Focus: August 13, 2009

Community Clinical Oncology Program sets national high mark recruiting patients

Delaware Cancer Consortium receives national recognition

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Power to End Stroke recruits ambassadors

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Linda Laskowski Jones named Nursing2009 editor

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Physician satisfaction jumps significantly

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Look Good‌Feel Better celebrates 20 years

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Gift of Life Donor program earns medal of honor

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State cancer consortium earns 2009 Award for Exemplary cancer control ■

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A testament to leadership

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FOCUS Aug. 13, 2009

Delaware cancer control efforts ■

Cancer Clinical Trials Program offers the latest cancer treatment options to reduce the number of cancer deaths in our state and surrounding communities. Christiana Care recruitment is seven times the national average, with 26 percent of adult cancer patients enrolled in National Cancer Institute clinical trials.

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High Risk Family Cancer Registry contains information on 60,000 individuals and more than 1,500 families who have cancer or are at high risk for developing some form of the disease. The Registry is an invaluable resource for scientists studying cancer incidence in families and developing new cancer screening and treatment tools.

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Community Health Outreach and Education Program connects underserved and high-risk populations in New Castle County to screenings for cervical, breast and colorectal cancers, health education, patient navigators and smoking cessation programs.

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International Early Lung Cancer Action Program (I-ELCAP) has screened more than 1,500 individuals for early lung cancers when they are most treatable and offers smoking cessation programs to reduce adult smoking and the effects of secondhand smoke.

For the sixth consecutive year, the News Journal named Christiana Care a Best in the Business employer, an honor based on employee surveys from 97 companies.

The newspaper published the rankings in a special insert on Sunday, Aug. 2.

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I have confidence in the leader of this organization.

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I have many opportunities to learn and grow at this organization.

Christiana Care is one of only 15 large employers honored.

The News Journal reported the results in an article titled “Delaware’s stellar companies.” The paper said employees “want leaders in charge, people who are good at communicating a vision and strategy for execution, a collaborative environment that allows them to comfortably have input and to consistently see effort and achievement recognized, and an overriding sense that the enterprise wants them to grow, learn and make a career, not just money.”

Here is what some of the employees said in the survey: ■

I would highly recommend working at this organization to others.

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I believe this organization is going in the right direction.

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This organization motivates me to give my very best at work.

Five hundred randomly selected Christiana Care employees participated in the survey.

Power to End Stroke lunch sessions help recruit ambassadors to raise stroke awareness Five simple signs of a stroke ■

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Modifiable risk factors

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FOCUS Aug. 13, 2009

Stroke ambassador Patricia Butler of Patient Accounting hopes that raising awareness at her church will help others avoid missing the signs if they are near someone who starts having a stroke.

Linda Laskowski Jones named editor-in-chief of Nursing2009 Linda Laskowski Jones, MS, RN, ACNS-BC, CCRN, CEN, vice president of Emergency, Trauma & Aeromedical Services at Christiana Care, has been named editor-in-chief of Nursing2009.

The peer-reviewed journal aims to improve nursing practice by providing evidence-based practical information.

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, part of Wolters Kluwer Health, publishes the magazine, which has more than 200,000 subscribers worldwide.

“This is an unsurpassed opportunity to lead the largest nursing journal in the world and to positively impact nursing practice in this very challenging, demanding era in our health care history,” says Laskowski Jones.

According to Theresa Steltzer, executive publisher of Nursing2009, “With more than 25 years of clinical, education and leadership expertise,

Linda brings a wealth of clinical and professional knowledge to the journal.

We’re honored to have her lead our editorial team.”

Among her duties as editor-in-chief, Laskowski Jones will write a monthly column.

Laskowski Jones is an accomplished teacher, writer and speaker on the topics of emergency departments and the trauma system. She is dedicated to promoting excellence in the dynamic art and science of nursing practice and enabling nurses to thrive professionally. She is a site reviewer for the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma.

Previously, Laskowski Jones served on the editorial board of the Journal of Emergency Nursing. She is the 2007 international award recipient of the

MS, RN, ACNS-BC, CCRN, CEN and new editor-in-chief of Nursing2009.

Marie Hippensteel Lingeman Award for Excellence in Nursing Practice through Sigma Theta Tau.

Physician satisfaction jumps significantly

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his year, Christiana Care scored higher on a physician satisfaction survey than 75 percent of hospitals polled nationwide.

From February to April, 506 physicians responded to a survey from Press Ganey, a health care improvement consulting company, that measured physician satisfaction with Christiana Care. More than 35 percent of physicians responded to the survey, up nearly a full point from the last survey of this kind, conducted in 2005.

In the 2005 survey, Christiana Care scored in the 71st percentile. This year, physicians’ scores pushed Christiana Care’s overall satisfaction rating up almost 3½ points to 77.

“I was not surprised at all in the increase. It reflects the growth and excellence of the quality of our services and clinical care and the engagement of our Medical-Dental staff,” says Chief Medical Officer James Newman, M.D. Among specialties, thoracic surgery had the highest level of satisfaction at 97 percent.

Christiana Care physicians believe one of the system’s greatest strengths—and one of physicians’ top sources of satisfaction—is its “excellent medical and nursing staff.”

According to physicians surveyed, Christiana Care’s greatest strengths also include: ■

Excellent quality of care.

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Financial stability.

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Facility and technology.

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Progressiveness.

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FOCUS Aug. 13, 2009

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Location and continued ties to community.

When asked for specific areas that need improvement, physicians cited: ■

Better communication, particularly in the ED.

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More subspecialties for a hospital this size.

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Better relationships with community physicians.

What does a higher level of physician satisfaction mean for everyone else at Christiana Care?

“Everybody likes to enjoy their work at Christiana Care Health System, and it’s better and easier to have

fun when doctors are satisfied,” Dr. Newman says.

Other surveys and reports about the health care industry are at www.pressganey.com.

Upcoming events Still time to register for Heart Walk There’s still time to register a team or join one of the existing groups from Christiana Care for the 18th Annual American Heart Walk, Sunday, Sept. 13 on the Wilmington Riverfront. The event aims to raise awareness about heart disease and stroke.

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To register a walking team, go online to www.heartwalk.kintera.org/wilmingtonde. Individuals may join one of several teams from Christiana Care already listed on the site, or start a new team with co-workers, friends and family.

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The first 1,000 Christiana Care employees to register receive a Christiana Care Heart Walk T-shirt. And, don’t forget, the Christiana Care team that raises the most money or has the most walkers wins a pizza party.

On-site registration begins at 8 a.m.

The walk starts at 9 a.m.

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Aug. 13

CLINICAL NEWS

Therapeutic notes

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CONTINUED

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B OT TO M O F N E X T PAG E

Electroneuronography helps determine potential for rehabilitation after facial paralysis

SCREENINGS, CONTINUED

F R O M PAG E

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Aug. 13

GENERAL NEWS

Special program celebrates 20 years of helping chemo and radiation therapy patients ‘Look Good and Feel Better’

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FOCUS Aug. 13, 2009

Christiana Care and Gift of Life partnership earns a Medal of Honor for leading the region in organ donation

Medal of Honor

Supporting Gift of Life

Solace for families

Aug. 13

United Way of Delaware campaign begins Sept. 8 Christiana Care’s United Way of Delaware campaign kicks off this year on Sept. 8 and runs through Oct. 30.

Our goal is to increase employee participation from previous years. Every gift—no matter the size—is important and counts toward our goal.

As in previous campaigns, you may designate to support: ■

The Community Impact Fund.

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Five strategic focus areas to support Delaware’s most crucial needs.

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A specific 501(c)3 nonprofit organization of your choice.

Stay tuned to Focus and the portals for more information about how you can participate and help a neighbor in need.