St. Luke's Network Pulse November/December 2011

November/December 2011

N et w o r k 2011 Employee Satisfaction Survey................1 Chamber of Commerce Honors Hospice with 2011 Milestone Award............................2 Junior League Grant Supports Visiting Nurse Association’s ‘Make Home a Safe Place’ Program.........................................2 Anesthesiology Chief Leads Constant Innovation, Modern Services...........................3 New System Makes Getting Prescriptions Easier for Patients, Benefits HomeStar Pharmacy..........................4 St. Luke’s Owns the Bone................................5 Melanoma Expert Offers Expertise at National, International Conferences...............6 Miners Wins Excellence Award for Improving Surgical Care and Heart Failure Care..............7 Bicycle Racing Team is Having a Great Year.......8 St. Luke’s Named a Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospital in Modern Healthcare Magazine......9 Dr. Tellschow is New Medical Director of Lab in Bethlehem.........................10 Trauma Department Presents Seventh Annual Contemporary Issues in Trauma Conference....................................11 St. Luke’s Receives Award for Thorough, High-level Lactation Care.............12 Anderson Campus Opens with Ribbon Cutting and Senator Visit...................13 Hundreds Play ‘Battle of the Network Stars’ for Fun, Camaraderie...........................14

2011 Employee Satisfaction Survey St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network will be conducting its annual Network-wide Employee Opinion Survey from December 5 to December 19.

Please help us continue our commitment to making St. Luke’s a great place to work, one in which all employees feel engaged, satisfied and proud!

Last year, 76 percent of all Network employees took the survey and shared their thoughts on what makes this a great organization and what steps could be taken to make it even better. Our goal is to exceed last year’s participation rate and hear from even more employees this year!

It is important that all of our employees have the opportunity to help us understand what is great about our organization, what positive changes you would recommend in the way we operate, and how you feel about your own role in the Network.

We hope you will participate and encourage your co-workers to participate. Look for more details in the coming weeks through entity-specific “Meet-n-Greets,” intranet messages, broadcast emails, fliers, etc.

A few things you should know about this year’s survey: • ModernThink, LLC will be helping us conduct the online survey.

• Your responses will be completely anonymous.

• Your participation is voluntary.

• The online survey can be accessed wherever a computer is available — even at home.

• Survey results will be made available to us and shared with everyone in early Spring.

Your Voice.

Heard.

A Publication of St. Luke’s | www.pulsenews.org | 1-866-STLUKES

Chamber of Commerce honors Hospice with 2011 Milestone Award The Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce has honored St. Luke’s Hospice for 25 years of service, presenting it with the 2011 Milestone Award at the chamber’s annual meeting.

Anne Baum, vice president of Lehigh Valley Capital Blue Cross, presented the award on behalf of the Chamber, saying, “Since 1986, St. Luke’s Hospice has met the end-of-life needs and concerns of families in our community with compassion and dignity.”

Anne also noted that Hospice serves about 1,500 patients annually and also provides bereavement care and support to 41,000 family members and others. St. Luke’s Hospice House in Lower Saucon Township is the only free-standing hospice facility in the region. Hospice care is provided in the last six months of a person’s life and

is available at home, in a skilled nursing facility, or in the Hospice House.

Keith Boroch, president of the Visiting Nurse Association, accepted the award and said, “This award allows us to pause a moment and to reflect on the lives touched over the last 25 years — the patients helped, the families supported, and the care and peace of mind provided for thousands of patients and their families.

“Thank you for allowing us to reach this milestone. A community hospice like St. Luke’s Hospice is only as strong as the community that supports it,” he said.

Keith also noted that hospice originally was a volunteer movement, and that the Hospice House was built with strong financial

support from the community. He said that, along with the medical director, clinical staff and administration, volunteers, community partners and donors all have made Hospice House a success.

He added, “There is no transition that parallels the end-of-life transition, and the fact that we have this beautiful hospice house to share with our community is of great pride to the St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network.”

Junior League grant supports Visiting Nurse Association’s ‘Make Home a Safe Place’ program The Junior League of the Lehigh Valley (JLLV) has given a $1,000 grant to the Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) program of the Visiting Nurse Association of St. Luke’s to support the “Make Home a Safe Place” program. The funds will purchase items such as outlet covers, window locks and safety gates to help to protect children from accidental injuries and ingestion of harmful substances. The NFP serves lowincome, first-time parents and their children in the Lehigh Valley.

Program Manager Sara Klingner, RN, MSN, said in her grant application to the Junior League, “Baby-proofing the home is a basic part of what the NFP nurse teaches the young mother.” However, knowing what steps to take may not be enough to protect all of the babies and toddlers in the NFP program. Often, young mothers cannot afford to buy even basic safety equipment. “This leaves the infant/ toddler at risk for scalding, poison ingestion, falls, electrocution and other similar household hazards. A grant from JLLV will provide baby-proofing items for these needy young mothers,” Sara wrote.

The NFP is an evidence-based program, and it reports that 8.3 percent of infants aged up to 12 months had been seen in the emergency room for injuries or harmful ingestion. Also, 17.6 percent of children aged 12 to 24 months had been in the emergency room or hospitalized for the same reasons.

Sara said that the grant will enable the NFP to provide safety equipment to protect 250 children. The VNA nurses, who make regular home visits starting during pregnancy and continuing up to the child’s second birthday, will give families safety devices and assist and instruct parents on their installation and use.

The objective is to see the number of injuries and harmful ingestions decrease for the children served by the project. NFP supervisors will gather the data and report it to the NFP National Service Office.

“Baby-proofing the home is a basic part of what the NFP nurse teaches the young mother.” However, knowing what steps to take may not be enough to protect all of the babies and toddlers in the NFP program.

— Sara Klingner, program manager, Nurse Family Partnership 2

November/December 2011

Anesthesiology Chief Leads Constant Innovation, Modern Services Dr. Aldo Carmona, MD, has been chief of the Department of Anesthesiology for St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network for 12 years, and he was on staff for seven years before that. As he looks back and considers the services that his busy department provides, it’s fair to say that the things that have changed are more numerous than those that have not.

The anesthesiologists and nurse-anesthetists provide more services in more operating rooms, in more sites around the hospital and at more times of day than ever before.

For instance, an expansion at St. Luke’s Hospital – Bethlehem Campus in 1992 added three operating rooms. Another expansion in 2008 added two more. But Dr. Carmona explained that the operating rooms are only one part of the department’s work.

“We go to the cardiac-catheterization lab, the gastro-intestinal lab, the MRI Department and interventional radiology.

There also is obstetrics, where we are needed 24/7,” Dr. Carmona added. The department provides post-operative, pain-control care. “I would say we touch nearly every department,” he said. Taken together, with 15 operating rooms and all of the other places where services are provided, Dr. Carmona’s department handled about 20,000 procedures in the last fiscal year. The 20 anesthesiologists are part of Anesthesia Specialists of Bethlehem, PC, which is under contract to St. Luke’s.

When Dr. Carmona first came to St. Luke’s, the operating suite used to close at night.

Now, the operating rooms stay open and two anesthesiologists and two CRNAs stay on duty overnight. Speaking of staffing, the integration of nurse-anesthetists into the operating rooms (there are 21 today) is one of the innovations Dr. Carmona implemented when he became chief. “It’s a very dedicated group, and we have a very congenial relationship,” he said. One indication of the department’s satisfying work environment is the longevity of the nurse-anesthetists employment. “They

November/December 2011

may move away or retire, but we rarely lose them to another hospital,” Dr. Carmona said.

Another change that Dr. Carmona has observed came with St. Luke’s earning designation as a Level I Regional Trauma Center in 1997. “As a result, the acuity of the patients we see here has become much higher,” he said.

Then, there have been many changes in anesthesiologists’ clinical work. Dr. Carmona said that just about every pharmaceutical in use has changed. In the category of technology, intra-operative imaging has been a major change, including the transesophageal echocardiography imaging. The equipment enables the operating-room team to monitor progress and diagnose cardiac pathology while the surgery proceeds.

Change will continue. Dr. Carmona said that as St. Luke’s adds surgeons and subspecialists, his department will have to keep pace, including support as the new Anderson Campus is completed. The anesthesiologists always have been educators as residents

and medical students do rotations with them and that will expand as the new medical school program with the Temple University School of Medicine begins.

Dr. Carmona, a native of Cuba and reared in New York City, started out as a pharmacist and then received his M.D. at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. After a residency at Penn, he worked for five years at Pocono Medical Center before coming to St. Luke’s.

Dr. Carmona and his wife Pamela (a pharmacist) live in Upper Saucon Township and are the parents of four children aged 11 to 24. The older three are teaching special education, pursuing a business Ph.D., and still going to college. The youngest son said he wants to follow his father into a career in medicine. Dr. Carmona has enjoyed sports all his life, and he still plays basketball and exercises regularly. And, the family is active at their church, Calvary Bible Fellowship, in Coopersburg.

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New system makes getting prescriptions easier for patients, benefits HomeStar Pharmacy The HomeStar Retail Pharmacy and case managers and discharge planners at St. Luke’s Bethlehem Campus have created a new system that offers patients a convenient way to get prescriptions they need and improves revenues for the pharmacies.

Joe Borgioni, supervisor of Homestar Pharmacy Services, said HomeStar anticipates that the HomeStar-Discharge Project will improve patient satisfaction with St. Luke’s.

Mike Vicoso, manager of the HomeStar Pharmacy at the Bethlehem Campus, explains that when patients are about to be discharged, a case manager or discharge planner will tell them that the HomeStar pharmacy can fill their medicine needs on the spot, sparing them or their family members a trip to another pharmacy at a time that already may be busy or stressful. If a patient wishes to use HomeStar, his prescription order is sent to the pharmacy using the Bethlehem Campus “tube system,” which connects the pharmacy to the hospital floors. Then, the patient or a family member can stop at the pharmacy to pick up the medication and pay on the way out of the hospital. Mike estimated that about 90 percent of the prescriptions for discharged patients who choose HomeStar are handled this way.

Other patients choose to send the pharmacy a credit card number along with the prescription order through the pneumatic tube system. Then, the pharmacy sends the patient’s medicine back to the floor via the tube system before he or she leaves. “That works most of the time, unless a patient is getting boxed items or other things that are too large to fit the tubes,” Mike said.

The new system was rolled out in April, and Mike said HomeStar has been very pleased with the results. He credits the success in large part to the leadership of Jan Concilio, associate vice president for Patient Care

Mike Vicoso, Homestar Pharmacy manager at the Bethlehem Campus.

Services, who organized the planning group, and the cooperation of case managers, such as Velda Mescher and Marlee Wilson. They also keep records on how many patients are asked about using HomeStar, and how many say “yes.” Mike said, “At the start, we estimated that we would get 10 percent to 20 percent participation. But in one week in November, it was running closer to 40 percent. We are very pleased.”

Mike said the new system is designed for in-patients, but people who come to the Emergency Department or for one-day surgery also are offered the services of HomeStar; they simply come to the pharmacy on their way home. He also added that if prescription refills are needed later, HomeStar can handle the refills, or can transfer the prescription to a pharmacy closer to the patient’s home.

HomeStar anticipates that the HomeStar-Discharge Project will improve patient satisfaction.

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Did you hear?

From patients at St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital: “ The care given was excellent. It was really nice to see the younger generation of nurses excited about their job of nursing. Their attitudes were amazing. I could tell it was more than ‘just a job’ on all shifts.” “ If it got any better, I’d have to be in heaven! I’ve been in your facility many times. From the Emergency Room until admission, I’ve enjoyed the excellent care and respect.” “ The food was outstanding.

I couldn’t ask for better.” “ The hospital staff was very courteous and the care I received was excellent. NO COMPLAINTS.” November/December 2011

St. Luke’s Owns the Bone St. Luke’s Orthopaedic Specialists was recently recognized in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2012 Best Hospitals Guide for their ongoing excellence as part of the Own the Bone Program. Own the Bone is a national program created by the American Orthopaedic Association that addresses the osteoporosis treatment gap and helps to prevent secondary fragility fractures.

Osteoporosis and fragility fractures have been identified as major public health problems by the U.S. Surgeon General. Approximately 80 percent of patients do not currently receive appropriate follow up care.

The American Orthopaedic Association developed Own the Bone as a quality improvement program to address the osteoporosis treatment gap and prevent secondary fragility fractures.

Osteoporosis and fragility fractures have been identified as major public health problems by the U.S. Surgeon General.

Approximately 80 percent of patients do not currently receive appropriate follow up care.

The Brozmans share in top Angus honors in Canada St. Luke’s employees Gerald and Jamie Brozman shared in the top honors awarded at the Royal Winter Agricultural Fair held in Toronto on Nov. 6. Jamie is the breeder of Just Enuff New Edition Edgar, which won first place in the Aberdeen Angus competition as Junior Champion

and Grand Champion Bull. The Royal Winter show is the biggest indoor agricultural show in North America, showcasing livestock and products from Canadian and international farms.

Shown here with Jamie’s champion bull are (L-R): Gerald Brozman; livestock judge Doug Satree; Amanda Fehnel, a friend; owners Steve James and Tyler Fulton; Jamie Brozman; Sara Stufflet, a friend; and Donna and Bill Fulton of Cedar View Angus, also an owner.

November/December 2011

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Melanoma expert offers expertise at national, international conferences Sanjiv Agarwala, MD, St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network’s chief of Medical Oncology and Hematology, has had a busy 2011. He continued to serve as part of the team at the Melanoma Center at St. Luke’s and he presented scholarly papers at three national and international conferences. His leadership in the wider field of melanoma research included serving as chair and program director for the eighth consecutive year at the Eighth International Symposium on Melanoma and other Cutaneous Malignancies in New York City.

In addition to the New York conference this past summer, Dr. Agarwala offered his expertise at: • The 7th European Association of DermatoOncology (EADO) annual meeting, held June 20-23 in Nantes, France.

• The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting — the largest cancer meeting held in the United States — on June 4 in Chicago. Dr. Agarwala’s oral presentation, “Randomized Phase II Trial of High Dose Interferon Alfa-2b for 4 Weeks Induction Only in Patients with Intermediate and High-Risk Melanoma,” was one of only eight papers chosen out of hundreds of submissions, and it received the “Best of ASCO” award.

Dr. Agarwala’s presentation at the ASCO meeting in Chicago concerned a trial with 1,200 patients in the United States, Canada and Australia. A key finding of the study was that a one-month course of treatment with interferon was not sufficient to benefit patients. Instead, Dr. Agarwala found, a duration of one year or more is necessary.

Dr. Agarwala serves as the principal investigator for the Provectus Phase 2 PV-10 clinical trial site at St. Luke’s. He was one of about 25 international speakers at the New York conference. The meeting focuses on updates on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of melanoma, and looks at coming approaches to melanoma care.

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Dr. Agarwala (left) reviews clinical trials information with Kelly Filchner, MSN, RN, OCN, CCRC, manager, Integrated Oncology Trials.

Dr. Agarwala offered his expertise at The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting — the largest cancer meeting held in the United States.

Dr. Agarwala’s oral presentation was one of only eight papers chosen out of hundreds of submissions, and it received the “Best of ASCO” award.

Promising results from the Provectus Phase 2 PV-10 Clinical Trial, for which Dr. Agarwala serves as principal investigator, were the topic of the presentation at the EADO meeting in France. In a presentation entitled “Chemoablation of Metastatic Melanoma with Intralesional PV-10,” he described Phase 2 data on PV-10 and outlined publicly for the first time design parameters for a Phase 3 study.

PV-10 is a proprietary, injectable form of the compound known as Rose Bengal, which has been used by ophthalmologists for decades to assess damage to the eyes. What the

Provectus Trial discovered is that Rose Bengal also is selectively toxic to cancer cells due to a process known as chemoablation.

Dr. Agarwala also serves as a professor of cancer biology at the University of Pennsylvania and is a member of the Melanoma Core Committee of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. In addition to his journal publications, he is a co-author of the book, “Melanoma: Transitional Research and Emerging Therapies.”

November/December 2011

Miners wins excellence award for improving surgical care and heart failure care The staff at St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital has completed a threeyear project, aimed at improving surgical care and heart failure patient care, with resounding success. It has received an Excellence Award from Quality Insights of Pennsylvania, the agency charged by the federal government to help hospitals with quality improvement projects.

The team that Gail led included a surgical services nurse manager, the chief of surgery, chief of anesthesiology, the manager of the pharmacy and representatives from infection control. The team met regularly with a consultant from Quality Insights and attended regional meetings with other hospitals, as well.

Gail M. Marek, manager for quality resources and risk management at Miners, led a cross-departmental team that focused on data gathering and reporting on the administration of antibiotics postsurgery. She said, “While the trophy the hospital received from Quality Insights is satisfying, the larger reward of the successful project is the benefits it provides to patients. Our improved best practices mean improved safety in surgical care. For patients, this means reduced complications, including infections around surgical sites.”

When the project ended June 30 of this year, Miners’ scores in these areas had gone from 64 percent, when the effort began three years ago, to 98 percent. These scores continue to be tracked, and they have stayed at 95 percent or greater, Gail reported. “Sustainability is important as we move forward with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Value Based Purchasing (VBP) program, which will adjust inpatient prospective payments based on quality and patient satisfaction starting next year,” she said.

Gail explained that the team focused on starting administration of antibiotics within one hour of surgery and recording and reporting data to show that this was being done at a higher rate. The team also looked at the cessation of antibiotics 24 hours after surgery.

“Stopping the antibiotics at the right time benefits patients because they will have fewer side effects,” she said.

Another benefit of the project is the daily 100 percent concurrent review of all charts. This identifies outlying cases and provides doctors with “real time” information daily. It also provides more comprehensive data to be discussed at monthly staff and department meetings.

Quality Insights of Pennsylvania is the non-profit agency chosen by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to improve health care at the hospitals that it partners with.

While the trophy the hospital received from Quality Insights is satisfying, the larger reward of the successful project is the benefits it provides to patients. Our improved best practices mean improved safety in surgical care. For patients, this means reduced complications, including infections around surgical sites.”

— Gail M. Marek, manager for quality resources and risk management at St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital November/December 2011

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Bicycle racing team is having a great year The Bethlehem-based Lamprey Systems Cycling Team, whose riders include several St. Luke’s physicians, nurses and other staff members, is having a successful 2011 racing season. Its members are in the middle of a very competitive series of Middle Atlantic Cyclocross races that run from September to December.

St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network is a leading sponsor of the Lamprey Systems team, and the St. Luke’s name and logo are becoming more and more visible and familiar to bicycle racers and fans at events staged in several states. That includes being in the spotlight earlier this fall when the team sponsored its own race, the Town Hall Cross at the Lower Saucon Township Park.

College in Montgomery County. A highlight was team member Marten Beels’ eighth place finish.

The field for the Town Hall Cross this year was about 100 riders more than in 2010, with total registration of about 240 riders. The field included some cycling celebrities. Selene Yeager, the “Fit Chick” columnist from Bicycling magazine, won the women’s event. Jennifer Hetrick, a St. Luke’s nurse and a Lamprey racer, finished fourth. Bobby Lea, a 2008 Olympian and national track champion who lives in the Lehigh Valley, won the men’s event. It also was a good day for the Lamprey Systems riders. In the Class C race, Jeff Hetrick was first, Jeremy Garges was third and Dr. Olenchock was fifth.

On Oct. 15, team members traveled to northern Delaware for the Granogue Cross.

The Beacon Cyclocross in Bridgeton was held the weekend of the October snowstorm, but it rained during the race — “A tough day,” according to Dr. Olenchock. The HP Cyclocross in Jamesburg, N.J., closed out racing for October.

Races in Fairhill Park, Md., and Macungie on the weekend of Dec. 10-11 will conclude the MAC season.

Dr. Olenchock said he believes one of the reasons for the growing success of the Town Hall Cross is that the Lamprey Team and the St. Luke’s name and logo are recognized and respected. The team sets up tents and banners at races it goes to, and of course, all of that is on display at the local race. The toughest and

Martin Beels descends the St. Luke’s Staircase at Town Hall Cross.

steepest part of the course, in fact, is known as “The St. Luke’s Staircase.”

He added, “The team has gotten pretty serious.

We’re riding in world-class races, not ‘mom and pop’ local events. As for me, I’ve been having a great year, and the whole team is very grateful for the support that St. Luke’s gives to us.”

Dr. Stephen Olenchock climbs up the St. Luke’s Staircase at Town Hall Cross.

As team member Stephen Olenchock Jr., DO, St. Luke’s chief of Cardiovascular Surgery, put it, “We’re not pros, but we’re competing against them.” Several Lamprey riders have appeared on winners’ podiums at races whose fields include many elite riders.

The season began Sept. 10 with the Nittany Lion Cross in Trexlertown, two days of racing in which several team members placed well.

The Charm City Cross was held the following weekend in Baltimore, again with a strong showing of riders wearing the St. Luke’s name and logo. On Sept. 25, a large field competed in the Whirlybird Cyclocross at Bryn Athyn 8

Pictured above are some of the Lamprey/St. Luke’s Men’s Cyclocross Team at Town Hall Cross. (L-R): Jeff Hetrick, Roland Ettel, Stephen Olenchock, Greg Ahnert, Robert Dequevedo, Ron Kriner and Jeremy Garges.

November/December 2011

ST. LUKE’S NAMED A TOP 50 CARDIOVASCULAR HOSPITAL IN MODERN HEALTHCARE MAGAZINE Only Hospital in Region to Earn Distinction from Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters has named St. Luke’s Hospital (Bethlehem and Allentown) one of the nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals in the latest edition (November 15) of Modern Healthcare magazine.

provided measurably better care and are more efficient than their peers, demonstrating incredibly strong focus by hospital leadership at a time when the health care system is steeped in volatility.”

St. Luke’s is the only area hospital to receive this distinction.

“Quality of care is something we take great pride in providing, and commitment to excellence is literally standard operating procedure,” added Dr. Durkin. “I am proud to say that St. Luke’s is considered a leader in the United States in providing top-notch and cost effective cardiovascular care as we set new standards for the health care industry.”

“St. Luke’s is proud to have earned this honor,” said Carol Kuplen, MSN, BSN, chief nursing officer for St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network and chief operating officer for St. Luke’s Hospital – Bethlehem Campus. “To be among the Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals in the United States indicates that our heart and vascular program provides our patients with excellent care and achieves equally-excellent outcomes.”

“I am excited that St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network was chosen by Thompson Reuter’s as one of the Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospital’s in the country,” said Raymond Durkin, MD, chief of Cardiology for St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network. “We were selected as one of 50 recipients of this award from hospitals throughout the country. We are recognized for our excellence in outcomes in the treatment of heart failure, heart attacks and cardiovascular procedures such as coronary stenting and coronary artery bypass surgery.”

Comparing the award winners to a peer group of hospitals, Thomson Reuters found that if all cardiovascular providers performed at the level of this year’s winners: •. Nearly 7,700 additional lives could be saved • Approximately 6,500 additional patients could be complication-free • More than $1 billion could be saved According to Thomson Reuters, this analysis was based on Medicare patients. If the same standards were applied to all inpatients, the impact would be even greater.

“This year’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals have continued to deliver excellent care and have been able to improve their performance in a tough economic climate,” said Jean Chenoweth, senior vice president for performance improvement and 100 Top Hospitals® program at Thomson Reuters. “The hospitals in this study have

The study shows that 97 percent of cardiovascular inpatients in U.S. hospitals survive and approximately 96 percent remain complication-free, reflecting improved cardiovascular care across-the-board over the past year. The 50 top hospitals’ performance surpasses these high-water marks as indicated by: •B etter risk-adjusted survival rates (23 percent fewer deaths than non-winning hospitals for bypass surgery patients).

• L ower complications indices (40 percent lower rate of heart failure complications).

• F ewer patients readmitted to the hospital after 30 days.

•S horter hospital visits and lower costs. Top hospitals discharge bypass patients nearly a full day sooner and spend $4,200 less per bypass case than non-winners.

• I ncreased use of internal mammary artery (IMA) for coronary artery bypass surgeries. Top hospitals have increased their use of this recommended procedure from 88 to 96 percent “As physicians, as a hospital and as a network, we strive to be at the forefront of the newest and most effective technologies and techniques,” said Dr. Durkin. “We strive to do what we do better than everyone else. To be recognized among these other institutions and endorsed by Thomson Reuters confirms for us that we are not only doing a good job but that we are doing what is right. Our patients expect and deserve no less.“ Thomson Reuters is one of the world’s largest news organizations providing business information to professionals in the world’s financial, legal, accounting, health care and science markets.

For more information on St. Luke’s Heart and Vascular programs, please visit http://www.mystlukesonline.org/conditions-and-services/heart/index.aspx or call St. Luke’s InfoLink toll-free at 1-866-ST LUKES (785-8537).

For details about The Thomson Reuters 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals study, please visit http://100tophospitals.com/top-cardio-hospitals/.

November/December 2011

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Dr. Tellschow is new medical director of lab in Bethlehem Steven R. Tellschow, MD, has been the medical director of the laboratory at the Bethlehem Campus since July, and being in charge of the department is a position he is enjoying. It represents an advancement from his previous duties as director of the Quakertown Campus laboratory. He said that the lab’s highquality staff of very experienced people make his duties enjoyable. The Bethlehem labs have nine pathologists and nearly 100 other employees.

The lab handles both anatomical tests, which involve biopsies and tissue removed during surgery; blood analysis; and cytological work, which is on the cellular level. The microbiology area of the lab has been moved to clinical lab space at 77 Commerce Way, Bethlehem.

Dr. Tellschow said that in his career, he was attracted to pathology because he loves the science and enjoys the problemsolving aspect of the specialty. “It’s very rewarding to do the analysis and come up with a diagnosis that helps people,” he said.

He also enjoys and looks forward to the trends and advancements on the horizon for pathology. For instance, new molecular testing is being used to identify infectious organisms, a great improvement in microbiology. Pathologists like those in the St. Luke’s Network help to procure the tumor tissue that is used for molecular testing by outside laboratories. The molecular profile of the tumor is then used primarily by oncologists to help tailor treatment plans for their oncology patients. “This testing is confined to certain types of malignant tumors,” Dr. Tellschow explained.

Within the St. Luke’s Network, telepathology is a big benefit. Dr. Tellschow said, “Since we are a network of hospitals, being able to consult with colleagues who are miles away online and visually is a great tool.

We can share images and information in real time. What I’m seeing right now is what a colleague in another hospital is seeing right now.”

A related technological improvement is that St. Luke’s is acquiring cameras for 10

The lab handles both anatomical tests, which involve biopsies and tissue removed during surgery; blood analysis; and cytological work, which is on the cellular level. each individual pathologist’s microscope.

“Then, we all can be hooked up for telepathology, rather than having to share a single sending station at each campus,” he said.

“Another advancement is the development of digital microscope slide images, but no FDA approved systems are in place now, and their realization may be years off,” Dr. Tellschow said.

Finally, when St. Luke’s completes the roll-out of electronic medical records, the pathologists and staff will be part of

it, enabling staff and patients to easily see test results online.

Dr. Tellschow is board certified in cytopathology and anatomic pathology.

He earned his medical degree at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and served an internship at Children’s Hospital. He served a residency at the University of Colorado Health Science Center and fellowships at the Hospital of the Medical College of Pennsylvania, MCP-Hahnemann University and at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest.

November/December 2011

Trauma Department presents seventh annual Contemporary Issues in Trauma Conference The St. Luke’s Adult Level I Trauma Center presented the seventh annual Contemporary Issues in Trauma Conference on Oct. 14 at a new location — the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks in South Bethlehem. The conference organizers said the new venue offered both an attractive setting and up-to-date technical capabilities.

Nicole Lohrman, MSN, RN, CCRN, trauma education specialist with St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network, stated the number of attendees, about 350, exceeded last year’s count of about 300. “The conference has grown every year,” she said.

An interesting program of lectures and presentations was offered, with a keynote address by a nationally known trauma director from the Mayo Clinic. The faculty for the day-long conference was drawn from the staff of St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network and from other

leading institutions. After a welcome from Gail Wainwright, MSN, RN, NE-BC, manager of the Network’s Trauma Program, and William Hoff, MD, FACS, Trauma Program medical director, attendees heard the below presentations.

Closing remarks were offered by Ann Marie Szoke, RN, MSN, CRNP, chief of Trauma Mid-Level Providers, and Nicole Lohrman.

Attendees viewed displays by various vendors, which included pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and other health care organizations.

New for this year were representatives from five Lehigh Valley institutions of higher education who set up displays and information booths. The conference was open to physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, pre-hospital providers and students.

Presentations from the seventh annual contemporary issues in trauma conference • “ Expanding Utilization of Non-Physician Providers in Trauma Care,” the Keynote Address, was presented by Donald Jenkins, MD, FACS, Medical Director of the Trauma Center at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

• “ Traumatic Brain Injury: Approach to Diagnosis, Treatment and Outcomes” was presented by Michael Grossman, MD, FACS Dr. Grossman and Marc Portner, MD. Dr. Grossman is chief of Trauma, Surgical Critical Care & Emergency Surgery at St. Luke’s and a Professor of Surgery at Dr. Portner Temple/St. Luke’s School of Medicine.

Dr. Portner is a Traumatologist/Surgical Intensivist for the Network.

• “ Penetrating Injuries from Head to Toe” was presented by John Lukaszczcyk, MD, FACS. He is section chief of Dr. Lukaszczcyk General Surgery and chief of Minimally Invasive Surgery for the Network.

November/December 2011

• “ Assessment of Older Adults with Diminished Capacity” was presented by Thomas Sugaliski, PhD. He is a Clinical Neuropsychologist with Psychology Associates of Bethlehem.

• “ Seasonal Pediatric Injuries” was presented

by Jonathan Shingles, DO, MBA, director of Emergency Medicine at St. Luke’s.

• “ Resuscitation in the Multi-Injured Trauma Patient” was presented

by Scott Keeney, DO. He is an Attending Trauma Surgeon at St. Luke’s.

Did you hear?

From patients at St. Luke’s Hospital – Bethlehem Campus: “ I have MS and I’m in the hospital frequently. I’ve never had a bad experience at St. Luke’s. Thank you.”

Dr. Shingles

Dr. Keeney

• “ Football-Related CNS Injuries” was presented by Jeffrey Rea, MD. He is an Attending Emergency Medicine and Surgical ICU physician at Albany Medical College in New York.

• “ Unusual Traumatic Injuries” was presented

by James Cipolla, MD, FACS. He is a Clinical Associate Professor of Dr. Cipolla Surgery at Temple/St. Luke’s School of Medicine and an Attending Trauma Surgeon with St. Luke’s.

“ I have nothing but great things to say about the hospital. The staff went above the call of duty. Thank you for everything.” “ Very good nurses and staff. The doctors spent time explaining my problem and what to expect.” “ The nurses were friendly and very compassionate.” “ Absolutely first-class, excellent care.” “ I didn’t have any bad experiences.

It was a good stay for the short time I was there.” “ Quality care with compassion.

The nurses and PCA’s were very thoughtful and always meeting our needs. WONDERFUL STAFF. I was very impressed at how quiet it was. My room was right outside the nurses’ station.”

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St. Luke’s receives award for thorough, high-level lactation care Two international agencies have presented the Allentown and Bethlehem Campuses of St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network with an award that recognizes the excellent care and support its lactation consultants and specially trained nurses provide to breast-feeding families in the Lehigh Valley area. The Care Award recognizes that these services are provided seven days a week, that the St. Luke’s breast-feeding experts have received up-to-date training and that they have provided activities that “protect, promote and support breast-feeding.”

The award comes from the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners, IBLCE, and the International Lactation Consultant Association, ILCA. This high level of care and education is provided by International Board Certified Lactation Consultants, IBCLCs. The award, known as the IBCLC Care Award, was presented earlier this year.

Cathy Waltemyer, a lactation consultant in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, said,

“I provide support to the families of babies born prematurely, multiples or those infants who are very sick. Parents feel very reassured to know that they can, in many cases, breastfeed their babies even in these circumstances.”

Cathy also said that it is a benefit to parents to know that the lactation support they get at St. Luke’s comes only from board-certified consultants and specially trained nurses who have earned a lactation care excellence award “from the only internationally recognized credential for professional lactation services.”

St. Luke’s begins to provide lactation care and education during pregnancy so mothers are prepared to get off to a good start with breast-feeding. Free monthly prenatal breastfeeding classes are offered to the public each month at the Allentown and Bethlehem Campuses. The program combines instruction and informal discussion.

After the baby is born, each family receives instruction and support during the hospital stay.

Then, daily postpartum breast-feeding classes are provided at St. Luke’s New Beginnings Family Birth Centers in Allentown and Bethlehem.

The classes cover all phases of breast-feeding to help new mothers get through the first weeks of the experience. Mothers who have already gone home are welcome.

St. Luke’s also provides the Just-in-Time 24-hour voicemail service. A mother-baby educator responds to questions within 24 hours to help mothers who are returning to school or work, have a sick infant, or are dealing with other breast-feeding challenges.

Ellen McIntyre, associate professor and chair of the IBLCE, whose American organization is based in Falls Church, Va., said certified consultants like those at St. Luke’s have many years of training, and must keep their skills current by recertifying every five years. “The public can be confidant that an IBCLC is delivering high quality, evidence-based care,” she said.

Did you hear?

From patients at St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital: “ It was a good experience; the nurses and doctor’s were very pleasant and I got very good care. I would recommend this hospital to everyone.” “ Nurses and aides were all nice and polite and caring. I was glad to be a patient.” “ In my opinion, this hospital is very, very efficient and very well educated. I would recommend this hospital to anyone.”

The Allentown and Bethlehem Campuses recently received the IBCLC Care Award. Pictured above are (L-R): Chris Erland, RN, IBCLC, resource nurse, New Beginnings Family Birth Center; Vicky Geiger, RN, BSN, IBCLC, New Beginnings Family Birth Center; Catherine Waltemyer, RNC, IBCLC, education specialist/lactation consultant, NICU; Patti Hari, RN, IBCLC, New Beginnings Family Birth Center; and Toni Prelovsky, RN, MSN, CRNP, IBCLC, clinical nurse specialist, New Beginnings Family Birth Center.

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“ The personnel here are really good.”

November/December 2011

Anderson Campus opens with Ribbon Cutting and Senator Visit In pomp and circumstance befitting Veterans Day, St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network celebrated the opening of its Anderson Campus in Bethlehem Township, currently showcasing the nation’s newest hospital, and the first non-profit, acute care, non-replacement hospital in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in more than 40 years. Shown here are some photos of this historic occasion.

Bob Martin, senior vice president of Network Development, celebrates with boxing champ Larry Holmes.

Trustees and administrators “cut the ribbon” at the opening of St. Luke’s Anderson Campus.

United States Senator Bob Casey visited St. Luke’s Anderson Campus on November 21 to meet with Richard A. Anderson, Network President and CEO; Ed Nawrocki, president, St. Luke’s Anderson Campus; Robby Wax, senior vice president and general council; and Jane George, assistant vice president, Legislative and Community Liaison. Senator Casey toured the hospital with the group and conversed with several staff members.

The flag was raised in honor of Veterans Day.

(L-R): Richard A. Anderson, Network President and CEO; U.S. Senator Bob Casey; Senior Vice President and General Counsel Robby Wax; and Ed Nawrocki, president, St. Luke’s Hospital – Anderson Campus.

November/December 2011

During the Radiology Department tour, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (left) talked briefly with Melissa Person, RN, BSN, radiology nurse.

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N e two r k

Our Vision: St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network will forever change the perception that health care is difficult to access by making it EASY for patients, physicians and staff to use our services.

St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network will perform in the top decile for each diagnosis in national pay-for-performance programs.

Our Values: • Pride We take pride in our accomplishments and our organization.

• Caring We show consideration for others and their feelings, and treat others as we want to be treated.

• Respect We recognize the value, diversity and importance of each other, those we serve and the organization.

• Accountability We are responsible to make decisions and solve problems in a timely and effective manner.

• Flexibility We adapt to changing needs and the expectations of those we serve.

• Teamwork We work together to improve quality.

Hundreds play ‘Battle of the Network Stars’ for fun, camaraderie “The Battle of the Network Stars” was a television game show in the 1970s and 1980s. However, for St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network, it is an annual series of physical and mental contests designed to help people get to know each other in social, as opposed to work, situations. The 2011 “Battle,” which had 350 to 400 participants in 10 teams, concluded in September with a The first-place team in the competition picnic and other season-ending events. was “The Scrubs.”

Joe Tocci, radiology manager for St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital, Wind Gap Medical Center, Jim Thorpe Urgent Care, St. Luke’s North and William Penn Diagnostic Center, served as director for the friendly competition. This year, first place went to “The Scrubs,” a team from the operating rooms at the Bethlehem Campus. Their prize was a team dinner at Loopers Restaurant in Bethlehem.

Joe said the first “Battle” was held in 1985. The contests went on a hiatus for a few years but Joe brought them back three or four years ago. “We get great support from Bob Zimmel, senior vice president for Human Resources and the HR Department, and people really enjoy the contests,” he said.

All teams are to be 50/50 coed and they usually represent particular departments. However, Joe stated anyone can play with any team, and family members and Network volunteers also are welcome. Twenty events are contested over about three weeks at a variety of locations.

Joe said the “Battle” is designed to include both challenging physical sports and mental games, so all players can contribute to their teams. Contests include swimming, a tug of war, basketball and touch football, a scavenger hunt, Trivial Pursuit, a road rally “Amazing Race” and a baking contest.

The final picnic, held this year at Tri-Boro Sportsmen Club in Northampton, also included “Name that Tune” and a “Luke’s Got Talent” show. Joe said, “The main idea is to get employees to let down their hair and meet people from other campuses and departments. We hear a lot of ‘thank yous’ from people and they really seem to enjoy the contests.”

Network Pulse is a periodic publication for the employees of St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network.

Ken Szydlow Vice President, Marketing and Public Relations Executive Editor: Stephen Andrews Network Director, Marketing and Public Relations Contributing Writers: Glenn Kranzley Design Supervision: Lori Diehl Network Director of Graphic Design Photography: Joseph Klepeiss Director, Media Production Services Betsy Toole • Anne Kemp

St. Luke’s strives to be the region’s health care employer of choice.

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November/December 2011