Caring for Our Neighbors
Christiana Care touches more than 600,000 patients every year
$46.8 million given in charity care
552,831 54,597 hospital 160,491 outpatient visits admissions emergency department visits
Only Level-I trauma center (highest level) between Philadelphia and Baltimore
7,199 births
320,907 42,686
radiology procedures
surgeries
Only Level-3 neonatal intensive care unit (highest level) in Delaware
A Message from the President & CEO
Dear Neighbors, On behalf of Christiana Care Health System, I am pleased to share with you the Caring for Our Neighbors report. This document reflects our mission in action during 2009, made possible thanks to your confidence and support. These are historic times for health care in America and for Christiana Care in particular. But as Congress debates reform in Washington D.C. and Christiana Care begins the landmark transformation of our Wilmington Campus, our mission remains simple: to take care of our neighbors in the community. With the help of our extraordinary physicians, surgeons, nurses, health care professionals, community outreach coordinators and administrative staff members, our growing national reputation enables us to attract some of the best health care specialists in the country. We take very seriously the responsibility of serving you, your family, your friends and your neighbors. As you read, you will learn a great deal about what we have achieved this year with your help and the help of our friends in business, government and the community. We continue to provide the very best in care to all who need it, regardless of ability to pay. If you have required our services in the past, I hope you will see your own experience reflected in the pages that follow. If you have not needed our assistance, I hope you will be assured of our readiness to serve you if the time ever comes. Thank you for your confidence in Christiana Care. Best regards,
Robert J. Laskowski, M.D., MBA President and Chief Executive Officer
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Caring for Our Neighbors Encouraging Patients with AIDS Peer counselor shares her experiences to help others. After rapid, unexplained weight loss, dismaying episodes of falling and myriad tests, Laura Cottrell’s physician diagnosed her with HIV. “Actually, he told me, you have AIDS, and you probably only have six months to live,” Laura recalls. “Then he handed me a card for Christiana Care’s HIV clinic and sent me on my way.” Feeling hopeless, Laura contacted Ruth Rollins, assistant to the director of Christiana Care’s HIV program. “Ruth told me they were going to help me get better. And, slowly they did!” Laura says. She is back to a healthy weight, is strong, looks well and works a 40-hour week with ease. Laura says the HIV program gave her more than her physical health. “They have given me back an emotional and spiritual life, because these people really care.” Laura now works as a full-time peer educator with the Delaware HIV Consortium and is an essential part of the HIV program. She talks from experience about the rejection suffered by those with HIV/AIDS, the challenges of continuing to work while adjusting to sometimes body-wracking AIDS drugs and how to have an honest sex life. “I’m here to help in whatever way I can, from educating patients, to helping them talk to the doctor, to giving them a hug. Whatever they need, I’m here.”
HIV PROGRAM
1,500
More than patients received medical care and services
3,470 Delawareans are living with HIV/AIDS
according to the Delaware Division of Public Health
Wilmington Hospital Health Center Wilmington Hospital Health Center serves a critical need in the community. Each year, thousands of patients, many without insurance or the means to pay, receive thorough diagnoses and treatment at the Health Center. A team of residents, attending physicians and nurse practitioners sees patients by appointment in well-equipped examination, consultation and treatment areas. Beyond treating illness and injury, the staff of Wilmington Hospital Health Center provide wellness and preventive health visits for people of all ages. They also provide women’s health care, surgical, orthopedic, podiatry, ophthalmology, oral and maxillofacial surgery and general practice dentistry services. Wilmington Hospital Health Center plays a vital role in the community’s health by providing a pharmacy, diagnostic testing, social services, and patient wellness and educational programs. W I L M I N G T O N H O S P I TA L H E A LT H C E N T E R
71,562 health center visits More than 10,000 visits to women’s health services and more than 6,000 pediatric visits pa ge 2 C h r i st i a n a C a re H e a l t h S y st e m
Helping Mom’s Learn About Heart Health Ambrosia Mondoa was well on her way to becoming one of the more than half-million American women who die from cardiovascular disease each year. Her daughter, Matanda, encouraged her to participate in Christiana Care’s “No Heart Left Behind” (NHLB) program. Together, they learned about the risk of heart disease and how to adopt heart-healthy lifestyles. Matanda and the NHLB program so inspired Ambrosia that she adopted a heart-healthy diet and began exercising. After achieving these goals, Ambrosia decided to inspire others. She is now a tireless advocate for women’s heart health and spreads the word throughout her community, church, school and professional organizations. NO HEART LEFT BEHIND PROGRAM
300 individuals through
Reached free events
Four
local high schools participated in the program
30
Each year, heart disease kills more than twice as many women as all cancers combined. African-American women are 35 percent more likely to die from heart disease than non-Hispanic white women. “I am passionate about spreading the message to women of color, since they have an even higher incidence of heart disease,” Ambrosia says. “I can’t tell you how valuable No Heart Left Behind is for mothers and the daughters who inspire them.”
teens signed on to coach their moms about heart-healthy habits
Restoring Stroke Patient’s Productivity Personalized care is key. Linda Dill applauds the personalized care she received from her occupational therapists after a stroke. The first food she wanted after leaving the hospital was pasta, but Linda had trouble eating it. “I could not twirl the spaghetti, and my husband actually had to cut it for me,” she says. “I felt like a 2-year-old.” Linda shared her frustration with her therapists and they designed a therapy just for her using yarn and weighted forks. Linda is back to twirling her spaghetti like a pro.
STROKE PROGRAM
1,169 stroke patients received treatment from Christiana Care in
2009, more than any other hospital between New York City and Virginia
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Integrating Faith and Health Health Ministry inspires wellness.
TA K I N G CARE OF OUR
Monthly blood pressure monitoring, flu shots, lectures on chronic health problems, mini health fairs—these are just a few of the activities happening in congregations of all faiths all over Delaware thanks in part to the efforts of LaVaida White, RN, MSN. Integrating faith and health is the goal of the Health Ministry program she coordinates for the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center’s Community Health Outreach and Education Department.
COMMUNIT Y
When a congregation is interested in establishing a health ministry, LaVaida helps the congregation form a health team and serves as a resource. LaVaida believes there is “a strong link between wellness and spirituality,” so the ministry teams identify underinsured and uninsured congregation members and connect them with both health and faith resources. Another parish nurse, Margaret Pankok, RN, BSN is an active member of her congregation’s Health Ministry and Wellness committee and a Christiana Care employee. “I love it,” she says. “With our blood pressure screenings, we caught two people with hypertension and now it’s controlled. Many older people in our congregation live by themselves. We help keep them connected.”
“Spirituality is key to what we do in promoting health.” —LaVaida White, RN, MSN
Bringing a Spiritual Education to Medical Care Clinical Pastoral Education program prepares chaplains to serve patients in time of need. Studies suggest a positive correlation between a patient’s spirituality or religious commitment and health outcomes. At Christiana Care, treating the spirit is just as important as treating the mind and body. To do this, Christiana Care’s Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program provides practical training in the spiritual and pastoral care of patients and their families to chaplains of all faiths. It is an accredited program for seminarians, ordained clergy and lay persons that provides the building blocks they need to either seek board certification as a chaplain or fulfill an education requirement that a specific denomination requires.
CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
25 students enrolled in a
variety of programs, including a 12-month residency, an internship and a community program pa ge 4 C h r i st i a n a C a re H e a l t h S y st e m
The CPE curriculum integrates theology, behavioral science and spiritual development with personal experience and reflection. The Rev. Timothy D. Rodden, chaplain and director of Christiana Care’s pastoral services says, “Our goal is to train chaplains no matter what their faith, to help their patients discover internal resources for purpose and meaning in life during times of need. Not only does this give them peace, but it can help the healing process.” Christiana Care offers five CPE programs, including a 12-month residency program that prepares chaplains for board certification, a summer internship for seminary students preparing for ordination and a community program that provides additional resources for chaplains working in other health care settings.
Encouraging Weight Loss in a Big Way Ten Ton Challenge exceeds goal. Christiana Care and the News Journal challenged Delawareans to lose a total of 10 tons (20,000 pounds) of weight over a 10-week period. Nearly 59 percent of Delaware’s adults are either overweight or obese according to the Delaware Health and Social Services Division of Public Health. Christiana Care helped attack the problem by becoming title sponsor of “Be Healthy Delaware: Ten Ton Challenge.” Delawareans signed up online for the free program and received nutrition and exercise tips, as well as access to weight-loss resources. Christiana Care contributed weekly exercise columns that appeared on delawareonline.com throughout Nearly the initiative. Challenge participants exceeded the goal. B E H E A LT H Y D E L A W A R E : T E N T O N C H A L L E N G E
Delaware has the the nation*
17th highest rate of adult obesity in
59%
of adults in Delaware are overweight or obese
23,280
pounds were lost over 10 weeks—3,280 pounds more than the 10 ton goal
With great confidence, Kerri Wilson holds up the pants she wore before losing almost 100 pounds through Christiana Care’s Weight Management program. She attributes her weight-loss success and confidence boost to ongoing encouragement from staff members and regular meetings with her counselor and support group.
7,000
More than participated in the challenge (with approximately 2,500 individuals weighing in regularly)
1,318 Christiana Care employees participated and lost 5,064 pounds—a ton more than the 3,000 pound goal
*Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Extending Financial Assistance to Our Uninsured Neighbors Medical Assistance Eligibility Program helps patients secure coverage. Making it easier for self-pay patients to apply for medical assistance is one of the most important ways Christiana Care helps neighbors in the community. Through the Medical Assistance Eligibility Program, Christiana Care and its partner, PATHS LLC, help patients secure the coverage they need. Employees of PATHS advocate for self-pay patients and initiate the Medicaid application screening process that determines patient eligibility for medical assistance. They also help patients with the application process for future benefits they may need for long-term illness, cancer or transplants as well as Medicare, Social Security, disabled child relief, food stamps and cash assistance.
Thousands of self-pay patients who come into the Christiana Care system are referred to PATHS, with a high percentage of patients approved for some type of assistance. Fortunately, ineligible patients aren’t left to fend for themselves. They’re referred back to Christiana Care as they may qualify for our financial assistance program. M E D I C A L A S S I S TA N C E E L I G I B I L I T Y P R O G R A M
7,500 patients are referred to PATHS every year 92% of requests are approved 54,645 patients helped since 2002 Nearly
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SUPPORTING NEIGHBORS WHEN THEY NEED IT MOST
Helping Cancer Patients Social workers line up resources to help with daily living. “It was bad enough that my breast cancer spread to my bone marrow, but when I lost my job and my health benefits, I didn’t know what to do,” says Dawnella Karns of Dover and single mother of two young girls. “That’s when the social workers at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center at Christiana Care stepped in and made me aware of resources I had no idea existed. They are experts at finding ways to link patients with community resources.” Besides health, cancer can affect finances, employment, insurance, relationships, self-confidence and almost every aspect of life. Social workers at the cancer center do it all to minimize that affect on the lives of those in treatment. They assess the patient and the family unit, then link them to appropriate resources. They make sure patients have transportation to and from treatment, help with the intricacies of paperwork and provide emotional support to patients and their families. Christiana Care social workers Michelle Bailiff and Ronna Glenn helped Dawnella find resources to keep her life together, including helping her care for her daughters while fighting cancer and enrolling in a program that covered the dental surgery she needed as a result of her cancer.
CANCER CARE MANAGEMENT
23,666 individuals helped since 2002 414,124 patients and/or family members
6,400
Last year, more than patients were helped by genetic counselors, health psychologists and registered dietitians
received individual support services
Helping Victims of Domestic Violence Social workers lend a helping hand. Last year, Donna and her three young sons, all victims of domestic violence, boarded a bus in Texas bound for a safer life. They arrived in Delaware with few resources and moved into a shelter. Donna brought her children to Wilmington Hospital’s pediatric practice. There she met Linda Brennan-Jones, a Christiana Care social worker. Linda enlisted the help of the Christiana Care community to provide the basics this family needed for school and living. Since then, Donna has secured a job, moved into an apartment, enrolled her sons in school and got them the counseling they need. She says, “I am so thankful for what Linda and the employees at Christiana Care did for us. It was unbelievable.” The Social Work Department, which employs more than 50 individuals, assisted more than
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25,000 in-patients
Caring for Pregnant Moms Healthy Beginnings encourages healthier pregnancies. Diana Reese was confident and excited when she first found out she was pregnant. However, these feelings quickly eroded when her boyfriend became unsure of his commitment to Diana and the pregnancy. Then she discovered that her mother had stolen her identity. Diana says, “I didn’t understand why all this was happening. It was overwhelming.” Fortunately, Healthy Beginnings restored her confidence. When Diana came to Christiana Care’s Women’s Health Practice for prenatal checkups, she was enrolled in the Healthy Beginnings program that provides multidisciplinary prenatal and postpartum care in one convenient location to underserved women.
H E A LT H Y B E G I N N I N G S
582 prenatal women enrolled
and offered free group educational classes
310 women received nutritional counseling
381 women received social work consultations, smoking cessation sessions or counseling
519 babies born 401 women seen postpartum
by a health educator for services or referrals
97 preconception women seen
and offered case management, nutrition, social work, counseling, smoking cessation and education services
When Diana felt alone and depressed, her Healthy Beginnings case manager encouraged her to join Centering Pregnancy, a group program that brings together women who are due in the same month and gives them the clinical care, education and camaraderie they need. “Through the centering program, I was with pregnant women who helped me get myself together and feel good about being pregnant again,” Diana said. Diana recently gave birth to her son, Sincere Josiah Reese. She will continue to participate in Healthy Beginnings for postpartum care. Healthy Beginnings is supported by funding from the Delaware Department of Public Health.
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Caring for Patients in Their Homes PROVIDING
Visiting nurses support the chronically ill.
CARE
“Without the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA), I would be living in a nursing home and away from my beloved husband, John,” says Linda Schultz. Linda is confined to a wheelchair due to multiple sclerosis and is dependent on others for her daily care.
BEYOND OUR WA L L S
Christiana Care’s VNA home health aide Pearl Hicks has been caring for Linda for three years. She not only provides health care services, but also the physical and emotional support Linda needs to live at home. “Over the years Pearl has become more like a family member and we have developed a deep bond,” Linda says. “She recognizes my physical changes better than I do, and even noticed I was getting much weaker on one side of my body before I did!”
V I S I T I N G N U R S E A S S O C I AT I O N :
11,000 Delawareans received care from the VNA 275,000 patient visits statewide 750 patient visits each day More than1,900 patients receive care through the home
Pearl finds joy in providing the personalized health care, support and peace of mind patients need to live in the comfort of their own homes. She says, “Helping people is my calling.”
telemonitoring program since its inception four years ago
Bringing Back the Old Fashioned House Call Home Visit team provides medical care to stabilize patients at home. Judy Ahrens has fibromyalgia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic pain, all of which limit her movement and make her unsteady on her feet. As a result, going to the doctor on a regular basis is difficult. She says, “Before I found out about the home visit program, I would wait to go to the doctor until it was close to an emergency. The home visit team are the angels in my life. They keep watch over my health in the comfort of my own home. When my health changes, they know what to do, and this prevents me from having to be rushed to the emergency room.” Christiana Care’s Home Visit team, including physicians, nurse practitioners and social workers, provides regular medical care to patients so they can stay at home for as long as possible. HOME VISIT PROGRAM
181 patients receive regular home visits pa ge 8 C h r i st i a n a C a re H e a l t h S y st e m
Screening and Education Build Awareness TA K I N G
Bringing Health Care to the Community
CARE OF
Christiana Care empowers our neighbors with knowledge.
OUR COMMUNIT Y
On any given day of the week Christiana Care staff members are in the community providing hundreds of free health screenings and educating neighbors about the importance of detecting diseases early so they can be treated effectively. Screening and education events take place at local churches, community and employer groups, as well as at large events such as Wilmington Wellness Day, Healthy Kids Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Celebration and the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk. Employees from programs throughout Christiana Care participate in these events including diabetes and metabolic disease, cancer, heart and vascular, exercise and weight management, imaging, physical therapy and joint replacement.
COMMUNITY SCREENINGS
More than 30 employees, including doctors and nurses, from 10 departments, participated in Wilmington Wellness Day reaching more than
2,500 city of Wilmington residents
SPEAKING IN THE COMMUNITY
250
More than people attend the annual heart month lecture
100
seniors attended the University of Delaware’s Academy of Lifelong Learning presentation on the Healthy Aging Heart More than 35 physicians, nurses and staff presented health topics to 12 Rotaries, 10 senior groups, dozens of local companies and faith-based organizations through our speaker’s bureau
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Promoting Health through Free Women’s Lecture Series Lecture series helps our neighbors become better informed about health issues. MAKING GOOD H E A LT H A PRIORITY
For the past eight years, Christiana Care has reached hundreds of women, and some men, through its free “Celebrating Women’s Health” lecture series. Health care experts from a wide range of specialties share the most current information on women’s health topics including aging, menopause, stress, heart disease, cancer and cosmetic surgery to help attendees become better informed. C E L E B R AT I N G W O M E N ’S H E A LT H LECTURE SERIES
More than
1,000 people attended
6 to 7 lectures are held each year Attendance averages close to at each lecture
200
Educating our Neighbors about Screening and Prevention Outreach Program helps our neighbors to reduce chronic disease risks. The more our neighbors know about chronic diseases, the better equipped they are to reduce their risks. The Community Health Outreach and Education Program, in collaboration with Christiana Care Health System and the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center at Christiana Care, is dedicated to helping our uninsured and underinsured neighbors learn more about what causes cancer and other chronic diseases and the risk factors involved. Community outreach coordinators provide information about healthy behaviors and lifestyle choices that can reduce these risks. They make it easier for people to get the basic screenings for blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol levels. And they provide referrals for additional care when people need it. Outreach coordinators also provide information about cancer screening options and how to get help to pay for screenings. They help individuals access counseling and programs to reduce their health risks such as quitting smoking, improving nutrition and staying fit.
CHRONIC DISEASE SCREENING
1,288 individuals screened 35 uninsured individuals screened 383 individuals have not seen a physician for
routine care in 2 or more years
51 cancer referrals given at screenings 182 individuals received cancer screening
assistance from Breast Coordinator/Nurse Navigator
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Screening for Skin Cancer Free program increases awareness. For more than 15 years, Christiana Care’s Community Health Outreach and Education Program and the American Academy of Dermatology, Delaware chapter, have organized the Skin Cancer Screening and Awareness Program. In addition to receiving a free screening, participants learn how to perform a self-exam, identify skin cancer risk factors and protect themselves and their family members from skin cancer. S K I N C A N C E R S C R E E N I N G A N D AWA R E N E S S P R O G R A M
13 dermatologist volunteers 114 participants encouraged to
see a doctor based on the screenings
250 program participants 65 participants referred for biopsies
Taking Action Against Heart Disease Cardiovascular Screening and Prevention Program focuses on long-term heart health. Providing neighbors with personalized health information is the best way to encourage them to make heart-healthy lifestyle choices. Christiana Care’s Cardiovascular Screening and Prevention Program helps people see their own risk factors and then take action to prevent heart disease. Unlike typical screening approaches that focus on short-term risk, this program focuses on long-term patient health and well-being. It combines an online risk assessment test with a personal screening and an in-depth medical review that considers an individual’s lifetime risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Through the online cardiovascular risk assessment, individuals learn about any risks they may have for heart disease. Those who have risk factors are encouraged to schedule a cardiovascular screening appointment. The cardiovascular nurse reviews the individual’s specific risks, including family history, obstetrical history, waist measurement, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, fasting lipid profile and fasting glucose. Using this information, the nurse develops a plan for recommended screenings and lifestyle changes and shares it with the individual’s doctor. Approximately one in three patients will have a change made to their treatment plan based on the assessment results.
C A R D I O VA S C U L A R S C R E E N I N G AND PREVENTION PROGRAM
2,970 individuals completed online risk assessment test
1,598 individuals had risk factors 30% of individuals with risk factors
scheduled a personal screening
Patients were surveyed 3-6 months after their appointment:
94%
took steps to achieve their health goals
65%
discussed the results and recommendations with their doctor
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Advancing Medical Care through Research and Education Pursuing Promising Research for Cancer Prevention and Treatment Clinical trials play an important role. Clinical research trials improve cancer care by advancing prevention and treatment options available to patients. Christiana Care’s Cancer Research Program actively pursues today’s most promising studies to discover reliable and practical information about what works best against cancer so it can be applied to patient care. When patients join a cancer research study, they benefit from some of the latest techniques and therapeutic advances to treat cancer, frequent and thorough medical exams, information and guidance to help them better understand their condition and improve their health, and support from physicians and nurses on the hospital’s research staff. A groundbreaking clinical trial at Christiana Care recently helped one patient win her fight against breast cancer. Here’s her story. Last year, Margaret Williams was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her physician, Dr. Diana Dickson-Witmer, associate medical director of the Christiana Care Breast Center, gave her three cancer treatment options: a lumpectomy, a mastectomy or entering a clinical trial. Margaret considered foregoing treatment completely. “I wasn’t as afraid of the cancer as I was of the treatment,” she says. “And people told me, ‘Don’t do the trial; they’re just using you as a guinea pig.’” However, after learning that the
trial medication was effective in treating women with breast cancer after surgery, Margaret entered the clinical trial to test how the drug would work on women before surgery. For 16 weeks, Margaret took the trial medication. It was expected to reduce the size of the tumor, making it easier to remove surgically. Instead, surgeons discovered that the cancer was gone. “I was ecstatic,” says Margaret. “When the tumor was gone, I knew there was hope on the horizon for other women and it was a wonderful feeling.”
CANCER RESEARCH PROGRAM
Among a select group of 51 research centers in the United States and Puerto Rico funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to participate in the Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP) Approximately
1,000 patients followed annually by CCOP for survival data
Nation’s highest annual accrual rate among newly diagnosed cancer patients
209 participants currently enrolled in more than 100 active study protocols 900 former participants are still being followed pa ge 12 C h r i st i a n a C a re H e a l t h S y st e m
Taking Cancer Research from Bench to Bedside Center for Translational Cancer Research highlights prevention, treatment and research. The opening of the new Center for Translational Cancer Research (CTCR) on the campus of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center at Christiana Care positions the center as a comprehensive cancer program that includes prevention, treatment and laboratory research. The CTCR is an alliance of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center, University of Delaware, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children and Delaware Biotechnology Institute. It unites scientists and physicians with the common goal to transform the latest discoveries in the laboratory into innovative new treatments for cancer patients. Having scientists and physicians under the same roof lets them collaborate more closely and quickly. When a physician discovers a new problem at the bedside, he or she can bring it to a scientist in the lab where it is analyzed and solved. The physician then brings the solution back to the bedside. This collaborative relationship sets the stage for rapid advancement in understanding and treating cancer in each individual patient.
Clinical Research and Pharmaceutical Studies Christiana Care is one of the largest communitybased teaching hospitals involved with research in the United States participating in
688
studies.
Improving Heart Attack Care Largest study of its kind leads to improved survival and recovery. Patients resuscitated in the early stages of a heart attack have a good chance of surviving after receiving emergent coronary angioplasy to restore blood flow through the blocked artery that caused the heart attack. Even those who remain unresponsive have a good chance of making a full neurological recovery. That’s the finding of Christiana Care researchers who undertook the largest study of its kind in the U.S. and the only one in which all of the patients were treated at one specific hospital. Led by Ehsanur Rahman, M.D., the study was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Leading the Way in Outcomes Research Center for Outcomes Research assesses cost and care for best treatment. Christiana Care’s Center for Outcomes Research (CCOR) has established itself as a major outcomes and population health research center. Christiana Care is leading the way in comparative effectiveness research, identifying the best ways to treat patients at the most efficient cost. “Outcomes research and now comparative effectiveness research will help us select better and more appropriate testing and therapy for our patients. Coupled with the remarkable information technology at Christiana Care and in Delaware and the advanced analytic skills at CCOR, we are well-positioned to be a leading institution in the evaluation of new technology and therapy,” says William S. Weintraub, M.D., FACC, the John H. Ammon Chair of Cardiology and director of the Christiana Care’s Center for Outcomes Research. Delaware’s dense, diverse population makes Christiana Care ideally suited to these types of studies. The health care system’s patient base includes 1.2 million people in Delaware and its surrounding areas. C C O R F E AT U R E S :
• Expertise in evaluating quality of life, economic and cost-effectiveness endpoints
• Multidisciplinary approach to research with Christiana Care faculty, including clinical researchers from internal medicine, cardiology, oncology, traumatology and researchers from the University of Delaware
• Collaborations with investigators at other national and international institutions
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New Science Alliance Advances Health Care for all of Delaware As founding members of the new Delaware Health Sciences Alliance (DHSA), Christiana Care Health System, the University of Delaware, Nemours/A.I. duPont Hospital for Children, and Thomas Jefferson University are partnering to improve the health of both the citizens and the economy of the Delaware region. Building on the more than 100 collaborations already underway among these institutions, DHSA will advance health sciences research, health sciences education and health care quality and delivery. These multidisciplinary collaborations will position Delaware to enhance its role as a major player in the biosciences industry. Plans are already underway for three inter-institutional, interdisciplinary ventures: the Delaware Center for Cancer Biology, the Delaware Cardiovascular Research Center and a clinical campus for health care education in Delaware. As other institutions join the original partners, DHSA plans to also develop women’s and children’s health, neuroscience and health policy centers. Other research partnerships and collaborations
The NCI Community Cancer Centers Program (NCCCP) Focus: Pilots the concept of a national network of community cancer centers to expand cancer research and deliver the latest, most advanced cancer care to a greater number of Americans in the communities in which they live. Participants: Eight community hospitals, including Christiana Care, and six additional locations representing a cross-section of this country’s population and its health care systems—with a special emphasis on minority and underserved. Distinction: Helen F. Graham Cancer Center at Christiana Care is among a handful of centers nationwide selected by the NCI to pilot this strategic initiative.
Delaware IDeA Network of Biomedical Research (INBRE) Focus: Expands research for cancer and cardiovascular disease treatments, ultimately making new ideas for improved diagnosis and therapy available to Delaware and the nation. Participants: Christiana Care, University of Delaware’s Delaware Biotechnology Institute, Delaware State University, Wesley College, Delaware Technical and Community College and Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children. pa ge 14 C h r i st i a n a C a re H e a l t h S y st e m
The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Focus: Accelerates the understanding of the genetics of cancer using innovative genome analysis technologies. Other participants include: Mayo Clinic, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Duke University, Emory University School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Henry Ford Hospital System, Gynecologic Oncology Group Tissue Bank and the University of California at San Francisco Medical Center. Distinction: Christiana Care is among a select group to participate in the TCGA, a four-year research subcontract awarded by SAIC-Frederick Inc., and funded by the NCI.
National Standard for Normal Fetal Growth Focus: Establishes a national standard for normal fetal growth; determines what effect the race of the mother and the gender of the fetus have on development. Participants: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Medical University of South Carolina, University of California Irvine, Northwestern University and Columbia University Hospital. Distinction: Christiana Care is one of only six institutions in the U.S. selected for this three-year, $1.136 million grant from the National Institute of Health; Christiana Care enrolled more study participants than any other study site in the U.S.
Meeting the Demand for Medical and Health Care Professionals Outstanding education programs draw widespread participation.
EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF PROFESSIONALS
Outstanding educational programs for medical and health professionals are one of Christiana Care’s best-kept secrets. Partnering with educational institutions throughout the region, Christiana Care trains doctors, nurses, advanced practice nurses, registered nurse anesthetists, physician assistants, pharmacists and allied health professionals. “Christiana Care ensures that we will have the well-trained health care professionals we need to care for people in our community for years to come,” says Brian Little, M.D., Ph.D., vice president, Academic Affairs and Research. Clinical rotations are an integral component of a medical student’s education. Working with Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Christiana Care provides all of the core rotations required for medical school graduation and many higher-level electives.
M E D I C A L A N D H E A LT H C A R E E D U C AT I O N
254
medical school graduates from around the country enrolled in 19 accredited medical residency programs, traditional rotating internships and a transitional-year program
200
More than local medical students enrolled in up to four rotations each
134
medical students from across the country came to Christiana Care to complete their fourth-year electives
174
students in six allied health programs received clinical training through a partnership with Delaware Technical and Community College
400 700
to students receive clinical training at Christiana Care on any given day
To meet the demand for tomorrow’s nurses, technicians and physician assistants, Christiana Care formed a unique partnership with Delaware Technical and Community College to provide clinical training in six allied health programs to students from Drexel and Arcadia Universities, University of Delaware, Thomas Jefferson University and other institutions. These programs and partnerships establish networks and maintain a highly qualified health professional workforce for Delaware. Dr. Little says that the students improve Christiana Care’s quality of care. “Young, inquiring minds challenge us and make us better.”
Almost all allied health students who receive a degree in Delaware spend some time in clinical rotation at Christiana Care
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Meeting the Need for Health Care Providers Proactive education program fills the gap. Across the country vacancy rates are at an all time high for allied health care providers including respiratory therapists, nuclear medicine technologists, radiologic technologists and ultrasound technologists. However, Christiana Care is proactively filling this gap for the local community. Through a unique relationship with Delaware Technical and Community College (DelTech), Christiana Care’s Allied Health Education program provides accredited courses to meet the community’s needs for graduates with very specialized knowledge in a variety of allied health care professions. Students receive academic training and certification from Christiana Care’s 13 full-time allied health instructors at DelTech and receive on-site clinical training at Christiana Care. “This unique program is a win-win for everyone,” says Brian Little, M.D., Ph.D., vice president, Academic Affairs and Research. “Students benefit by having good job prospects, Christiana Care benefits by having a larger pool of graduates who are already familiar with our culture and practices, and the community benefits because our ability to provide needed care will be met for generations to come.”
81%
of 2009 graduates remain in Delaware
Educating with Patient Simulators Saves Lives The Virtual Education and Simulation Technology Center at Christiana Care offers the latest in medical simulation technology. The center offers realistic training opportunities for learners of all levels, from student nurses and respiratory therapists to surgeons. Current and emerging health care professionals practice on the simulators where they can make mistakes and correct them. They learn from the results and use this information to deal with real diseases and problems that affect everyone.
VIRTUAL EDUCATION AND SIMULATION TECHNOLOGY
800 hours of simulation sessions conducted 3,462 individuals trained Future plans include addition of operating room, hospital room, intensive care unit, maternity delivery care unit and doctor’s office
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Investing in Our Community for the Next Generation LEARNING ABOUT HEALTHY LIFESTYLES
Camp FRESH Feeds the Community “Camp FRESH gave me a chance to give back to the community and be more than people expect from a teenager from the ‘hood,’” says Shareif Simpson. He is one of 36 teenagers who participated in Christiana Care’s three-year-old Camp FRESH summer wellness program for city youth. The program teaches teens the benefits of eating a healthy diet and encourages them to pass this knowledge along. The campers also plant gardens and staff a produce market in the city twice a month to help improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The teens attend classes on topics such as food-borne illness, healthy nutrition, CPR and responsible sexuality.
“I can tell you something about health that might save your life.” —Jhanea Brown, Camp FRESH camper
Campers are enthusiastic about the program. “You actually learn things,” Jhanea Brown says. ”Things that campers are committed to teaching their communities.” She continues, “Sometimes people don’t want to listen and sometimes you kind of have to make them listen because what you have to say is important. I can tell you something about health that might save your life. Why wouldn’t you want to listen?”
C AMP FRESH
89 teens attended since 2007 More than 480 produce market customers served since 2008 $3,000 in produce market sales (money is rolled back into the program)
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First State School Celebrates Prom Night
CARING FOR OUR
First State School at Christiana Care’s Wilmington Hospital gave 17 chronically ill students the opportunity to experience an important rite of passage. When students asked First State School’s program director, Coleen O’Connor, MS, LPCMH, if they could have a prom, she made it happen. “Our students have severe medical conditions, including diabetes, cancer, sickle cell anemia, kidney disorders as well as other illnesses,” Coleen says. “For some of the students, this may be one of the last big celebrations of their lives.” This is only the third prom in the school’s 25-year history.
YOUTH
FIRST STATE SCHOOL
Since it opened in1984:
• First school of its kind in the United States • Serves as a “quality model” for the care of chronically ill children and adolescents for the American College of Physician Executives
• More than 200 students in 25 years •
21high school diplomas awarded
Like most proms, this one took a great deal of volunteer work and included the efforts of employees from several Christiana Care Health System departments, as well as the University of Delaware Spirit Ambassadors. Together, they held a gown drive and opened a “Prom Store,” where students selected from 125 donated gowns and had them altered. On the big night, volunteers transformed the Wilmington Hospital Conference Center into a Hollywood gala with a star-sprinkled red carpet, a chocolate fountain and nonstop flash photography.
Keeping Teens Healthy High School Wellness Centers help teens be proactive about health. Teenagers have it tough enough. But when they need medical or mental health care, navigating the health care system can be overwhelming. Fortunately, when students at most Delaware high schools need help beyond what their school nurse can provide, they can get it through a state-funded wellness center. Since these are located right in school, they help teens overcome many obstacles to
receiving good health care—obstacles such as lack of transportation, inconvenient appointment times or worries about cost and confidentiality. The centers are staffed by Christiana Care employees and include a licensed nurse practitioner, a clinical social worker, a drug and alcohol counselor, a nutritionist and a Teen Hope pregnancy
HIGH SCHOOL WELLNESS CENTERS
Provide care to approximately
16,000 students
More than
35,000 student visits at 16 Wellness Centers
79% of eligible students in Delaware enrolled
1,548 students participated in a new teenage
in a Wellness Center
obesity performance improvement project
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ThinkFirst Promotes Safety First You could hear a pin drop in the high school driver’s ed class when 25-year-old Erin Groom told her story. She was an outstanding student at the University of Delaware whose ambition to attend law school was destroyed by a car accident. Erin suffered traumatic brain injury when the driver of the car she was riding in ran a stop sign and was hit by another car.
THINKFIRST
Injury is the leading cause of death among children and teens. The majority of these injuries are completely preventable. That’s why Christiana Care is committed to empowering young people to ThinkFirst. In 2008:
13,800 Delaware students heard 190 “ThinkFirst” presentations 400 at-risk youth attended 13 “Truth About Consequences –
Gun and Gang Violence Prevention” programs
5,000 parents and new teen drivers attended 10
“Graduated Driver License Parent Orientation Programs”
Erin is a VIP (Voices for Injury Prevention) speaker for Christiana Care’s ThinkFirst program. She goes to local schools, community groups and businesses to talk about the importance of making good decisions to avoid injury. “I want to encourage people to think first about the consequences of poor decision making,” she says. “My message is that whenever you drive a car and have passengers, you are responsible for everyone in the car, as well as all of the people they know and love. You need to think first about them and how to protect them.” Owen Davis, a driver’s ed student who heard Erin’s story that day, says, “When I get my license I will never forget Erin’s story. It was so sad.”
Teaching City Youth about Health Care Careers Summer Youth Program provides valuable lessons and meaningful work. Last summer, Davon Russell, a senior at Howard High School, learned some valuable work and communication skills at his job in the Materials Management department at Wilmington Hospital. It was his first job. “I learned about the importance of being on time every day, using good manners and respecting authority,” Russell says. Russell, a city of Wilmington resident, worked at Christiana Care as part of the Summer Youth Program, an initiative of the City of Wilmington. Christiana Care is one of many area employers to partner with the Hope Commission and the Division of Parks and Recreation to provide teens with meaningful work experience during the summer.
S U M M E R YO U T H P R O G R A M
28 local youth working at Christiana Care
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Caring for our Planet Christiana Care recognized nationally for going green. Employees at Christiana Care are working hard to reduce, reuse and recycle to create a better, safer and greener workplace and community. Their efforts continue to earn awards and break new ground in making facilities healthier for patients, employees and the next generation.
C H R I S T I A N A C A R E A L S O L E A D S T H E WAY BY:
• Reducing use of Styrofoam by 50 • Enabling proper disposal of percent in employee cafeterias
By virtually eliminating medical equipment that uses mercury, Christiana Care is one of 27 U.S. hospitals to earn the 2009 Making Medicine Mercury Free Award. Christiana Care is one of 59 U.S. hospitals to win the 2009 Partner for Change Award for environmentally-friendly programs, exceeding the award standards by recycling 15 percent of the 3,868 tons of trash generated in 2009.
• Reducing medical waste by 33 percent
• Planning to use wind power to provide about 40 percent of its energy by 2010
more than 346 pounds of unwanted pharmaceuticals from households throughout the tri-state area through the Medicine Cabinet Clean-out Day
• Planting ornamental trees and bushes along the Wellness Trail at Christiana Hospital
Promoting Medical Innovation and Economic Growth Business, labor, academia and bioscience groups join forces. Christiana Care helped launch “We Work for Health” in Delaware. President & CEO of Christiana Care Health System Robert J. Laskowski, M.D., is co-chair of the effort. We Work for Health aims to protect and foster medical research and leadership in Delaware and throughout America. Delaware’s medical innovators create thousands of high-paying jobs, and their discoveries are integral in the fight to cure cancer and other illnesses. The economic impact of the biopharmaceutical and related sectors is huge. In Delaware, the industry employs more than 12,000 people and its activities generate an additional 16,000 jobs annually. Aggregate industry wages approach $1.6 billion, with an estimated $74 million in state income taxes paid, according to a recent study by the Center for Applied Demography and Survey Research, University of Delaware. The study also forecasts that the overall outlook, both locally and nationally, is positive and employment is expected to grow steadily over the next 20 years. “New advancements in medicine, improved health status, countless jobs and steady economic growth have all resulted from continued efforts to further medical innovation,” says Delaware We Work for Health co-chair Bob Dayton, president of Delaware Bioscience Association. We Work for Health is working to make sure the upward trend remains strong.
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Transforming the Wilmington Campus Enhancing patient care for decades to come. Through an unprecedented $205 million investment, Christiana Care Health System is expanding and rebuilding the Wilmington Hospital campus⎯a transformation that will provide our neighbors with access to the highest level of medical care for decades to come. It will also create as many as 600 new permanent jobs. The expansion features: • An upgraded Emergency Department that is double its current size • A new surgical suite, including 13 operating rooms and four procedure rooms • 120 private patient rooms, including a new Intensive Care Unit
• An upgraded, 30-bed unit for the Center for Advanced Joint Replacement • 51,000-square-foot, state-ofthe-art medical office building, allowing more physicians to practice on site • A new main lobby entrance repositioned on Jefferson Street, with an enclosed connection to the parking garage
For more than a century, the nurses and physicians of Wilmington Hospital have been serving the Wilmington community, meeting the community’s diverse medical needs and providing a safety net for the underserved. Expanding and renovating Christiana Care’s Wilmington campus builds on our rich tradition to serve our community and ensure that our neighbors receive the highest level of care and comfort.
Christiana Care’s Workforce Supports the Local Economy
Our Free Shuttle Improves Access to Care
As the largest private employer in Delaware, Christiana Care significantly supports our local economy by attracting and employing a highly-skilled professional workforce.
Because health care is so important, Christiana Care offers a free shuttle service to ensure our neighbors can get the care they need when they need it. Last year, our fleet of shuttle buses
In Delaware, more than 20,000 jobs go to health care workers. At Christiana Care, we have
10,468 employees 3,722 RNs, LPNs and patient care technicians 226 medical and dental residents in training
• Logged more than 200,000 miles • Transported more than 100,000 passengers • Had an exceptional safety record The shuttle operates seven days a week, 365 days a year.
On average, a Christiana Care employee plows
$93,000 back into the local economy each year
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P.O. Box 1668 Wilmington, Delaware 19899-1668 800-693-CARE (2273)
www.christianacare.org Christiana Care is a private, not-for-profit regional health care provider and relies in part on the generosity of individuals, foundations and corporations to fulfill its mission. 09GRCR75