Connections - February 2019

CONNECTIONS February 2019

An award-winning newsletter for Orange Regional Medical Center employees, physicians and volunteers

From The President & CEO

Little Hats, Big Hearts

I am pleased to announce that Healthgrades®, the leading online resource for information about physicians and hospitals, has named Orange Regional Medical Center as one of America’s 250 Best Hospitals™! Orange Regional is one of only seven hospitals in New York to be a 2019 recipient of the America’s 250 Best Hospitals Award and is the ONLY hospital in Orange County to be honored in this category. We are rated among the top 5% of more than 4,500 hospitals in the nation, which is recognition of our excellence in clinical outcomes.

It is also with great pleasure that I share with you that the Greater Hudson Valley Health System has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as one of the 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies®.

GHVHS is one of only six honorees worldwide in the non-profit healthcare providers industry earning this honor, underscoring our commitment to leading with integrity and prioritizing ethical business practices.

We continuously work toward a culture of excellence that drives our progress in delivering exceptional healthcare. I’m proud of these recognitions and you should be, too. These recognitions reinforce our commitment to our patients and the community we serve.

Thank you all for what you do each and every day. Keep up the great work!

Sincerely,

Scott Batulis, President & CEO

Orange Regional partners with the American Heart Association (AHA), in connection with The Children’s Heart Foundation, for the “Little Hats, Big Hearts” Program during February - American Heart Month to help raise awareness for congenital heart defects.

Every baby born at Orange Regional during February received a little red hat. American Heart Month aims to raise awareness of heart disease, the number one killer of American men and women, and Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) Awareness Week, which focuses on congenital heart defects, the most common type of birth defect in the country. Congenital heart defects are structural problems with the heart present at birth. They result when a mishap occurs during heart development soon after conception.

The AHA put a call out to knitting and crocheting enthusiasts in December, and little red hats came pouring in from all over the region. Some parents of children born with congenital heart defects send hats in, as well. Some donate hats in memory of those lost to heart defects.

February Is American Heart Month

Are You Living Heart Healthy? Be sure to exercise, keep a healthy diet and get plenty of rest!

CONNECTIONS

Greater Hudson Valley Health System Medical Group Update Introducing Pulmonary Services At CRMG Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine services are now offered through Catskill Regional Medical Group. Murali Krishna, MD, Aamir Gilani, MD, Samer El Zarif, MD and Karthika Linga, MD now provide these services at Catskill Regional Medical Center.

Samer El Zarif, MD

Aamir Gilani, MD

Murali Krishna, MD

Karthika Linga, MD

Urgent Care Medical Director Rona Heublum-Colton, MD Featured In The Journal Of Note

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Rona Heublum-Colton, MD Urgent Care Medical Director, Rona Heublum-Colton, MD, recently spoke with the Orange Sullivan Journal about the difference between urgent care and the emergency room. She offered some great information on the benefits of urgent care and when to visit the urgent care versus the emergency room.

Emergency Room... or Urgent Care? t wasn’t until recent history—in as the 1960s—when Emergencyfact, it was as recent Medicine became an academic specialty.

Pioneering doctors around the country independently recognized the need for emergency medicine, which led to the creation of emergency department s that provide lifesaving procedures, 24 hours a day.

These departments are now universally identified by a telltale red sign with the words “Emergency Room” in white text.

In the 1970s came the advent Many people do not understandof urgent care facilities. the difference between the two.

We asked Dr. Rona Heublum-C tor of the Greater Hudson Valleyolton, the Medical Direcgent care facilities, to help explain.Health System’s two ur“The biggest difference,” Colton the illness or injury. For anythingsaid, “is the severity of life threatening, such as a heart attack, stroke, or appendiciti s, for example, the emergency room is the place to go to, either on your own or by ambulance. But for standard mediate attention—at the urgent issues that require imcare—you just walk in.

It’s similar to going to your own doctor, but without an appointment.

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“Some common issues that we treat are colds, flu, sore throats, sprains, strains, and minor hospital’s emergency room, urgent lacerations. Unlike a cares typically do not

have sophisticated diagnostic equipment such as CT Scans or MRIs. But because our urgent cares are connected to our hospital, should the need arise, we can easily transfer the patient there.

“Both locations that I direct, the cal Group Urgent Care, which Orange Regional Mediis in Middletown, NY, and the attached to the Hospital Catskills Regional Medical Group Urgent Care in Monticello, NY, are certified by the Urgent Care Association of America,” “This is a very distinguished certificationcontinues Colton. .”

“Another difference between us and the emergency room,” she noted, “is that while we do see both children and adults, a baby less than three months quirements and should be evaluated old has unique reby their own pediatrician or at the ER.

Still Life

“One day, we had a patient come sore throat. I examined him and in complaining of a He was referred to a cardiologist heard a heart murmur. heart valve replacement. He wouldand a month later had a he had a heart problem if he hadn’thave never known that made the decision to come to urgent care,” Colton concluded.

“Our state-of-the-art facilities are ing holidays and weekends, from open 365 days, includcosts are always less than the ER,”8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and our less hectic environment, and our said Colton. “We offer a ly shorter, but I counsel people wait times are significantto use their Journal Entries the Upper Delaware River Region • Serving PA, NJ & NY bestofjudgment when prioritizing their emergency treatment decision.”

February • March 2019

Showing Our Support Catskill Regional Medical Group staff supported American Heart Month by wearing red on February 1.

Callicoon Primary Care office: Alyssa Bowers, Receptionist and Elizabeth Cintron, MA.

Livingston Manor Primary Care office: Alicia Rogers, LPN, David Morcos, DO, Karen Stone, MA and Kate Papa, Receptionist.

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FEBRUARY 2019

Being Exceptional Everyday Dax Kruger, 2018 BEE Employee Of The Year

Left to Right: Director of Environmental Services, Joseph Adonnino, Environmental Service Worker, Dax Kruger and Vice President of Support Services & Real Estate, Stephen Sugrue.

Environmental Service Worker, Dax Kruger, is Orange Regional’s 2018 Employee of the Year. The Being Exceptional Everyday (BEE) Employee Recognition Program acknowledges the outstanding performance of Orange Regional’s staff for its positive impact on the quality of patient care services.

Dax always makes a great first impression and does his part to provide an exceptional experience. He is kind, caring and thoughtful. He greets everyone inside the Hospital with a smile and is willing to help anyone at any time. Employees, patients, their family members and visitors have complimented his consistent hospitable manner.

Dax’s excellent customer service was especially noticed in July 2018, when he realized that a patient was in the wrong area of the Hospital and personally escorted her and her family to where they needed to be. Along the way, Dax reassured the patient not to worry - they would not get lost under his guidance. He took the time to lead them and this simple action had a profound positive effect on the patient’s experience.

“This occasion speaks to Dax’s everyday character and his compassion for others. He exemplifies Being Exceptional Everyday,” said Vice President of Support Services & Real Estate, Stephen Sugrue.

Dax received a check for $1,500, a BEE gift basket, a certificate, lunch with his team and will be recognized at the Hospital's Employee Awards Dinner in May. Patients, visitors and employees can nominate Orange Regional Medical Center staff members for a BEE Award. Send all nominations to BEEaward@ghvhs.org. For more information on Orange Regional's career opportunities, visit www.ormc.org/careers.

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Welcome New Employees Stephanie Arroyo Marisol Babilonia Kylie Baker Denise Bambinelli Andrea Barrow Ashia Bello Martha Betancourth Adrienne Burney Christen Conroy Darrigan DeMattos Michael Eligon Lauren Ercolino Lesly Estiverne Jennifer Ferrera Romero Jo-Ann Floridia Colleen Gonzalez Emily Gonzalez Ruth Gonzalez Reynaldo Hernandez Victoria Holmes Irfan Hoque Cheryl Hunt Rosemarie Hunter Jessica Janisheski Richard Juengling Ashley Kerstanski Jeannine Kostelnik Mirjeta Kukaj Guerline Lafontant Ashley Lyons Antonio Matos Kaitlin McGrath Claudette Mckenzie Megan Medley Bria Middleton Ryan Miller Davisha Moffett Justin Morgan Edgar Nieves Aaron O Connell Nastenka Ovalle Lolita Persaud Raquel Pitcher Nelson Polanco Aaron Ramcharitar Cornelio Rodriguez Robert Rosenfeld Victoria Sozio Brianna Sturans Ferdinand Teye Shireka Thomas Ezequiel Valentin Breanna VanDyk Monica Vicente Katherine Villone Victoria Weir Falice Williams

CONNECTIONS

Culture of Care And Compassion Below is a letter from the wife of a patient who thanked and recognized our staff for going above and beyond in caring for her husband.

“In July 2018, my husband, Tom, had increasing right leg weakness and clinicians thought he may have had a stroke. Our doctor admitted him into Lutheran Care Center in Poughkeepsie for physical rehabilitation, but he did not progress. He was discharged to go home, but was unable to walk.

Soon thereafter, I took Tom to the Emergency Room at Vassar Brothers Hospital because he had uncontrollable and involuntary leg movements. They did an MRI and it showed he had severe compression of the spinal cord at the cervical level. By this time, he was unable to move his legs and his arms were getting weaker by the day. Physicians said if they didn’t operate on him right Tom Goodwin away, he could become a quadriplegic.

Tom went into surgery at Vassar on August 20 for a laminectomy and fusion of C6-7. His surgeon wanted him to recover in a spinal rehabilitation facility, but it was difficult to find the right provider because Tom is also a dialysis patient.

With some searching in Orange County, Dr. Rachael Colvin and Dr. Vincent Gulfo admitted Tom into Orange Regional and the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit worked a miracle. He was admitted on August 30 and discharged on October 13, 2018.

Although he spent 7 weeks in your facility, we are grateful for the care and compassion shown to us each and every day during Tom’s treatment. We are especially thankful, as we reside in a different county and because Tom had extenuating circumstances. We are happy to say that Tom has continued with home care and is doing much better now. If it wasn’t for the Rehab team at Orange Regional, we believe Tom may not have been able to walk again."

Sincerely,

Annette Goodwin

Coming Up Daisies

Congratulations to Orange Regional’s recipient of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, Sarah Huckabone, RN. Thank you for being such a wonderful caregiver! DAISY Award honorees personify Orange Regional’s remarkable patient experience. Nurses who demonstrate nursing excellence by providing exceptional patient care in a progressive, dynamic and healing environment can be nominated and winners will be recognized as outstanding role models within our nursing community. To nominate a nurse for the DAISY Award, visit www.ormc.org/daisyaward.

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FEBRUARY 2019

Leading The Way Stephanie Bonanno, RN is our new Breast Cancer Patient Navigator. Stephanie has been with Orange Regional since 2003 as an Infusion Therapy Nurse and will now use her knowledge to help guide breast cancer patients through their treatment. Stephanie can be reached at sbonanno@ghvhs.org.

Sara Sargente, RN is our new Gastrointestinal Cancer Patient Navigator. She helps guide gastrointestinal cancer patients through their treatment. Sara has been with Orange Regional since 2005 and also acts as our Head & Neck Cancer Patient Navigator. Sara can be reached at ssargente@ghvhs.org.

Chief Nursing Officer, Lisa Oldham, presented as a panelist at the American Society of Health System Pharmacists mid-year meeting where she spoke about diversion and addressing the opioid crisis. Lisa, who was joined by Pharmacy Manager, Maria Russo, was among 25,000 pharmacists at the event. Lisa was the first chief nursing officer ever asked to serve as a guest speaker. The national meeting was held in California. Lisa and Maria will also make the same presentation on the east coast in March.

GHVHS News Fred Conklin has assumed the role of GHVHS Director of Medical Staff Services. Fred has been a valued leader in the Quality Department for many years. He has been a Registered Nurse for 23 years with clinical experience in the Medical-Surgical, PCU, ICU and ED settings. He joined the organization in May 2006 as the Quality Clinical Project Coordinator. Fred was promoted to the Director of Quality at the Catskill Regional Medical Center campus in 2012 and to the GHVHS Director of Quality in November 2014. Fred has enhanced the performance improvement and patient safety programs across the System.

In his new role, Fred will provide leadership for the system-wide Medical Staff Department operations at both Orange Regional and Catskill Regional Medical Centers. Fred can be reached at fconklin@ghvhs.org or 333-1107.

Mary Kate Revella has been promoted to GHVHS Director of Cardiology Services. Mary Kate joined ORMC in 2010 as a Registered Nurse on the Progressive Care Unit and transitioned to a leadership role in 2013 as Supervisor of Central Monitoring. As Director of Cardiology Services, Mary Kate will continue to oversee all aspects of Cardiology at ORMC as well as support, build, and oversee cardiology services at CRMC. She can be reached at mrevella@ghvhs.org or 333-2700.

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CONNECTIONS

Nurse Of Distinction Committee Selects Nominees In conjunction with an 1199SEIU joint labor management project, outstanding nurses from Orange Regional will represent our organization at an annual gala in May, better known as the “Academy Awards for Nurses,” at the Brooklyn Bridge Marriott. Each year, one winner is selected in each of the following categories: nurse of distinction, nurse leader, preceptor and novice nurse.

Congratulations to the following nurses for being selected by Orange Regional’s Nurse of Distinction Committee as a nominee in the following categories:

NOVICE

PRECEPTOR

Paula McLaughlin Operating Room

Steven Bowley Inpatient Rehabilitation

NURSE LEADER

NURSE OF DISTINCTION

Debra Beakes Administrator of Medical Services

Alexandra Monell Infusion Therapy

Nurses were nominated by their peers and leadership in recognition of their skills and dedication to their profession, patients, co-workers and the organization. From the list of nominees, semi-finalists in each category were selected. Semi-finalists across New York State will be interviewed by the New York City nursing committees and will compete against other New York institutions for the top honor in each category.

Good Catch Award

Maria Torres Garcia, of Health Information Management, received the Good Catch Award for her proactive patient care measures. President and CEO, Scott Batulis, personally thanks those who take an active role in ensuring the quality of care Orange Regional provides to our patients. A good catch occurs when corrective action and/or timely intervention prevents an incident or medical error from happening.

Nominations are accepted throughout the year and are judged by a patient safety subcommittee. For more information about the Good Catch Award, contact QA Data Coordinator, Katie Haun, at 333-1294 or khaun@ormc.org.

Congratulations to Robin Jewis, of the Guest Services Department, for winning the February 2019 BEE Award!

Robin was awarded for going above and beyond by assisting a patient in need.

Orange Regional’s BEE Award means Being Exceptional Everyday. Robin always welcomes patients and visitors to the lobby of the outpatient services building with her bright smile. She’s an asset to our team.

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FEBRUARY 2019

Healthy Food Drive

Feel Good Concert Series Welcomes Carmine Pace

From time to time, Orange Regional hosts community musicians and vocalists to perform for our patients, visitors and employees. Their melodies are a welcome addition to our healing environment.

Most recently we welcomed vocalist Carmine Pace, who performed Big Band era favorites.

With the help of Orange Regional and its generous staff, SUNY Orange was able to set up its pantry with all of the food collected from the Nourish Your Neighbor (NYN) food drive at the Hospital. Not only was there a donation of 6 bins of food, but 90% of the items were from the NYN list! We are proud to promote healthy eating for all community members.

Go Red For Women Day

FE A T TI Y E C N O T R N E R

Members of the Revenue Strategy & Managed Care Department showed their support for women and cardiac disease by wearing red on national Go Red For Women Day – February 1.

Hand Hygiene Compliance

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Remember to perform hand hygiene:

1 - upon entering a patient room / approaching a patient 2 - upon leaving a patient’s room 3 - before handling invasive devices 4 - before putting on gloves 5 - after removing gloves See ORMC policy on the intranet or click the CDC hand hygiene button for more information.

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CONNECTIONS

American Heart Association Heart Walk

Blood Drive

First Wednesday of the month 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

May 5, 2019 Check-In at 9:30 a.m.

Walk starts at 10:30 a.m.

The American Red Cross Donor bus will be located outside of the Main Lobby Entrance at ORMC

Lake Welch Beach, Harriman State Park

March Of Dimes March For Babies

Multiple Sclerosis Walk

April 28, 2019 8:00 a.m. Registration, Walk starts at 9:00 a.m.

May 5, 2019 9:00 a.m. to noon Crane Park, Monroe

Woodbury Common Premium Outlets

Auxiliary Vendor Sales Program Sales take place on the ground floor of the Main Campus in the Conference Center Lobby.

March 13

Kids Stuff

March 21

J & M Stern Sports

March 14

Save on Sheets

March 22

Mostly Silver 2

March 15

Nuts Plus

March 28

John's Jewelry

March 19

Leslie's Jewelry Connection

March 29

Nuts Plus

March 20

Teddi Inc (RLS Jewelry Co)

Spring Forward Easier With The Help Of Our Sleep Center With daylight savings time ending on March 10, we're about to “spring forward.” This means our days get longer and our sleep might get a little disrupted. To learn about the effects and impacts of daylight savings time, common sleeping problems and when to seek help, visit www.ormc.org/sleepcenter.

An Artist’s View Employees joined artist, Stacie Flint, on February 28 to discuss her "Warm and Wonderful” art exhibit at Orange Regional. The exhibit included fun, vibrant oils and acrylics and attendees also learned about her commissioned pet portraits, archival prints and note cards.

Join us in celebrating Certified Nurses Day on March 19 8