STAFF MATTERS
Update for Catskill Regional Medical Center employees, physicians and volunteers
May/June 2016
September/October 2015
A Message From Our Leader
Renovations Celebrated
There’s a lot happening at Catskill Regional Medical Center and it’s a great time to reflect upon our accomplishments. This summer, those who visit us in Sullivan County will see how we continue to make significant and positive changes - from more physical renovations both inside and outside, to new services such as the TIGR Television System and even Dr. Gerard Galarneau a new website and television commercial. CEO & CMO
Through the generosity of Robert Green Auto & Truck Inc., our hospital received a gift of $20,000. The company ran a promotion in which $100 from every vehicle sold in the first quarter was donated to our Honoring Our Past, Forging Our Future Capital Campaign that will fund continual renovations in many areas of the hospital. Most recently, we celebrated the completion of our newly-renovated main entrance and coffee shop. We enhanced patient services with the addition of the TIGR Television System: an on-demand patient education system which engages patients in their recovery by providing customized health education plans and hospital information to the patient via television. And as we continue our quest to improve the health of our community, we’ve launched a newly redesigned hospital website: www.crmcny.org. The redesign is a major step in an ongoing effort to improve the user experience, its search engine prevalence, mobile usability, as well as the comprehensiveness and relevance of site content. You might also have noticed film crews around the Medical Group offices and hospital the past few months. Our Marketing and PR Department facilitated the production of a television commercial for our Medical Center and Medical Group. The commercial is now complete and is being broadcasted on local cable stations, as well as online. Tune in to see your fellow employees. As our population increases and we see more patients during these warmer months, I thank you in advance for your commitment to providing quality healthcare to our community. Be proud of our advancements and continue to do your part in our continuous enhancements. Sincerely,
Gerard Galarneau, MD CEO & CMO
On May 17, Catskill Regional received a $20,000 donation from Robert Green Auto & Truck Inc. The company ran a promotion during the first financial quarter of 2016, in which $100 from each vehicle sold was donated towards our Honoring Our Past, Forging Our Future Capital Campaign. The donation was received at a ribbon-cutting ceremony held for the newly-renovated main entrance and coffee shop. Board members and staff gathered in the lobby to be a part of the celebration. For more information on how to donate to the Catskill Regional Capital Campaign, visit www.crmcny.org/capitalcampaign.
GHVHS Medical Group
Update
NEW and IMPROVED communication! In an effort to keep all GHVHS employees and physicians apprised of what is happening across all Medical Group locations, this new GHVHS Update has been created. If you have news for consideration, please send it to jdefeis@ormc.org.
Dr. Abdul Shazad Honored For Leadership Catskill Regional Medical Group's General Surgeon, Abdul Shahzad, MD, was presented with the Leadership Award at the 2016 Physician Appreciation Dinner hosted by Catskill Regional. The Appreciation Dinner allows Catskill Regional to publicly recognize members of its medical staff for their commitment to medical excellence. Catskill Regional's Board of Directors and Executive Management team hosted the business event at Bernie's Holiday Restaurant. Each year, a physician is chosen by peers for the Leadership Award. The Leadership Award recognizes involvement in the development of new or enhanced medical programs, promotion of staff education within the physician's field and professional excellence.
Catskill Regional Auxiliary’s Annual Health and Wellness Fair Members of Catskill Regional Medical Group showed their support at the Grover M. Hermann Hospital Auxiliary's free Health & Children's Fair. From L to R: Physical Therapist, Megan Wessman; Medical Assistant, Elizabeth Cintron; Interim Catskill Regional Medical Group Medical Director, Dr. Lauren Roman; Vice President Patient Services and Chief Nursing Officer, Roland Bojo (pictured in overalls as Director of BBQ Services); Practice Administrator, Deb Martin and Receptionist, Nina Gorton.
Hercules Fitness Challenge Members of Orange Regional Medical Group's Primary Care offices participated in the Hercules Fitness Challenge: a 5K and 10 road race with obstacle course. The Challenge offered fun for those who wanted to compete or just wanted to attain a personal goal.
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2016 Arthritis Walk Orange Regional Medical Group's Board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Eric Martin proudly represented at the 2016 Arthritis Walk at Thomas Bull Memorial Park on May 21.
Leading The Way Walter Szpakowicz has been promoted to Nursing Professional Practice Quality Manager. Walter joined Catskill Regional in 1988 when he began his career as a Nursing Assistant in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), before becoming an EKG technician and respiratory therapist. Walter has had many professional nursing experiences from working as a nurse in the ICU and Emergency Department as well as House Supervision in another healthcare facility. In 2006, he assumed the position of Admissions Nurse and since 2009 has performed the role of discharge nurse. Walter has been an integral part of the successful discharge for countless patients. In his new role, Walter will oversee Catskill Regional quality initiatives such as stroke coordination, the national database of nursing quality indicators, the New York State Partnership for Patient Safety Initiatives and other hospital initiatives that will promote quality care. Walter graduated from Orange County Community College with an Associate’s degree in Nursing and is currently working on his Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing.
Congratulations Catskill Regional Medical Center Chief Executive Officer and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Gerard Galarneau, was presented with the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Achievement Award. Dr. Galarneau, along with other local recipients, were honored at the annual Chamber Pride Awards at the Villa Roma Resort in Callicoon. The Annual Distinguished Achievement Award is one of four countywide awards given by the Chamber. The honorees are nominated by members of Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce and selected by a committee of past businesspersons and Chamber Board of Directors. From L to R: Catskill Regional Medical Center Chief Executive Officer and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Gerard Galarneau; Evan Allees of the Pickled Owl; Brynn Allees of the Pickled Owl; Les Kristt of Kristt Kelly Office Systems; Franklin Trapp of the Forestburgh Playhouse and Jeff Siegel of Spencer Daniel’s Agency.
The Greater Hudson Valley Health System has received national recognition from the 33rd Annual Healthcare Advertising Awards. The competition, judged by a national panel, recognizes healthcare organizations that showcase exemplary quality, consumer appeal and effectiveness in the areas of marketing and public relations. This year, Catskill Regional Medical Center, Catskill Regional Medical Group, Orange Regional Medical Center and Orange Regional Medical Group, were acknowledged for a total of 15 Healthcare Marketing Awards, marking another impactful year for the hospitals and medical groups and the work of the Marketing and Public Relations Department. Among the various awards, Orange Regional Medical Center was the recipient of a Gold award for the Hospital’s Orthopedic radio spot, and two Silver awards recognizing both its Nursing Annual Report and its employee newsletter, Connections. Orange Regional Medical Group was also the recipient of a Gold award for its Hospitalist Recruitment Program collateral.
From L to R: Digital and Social Media Marketing & PR Specialist, Victoria Lange; Medical Group Marketing & PR Director, Jolie DeFeis; Marketing & PR Director, Marcy Manheim; Marketing & PR Executive Director, Rob Lee; Community Outreach Marketing & PR Specialist, Dominique Mohansingh; Marketing & PR Senior Specialist and Media Liaison, Lauren Kropf-Zuckerman; and Marketing & PR Coordinator, Whitney Fors.
Healthcare Advertising also recognized Catskill Regional Medical Center with a Bronze award in the online ad category, distinguishing the Hospital’s Breast Cancer Screening Facebook Carousel Ad. Catskill Regional Medical Group also received a Bronze award for the Group’s “We Got the Memo” campaign, within the Total Integrated Campaign category. 3
Sullivan County’s EMS Responders Appreciation Event On May 13, Catskill Regional gathered at The Sullivan in Rock Hill to honor all of Sullivan County’s EMS volunteers and personnel at the annual First Responders Dinner. The hall was packed with members of many first responder organizations from the county as well as members of the Catskill Regional Board and staff members. A good time was had while celebrating the incredible work that these hometown heroes do.
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CRMC’s New Website! As Catskill Regional continues its quest to improve the health of our community, we officially announce the launch of the newly redesigned CRMC web site: www.crmcny.org. The website redesign is more than just a change in the look of the website. It is a major step in an ongoing effort to improve the user experience of its search engine prevalence, mobile usability, as well as the comprehensiveness and relevance of site content. The role of the Internet as a source of health information to consumers has been studied numerous times in the past several years. In 2013, a survey conducted by the Pew Internet Project saw that 72% of respondents reported using the Internet to look for health information within the past year. The most commonly researched topics were on specific diseases, conditions, treatments or procedures, and searches for doctors or other health professionals. Each day, approximately 1,300 people visit the CRMC website (that’s about 40,000 visitors per month.) The new website will be even more accessible to our community, better display the capabilities of our hospital and spotlight our experts. The goal of the new website is to continue to be a resource to our community in this digital age and to foster a positive experience/relationship with our patients - before they even walk through the door. Please note the new location of the “For Employees” forms and information page, www.crmcny.org/for-employees, located at the footer of the website.
TIGR System Engages Patients Catskill Regional enhanced patient services with the addition of the TIGR Television System: an on-demand patient education system which engages patients in their recovery by providing custom health education plans and hospital information to the patient bedside television. The TIGR system, which can be accessed on the television in each patient room at Catskill Regional, acts as a hub for pertinent information for patients and their visitors, including parking and food service options, while also providing on-demand health education. Patients and their families want more information about their diagnosis, treatment and recovery and, with the addition of the TIGR system, information is delivered in an interactive way which empowers patients to be more informed. For more information on the TIGR system, contact Communications Manager, Linda Schwartz, at 333-0001 or lschwartz@ormc.org.
Catskill Regional Parking Lot And Road Repair Project Featured In Article Here’s an interesting article about our parking lot and road repair project. To view the article, visit http://mypavingpro.com/full-depth-reclamation-stabilizes-hospital-base/
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National Laboratory Professionals Week The Laboratory team at Catskill Regional does its best to report out accurate results. Each employee plays a role in the Lab process – from drawing blood, performing testing, resulting and analyzer QC & maintenance. Diagnosis and treatment determinations are made 70% of the time due to Lab results. Did you know that the Lab performs nearly 1 million tests per year? There are over 100 quality measures performed and over 90% of these measures meet or exceed expectations. The Lab staff is dedicated and hardworking with the patient’s best interest at heart. Our Lab staff also participates in many local events and fundraisers. They are truly dedicated to our community.
Catskill Regional Attends Sullivan Renaissance Conference On March 5, Catskill Regional staff attended the Annual Sullivan Renaissance Conference, representing many different areas including Wound Care, Diabetes, Cardiac, Breastfeeding, RISE and Bariatrics. Sullivan Renaissance is a beautification and community development program principally funded by the Gerry Foundation. The program provides communities in Sullivan County with seed money for beautification projects. A limited number of proposals are funded each year under a competitive process overseen by the Sullivan Renaissance program.
Catskill Regional’s 11th Anniversary Blood Drive Catskill Regional celebrated its 11th consecutive year of regular blood drives on the second Wednesday of each month. This is quite an accomplishment! We collected 22 units and had many community members and Catskill Regional staff donate blood. Without these wonderful volunteers, we would not have blood when we need it. We thank everyone who makes this possible. The American Red Cross presented appreciation certificates to our loyal supporters: • The Sullivan County Democrat Thunder 102 FM radio (Bold Gold Media) • Catskill Regional volunteers Linda Imoor and Eileen Ernst Catskill Regional also received a beautiful blood drop shaped Lucite statue for years of dedication to collecting blood units. 6
News Flash Flu Season Ends The 2015-2016 Influenza season is officially over. Those who were not vaccinated can now remove their masks. Please be aware that we may still see patients with influenza so be vigilant and wear your mask if you think you need to. Thank you to everyone for keeping our patients and each other safe during this short but intense flu season.
'Celebration of Life' Oncology Social Catskill Regional’s Cancer Care Center hosted its annual ‘Celebration of Life’ Oncology Social on June 9 in honor of National Cancer Survivors Day. The free event was open to Catskill Regional patients who have been diagnosed with cancer, are in treatment for cancer or have completed cancer therapy. National Cancer Survivors Day is an annual, worldwide celebration of life that is held in hundreds of communities throughout the United States, Canada and other participating countries. Participants unite in a symbolic event to show the world that life after a cancer diagnosis can be a reality.
Our Condolences It is with deep sadness and sorrow that we announce the passing of Cindy Beach, LPN. Cindy was a member of our Callicoon hospital family for over 20 years. She was extremely passionate about everything in her life; her nursing career, her family, and even her country. She was courageous and always positive with her long battle with her illness. She will be greatly missed by all of us. Please keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers. It is with heartfelt sorrow that we announce Barbara Kirk, our per diem physical therapist in Callicoon and a long-time member of our Catskill Regional rehabilitation team, recently passed away after a long battle with illness. Barbara was an exceptional therapist and colleague and she will be missed tremendously by all. Thoughts and prayers are with her and her family during this time of sorrow. 7
38th Annual Golf Classic
Catskill Regional’s Foundation will hold its 38th Annual Golf Classic on July 13 at the Villa Roma Resort in Callicoon. Local golfers and sponsors are invited to tee up in support of the Hospital’s mission of providing exceptional healthcare to our community. 11:00 a.m.— BBQ lunch and registration 12:00 p.m.— Golfers tee off 5:00 p.m.— Cocktail hour followed by a buffet dinner and awards Catskill Regional’s Golf Classic serves as one of the Hospital's primary fundraisers. Obesity continues to be a major heath concern in Sullivan County. Proceeds from this year’s event will be used to support the new Bariatric Surgery program. Registration is $175 per golfer and includes the greens fee, golf cart, breakfast, lunch, golfer gift, awards reception/dinner and several opportunities to win prizes. Those who wish to attend the dinner only can do so for $75 per person. Sponsorship opportunities are available at all levels. To register or to become a sponsor, call 794-3300, x2104 or visit www.crmcny.org/golf.
We're Celebrating!
Please join us for a special employee celebration in recognition of our increase in patient satisfaction scores
Annual Holiday Party
Saturday, October 22, 2016 Bernie’s Holiday Restaurant Rock Hill 6:00 p.m. Masquerade Apparel (optional)
More information to follow! 8
Harris Campus Thursday, July 7, 2016 Woodland Wildlings Garden - Under the tent 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Catered feast to include upscale BBQ & Clambake Live Band, Magician and more! Night shift: A catered feast will be delivered to your units. Callicoon Campus Thursday, July 7, 2016 Cafeteria 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Catered Italian feast We encourage Hospital employees who are off to stop by and partake in the festivities!