IN PULSE Vol. 37 No. 2 •
News from Waldo County General Hospital • March 2017
WCGH: Top 100 Critical Access Hospital
For the sixth straight year, Waldo County General Hospital has been named one of the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals in the United States by iVantage Health Analytics and The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “This achievement is very gratifying and validates our daily commitment to providing the best health care possible to our community, while maintaining an efficient and effective facility,” said Mark Fourre, MD, President and CEO of Pen Bay Medical Center and Waldo County General
Hospital. WCGH scored in the top 100 of Critical Access Hospitals on iVantage Health Analytics’ Hospital Strength INDEX®. The INDEX is the industry’s most comprehensive rating of rural providers. It provides the data foundation for the annual Rural Relevance Study and its results are the basis for many of rural healthcare’s most prominent awards, advocacy efforts and legislative initiatives. The list of the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals and more information
about the study can be found at www.iVantage INDEX.com. The Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals play a key role in providing a safety net to communities across America – and the INDEX measures them across eight pillars of hospital strength: inpatient share ranking, outpatient share ranking, cost, charge, quality, outcomes, patient perspectives, and financial stability. WCGH is proud to once again receive this recognition.
In February, Waldo County General Hospital rolled out the MaineHealth system wide core values program which includes the values of patient centered, respect, integrity, excellence, ownership and innovation. Each month is spent focusing on a specific value with patient centered being the focus of February and respect the focus in March. Colleagues have been asked to submit examples of co-workers who have put the value of the month into action. Kate Miles, DPT, rehabilitation services, was the first colleague nominated for demonstrating patient-centered behaviors at
WCGH. The person nominating her wrote: “Kate encouraged a brain injury patient to walk with music while eliminating her hemi-walker. The patient was very anxious, but with Kate’s encouragement and with a music tempo, she demonstrated significant improvements. The patient was almost brought to tears when she viewed a video of her walking.” In March, when the value of respect was introduced, Phil Goguen who works in nutrition services was recognized. The person nominating him wrote:
“Philip is the kind of person who makes you feel important. It does not matter if he is assisting the CEO, a surgeon or the local gentleman who comes in to get warm and a hot meal; if the person is spending a lot or digging out pennies to pay for a coffee. He shows each and every person the same attentiveness and respect. His calm, easy-going manner and the way he makes time for each person is what truly makes a person feel valued and respected.” Congratulations to Kate and Phil.
Values in action at WCGH
Saving money and the environment
Recently the operating room, based on a suggestion by Clae Seekins, participated in the Stryker’s Sustainability Solutions program. This program allows the hospital to recycle single-use supplies (excluding sharp needles and ligatures) for re-use and repurchase at a significant organizational savings. The program saved the hospital $29,527 in single-use medical supplies and kept 2,180 pounds of supplies out of the waste stream during 2016.
Kelsey Bryne of Stryker Sustainability Solutions, right, presents a check for $29,527 to the hospital as its savings from returning single-use surgical supplies to Stryker for reprocessing. Receiving the check are from left, Matt Chabot, regional supply chain manager, Clae Seekins, OR booker and Gail Dudley, OR director.
Women’s Conference scheduled for May 6
Pen Bay Medical Center, Waldo County General Hospital and LincolnHealth are hosting a conference on women’s health and wellness on Saturday, May 6, from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
at the Point Lookout Resort & Conference Center in Northport. Learn about the impact women have on the health of our communities, have your health questions addressed by
our providers and walk away with the information and tools you’ll need to live a healthy and well life. To register: please visit journeytoHealth.CourseStorm.com or call 921-3950.
Help filling out your advance directives is available April 19
Does your family know what your wishes are for end-of-life care? An advance directive ensures that your wishes are followed even if you can’t communicate them. On Wednesday, April 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., there will be an open house at the Lincolnville Regional Health Center, 2399 Atlantic Highway (Route 1). At the open house, you will be able to ask questions and get the assistance you need to make your healthcare wishes known. There will be free on-site assistance to fill out your advance directives, which will allow your family to know and honor your wishes. RNs Susan Driscoll and Mary Hanrahan of the cardiac rehab program greeted attendees on Fat Tuesday at Darby’s in Belfast. The restaurant donated a percentage of their revenue that evening to the Cardiac Rehab scholarship fund at WCGH. More than $1,500 was raised at the event.
WCGH Aid yard sale is April 22
The Waldo County General Hospital Aid will hold its spring yard sale on Saturday, April 22, from 8 a.m. to Noon, rain or shine, at the United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 23 Mill Lane, Belfast. Bring your friends to find bargains galore. 2
Welcome
Rev. Jean Ashland will serve as the spiritual care provider/ interfaith chaplain at Waldo County General Hospital. She will be providing part-time spiritual care services for patients, families and hospital staff in the inpatient and outpatient setting. Her training includes a two-year chaplaincy program and clinical pastoral education (CPE) from Massachusetts General Hospital. Jean currently works part time in the Voice and Swallowing Center at WCGH. She brings over 30 years of experience in acute hospital-based patient care as well as training in providing support in challenging patient care.
Jamie Geretz has been named the Regional Development Officer for the Pen Bay Waldo Healthcare Foundation. In her new role, she will be responsible for the management of the WCGH Volunteer Services Department and hospital liaison for the WCGH Aid. For more information about joining the WCGH Volunteer Services program or the Hospital Aid, please contact Jamie at 921-6707 or jegeretz@penbayhealthcare.org. If you would ike to learn more about the Pen Bay Waldo Healthcare Foundation, please visit www.penbaywaldofoundation.org.
MaineHealth is aware of telephone phishing scams from scammers posing as hospital or medical office officials. The callers try to get people to reveal confidential or sensitive financial information or credit card numbers. This may also be through
an automated call. If you receive a request to provide confidential information or to take specific actions from what appears to be a MaineHealth representative, please do not provide any financial or account information. Hang up immediately.
Marcia Kyle, RDN, LDN, CDE, FAND has been named the regional
manager of diabetes and nutrition ambulatory services at Pen Bay Medical Center and Waldo County General Hospital.
Allison Sherman, RD, will now be available to see patients on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at WCGH’s
Diabetes Clinic. If you have any questions or would like to make an appointment, please contact the clinic at 338-9358.
Beware of telephone phishing scam
These Waldo County General Hospital employees wore red on the first Friday in February to raise awareness of heart disease in women.
MaineHealth does not use automated calls for billing. Appointment reminders may be automated. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact MaineHealth Patient Financial Services at 207-887-5100.
Waldo County General Hospital employees recognized the Colon Cancer Alliance’s “Dress in Blue Day” on March 3 to raise awareness about colon cancer. For more information, please visit their website at www.ccalliance.org/. The hospital also offered free colonoscopies, the easiest way to find and remove the polyps that can lead to colon cancer, to qualifying individuals on March 10.
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Community Health & Wellness Briefs
Registration required for all events, please visit http://journeytohealth.coursestorm.com or call 921-3950 Growing Gardeners Join us for this hands-on familyfriendly workshop to learn how to jump start your veggie garden. We’ll cover gardening basics and caring for seedlings and soil. Come prepared to get some dirt under your fingernails and take some seedlings home with you! This workshop is kid-approved! Monday, May 8 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Free Lincolnville Central School 523 Hope Road Homemade Healthy Pizza Who doesn’t love pizza? Did you know that it’s so easy to make that with just a few tips from us, you can create healthy pizzas right in your own kitchen? In this hands-on class, you will grind grain into flour and make your own pizza dough and sauce from scratch. In addition, you’ll learn a few fun facts about the history of pizza, try new tasty toppings and go home with your own dough and recipes to create with your family. Thursday, May 11 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. $10 Belfast United Methodist Church 23 Mill Lane Declutter Your Life Do you feel like your life may be in need of some spring cleaning? Do you feel a bit stressed, or that you’re just not on your “A” game? If so, join the Community Health & Wellness Team for this 2-session class to learn to identify physical and mental clutter and learn strategies to clear your space
and your mind and get back to your best self. Mondays, May 8 & 15 Noon - 1:00 p.m. Free Belfast Free Library, 106 High St. Noon Yoga Escape and refresh on your lunch break with our certified yoga instructors in this gentle yoga series. Each hour-long class will help you stretch and strengthen your muscles, gain flexibility, improve balance, reduce stress, improve joint mobility and relax. No yoga experience required. Wednesdays, May 17 - June 21 Noon - 1:00 p.m. Instructor Lea Smith $37.50 Univ. of Maine Hutchinson Center 80 Belmont Ave., Belfast Old Stories, New Meanings: Altered Books Explore the art of altering books to ind new messages within their pages. Altering books is about taking an old book and making it into something new and all your own. There is no right or wrong; the pages are yours to re-create. Using a wide range of art materials, you can create something amazing. Join Lisa Cohn as you cut, paint, glue, fold, draw, add and subtract. Having fun and freeing your creative self is what it is all about. Mondays, May 1, 8 & 15 5:15 - 7:00 p.m. Instructor Lisa Cohn $50 Edna Drinkwater School, 56 Bayside Road, Northport
Bike Adventure Celebrate National Bike Month with the Community Health & Wellness team! Join us for a bike riding adventure along the beautiful Belfast Rail Trail. Family friendly; children must be accompanied by an adult. Please bring your own bike and helmets are required. Thursday, May 18 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Free Belfast Rail Trail, 501 High St.
Spring Guide The Community Health & Wellness team at Pen Bay Medical Center and Waldo County General Hospital is excited to announce their spring class schedule. Programs offered this spring include new meditation classes, homemade cooking, gardening workshops and opportunities to walk, bike or learn to run a 5k! The Journey to Health spring class guide is now available and will be distributed throughout the community. You can access an electronic version of the guide here: http://bit.ly/2m845pk All class offerings are also detailed at journeytohealth. coursestorm.com.
Colleague recognition
Marcia Newbert, CNA, right, with Geraldine Plamondon who nominated her for the Sunshine Award
The first Sunshine Award has been given out at Waldo County General Hospital. The award, which celebrates “the extraordinary skill and compassionate care” provided by the nursing support staff, was presented to CNA Marcia Newbert. The patient who nominated Newbert for the award, Geraldine Plamondon, wrote, “I have been in pre-op many times and if Marcia is there she takes time to make sure I and my family are cared for and puts us all at ease.” The Sunshine Award was created by the WCGH Nursing Department Partners Council. The Council includes CNAs, technicians and unit secretaries – each of whom provide vital support to nurses in the provision of patient care. Nominees should be role models who demonstrate patient advocacy, leadership, teamwork and make a difference in the life of a patient and/or family member. Nominations may be made by patients, families, visitors, volunteers and colleagues. Forms for making a nomination are located around the hospital. Congratulations to Newbert and to Alyssa Russell, a CNA on the medical/surgical unit, who was also nominated.
Sonya Conary, RN, right, with her supervisor Nicole Kenney
Sonya Conary, RN, Intensive Care Unit, is Waldo County General Hospital’s latest Daisy Award winner. Sonya was nominated by a patient, who wrote, “At age 88, I have encountered a lot of nurses; never have I experienced the competence and compassion of Sonya in the ICU unit of WCGH.” The Daisy Award recognizes extraordinary nurses who make an enormous difference in the lives of people by the work they do every day. Congratulations to the other nominees for this quarter: Sharon Curtis, RN WIHCU; Bill Jacobson, RN, ER; April Kirby, RN, OR; Terri Lemieux, RN, MSU and Colleen Wynn, RN, OR.
WCGH Oncology & Infusion Therapy has relocated
Our new office is located at: 116 Northport Avenue Ludwig Building, Suite 112. Phone number 930-2555 The convenient new consolidated office is located on the ground floor of the Ludwig Building. For your convenience, there will be four parking spots designated for oncology and infusion therapy patients. To access those spots, when available, we recommend that you park in the rear of the hospital and enter through the sliding doors. 5
Barbara Higgins, EVS Tech, WCGH Environmental Services, left, is presented with a Bose Wi-Fi Speaker by human services director Karen Littlefield. Barbara was a winner in a raffle with the names of those who filled out their Employee Engagement Survey. A snowstorm forced the winter employee appreciation BBQ inside but employees still enjoyed the chili, corn bread, salad and hot chocolate.
WCGH recently held an Advanced Cardiac Life Support class. Shown practicing their skills on Sim Mam are, from left, Cheryl Deane, NP, Candy Wentworth, RN and Jeffrey Newsom, MD.
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Address service requested
118 Northport Ave n P.O. Box 287 n Belfast, Maine 04915 (207) 338-2500 n www.wcgh.org
Waldo County General Hospital
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