Insight - 6/1/2023

INSIGHT

Keeping you connected. Expert Care. Here. JUNE

Announcing... Independence Health System

Excela Health and Butler Health System announced that their newly combined organization is Independence Health System.

“Last June, two like-minded, independent health systems announced their intent to come together with the goal of creating a new and distinct healthcare choice for patients in western Pennsylvania,” said Ken DeFurio, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Independence Health System. “On January 1 of this year we successfully formed the new organization. Independence Health System has a breadth and depth of services that make it indispensable to our patients and physicians.”

Independence Health System includes Butler, Clarion, Frick, Latrobe, and Westmoreland Hospitals along with numerous outpatient facilities. It is the third largest in western Pennsylvania. Independence Health System has 7,300 employees and more than 1,000 physicians and advanced practice providers, serving a population of 750,000.

Learn More

Kudos:

1,500 Robotic Surgeries Celebration

INSIGHT

Merger Info - Top 5 Questions

On the intranet(s) there is a link to submit Employee Questions about the merger. These questions are being compiled and as they are answered, the most frequently asked questions will be added to a Merger FAQ document, which will be available on the intranet.

Here are 5 of the most frequently asked questions:

Does the merger change my 403(b)?

No. The system name change to Independence Health System has no impact on the 403(b).

Is Butler Memorial Hospital’s name changing to Butler Hospital?

No. Butler Memorial Hospital will retain its legacy name.

Will we receive new name badges reflecting our new name?

Yes. New name badges will be forthcoming in the near future. Until then, you will continue to wear your current ID badges.

Will department scrub colors change?

There are no plans to change department scrub colors.

When will we see the signage change at our locations?

As you can imagine, this is not a process that can be executed immediately. You will see signs change over the coming months, with the first being hospitals and major outpatient campuses.

Additional FAQs will be available under the Merger FAQ link available on the Featured News/News sections of the Excela Intranet/Jostle.

How to Update Your Email Signature

One of the easiest ways to let others know about the new name for the health system is by updating your email signature.

Using the email signature generator will ensure that you are using the approved signature for the system. Click here to generate your signature. You must be on the network to complete this step.

After you generate your signature and copy to clipboard, you can open Outlook and create a new signature by pasting in your newly generated signature. If you need further instructions, click one of the links in the top section of the email generator page for step-by-step instructions.

Remember, only approved email signatures should be used for your work emails. Please do not include images of flags, badges, kittens, rainbows, flowers, etc.

Thank you for doing your part in building our new brand!

PowerPoint and Letterhead and Logos...Oh My!

Many of you have asked where you may find approved communications tools with refreshed branding. Our respective intranets each have a Communication Tools section, where you can find approved materials.

The formerly Excela employees can access on the Intranet page under the Marketing and Communications Department tab, click “Communications” on the left side page navigation and then click on “Communications Tools” on the top center of the next page. This will open a table of documents, templates and request forms which are pre-branded with Independence Health nomenclature.

The formerly Butler Health System employees can access on Jostle, click here.

These are common communications tools that will help you in your daily work, while helping maintain consistency in communications practices throughout the Independence Health System.

Please use only the materials found on these pages.

If you are having difficulty finding what you need, or you need a new document created please use the Marketing Project Request forms found here;

For former Excela employees, click here.

For former BHS employees, click here.

INSIGHT

Kudos & Recognition

Michael Sekhon, PharmD., VP of Ancillary Services was awarded a certificate of completion at the Leadership Westmoreland graduation ceremony, held in the Overholt Room in the Old Farm Distillery at the West Overton Museum and Village.

Leadership Westmoreland is a 9-month, tuition-based program open to individuals living or working in Westmoreland County, sponsored by the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce. Their mission is to empower individuals to learn, grow and lead. In monthly, full-day sessions that include site visits and dialogue with key decision makers, participants learn how the county operates, acquire insight into decision making and gain access to vital resources. More than 50 guest presenters participated, sharing their knowledge and expertise.

Congratulations to the entire Latrobe Hospital Thoracic team, including Thoracic Surgeons

Dr. Brian Lace and Dr. Michael Szwerc (standing left to right) for treating 1,500 patients with the daVinci robot. A small celebration was held at Latrobe Hospital in observance of the milestone event. Dr. Szwerc is one of the highest volume thoracic surgeons in Pennsylvania..

Kudos & Recognition

Deborah Warner, RN has been awarded the Clarion Hospital 2023 Linda Steiner-Mander Nursing Excellence Award. Deb was nominated by her colleagues in the Cancer Center and Emergency Department. Her career at Clarion Hospital spans over the past 25 years beginning as an RN in the Emergency Department and transitioning to the Cancer Center where she is beginning her 14th year. Many nominations were received for this year’s award but Deb stood out for her continued dedication and commitment to Nursing. Colleague Remarks: “We have had the pleasure of working with Deb for the past 15 years. Her patients find her to be caring, knowledgeable and dedicated to their wellbeing. She does so consistently and always (we mean always) with a smile on her face. She is gracious and humble and although some may say she is quiet, her actions speak for themselves. She is an amazing advocate for patients with cancer and we are truly blessed to have her as part of our team. “Deb is one of the most dedicated and caring nurses I know. I’ve worked with her in the ED and she was absolutely wonderful. She is so kind to her patients and they truly love her.”

June

l National Safety Month

l National Halthcare Recruiter Recognition Day I 6/6

l National Metabolic and Bariatric Nurses Day I 6/10

l Men’s Health Week I 6/12-6/18

l Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) Week I 6/14-6/20

l 46th Annual National Nursing Assistants Week I 6/17-6/24

l National Healthcare Risk Management Week I

INSIGHT

Mall Walkers

On March 25, 2023, the newly dubbed 'Independence Health System Mall Walkers' group met at Westmoreland Mall for a presentation by Dr. Cathleen Adams on Stroke Awareness.

The next Mall Walkers event will be on June 22, 2023, at Westmoreland Mall. If you or someone you know is interested in joining this group, please email Patti Buhl at pbuhl@excelahealth.org.

Learn More

2023 Craft ShowLooking for Crafters

Sponsored by the BMH Auxiliary, the 2023 Craft Show on Thursday, October 19 and Friday, October 20 is looking for crafters! Please submit your Fall Craft Show Application to reserve your spot. Limited tables will be available.

Learn More

Healing Garden

The Healing Garden at Westmoreland Hospital is a place that provides a quiet, healing environment for staff when needed. The plants and flowers are provided and maintained by the Westmoreland Hospital Auxiliary.

Third Year Medical Residents Win Best Project at Research Day

At a recent research day for Medical Residents, Third Year Medical Residents, Drs. Alexander Porter and Katherine McGowan, won the award for best project! Their Penicillin Allergy Skin Testing project was a collaborative effort that included Infectious Diseases Pharmacist Elaine Lowry, nurses Danielle Wade and Renee Seifert and the staff at Saltsburg Family Medicine location. The supervising physician for the project was Dr. Mike Dinger. The annual event included residents from Heritage Valley, Forbes, Washington and Cornerstone THC facilities.

The goal of the project was to de-label patients who had an allergy to penicillin or similar antibiotic. According to the CDC, 10% of the U.S. population reports a penicillin allergy, but less than 1% of the whole population is truly allergic. Removing a patient’s penicillin allergy offers the provider more antibiotic options when an antibiotic is needed. The test consists of 3 parts: scratch testing, intradermal testing and an oral amoxicillin challenge. The results of the scratch and intradermal tests must be negative in order for the patient to receive the oral amoxicillin. If at any time the patient has a reaction, the test is stopped. Drs. Porter and McGowan were in charge of recruiting appropriate patients, while Pharmacist Lowry prepared the drugs used for testing and helped nurses Wade and Seifert administer and interpret the results. The testing was done at the Saltsburg location under the supervision of one of the doctors and took approximately 2 hours to complete per patient.

The group was able to de-label some of the patients, but not all of them. Each de-labeling can provide for better antimicrobial stewardship in the future. The testing was free of charge thanks to funds received from Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Trust. This project was a great example of teamwork! Congratulations to all of those involved.

LAHAS Sneak Attack

The Latrobe Area Hospital Aid Society (LAHAS) sponsored a “Sneak Snack Attack!” on May 18. LAHAS purchased Gold Fish Crackers for the staff at Latrobe Hospital, Excela Square at Latrobe and Laurel Surgical Center to show their appreciation! Thanks for all that you do!

PIRATES TICKETS

Join your Independence Health System Employees for a special group outing on Saturday, August 26th.

Option 1: All You Can Eat Seats in the 200 Level Pirates Cove. For just $45 you can enjoy unlimited hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, popcorn, and fountain drinks. (Additional seats in the 200 Level have been added)

Option 2: Lower Level tickets in section 130 for $32 per ticket. Each ticket here includes $10 Loaded Value. *Loaded Value is good for food & beverage at PNC Park on 8/26 only.

Stay after the game for a post-game Skyblast Fireworks Extravaganza.

Must purchase through this link to all sit together Click Here to Purchase Tickets.

For questions or for groups of 10 or more, please contact Joshua Avart at joshua.avart@pirates.com or 412-325-4903.

HOW IT WORKS

n Select the area where you'd like to sit.

n Complete our easy purchase process.

n Share your personal invite link with friends and family. Invite them to join you.

n Enjoy the game with your group!