December 17, 2020 Learn About the Caring 4 You Program Page 2 Prayer-a-Thon for Excela Health Page 2 Excela Health Recognized in Tribune Review Best of the Best Page 3 Excela Health Employee Referral Program Page 4 Mandatory NetLearning Page 5 Employee Engagement Page 5 New Faces Page 6
Volume 3 Issue 27 Excela Health Recognized as Healthiest Employer For the ninth consecutive year, Excela Health has been recognized among the Healthiest Employers in Western Pennsylvania, and for the fifth year in a row named a Healthiest 100 Workplace in America, in an awards program presented by Healthiest Employer. The Healthiest Employer awards program, powered by Springbuk, was created to honor organizations that prioritize the well-being of their employee population. Companies were recognized because of their commitment to workplace wellness and their exceptional health and benefits offerings. “Never has employee well-being been more critical than during this time of public health crisis,” said Excela Health Chief Human Resources Officer Laurie English. “As a health system, our employees are on the front lines of the pandemic, and facing physical, emotional and spiritual challenges as they provide care.” Read more
COVID-19 Donations Procedure
Many people have been asking what they can do to support our front-line care givers in the fight against COVID-19. We are grateful and humbled by the generous outpouring of support from our friends, neighbors and community interested in donating supplies to ensure we face the continued rise in COVID-19 cases across Westmoreland County and the region we serve. View an updated list of items here.
Vaccine Questions Addressed
Over the past several days we have had a wide range of questions regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. Heather Walker, MD, Assistant Medical Director at Excela Westmoreland Hospital ED, Michael Sekhon, Pharmacy Director for Excela Health and Carol Fox, MD, Chief Medical Officer answer these questions in the video below. Should you have a question not addressed in the video please use the Employee Feedback Form on the intranet to submit.
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In the News Excela to Add More COVID-19 Beds at its Hospitals as Cases Continue to Rise “Officials at Excela Health plan to add beds for coronavirus patients. The addition comes as the county’s number of infections and hospitalizations continues to grow." Read more. Westmoreland County Physician Assistant Finds New Way to Thank Colleagues “Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 are at the highest rates since the beginning of the pandemic in Western Pennsylvania.” Read more. Working on the COVID-19 Front Line: A Pittsburgh Nurse Shares Her Experiences “Carly Thomas, a nurse for Excela Westmoreland Hospital, has been working in the COVID-19 unit since March. "It's definitely gotten worse through the second surge," Thomas told Ayman; "these patients are isolated...we try to do everything for them and be their supporters.”” Read more.
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Learn About the Caring 4 You Program Caring 4 You is a program designed to provide help, support and emotional first aid to Excela Health staff who may be struggling “second victims” of an adverse patient event or outcome through a team of Trained Peer Supporters. Second victims are healthcare staff who are involved in an unanticipated adverse patient event, medical error, or patient related injury and become victimized in the sense that they feel traumatized by the event. Caring 4 You is modeled after a nationally acclaimed, evidence-based program with proven success implemented by the University of Missouri Health System. Caring 4 You includes a team of staff from across the Excela Health system from a variety of locations and roles. These individuals have an interest in helping second victims and are willing to volunteer time to offer emotional first aid as the needs arise. Learn more
Primary Care Weekends Moving From Latrobe Hospital to Excela Square at Latrobe Primary Care Weekends will be moving from Latrobe Hospital to Excela Square at Latrobe on January 2. Services will still be offered on Saturday and Sundays. PRIMARY CARE WEEKENDS
Prayer-a-Thon for Excela Health Twenty-four hours of non-stop prayers will be offered for the Excela Health family and their patients, beginning at 6 a.m. on December 20, concluding at 6 a.m. on December 21. Hundreds of prayers will be offered during the 24 hour Prayer-a-Thon including scripture reading, traditional prayers, meditation, while others will listen to inspirational music. All prayers will be offered privately. The Westmoreland Hospital Auxiliary and the Latrobe Aid Society are hosting the community-wide prayer event. Participants include members of both the Aid Society and Auxiliary. Prayers are coming in from all around the region as well as Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, California and Indiana. Current and retired employees of Excela Health have joined the effort too. Anyone who’d like to join the Prayer-a-Thon, may do so at any time or in any capacity they wish, beginning at 6 a.m. on December 20, concluding 24 hours later. “We may be separated physically by the pandemic, but the power of prayer connects us all,” explained an Auxiliary member.
Excela Health Recognized in Tribune Review Best of the Best Excela Health is proud of our providers and thankful for the recognition.
Excela Westmoreland Hospital receives 1st place for hospital division in the Tribune Review Best of the Best
Support From Our Community “#besthomehealthagency Nice Job!! Starts from the top down!!” “Way to go Folks! Congratulations!” “Awesome! Congrats to the entire team!” “Dr. Avolio is wonderful.” “Dr Campbell is a great physician!!!”
Excela Health Home Care & Hospice receives 1st place for home health division in the Tribune Review Best of the Best
“Congratulations to Terry! He’s a wonderful therapist!”
Congratulations to the following Excela Health providers for being recognized in the top 3 in their categories in the Tribune Review Best of the Best.
Eric Campbell, MD Family Medicine Greensburg
Kim Avolio, DO Family Medicine Norwin
Terry Kerestes, PT Physcial Therapist Home Care & Hospice
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Excela Health Employee Referral Program Excela Health is hiring for a variety of positions. We offer a comprehensive benefit package and compensation package, tuition reimbursement/loan forgiveness opportunities and a variety of other employee friendly perks. When you refer a candidate and they mention your name as a referral either on their online application or during their interview, and if the candidate is hired and all guidelines have been met, then you will be paid out after the 6 month mark pending all qualifications are met.
How the Process Works During the application process the prospective hire will have two chances to make Excela Health aware of a referral. The first opportunity is a field in the application itself. When asked where the candidate heard about the position they can select ‘employee referral’ and input the employee name. The second opportunity is during the interview process. A recruiter will ask if the candidate was referred by a current employee. Note: There is no longer a survey for employees to fill out. If mentioned during the hiring process, then you will be paid out after the six month mark pending all qualifications are met.
Current Hot Jobs Refer your friends and receive an increased incentive for the current hot jobs. All other positions will be paid at the $500 bonus level. Full Time Acute Care Registered Nurse (Hospital) - $2,500 Full Time OR RN (Hospital) - $3,000 Full Time RN Cath Lab (Hospital) - $1,500 Full Time SSU/PACU Float Registered Nurse (Hospital) - $2,500 Full Time Behavioral Health RN (Hospital) - $2,500 Full Time CNC Behavioral Health Inpatient - $2,500 Full Time Clinical Nurse Coordinator (BSN) - $1,000 Full Time RN Nursing Home Support Behavioral Health - $2,500 Full Time CRNA - $3,000 Full Time EHMG LPN - $1,500 Full Time EHMG RN - $2,500 Full Time Medical Assistant - $1,500 Full Time Clinical Customer Service Liaison EHMG - $1,000 Full Time Neo Natal Nurse Practitioner - $1,000 Full Time Environmental Services Tech - $1,000 Full Time Surgical Technician - $1,000 Full Time Technical Partner - $1,500 Full Time Registered Nurse (Home Health) - $3,000 Full Time Physical Therapist (Home Health) - $1,000 *All referral bonuses will be paid after the referral has completed 6 months of employment. Any questions regarding referral bonuses should be directed to your human resources representative.
View all open positions at www.excelahealth.org/careers
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Employee Engagement PTO Sellback The December 2020 PTO Sellback will be honored and paid to those who have elected it in 2019. The money was paid in the December 3, 2020 paycheck. The PTO Sellback Opportunity for 2021 will also be offered. Forms can be found on the Intranet, here. Employees have the option to elect the 2021 PTO Sellback by December 31. For more information, please contact your manager.
EAP Update: Know Your Strengths Washington EAP services released a new online seminar free to Excela Health employees to acknowledge their strengths in and out of the workplace. This session guides the individual to think more with a “strengths mindset” to respond more creatively to challenges. For access to the webinar, click here and use the Work-Life login code “excela” and click on “Online Seminars” to find all available seminars.
Mandatory NetLearning Mandatory Education topics are assigned monthly beginning in July through June so to meet the regulatory requirements each year. Mandatory NetLearning can be found on EHWEB along the left hand side under ‘NetLearning’
Thomas P. Gessner, MD Healthcare Scholarship Applications
Lanterns of Hope Grace Hospital Lobbies Dr. Heather Walker and our marketing team devised these beautiful lanterns currently placed in each of our hospital lobbies in honor of all lives lost during the dark days of this pandemic. While we mourn those whom we have lost and work to care for those who are suffering, these lanterns remind us of the value in taking a moment to recall that:
“It is often in the darkest skies that we see the Brightest Stars. During this most special time of the year, it is difficult to reflect on the darkness of the pandemic and the toll it has taken on so many and in so many ways. Yet, during this season of light we remember that hope is the light that surrounds us and the light that dwells within us. And that only in the darkness can we see the stars”
The scholarship is awarded annually, up to $3,000, to an Excela Health employee currently enrolled in an accredited institution of higher education for one of the healthcare professions. Acceptable professions are those requiring education beyond an undergraduate degree. The deadline to apply for this scholarship is December 31, 2020. View the application here.
Westmoreland Hospital Auxiliary Basket Winners Westmoreland Hospital: Theresa Sarver, biomedical department Frick Hospital: Lisa Stefancic, practice manager Excela Square Frick Family Medicine
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New Faces Frick Hospital
EHMG
Emergency Department Casey Kalp, Health Unit Coordinator Laboratory Services Christine Smith, Phlebotomist Katie Smith, Assistant Laboratory Technologist Progressive Care Unit Amanda Billy, BSN Lisa Johnson, Technical Partner
Administration Brian Fritz, MBA, Vice President, Surgical Service Line Diana Herman, RN Anesthesia Latrobe Julie Richards, CRNA Family Medicine Connellsville Megan Hay, Medical Assistant General Surgery Greensburg Chelsea Echard, Patient Services Associate Internal Medicine Youngwood Kelly Kallmann, RN Obstetrics and Gynecology Greensburg Wendy Fox, Patient Services Associate Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Excela Square at Latrobe Shana Bosas, Patient Services Associate Excela Square at Norwin Lori Turnbull, Certified Medical Assistant Thoracic Surgery Mountain View Kaci Cramer, BSN
Latrobe Hospital Emergency Department Megan Gaffney, BSN Environmental Services Mark Galimberti, Environmental Services Technician Laboratory Services Cassandra Sanzi, Phlebotomist Nursing Pool Shannon Depree, Technical Partner Progressive Cardiac Unit Natalie DiPaolo, Graduate Nurse
Westmoreland Hospital Behavioral Health Inpatient Unit 1 Amy Elling, RN Emergency Department Danielle Schrock, BSN Food and Nutrition Services Daniel Dixon, Culinary Specialist Jacob Hirn, Nutrition Concierge II Medical Surgical Unit 4AB Haley Reed, RN Quality Services Janine Lee, Quality Abstractor Safety Services Cynthia Koontz, Respiratory Fit Tester
Outpatient Physical Rehabilitation Blairsville Nicole Perino, Physical Therapist Penn Township Joseph Wojciechowski, Physical Therapist
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Home Care & Hospice Home Care Dawn Joyce, Direct Care Partner
Excela Square at Norwin Imaging Services Samantha Sherry, Radiology Technologist II
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