Foundation Impact Report 2011 by Faxton St. Luke's Healthcare

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Celebrating the Power of Philanthropy

Published Spring 2012

Dear Friends,

2011 was a year of impact, growth, transformation and celebration. Your support and generosity made a difference and is helping Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare (FSLH) provide the highest quality healthcare in our region. Several of our achievements are highlighted in this impact report and are made possible thanks to committed, philanthropic partners like you. Philanthropy is present in so much of what we do and we will rely on it even more as we look toward the future and begin to better understand the unprecedented financial challenges healthcare is currently facing. As you read this publication you will see how the power of philanthropy is transforming FSLH. From the influence of a grant, the caring hearts of our patients and their families, and the incredible difference individuals and organizations are making – it is truly something special. There are many more stories we could have shared with you, it was hard to choose only a few. One thing is for certain, the impact of your generosity is evident each and every day in the lives of those we care for. You are our strength and we are thankful for your generosity.

Sincerely,

Scott H. Perra, FACHE President and CEO Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare

Eileen M. Pronobis, CFRE Executive Director Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare Foundation

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The Power of One T h e L a s t i n g L e ga c y of Jo e Fi r s c h i n g

Words of wisdom from Joe Firsching: “Be early or on time for all appointments.” “Don’t turn the wheels of the car when it’s not moving.” “If you can’t afford it, you shouldn’t have it.” And, maybe his favorite, “Any day you get up is a beautiful day.” Known as Catfish Joe by the folks who used to wait on him at the former Hook, Line & Sinker restaurant; or Cider Joe by the people at Twin Orchards; or Turkey Joe by the staff at Piggy Pat’s BBQ, Joe Firsching was what people call “a character.” A retired knitting machinery company owner and an accomplished silver jewelry maker, Joe nearly always wore bolo ties — some he made himself. He ate at Carmella’s restaurant so often, they dedicated a booth to him. Once, Joe talked to a stranger outside a restaurant for 20 minutes. Years later, they still exchanged Christmas cards. Joe Firsching made an impression. At Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare, his imprint is indelible. “I think for us here at the hospital…he touched our lives in ways that are very difficult to express,” said Eileen M. Pronobis, CFRE, Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare Foundation executive director, who often had lunch with Joe in his booth at Carmella’s. “I’ve never met such a caring, humble individual.”

Meeting Joe Joe first came to The Regional Cancer Center for radiation treatment for cancer. Robin Abbass was his radiation therapist. “He was one of the most generous, happy people, even when facing cancer,” she said. “He recognized the Cancer Center as being a happy place. He liked to come and felt part of the family.” And when he was done with treatment, “he cried,” she said. “He didn’t want to be done. And we didn’t want to see him go.” Joe wasn’t gone for very long. Mary Kate Schuster, the nowretired director of the Cancer Center, said she began hearing about a patient who had been sending flowers twice a month to the staff at the center. And he’d made many of the nurses and therapists silver bracelets. Then, Joe made a phone call to Schuster. “He wanted to know who was running the show,” Schuster said. He also wanted to know what he could do to help. “The relationship just built itself,” Schuster said. “Over time, he would call and say ‘what do you need?’”

“He wanted to give back to them. He thought they were wonderful. At a time when he needed it most, everybody was there for him.” — Joanne (Firsching) Phelps, Joe’s daughter

Early on, it was the gift of a patient transportation van for the Cancer Center’s radiation program and IV “smart” infusion pumps that help prevent IV medication errors. Then, Joe’s donations built a staff lounge. Joe was very focused on helping future patients and the therapists and nurses who had cared for him. “He wanted to give back to them,” said Joe’s daughter Joanne (Firsching) Phelps. “He thought they were wonderful. At a time when he needed it most, everybody was there for him.”

A True ‘Caring Heart’ In the entrance to The Regional Cancer Center hangs a poster with a radiation oncologist holding the hand of a patient, both of them smiling, both of them wearing salmon-pink shirts and bolo ties. The poster introduces FSLH’s Caring Heart Program, which allows patients to recognize caregivers who have had an impact on them through donations of any size, and the caregiver is presented with a note and pin to acknowledge the honor. The patient pictured is Joe Firsching. He was the natural choice for the poster. “Few people continue to keep us in their minds and thoughts as frequently as he did after treatment,” Abbass said. “We made an impact in his life and he equally touched ours.” In fact, Joe became such a fixture at the Cancer Center that the staff threw him a surprise 80th birthday party. “We had told him it was a follow-up appointment,” Abbass said. “So we brought him in and he burst into tears.” There was food and a cake, and “we just sat around and talked about our favorite memories of Joe.” “He had a big, big heart,” said Carol Ritchie, RN, OCN, a nurse who cared for Joe throughout his treatment. “It truly was a pleasure and a privilege to take care of him.”

A Legacy On September 9, 2011, Joe passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack. Friends and family from all over came to his service. Managers and owners from Carmella’s, Piggy Pat’s BBQ and otherrestaurants attended; waitresses who’d served him, friends from the Cancer Center and his doctor’s office. Even his dentist, chiropractor and their staffs paid their respects. Perhaps one of the sweetest stories Phelps heard was that all of Joe’s “girls” at the Cancer Center wore their bracelets the day of his funeral. Not much later, FSLH learned that Joe had remembered the Cancer Center in his will. Everyone was touched, but not surprised. “He always thought about the staff and patients,” Pronobis said. “It was a wonderful way to leave a legacy and to make a difference in the care that we can provide to future generations.” “That type of giving will become even more important in the future for FSLH,” said Scott H. Perra, FACHE, president and CEO. As hospitals across the nation continue to see cuts from Medicare,

Medicaid and other insurers, individuals like Joe become essential. “We’re going to have to rely more and more on philanthropy,” Perra said. “Joe’s gifts allow us to provide the highest level of care to all of our patients who enter our Cancer Center.” All support from individuals, whether it be planned giving, modest donations, or volunteering at the hospital, make an impact. Joe is the perfect example, Pronobis said. “The types of gifts that Joe has given transform our ability to care for our patients.” Take, for example, the transportation van. It brings patients to and from radiation treatment when they have no other way of traveling to the Cancer Center. “We wouldn’t be able to do this — enhance and grow the program — without wonderful people such as Joe.” Written on the side of that van are the words ‘Thankfully gifted by a grateful patient.’ “And that was Joe,” Pronobis said. “He quietly wanted to do this, and one day I asked him why, and he said simply, ‘Because I can.’”

You don’t have to be a medical professional to save someone’s life. Joe Firsching made a difference. You have the same power. Learn how taking a small step toward planning today can create a healthier, safer community for future generations. Find out how you can remember Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare in your will and more about planned giving by visiting w w w. f a x t o n s t l u k e s . c o m / f o u n d a t i o n o r c a l l i n g ( 3 1 5 ) 6 2 4 - 5 6 0 0 .

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The Power of a Renovation O u r C o m mu nit y He l p s Ma k e A G ra n d E nt ra n c e As the greeter at the main entrance of the St. Luke’s Campus of Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare, John Weakley’s job got a little more fun since the lobby was recently renovated. Every year thousands of patients, visitors, employees and medical staff walk through the doors of FSLH and for many they are seeing the new lobby for the first time. “People walk into the lobby and then they stop,” said Weakley, who has been a greeter at FSLH for more than five years. “The look on their faces is priceless as they look from the beautiful gift shop, to Jazzman’s Café to the huge Adirondack mural on the wall. You can tell they really like the new look and atmosphere of the lobby and it is a great feeling to know their first impression of the hospital is a positive one.”

The newly renovated main lobby.

“As our hospital adapts to the new landscape of healthcare, we are so thankful for the relationships we have with our donors,” said Scott H. Perra, president/CEO. “Donor gifts allow us to improve our hospital especially during tough economic times. Their financial support has given us the opportunity to create a modern, beautiful lobby and waiting rooms throughout our hospital. The newly renovated areas help patients and visitors to relax and feel safe. We want the hospital experience to be the best it can be and a warm, restful environment helps to contribute to a sense of well-being.”

Renovated lobby ribbon cutting.

Main Lobby

Thanks to generous gifts from donors, the main lobby and the Emergency Department (ED) waiting room and pediatric exam rooms have been recently renovated and redesigned. A ribbon cutting held in December celebrated the donors whose generous gifts made these improvements possible, including Charles A. Gaetano Construction Corporation, Sodexo, Faxton St. Luke’s Volunteer Association, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, GreenScapes Garden Center and Landscape Company, Edwards Ambulance Service and First Niagara Bank.

The renovated lobby is more like a hotel lobby than one you would find in a hospital. Designed in an Adirondack theme, the gift shop, Jazzman’s Café, tile floors, warm colors, comfortable chairs and flat screen TVs create a more relaxed atmosphere for patients, visitors, medical staff and employees. Wireless internet access is also available in the lobby and throughout the hospital for patient and visitor use. “The scent of fresh coffee and baked goods combined with soft music playing in the background relieves some of the stress of visiting a loved one in the hospital,” said Matt Marchbanks, senior general manager of Sodexo, FSLH’s nutrition and environmental services provider. “Sodexo and FSLH have been in partnership since 1988 and have built a strong relationship based on the shared values of each organization. We both believe in the power of first impressions and the positive impact the lobby will have on our community members and patients.” FSLH has worked closely with Charles A. Gaetano Construction Corporation on many hospital construction projects, so when it came to renovating the lobby, brothers Bill and Brian were excited to be involved. Not only did they do all of the construction, but they were also one of the project’s major benefactors. “FSLH is a long time client of ours, so making a gift towards the new lobby was our way of giving back,” said Bill Gaetano, executive vice president of Gaetano Construction. “No one really enjoys going

to the hospital, so by renovating the lobby, we were able to provide a welcoming environment for people receiving care or visiting a loved one.” The new gift shop and information desk are staffed by volunteers, and Faxton St. Luke’s Volunteer Association was eager to support the project knowing it meant they would work in a new, conciergestyle atmosphere. “The renovation allowed us to expand our gift shop, which is a primary source of fundraising for the Volunteer Association,” said Jane Gwise, president of Faxton St. Luke’s Volunteer Association. “This project has been a win-win for all involved. Both the gift shop and information desk are wonderful areas for our volunteers to provide service and they are proud to welcome guests into such a beautiful space.”

To continue with the Adirondack theme and give the lobby an outdoor-like feel, GreenScapes Garden Center and Landscape Company gifted a plant garden visible from both inside and outside the lobby. “We donated the plant garden in memory of Dave Stedman, an employee at FSLH who worked at the hospital for more than 46 years and who we had the joy of working with for the past 20 years,” said Dennis O’Neill, owner of GreenScapes. “He was a wonderful man and everyone at GreenScapes had a great working relationship with him. Dave loved the outdoors so we knew the plant garden would be a great way to honor him.”

“As our hospital adapts to the new landscape of healthcare, we are so thankful for the relationships we have with our donors. Donor gifts allow us to improve our hospital especially during tough economic times. Their financial support has given us the opportunity to create a modern, beautiful lobby and waiting rooms throughout our hospital. The newly renovated areas help patients and visitors to relax and feel safe. We want the hospital experience to be the best it can be and a warm, restful environment helps to contribute to a sense of well-being.”

— Scott H. Perra, FACHE, president/CEO of FSLH

E m e r g e n c y D e p a r t m e n t Wa i t i n g R o o m a n d P e d i a t r i c E x a m R o o m s

The renovated waiting room in the Emergency Department (ED features an updated space with new furniture and a flat screen TV, allowing visitors to be at ease while their loved ones are being cared for. “In 2010, FSLH’s ED treated nearly 40,000 patients,” said Bonnie Woods, Division Trust executive and senior vice president at Bank of America and board member of the hospital. “Based on those statistics and my involvement with FSLH as a board member, I knew the ED was a very busy place where patients and visitors could benefit from renovations. Bank of America’s Charitable Foundation seeks to support local projects that have positive and broad-reaching community impact. What better way to do that than to help renovate the area that serves as the ‘front door’ to critical medical services for many in the Central New York area.” Two pediatric exam rooms were also renovated and feature an Adirondack camp-themed mural on the wall to help make pediatric patients and their families feel more comfortable during their treatment. “We wanted to be involved with this project because we thought it was a great idea to have the pediatric rooms separate from the rest of the ED,” said Gary Edwards, owner of Edwards Ambulance Service. “The ED can get very busy and children are so impressionable.

We were glad to be able to support this project so every child’s visit to the ED is a positive one.” The renovations to the second pediatric exam room were funded by First Niagara Bank. “We feel very strongly about supporting initiatives that benefit children, so when we were approached about renovating the pediatric exam rooms at FSLH, we knew the project would be perfect for us,” said Deborah Cotton, vice president and area sales manager of First Niagara Bank. “We strive to make our community a wonderful place for children to grow up and I believe our work with FSLH on this initiative helps improve the ED experience for children and their families.” FSLH is forever thankful for the support donors provide to our organization and programs. “We have a commitment to improving the patient, family, employee and medical staff experience at the hospital and these renovations help us to do just that,” said Eileen M. Pronobis, CFRE, executive director of the Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare Foundation. “We are very pleased that generous donors like the ones we honored at the ribbon cutting supported these projects. They make such a positive difference to healthcare in our community and we could not have done it without them.”

Surgery Reception Area As early supporters of renovations at FSLH, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local - 43 and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) gave FSLH a generous gift in support of the new surgery reception area at the St. Luke’s Campus. The reception area provides a comforting space for families to gather while their loved ones are in surgery. Designed in the same Adirondack theme as the

lobby, comfortable furniture, flat screen TVs and two private consultation rooms help create a more relaxed atmosphere for family members. As one of the first waiting area renovations at the organization, the improvements the IBEW Local - 43 and NECA’s donation made helped our other donors realize the difference they could make at the hospital and the positive impact they could have on our community.

“Our union members and signatory contractors are very proud to be a part of this facility,” said Pat Costello, president of IBEW Local - 43. “Our friends and families are fortunate to have FSLH in the area delivering world class healthcare to those in need. We know waiting for a loved one to get out of surgery is not an easy thing to do, so we are glad we could make the wait as comfortable as possible.”

The 2003 Chidrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Miracle Network Miracle home.

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The Power of a Miracle C e l e b ra t i n g 15 y e a r s of th e Mi ra c l e Ho m e P ro j e c t Joanne Abel and her family started buying Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Miracle Home tickets 15 years ago, the first year the drawing was held by Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare. When Abel’s son, David, was six years old, he fell off his bike and broke his leg. He spent 21 days in traction at the St. Luke’s Campus, and Abel said the child life specialist and nurses were wonderful to him. So every year but two, the Abel’s have purchased a ticket to benefit women’s and children’s services. “We figured it was something that we would do when we could to give back,” she said. In 2005, Abel won the Miracle Home. They were watching the drawing on TV. “The kids came screaming up the stairs… ‘Mom, mom, you won!’,” Abel said. “We screamed and we got in the car and we went over to the house.” Abel and her family still live in the home in Deerfield. She calls winning the Miracle Home a “bonus” because they were just happy to donate to an important cause. “If people buy tickets, the money stays right here to help local families,” she said. “That’s what I feel is the most important thing.” And every year, they still buy a ticket.

1 5 Ye a r s A g o In August of 1996, FSLH Foundation Executive Director Eileen Pronobis joined the organization. That October, after attending a conference that planted the seed, she proposed a fundraising project that kinder folks might call “ambitious” and others might call impossible: she wanted to give away a house to raise money for CMN to support women’s and children’s services at FSLH. Nothing like it had been done before by the hospital, or for that matter, by many places throughout the nation. But she was convinced it could be done. Former Foundation Board Member Rocco Arcuri set up a lunch meeting with himself, Pronobis, and members of Lewis Custom Homes, Inc., “just to talk.” They left that lunch with the first Miracle Home building lot donated by the Lewis family who agreed to manage the construction portion of the project, and a collaboration that would blossom into the Lewis family becoming indispensable partners and friends. “You always have to watch out for that free lunch,” joked Luke Lewis, owner/secretary of Lewis Custom Homes. But there were important reasons the Lewis family signed up to help so fully and continue to do so now nearly two decades later. “You give back to your community,” Lewis said. “We’re business people, landowners and residents. All my children were born at Faxton St. Luke’s. You see the services firsthand and you want to help make a difference.”

The Services Dr. Mapatunage Siriwardena (Dr. Siri as he is more affectionately known) is a neonatologist at FSLH, and he sees every day the ways money raised by CMN benefits women’s and children’s services. More than 2,000 babies are born at The Birthplace each year, which encompasses labor and delivery, post-partum, the nursery and the Level II Special Care Nursery. Equipment for The Birthplace, like warmers, incubators, bassinettes, monitors — even high-flow nasal cannulas to help new babies breathe better — have all been funded by donations. Currently, the nursery is looking for resources to help update and replace a telemedicine service used to assess cardiac problems in babies. The telemedicine access allows a Syracuse pediatric cardiologist, which the Utica area doesn’t have, to remotely consult, diagnose and advise on cardiologic issues in newborns through live video and audio feeds. That’s just the type of service — with a price tag of around $30,000 — that Miracle Home money can help provide, notes Dr. Siri. Resources like these allow more babies to stay at The Birthplace, with their mothers, rather than being sent to

“If people buy tickets, the money stays right here to help local families. That’s what I feel is the most important thing.” — Joanne Abel, 2005 Miracle Home Winner hospitals 50 or more miles away for treatment. “I’m happy to see babies get better and go home, that is the biggest reward you can get,” Dr. Siri said. “Without CMN, we would have a hard time providing these special services.” Jim Roberts, 2007 Miracle Home Makeover winner, said that seeing the impact of pediatric services is what reinforced he and his family’s desire to buy tickets each year. Roberts’ three-year-old granddaughter passed away in 2010. Although she lived out of the area and wasn’t treated at FSLH, their experience with her care made them dedicated to helping what he’s always felt was “a good cause.” Although they’ve already won a Miracle Home drawing, he stills buys a ticket each year. “And sometimes I buy them as gifts for my kids, too,” he said.

The Evolution The project grew. It was not even a decade old, and Miracle Home tickets were selling out and more vendors were asking to help. The first home was a ranch design in Kirkland, and more than 1,600 tickets were sold. Nearly ten years later, the number of tickets sold practically doubled and the opportunity to revamp the fundraiser was born. In 2007, with the enthusiasm of Pronobis, the Lewis brothers, the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of, the Mohawk Valley and the vendors who kept coming back year after year, the Miracle Home giveaway became the $100,000 Miracle Home Makeover. The change was rewarded with another sell-out year. Now, not only are entrants eligible to win a $100,000 makeover of their choosing for their own home or $100,000 in cash, it also

includes “earlybird prizes” featuring the specialties of several vendor participants such as decks, seamless gutters, windows, sheds and appliances. Tickets are still $100 each. “We kept evolving with the makeover, and now we just completed our fifth year,” Lewis said. “The community likes it and it’s demonstrated through their support.”

The Success “Likes” is probably an understatement. A maximum of 4,000 tickets for the $100,000 Miracle Home Makeover are available each year, and it consistently sells out well before the deadline. The number of vendors has increased from about a dozen the first year to more than 100 participants including electricians, plumbers, appliance dealers, media, pavers, insulators, landscapers and more who return to help annually, without having to be asked, and without whom, the project just wouldn’t be possible. All in all, the $100,000 Miracle Home Makeover has grown to be the single largest fundraising event for CMN at FSLH, and is just reaching $3 million for total money raised. Not too bad for an idea cemented over lunch just a few months into Pronobis’ tenure at FSLH. “It’s been fifteen years and look at all we’ve been able to accomplish,” Pronobis said. “When you step back and look at the changes we have been able to make and the impact we’ve been able to have in maternal and child services, it’s second to none. It’s the community, the Lewis family, the more than 100 vendors and all those who purchase a $100 ticket that I’m proud of. And I think for each and every member who’s part of our team, they have that same feeling of pride knowing we make a difference in the lives of families each and every day.”

Miracle Home ground breaking. Walking Meadows, Spring 2000.

Honor a Caring Heart Sometimes it just comes down to a certain someone who makes your time spent with Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare a little bit brighter. Someone who is really interested in how you are doing. Someone who listens to you. Someone you learn to trust. Someone you depend on to help you when you are in the hospital. Perhaps during your visit or a loved one’s you encountered someone who made your experience special. Take a moment and let them know how grateful you are. Give a Gift of Thanks! Make a gift in honor of a Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare physician, nurse or staff member who made a difference and share your story. Each caregiver will be recognized and receive a special Caring Heart pin, which they will wear to commemorate your generosity. All gifts will support patient services and programs in our healthcare system and enable us to provide the highest quality health care in our region. Inspired? Call (315) 624-5606 to honor a Caring Heart today.

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The Power of a Gift

G e n e ro u s D o n o r s He l p C re a t e S o l u t i o n s fo r L o c a l D i a ly s i s Pa t i e nt s

Three times a week, Howard Sears escorted his wife, Suzanne, to Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare where she received dialysis treatment. It was during these visits that Howard noticed patients and visitors were having difficulty opening the heavy doors at the Rome Renal Dialysis Center. Although hundreds passed through those doors each day, Howard was the first to ask if there was anything he could do to fix this inconvenience. “Not every patient’s family will look at how care is delivered and learns how it can be made better and wants to be involved in making it happen,” said Kelly Sheinman, director of the Renal Dialysis Program. For Howard and Suzanne, this was just the beginning of their involvement in improving caring at FSLH.

Suzanne Sears receiving treatment at the Renal Dialysis Center.

Destined for Dialysis In the early 1990s, Suzanne was informed that her health would require her to have dialysis treatments at some point in the future. “At that time, I didn’t really know what dialysis was,” said Howard. “It sounded like doomsday and we were thankful that she was able to avoid it longer than we had anticipated.” A decade later, Suzanne’s time had come. She fell ill while traveling in Europe with her son and was hardly able to make her return flight home. Within hours of returning to the Mohawk Valley, she was admitted to St. Luke’s Campus. “The first time she went to dialysis, it was a cold, rainy weekend,” recalls Howard. “When she came back to her room, they propped her up on a pillow and what happened in the next hour I will never forget. Her whole personality and demeanor brightened. It was like she was a light on a dimmer switch and the treatment just made her shine again. That’s my tribute to dialysis. It saved her life right then and there.” Suzanne continued to receive treatment at the Regional Dialysis Center and then the Oneida Dialysis Unit before eventually being assigned to Rome. The Sears felt fortunate that Suzanne was able to receive treatment in such a nice facility close to their home. Following her morning treatments and a brief rest, Suzanne remained a regular at the golf course. “She was the poster girl over at the Rome Dialysis Center,” said Howard. “Her blood work was always good and she was always upbeat.” The Sears were grateful for all that Suzanne’s dialysis treatments afforded them. “We wanted to do something because of our positive experience and what it did for Suzanne. At the time there were about 40 patients without assigned chair time at Rome. We wanted to help find a way to get these people in there. For us, the expansion was a no brainer.”

Ribbon cutting for the newly expanded Rome Dialysis Center.

Suzanne passed away in 2010 before the expansion was complete, but Howard has witnessed the difference their contribution made in the care of other dialysis patients in their community.

Expansion in Rome A newly expanded Rome Dialysis Center opened in July 2011 thanks to the generosity of The Rome Community Foundation, Hannaford Charitable Foundation, The Dorothy G. Griffin Charitable Foundation and Howard Sears.

The facility now has 16 patient stations, double the previous number, with radiant heating and heated chairs for patient comfort and a state of the art water filtration system. As the president of H. P. Sears Oil Company, Howard had an immediate interest in the water filtration system. “I know tugboats and terminals so I appreciate a shipshape situation when I see one,” he said. “I was impressed with the quality and craftsmanship of the filtration system and because it was in a medical facility, it was even better.” Water filtration is a critical necessity in dialysis units where large amounts of water are used during treatment. Any minerals and bacteria that remain in the water enter into the patient’s bloodstream. With impaired kidney function, patients are unable to filter out these impurities on their own making them susceptible to illness and toxicity buildup. “It’s fitting that Howard chose such an instrumental piece of the project to support,” said Eileen M. Pronobis, executive director of the Foundation. “I’ve never supported something with so much significance as the dialysis expansion,” he said. “It gave me my wife for an extra eight years.”

Caring Heart Program A picture is worth much more than a thousand words, especially the photo of Suzanne and her nurse, Anne Abbott, RN, taken for the FSLH’s Caring Heart Program which recognizes caregivers who go above and beyond. “The staff was a part of Suzanne’s life and she was a part of theirs,” said Howard. “She loved hear-

ing their stories and talking with them during her treatments.” “Suzanne and Howard were thrilled that she was going to be in the photo and that I was going to be in it with her,” said Abbott. “Suzanne was such a gentle, kind woman who cared about everybody. She was always concerned about the staff and other patients.”

Howard fondly recalls that he doesn’t have a single bad picture of Suzanne in his possession because she was as beautiful on the inside as the outside. He laughs and says, “I do have one sour picture because our granddaughter is showing Suzanne her engagement ring and it was bigger than hers, but even that’s a great photo.”

Why We Give First Source Federal Credit Union “First Source Federal Credit Union supports Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare because as a locally owned and operated organization, we are committed to improving the quality of life here in the Mohawk Valley. Our business partnership is one of our most essential affiliations. Quality health care is the foundation of our community’s success. The range of services and level of care provided through this organization is vital to every member of our community – at every stage of life. We know of countless employees and members that have experienced firsthand the value of the work that is provided here. We rest assured knowing that in our times of need, Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare is there. We are extremely grateful for this invaluable resource and will continue to show our support.” — Mike Parsons, President First Source Federal Credit Union

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A Business Partnership

E n h a n c i n g P ro g ra m s a n d S e r v i c e s T h ro u g h Pa r t n e r s h ip s Faxton St. Lukeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Healthcare Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Business Partnership Program builds philanthropic partnerships with local corporations and foundations. This partnership allows FSLH to grow and enhance programs and services, and is a great way to let your customers and employees know that your business seeks to help improve the quality of healthcare in our community. Each year more than 25 organizations participate in the FSLH Business Partnership Program. Thanks to their involvement, our Foundation team is able to build a strong ongoing relationship with not only the business, but its employees who are often seen volunteering at hospital activities throughout the year. We can help design a program that meets your philanthropic and marketing goals, while providing your business with recognition and visibility. To find out how to become a member of the Business Partnership Program, call the FSLH Foundation at (315) 624-5600.

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The Power of a Grant Tra n s fo r mi n g th e Way We C a re fo r O u r Ag i n g Po p u l a t i o n

A nurse helped 89-year-old Lewis Fields from his wheelchair into a reclining chair at the Regional Dialysis Center at the Faxton Campus of Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare. It was 7:30 on a Saturday morning and snow had fallen overnight. Fields makes this trip three times a week. He gets up at about five in the morning and is bussed from St. Luke’s Home, where he’s lived for three months, to the Faxton Campus. He’s looking forward to when he won’t have to travel to have dialysis. “It’ll make it a lot easier for everybody,” Fields said.

Jessie Cicchelli has lived at St. Luke’s Home for a couple of years. She also receives dialysis treatment at the Faxton

Campus. She joked she sometimes feels like she has to get out a sled to get there. “Last winter, when the weather was bad and schools were closed, we still had to go out,” she said. But she needs the treatment to live, she explained — there’s no other alternative.

Architectural illustration of future St. Lukeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Home and Continuing Care Services.

Groundbreaking for the HEAL grant expansion project.

Except, of course, to put a dialysis satellite right at St. Luke’s Home, which is exactly what will happen in late 2012 thanks to a $31.3 million grant from the state. “This is a blessing,” Cicchelli said. “For an elderly or rehabilitating population, this is huge,” agreed Kelly Scheinman, director of the Regional Dialysis Program. “It improves their quality of life drastically just based on the transportation and travel alone. This will be a very positive experience for our nursing home patients.”

But nursing home patients aren’t the only ones who will benefit from the extensive changes the Health Care Efficiency and Affordability Law (HEAL) grant will fund. The entire community will feel the impact.

$31,329,508 for Continuing Care In 2010, FSLH was notified that a state grant dedicated to alternative long-term care initiatives was available, but there was less than a month before the application was due. The timing, though, was perfect. “It coincided with many of the things we knew we had to do with our continuing care services but, for various reasons, such as lack of funding, we had not been able to do,” said Steven J. Brown, DM, FACHE, COO, and senior vice president of FSLH. The grant process was strict, intensive and time-consuming: multiple copies of the application were needed and every application detail was stipulated, right down to the size of the text. A team of FSLH personnel worked day and night to meet the deadline. Late in September 2010, FSLH learned that their hard work had paid off. “We were awarded 100 percent of what we asked for,” said Eileen M. Pronobis, executive director of the Foundation “We were the second largest award in the state of New York.” The HEAL grant will transform long-term and Home Care Services at FSLH, as well as the community it serves, by bringing all the services under one roof at St. Luke’s Home. “We’ve spent the past several years building a continuum of care with what we consider to be a strong set of rehab and home care services,” Brown said. “As strong as these entities are they were physically and, in some ways, operationally, isolated. This grant gives us the opportunity to have those services working together at the same place.”

The Transformation The HEAL grant’s impact is enormous. “In a lot of ways, it’s really a game changer for us,” said Scott H. Perra, FACHE, president and CEO. “We’ve been talking about this for several years, and it’s part of our strategic plan.”

Work has already begun on the physical changes made possible by the grant. • A two-story addition at St. Luke’s Home will house the Visiting Nurse Association and Senior Network Health • A single-story addition will house an eight-station dialysis unit • Adult Day Health Care services and other Home Care Services will also be relocated to the Home • Inpatient Rehabilitation will move from the Faxton Campus to St. Luke’s Home, placing acute and subacute services in one location • The purchase of additional telemonitoring units that monitor the vital signs, weight and other health factors of patients who live at home. “These changes integrate all the pieces together within our system, from acute care to post acute care,” said Mini Malhotra, MBA, MHA, OTR. Malhotra is vice president of Strategic Integration and oversees the services that will be housed at St. Luke’s Home. “It’s an incredible opportunity for our organization and also for the community to provide these needed services in one location.”

Integration of services reduces duplication of efforts and lowers costs — an important step for the future as healthcare costs continue to rise while funding sources are reduced. It also gives patients a “onestop shop” to turn to for care. “Our vision is to be the premier health care organization in the region,” Malhotra says. “This grant is like a dream come true because it gives us that opportunity.”

A Benefit for Patients The benefits of the grant extend far beyond the relocation of services. “The grant will allow us to improve the quality of care we provide and better manage patients with chronic disease,” said Malhotra. “Transitioning patients from one level of care to another was an important consideration. Having all these services in one location means that patients will see a higher level of coordination and continuity of their care. We are putting the patient at the center of all that we’re doing.” “The grant enables us to pull in all the components — inpatient rehab, Adult Day Health Care, dialysis, Home Care Services and the nursing home — and determine which service is the best fit for the patient,” adds Perra. “We provide them with this entire continuum of care.” The integration of all these services at FSLH means that it will also be easier to coordinate care with other health care resources in the community. “We’re looking to create a pathway to prevent nursing home placement through the coordination of care and management of chronic illness,” Malhotra says. Ultimately, home is where patients want to be if they can. “The patients do so much better,” she says. “They recover quicker and they are happier.”

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