Mercy Hospital of Buffalo
Connections
News and announcements for associates, patients, and their families. Winter 2021
It’s That Special Mercy Touch!
Bill Coplin, MD, critical care physician in the ICU, demonstrates the state-of-the-art telestroke unit.
Because minutes matter when treating someone who is having a stroke, Catholic Health has invested in the latest telehealth technology to virtually connect neurologists and neuro-critical care specialists at its Comprehensive Stroke Center at Mercy Hospital with emergency and critical care providers across its hospital network. The In Touch telestroke units feature highquality video-conferencing capabilities; pan/ tilt/zoom cameras; and fast, secure CT image transfers, allowing physicians at Catholic Health’s outlying hospitals to consult with Mercy’s stroke specialists, in real time, to make critical treatment decisions. “The addition of this telestroke equipment is a clear example of using technology to improve care,” said Lee Guterman, PhD, MD, Medical Director of Neuroscience Services for Catholic Health. “It will help ED physicians determine whether it’s best to treat stroke patients in place with time-sensitive, clot-busting medications or whether they need to be transferred to Mercy for lifesaving, neuro-interventional care.” “It will also help us avoid unnecessary patient transfers and keep patients closer to home when possible,” Dr. Guterman added.
The Bills’ successful season was just the right medicine to help us get through another COVID surge. In this photo, our Mercy staff were showing their team spirit.
Vaccines Plus Hope Make Us Want to Shout! It’s been nearly a year now that our Mercy Hospital team has been on the front line of this COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout these unprecedented times, our staff has continued to show great courage, dedication, strength and resilience. And, the arrival of the vaccines just before Christmas brought hope and light on the horizon for all of us. Also making many of us happy and providing much needed diversion to another surge in COVID cases in late 2020 was our victorious “AFC East Champions” Buffalo Bills football team. Catholic Health held “Bills Days” during the Playoffs where staff could dress up and show their team spirit while collecting donations for the Helping Hand Funds. As of February, the number of COVID patients hospitalized in the system has been steadily declining. Elective surgeries have also recently resumed at Mercy after being placed on hold by New York State in late November. In addition, inpatient hospital visitation, with the exception of COVID patients, resumed in early February but is restricted to one visitor at a time between 2 pm to 6 pm daily. Maternity visitation remains suspended, however, patients may continue to have one dedicated support person with them throughout their stay.
Pictured above is CVICU nurse Lena Quarantello who became the first Mercy Hospital associate vaccinated for COVID on December 14. For questions or more information, call the Catholic Health vaccine associate hotline at 923-0671.
Sweet Mercy! People In The News
The Professional Nursing Association of WNY honored Mercy Hospital Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit Nurse Alexandra (Alex) Rabarsky, RN, BSN, CCRN, CSC, with the 2020 Outstanding Staff Nurse Award. Joining the CVICU in 2015, she holds advanced certifications in cardiac surgery and critical care and is a specially trained ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) specialist. She is pictured above, center, with Mercy nurse leaders, from left, Martha Metz, Shari McDonald, Michelle Wild, Peggy Schlotterbeck and Julie LaManna.
Shari McDonald, RN, MSN, Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Mercy Hospital, was named a WNY Woman of Influence by Business First, Buffalo’s business journal. Shari’s impact on Mercy, including improved patient satisfaction, her commitment to the nursing profession, and her community involvement with the American Heart Association and Go Red for Women Campaign earned her this well-deserved recognition. President of the WNY Organization for Nurse Executives, she holds a BSN from the University of Rochester School of Nursing and a MS in Nursing from Grand Canyon University. Bill Vaughan, MAT, BCC, has been named Vice President of Mission Integration at Mercy Hospital. Previously, Bill served in the same role at Kenmore Mercy Hospital for the past three years. Joining Catholic Health in 2011, he served as the system’s Director of Chaplaincy Services from 2014 to 2017. He holds a BA in Religious Studies from Canisius College and completed a master’s degree in Theology at Christ the King Seminary. He received his Chaplaincy Board Certification in 2016. Bill’s office is on the hospital’s third floor by the chapel and can be reached at 828-2190.
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Ode to Superheroes at Passport to Mercy Fair “Celebrating our Healthcare Superheroes!” was the theme of this year’s 9th Annual Passport to Mercy Fair to thank and recognize our associates during this very challenging year. Nearly 700 associates attended the three fairs held at Mercy Hospital, MACC, and MDTC West Seneca.
These strong healthcare heroes are, l.-r., 5 East Nurse Manager Judy Humes, Ann Marie Desiderio, Natalie Marus, and 5 East Charge Nurse Jennifer Driscoll.
Associates received a special gift bag featuring a custom Mercy mask. The grand prize raffle winner of a $500 Visa gift card was Cynthia Fountaine (Lab Services); second prize winner of a $250 Visa gift card was Irshad Shaikh (Sterile Processing).
Thank you to the Mercy Hospital Foundation, Patient Care Services, Spiritual Care and Rehab Services that hosted a table at the fair, and our donors and volunteers who helped make this happen in a COVID-safe manner!
Mercy Recognized as Age-Friendly Health System Mercy Hospital has been recognized as an Age-Friendly Health System (AFHS)—Committed to Care Excellence, an achievement that comes as a member of a national movement to improve health care for older adults. “This movement has the potential to create a new standard of care for older adults,” said Judy Humes, RN, BSN, Nurse Manager of
Mercy’s 5 East Unit, who led the initiative at the hospital. “We have seen positive results from this program and are looking forward to expanding this age-friendly care model throughout Catholic Health.”
Staff Celebrate Quality Awards for Heart Care Mercy Hospital received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® NSTEMI Gold Quality Achievement Award and the Silver Plus STEMI Receiving Center Quality Achievement Award for attaining specific quality measures in the care of heart attack patients.
Accepting the awards are, l.-r., Director of Cardiology Services Julie LaManna; CNO Shari McDonald, Chief of Cardiology Dr. Mohan Madhusudanan; and Mercy President Eddie Bratko.
“We applaud our Heart Center team for this award and demonstrating their commitment to quickly and appropriately treating heart attack patients,” said Dr. Mohan Madhusudanan, Chief of Cardiology at Catholic Health and Medical Direc-
tor of Trinity Medical Cardiology. “This national quality recognition reflects the outstanding dedication and effort that each member of our Mercy Hospital team provides on a daily basis.”
Mercy’s L & D Care Rated Among Top in Nation
Sweet Mercy! People In The News
Mercy Hospital was presented the Healthgrades® 2020 Labor and Delivery Excellence Award. This distinction places the hospital in the top 10% of all hospitals evaluated in the nation for exceptional care of mothers during and after labor and delivery, according to Healthgrades, the leading national healthcare database and resource for consumers, physicians and health systems. Pictured above are members of the Labor and Delivery team displaying their award.
Hospital Committed to Healthcare Equality Mercy Hospital has been named a “LGBTQ Health Care Equality Top Performer” by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) for its dedication to the equitable treatment and inclusion of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning) employees, patients and visitors. The designation was awarded in the HRC’s 13th Annual Healthcare Quality Index report, which rates healthcare facilities across the country on their policies and practices in LGBTQ care.
“As a Catholic Health hospital, it is our mission to treat all people equally with reverence, compassion, justice and excellence,” said Mercy Hospital President Eddie Bratko. “We are proud that the HRC has recognized our efforts to ensure that our LGBTQ community feels welcome in our facility and free of any form of discrimination or bias as a patient, visitor or staff member.”
Stroke Team’s Gold Award Streak Continues
Congratulations to Mercy Cardiothoracic Surgical Associates for receiving the Catholic Medical Partners (CMP) 2020 Outstanding Achievement Award in Program Quality. The practice was recognized for providing among the highest quality cardiothoracic surgical services in the region. Pictured above are, l.-r., Dr. Harsh Jain, CMP President & CEO Dr. Margaret Paroski, Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery Dr. Stephen Downing, and Dr. Jiantao Xiao.
As part of National GERD Awareness Week held annually during Thanksgiving time, Spectrum News Reporter Breanna Fuss interviewed Dr. Kenneth Eckhert, III, Director of the Heartburn Center at Mercy Hospital about GERD, more commonly known as chronic heartburn. He discussed symptoms and the latest advances in GERD treatment including minimally invasive anti-reflux procedures such as the LINX® Reflux Management System, and TIF (Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication) endoscopic procedure.
Stroke Center team members gathered last fall to celebrate their quality awards.
Congratulations to the Mercy Comprehensive Stroke Center for earning the the American Heart/ Stroke Association’s Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award for the EIGHTH year in a row.
of the clot-busting drug TPA. In addition, the stroke center was named to the Advanced Therapy Honor Roll, which looks at “door to device” time for endovascular stroke therapy.
Mercy also received the Target: Honor Roll Elite Plus Award for consistently achieving quality measures for the administration
These AHA awards represent the highest level of recognition available to hospitals for their commitment to quality stroke care.
Teresa Durlak
Michelle Karnyski
Congratulations to Teresa Durlak, RN, of the Emergency Department and Michelle Karnyski, RN, BSN, of the 6 East Unit who were presented with Catholic Health’s 2020 3rd and 4th Quarter Great Catch Awards. The award recognizes associates who identify and report potential patient safety concerns.
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Mercy at Work
Congratulations to our DAISY Award Winners Mercy Hospital recently presented DAISY Awards to Jillian Heary, RN, BSN of 5 N/C and Christine Michaels, RN of 4 North.
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, a group of families from the nearby Ithaca Street Coalition block club delivered 200 handmade valentine cards for patients. Mercy Hospital President Eddie Bratko accepted the donation and thanked the group for their warm act of kindness.
Dr. Aislinn Scarbinsky, DO, a general surgeon at Mercy Hospital, was presented a LOVE Award for her “kind and compassionate care,” as described by a patient who nominated her for this recognition. She is pictured above holding flowers surrounded by colleagues, hospital leaders, and staff who attended the awards ceremony to honor her.
After years of planning, months of building, testing and training, countless hours from thousands of Catholic Health leaders and associates across dozens of departments – amid a global pandemic, no less – the new Epic electronic health record went live on November 1. Pictured above are Emergency Department staff huddled for a learning session that morning.
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The DAISY Award, which recognizes extraordinary compassionate nurses, was established by the DAISY Foundation in memory of J. Patrick DAISY Award Winner Jillian Heary, center, is Barnes who died at age congratulated by her co-workers 33 of an auto-immune Nomination forms can be found in disease. Today, nearly the lobby, surgical waiting room, 2,500 hospitals across the world nurse stations and cafeteria. participate in the program.
Bieler Foundation Gives Thanks to Hospital Scott Bieler, President and CEO of West Herr Automotive Group, continues to be a very grateful former patient and friend of Mercy Hospital.
The Scott Bieler Foundation graciously donated meals to staff.
During these trying times and fall surge of the pandemic, the Scott Bieler Foundation graciously donated Thanksgiving meals to staff. Catered by Osteria 166 Restaurant, the meals
kicked off the Foundations of Catholic Health’s Caregiver Appreciation Month. Associates enjoyed Free Tim Hortons Mondays, Wegmans Wednesdays, and Giveaway Fridays throughout December.
Important Reminders In a continuous effort to maximize Epic and provide our providers and associates with the best technology and equipment available, Catholic Health will install regular upgrades to our new Electronic Health Record (EHR). Our first upgrade will go-live March 10, 2021. It will include numerous new features, including some that will require training and tip sheets - but not in a classroom setting. Associates and providers are encouraged to visit the Be Epic website for training documents that could apply to them. The information will be available on the website and Epic Learning Home Dashboard beginning February 24. If you haven’t registered yet for MyChart, our new online patient portal, now is the time to take a moment to bring your health right into your own hands. To sign up, go to MyChart.chsbuffalo.org You can obtain your personal activation code at any Catholic Health facility, or you can request an activation code yourself. Simply hit the “Sign Up Now” button under “New User” and follow the prompts. For questions, call (716) 559-3700.