FOCUS Teamwork and service excellence help transform patient satisfaction
To share your accomplishments on the Transformation site on the portals, just click on the Send Your Story link at the top of the page.
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Clinical News CPOE rolls out at Christiana Hospital Oncology nurse Burbage wins national honors
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VNA teams with Walgreens 14 April dedicated to Healthy Delawareans
Here are some everyday tips to consider for enhancing the experiences of our patients and visitors: n
Say hello to create a welcome environment.
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Help visitors find their way.
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Pick up trash to keep our environment clean and safe.
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General News Upcoming Events
linical services usually come to mind when we think about the care our patients receive. However, every encounter patients and visitors experience—from the time they call or arrive at our facilities until they leave —influences the likelihood they will recommend Christiana Care to others. No matter how small, every employee's contributions count.
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While not everyone has direct contact with patients, we all affect the work of others and can support or influence excellence in patient care. Think about it. When a surgical team receives complete or accurate instrument sets in the OR, procedures can
start on time. Meals delivered with a drink, eating utensils and condiments can be consumed immediately and with satisfaction. Pleasant telephone conversations with our colleagues, patients and visitors have a positive emotional effect on those who hear it. Employees throughout the system surely can contribute many more ideas. It takes all of us working together to take care of our neighbors and deliver the best care. Why not share your accomplishments? Many departments and nursing units are implementing transformational changes, even seemingly small ones— from reducing the length of forms to limit print costs, to ordering supplies in bulk or devising simple ways to make the patient experience more enjoyable. Whether your achievement, large or small, improves patient satisfaction, contributes to our financial success or promotes quality and safety, we want to hear about it.
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Social media strategy: Put your voice where the people are
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ore than 175 million people use Facebook. Last month, more than 23 million people downloaded a podcast. YouTube users view a million videos every day. And up to 80 percent of Americans turn to the Internet to find health information. As the number of social media users grows, Christiana Care is well positioned with a coordinated, flexible strategy. “The fundamental concept of communicating online is that you need to put your voice where the people are,” says Shane Hoffman, Web services project manager for Christiana Care. “People’s lives are filled with their own routine, surfing sites they’re comfortable with, creating their own channels
Social media networks like Facebook help neighbors easily find Christiana Care news,health tips, podcasts, presentations, physician blogs, events and online discussions. Twitter, another network with a different, staccato approach to online social media, lets members “follow” each other. Christiana Care surpassed the 1,000-follower mark on Twitter in February.
On our Flickr site, users can find photos they need and perusers can browse through photos of Christiana Care Health System life and times. 2
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of information. So that means putting our information where they are.” Looking for mainstream audience Christiana Care looks for sites that have a mainstream audience and provide tools for communicating with audiences in a variety of ways, Hoffman says. “YouTube gives us the ability to showcase our videos. iTunes allows users to download our women’s health podcasts and listen while they’re jogging. Flickr® is a place where people looking for photos can find them, but also where people who aren’t looking can stumble across them, including reporters and editors.” Christiana Care was among a small number of hospitals doing social media when it got involved about a year ago. “As a health system, we’ve been on the leading edge of using social media,” Hoffman says. In just a year, Christiana Care has more than a thousand followers on Twitter. But large numbers of followers or comments isn’t Christiana Care’s goal.
there are almost as many social media experts in the world as people using social media. It’s all just communication, and each one of these sites is a tool,” Hoffman says. “We’re glad we “We’ve learned over the past year that have a thousand Twitter followers, but that’s not the goal. Our goal is to provide good information G O T A ‘ S O C I A L M E D I A’ I D E A ? that helps people.” If you are interested in or have an idea about how we might use Christiana Care’s social media presence to reach your patients or audience, please contact Scott Mash at 302-327-3313. And remember to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, iTunes, YouTube and Issuu!
Christiana Care’s Facebook page shares news, health tips, podcasts, presentations, access to physician blogs and invitations to events; sometimes, friends will start an online discussion about a post. IssuuTM, a less-common site, lets
users read, download and print Christiana Care publications. Twitter offers such tips as how to soothe a crying baby and when to seek help for chronic headaches. Systemwide effort As part of External Affairs, the Web Services team—Hoffman, Matt McCoy, graphics manager, and Director Scott Mash—works closely with other areas of the health system to provide quality information for all its social media efforts. “Before we had our online presence, it required a lot of planning. We’ve been successful in setting the stage for the future in our ability to integrate all these tools and use each one for its best potential,” Hoffman says.
Cancer patient commutes from Brooklyn for ‘terrific’ care
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hen Maryann Zucker of New York City began looking into clinical research to help address a recurrence of lung cancer, her doctor told her about a clinical trial based in Indiana of a new drug that inhibits tumor growth.
With just a little digging online, Zucker and her son found an opportunity to enroll in the same trial substantially closer to home: The Helen F. Graham Cancer Center. She enrolled in the Phase 1 trial and to date has taken the first round of doses of amrubicin, an anthracycline, which doctors say fights cancer by breaking apart DNA strands in the tumor cell. The trial is to determine the maximum Maryann Zucker of Brooklyn, NY, (center) chose Christiana Care for close-to-home convenience but she says the care and services were ‘’terrific.”
amount of Ambrucin that a patient can tolerate. The people at Christina Care are terrific,” Zucker says. “If I had a choice of anyplace just as close, hands down it would be Christiana. “I’m thrilled with my treatment at home too, but being an outsider in Delaware, I was welcomed and treated with so much enthusiasm it made me feel like I was at home. Delaware is lucky to have a place like Helen F. Graham Cancer Center,” she says. Cancer Research Coordinator Kathleen Combs, RN, says courageous patients like Zucker deserve all the credit. "These patients are pioneers in their willingness to try new drugs and share their experiences with investigators," says Combs.
Strusowski advises agencies developing national satisfaction survey for cancer patients
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ricia Strusowski, MS, RN, director of Cancer Care Management, will be part of a special Technical Expert Panel appointed by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to develop a survey Tricia Strusowski of cancer patients gauging their cancer care experience. The NCI and AHRQ are forming the panel to help ensure the survey and associated materials will meet the 4
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ancer patients now have a place to exercise and receive rehabilitation therapy at the Helen F. Graham Panel members will be asked to Cancer Center with the opening of a review and provide feedback during two Webinars in May and on a variety Specialty Rehabilitation Inc. (SRI) facility in March. of other issues and topics as-needed First in Delaware to offer specialized via e-mail. physical and occupational therapy for “This is an expert panel put together by the National Cancer Institute, and I patients living with cancer, SRI provides services for rehabilitation from can’t think of a better expert than mastectomy, gynecological, prostate, Tricia Strusowski when it comes to establishing the multidisciplinary care head and neck and colorectal cancers. Therapy is also available to address of the cancer patient,” says Nicholas debilitation and fatigue and to Petrelli, Bank of America endowed improve peripheral neuropathy medical director of the Helen F. resulting from chemotherapy. Graham Cancer Center. needs of cancer patients, care providers and other users.
For more information or to make a referral, call 302-709-3411 or visit www.specialtyrehabilitation.com.
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Health coaches match patients with affordable care
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ike many older adults—an estimated 17 percent of the over-40 population in the U.S.—Zhi Lu suffered from cataracts. In most cases, cataracts can be successfully removed surgically, but Mrs. Lu had dismissed the idea. It was simply unaffordable, she told her family. She would have to do without it and accept that her vision would be poor. Christiana Care Web site had the solution But her daughter-in-law, Lynn Wang, would not give up, and while searching the Christiana Care Web site she found a solution. She called Senior Services and was put in touch with Tracy Pearson, one of four health coaches at Christiana Care’s Center for Community Health, Wilmington Annex. She determined that Lu and her husband, Shounian Cao, 79, were eligible for the Community Healthcare Access Program, or CHAP, which helps provide access to primary care and other health services on a sliding fee scale to uninsured people who meet income requirements. Pearson also referred the couple to the Delaware Prescription Assistance Program and Delaware’s Screening for Life, a statewide, free cancer-screening program. “Tracy helped us so kindly,” Wang says. “She even helped my in-laws find a geriatric specialist, Ina Li, M.D., who is taking good care of them and communicates with them in their native language, Mandarin Chinese.” Health educators are a point of access Pearson and her fellow health educators serve as a point of access to usher people through a healthcare system that can sometimes seem overwhelmingly complex. They help them to navigate language and literacy barriers and to locate affordable health services. Pearson’s position is funded by a federal government’s Health Resources and Services Administration Residency Training grant led by Lisa Maxwell, M.D., Family and Community Medicine Residency Education program director.
With Pearson’s assistance, Mrs. Lu was able to get the surgery she needed. In early January, she had the cataract removed from her left eye at Roxana Cannon Arsht Surgicenter by ophthalmologists from the eye clinic at Christiana Care’s Wilmington campus. Mrs. Lu also suffers from glaucoma, and the ophthalmologists were able to help with that, too. Although she had had glaucoma surgery years before in China, the drainage site in her left eye had scarred over.
Zhi Lu (right) with help from her daughterin-law, Lynn Wang andHealth Coaches at Christiana Care’s Center for Community Health at the Wilmington Annex, found a program to make treatment for cataracts affordable.
While they were performing the cataract surgery, attending physician Julianne Lin, M.D., and thirdyear resident Keith Mathers, M.D., also attempted to improve the function of the drainage site. ‘they treat patients with kindness and respect’ Mrs. Lu was delighted with her improved vision, and the care she received. “All the staff and doctors are very caring, and they treat patients with kindness and respect,” Wang says. “The eye clinic really benefits everyone involved,” Dr. Lin says. “The residents learn to become better surgeons, the attending physicians grow as professionals, and patients like Mrs. Lu receive the care they need.”
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s part of Christiana Care’s commitment to being a Great Place to Work, we offer competitive pay, generous benefits, numerous learning and career development opportunities, and a variety of programs that support home and work/life balance. Did you know that over the past two years, Christiana Care increased total cash compensation nearly $38 million dollars to maintain competitive pay levels and recognize and reward individual performance? In 2009, we launched the new Transformation Rewards Program (TRP) to reward our collective efforts to make dramatic improvements in quality and safety, eliminate waste and increase our overall financial strength. Through TRP, eligible employees can receive systemwide cash awards of up to $1,200 when we reach specific financial and patient satisfaction results that help us transform how we deliver care. The rewards program is one more way for all of us at Christiana Care to focus on transformation and share in our collective success. Highlights of new and ongoing initiatives and programs include: New benefits offerings Christiana Care recently launched a program to help employees choose their auto, home, renters, pet and other insurance policies when buying from the nation's leading carriers. Through the Christiana Care Voluntary Benefits Program, full-time employees can have premiums conveniently handled through payroll deduction, which helps reduce paperwork and save even more money. Encouraging healthy behaviors Christiana Care wants to forge a partnership for healthy living with you. To
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do that, we must offer more than a menu of health coverage, income protection and investment options. That’s why we encourage employees to complete a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) and participate in a biometric screening. The screening provides a baseline for your cholesterol levels, blood pressure, blood sugar, weight and other basic health indicators. The screening and your answers on the HRA questionnaire generate specific health-related information you can use in achieving your personal health goals. Tobacco cessation help As part of Christiana Care’s leadership role in addressing major community health issues, we have amplified efforts to help employees and their dependents quit using tobacco products. In 2005, Christiana Care went completely smoke-free both inside and outside at all Christiana Care facilities. The next step in our journey is to help employees quit using tobacco products by: n Offering free medication, nicotine patches and counseling to employees and their dependents. n Providing a medical premium discount of $15 per pay for employees and their dependents who do not use tobacco, or who participate in a tobacco cessation program offered through Christiana Care. Christiana Care also promotes healthy behaviors by sponsoring programs such as the 10-ton Challenge and the Walk with Spirit Challenge. More than 1,300 Christiana Care employees joined the 10-week, 10-ton Challenge and collectively lost more than 5,000 pounds, spurred on by weekly health and wellness tips, quizzes and contests. More than 500 employees logged their steps during the eight-week Walk with Spirit Challenge. Enhanced tuition assistance program Christiana Care continually looks for opportunities to help employees in
W O R K achieve professional growth. One new program supports our nurses who wish to earn a BSN and/or MSN at the University of Delaware, which offers several nursing programs leading to a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Nursing or a master’s degree in Health Services Administration. We also offer full-time nurse managers a Nurse Manager Leadership Program. The new program specifically offers the nurse manager an opportunity to complete their graduate degree (MS/MA) in conjunction with the support of the Nurse Magnet initiative. Summary Christiana Care has a comprehensive Total Rewards strategy, including: n Competitive base compensation. n Incentive compensation. n Pay supplements. n Benefits. n Employee safety. n Health and wellness programs. n Individual and group recognition. n Opportunities for development and career growth. n Tuition assistance. n Other internal educational programs. Our Work/Life Balance programs include: n Flexible staffing options. n On-site fitness centers. n Employee health services. n On-site child care center. n Convenience services. n Comprehensive paid time-off policies. Watch for the next systemwide update on Health & Wellness.
Computerized Provider Order Entry now live at Christiana
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ight weeks after a successful launch at Wilmington Hospital, Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) is up and running smoothly at Christiana Hospital. Although the launch at Christiana on March 23 was much larger in scale, it was less complicated because many of the concerns had been worked out at
Wilmington, says Terri Steinberg, M.D., MBA, chief medical information officer. “There were fewer systems issues— and a far higher level of confidence,” she says.
Two phases helped roll-out Rolling out CPOE in two phases enabled Christiana to benefit from the experience gained at Wilmington, says James Newman, M.D., chief medical officer and patient safety officer.
Rodney Donham, M.D., of Christiana Medical Group, reviews CPOE knowledge with Lauren Kaiser, RN, on 5B.
“Quite a few doctors had been trained at the Wilmington Hospital, and they brought a level of comfort and knowledge they could share with their col-
Anna Taran, D.O., reviews some CPOE processes with Bonny Folkestad on March 23 as CPOE goes live at Christiana Hospital.
leagues,” he says. “The chairs of departments and leaders of the Medical/Dental Staff were also very visible and engaged, and their presence was calming.”
Dr. Steinberg and Dr. Newman note that many physicians played an integral role in helping to build the system and that doctors will continue to provide input to improve the design. “It is tremendously impressive to witness the level of dedication and cooperation,” Dr. Steinberg says. “The doctors at Christiana Care are very special people.” A forest of technical support staffers clad in green vests was on hand to provide launch-time guidance at both hospitals. Dramatic step forwrd CPOE is a dramatic step forward in improving patient safety and health care efficiency. Because orders are entered electronically, the system eliminates errors in deciphering doctors’ handwriting. CPOE also reduces repeat tests and improves turnaround times for results. The technology provides such conveniences as “smart med” pick lists, with usual doses and methods of delivery. “Providers have come to accept that CPOE is a reality—and a good thing for patients,” Dr. Newman says.
Darcy Burbage receives top oncology nursing award
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arcy Burbage, RN, MSN, AOCN, CBCN, clinical nurse specialist at the Christiana Care Breast Center at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center, is the 2010 recipient of the Pearl Moore Making a Difference Award from the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS).
fession at the local and regional levels, her many performance improvement projects that have enhanced the quality of care of patients with breast cancer, and for being a well-respected leader and mentor.
ONS is a professional organization of 37,000 registered nurses and other health care professionals committed to excellence in oncology nursing. The award is named for Pearl Moore, a charter member of ONS who served as CEO for more than 25 years.
"To have been selected to receive this award named after a pioneer in the field of oncology nursing is an honor,” says Burbage. “It is a testament to the many talented nurses, physicians, managers and support staff who have mentored me throughout my career as well as the patients who allowed me into their lives.”
The award recognizes Burbage’s significant contributions to the oncology nursing pro-
Burbage will receive the award on May 13 in San Diego.
Darcy Burbage
Department of Medicine welcomes Mike Eppehimer Eppehimer came to Christiana Care from the George Washington (GW) University Hospital in Washington, D.C., where he was an associate administrator with operational authority for a number of inpatient areas, including pharmacy, environmental services and physician relations. Previously, he was the Director of Physician Relations at GW.
Michael Eppehimer
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he Department of Medicine has welcomed Michael Eppehimer as vice president.
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“Mike is a black belt in lean six sigma and has had experience applying this process to inpatient discharges,” says Virginia U. Collier, M.D., FACP, Hugh R. Sharp Jr. Chair of the Department of Medicine at Christiana Care Health System. “This should be very helpful as we work to improve the operational efficiency of inpatient medicine units.”
launch the Leadership Academy. He has a B.A. from the University of Maryland and this spring complete he completes his Masters of Health Services Administration from GW. In his role as vice president, Eppehimer will work extensively on the new Inpatient Medicine Service Line, according to Dr. Collier. “Although Mike’s main focus will be on improving the value we bring to patient care on inpatient medicine units, he will be responsible for the development and operation of new programs within the department. He will also work directly with me and Vice Chair of Medicine Robert Dressler, M.D., on interdepartmental programs and projects.”
Executive Assistant Dana Serfass is Before joining GW, Eppehimer worked providing administrative support. To at the Advisory Board Company in reach Eppehimer or Serfass, call 733Washington, D.C., where he helped to 6383 or 6343, respectively.
Publishing, presentations, appointments, awards Publishing An article titled “Learning About Teams by Participating in Teams,” by Omar Khan, M.D., et al., has been accepted for publication by Academic Medicine. Omar Khan, M.D., Javid Gilani, M.D., et al., published an article titled “No More Doritos And Lobster Tails: A Case Of Life-Threatening Sublingual Hematoma,” in the Delaware Medical Journal 2009 July; 81(7):255-8. Gabrielle Snyder-Marlow, Denise Taylor, RD, and James Lenhard, M.D., pubished an article titled “Nutrition Care for Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy for Weight Loss,” in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2010;110:600-607. Lee Ann Riesenberg, Ph.D., RN, Jaime L. Massucci, M.D., Jessica Leitzsch, et al., published an article titled “Residents’ and Attending Physicians’ Handoffs: A Systematic Review of the Literature,” in Academic Medicine, Vol. 84, No. 12 / December 2009 Maureen A. Seckel, RN, APN, CCRN, Carol Gray, FNP, Megan B. Farraj, Pharm.D., and Gerald O’Brien, M.D., published an article titled “Undiagnosed Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension at 33 Weeks’ Gestation: A Case Report,” in Critical Care Nurse, 2010;30: 45-52 Nicholas J. Petrelli, M.D., published an article titled “A Community Cancer Center Program: Getting to the Next Level” in the March Journal of the American College of Surgeons. A short story by Gail Sezna titled “My Boys—A Mother's Story after Multiple
Losses” recently published by Grief Illustrated Press of Omaha, Neb., is available to order online at www.centering.org. Presenting Omar Khan, M.D., presented “Writers Without Borders” in February as guest speaker at a Lunch & Learn lecture series at Wilmington Friends School. Edwin L. Granite, D.M.D., presented "Oral Manifestations of Systemic Disease" to the Delaware Nurses Association at the 2010 RN/APN Healthcare Updates Conference at Wilmington University in March. Ogochukwu Okpala, M.D., MPH, associate director of the OB/GYN residency program, orally presented “A Randomized Trial Of Two Educational Modalities In Ob/Gyn Education: Podcasting Versus Traditional Reading,” at the 2010 Annual APGO/ CREOG meeting in March.
Lanny Edelsohn, M.D. (right), received a plaque expressing appreciation for 23 years of service to Christiana Care as section chief of Neurology, presented by Virginia U. Collier, M.D., Hugh R. Sharp Jr. Chair of Medicine (left) at Medical Grand Rounds on March 25.
Appointments Omar Khan, M.D., has been promoted to clinical associate professor at Drexel University and appointed as a member of the board of directors of the Delaware Academy of Medicine.
The Delaware Academy of Medicine (DAM) honored Leslie Whitney, M.D. (left), with the Awards 2010 Lewis B. Flinn Presidents Award. Dr. Howard W. Zucker, D.D.S., Whitney retired from Christiana Care in 2000 Director and Section Chief of after more than 50 years’ service. He helped Implant Dentistry, received the build a state tumor registry and was part of a key Teacher of the Year Award in the national initiative to have cancer designated as a Department of Oral and reportable disease. With Dr. Whitney above at Maxillofacial Surgery and Hospital the annual DAM meeting is his son, Christopher Dentistry.dinner/ceremony on J. Whitney, M.D., FACS.
May 16.
Upcoming events Trauma Program hosts the 10th ThinkFirst 5K and 1K Children’s Fun Run on April 15 to support community injury prevention efforts. Register at www.races2run.com. COPD Lecture Series, April 20, 1:303:30 p.m. Topic: Pulmonary Function Testing. Christiana Hospital, Room 1100. To register, call Debbie Wood 733-2562. The 13th Annual Medicine Ball, sponsored by the Junior Board of Christiana Care, on Friday, April 23, 7-11 p.m., at the Wilmington Country Club. Proceeds support scholarships and continuing education for nursing and allied health professions at Christiana Care. E-mail jgoldston@christianacare.org for more information or to be added to the invitation list. FundaMENTAL Health, Bottomline Sense, a forum for discussing how to implement health promotion programs and comprehensive behavioral health services at work to improve employees’ health and a company’s bottom line, April 28, 7-9 p.m. at the John H. Ammon Medical Education Center, Christiana Hospital. Speakers include Robert J. Laskowski, M.D., MBA, president and CEO, Christiana Care Health System, Harold Rosen, M.D., chair of the Christiana Care Department of Psychiatry, David Shern, Ph.D., president and CEO of Mental Health America, and Timothy J. Gardner, M.D., medical director of Christiana Care’s Center for Heart & Vascular Health and past president of the American Heart Association. To register contact Roberta Fishgold by e-mail at RFishgold@mhainde.org or call 302654-6833.
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Delaware Ovarian Cancer Foundation's TEAL Ribbon 5 K Run/Walk to Fight Ovarian Cancer, sponsored by the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center will be Sunday, May 2 at Dravo Plaza on the Wilmington Riverfront. Registration begins at 7:45 a.m. with the run/walk starting at 9:30. The event will raise awareness and provide education about ovarian cancer. For more information contact Nora Katurakes at 623-4628 or nkaturakes@christianacare.org. Register online for the race at www.races2run.com. Free skin cancer education awareness and screening for qualified participants on Monday, May 10, Tuesday, May 11 and Monday, May 17, sponsored by Christiana Care’s Community Health Outreach & Education Program and the Delaware chapter of the American Academy of Dermatology, each day from 5:30-7:45 p.m. at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center. To qualify for a screening, the following must apply: n You have not attended a free skin cancer screening before.
You have never had a skin cancer screening by a physician or dermatologist. n
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You do not have health insurance.
You have a family history of skin cancer, or you have a sore that won’t heal. n
Each educational session is the same and includes information on conducting a self exam, risk factors for skin cancer and how to protect yourself and your family. Register to attend one of the events by calling 302-623-CARE (2273). The 47th Annual William J. Holloway Infectious Disease Symposium, May 11, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m., at the John H. Ammon
Medical Education Center, a comprehensive one-day program covering important current issues in infectious diseases, for all physicians, pharmacists and allied health professionals. Registration fee is $50/$75 at the door if seats available; students and emeritus $25/$35 at the door; residents/fellows admitted free but must pre-register. Register via the portals. The "Lucky 7" Evening in Monte Carlo, hosted by the Friends of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center, Friday, May 14 in the Gold Ballroom at the Hotel du Pont, 11th and Market streets, Wilmington. Proceeds support the Center for Translational Cancer Research and the Cancer Special Needs Fund at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center. E-mail jgoldston@christianacare.org for more information or to be added to the invitation list. The 2010 Christiana Care Delaware Marathon Running Festival, Sunday, May 16, Tubman Garrett Riverfront Park, Wilmington, includes Delaware’s oldest and largest certified road-running marathon, half-marathon and a four-person team relay marathon. Volunteers needed. See www.delawaremarathon.org. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Center for Heart & Vascular Health. The annual George A. Zurkow Grand Rounds lecture, this year give by Eric J. Dierks, M.D., D.M.D., FACS, is titled “The Evolution of Maxillo-Mandibular Reconstruction: From Creative Beard Trimming to Computer-Guided Free Flaps.” Sponsored by Christiana Care Health System at the John H. Ammon Education Center. May 19, 6-8:30 p.m. (A lite dinner will be served at 6). Contact Cheryl Klecko, Physician Relations, 302-733-1961, or e-mail cklecko@christianacare.org.
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Second-hand fumes pose health risk for nonsmokers
Learn about heart and vascular health
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econdhand smoke can lead to heart disease and lung cancer.
Living with a smoker increases a nonsmoker’s risk of lung cancer by up to 30 percent, according to the Surgeon General. Each year, more than 3,000 Americans die of cancer related to secondhand smoke. In addition, it is a contributing factor in about 46,000 deaths from heart disease annually. Secondhand smoke—that is, emissions from burning cigarettes and exhaled smoke—also is known as involuntary smoking or passive smoking. That is because nonsmokers who inhale other people’s smoke take in nicotine and other toxic chemicals just as smokers do, without taking a single puff. The good news is that some smokers think of the well-being of others as an incentive to kick the habit. They want to quit because it is good for their loved ones, as well as themselves. Some neighbors especially vulnerable That makes sense. Children, pregnant women, old folks and people with heart and respiratory problems are especially vulnerable to chemicals from tobacco. Babies exposed to secondhand smoke have increased odds of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS. Kids who grow up with smokers have more ear infections and colds. They develop bronchitis, pneumonia and severe asthma more often than children who live in smoke-free environments. Adults are more likely to suffer from eye and nasal irritations, as well as such serious conditions as emphysema.
Women who smoke are at greater risk of having low birth-weight babies— and so are women who do not smoke but are exposed to second-hand smoke. In Delaware, smoking has been banned in the workplace and in public spaces. Still, the American Cancer Society estimates that at least 35 percent of children in the United States grow up in homes where a parent or regular visitor smokes. Hazardous levels of smoke also build up quickly in cars. No safe level of secondhand smoke The fact is, there is no safe level of secondhand smoke, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. But there is abundant help in creating a smoke-free environment. As part of Christiana Care’s commitment to creating a tobacco-free workforce, employees who want to quit smoking can receive free medications, face-toface counseling and other support. To learn more, contact Employee Health at 302-428-2285 at the Wilmington campus or 302-733-1512 on the Christiana campus. Delaware also offers the toll-free Quitline. The number is 866-409-1858.
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Q 10: Best Friend at Work. Q 11: My progress. Q 12: Opportunity to Learn and Grow porting departments with paper or electronic diamonds s we continue our journey of making Christiana Care a Great Place to Work, consider how you would respond to the when they are doing quality work. following employee engagement statements from our survey: n Discuss accomplishments and goals at your next meeting with your manager. If routine meetings are not scheduled, “I have a best friend at work” follow up with your manager to schedule a progress meetThe best work environment is one where teams and team ing. members support and trust one another. This statement n Look for opportunities to stretch, grow and get involved, means that you have someone at work that you trust and such as performance improvement initiatives or problemcan talk with when you need a friend. Individuals who solving projects. Ask to participate! establish genuine friendships know that co-workers will “pull them out of the weeds” in difficult work situations. n Keep channels of communication open. Be willing to Teams that have genuine trust are more productive, resultshare constructive feedback, as well as receive feedback, ing in high levels of service to our patients. regarding performance opportunities.
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What can you do? n
Be positive and supportive of your co-workers.
Solicit feedback from mentors, staff, physicians, etc., to identify opportunities to support your development. n
Identify commonalities with your team members (e.g., hobbies, clubs).
“This last year, I have had the opportunity at work to learn and grow”
Offer to help a co-worker with a challenging project or task.
Learning is not limited to the classroom; in fact, most learning occurs outside formal settings. Look for special projects, assignments or activities that will develop your ability to tackle newtasks. Talk to your manager about your career goals and develop a plan for acquiring the knowledge necessary for attainment of these goals.
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Start a book club or a car pool.
n Invite new co-workers to lunch and try not to exclude anyone at meal times. n Ask a co-worker to be a fitness partner and take advantage of Christiana Care’s wellness trails or fitness centers.
Congratulate your co-workers on accomplishments and achievements. n
“In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress”
What can you do? n
Take advantage of the tuition assistance program.
n Read! Research a topic that interests you and share your findings at your next staff meeting.
Take advantage of a training program or seminar. When you return to the workplace, look for opportunities to apply We all need feedback to know how far we have come and to your new skills or knowledge as soon as you can—this is track our progress. It is important to identify signs of where the real learning takes place! progress and growth, no matter how small. We can support n Teach a new staff member how to do a task; ask more our co-workers by recognizing accomplishments and prosenior staff members to show you how to do something viding encouragement to reach goals, both professional and they do really well. Volunteer to help orient new employees! personal. n Join an association dedicated to supporting the growth What can you do? and development of your profession. n Set goals for yourself, both personal and professional. n Look for opportunities to improve your department as a n Use the electronic performance management journal to place to work and volunteer to help implement your ideas. record your accomplishments, as well as your challenges, n Submit a performance improvement project as part of and to identify learning opportunities and celebrate successes. Christiana Care’s Annual Performance Improvement n Recognize co-workers within your department and supAwards.
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New Behavioral Health Center opens house to neighbors
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he newly renamed Center for Comprehensive Behavioral Health’s new home enhances outpatient psychiatry services by consolidating care in a single setting. Formerly on several floors in Wilmington Hospital, the center now combines outpatient services in a 10,000-square-foot space at 201 W. 14th St., in a building near Hercules Plaza previously occupied by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware.
Jim Lafferty, executive director of the Mental Health Association in Delaware (seated) gets a briefing from Psychiatry Department Chair Harold Rosen, M.D., on the latest treatment for severe depression, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation therapy, now available at the Center for Comprehensive Behavioral Health.
Draws clinicians closer together “This allows our clinicians to work together more closely, improves communication and allows patients to shift levels of care without the need to move to a new location or work with a he newly redesigned Ronald McDonald Family Room at Christiana new group of staff,” says Harold Hospital's NICU celebrated with an official ribbon cutting March 31. Rosen, M.D., chair, Department of The facility provides patients' families more comfort and privacy. Psychiatry. “We believe this will improve continuity of care and decrease the risks associated with the transfer of care between clinicians.”
Ronald McDonald gift comforts visitors
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Helps improve tracking outcomes Consolidation also will help the center track outcomes, with the goal of reducing the cost of care across an episode of illness. The move includes adult services as well as the Herman Rosenblum Child & Adolescent Center, which serves people ages 13-18. “With the new center, we believe the Department of Psychiatry is best positioned to offer adult psychiatric and behavioral health care across the continuum, from emergency services (From left) first row, Christiana Care President and CEO Robert J. Laskwoski, through inpatient, outpatient and M.D., Deborah Tuttle, M.D., neonatologist, Fern Butler, RN, Christiana Care advanced procedural interventions,” NICU, Les Dukart, Ronald McDonald House Charities Philadelphia region, Pam Dr. Rosen says. Cornforth, director of Ronald McDonald House of Delaware, Michael Waite, president board of directors, Ronald McDonald House of Delaware. Second row, Chip Davis, vice president, Corporate External Relations for AstraZeneca, Tyrone Jones, AstraZeneca, Linda Bakomenko, Christiana Care Design Services, Mrs. Barbara Dukart, board member, Ronald McDonald House of Delaware.
It’s Magnetic! “Forces of Magnetism” Force 14: Professional Development Christiana Care values and supports the personal and professional growth and development of staff, with emphasis on career development services. Programs promote leadership/management development as well as formal education, professional certification and competency-based clinical training. Force 10: Community and the Healthcare Organization Relationships established within and among Christiana Care and all types of health care organizations and other community organizations help develop strong partnerships that support improved client outcomes and the health of the communities they serve.
Liz Jazwiec to share VNA nurses, Walgreens ally recipe for transforming for patients’ safety culture of service hristiana Care Visiting Nurse Nationally known speaker, customer- and employee-satisfaction expert Liz Jazwiec kicks off Nurses Week May 6 at the John H. Ammon Medical Education Center.
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s part of the National Nurses Week celebration in May, Christiana Care’s Professional Nurse Council (PNC) has engaged Liz Jazwiec (jazz-wick), a nationally recognized speaker specializing in improving customer and employee satisfaction. Jazwiec’s health care background includes 25 years as a registered nurse and management positions that include vice president of patient care and director of emergency services. Jazwiec gives organizations that “shot in the arm” needed to move beyond self-imposed limits and toward the commitment and action necessary to transform the culture of service. She will appear May 6 from 2-3 p.m. in the John H. Ammon Medical Education Center main auditorium. All are invited. Please register through the portals, Education Center. 14
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FOCUS April 8, 2010
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Association (VNA) nurses are constantly concerned about patients taking their medications correctly. So are the pharmacists who fill those prescriptions. When local Walgreens pharmacies approached our VNA about sharing information and partnering to find ways to keep patients safer, VNA recognized a good idea for improving community health, especially among the elderly. VNA nurses and community-based pharmacists are forming a powerful alliance to transform home health care delivery through medication reconciliation, education and dialogue. Soon, they also will join with the Vial of Life, a national project that engages emergency medical technicians (EMTs) as yet another partner interested in sharing and benefitting from accurate medication information for home health care patients. The program ensures that a home health care patient’s medical information is stored on the patient’s refrigerator door and that a magnetic decal on the alerts EMTs to it.
VNA nurses and communitybased pharmacists focus on dialog to improve patient safety.
Special OB/GYN Grand Rounds
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he Christiana Care Center for Reproductive Health and the Christiana Care Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is pleased to announce David Grimes, M.D., FACOG, FACPM, will present OB/Gyn Grand Rounds April 28.
David Grimes, M.D.
Dr. Grimes is vice president of Biomedical Affairs at Family Health International and clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He is board certified in OB/Gyn and Preventive Medicine. He has taught at the medical schools of Emory University, the University of Southern California, University of California-San Francisco, and the University of North Carolina. Dr. Grimes’ research interests have focused on fertility regulation, technology assessment, sexually transmitted diseases, and clinical epidemiology. He has published more than 300 peer-reviewed articles, 40 textbook chapters and several books. He serves on the editorial boards of The Lancet, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey, and Contraception.
Celebrate National Volunteer Week at Christiana Care April 18-24
Healthy Delawareans Today & Tomorrow
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eclaring April “Healthy Delawareans Today & Tomorrow Month,” Gov. Jack Markell credited the United Way, Christiana Care Health System, AstraZeneca and many other groups who came together several years ago to meet the health care needs of uninsured Delawareans. The official kickoff of the month-long observance April 1 was at Claymont Community Center, one of a network of agencies that offers health care services regardless of ability to pay. Heather Bittner-Fagan, M.D., a family medicine specialist from Christiana Care, volunteers as the medical director at center’s clinic, where many new patients have sought medical help over the past year. An estimated
101,000 individuals—one in nine Delawareans, live here without health insurance. About 56 percent of Delaware's uninsured are employed. "Our health influences every aspect of our lives, including how much energy we can devote to our families, communities and workplaces," says Markell. "By spreading the word about existing local health care resources, we ensure that Delawareans have a chance to improve their quality of life." Resources available to Delawareans include 2-1-1, a toll-free hotline for health and human service referrals. Representatives are available on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and resources also are available online by visiting www.delaware211.org.
Gov. Jack Markell and Heather Bittner-Fagan, M.D., display the official document declaring April “Healthy Delawareans Today & Tomorrow Month.”