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Competitive Local Bicycle Team Has Strong St. Luke’s Connections.............. Page 4
Quakertown Staff Leads Surgical Mission to Haiti Cheri Kline, MSN, RN, BC, from St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital, says the thing she will remember the most about the surgical mission trip she made to Haiti with 13 other St. Luke’s professionals in September is the trust of the people in their care. Every morning that the St. Luke’s surgical team was there, people would fill the waiting area of the medical/surgical clinic in Roche Blanche, which was operated by the U.S. based non-profit Double Harvest. “They spoke Creole and we spoke English, so the interpreters were important. They didn’t know us, but they trusted us so much and walked into the operating rooms for their procedures,” she recalls. “This trip was something I just wanted to do and I’m glad we went.”
St. Luke’s Singers in Tune for Two Decades................................... Page 5
The trip was organized by Dr. Steve Smith, an orthopedic surgeon who had made a trip to Haiti prior to this mission trip. The clinic is located near Port au Prince and signs of the January 2010 earthquake remain; damaged buildings, impassable roads and people still needing care for injuries received. The clinic is open year-round and medical teams rotate through on a regular basis. continued on page 2
KidsCare Staff is Passionate About Doing it Well, Doing it Right................. Page 6
A Day in the Life of Marge Sheeto....................................... Page 7
Cindy Weaver (right), an operating room nurse from St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital, holds a baby and chats with the baby’s mother at the Baptist Mission in Haiti.
December 2010
In This Issue: Quakertown Staff Leads Surgical Mission to Haiti..... ................... 1 Schaller Feels the Impact of the Extensive St. Luke’s Family.................... 3 Competitive Local Bicycle Team Has Strong St. Luke’s Connections.. ............... 4 St. Luke’s Singers in Tune for Two Decades.. .................................. 5 KidsCare Staff is Passionate About Doing it Well, Doing it Right.. ................. 6 A Day in the Life..... ............................... 7 Radiology Department Clerk Knows About Parties... and Sisterhood.............. 8 Dr. Hoff is National Leader in Trauma Care.. ..................................... 9 The Power of Purchasing.. ....................11
The new Day Room at the Miners Campus is complete, and a big hit for the hospital. See the details and pictures on page ten.
You Make A Difference This month’s issue of Network Pulse covers a wide array of subjects, from singing to cycling to a successful Haitian mission trip. It also touches on the importance of family and St. Luke’s commitment to provide care on the highest of levels for yours. Based on the comments below, it appears that patient satisfaction has been met yet again: From patients commenting on the Quakertown Campus: “My needs were quickly & adequately addressed. The staff is undoubtedly the best I have ever encountered.” “Felt like I was in a high class hotel. Wonderful!” From patients at the Miners Campus: “The entire staff: nurses, CNA’s, laboratory people, CT and ultrasound staff were exceptional. St. Luke’s is definitely my #1 choice for health care. The entire staff is dedicated to meeting the needs of patients.” “Food was very good and hot.” “I have only good things to say about the hospital and staff.” From patients commenting on the Allentown Campus: “This was my first experience with St. Luke’s — IT WAS PERFECT — I WILL AND AM already telling everyone how pleased I was with my stay.” “I have spent a lot of time a different hospitals for family. This was, by far, the best I have ever seen. From location, cleanliness, style, staff and food. I was VERY pleased with my stay.” From patients at the Bethlehem Campus: “The staff was positive and encouraging and never made me feel inadequate or foolish. I appreciated their demeanor and caring.” “Trauma team was great!” “The staff and nurses were exceptionally kind to my family, thank you!” “The surgical team of doctors and nurses gave me back my life — how does one thank that?”
Haiti cont. Along with Dr. Smith and Cheri, the team included: Dr. Pat Respet, an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Tom Koch, an ENT surgeon and Dr. Eric Rittenhouse, OB/GYN. There were two nurses from the Quakertown operating room, Cindy Weaver and Cathy Rice, and three nurse-anesthetists: Jill Mullen, Diana Schaefer and Steve Deturk. Also on the team were scrub technician Tarah Annoni, engineer Alan Laidlaw and two cooks, Augie Quattrine and Theresa Pistone.
Cheri Kline (left) holds a Haitian girl during church services.
The team stayed in dormitory space on the second floor of the clinic, and Cheryl said the accommodations were basic but comfortable, including air conditioning, plumbing and laundry facilities. In fact, they found the two operating rooms, recovery room and exam room to be well equipped. The team generally worked about 12 hours a day. In addition, the cooks who traveled with the team prepared all of their meals. During their stay, they performed more than 100 procedures. The most common procedures were hysterectomies and thyroidectomies. There also were a lot of
Dr. Steve Smith, retired orthopaedic surgeon from St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital and coordinator of the trip, carries a Haitian boy with a fractured arm to a treatment room.
people with orthopedic injuries suffered during or after the earthquake or from vehicle accidents. To sum up the experience, Cheryl wrote in an article published in the St. Luke’s nursing newsletter Quest for Nursing Excellence, “The secret to the success of the team was everyone’s willingness to do whatever needed to be done. Egos were checked at the door and all team members cleaned floors, moved patients, sterilized instruments, ran for supplies and did whatever else was needed. I was proud to be a part of this team and hope I have the opportunity to return to Haiti again.”
Cathy Rice (left) and Cindy Weaver stand outside the gates to the Double Harvest Farm across the street from the clinic.
The Haitian Team (L-R): Tarah Annoni; Dr. Tom Koch; Diana Schaefer; Jill Mullen; Dr. Eric Rittenhouse; Theresa Pistone; Steve Deturk; Cindy Weaver; Dr. Steve Smith; Cathy Rice; Cheri Kline; Augie Quattrine; and Dr. Pat Respet.
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December 2010
Schaller Feels the Impact of the Extensive St. Luke’s Family Rochelle Schaller and her co-workers in the Human Resources Department may not have day-to-day contact with patients. However, Rochelle, who oversees Employee Recruitment in her role as assistant vice president, knows that her department directly impacts patient care at St. Luke’s. “I think the thing I like best is the fact that we do touch every aspect of the hospital,” Rochelle says of her role. “Through the people we hire, we are one step away from patient care. We’re always making an impact.” To recruit the most qualified candidates to fill Network positions, from clinical jobs to clerical support, Rochelle emphasizes a pro-active approach. It includes building relationships with training programs for Nursing, Radiology and Pharmacy, just to name a few. “Even in a tough economy, we’re still going to have openings, so we need to grow those relationships. We also need to be prepared for when the job market becomes more active once again,” she explains. Planning for future staffing needs is another aspect of the job. Rochelle and members of her department are involved in plans for the Riverside Campus. Previous initiatives included preparing for both the Acute Rehabilitation Center at the Bethlehem Campus and the cardiac and facility expansion projects at the Allentown Campus. “As soon as we can, we would like to be involved with the strategies for those projects,” she says. “Early involvement will ensure that staffing needs will be met when the programs are launched.” Rochelle also oversees Human Resources for the St. Luke’s Physician Group and supervises Organizational Development, Management Development and employee satisfaction initiatives. Much of that work focuses on both developing existing staff and retaining them. “It’s a combination of bringing the best people in and allowing these people to grow to take on new challenges,” she says. Rochelle likes to tout the many career options available in a large Network like St. Luke’s. “You might enter the Network as an employee in one of our offices. Years later, you might want to work part-time. Maybe you want to gain experience working in a Physician’s December 2010
Rochelle Schaller (right) and Sue Daley, administrative assistant, review paperwork in the Human Resources Department.
office or in a specialty department,” she explains. “With all the available opportunities, you don’t have to leave the St. Luke’s family in order to pursue your desired career.” Rochelle might be describing her own career path. She has been in her current role in Bethlehem for five and a half years. Prior to that, she was assistant vice president for Human Resources and Support Services at the Allentown Campus. “To be over here with Network responsibilities is an exciting career transition for me,” she states. Rochelle worked at the Allentown Campus since its days as Allentown Osteopathic Medical Center, joining the hospital in 1986. She assisted in its transition after the hospital became part of our Network. She takes special pleasure in seeing the growth and development of the facility. “It’s wonderful to see that beautiful facility and the volume that it’s bringing into the Network,” she says. Rochelle and her team are charged with ensuring that employee concerns raised in the
employee satisfaction survey are addressed. Sometimes that may mean a hospital-wide initiative. For example, one survey raised concerns about the visibility of senior leadership. As a result, senior leaders began doing rounds and holding meet-and-greets. On the departmental level, every manager created an action plan in order both to efficiently and effectively respond to concerns. A resident of Mertztown, Rochelle enjoys spending time with her husband, Mark, and five-year-old son, Colin — who was born at the Allentown Campus on Christmas Eve. The three enjoy spending time on their boat along with doing seasonal activities such as taking trips to the pumpkin patch. Although being a working mother poses challenges, her greatest joy is seeing the world through her son’s eyes. “I just try to savor every moment,” she says. Readership Survey Suggestion
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Competitive Local Bicycle Team Has Strong St. Luke’s Connections . e Lamprey Systems Cycling Team is a Bethlehem-based group of bicycle enthusiasts Th that is growing in size and rising in its accomplishments among U.S. Cycling Federation competitions in Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic region. Its members appear on winners podiums regularly, and this year, it staged its own cyclocross race in Lower Saucon Township, called “Town Hall Cross.” One of the event sponsors was St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network, and with good reason. Eight of Lamprey Cycling’s 22 riders are St. Luke’s staff members or spouses of staff members. . e team was formed in 2008 by Gregory Ahnert of Lower Saucon Township. He Th wanted to promote competition and fitness in the Lehigh Valley, an area already rich in bicycle racing tradition. In fact, Gregory says that having a robust cycling community was one of the reasons he moved here and located his shipping logistics company, Lamprey Systems, in Bethlehem. . ne of the first riders he recruited was Dr. Robert DeQuevedo, a St. Luke’s O anesthesiologist. The two had known each other since childhood and often rode together. From there, the St. Luke’s connections unfolded. Dr. DeQuevedo had been riding with Dr. Ronald Kriner of the OB/GYN department. Dr. DeQuevedo recalls that he had been competing in triathlons and duathlons and Dr. Kriner encouraged him to focus on cycling. Dr. Kriner joined the Lamprey team and another friend they had been riding with was Jeffrey Hetrick, who works in physical therapy at St. Luke’s North. They knew that Jeffrey and his wife, Jennifer, an RN on the Fifth Floor at the Priscilla Payne Hurd Pavilion, were strong riders and runners, and the Hetricks joined the team.
r. Kriner (left, front) and Dr. DeQuevedo (right, front) D participate in Town Hall Cross.
r. Olenchock participating in the Town Hall Cross. D
. t about the same time, Dr. Stephen Olenchock, Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery A and an avid cyclist, had returned to the area and lived near Gregory in Lower Saucon. Soon, not only had he joined the Lamprey team, but so had his wife, Sabina, a cardiology researcher and Pennsylvania’s fourth-ranked female amateur cyclist in 2010. Another spouse connection was made with Ryan Humes, whose wife, Dr. Darleen Morrissey-Humes, is an OB/GYN resident at St. Luke’s. Jeffrey Bays, who works in physical therapy at St. Luke’s North, also joined the team, rounding out the complement of St. Luke’s competitors. . ere were, however, even more connections. Dr. Kriner recalls that he learned that Th the husbands of two women whose babies he helped to deliver — Roland Ettle and Jens Meissgeier — turned out to be competitive riders, and he encouraged them to sign on, as well. . mong Lamprey Systems Cycling’s accomplishments are team championships in 2009 A and 2010 at the Pottsville 17 Race, held each July. Next summer, the Lamprey riders will return for the third year to compete in the Tour of the Battenkill, a 62-mile race in the Saratoga area of New York state that attracts more than 2,000 riders from around the country. Last year, Jennifer Hetrick was second overall among women. . e team members also are proud of the recent cyclocross race they organized at Town Th Hall Park in Lower Saucon. A cyclocross is a closed-circuit race that involves steep climbs and obstacles that force riders to dismount and carry their bikes to get by. About 150 riders raced and they rated the Town Hall Cross as the second-hardest course for the season. In fact, they dubbed one particularly steep segment of the course “The St. Luke’s Staircase.” The event raised $2,000 for two charities, Saucon Valley Relay for Life and the HCM Foundation of Emmaus. Plans are to make the Town Hall Cross an annual event. And in November, Lamprey Systems Cycling was a co-sponsor of the Pennsylvania State Cyclocross Championship held in Jordan Park in Allentown. 4
J ennifer Hetrick, RN, left, stands on the winners’ podium at the prestigious Tour of the Battenkill, in which she finished second overall among women.
Dr. Kriner climbing the “St. Luke’s Staircase” at the Town Hall Cross.
December 2010
St. Luke’s Singers In Tune for Two Decades Medical lectures aren’t the only sounds you hear in the Bethlehem Campus’s Laros Auditorium. Every Wednesday evening from September to May, you will also hear the splendid sound of voices raised in song. The St. Luke’s Singers have been a part of the Network for nearly 20 years. The group will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2011, marking two decades of making music and raising money in support of St. Luke’s. Since its inception, the group’s concerts have yielded more than $187,000 in funds for the hospital’s programs and services. They expect to surpass the $200,000 mark at the holiday concert in December 2010. The Singers hold two concerts annually — a holiday concert, which was held earlier in December, and a spring concert, held the third weekend in May. Concerts take place in the First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem and about 700 people attend. The holiday concert has been a sellout for the past few years. The Singers also perform for the Graduate Medical Education Certification Ceremony. According to Barbara Burger, director, Volunteer Services, the Singers are the only group of its kind in Pennsylvania. “They are considered hospital volunteers, because they are raising money for the hospital,” Barbara explains. She adds, “They are very much a part of the community.” The group was founded in June 1991 to sing in the 250th anniversary celebration of the City of Bethlehem. The original Singers had 33 members. Today the group has 70 members and includes physicians, nurses and community members. Four members have been with the group since its inception: Dr. Robert Hunsicker, Dr. Joseph Merola, Shirly Reitbauer and Susan Silvoy. Few members leave and there’s a waiting list for people who want to join. Floyd Schlegel is director of the St. Luke’s Singers. Barbara says he has helped to create a family feeling among the group’s members, while setting the standard for vocal excellence. “They love what they’re doing, and Floyd has a lot to do with that,”
December 2010
Floyd Schlegel (right, front), director, St. Luke’s Singers, prepares the Singers for the holiday concert.
The Singers continue to perform together for a very fundamental reason. “These are people who enjoy being together. They enjoy singing.” — Floyd Schlegel, director, St. Luke’s Singers Barbara says. “I like to think of Floyd as a ‘musical magician.’ He has such a fine-tuned ear, he can hear if someone is off. He will stop the choir and will correct them with humor.” Floyd, who turned 82 this year, is the former Choral Director at Nazareth Senior High School and Music Director at St. John’s United Church of Christ in Nazareth. The St. Luke’s Singers are now his singular focus. Floyd chooses the music for the group. Concerts are a blend of classical and secular music and span from traditional favorites to Broadway show tunes. The holiday concert always ends with a performance of “Peace” by Frederick Boch, a song that has become a signature piece. In choosing the music, Floyd wants to challenge the members of the group. “I feel very strongly that a choir is at its best when it is challenged,” he explains.
A sense of accomplishment also comes from knowing that the money raised has funded equipment and programs over the years. Every year, the group’s officers meet to review requests for concert proceeds. According to Barbara, the projects chosen match the approximately $20,000 raised by the concerts. Beneficiaries have included the St. Luke’s Cancer Center, a new emergency room at St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital, the Family Health Center at the Allentown Campus, and the new Hospice House. This year, proceeds were used to purchase a new television for the dialysis center. According to Floyd, however, the group continues to perform together for a very fundamental reason. “These are people who enjoy being together. They enjoy singing,” he says.
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KidsCare Staff is Passionate about Doing it Well, Doing it Right The St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network KidsCare Centers offer complete pediatric services at three sites in Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, and they are busy places! In fact, last year they had more than 35,000 patient visits, ranging from well-baby care to immunizations to management of chronic diseases, such as asthma. KidsCare’s hardworking staff, however, wants even more people — especially Network employees who are parents — to know about the high quality of services that they provide. Jennifer Janco, MD, section chief for Ambulatory Pediatrics, says “I’ve worked at several other places, and I’ve never seen such a dedicated staff. We do it well and we do it right.”
Dr. Janco notes, KidsCare saw its highest patient volumes ever. According to Dr. Singer, KidsCare participates with the many private insurance plans accepted by the hospital, including the coverage provided by the Network, as well as several Medicaid plans. “That is a key piece of information for parents who are employed at St. Luke’s,” she says.
Dr. Janco says KidsCare is committed to serving the Lehigh Valley’s needier children, including those with special health care needs. She says, however, “We hope our patients choose us because of the outstanding care that we provide and the depth and breadth of services that we offer, whether they have special needs or not.”
KidsCare has been part of the St. Luke’s Network for over ten years, and it operates at three locations: Fowler Family KidsCare at St. Luke’s Union Station in South Bethlehem, 240 Union Station Plaza; KidsCare at 1227 Liberty St. in Allentown; and KidsCare at the Easton Health Center, 414 Northampton St. in Easton. The busiest location is Bethlehem, which provided about 25,000 visits last year, while the Allentown and Easton centers had about 5,000 visits each. The Bethlehem site has evening and Saturday hours and provides walk-in sick care for existing patients Monday through Friday from 8:30 – 11 am. The Allentown and Easton sites are open from 8 am – 4:30 pm daily.
Jennifer Singer, assistant vice president, Women’s and Children’s Service Line, says that KidsCare consistently scores well on the quality indicators (“Pay for Performance”) that state and federal regulators track. They include vaccinations, lead screening, asthma care, adolescent care and keeping up with well-child visits. As concern about the H1N1 flu peaked in the fall of 2009,
Tracy Newman, manager at the Bethlehem and Allentown KidsCare offices, says providing quality care and excellent service is important to the staff. As part of the Open Access Initiative, new patients are accommodated for appointments for well-child care within one week, and they can get same-day appointments when the child’s condition warrants the action. KidsCare strives to
Tracy Newman, RN, Patient Care Manager, Kids Care/Pediatric Specialists, (left) and Dr. Jennifer Janco at the Allentown KidsCare offices.
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KidsCare Medical Assistant Mary Shipwash measures the height of a patient.
make the appointment process easy for both new and existing patients. The KidsCare staff includes Dr. Janco, as well as several other board-certified pediatricians. The pediatricians also provide coverage for St. Luke’s in-patient pediatric unit and newborn nursery. The offices are additionally staffed by physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, certified medical assistants and client service associates. A triage nurse is also available for consult 24 hours a day. When asked how the staff is able to do so much, Dr. Janco said, “St. Luke’s recruits good people and it sets the bar high. This is not a 9 to 5 job. We are passionate about what we do.”
KidsCare patients read books as they wait to see the doctor.
December 2010
A Day in the Life of... Marge Sheeto Intensive Care Unit Nurse • St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital Personal care with a personal touch is what Marge Sheeto brings to her job as a nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital. Marge started working in the ICU in July 1983 and still loves her job 27 years later. Marge says being an ICU nurse requires her to provide a combination of physical, psychological and spiritual care for her patients and families. “I like the human touch,” Marge says of her relationship with patients. “I stroke their hands, I stroke their foreheads: I let them know we’re really there for them.” That personal touch extends to patients’ families as well. “I am able to bring in my own personal experience,” she explains. “My mother died of cancer. I know what it is like to have a family member in the ICU. I am able to relate to these families. We shed tears together.” Marge’s personal and compassionate nursing earned her a Nursing Excellence Award in 2004 and a PCRAFT Award in 2007. But, Marge says teamwork is what makes being a nurse at St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital such a positive experience. “We work as a nursing team,” she says. “There are so many good nurses here. At Miners, we say our mission is ‘the caring difference,’ and we try to incorporate that in all we do. Providing both quality nursing care and patient satisfaction is important to us.” A graduate of the Reading Hospital School of Nursing, Marge first came to St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital as a medical-surgical nurse in 1974, and switched to the ICU nine years later. She’s worked every shift in the ICU, and now works the day shift — perhaps the busiest time of day on the unit. “We report first thing in the morning, and we have doctors rounding,” she says. “Patients will be having tests: CT scans and other studies. Sometimes we are dealing with life or death situations.” A resident of McAdoo, Marge and her husband, Richard, have been married for 37 years. She has two daughters — Jen, who holds a master’s degree in Psychology and is the school Psychologist for the Panther Valley School District, and Alicia, who holds a doctorate in Physical Therapy and works at Lancaster General Hospital. In her spare time, Marge enjoys spending time with family and friends. “I’m a people person,” she quips. She’s a dedicated walker and is active in her church, where she sings in the choir.
Marge welcomed the opening of the new ICU at St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital in September, saying that the new facilities will compliment the staff dedication and quality of care that already exists within St. Luke’s. “Our goal at St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital is to continue to grow as a hospital family,” Marge says. “St. Luke’s symbol is a shining star and I’d like to think that our hospital stands out as a shining star in our community and that our patients trust us and come back to us when they need care.”
St. Luke’s Hospital is the first in the nation to offer patients “surgical guarantees.” This unique program is provided for robotic prostatectomy and minimallyinvasive reconstructive surgery for pelvic prolapse.
December 2010
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• The eight most popular foods to cause food allergies are: milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, soy, tree nuts, fish and shellfish.
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• People have a tendency to chew food on the side that they most often use their hand. • Medical research has found substances in mistletoe that can slow down tumor growth.
The original charter of St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network was amended in 1873 so that the selection of Trustees was not to be limited denominationally. In October of 1873, St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network was opened in a building on Broad Street (then Carpenter Street) in South Bethlehem. The first patient was admitted on October 17, 1873.
• People who meet their calcium need reduce their risk of developing kidney stones. • People over the age of fifty will start to lose their dislike for foods that taste bitter. • By the time you are seventy you will have easily drunk over 12,000 gallons of water. *Source: “ www.funshun.com/amazing-facts/ blood-human-body-facts.html”
Radiology Department clerk knows about parties... and sisterhood . ou might say that Linda Heist, a control clerk in the Radiology Y Department at St. Luke’s Hospital – Bethlehem Campus, knows how to party. That is, she and six of her sisters — one actually is a sister-in-law — have been getting together every month for the past 13 years for rather elaborate “Sisters Parties.” What the women do is quite a bit more than your casual pot-luck. Linda and her family put a lot of effort — not to mention imagination and creativity — into their monthly get-togethers. . inda explains that the “Sisters Parties” are all about family. She is the L youngest of 16 children in a blended family. After their parents passed away, the women were determined to stay in touch in order to keep everyone together. The formula they struck upon was to make these monthly parties “events.”
S. ometimes, the parties celebrate that month’s birthday or birthdays. Or, they use a theme to make the event special. For instance, the theme for one party was “Cinderella.” They constructed an enchanted coach, complete with stuffed horses to accompany it to the magical ball. They even convinced a cooperative husband to arrive at the door at the appointed hour – in costume as Prince Charming. To add to the fun that evening, they set up a mock restaurant. Some of the women played the roles of servers while others got to be the dinner guests. The parties always include a meal and they rotate between the sisters’ homes. For the theme of “The Oscars,” they dressed up as if they were movie stars strolling “The Red Carpet.” Other themes have been a treasure hunt, Mardi Gras and a clown party. And, every year concludes with a Christmas party, held at Linda’s house. There have been costumes that include the Easter Bunny and an animated Hershey’s Kiss. The sisters exchange gifts and they have set up “Secret Sister” arrangements. That involves mailing anonymous gifts — or stealthily dropping them off at the recipient’s door — throughout the year. . inda lives in Northampton and all of the party-going sisters live in L the Lehigh Valley. The others include Brenda Cesanek, Sharon Zanders, Shirl Bender, Shirley Fritz and Maryann Bahner. And then there is Irene Yost, the oldest of the group at 82. “It’s quite an age spread,” says Linda, who is the youngster of the group. . inda, who has been at St. Luke’s for 23 years, says that the parties are L fun, but the real reason for making such an effort is a bit more serious and whole-hearted. “It’s a way to keep our family together,” she says.
Brenda Cesanek, dressed as a clown, celebrates a birthday with Linda Heist (right).
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December 2010
William S. Hoff, MD, Section Chief of Traumatology for St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network, has taken a leadership position this year with the National Association for Trauma Surgeons. It’s an honor to represent St. Luke’s on a national stage, of course. But Dr. Hoff believes that as a board member of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, (EAST), he will have opportunities to make a difference in the field of trauma care on the national level. The key to all this is the strong reputation of St. Luke’s model for involving physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) in trauma care. “My insight is that our guys do a great job,” Hoff says. “I’ll use my position with EAST to promote our model to hospitals across the country. It’s a way to improve the quality of care, to standardize care and to make efficient use of resources.” In addition, St. Luke’s training program for the practitioners in trauma care is highly innovative. Dr. Hoff notes that only one other U.S. hospital has similar training. At EAST’s 2010 annual meeting in Phoenix, Ariz., President Patrick M. Reilly, MD and President-elect Donald Jenkins, MD, asked Dr. Hoff to lead efforts to better incorporate the mid-level practitioners in trauma care. The request stemmed from their knowledge of St. Luke’s and how the hospital utilizes its practitioners to achieve total efficiency and effectiveness. Dr. Hoff is the chair of the EAST committee on Advanced Practitioners in Trauma Care and has presented papers on the topic. Dr. Hoff also hopes to offer PAs and NPs more involvement in EAST. “They don’t have a ‘professional home’ for trauma care at this time,” he says.
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At St. Luke’s, one of the things that physician assistants and nurse practitioners do is work with case managers to assist with the patients’ discharge plans. This includes helping with things such as arranging for rehabilitation work and follow-up care, or they might spend time talking to patients and families. “They are very good at patient and family education, as they take time to explain what some might consider to be ‘minor’ things. It isn’t that doctors don’t want to do that, but often, they just don’t have the time,” he says. Dr. Hoff adds, “Remember that patients and families in the emergency department didn’t choose to be here and probably never expected to be here. Maybe they never even heard of the hospital. So if a professional can explain what is happening and what will happen next, we can help to relieve some of their concerns.” The involvement of the PAs and NPs developed out of necessity, Dr. Hoff says. At the time that
the hours of residents were being reduced, the hospital was seeing increases in patient volume. So, the practitioners stepped up. When Dr. Hoff came to St. Luke’s in 2002, there was one practitioner working in the Trauma Program. Today, there are five. He also observes, “The residents rotate through here, and trauma care might not be their ultimate interest. The practitioners are here because they want to be here and they intend to stay.” Dr. Hoff’s membership with EAST goes back to when he served his residency at Lehigh Valley Hospital in 1991. A graduate of Jefferson Medical College, his term on the EAST board will continue for three years. He explains his interest in trauma surgery by saying that he didn’t want to specialize in a sub-specialty. “With trauma care, every day is different. Patients come through the doors with problems in all of the body systems. You see everything.”
St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network took a giant technological leap on June 2, 1994, when cardiologists began using the Rotoblator system to remove plaque blocking coronary arteries. St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network was the first hospital in the region to offer the Rotoblator system. On March 31, 1998, St. Luke’s dispatched HealthStar, a 35 feet long and 11 feet high mobile health clinic offering preventive health services to almost any neighborhood.
December 2010
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New Day Room At Miners To Be A Big Hit For The Hospital Renovations have been completed at a new Day Room at St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital where a 48-bed geriatric unit is located on the fifth floor. The new space, about three times the size of the old Day Room, is a bright and cheerful place where residents can eat meals, have visitors and participate in craft making, playing games and other activities. Andrea Visnosky, director, Marketing for St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital, said, “We wanted to improve the Day Room
because this is the residents’ home.” She said that having more space for visitors also enhances Miners close ties to both the Coaldale and the Panther Valley community. In fact, the room is in use all day long. The new Day Room was unveiled at a reception held earlier this year, where Micah Gursky, St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital’s Director of Development, expressed gratitude to community donors whose gifts made the work possible.
St. Luke’s Day of Caring 2010
JoAnn Standlick (left), dental hygienist, and Laurie Baerga, Mobil Services driver, work on the Dental Van for St. Luke’s Day of Caring.
Jennifer Singer prepares food in the kitchen.
Kathy Devlin (left) and Peggy Saylor work in the kitchen.
Joe Tocci (left) and Lisa Litak get the DJ equipment ready for Name That Tune.
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December 2010
The Power of Purchasing Every needle used by a St. Luke’s phlebotomist... Every instrument used in the OR... Every wheelchair pushed by a hospital volunteer... Every gauze pad used in the Emergency Department... Every desk, every chair, every table...
It all adds up to 46,000 purchase orders with 187,000 line items annually handled by the department. Annual costs for Network purchases added up $13 million. “The volume of work means setting priorities,” Larry states. It also requires good record-keeping.
important considerations. “When someone wants a new product, we’ve developed a process that includes a checklist of 50 questions,” Larry explains. “We ask things likes, ‘Is it safe for the patient?’ Is it latex free? Does it require re-sterilization?”
Every item used anywhere in St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network was acquired by the Network’s Purchasing Department. Larry Jennings, director, Purchasing and Contracting, heads the department, which is headquartered in Bethlehem. Other members of the purchasing team include Service Line Managers Donna Naydyhor and Annette D’Ambrosio, who each head teams of buyers.
Special software tracks all purchase orders along with everything that is bought. “The software we use tracks all the POs, runs inventory for the storeroom and maintains a list of all items,” Larry says.
Capital items — any items costing over $1,000 — are handled by Barbara Lorenzo, Linda Wilson and Matt Breter. They have their own checklist of 25 to 30 questions for evaluating such items.
Contracts establish the prices for all items purchased. As a member of Premier, St. Luke’s takes advantage of a group purchasing contract for 50 to 60 percent of all supplies. All other contracts are negotiated by Purchasing and no contracts are legal or binding unless signed by the department.
Members of the department work closely with clinical staff to ensure that any products used meet standards for quality care and patient safety. For example, Purchasing participates in three product committees — one for ICU nurses, one for cathertization labs and one for the OR — meeting weekly. In addition to cost savings, they consider a variety of issues when evaluating products, including patient and staff safety and clinical outcomes.
The Materials Management department comprises purchasing and supply chain logistics departments. Mary Lou Gensits, director, Supply Chain Logistics, manages the storeroom, mailroom, inventory control, SPD, linens, couriers and the print shop. “We buy everything — except food and pharmacy items,” Larry explains. “We handle all four facilities — Allentown, Bethlehem, Miners and Quakertown — and assist with some of the purchasing for St. Luke’s Physician Group.”
Supplies used every day are ordered from the storeroom. It is the Purchasing Department’s job to replenish the storeroom. If a department wants an item not routinely stocked, Purchasing evaluates whether it should be added to the inventory. When it comes to choosing an item, there’s more to the process than getting the lowest price. Patient safety and quality also are
In addition to teaming with clinicians, Purchasing also works with finance to make sure that St. Luke’s can be reimbursed by insurances for items that are used during treatment.
Front row (L-R): Annette D’Ambrosio, service line manager; Barbara Lorenzo, agent; Kathleen Mugavero, clerk/receptionist; Rosemary Polcari-Werner, clerk; Susan Kern, buyer; and Linda Wilson, project manager. Back row (L-R): Andrea Greene, buyer; Crystal Weida, clerk; Daryl Leatherbury, buyer; Larry Jennings, director, Materials Management; Dale Knepp, MMIS manager; Amy Meier, buyer; and Dawn Macy, buyer. Not pictured: Lori Borda, buyer; Tyler Kuplen, buyer; Janice Johnston, administrative assistant; and Donna Naydyhor, service line manager.
December 2010
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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: •P ride We take pride in our accomplishments and our organization. •C aring We show consideration for others and their feelings, and treat others as we want to be treated. •R espect We recognize the value, diversity and importance of each other, those we serve and the organization.
For the fourth year, the Student Government Association (SGA) of St. Luke’s School of Nursing sponsored the Christmas Tree at the School of Nursing. Each of the 100 ornaments had the name of a baby and mom — all clients of the Visiting Nurse Association of St. Luke’s Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) Program. Students, faculty and staff of the school took the ornaments off the tree, bought gifts and used the ornaments as gift tags. The tree was emptied in no time at all! New this year were the reusable St. Luke’s blue bags which were donated by the VNA. This helped to keep all the packages together, as most bags held many gifts for that recipient. Students delivered the gifts to the NFP for distribution.
•A ccountability We are responsible to make decisions and solve problems in a timely and effective manner. •F lexibility We adapt to changing needs and the expectations of those we serve. eamwork •T 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: Glenn Kranzley • Vicki Mayk
The SGA officers responsible for the delivery this year are (L-R): Brenda Vinton, school store representative; John Spanogle, vice president; Sandy Cohen, treasurer; and Tara Jandrisovits, activities representative.
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.
Tara Jandrisovits (left photo) and John Spanogle fill their cars with reusable St. Luke’s bags which were packed with donated gifts.