F O R T H E E M P L O Y E E S O F C I N C I N N AT I C H I L D R E N ’ S
SUMMER 2014
BEYOND OUR WALLS
WHAT’S INSIDE
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Health Network Bridges Gaps for Medicaid Families
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Bring on the Marshmallows
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Common Ground Is Base for Building Bridges
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Ambassadors Enjoy Giving Back to the Community
BEYOND our WALLS. The next time you’re out and about and someone asks you where you work, watch the reaction when you answer, “Cincinnati Children’s.” It’s almost universal that the other person will have a story about an experience here— either theirs or someone they know. We touch a lot of people, usually at times when they are the most vulnerable. And even when the patient outcome is not what we would have hoped, families recognize staff’s caring spirit and find ways to join us in our vision and mission of improving child health. Increasingly, we are not waiting for the community to come to us to achieve that aim. We are proactively reaching out into the community to innovate, to educate and advocate on behalf of children and families. We understand that health is not just defined by a physical condition, but by other socio-economic factors, or determinants, such as adequate income, education, access to good prenatal care, and a safe environment. In this issue, you will find a sampling of how we are focusing our institutional resources beyond our walls to improve the quality of life for children in our region. If you are not one of the many employees who are already involved in community outreach, I hope you will consider this an open invitation to give it a try.
Cindy Duesing, editor
Volume 2 , Issue 3 | 360° is an employee
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The ripple effects of Cincinnati Children’s
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outreach extend far into the community and
Duesing, Karyn Enzweiler, Mark Lyons
strengthen the connections between us.
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theknow P e g g y H o s t e t t e r N a m e d P e d i at r i c Ch a i r
Margaret “Peggy” Hostetter, MD, stepped up to her new role as chair of the Department of Pediatrics UC College of Medicine, chief medical officer of Cincinnati Children’s, and director, Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation, on July 1. Hostetter will serve as the eighth B.K. Rachford Memorial Chair in Pediatrics. Her appointment followed a national search for a leader of distinction, vision and skill to assume this critical leadership role. Hostetter joined Cincinnati Children’s in 2010 as the Albert B. Sabin Professor and director, Division of Infectious Diseases, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Prior to joining Cincinnati Children’s, Hostetter served as Jean McLean Wallace Professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Yale School of Medicine and physicianin-chief at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital. A Toledo, OH, native, Hostetter is a graduate of Denison University and Baylor College of Medicine. She completed her residency and fellowship at Children’s Hospital Boston. She is the proud mother of two children, Mayme Kendrick Hostetter and John Heard Hostetter. Hostetter takes over for Arnold Strauss, MD, who has led the Department of Pediatrics since 2007 and will continue to serve in a strategic and programmatic role here. C i n c i nn at i Ch i l d r e n ’ s R a n k e d A m o n g N at i o n ’ s B e s t b y U . S . N e w s
Cincinnati Children’s ranks third in the nation among all Honor Roll hospitals in U.S. News & World Report’s 2014 Best Children’s Hospitals ranking. We also ranked in the top 10 for all 10 pediatric specialties. The specialties and Cincinnati Children’s rank are: Nephrology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #2 Pulmonology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #2 Cancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #3 Gastroenterology and GI Surgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #3 Neonatology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #3 Urology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #4 Diabetes and Endocrinology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #6 Neurology and Neurosurgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #7 Orthopaedics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #8 Cardiology and Heart Surgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #9
Detailed information can be viewed on http://health. usnews.com/best-hospitals/pediatric-rankings and will be published in the U.S. News “Best Hospitals 2015” guidebook in August. On s i t e E m p l oy e e P r i m a r y C l i n i c Op e n s Th i s Fa l l
What if going to the doctor was as easy as going to a meeting? Soon, it will be! This fall, Cincinnati Children’s will open an onsite employee clinic at Vernon Place. Staffed by UC Health professionals, the clinic will be open to all Cincinnati Children’s employees, whether you have insurance through CCHMC or not. The scope of services will mirror those similar to a primary care physician or clinic: • Cold/flu symptoms • Strep test • Blood pressure • Sinus infection • Other primary services Cincinnati Children’s must charge for services due to IRS regulations, but it will be significantly less expensive than other providers. Look for additional details as we get closer to the launch date on this exciting benefit for CCHMC employees! C i n c i nn at i Wa l k s f o r K i d s
Mark your calendars for Saturday, Sept. 27, and get ready for a roaring good time at Cincinnati Walks for Kids! We’ll be back at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden with exciting new activities to make it the best walk yet. This year we’ll have a stroller and wheelchair drop-off area, more post-event shuttle pick-up locations, tents, face painters, Queen City sausage samples, fruit and water stations and more. Walkers can enjoy the zoo after the walk, including free rides on the train and carousel. Registration is $25 for adults and $5 for children, 17 and younger. This includes the official 2014 Cincinnati Walks for Kids T-shirt, a personal fundraising page, free parking and exclusive admission to the zoo for the evening. Visit cincywalks.org to get a sneak peek at all we have planned, and don’t forget to mark your calendars to register in July. It’ll be a wild time for all!
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Health Net work
Bridg e s G a p s for Medicaid Families
Six-year-old Shawn’tez Thompson dashes past his mom, Ka’cee, and little brother, Mon’tez, and hops into a treatment chair in the Dialysis Unit just off the Location A concourse. Surprised by his speed and energy, a staffer asks about his wheelchair. “Today’s a good day,” says Ka’cee, “so we left it at home.” Shawn’tez and his family are having more good days lately, thanks to their enrollment in the Health Network by Cincinnati Children’s. Shawn’tez suffers from cystinosis, a rare disorder that can lead to kidney failure. For now, he’s on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. Once he gets through that, he’ll need orthopaedic surgery to repair bone damage caused by rickets, a complication of his condition. “We’re just getting started,” says Ka’cee. “It’s going to be a long road.” Fortunately, she won’t be walking it alone. Maya Wallace, a community health worker, and Liz Monaghan, MSW, LISW, a social worker, both from the Health Network, are with her at today’s appointment to make sure Shawn’tez’s healthcare needs are being met. They and a nurse care manager make up the case management team who coordinate his care and help his mom navigate the complexities of the healthcare system. “The Health Network has made life less crazy and chaotic for us,” says Ka’cee. “When I didn’t know where to get medical supplies, they connected me. When his medicine doesn’t come on time, I call, and they get it to me pronto.
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They put me in touch with a lot of resources so we can get the things we need. It saves me a lot of running around.” Building the Program
Many Medicaid families in southwest Ohio are benefiting from the case management that the Health Network provides. Since it launched one year ago on July 1, membership has zoomed to nearly 35,000. That number could potentially grow to 150,000 as the other managed care organizations (MCOs) sign on (see sidebar on pg. 7). Amy Baldridge, RN, assistant vice president of medical management, and her team of 14, which includes nurse care managers, social workers, community health workers, a project coordinator and a mental health facilitator, form the front line of the Health Network. They reach out to families, track immunizations, hospitalizations, ED visits, clinic appointments, medications and help fill any gaps in care. The end goal is to: • improve the overall health of the Ohio Medicaid population • reduce the rate of growth in cost of care (per person), and • improve the patient experience of care (including quality and satisfaction). Not all 35,000 patients, or members, are enrolled in case management. Those who are healthy or who have minimal healthcare needs often do well on their own. But for those children with complex or high-risk conditions (asthma, transplant recipients, seizure disorders, etc.) case management can improve not only the quality of care but the quality of life.
Liz Monaghan, MSW, LISW, social worker (l), and Maya Wallace, community health worker (r), visit with Shawn’tez Thompson (seated), his mom, Ka’cee, and little brother, Mon’tez, during his treatment in the Dialysis Unit. Shawn’tez has multiple conditions that make his care complex.
“We are all about getting the parent or guardian to take ownership of their child’s care and supporting them in the process by removing barriers,” says Baldridge. “It’s been a lot more work than we expected starting out, but the idea that we’re bringing the expertise of Cincinnati Children’s to these kids is exciting.” On t h e F r o n t l i n e
The case management team gets patient referrals from the MCOs, primary care providers and specialty care managers within the medical center. The nurse care manager takes these referrals and contacts members to explain what the program offers. If a family agrees to join, the nurse care manager conducts a 100-question assessment on the phone. “This, itself, can be a barrier,” says Beth Papin, RN, a nurse care manager, who recently took on a new role as a coach in the Patient-Centered Medical Home Learning Community, a partnering program of the Health Network. “A lot of families have limited cell phone minutes. If that’s the case, the care manager might arrange to meet them in the Family Resource center to do the assessment. The bonus there is that both the nurses and the family members can put a face with the voice they hear on the phone. It builds rapport.” Based on the assessment, the care manager collaborates with the family to develop a care plan and establish goals
for the child. If the family is in need of non-medical assistance, a social worker can help. If there are mental health issues, the mental health facilitator will contact the family. Often, the first step in the plan is to find a primary care provider for the patient and establish a medical home. “Putting that continuity of care in place and educating parents is key to reducing ED visits and repeat hospitalizations,” says Papin. The state requires that all complex and high-risk members be seen face-to-face at least every 90 days. This is where the community health worker steps in. “I am the eyes and ears of the care manager,” says Wallace. “I give the care manager a very detailed description of what I see. It makes a big difference because some things aren’t obvious in a phone conversation.” Wallace meets with families wherever they are most comfortable—in their homes, at the library, McDonald’s or at the doctor’s office. She reviews their care plan and progress toward meeting the goals. “I make sure they are scheduling visits. If they aren’t, I will call and get them scheduled. I will also arrange for transportation, if needed,” she says. “I make sure they know about all the benefits the MCOs offer, like a nurse advice hotline, Metro bus cards and reimbursement for gas.”
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For families of kids like Shawn’tez, age 6, coordinating medical care can be overwhelming. The Health Network helps them manage the details.
Wallace advocates for her patients. She cites one instance where a doctor had prescribed Pediasure, a nutritional supplement, for a child who was very underweight. The mother tried to get the prescription filled at several neighborhood pharmacies only to be told it couldn’t be filled because it wasn’t covered or it wasn’t in stock. The child went nearly a year without the prescription until Wallace learned of the problem. “I helped her obtain a new prescription, and Home Care did a great job of making sure it was covered. Now it gets sent to the child’s home every week.” A Ste a dy Pr es e nce
The families enrolled in managed care face many challenges. Some have children who are disabled. Many work at low-wage jobs that barely cover the bills. Some are homeless. Others move frequently. The care management team listens and does its best to problem-solve. “We know it’s important for a child to get his vision screening or flu shot,” says Papin, “but I’m not
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going to badger a parent about that when they’re trying to keep a roof over their family’s heads or food on the table. We try to meet people where they are.” “Our goal is to minimize family stress so they can focus on their child’s healthcare,” adds Monaghan. “We’re teaching the parents skills they can use to help their child for the rest of their life.” Families in the program are grateful for the help. Monaghan tells of one family who have two children with severe autism. “They had fallen through the cracks of the healthcare system over the years and been passed around to different places. After enrolling in the Health Network, the father said, ‘You are the first people I’ve worked with who do what you say you are going to do. We’ve never had that before.’ It thrills me that we’ve established trust with that family, so that when they have a crisis, they’ll call, and we’ll be there.”
Face-to-face meetings between families and community health workers help establish rapport and a solid level of trust.
H ealth N etwork H i g h l i g h t s >
Says medical director, Colleen Kraft, MD, “The Health Network’s vision is that all children receive their care in a family-centered medical home, where both clinical and nonclinical services are easily accessed and where pediatricians can focus on their relationship with the family instead of administrative hassles. The Health Network is a first step in creating a Cincinnati where all children and families thrive.”
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The Health Network at Cincinnati Children’s currently contracts with Paramount and Molina Healthcare— two of the five designated Medicaid insurers in Ohio, also called managed care organizations (MCOs)—to provide case management for complex and high-risk patients. Two more—Buckeye and United Healthcare— are expected to sign agreements this fall.
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The Health Network serves Medicaid families in eight Ohio counties—Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton, Highland and Warren. Of its nearly 35,000 members, 150 are enrolled in high-risk case management. They are not all cared for by Cincinnati Children’s providers.
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The Health Network now has one year of data to develop a baseline for cost and utilization measures for ED visits per 1,000 members; inpatient visits per 1,000 members and other costs per member per month. Cost and utilization are expected to decrease due to the effectiveness of our case management program.
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The Health Network will also determine a baseline for Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set, developed by the National Committee for Quality Assurance. This includes measures like well-child visits; immunizations; screening and measures for asthma care and diabetes; follow-up for mental illness; prenatal and postpartum care. With this data, the care management team can proactively reach out to members who need these things to keep them well.
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Bring on the Marshmallows! Jack had always tired easily. His congenital heart condition limited the activities he could do. Just walking through his school building would make him short of breath. He was used to being told he couldn’t participate in things other kids got to do. On Jack’s first day at Camp Joyful Hearts, a special summer camp for kids with heart disease, he worked with a counselor to sign up for camp activities throughout the week. The list was lengthy: swimming, archery, fishing, boating, and arts and crafts, to name just a few. Jack looked up from the list and said, “Are you gonna let me do all that?!” “He was so surprised,” recalls Betsy Adler, RN, CNP-AC, camp director for Camp Joyful Hearts and nurse practitioner in the Heart Institute. “He didn’t think he could do everything.” But special accommodations are made for these campers; every activity is designed so that all campers can participate if they want to. The outcome for Jack? “He was smack in the middle of it all,” Adler says with a big grin. “He had a blast!” A Pl ace to Belong
That’s what summer camps have been providing kids for years: the chance to try new things while making new friends and creating lifelong memories. But for kids with special medical conditions, summer camp isn’t so easy. Their medical regimen—medications, exercises, physical limitations—all present challenges in a typical camp setting. Thanks to Cincinnati Children’s, summer camp is a reality for many of these kids, and it’s a place where the kids can feel normal because they’re around others who are just like them.
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Camp Joyful Hearts is one of several medical summer camps that Cincinnati Children’s sponsors. (See sidebar for a full list.) Another is Camp Wekandu, the longestrunning camp associated with CCHMC. It got its start in 1980 and was the first arthritis camp west of the Alleghenies. “Its name reflects the independence and self-advocacy that we were looking for,” explains Pam Heydt, LISW-S, a former director of the camp and a social worker for Social Service in the Division of Rheumatology. Rheumatology staff started the camp when they recognized the need for kids with arthritis to meet one another and to learn more about their medical conditions together. T r e at i n g t h e W h o l e Ch i l d
These medical camps form a bridge between the care provided inside the medical center and life outside its walls. “Camp creates the opportunity to address the complete mental-social-physical-emotional health of a patient,” says Heydt, who has been involved with Camp Wekandu for 20 years. “We’re not just looking at a joint and fixing that joint. We’re looking at engaging a whole person.” And the way they engage that whole person is really cool. There are the typical summer camp activities: swimming, campfires, skits, horseback riding. On top of that, medical education is built into the week’s activities. For example, at Camp Wekandu, physical therapists give presentations on topics such as new ways to use a balance ball. Camp Joyful Hearts offers campers the opportunity to learn about heart anatomy and terminology by dissecting pig or cow hearts. At Camp Super Breathers—for kids with asthma—campers learn what their medications and asthma equipment do for their bodies. And it’s all done in a fun, summer camp kind of way, like with a medical passport or through instruction from a guest tai chi master.
Mixing Fun and Learning
Both Adler and Heydt emphasize the health gains for the campers beyond having fun. They say the more kids learn about their medical condition, the more likely they will be to follow their healthcare plan, including doing exercises and taking medications. “Part of improving child health is educating the kids so they know about their health,” Adler says. “As kids with heart disease are living longer and longer, they need to know how to take care of themselves.” Medical personnel from Cincinnati Children’s are on staff at these camps all week long. Doctors, nurses, therapists and others help lead the events and tailor the activities based on the needs of the campers. “It’s great for kids to see their doctors in a normal environment,” Adler says. “It makes the staff less threatening.” That has the added benefit of building trust, which can lead to openness in the exam room long after camp is over. And, she says, the staff enjoy seeing the kids outside the hospital too. “We love being there,” she says. “It’s just fun.” Especially the things that kids don’t normally get to do at home, like shaving cream wars and marshmallow fights. Heydt says what really stands out at these camps is the culture of acceptance. The campers get to feel normal in a world where they often feel different. The scar on a child’s chest is no big deal, because other kids have one too. They’re not self-conscious about taking medicine, because there’s a medicine call every evening before dinner with a big line. Special exercises aren’t a drag, because the kids’ cabin mates are right alongside them doing their own. “The bonding and acceptance and togetherness is a tremendous boost for the kids,” Heydt says. “There’s a common feeling that we’re all in this together, we can learn from each other, we can teach each other, we accept each other, we can be friends.” Isn’t that what summer camp is all about?
Medical Summer Camps Cincinnati Children’s sponsors camps for children with specific medical needs, including • Asthma • Cancer, blood diseases and immune disorders • Diabetes • Heart disease • Hemophilia • Juvenile arthritis • Tuberous sclerosis Find more information here http //www.cincinnatichildrens.org/patients/resources/camps/ The Special Needs Resource Directory offers a list of additional local and national camps that accept and provide support for children with other special healthcare or developmental conditions http //www.cincinnatichildrens.org/patients/child/special-needs/ recreation/camps/
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Common G r ound Is Base for Building Bridges
Monica Mitchell, PhD, senior director, Community Relations, teaches children at Hays-Porter Elementary School about the importance of healthy eating and exercise.
Monica Mitchell is a glass-half-full kind of person. The senior director of Community Relations, who is also a clinical psychologist with a background in sickle cell research, has a long history of seeing possibilities— especially when it comes to the patients and families we serve. “Cincinnati Children’s and the community both want the same thing—to have the healthiest children,” she says. “That is the basis for our collaboration, and that’s why it’s so powerful. It works best when there’s mutual respect for each other’s values and common goals.” Mitchell and her team work with the Anderson Center, Heart Institute, Urgent Care, Health Network and other departments to support the medical center’s community engagement and outreach efforts in Avondale and Cincinnati Children’s other neighborhood locations. These efforts address health issues like injury prevention, infant mortality, obesity and asthma and provide health screenings through school and community partnerships. “At Cincinnati Children’s, we’ve implemented evidencebased practices that work,” says Mitchell. “We’ve done
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well using them within the hospital with patients who are routinely seen here. But we’re trying to get better at spreading those practices out among higher risk populations who may not normally come to us for care.” Our work in the community will define Cincinnati Children’s next era and will most certainly be a focus area in the next strategic plan. “We’re developing new and innovative models of partnership that are inclusive of the community and meet people where they are,” says Mitchell. “We will be conducting a community health needs assessment to better understand the community’s needs to inform our work.” One fundamental change in our approach to the community is our definition of health. “We used to think of health in the traditional sense of a doctor treating a patient,” Mitchell explains. “But now we understand that for children to be healthy, we need to address the social determinants of health. Cincinnati has the second-highest rate of child poverty in the country. How can we be comfortable saying, ‘Your vital signs are great,’ then release a child into a neighborhood where
Ambassadors Enjoy Giving Back to the Community
Mitchell and her son, Bengy, make volunteering at the Martin Luther King Day of Service a family affair.
there is food insecurity? How can we say a child is well if he or she is not reading by third grade?” Despite these challenges, Mitchell is upbeat. “We live in an asset-rich community. There is so much potential. Our community just hasn’t been fully activated. That’s why the Ambassador Program (right) is so important. “Cincinnati Children’s 14,000+ employee base is a very powerful asset, especially when it comes to improving community health. We’ve already provided outreach and health information to over 12,000 children and families, which we’ve never been able to do before. And we did it by mobilizing employees. They are absolutely a game changer in this effort.”
All of us at Cincinnati Children’s have the satisfaction of knowing that we work for a highly respected institution that makes a huge difference in the life of our community, as well as the lives of children and families far beyond our own community. You could say that’s one of the perks of being a Cincinnati Children’s employee.
But many of us have a strong desire to do even more for our community by volunteering. For employees interested in volunteering on behalf of Cincinnati Children’s, the new Employee Volunteer Ambassador Program offers an ideal combination of flexibility and opportunity. Launched last fall, the Employee Volunteer Ambassador Program has grown rapidly from seven to 225 active ambassadors, and more are welcome! When it started, the program was looking for volunteers to tutor third grade students in the Homework Club at Rockdale Academy, located just a few blocks from the Burnet Campus.
The momentum around community health is increasing in a very noticeable way. Says Mitchell, “Cincinnati Children’s and the community are not separate. We ARE the community, and I think people are beginning to hear our message—‘Cincinnati Children’s is in my community, and they care about me.’”
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The program quickly expanded to offer ambassadors opportunities to participate in many types of activities across the community. “It’s turned into a phenomenal way of making a difference in the community,” says program founder and director Joyce Kinley, Community Relations. 360° recently reached out to several active ambassadors to learn about the volunteer program from their perspective.
Professional Excellence. “As a transplant to Cincinnati, I also felt that being an ambassador would allow me to navigate within Cincinnati Children’s, as well as get out and learn more about the city.” Charles Grone, respiratory therapist, Asthma Center, responded to an email requesting volunteers to help take patients to a Reds game. He and some friends thought it would be fun to socialize with colleagues and interact with kids outside a clinical setting. At the Reds Fest, he learned the event was part of the Ambassador Program. “The positive energy of the ambassadors was contagious, and the kids were so engaging, I signed up to be an ambassador the next day.” S o m e t h i n g t o D o, W h at e v e r Yo u r In t e r e s t
The Ambassador Program asks for a ver y small commitment from its volunteers: participate in at least two community outreach activities or events a year. Many ambassadors choose to do more, and they enjoy having a wide variety of activities to choose from. Those who sign up for the Employee Volunteer Ambassador Program have a variety of service opportunities to choose from. Here, Patti Mollmann, administrative assistant, Utilization Review, spreads the word about smart food choices during a Taste of Learning event at Remke Markets.
Why Join the Ambassadors?
Most of the ambassadors heard about the program by reading about it on CenterLink. They stepped up right away because they had a history of volunteering and the program was a good match for their altruistic interests. “I have always enjoyed volunteering and am always looking for opportunities at Cincinnati Children’s,” says Wendy Ungard, RN, clinical director, A4 South. “I was looking for a way to volunteer. This sounded like a very well-organized program, where I could represent Cincinnati Children’s in a very positive light,” says Terri Lewis, access services representative, Outpatient Registration. Julia Schenk, space and occupancy planner, Design, Construction and Space Management, cherished the community outreach that was part of her work in a previous job. She was happy to learn about ways to continue community service through the Ambassador Program. “Selfishly, it makes me feel good to give back,” she says. But some ambassadors had other reasons for joining. “I wanted to become a better engaged employee,” says Linda Hough, decision support analyst, Center for
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Lewis has helped at a festival in College Hill, an event at Xavier University for children fighting cancer and at a community carnival in Mason. Ungard tutors at Rockdale Academy, has cleaned up a park in Avondale and volunteered on Martin Luther King Day. After tutoring at Rockdale, Schenk took on a new volunteer opportunity as a career coach for a sixth grader at the school. Hough participated in Taste of Learning in Kentucky, the Pumpkin Patch in College Hill, No Texting While Driving in Oakley, and spoke to mothers in Avondale at a program presenting role models. Grone volunteered at an open house at Outpatient Mason, pruned juniper bushes at Wesleyan Cemetery, was a health recruiter at an event in Washington Park sponsored by Closing the Health Gap, and tutors at Rockdale. Some bring spouses, children and parents along to volunteer with them. “I honestly believe I can change the world,” Ungard says, “and I am teaching my children this philosophy also.” Some ambassadors enjoy their experience so much they attend the bi-monthly morning breakfast, volunteer to serve on the executive committee and recruit other employees to join the program. “I have had the opportunity to meet new people and hang out with coworkers I may not ever have met if not for this program,” enthuses Lewis. Adds Hough, “And most of all, it’s FUN.”
snapshots
Department Center for Professional Excellence and Business Integration Role Clinical program manager What I love most about what I do is providing tools and information to improve processes. When I’m not here, you can usually find me photographing a special event or spending time with my family. A phrase that describes me Caring for the people in my life and exceeding expectations. What I love about CCHMC are the innovative methods for improving child health. I was born to live a joyful and fulfilled life and take advantage of each day. The guiding principle of my life is Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did or not. Person I admire most My dad, because of his drive to overcome adversities and to provide his family with opportunities that were not afforded to him. People would never guess that I am a handyman, and I have two adult daughters. What’s on my bucket list To visit NASA Space Station, England and travel to each state at least once.
Department Transitional Care Center Role Respiratory therapist What I love most about what I do is seeing long-term patients get to go home. When I’m not here, you can usually find me playing or watching sports or reading. A phrase that describes me A good balance between serious and fun. What I love about CCHMC is seeing patients come from all over the country and the world because of the level of care and skill here. I was born in Cincinnati. The guiding principle of my life is Work hard, play hard. Person I admire most My grandfather People would never guess that I threw the shot put, discus and hammer in college. What’s on my bucket list Traveling to Ireland.
Department Allergy Ambulatory Services Role RN ll, CPN What I love most about what I do is taking care of children and their families. I have worked with great people over the past 40 years. When I’m not here, you can usually find me hiking in the woods with my husband, sister and our wonderful dogs. A phrase that describes me Tough exterior with a soft heart! What I love about CCHMC are the diverse career opportunities. I have worked in five different areas, and I’ve learned so much from each experience. I was born in Covington KY and wanted to be a nurse since I was very young. The guiding principle of my life Work hard, enjoy life, and tell people you love and appreciate them. Person I admire most My mom. She worked full-time while raising two children and gave us the tools we needed to become successful and caring adults. People would never guess that I love to scuba dive. What’s on my bucket list To visit Scotland, Ireland and Costa Rica.
Department Liberty Campus Emergency Department Role RN What I love most about what I do is making a positive impact on a child’s life. When I’m not here, you can usually find me at home with my family or chauffeuring my kids around. A phrase that describes me Enthusiastic and optimistic What I love about CCHMC is that I get to work with inspiring patients, staff and families every day. I was born Jennifer, but I am called by my middle name Michelle. The guiding principle of my life is Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Person I admire most My mom People would never guess that I used to show horses. What’s on my bucket list Travel to Italy.
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thebuzz “I’d have lunch with Justin Timberlake, Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey. Life is more enjoyable when you don’t take yourself too seriously.”
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good role model for women and proof that hard work and education pay off.”
living or dead, whom would you most want to meet?
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I know she must have been awesome because my dad is awesome.” Veronica Hannah, technician I, Environmental Services
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interpretations or misinterpretations
Tammy Rausch, lab safety consultant, ORCRA
360°
Terrie Lonneman, senior analyst, Payor Relations
of their teachings.” Joe Kroner, RN, project administrator, Physical Resources
milestones 45 Paul McEnery, MD, Nephrology Reginald Tsang, MD, China Fund
40 Michael Farrell, MD, Chief of Staff Dianne Schneider, Operating Room Andrea Smith, Clinical Translational Research Center Suzanne Wright, Outpatient Registration
35 Sandra Cooper, Aerodigestive and Sleep Center Judy Correll, RN-CNP, Advanced Practice Nurses Ed Donovan, MD, Community and Population Health Richard Harris, MD, Bone Marrow Transplantation Jack Horn, RPh, Ancillary Services
Congratulations to the following employees who celebrate milestone ser vice anniversaries in J u ly, A u g u s t and se p t e m be r !
25 Elizabeth Bauer, Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy Carolyn Carr, Infrastructure and Operations Rober t Clemens, Anesthesia Donna Dillon, RN, Post Anesthesia Care Unit Kathleen Emer y, MD, Radiology Dorothy Ever ts, RN, A6 Central Marilyn Haas, RN-CNP, Trauma Center Jennifer Hawkins, Pediatric Surgery Elizabeth Kirby, Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy Anne Lesko, PharmD, Pharmacy Cher yl Little, Emergency Services Anne Lovell, RN-CNP, Advanced Practice Nurses Edith Markoff, PhD, Human Resources Kristi Mason, Nutrition Therapy Karen Morehead, RN, Plastic Surgery Richard Papes, Human Genetics Talley Patterson, Accounting Darla Renzenbrink, The Heart Institute Beth Scheid, RN, Emergency Medicine Janet Sutton, RN, Same Day Surgery Mar tha Walker, Human Genetics Christine Wilkins, RN, Post Anesthesia Care Unit
Juliann Ross, RN, Care Management Denise Speeg, Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy Darlene Swint, Pratt Library
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Deborah Tribble, Outpatient Registration Evelyn Warren, Radiology Carolyn Watkins, Nutrition Therapy Cindy Wesolowski, RN-CNP, Advanced Practice Nurses Jeffrey Whitsett, MD, Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology
30 William Ball, MD, Radiology Rita Cooper, RN, Epic Jenifer Hadley, Child Life and Integrative Care Jackie Hausfeld, RN, Patient Services Runae Howard, A4 North Nance Ice, Biostatistics and Epidemiology Cherie Kessler, Endocrinology Thomas Kor fhagen, MD, PhD, Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology Michelle LaBarge, RN, Operating Room Deborah Milesky, RN, B6/Heart Institute Theresa Schenthal, RN, A6 North/Adolescent Medicine Karen Schulte, Family Relations Kenneth Setchell, PhD, Mass Spectrometry Janet Winebar, RN, Perioperative Services David Witte, MD, Pathology
Henr y Akinbi, MD, Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology Maria Laonso, MD, Pediatric Surgery Kelly Boyer, Gastroenterology Melody Gulleman, Neurology Rober t Hopkin, MD, Human Genetics Mar y Huff, Neurology Tanya Kelley, Nutrition Therapy Trina Miller, Materials Management Erna Olafson, PsyD, Clinical Psychiatry Sue Reynolds, Neurology Gregor y Szumlas, MD, General and Community Pediatrics Susan Thompson, PhD, Rheumatology Aimee Veid, Otolaryngology Connie Walder, RN, Liaison Resources
See a complete list of milestone service anniversaries online in this week’s edition of CenterNews.
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Why am I here? I just started my career here at Cincinnati Children’s in March as an administrative assistant in the Pulmonary Sleep Center. I have wanted to work here for a very long time. My two children were diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. They were treated here by the most caring and loving staff. Alicia Lang, my daughter who was 20 at the time, lost her battle with cystic fibrosis in March 2013 after having a double lung transplant at the Cleveland Clinic. If it were not for the doctors here at Cincinnati Children’s, I know she would not have lived that long. The staf f at Cincinnati Children’s is impeccable! Our family and the doctors were always working as a team. Alicia was very involved in the hospital, contributing to the Patient Advisory Council (PAC), and receiving the Making a Difference
Mary Kay Lang Award in 2012 for her work in improving patient care (something she was passionate about). I had left a job as a stock broker to take care of her, but after she passed, I knew where I wanted to work! I feel honored and privileged that I get to be part of a team with such intelligent and caring individuals. My son, Nicholas, has been part of the PAC, as well as the Champions campaign. In fact, he was recently asked to be videotaped to express gratitude to Boomer Esiason. Nicholas will be transitioning to UC medical center since he is now 19 and a student at NKU. His cystic fibrosis is very mild, and he plays Division I tennis at the school. Thank you for allowing me to work in the greatest job and be surrounded with the best coworkers in the industry. I have just begun my journey here at Cincinnati Children’s as an employee, but so far, I love it. In fact, this is the best job I have ever had! —Mary Kay Lang, Pulmonary Sleep Center
a moment in history In Cincinnati’s hot summers, it is nice to be able to relax at the pool. The hospital had a kiddy wading pool in the play yard in the 1950s and on the play deck in the 1970s. The children pictured here are having a great time at a pool party in August 1990.
1990s