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Volume 2, Issue 8 - March 20, 2009 |
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Tenth Edition of Sacred Stories Published
Saint Joseph Health System's Deborah Cowles, vice president of human resources, and Katie Heckman, manager of community relations for Saint Joseph - Berea, shared their sacred stories in the latest edition (pages 14 and 38). Click here, or on the image above, to read their inspiring stories and the others that appear in this tenth edition. Copies of the book were recently distributed to all MBOs and national offices. If you would like a copy of Sacred Stories for your unit or area, ask your manager to contact Dorothy Zimmerman at 859.313.1844. A "Sacred Story of the Week" is always featured on Inside CHI. |
In this Issue
Spring
has sprung. Watch |
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| Kid Traxx Now Open 24/7
Pedway to Open at Saint Joseph East The pedway connection of Saint Joseph East to the employee parking lot will open on Monday, Mar. 23. The pedway will provide an enclosed walkway for staff to access the hospital building. The pedway connects to the hospital on the second floor. Staff will need to utilize the stairwell to access the hospital areas as the second floor is a secured floor associated with the Mother-Baby unit.
Great news! The annual interest credit applied to your pension has increased to 6.5%! This interest will be calculated on your 2008 retirement account balance. You will be able to view the updated account balance on HR/Payroll Connection beginning Monday, Mar. 23. 2008 statements will be mailed by April 3. Below is an example of how interest credit is calculated and how you benefit from it.
Here’s how it works:
Road to Recovery
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Pension
Interest Credit Increases
Through
the American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery program, you
can volunteer to drive a cancer patient to treatment. There are many
cancer patients whose greatest challenge isn’t lack of treatment
— it’s lack of transportation. The training for drivers
will be Wednesday, Mar. 25 from
1-3 p.m. at the Flaget Immediate Care Center in Bardstown,
off KY 245 across from Buzick Lumber. To register, call |
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Next week, Mar. 22-28, is National Cover the Uninsured Week, a project
of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which hopes to raise awareness
that forty-six million Americans are uninsured and nine million of them
are children. These statistics do not include the number of families
who are underinsured, which means that they have health insurance that
is unaffordable due to factors such as increasingly high deductibles.
One of our advocacy priorities is affordable health insurance coverage
and access to safe, high-quality health care services for every individual,
beginning with most vulnerable populations. Therefore, throughout next
week, Saint Joseph Health System will be providing
information about the reality of people who are uninsured in our country. ----------------------------------------------- Informational
forums for the uninsured will be held at Saint Joseph - London
and in the London community. Professionals from several agencies will
be available to help uninsured families determine whether they qualify
for programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, hospital charity care, KCHIP,
etc. ----------------------------------------------- Saint
Joseph - Martin has several events planned to inform the community
and its employees about the reality of people who are uninsured. In
addition to notifying local media about Cover the Uninsured Week, the
hospital has sent a letter to the religious community and public officials.
Several informational posters are placed inside the hospital as well
as in the hospital’s six rural health clinics. Cover the Uninsured
bookmarks will be distributed through the six rural health clinics and
registration. Each day next week, Cover the Uninsured information/people
will be included in the morning prayer over the PA system. ----------------------------------------------- Learn More about Your Employee Savings Plan The
403 (b) Great West representative will be at the following campuses
on the following dates to discuss the CHI employee savings plan. Employees
can stop by to learn more and to enroll in the plan.
The "Taste of Bardstown" will be Monday, Apr. 13 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Bluegrass Entertainment & Expo. Complex (off New Haven Rd. across from Quality Inn). The event is an all-you-can-eat feast of sizzling meats, casseroles, elegant salads, veggies, desserts and beverages that benefits Flaget Memorial Hospital's Hospice of Nelson County and the Bardstown-Nelson County Hospitality Association. Tickets cost $20 in advance and $25 at the door; for reserved seating, tickets are $25 and there is a maximum of 10 people per table. Buy a table for 10 and get a free centerpiece in memory of a friend or loved one. Tickets are available at Hospice of Nelson County, 111 N. Third St., 502.350.5570, or the Chamber of Commerce, Court Square, 502.348.9545. Bowl for Kids’ Sake
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Cover
the Uninsured Week
Taste
of Bardstown 
Saint
Joseph - Mount Sterling (SJMS) will participate in an annual
fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bluegrass on Sunday,
Apr. 19 at Sterling Lanes. “Bowl for Kids’
Sake” raises money to help provide the resources needed to put
mentors in the lives of children that need and want a Big Brother or
Big Sister. Everyone can get involved as a bowler on a SJMS team or
as a financial supporter. Family members and friends are welcome to
join the fun. Call |
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Employees Get Sparked!
MISS THE KICK-OFF EVENT?
You can still get sparked. Go to www.sparkpeople.com
and click on “Join Spark People for Free” and create an
account. Be sure to write down your user name and password. Once registered,
join your facility’s team. To find the link to your facility team,
go to www.SaintJosephHealthSystem.org/spark.
Click on the link or type it into your Web browser box. It’s important
to join your facility team in order to be eligible for the prizes at
the end of the challenge. The Cooper/Clayton Method to Stop Smoking in Lexington
'Quit for Life’ Program Still Being Offered to Employees You can still take advantage of the "Quit for Life" program, which is paid for by Saint Joseph Health System for employees and their dependents over the age of 18. To enroll for free or for more information, call 1.866.QUIT.4.LIFE or visit www.quitnow.net. So far, 236 Saint Joseph Health System employees have joined the program! The Quit For Life Program is FREE, and you might qualify for FREE medications to make quitting easier.
The "I Can Cope" program, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, offers free classes for adults and family members affected by cancer. Patients, staff, family members and friends of Saint Joseph Health System may register for the free classes, which address a variety of topics relevant to the cancer experience with guest speakers on related topics. The upcoming class, "Understanding Cancer Treatments," will be held Thursday, Mar. 26 from 1-2:30 p.m in the 6th Floor Oncology Family Lounge at Saint Joseph Hospital. Pre-registration is required by calling Melanie at 859.260.8286. American
Diabetes Alert Day On Tuesday, Mar. 24, the American Diabetes Association is issuing an urgent call-to-action for Americans to find out their risk for type 2 diabetes. Nearly 6 million Americans have diabetes, but don’t even know it. Another 57 million Americans have pre-diabetes, placing them at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes. If you are overweight, physically inactive, and over the age of 45 years, take the Diabetes Risk Test. The Diabetes Risk Test requires you to answer simple questions about weight, age, family history and other potential risk factors for type 2 diabetes. The Diabetes Risk Test will show you whether you are at low, moderate, or high risk for pre-diabetes or diabetes. The Diabetes Risk Test is available at www.diabetes.org/alert. As always, you can contact the Saint Joseph Diabetes & Nutrition Center at 859.313.2958 or 1.888.801.0004 for questions and resources. Visit www.SaintJosephHealthSystem.org/diabetes to learn more about the center. Diabetes: Journey to Control in Bardstown A free class, “Diabetes: Journey to Control,” will be held Tuesday, Mar. 31 from 5-6 p.m. at the Flaget Health Connection, 111 N. Third Street, in Bardstown. Presenters will be Registered Dietitian Denise Barnett, and Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner and Certified Diabetes Educator Marcia Jett. The pair will present an interactive way to learn how to manage your diabetes. The entrance is to the rear of the building. To register, call Amy Taylor at 502.350.5570. The Health Connection is a community service of Flaget Memorial Hospital.
Carol Jo May will be hosting a Weight Watchers open house at Saint Joseph - Martin on Tuesday, Mar. 31 at 12:30 p.m. in the Community Education Building. Call 606.285.6692 for more information. Evening Exercise Class for People with Diabetes The
Saint Joseph Healthy Living Center in Lexington is
starting an exercise class in April for
people with diabetes. The class will include |
Hundreds
of Saint Joseph Health System employees have joined
the Spark4Life program, which kicked off this week. Ready to turn over
a new leaf and live healthier, and compete for cash prizes, employees
are beginning to exercise, eat right and learn about health. Below are
some reminders and tips as you begin your Spark4Life journey. 
DID YOU JOIN BEFORE MARCH 16?
All participants who signed up before the Monday, March 16 kick-off
date and would like to compete for cash prizes need to sign up under
a new user name and password and start over. No points accrued before
March 16 will be counted toward prizes. If you signed up before March
16 but did not earn any points, you may continue with your current user
name and password. 
A
new class starts April 21 and
runs for 13 weeks on Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m., at the Beaumont YMCA
in Lexington. This program is free and open to everyone in the community.
The Cooper/Clayton Method to Stop Smoking, a proven successful 12-week
program, involves nicotine replacement, nicotine reduction and behavioral
modification. Call the Saint Joseph Healthy Living Center at 859.219.0530
to sign up. 
Weight
Watchers Open House in Martin
cardio,
stretching and toning and will monitor your blood sugar before and after
exercise. It will be held on Mondays, Wednesdays
and Fridays from 5-6 p.m. at the Beaumont YMCA in Lexington.
Employees can register for this class at a discounted rate of $30 per
month. Call |
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Basic Medical Library Information Skills Class
Saint Joseph Hospital Saint
Joseph East
Saint Joseph - Berea
Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling Diabetes Workshops On Wednesday, Apr. 15, Saint Joseph - Berea will offer two, four-hour workshops that are free to Saint Joseph - Berea employees. The first one is "Understanding Diabetes Basics" and is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon. The second workshop is "Care of the Hospitalized Patient with Hyperglycemia" and is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 8 CEUs will be given for all-day attendance, 4 for each part. These free workshops will take place in the Saint Joseph - Berea Diabetes & Nutrition Center on the 4th floor of the hospital. Register online at www.SaintJosephHealthSystem.org (education & events calendar), or call 859.313.2958. |
Get
hands-on experience in using Saint Joseph Health System’s
medical information resources, including the Virtual Medical
Library. This course is open to anyone interested in using these resources
for work, study or research. Also, it's a good way to learn about resources
for consumer health and patient/family information. Register online
at |
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Remembering Mother Catherine Spalding's Legacy
The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth came to the Lexington area when Mother Catherine Spalding founded Saint Catherine Academy in 1823. They founded their first hospital in Kentucky in 1836. The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth were the only sisters in the entire eastern half of Kentucky until 1859. The spirit of Mother Catherine Spalding, and the spirit of the gospel, lives on in the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and their ministry in education, social service, pastoral and health care. The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth serve in 20 states and in India, Nepal, Belize and Botswana. The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth founded Saint Joseph Hospital in 1877 and Flaget Memorial Hospital in 1951. For more than fifty years (1946-1998), the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth owned and operated Marymount Hospital (now Saint Joseph - London) and from 1994-1996, they operated Our Lady of the Way Hospital (now Saint Joseph - Martin). |
Today,
March 20, we recognize the anniversary of the passing of Mother Catherine
Spalding. In 1812, as the American frontier pushed westward from Kentucky,
Catherine Spalding was one of three Catholic women who formed a ministry
of hope. Moved by compassion for families in nearby Bardstown, these
women stepped forward to ease the burden of their neighbors in need.
They served the community as nurses and teachers, and aided the poor
by providing clothing and housing. Within a year, the original group
had expanded to include six members. The women made religious vows and
chose 19-year-old Catherine Spalding as mother superior of their congregation:
The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. |
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Lenten
Reflection (John 3:14-21) Jesus said to Nicodemus: "Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God. Moses lifted up the bronze serpent in the desert because people were dying from a plague of snakes. He used the very symbol of the evil they were experiencing to free them from the evil. In the same way, Jesus was nailed to a cross – a symbol of brutality and torture that becomes the symbol of our liberation and salvation – and in this action of being raised on the cross, he drew the poison of sin and death from our lives. When Jesus was lifted up on the cross, he drew all peoples to the very heart of God. Ask
yourself: Am I willing to face the demons that threaten to enslave me?
How am I progressing on the journey to better health, to wholeness and
to holiness?
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'Hall of Fame' Poster Contest Winners
Last week, the Clinical Patient Safety team at Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph East held a Patient Safety Awareness Week “Hall of Fame” Poster Contest. At Saint Joseph Hospital, PACU submitted the winning entry. Beth Hill, creator of the unit's basketball jersey-shaped poster covered in scrubs, is pictured above with her co-workers, who will be treated to a party. Left to right are PACU employees Donna Hagan, Patty Brandenburg, Beth Hill, Rebecca Miller, Sarah Armstrong, Myra Clark, and Thelma Warren (outpatient surgery). PACU's poster urges employees to not drop the ball with patient safety, be a team player, "guard" against the spread of resistant bacteria by wearing the correct isolation "uniform," use correct procedure when "passing" care of isolation patients, "pass" along all need to know info, and "foul out" teams MRSA, C-Diff, VRE and Acinetobacter to win the game.
In the spirit of "March Madness," units submitted basketball jersey-shaped posters highlighting patient safety initiatives during Patient Safety Awareness Week activities at Saint Joseph Hospital and Saint Joseph East. Posters were displayed in a "hall of fame" for employees to view and vote for their favorites. The winning entry at Saint Joseph East was submitted by the Post-Partum unit. Amanda Edmonds, creator of the unit's poster, and her co-workers will be treated to a party to celebrate. Left to right are Post-Partum employees Rhonda Howard, Mia Howard, Joan Morrin, Stacey Hall and Amanda Mott holding their poster, which reminds staff to use at least two patient identifiers when providing care, treatment and services. Chest Pain Center Accreditation Party
Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling received chest pain center accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers on March 12. Saint Joseph Health System now has seven of its eight facilities accredited by the Society of Chest Pain Centers: Saint Joseph - Berea, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph - London, Saint Joseph - Martin, Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling and Flaget Memorial Hospital. Above, Saint Joseph - Mount Sterling staff celebrated. Left to right are Cinda Fluke, chief nursing officer; Carrie Parker, respiratory therapy; Dr. Greg Jones, emergency department; Lauren Bashford, emergency department; Jamie Fraley, manager of the emergency department; Kim Henson, education; Linda Williams, pulmonary rehab coordinator; Kem Spencer, emergency department; Dr. Michelle Morton, a cardiologist with the Lexington Clinic; Tracey Russell; and Jim Heitzenrater, president.
St. Patrick's Day Cheer
The Saint Joseph - Berea Retention Council held a Saint Patrick’s Day social for employees. Pictured, left to right, are council members Ruth Walker, Bernice Baird-Hollis and Darcy Maupin serving green treats and punch to Mary Durham.
Saint Joseph - Berea managers also competed in a pool tournament during the retreat. Scott Thompson, manager of cardiopulmonary, showed off his cool moves.
Patty Sturt, manager of the emergency department, proved to be a tough competitor in the pool tournament held during the Saint Joseph - Berea management retreat.
Flora Washburn and Scott Thompson beat Ronnie Simpson and Patty Sturt in the final round of the pool tournament during the Saint Joseph - Berea management retreat. The winners received a box of Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies. Left to right are Ronnie Simpson, director of revenue/charge capture; Scott Thompson, manager of cardiopulmonary; Patty Sturt, manager of the emergency department; and Flora Washburn, mission leader. |
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