural program. The 2008 employee campaign had nearly a 50% increase in giving at the $500 or more level, with the implementation of this new program. Through the President’s Circle, almost $60,000 was raised to support mission and outreach efforts, including the Patient and Family Assistance Fund, Nursing and Allied Health Scholarships and the Saint Joseph Free Clinic, among others. If you are interested in learning more about the Foundation's programs and services, call 859.313.1705. Salvation Army Donation
The outpatient surgery staff at Saint Joseph Hospital gathered and donated needed supplies and articles to The Salvation Army in Lexington on Feb. 10 in honor of Community Service Day. The staff gathered blankets, canned goods, coats, personal care items and water to help replenish supplies used during the recent ice storm. Pictured are outpatient surgery employees, left to right, Diana Beckett, Jeanette Smiley, Vickie Gahafer, Tammy Brigsby, Regina Day, Beulah Lucas, Sheila Sargeant and Judy Haboush. Beach Party
Saint Joseph Hospital employees on the 3A post-op surgery unit held a beach party to cure their winter blues. Pictured, from left, are Krystel Dean, Melinda Kestler, LaJava Chenault, Lesly Arrasmith, Denish Patel and Robin Hendrix. |
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