u!
January/February 2013
the pulse
a publication for the Florida Hospital North Pinellas family
our emPloyees eXCellent. engaged. eager.
Congrats, FHnP! we got an “a”!
Carmelo VelasCo
a Journey From tHe PHiliPPines to tHe wHite House
wHat makes your Heart Beat? SHARE YOUR STORY...
Contact kate archer: kate.archer@ahss.org or (727) 943-3463
Paul Hoover
karen owensby
michael mewhirter
A New Year A NEW DAY I’m very excited to wish all of you a Happy New Year as we kickoff another year that is destined to produce more great success stories at Florida Hospital North Pinellas. In 2012, we accomplished many great milestones as an organization. It is hard to believe that only this last year we succeeded in implementing our electronic medical record system and computerized order entry system for our physicians and clinical staff. But, not only have we implemented these changes, we have truly established ourselves as leaders within AHS for how successful we have been in embracing this new technology in such a short amount of time. In fact, as of December 2012 we were awarded a Stage 7 designation by the HIMSS organization for our incredible dedication to a paperless system. I am proud to know that we are only one of two hospitals in Florida with this designation, and only one of 1.9% of hospitals nationwide that can claim this distinction. Our community has also witnessed our continuing dedication to quality, with our recent American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Silver Quality Achievement awards for heart failure and stroke care. Additionally, through the great efforts of our caregivers, we received an “A” in Patient Safety from the Leapfrog Group. All of these acknowledgements prove our team’s dedication to providing our community with a true health care partner and patient care advocate. While our patient care is of the utmost importance, it is also important that we acknowledge our own team members and share their stories and the news that affects all of us. I’m happy to launch this first issue of The Pulse, our brand new, bi-monthly employee newsletter, as an uplifting feature for the new year. This publication is designed to share the stories of our team members, to keep you informed about the latest in facility news, and to bring a positive message for your day. I encourage you to share your stories so that we can all share in the happiness and success of one-another. If you have any story ideas or submissions, please contact Kate Archer in our Marketing Department at kate.archer@ahss.org. Lastly, I want to personally thank each and every one of you for your contributions to our hospital in this last year. We wouldn’t be where we are now without your dedicated service. I look forward to taking the steps with you in 2013 that will allow us to continue to grow as an organization and provide the best in service, quality and care for our community. Wishing you all the best,
Bruce Bergherm President/CEO 2 1
get to know your docs! Visit the employed Physicians page on the arc’s wCmg team site.
recognition
emPloyee
Stan Rivell
Registation/Imaging Assistant and Transporter, has been an employee with the hospital since 2004. Stan was noted as being an “outstanding example of an exceptional employee” from Imaging Manager, Amy Scheffler. Stan is known for his kind, considerate, empathetic and gentle nature when transporting patients. He goes above and beyond when assisting patients and staff. Thank you, Stan, for all you do!
Candice Young
is an Environmental Service Aide and has been with the hospital since 2010. The TCU department is more than happy to see Candice’s smiling face each day. She is known to give extra TLC to each of the patients, addressing them by name, talking with them and reassuring them throughout their stay. Her standards for cleanliness are sky-high. “Candice sets the standard for excellent care,” says the TCU team. Thank you, Candice, for all you do!
Chris Fernandez has been with the hospital since 2011. Chris’ work ethic is absolutely superb; he arrives on time, is willing to stay late and cover shifts when necessary and never shies away from difficult situations. He is eager to learn more as he is attending school full time with the aspirations of becoming a Physician’s Assistant. “The entire hospital benefits from Chris’ exceptional care and compassion. He is instrumental in our excellent satisfaction scores,” says Brenda Roberts, ER Director. Thank you, Chris, for all you do!
SAVE THE DATE
First Tuesday February & March 5 3
Carmelo VelasCo
Fun FaCts
project on the differing countries around the world. Carmelo’s group is assigned the United States of America. In a not-so-delicate harmony, the sixth grade children stand and sing an old John Denver song… ..Country Roads, take me home To the place I belong West Virginia, mountain momma Take me home, country roads... 4
V__e_l__a_s__c__o
__________
______ Current artist: Joh n Denver B runo Mars Favorite Co lor: Blue Favorite sp ort to Play : Table Ten nis Favorite sp ort to watc h: American Football, G Favorite am o Bucs! erican Foo d: Mac-n-c heese dream Car: Lamborghin i Favorite
Carmelo VelasCo Has a Fond memory; PiCture it – Manila, Philippines a sixth grade boy doing a class
on: __C__a__r_melo
o
“Carmelo is one of the kindest
”
and most generous people I know, says Ryan Grella, Rehabilitation Services Director.
Carmelo came to the United States
to follow his profession. With a little push from his aunt, Carmelo decided to forego a career in Computer Science and instead become a physical therapist. There was a big demand in the 1990s that called for professionals in the field of physical therapy. With the opportunity for future advancement and the dreams of those ol’ country roads, Carmelo decided to move to the US. Over the years Carmelo has refined his skills, noting that a physical therapist must “be sensitive with [their] approach” because not every patient is the same. Carmelo has worked for our hospital for six years, however, this is not his first tour working with FHNP President/CEO Bruce Bergherm; the two used to roam the same halls at their previous jobs at our sister hospital, Fish Memorial. Carmelo looks forward to continuing his journey with physical therapy and seeing what other advancements in the field are to come.
Though he loves his life here in the United States, there are two things that Carmelo definitely misses about the Philippines: his family and the food. Despite the tasty menu items served up in the fabulous AllSpice Café, Carmelo believes Florida food (in general) leaves something to be desired. His wife of more than 10 years has introduced him to Pad-Thai, which seems to cure the taste for spice and flavor... for now. Carmelo‘s father has passed away, but his beloved mother still lives in the Philippines. When asked what his goals for the year were he said, “to go home and see my mom.” We hope Carmelo gets to visit her very soon and enjoy some fine Filipino food while he’s there. There is no doubt that Carmelo’s father, mother, careerencouraging aunt and wife are very proud of the man and the professional that Carmelo has become. To add to his list of accomplishments, on December 10, 2012, after twenty-one years of living in the United States, Carmelo Velasco became a US Citizen.
I asked Carmelo what it means to him to be a citizen of the United States. “Knowing you can make a difference, knowing you can vote and be a part of that freedom is a great feeling,” said Carmelo. “I was hoping to vote in November’s election but I wasn’t able to.” He experienced freedom in the Philippines but there’s something about having a voice here that is really special to him. He enjoyed all the banter on politics in the past year and went on to say,
“you never know,
one day I could run for office.”
5
AWARDS From left, front row: Christy Borkowski, Brenda Roberts and Bruce Bergherm. Back row: Francine Baia, Ray Ward, Kathy Fenelon, Regional VP, Quality and Systems Improvement for the American Heart Association, and Courtney Jack
Heart Failure? Stroke Care?
We’ve got you covered! We Got an “A”! “Patient safety is and always will be our focus here at Florida Hospital North Pinellas,” says Bruce Bergherm, as is evident in our recent award of an “A” for Patient Safety from The Leapfrog Group. For us to have received this award we have had to demonstrate our capacity to keep patients safe from infections, injuries, and medical and medication errors. We’re very proud of all of our employees who continue to put patient safety first. Leah Binder, President and CEO of the Leapfrog Group congratulates FHNP and says, “I look forward to the day when all hospitals will match [your] standard.” The Leapfrog Group provides information to the public so they can find the best facilities for themselves and their families, and protect them from medical errors, injuries, accidents and infections.
Way to go FHNP!
With receipt of our recent Get With The Guidelines®–Heart Failure Silver Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart Association, Florida Hospital North Pinellas has reached an aggressive goal of treating heart failure patients with 85 percent compliance to core standard levels of care. This showmanship from our team is a critical step in preventing recurrent hospitalizations and prolonging the lives of heart failure patients.
We also have been recognized with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award. With strokes, time lost is brain lost, and Florida Hospital North Pinellas has met the guidelines in providing a critical step in saving the lives and improving the outcomes of stroke patients. “We will continue our successful efforts by adhering to the guidelines of the American Heart Association’s programs so that we may ensure the care for our patients is always among the best in the country,” says Bruce Bergherm, President and CEO of Florida Hospital North Pinellas. A special thanks to Francine Baia, Ray Ward, Courtney Jack, Erin Possert, Ryan Grella, Brenda Roberts and Christy Borkowski for their hard work in getting us to these high levels of care.
We’re now HIMSS Analytics Stage 7
Since implementing 85 different systems to make the hospital go paperless, essentially, in February 2012, we have achieved great success in being awarded HIMSS Stage 7. This accomplishment elevates Florida Hospital North Pinellas as only the second hospital in Florida to accomplish this high level of technological integration and advancement. “The hard work of all of our employees to achieve this grand recognition boldly demonstrates all of our dedication to offering the highest quality and safest care to our patients,” said Karen Owensby. Of more than 5,000 hospitals, nationwide we join the only 1.9 percent of those to be held in such high esteem. Kudos also goes to our friends at Florida Hospital Flagler for achieving this high level of advancement as well. Our hospital will be recognized at the 2013 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition in March. 6
Happy Birthday to YOU!
S
bruary hment ogical strates
os also will be
ly utter Jel Peanut B Ray h it w Time
Chr
istin
Kelly is Pretty
e an d Pa Goo ul ďŹ ng Aro und
in Pink
FeBruary BIRTHDAYS
Beverly Washington................ 1 Hassin Alabadi........................ 1 Amanda Mathis.......................1 Ina Dawadi.............................. 2 David Marler............................ 2 Kyle Marton.............................3 David Fine................................3 Kathleen Randolph.................. 3 Shaunna Triantafillou.............. 3 Terry Holtz............................... 3 Bernadette Pompei..................4 Jill Martin................................4 Colleen Lewis.......................... 4 Lillawati Wagner..................... 4 Stephen Wills..........................5 Richard Chard.......................... 6 Stephanie Cormier................... 6 Bonnie Bancroft.......................7 Mark Villa................................ 8 Deborah Shapiro..................... 8 Tory Flood................................ 8 Dina Arata............................... 9 Christopher Delgado............... 9 Kelly Miller.............................10 Maria Vivas............................10 Maria Corrado........................11
Sandra Dake............................ 11 Elizabeth Swan........................12 Andrew Vaughan..................... 13 Jaime Gale.............................. 13 Goering Gonzaga..................... 15 Reginald Dorsett..................... 15 Elaine Hughes......................... 17 Phil Lake.................................. 17 Shayne Bourque...................... 20 Irwin Schindler........................ 21 Kelli Fidler............................... 21 Deedra Vecsey........................ 21 Vernon Elarbee....................... 22 Gigi Cabalan........................... 22 Katherine Hebert-Komarek.... 23 Glenn Lura.............................. 23 Jerry Morales......................... 24 Joy Nolan............................... 24 Gary Carter............................. 24 Julie Luecke........................... 25 Merle Barkley......................... 26 Alicia Greco............................ 26 Deborah Chrimes.................... 26 Arielle Lee.............................. 26 Juan Flores............................. 27 Richard Belsanti..................... 28
January BIRTHDAYS
Sean Fisher............................. 1 Christine Longley.................... 1 James Desmarais................... 2 Anne Fisk................................ 2 Ann Ullery............................... 3 Phyllis Richardson.................. 3 Edmund Latif...........................4 Terry Smither.......................... 5 Cynthia Bear........................... 6 Kay Livingston........................ 6 Janie Kopp............................. 6 David Santana........................ 6 Raymond Ward....................... 7 Kimberly Flowers.................... 7 Faith Lobianco.......................10 Carrie Hooey..........................10 Kimberly Meade....................11 Monica Ahern........................12 Amy Brenner..........................14 Melissa McGrantham...........14 Deborah Kozlowski...............14
se, Amy! Say Chee
Barbara Mazzant..................... 15 Martyna Dryjski...................... 16 Kelly Smith............................. 16 Christopher Hagler.................. 18 Tiffany Hansberry.................... 18 Christine Ellingson.................. 20 Nikki Green............................. 21 Dorothy Danna....................... 23 Barbara Twinney..................... 23 Melissa Rodelli....................... 24 Olivia Blaskvitch..................... 26 Cynthia Erlo............................. 26 Fred Peace.............................. 27 Alberta Calvin......................... 28 Nancy Nagel........................... 29 Jeanette Gialousakis.............. 29 Buck Hunt............................... 29 Kathryn Poage......................... 30 Piedad Toney........................... 30 Lonnie Law.............................. 31
Hap p Davi y Birth d M arle day, Do r, M c D, O ! B/G YN
d oo e G ie t a r Jul leb Ce ith w
es
Tim
7
keePing you in motion! A body in motion tends to stay in motion and the Rehabilitation Services team at Florida Hospital North Pinellas is here to keep you in motion. Our team tailors its treatments for each individual with the goal of getting the patient back to a healthy and active lifestyle. We offer a variety of rehabilitation services such as Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Language Pathology.
Front row: Carmelo Velasco, PT 2nd row, left to right: Sheryl Bohlender, Rehab Services Secretary, Bonnie Bancroft, PT, Tech, Gina Budalich, PTA 3rd row, left to right: Amy Brenner, PT, Rebekah Allison, PTA, Ryan Grella, PT, Kathy Beninati, PTA
Join Ryan Grella at a
HAPPENINGS
FALL PREVENTION FAIR at Freedom inn oF tarPon sPrings
FeBruary 7 at 2:00 pm
(727) 942-5000 I FHNorthPinellas.org
Healthy the Pulse editor: Kate Archer – kate.archer@ahss.org layout and design: Jackie Smith – jaqueline.smith@ahss.org
wHa
S
Contact ka