August 2010 Pulse

Network

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

A publication of st. Luke’s

Rewarding Your Innovative Ideas Bruno Helps Lead Allentown Campus Into Future............................... Page 4

“My Idea,” a new program to encourage — and reward — employees for sharing specific ideas on how our Network can save money or increase our revenue recently concluded with checks being issued to those who submitted winning ideas. Below is a summary of the results: • There were 371 total ideas submitted; 205 represented duplicate suggestions, the majority of which related to recycling, elimination of waste and energy conservation. In the case of duplicate entries, the first person submitting the idea was the person eligible for an award.

• There has been more than $250,000 in annual total implemented savings.

• Employees who submitted valid ideas to My Idea were eligible for a random prize drawing of a $1,000 (prior to taxes) one-time payment. These prizes were awarded last fall.

Preserving Nursing’s Moment in Time.................................... Page 5

• Employees who submitted an idea that is implemented and results in more than $1,000 in annual, projected savings/increased revenue (rounded to the nearest $1,000) received a check for 5 percent of the annual savings/revenue increase up to a maximum award of $5,000 (prior to taxes).

continued on page 2

Why Walk in This Year’s Heart Walk?

Why Not?.............................................. Page 6

Bill Moyer, Vice President, Construction & Support Services, (left) and Kevin McGovern, Vice President, Service Line Administration, (right) present a check to Ed Young, a Biomedical Engineering employee whose My Idea suggestion saved the hospital more than $109,000.

Anesthesiologist Tunes in to His Patients..................................... Page 10

Your Voice.

was Heard.

See article on page 9...

August 2010

In This Issue: Rewarding Your Innovative Ideas..... ....... 1 Bruno Helps Lead Allentown Campus Into Future.. .............................. 4 Preserving Nursing’s Moment in Time..... 5 Why Walk in This Year’s Heart Walk?

Why Not?.............................................. 6 A Day in the Life..... ............................... 7 Fitness with a Flair............................... 8 Your Voice. Heard. Results of the 2010 Employee Satisfaction Survey........ 9 First Nurse Practitioner Group Serves Allentown Campus................................. 9 Anesthesiologist Tunes in to His Patients.. ...................................10 Emergency Preparedness Drill.. ............11

Fountain Hill Firefighters assist Mark Lohman, RN, Emergency Department Manager, (right) with evacuation of a mock victim from North Wing 4 during the emergency preparedness drill. See more pictures on page 11.

St. Luke’s participates in National Start!

Walking Day St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network recently took part in the fight against heart disease by participating in National Start! Walking Day. On this day, adults nationwide were urged to make the vow to start walking and to become active and heart healthy, especially in the workplace.

Donna Sabol (left), Vice President, Chief Quality Officer, and Kathy J. Nunemacher, BSN, RN, CPN, Coordinator, Clinical Quality, Women’s and Children’s Service Line, Quality Resources, prepare for the Start! Walking Day activity.

St. Luke’s employees received a T-shirt when they came out for the Start! Walking Day activities.

St. Luke’s walkers navigate Ostrum Street during the National Start! Walking Day activities.

My Idea cont.

The top winner was Ed Young, Biomedical Engineering, who submitted the idea generating the highest cost savings. Ed’s idea was to eliminate a service contract with General Electric and move the work to our in-house team. This idea will save St. Luke’s more than $109,000.

Other top winners included: • Kathy Ramson, Critical Care; Mary Vogt, MICU; Mary Lou Gensits, Materials Management – reduce misallocation of surgical scrubs • Robert Gaugler, Engineering/Paint Shop – improve efficiencies in the Paint Shop • Heidi Santiago, Nutrition Services – purchase napkin dispensers in the cafeteria to reduce waste • Mary Beth Heckert, SLPG – fax reports instead of mailing them • Dawn Flemming and Anna Hess, Bethlehem Operating Room – linen reduction plan for OR, ASC and PACU • Donna Bonney, Women’s Health Center – change policy for mileage reimbursement • Rachel Albert, CW4, Bethlehem OR – changes to yellow blanket policy • Maryellen Otto, Laboratory – reduce number of slides used for body fluid smears • Janay Jarrell, Interventional Radiology – reduce number of pagers • June Lamana, OP Billing – reduce paper usage through MyNet • Susan Cooke, Quakertown OR – reduce intra-operative irrigation expenses My Idea Committee Members: Manny Changalis, Fred Damon, Anita Kingsbauer, Randy Lewis, Tom Lichtenwalner, Michael Malone, Kevin McGovern, Bill Moyer, Fred Ohlinger, Ralph Richards, Laurie Rudich, Sue Schantz, John Sylvia, Rochelle Schaller and John Watson.

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Entrants • Beverly Adams • Krissy Aguila • Linda Akkarach • Rachel Albert • Andrea Alonzo • Rebecca Aul • Katie Bartholomew • Jacki Bartolomeo • Dennis Bauder • Lisa Beck • Nancy Becker • Robert Beckowski • Patti Behnke • Nicholas Beidelman • Wayne Benack • Michelle Benner • Helen Betancourt • Connie Billiard • Jessica Billings • Lynn Birney • Donna Bivighouse • Linda Bloom • Terri Bohrer • Meg Bonge • Donna Bonney • Mary Borsevich • Peter Bott • Michele Bowman • Brenda Brookover • Sandra Buss • Cindi Callantine • Dafina Cana • Ellen Cannon • Michelle Cardinale • Miranda Carter • Celia Carvalho • Diana Castro • Tracey Catera • Eileen Catino • Aida Chambers • Johnny Check • Charlotte Chevalier • Amanda Chicareli • Michelle Chladny • Scott Christ • Sharon Christ • Lisa Chuck

• Yashwant Chudasama • Charity Ciccone • Katarine Clark • Jacob Cole • Susan Cooke • Cathleen Cooper • Virginia Crum • Jane Csondor • Lisa Culligan • Davene Cunningham • LoriAnn Czipoth • Audrey D’alessandro • Joann Dearmas • Delphy DeFalcis • Diane Diaz • Marie Dieter • Karen Dietz • Brian Dillman • Dominick DiNapoli • Kelly DiNapoli • Diane Dixon • Lisa Doddy • Donna Drake • Louise Duelfer • Mary Dugan • Jean Ellis-Land • Dorrit Emerich • Judy Emery • Edna Erland • Miriam Escamilla • Bernie Evans • Bryan Evans • Christine Fassl • Diane Fetzer • Laura Fetzer • Jane Fisk • Dawn Fleming • Denise Focht • Susan Folk • Stephanie Forst • Amy Foster • Janet Frankenfield • Stephen Fresh • Robert Gaugler • Tracey George • Tyler Gifford • Jana Glassic

August 2010

Thank-you for taking the time to enter MyNet. We appreciate your participation.

• Amy Glenn • Rosa Gonzalez • Ann Grim • Amy Happel • Michelle Hare • Heidi Hawk • Cathy Heard • Mary Beth Heckert • Sheila Heckman • Sherri Heffelfinger • Beth Heiney • Lisa Heiser • Jacquelyn Heiserman • Robin Heist • Luz Herrera • Anna Hess • Lyndie Hetherington • Brian Hoey • Jenn Horgash • Donna Horn • Robin Horvath • Theresa Hudak • Bonita Hugo • Joshua Lachini • Janay Jarrell • Corrie Jay • Susan Jessen • Anne Johns • Michelle Johnson • Kathleen Jones • Danielle Jones-Montalvo • Marlene Kalman • Maggie Keefer • Lori Keiper • Sharon Kemmerer • Amy Kennedy • Patti Kieba • Donna King • Andrea Kiskeravage • Erica Kleinle • Heidi Koch • Terry Koller • Jonathan Kopishke • David Kozich • Scott Kraft • Tyler Kuplen • June Lamana

August 2010

• Natalie Lane • Ivory Lasanta • Priscilla Lathrop • Mary Laubach • Mary Lazur • Samantha Lebitz • Hill Lechner • Susan Leidy • June Lessard • Lynn Lewicki • Jessica Lindsay • Diane Liros • Ashley Loikits • Leann Long • Jose Lopez • Sandy Lucente • Donna Mains • Shelley Maley • Daniel Marascio • Scott Marek • Kay Marsteller • Cindy Martnick • Laura Matos • Michele Mayes • Laurile Maynard • Jeremy McClinitic • Regina McCloskey • Erin McFadden • Cloria McVeigh • Glen Meading • Debra Mertz • Lisa Mertz • Mary Ann Miller • Peter Morales • Mary Ellen Moravek • Lisa Motruk • Marcia Neely • Joan Neff • Aida Negron-Rodriquez • Frank Nekvapil • Kathy Nunemacher • Frederick Ohlinger • Maryellen Otto • Linda Ozga • Bonnie Palinkas • Annette Peters • Elaine Peters

• Brea Pina • Ivelyn Pincin • Adaline Piotrowski • Chad Pitcher • Lilibeth Pizarro • Robyn Plesniarski • Tanya Pruitt • Kathy Ramson • Lucy Reagan • Ellen Redstone • Bob Reinhart • Tammy Repsher • Kathy Reyes • Edward Reynolds • Casie Richline • Nancy Richter • Kassandra Rivera • Veronica Rocchi • Stephen Roderick • Tamara Rohrbach • Amy Roth • Cynthia Roy • Eileen Rugh • Donna Rygiel • John S. Reese • Reinerris Sanchez • Eden Santaniello • Tiffany Santee • Heidi Santiago • Susan Satre • Donna Saylor • Jessica Schedler • Marcy Schlener • Donna Schmick • Catherine Schoch • Rebecca Schoenenberger • William Schrack • Dr. Jonathan Shingles • Lisa Siminski • Lisa Slakoper • Bonnie Smith • Dorothy Smith • Karen Lee Smith • Robin Smith • Jody Somogyi • Susan Specht • Mary Spengler

• Lori Spohn • Bonnie Stalker • Dr. Kirth Steele • Carol Stevens • Steve Strauss • Cheryl Strohl • Wendy Strohl • Brenda Styer • Cyrstal Swartz • Jesse Tate • Kimberly Tauber • Dr. Terry Theman • Caroly Thomas • John Timko • Mary Toole-Bisco • Suzanne Transue • Terry Trittenbach • Brenda Tyler • Joann Vanbilliard • Marta Velez • Tammy Vidal • Tina Walker • Lynn Wall • Tara Wargo • Denise Warner • Eileen Warren-Cordero • Valerie Waterloo • Cindy Weber • Carla Weidner • Mike Wescoe • Nancy White • Richard Wilford-Hunt • Cynthia William • Jill Williams • Dominique York • Edward Young • Rachelle Zarenkiewicz • Mary L. Zimmerman

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Bruno helps Lead Allentown Campus Into Future Editor’s Note: In response to requests received in our annual Pulse Readership Survey, this article is part of an ongoing series highlighting senior administrators and medical leadership.

An extraordinary success story for St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network over the past dozen years has been the modernization and expansion of its Allentown Campus. The site, formerly Allentown Osteopathic Medical Center (AOMC), was acquired through a merger in 1997 and today it offers a wide new range of programs and services to the community. Dr. John P. Bruno, D.O., MBA, vice president for medical affairs at the Allentown Campus, says the hospital’s improved services are the things he is most proud of in his time here.

Dr. Bruno came to St. Luke’s Hospital – Allentown Campus as vice president for medical affairs in 1995, when the hospital on Hamilton Street still was AOMC. Prior to that, he had been vice president for medical affairs at Riverside Hospital in Wilmington, Del. He says that Riverside was about to be absorbed by Christiana Care Health System.

“I didn’t want that, but when the opportunity arose here, I wondered whether the situation would be any different,” he says. “I thought I could be of service for a few years around the transition, but now, 14 years later, I’m still here.”

He says he has seen the climate at the hospital evolve from crisis management to one of thoughtful planning and recruiting of excellent staff. “We have tried to identify which programs are needed by the community,” Dr. Bruno says.

Among the innovations he’s helped to direct is the addition of open heart surgery in 2006.

“This was our ‘Manhattan Project’ because it involves more than the surgeons,” Dr. Bruno says. “We also needed to develop laboratories, anesthesiology, a blood bank and post-op care.”

There are many other innovations with which he has been involved. A bariatric surgery program has been added with clinical results among the very best in the nation. “We have an excellent team,” he says.

The Allentown Cancer Center, which opened in 2006, offers radiation and chemotherapy, and now is operating close to capacity. The Family Health Center (on Lehigh Street) sees 4

Dr. Bruno in the Cardiac Cath Lab.

1,600 patients per month, many of whom are not covered by health insurance. The Allentown Campus has been certified as a chest pain center and a heart failure center. It also has been certified by the Joint Commission on Accreditation as a stroke center. More improvements are in the works, including a new wound management center.

More traditional hospital services also have grown during Dr. Bruno’s tenure in Allentown. When the emergency department was modernized in 2003, it was serving approximately 18,000 patients per year.

Today, it is on track to serve about 48,000 per year. Similarly, at the time of the merger, the hospital had approximately 325 births per year. That number has soared, peaking recently at 1,500 births per year. Dr. Bruno believes that number will be eclipsed in the current fiscal year. He said, “These numbers far exceed the rate of population growth, so people are choosing to come here. We have recently renovated our obstetrical unit and it features private rooms.”

Dr. Bruno explains that it’s hard for him to pick out a single project as the most outstanding. “The big picture is greater

than the sum of its parts,” he says. “Each accomplishment, each recognition magnifies all of the others. I think the awards we have won reflect on our teamwork, and they make me appreciate this organization — one that has been willing to take prudent risks.”

Dr. Bruno and his wife are the parents of a daughter and son in California whom they enjoy visiting. They also have three grandchildren. The Brunos have a home in the Poconos, where they enjoy cross-country skiing, kayaking and swimming. Dr. Bruno enjoys watching college basketball, especially the Wildcats of Villanova University, where he earned his undergraduate degree. And, as reported in an earlier edition of Network Pulse, Dr. Bruno enjoys cooking. He says he doesn’t specialize in a particular cuisine or even follow recipes, for that matter. “I see what’s in the cupboard or I pick what looks good at the Farmer’s Market and I go from there,” he says.

Readership Survey Suggestion

August 2010

Preserving Nursing’s Moment in Time In 2009, the Network Professional Nursing Council decided to make a Network Nursing Time Capsule for Nurses Week 2010. Each of the St. Luke’s campuses, the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) and the School of Nursing prepared a scrapbook focused on the past, present and future of nursing at St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network and donated relevant health care items.

Some interesting items donated included: • A locked restraint key donated by SLB - Behavioral Health

After months of hard work, the time capsule was ready to be displayed in the Fowler Family Museum located in the Coxe Pavilion during Nurses Week 2010. At the end of Nurses Week, an official time capsule closing and dedication ceremony was held in the museum, where the time capsule will remain closed until Nurses Week 2035.

At the ceremony, Raquel Hlavinka, RN, BSN, and Aimee Kipila, RN, BSN, members of the Council that spearheaded the project, shared the history

behind the time capsule and showcased the donated items, while Carol Kuplen, CNO, read a letter that she wrote to the nurses of 2035 before placing it inside the capsule.

“In 25 years, we hope to be present for the opening ceremony,” shared Raquel.

Aimee added, “St. Luke’s will most likely look different and be much more technologically advanced, however the spirit of nursing at St. Luke’s will not change.”

• A heart pillow donated by SLB - P5 • A metal Foley clamp and metal Tubex donated by SLM • An early 20th century home care nursing pocket book donated by the VNA • A nursing cap donated by the School of Nursing

“St. Luke’s will most likely look different and be much more technologically advanced, however the spirit of nursing at St. Luke’s will not change.”

— Aimee Kipila, RN, BSN

Nursing staff looking over time capsule materials.

August 2010

Raquel Hlavinka, RN, BSN, Infusion Center, (left) and Aimee Kipila, RN, BSN, Clinical Coordinator, Critical Care, place the lid on the nursing time capsule during a recent ceremony in the Fowler Family Museum in the Coxe Pavilion at Bethlehem Campus.

Items included in the time capsule.

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Why Walk in This Year’s Heart Walk? Why Not? Heart disease is this country’s No.1 killer, while stroke is the third-leading cause of death and the leading cause of serious long-term disability. But, by exercising for as little as 30 minutes each day, you can reduce your risk.

Walking is one of the easiest ways to be physically active. You can do it almost anywhere and at any time. Walking may: • Give you more energy and make you feel good • Reduce stress and help you relax • Tone your muscles • Increase the number of calories your body uses • Lower your risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes Here’s one more reason to walk: You can help support the American Heart Association’s research into cardiovascular, heart and stroke diseases, and help to support our patients and their families as survivors of heart disease and stroke.

Participate in the American Heart Association’s Lehigh Valley Start! Heart Walk 2010 on Sunday, September 19. The Walk starts from Lehigh Valley Industrial Park IV - Bethlehem, Routes 22 & 512. Activities start at 8:30 am and the Walk starts at 10 am. The St. Luke’s team photo will be taken at around 9 am and, as usual, St. Luke’s will have a huge presence.

“We always have a great team at the Walk,” says Trina Steele, RN, BSN, patient care manager, PPHP5 and co-coordinator of St. Luke’s Heart

Walk. “But this year, corporate sponsorships are way down, and we are depending on individual and team walkers more than ever to make this year’s Walk a success.”

“Our goal this year is to have the largest team ever and raise record donations,” adds Shannon Heffner, RN, BSN, stroke center manager and St. Luke’s other Heart Walk co-coordinator. “New this year, we are asking all walkers to either raise a minimum of $20 in donations or pay a $20 fee to register. A commitment of at least $20 gets you a 2010 St. Luke’s team T-shirt and gets you registered to win some great prizes.”

Prizes include a “Top Team Prize” of free dinner at Starters Riverport courtesy of owner and Heart Walk chairman Dave Rank and a “Top Walker Prize” of a Nintendo Wii video game console, Sports Resort Edition. Other prizes — such as a $150 gift certificate to Melt and Rave Motion Picture tickets — will be awarded through a random drawing of all registered walkers.

Walking is one of the easiest ways to be physically active.

You can do it almost anywhere and at any time. Walking may: Give you more energy and make you feel good Reduce stress and help you relax Tone your muscles Increase the number of calories your body uses Lower your risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes

If you register for the Heart Walk and submit a minimum of $20 in donations or pay your $20 fee, not only will you get your T-shirt and be registered to win the prizes above, but you’ll also be registered to win a certificate for a round of free golf at Center Valley Club (there are two free rounds to give away).

Also note that this year’s Celebrity Bartending Event is scheduled for Thursday, September 9, from 7 – 9 pm at Starters Riverport. But remember, you must register to walk and either raise a minimum of $20 in donations or pay a $20 registration fee to receive a 2010

St. Luke’s team T-shirt and to be eligible to win prizes — you’ve got to be in it to win it. Why walk in this year’s Heart Walk? Why not?

For more information, please call Trina Steele at x1541 or Shannon Heffner at x2280.

St. Luke’s participants from a past American Heart Association’s Lehigh Valley Start! Heart Walk.

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August 2010

A Day in the Life of... Kim Otto Pediatric Nurse Practitioner • St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital Kim Otto follows her own advice. That’s why you’ll find her starting her day at 5:30 am at the gym, working out with her oldest daughter. Exercise and eating right are just two goals for a healthy lifestyle that Kim shares with patients during the community health presentations she offers at St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital and its community partners. The educational programs, which are funded by the three-year grant, focus on wellness, diabetes and obesity.

Community health nursing and patient education are part of Kim’s job as a pediatric nurse practitioner. She sees young patients, from infant through age 21, at three health centers affiliated with St. Luke’s Miners. Her schedule is divided among the centers, which are located in Nesquehoning, Hometown and McAdoo.

Miners campus is small, but it has many gifted nurses with many years of experience,” she says.

Kim joined St. Luke’s a year and a half ago when she relocated from Bethlehem to her hometown of Lehighton. She had worked part time in a pediatric practice when her children were younger. With the move home, it was time to return to full-time work.

Kim says people were quick to welcome her and she likes practicing in the smalltown atmosphere. .“You can really see the impact that outreach has in a small community,” she says.

Kim graduated from St. Luke’s School of Nursing and went on to Columbia University

to earn a bachelor’s degree. She also holds a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Kim recently started work on a doctorate through an online program at the University of Massachusetts – Boston. The doctoral program focuses on community health.

In her free time, Kim likes spending time with her husband, Phillip, taking a walk or going to the movies. Sometimes they connect when she stops for breakfast or lunch at the family business, Otto’s Pit Stop Deli in Lehighton. Or they might attend a football or field hockey game, band concert or cheerleading practice with one of their four children, daughters ages 14, 16 and 18, and a 17-year-old son.

“The health centers and community education are important in rural areas where there is a lack of providers. A lot of people don’t see providers regularly,” Kim says.

She has specialized in pediatrics throughout her career. “It’s my passion,” she says. “It’s a fortunate situation when you get to do what you love. Being a pediatric nurse practitioner is a good fit for me. I like to work with parents so they can do the best job they can to raise their children.”

Kim’s community education presentations, which are done an average of two days a week, are in addition to her full-time clinic work. The $375,000 Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Rural Outreach Grant was presented to St. Luke’s Miners, Lehigh Carbon Community College, local Lions Clubs and local community and neighborhood committees. Kim has presented sessions ranging from an in-service program for school nurses to an exercise program for seniors at a high-rise in Tamaqua.

Kim’s work in the community earned her a 2010 Nursing Excellence Award for Community Nursing. She says she was surprised to receive the award. “The August 2010

“Being a pediatric nurse practitioner is a good fit for me. I like to work with parents so they can do the best job they can to raise their children.”

— Kim Otto 7

Fitness with a Flair Kathleen Devlin has plenty to keep her busy at her “day job” as practice administrator for Tamaqua Family Practice, part of St. Luke’s Physician Group. She’s been with the practice for 20 years. But, five nights a week, she steps into a very different role — an instructor in the popular Zumba exercise program.

merengue tapes that he happened to have in his backpack and improvised. The new class soon became the most popular one he taught. He brought the class to the United States, and in 2001 created a global company. Today there are thousands of Zumba instructors around the world.

Kathleen leads classes in both Tamaqua and Hazleton. Zumba is a licensed fitness program and Kathleen had to complete a training and certification program to be a teacher. She earned her license in June 2009 and started teaching in August 2009.

Kathleen says Zumba is her first experience as a fitness or exercise instructor. She was attracted to it by the music; usually Latin style, but anything international is acceptable.

She likes it when she sees women who are Tamaqua Family Practice patients in the Zumba classes, and women of all ages participate.

“There are a lot of women in their 20s and I have a lady who is 72,” she says. “And, they come in all shapes and sizes.” In fact, Kathleen says her age — she is 52 — is a real asset as an instructor. One gym owner

Zumba was created in the mid 1990s by “Beto” Perez, a trainer in Cali, Colombia. The story goes that he arrived for an aerobics class and realized he had forgotten his aerobics music. Instead, he used Latin salsa and

Kathleen says she was attracted to the Zumba exercise program by the music.

told her that she is “very easy to market” as an instructor because she shows that Zumba is not just for younger people.

And, Zumba has given Kathleen more benefits than fitness from the workouts. She explains that until she became an instructor, it was very hard for her to speak or be in front of groups of people. Now, that no longer is a problem.

Women of all ages — from their 20s to age 72 — take Kathleen’s popular Zumba classes.

Kathleen leads classes in Tamaqua and Hazleton.

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Kathleen is looking forward to getting certification for Aqua Zumba and hopes to soon be teaching that in Orwigsburg. She is also interested in Zumba Gold, a program modified for senior citizens.

A press conference and national media tour were held in December 2002 at St. Luke’s to introduce the GE Innova 4100, interventional radiology equipment used in vascular procedures and the first of its kind in the world. Clinical trials for the Innova 4100 were held at St. Luke’s Hospital. With the images created by the Innova 4100, physicians could better treat a variety of blood vessel disorders, uterine fibroids and other conditions without major surgery. With these precise images, physicians are able to see clearly inside a patient’s blood vessels while guiding catheters and other medical devices to areas of the vessel needing treatment.

August 2010

Your Voice. Heard.

The results of the 2010 Employee Satisfaction Survey are in.

We would like to thank the 5,300+ employees who shared their valuable opinions, thoughts and suggestions through the online survey process.

This year’s results indicate once again that employee satisfaction levels continue to increase, and that St. Luke’s employees are proud to be a part of this organization and think this is a great place where people want to work.

Since we conducted the first Network-wide survey in 2007, we have continued to see increases each year in survey participation rates as well as in employee satisfaction levels.

In 2007, 47 percent of employees across the Network shared their opinions through the survey, which resulted in an overall positive average of 57 percent. Following our second Network-wide survey in 2008, we attained a 72 percent participation rate and an overall positive rating of 71 percent. This year, we received our highest Network-wide participation rate to date, 76 percent, and we also attained our highest overall positive rating for the Network, which was also 76 percent. According to Rich Boyer of ModernThink, LLC, the outside vendor commissioned by St. Luke’s to conduct the survey, the progress our Network has made over this three-year survey period is significant and definitely an accomplishment to take pride in and celebrate!

During the past few weeks, your manager has been sharing the detailed information with you related to Network-, Entity- and Department-specific results. As in previous years, your manager will be required to submit action plans for which your feedback on how to make your department and St. Luke’s an even better place to work will be essential!

For more detailed information, please visit the Network Employee Opinion Survey page on St. Luke’s Intranet — MyNet — and keep an eye out for future editions of Network Pulse and other communications. If you have questions about the survey, please contact your manager or Tanya Markovich at markovt@slhn.org or at 610-954-3594.

This year’s results indicate once again that employee satisfaction levels continue to increase, and that St. Luke’s employees are proud to be a part of this organization and think this is a great place where people want to work.

First nurse practitioner group serves Allentown campus St. Luke’s Health Hospital & Health Network has its first nurse practitioner group, and it is based at the Allentown Campus. The group comprises five people, and they provide 24/7 coverage for rapid response, critical care and house officer support.

There also is weekend day-shift coverage to handle internal medicine admissions.

Members of the group include Donna Martonik, MSN/ANP-BC; Ed Grecsek, MSN/ACNP-BC; Paul DelCasino, MSN/ACNP-BC; Kennie Koelesch, MSN/ACNP-BC; and Charles Sonday, MSN/ACNP-BC. Charles says, “We support the physician groups. We are on call and we carry pagers so we can respond quickly.” For instance, he said that during the day, a critical care physician might be busy seeing patients when support is needed. So, group members assist with critical care rounds, admissions or other needs.

What kinds of people are attracted to this work? Charles says he and fellow group members have critical care backgrounds and they like working directly with patients, doing procedures and providing care.

By the numbers • The muscle that lets your eye blink is the fastest muscle in your body. It allows you to blink 5 times a second. On average, you blink 15,000 times a day. Women blink twice as much as men.

• A typical athlete’s heart churns out 25 to 30 liters (up to 8 gallons) of blood per minute.

• On average a hiccup lasts 5 minutes.

• Fingernails grow nearly 4 times faster than toenails. *Source: “Interesting Facts of the Human Body”

August 2010

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Most singers savor the enthusiasm of an audience, but Delphy DeFalcis, DO, is different. An anesthesiologist at the Allentown and Miners campuses, he sings to help put his patients to sleep!

“Most patients are anxious before surgery, especially children and elderly people. I sing to help them relax as they are receiving a sedative,” explains Dr. DeFalcis, who is known by patients and staff as “the singing anesthesiologist.”

In his 13th year with Northeastern Anesthesia Physicians, Dr. DeFalcis feels he is giving his patients a personal touch. Although he prefers to sing songs by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Dean Martin, with an occasional Elvis tune mixed in, he often asks them for requests. Dr. DeFalcis recalls a 12-year-old girl who didn’t like any of his suggestions.

“She wanted to hear a pop song by Hillary Duff, so I printed the lyrics and we sang a few bars together. My daughter is that age, so I was happy to oblige. I also love it when my patients harmonize with me.”

According to Melonie Wieder, LPN, who has spent 21 years in the OR at the Allentown Campus, Dr. DeFalcis has a nice deep mellow voice that’s well suited for songs by the Italian crooners. “He’s also great with kids,” says Melonie, “singing ABC songs and songs from TV characters like Barney. The patients love it, and if they return, they often ask for ‘Dr. D.’ ” The nurses love Dr. D., too, and not just in the OR. Melonie explains, “He sings at retirement parties and other personal events, and on Valentine’s Day, he gives each OR nurse a rose.” Dr. DeFalcis adds, “The whole OR team is very close, like a family. They go above and beyond to make our patients comfortable.

They are the reason I love working at both the Allentown and Miners campuses.”

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ANESTHESIOLOGIST TUNES IN TO HIS PATIENTS

“Most patients are anxious before surgery, especially children and elderly people.

I sing to help them relax as they are receiving a sedative.”

— Delphy DeFalcis, DO We asked Dr. DeFalcis when his singing routine began. “It started after my residency, when I came to Allentown and became comfortable with the OR staff. Of course, I sing at home, and the irony is that my wife, who sang in a band, is better than I am!”

Dr. DeFalcis, who is fluent in Italian and French and is working on his Spanish fluency,

is expanding his repertoire to include the Italian classics and ballads. One of his current favorites is “Bésame Mucho” by Andrea Bocelli. “But I generally stick to Sinatra and Bennett; that way, when I supervise more than one OR, I don’t forget which song goes with each patient as they come out of anesthesia,” he jokes.

Tinsley Jeter, a developer, named the streets in Fountain Hill, the area in which St. Luke’s Hospital – Bethlehem Campus is located. Jeter kept the Indian names, such as Mohican, Seneca and Delaware, and also used the names of people connected to the locality, such as Freytag, Fiot and Schoenen.

The Auxiliary of St. Luke’s Hospital has raised more than $500,000 in support of nursing scholarships, faculty research, endowment and a computer center.

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August 2010

Emergency Preparedness Drill St. Luke’s Hospital – Bethlehem Campus

Frank Miravich, (left) Zone Mechanic, Engineering, and Devin Green, Trades Helper, Engineering, evacuate a mock victim during a cafeteria fire drill.

Tony Roman, PCA, MICU, uses a stair chair to vertically evacuate a mock victim in the North Wing stairwell during the emergency preparedness drill.

Members of the Bethlehem Campus ED casualty care team takes a break after treating their mock victims from the emergency preparedness drill.

Staff uses the “MedSled” to evacuate a victim from North Wing 4 during the emergency preparedness drill.

August 2010

Katie Griffiths, RN, Allentown Campus Hospital Supervisor, (R) triages a mock patient with the help of (from left) Deb Schroettner, RN, Director, Patient Access Center; Tony Roman, PCA, MICU; and Michele Rowlands, RN, Clinical Operations Coordinator, Allentown Campus Emergency Department, in the Horizon Wing third floor conference room during the emergency preparedness drill.

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Network Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID Permit #275 Bethlehem, PA

801 Ostrum St. • Bethlehem, PA 18015 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.

Network Pulse is a periodic publication for the employees of St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network published by the Corporate Communications Department.

801 Ostrum St. • Bethlehem, PA 18015 Executive Editor: Susan M. Schantz Vice President, Corporate Communications Contributing Writers: Steve Andrews • Glenn Kranzley Vicki Mayk • Robert Schobel Design Supervision: Lori Diehl Director, Network 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.

Timothy Fisher, a first-year radiography student from Northampton Community College, operates radiology equipment to provide digital images for a surgeon in the OR at the Allentown Campus. Tim was one of ten students in the nation to be awarded an academic and leadership scholarship by Lambda Nu, the National Radiologic and Imaging Sciences Honor Society. Tim graduated from Kutztown University with a degree in marine biology, and has worked as a veterinary technician and at Sea World.