Mercy Hospital of Buffalo
Connections
News and announcements for associates, patients, and their families. Summer 2019
It’s That Special Mercy Touch!
For the 11th year in a row, staff participated in the Mercy Neighborhood Clean Sweep. Pictured above are Stroke Center team members, l.-r., Alex Foley, Amanda Kelly and Shannon Scarpello.
More than 50 volunteers made up of hospital staff, Allpro parking staff, Trocaire College students and nearby block club members teamed up for the 11th Annual Mercy Neighborhood Clean Sweep on May 17. The volunteer crew worked to beautify the hospital’s surrounding neighborhood in South Buffalo. The event is held annually to recognize National Earth Month and to participate in some “spring cleaning.” “Our neighbors are always very appreciative and it’s such a great way to celebrate Earth Month,” said Melissa Welch, Business Advisor of the hospital’s Finance Department, who served as Chair of the 2019 Neighborhood Clean Sweep Committee. She was assisted by Kathy Gray, executive administrative assistant to the CEO. The Mercy Hospital Go Green Committee started the Clean Sweep event as a way to give back to the hospital’s neighborhood. Volunteers spent two hours covering a three block radius surrounding the hospital (Lorraine, Belvedere, Choate Avenues, Mercy Street and Abbott Road).
Staff and physicians gathered to bless and dedicate the hospital’s new MRI Suite on May 30. Father William Quinlivan, Pastor of St. Martin of Tours & St. Thomas Aquinas, conducted the blessing and several Sisters of Mercy attended the ceremony.
Mercy Hospital Opens $5.1 Million MRI Suite Mercy Hospital recently held a blessing and dedication ceremony for its new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Suite housed inside a newlyconstructed 8,100 square foot addition to the hospital. The $5.1 million project features a new Siemens 3T Magnetom Skyra MRI scanner, a state-of-the-art control room, patient holding and outpatient waiting areas, and dedicated office space. “This 3 Tesla MRI scanner offers our patients the gold standard in technology and the most powerful magnetic strength available for high quality imaging,” said Mercy Hospital President & CEO C.J. Urlaub. “With enhanced capabilities for clear and concise imaging of cardiac diseases and neurological disorders, this new MRI system supports the care provided at the Catholic Health Heart Center at Mercy Hospital and the Mercy Comprehensive Stroke Center.” The new MRI features a larger open “bore”, which is the doughnut-like opening where the patient lies. In addition, the system has a shorter bore length that provides a more comfortable experience, especially for elderly or obese patients and individuals who may have claustrophobia, excessive pain or limited mobility. In addition, patients can benefit from shorter scan times, as well as patient-friendly mood lighting and music to create a calming environment. MRI exams have become one of the fastest growing types of medical diagnostic tests in the United States because of its ability to provide non-invasive diagnostic images of soft tissues, bone, fat and muscle and to help in the detection and diagnosis of a variety of health conditions. To schedule an MRI, call Imaging Services at 716-828-2373.
Sweet Mercy! People In The News
Dr. Richard Bloomberg and Nurse Assistant Joann Kwasnik were honored with Catholic Health’s Great Catch Award for their actions that helped save the life of a patient. Pictured above, from left, are 6 East Unit Nurse Manager Jon Delay, Bloomberg, Catholic Health CEO Mark Sullivan, Kwasnik, and Nurse Manager Martha Metz.
Alexandros Karavas, MD, recently joined the cardiothoracic surgery team at the Catholic Health Heart Center. He previously served as a cardiothoracic Dr. Alexandros Karavas surgeon at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, NY. Board certified in Surgery and Cardiothoracic Surgery, Dr. Karavas completed his residency in cardiothoracic surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN and a fellowship in cardiac surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. Deanna Messinger was named Executive Director of the Mercy Hospital Foundation. She joined Catholic Health in 2015 as the Annual Giving Officer for the Foundations. A Deanna Messinger graduate of Nazareth College of Rochester, Deanna holds a B.A. in Economics, with a concentration in Human Resource Management. She has also completed certificate programs in fundraising from Canisius College and the Lilly School of Philanthropy at IUPUI. Lisa Robert, Director of Environmental Services (EVS) at Mercy Hospital, was recently presented the Metz EVS General Manager of the Year Award. Metz Environmental Services Lisa Robert Corporation, which serves corporations across the country, is contracted to provide the EVS management at Mercy Hospital.
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Nurses/Hospital Week Visits Wizarding World Mercy Hospital’s National Nurses Week and Hospital Week Celebration, May 5 - 10, entered the Wizarding World of Harry Potter as its entertainment theme this year. Festivities included a Blessing of the Hands to caregivers throughout the hospital, ice cream cart delivery to the units, a Food Truck Rodeo, a blessing ceremony for the new DAISY Awards Display, the Annual Awards Ceremony and a Fun-Drive to support our Charities of Choice. On Tuesday of that week, many staff members dressed up as their favorite Harry Potter character as they enjoyed a magical, fun-filled luncheon.
Award honorees are (pictured above l.-r.) Daniel Westfield- Fr. Nelson Baker Award; Deb Manzella- Nurse of Distinction Education; Julie Ponce- Outstanding Staff Nurse; Patrizia Kurtowicz -Outstanding Nurses Aide; Katie HatrickOutstanding Surgical Tech; Julia LaManna- Nurse of Distinction; and James McDuffie- Fr. Nelson Baker Award. Also honored were Cara Crapo, Outstanding Unit Secretary, and Kim Fronckowiak Mother Catherine McAuley Award.
Congratulations to our DAISY Award Winners Mercy Hospital presented its 1st Quarter DAISY Awards to Corey Deperno (5W), Lanor Armstrong (7W), Amanda Sawicki (ED), and Karen Koster (Case Jon Delay, center, is congratulated by his 6E team. Mgmt). 4th Quarnizes extraordinary compassionate ter winners were nurses, was established by the Deborah Spors (7/8 East) and DAISY Foundation in memory of J. Karen Hettinger (OR). Patrick Barnes who died at age 33 of an auto-immune disease. Jon Delay, Nurse Manager of McAuley 6 East Unit, received the Nomination forms can be found in 2018 DAISY Nurse Leader Award. the lobby, surgical waiting room, The DAISY Award, which recognurse stations and cafeteria.
DAISY Awards Display Dedicated in Main Lobby Several associates attended the blessing ceremony for the new DAISY Awards display and Healer’s Touch Sculpture during Nurses/Hospital Week in May. Prominently located in the hospital’s main lobby, the display lists our outstanding nurses who have been honored with DAISY Awards. Mercy Hospital President & CEO C.J. Urlaub and his wife Susan donated the Healer’s Touch Sculpture and William Buscaglia, Jr., Michael DeSpirit and Paul DeSpirit of DeSpirit Mosaic and Marble donated the marble stand.
Attending the blessing ceremony for the new DAISY Display and Healing Touch Sculpture were, from left, Dr. Hans Cassagnol, Catholic Health’s Chief Physician Executive, Mercy CNO Shari McDonald, and sculpture donors William Buscaglia Jr., and Susan and C.J. Urlaub.
AstraZeneca Visits “Model” Wellness Program Non-profit organizations from across the country visited the Mercy Comprehensive Care Center to learn more about its Heart Smart for Life free community wellness program, as part of a National Mentor-Mentee Learning Forum co-hosted by the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation (AZHCF) and the Mercy Hospital Foundation on April 30. Heart Smart for Life Nutritionist Ann Marie Smokowski has grown into a “national model” discusses how much sugar is in several program and others want to learn common beverages during a class. from its successes. support from the AZHCF to over The Mercy Hospital Foundation $350,000 since 2017. The Founwas recently awarded an $89,607 dation is one of 11 organizations grant from the AZHCF’s Connecnationwide to receive a grant to tions for Cardiovascular Health help improve heart health through program, bringing the total grant community-based initiatives.
Green Committee Earns National Award The Green Committee is pleased to announce that Mercy Hospital has received the 2018 Financial Sustainability Silver Award from the Centurion Service Group, the world’s largest medical auction house. Mercy COO Eddie Bratko, Manager of According to Allison White, Biomedical Engineering Allison White and Manager of Biomedical EngiBusiness Advisor Melissa Welch displays the neering, the award recognizes our Green Committee initiative 2018 Financial Sustainability Award. that repurposes retired medical “In 2018, our equipment raised equipment. “We take equipment $34,000 from auction sales and that is no longer needed, log it into we were able to, in turn, use these our inventory and send it to our funds for community benefit. It’s vendor, Centurion Service Group, to a win-win for our environment and be auctioned,” she said. our community in need.”
Advanced Ventilation Therapy Helps Babies Mercy Hospital’s tiniest patients in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) who need help breathing can now benefit from Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV) Therapy. As Jesse Tronolone, Manager of Respiratory Therapy at Mercy Hospital explains, “Non-invasive ventilation therapy uses a RAM cannula, an oxygen delivery device attached to the nose, to ventilate and oxygenate the infant as a step down therapy from being intubated on full ventilatory support.” Studies show NIV therapy successfully weans more acute infants off ventilation/oxygen support and decreases time on the ventilator in the NICU. Staff were trained and began using NIV in April.
Dan Westin holds his baby Griffin for the first time after his birth, benefiting from the NIV therapy offered in Mercy Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Sweet Mercy! People In The News
Channel 4 News Reporter Erica Brecher interviewed former patient Donna Couhig, Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Joseph Gelormini, left, and Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Stephen Downing about TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement), an advanced minimally invasive procedure for heart valve replacement.
Barry Skoney was recently named Facilities Manager at Mercy Hospital. He previously served as the hospital’s Offsite Facilities Manager. Prior to joining Mercy, Barry served as the Barry Skoney Maintenance Manager at the Louisville Water Company in Kentucky and oversaw the maintenance of three water treatment plants. Angela Payne, RN, BSN, was recently named Manager of the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) and Cardiac OR. She previously served as the Nursing Supervisor of the Cardiovascular Intensive Angela Payne Care Unit (CVICU). With over seventeen years of nursing experience, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Empire State College and her associate’s degree in Nursing from Trocaire College. Jennifer Sawulak, RN, BSN, was recently named Supervisor of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Mercy Hospital. For the past ten years, she was the Nursing Supervisor for off shifts. Jennifer Sawulak Jennifer serves as Chair of Mercy’s Peer Review Committee and is a member of the WNY Holistic Nurses Association. She holds her RN degree from Trocaire College and her BSN degree from Niagara University. She is currently pursuing an MBA degree from Western Governors University.
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Mercy at Work
Several associates attended the Epic Application Fair on June 20 for a chance to view video demos of Epic applications, ask questions, and learn how to download the CH Now mobile communications app. Pictured above, are Bucky Gleason, Transformation Communications Specialist, assisting Trish Witnauer, RN, Clinical Documentation.
Mercy Foundation’s Youngest Donor Still Giving At six-years-old, Grace Koncikowski became the youngest donor ever to the Mercy Hospital Foundation when she contributed $75 from her lemonade stand to help the NICU babies in 2011. Grace, who was once a preemie herself at Mercy, continues to make a steadily growing donation every year. Now at age 14, she presented a check for an incredible $1,053! Eight years ago, this young woman included a handwritten note with her first donation that read, “Dear Mercy Hospital, My name is Grace. I had a lemonade sale
Grace Koncikowski presents her donation to (l.-r.) Chris Harrington; CEO C.J. Urlaub, Nurse Manager Joy Kent; Maternal-Child Director Mary Ann Murphy and Maryanne Hanley.
to help your babies. Love, Grace P.S. Thanks for taking care of me. We thank Grace for her generosity and commitment to helping Mercy.
Mercy Marches in “Old Neighborhood” Parade
Mercy President and CEO C.J. Urlaub reads to students at Lorraine Elementary School in celebration of “Read Across America Day,” a nationwide reading event held March 2—Dr. Seuss’s birthday.
Located in the heart of Buffalo’s Irish Heritage District, Mercy Hospital takes pride in supporting the surrounding community and participating in the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. As is tradition, staff, family members and friends marched proudly in the Old Neighborhood Parade Associates, family members and friends came together through the streets of to represent Mercy Hospital in the “Old Neighborhood” St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the Old First Ward District. the Old First Ward.
Mission Corner Nurses and staff at the Mercy Ambulatory Care Center (MACC) recently helped these adorable Girl Scouts complete their first aid badge. EMS Liaison Emily Rowles also taught the troop a “Stop the Bleed” class.
Volunteer Services celebrated National Volunteer Week in April with a special luncheon to recognize our dedicated auxilians. Our heartfelt thanks go out to them for all they do Volunteers are the heart of Mercy, including our dedicated for Mercy Hospital. Wednesday front desk crew, pictured from left, Ed Cuddihy, Paul Dickman, Jim Hamilton and Pat Quinlivan.
Congratulations to Dr. Henry Meltser, Dr. William Bevilacqua, and Dr. Jason Davies and members of the Cath Lab and OR teams, pictured above, on completion of Mercy’s first TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR) procedure.
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Our Catholic Health Charities of Choice donations for summer focus on back to school supplies and backpacks, pantry items, and mom’s personal items. Donations can be dropped off in collection bins located in HR/job postings hallway on 3rd floor or in the Spiritual Care office, 3rd floor.
Kate’s Closet is always looking for donations of new or nearly new T-shirts, sweatshirts, and sweatpants for needy patients. With your donation, you will be entered into a drawing for a pair of free movie tickets. Drop off your donations at the Spiritual Care office.