Volume 27
Number 21
October 14, 2016
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Congratulations
to Our Newest 25 Year Club Members!
Last month, 94 employees from HUP, CPUP, and Corporate became the newest inductees into the 25 Year Club at the 2016 Induction and Recognition Ceremony, bringing active membership to over 700. The event also celebrated employees celebrating 30,35,40, 45, and 50 years of working at HUP. “That’s almost 18,000 years of service!” said Garry Scheib, CEO of the hospital.
INSIDE Helping Kids Blossom...............2 2016 Employee Flu Campaign is Here!..............2 Much More Than a Game of Golf .......................................3 Giving is Penn's Way................3 Raising Awareness During Health Literacy Month..............3 BRA Donation Event.................4 Penn Medicine Publications Readership Survey....................4 Deadline for Quality Award Extended....................................4
When this year’s newest members began working at HUP in 1991, the newest technical advance was the World Wide Web, which had become publicly available on the Internet. That year one million computers went online. What a difference 25 years make! Top-grossing film was Terminator 2: Judgment Day. On TV, favorite shows were 60 Minutes, Roseanne, Cheers and Home Improvement. An article in HUPdate that year noted that outpatient services were becoming a major focus as changes in reimbursement and medical techniques made it beneficial for patients to leave hospitals sooner or not be admitted at all. In November of that year, outpatient visits totaled 366,492. “Today we have more than 1.6 million outpatient visits to HUP alone,” Scheib said.
`` (Left) Kevin O’Keefe (30), Donna Lyons (40), “Bear” Williford (30), and Kathryn Pirolli (35). `` (Above) Carol Miles (40), Ayesha Dixon (35), Milton Jones (40), and Pamela Roundtree (40).
needs of the time. But being severely landlocked... has prevented an appropriate use of space.” No doubt he would be pleasantly surprised to see all the changes — and those coming — across the street! In closing, Scheib again thanked the new inductees for their 25 years of service. “You’re what makes HUP special, the Health System special and Penn special.” See page 4 for a list of this year’s new inductees.
Facilities and lack of space was a challenge even in 1991. In another HUPdate article, Jeffrey Otten, then the associate executive director and COO of the hospital, said “What has happened over the years is that they have added buildings to meet the `` Connie Saylor (25), Diane Leichter (25), Mauri Sullivan (30), and Joann Jones (35).
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HELPING KIDS BLOSSOM
`` Robert Weidner discusses the development of creative activities with the parents of some of the attendees of “Family Activity Day” at the Natural Creativity Center.
The Natural Creativity Center in Germantown, which educates youth from ages 4 to 17, uses a holistic approach to develop a young person’s innate abilities to think flexibly and meet challenges creatively. “We take care of the bullied, the bored, and the branded,” said Robert Weidner, Entity IS officer, for Penn Home Care and Hospice Services. “Kids who are branded as uncooperative but usually it’s because they’re bored. Bullied because their neighborhood doesn’t like geeks.”
do well in school, NCC decided to start a nutrition program. In keeping with its overall approach to teaching, the program will go beyond just feeding the students breakfast. “They’ll learn about healthy eating and how to prepare nutritional dishes,” Weidner said. “We want kids to bring in recipes from home so they learn about ethnic foods. It’s a another way to embrace community diversity.” And they’re hoping the children will bring the knowledge home and share it with their parents.
Weidner became involved with NCC — and now serves on its board and as treasurer — through his friendship with the school’s co-founder, Peter Bergson. The Center’s philosophy in teaching, he explained, is that “children learn what they need to learn when they need to learn it, at their own pace. It’s been proven that when they’re ready, children learn more rapidly and retain it.”
The Penn Medicine CAREs grant Weidner received will help buy the necessary equipment to stock the NCC kitchen, allowing the students to prepare the recipes.
The majority of those attending NCC come from low-income communities… and many come to school hungry. Knowing that all kids need to start the day with a healthy breakfast in order to
Weidner finds his connection to the school “very rewarding” and hopes to expand the number of students over the next few years, giving every one the experience of learning in an environment that helps them grow and feel safe. “One mom said that, for the first time in eight years, her son jumps out of bed, to go to NCC. The kids blossom.”
2016 EMPLOYEE Over the past seven years, more than 98 percent of HUP and UPHS employees have been vaccinated for seasonal influenza. Getting the flu vaccine reduces the risk of illness for our staff and helps keep our patients, colleagues, and families safe and healthy. Pennsylvania recognized Penn Medicine for this key patient safety initiative. The 2016 Penn Medicine Employee Flu Campaign is an opportunity to continue our achievements. It has already begun as usual with the distribution of vaccine to high-risk clinical units and practices. Occupational Medicine Flu Vaccine Clinics will provide flu shots at a wide variety of locations. To ensure minimal waiting times and rapid documentation, bar-coded vaccine consent forms will again be available online to employees and faculty directly. You can find the times and locations of the Flu Vaccine Clinics
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IS HERE! and a link to your necessary bar-coded form on the Intranet home page, under “What’s Hot.” The seasonal influenza vaccine is free for all Penn Medicine staff, clinical faculty and contractors. Annual vaccination is needed for maximum protection because each year’s influenza vaccine protects against the virus strains most likely to be circulating that year. For more information, go to www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm. The UPHS Influenza Vaccine Policy is unchanged from last year. Contact your HR generalist for any questions about the policy. Again this year, vaccinated employees who submit their completed flu bar-coded consent form by Friday, October 21 will be entered into the raffle and eligible to win one of several exciting prizes. The only major change in this year’s influenza vaccine program is that the nasal spray vaccine
or “Flu Mist” was found to be ineffective by the CDC and will not be offered this year. For more information, go to www.cdc.gov/media/ releases/2016/s0622-laiv-flu.html. Egg-free vaccine is available for egg-allergic employees. (To learn more, go to www.cdc. gov/flu/protect/vaccine/qa_flublok-vaccine. htm). High dose vaccine is available for staff 65 and older (www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/ vaccine/qa_fluzone.htm). If you choose to be vaccinated outside a UPHS Flu Vaccine Clinic this year, please send your documentation to HUP Occupational Medicine with a copy of your bar-coded form to make sure you get timely credit. Documentation of outside vaccines can be sent by PDF to OccHealth@ uphs.upenn.edu.
MUCH MORE THAN A GAME OF GOLF Over the past 10 years, members of the Penn Medicine Golf Committee have raised funds for various Penn programs by hosting charity golf outings with designated beneficiaries. Over the years, the Committee has contributed nearly $1 million to support programs like The Clyde F. Barker Transplant House, Penn-Wissahickon Hospice, the David Bradley Children’s Bereavement Program, and the American Heart Association, among others. Committee members include Steven Honeywell, AVP of Patient Accounting; Matt Killinger, Reimbursement manager; Chris Cesanek, senior accountant; Eileen Murray, managing director of Patient Accounting; and Tom McCormick, VP of Patient Accounting. Recently, the Committee donated $118,088 to Puentes de Salud (puentesdesalud.org), which promotes the health and wellness of the Latino population in Philadelphia. The money will go towards enhancing its facility. The Penn Medicine Golf Committee thanks the many volunteers from various Penn departments as well as friends of Penn Medicine and their charities, for their help over the years in making these golf outings a great success and participating in their mission.
GIVING is PENN’S WAY
Penn’s Way is underway across our campuses! In partnership with our colleagues at the University, Penn Medicine is stepping up to support the greater Philadelphia area through donations to Penn Medicine, United Way and Center for Responsible Funding Agencies. As one of the largest umbrella campaigns in the regions, Penn has set a goal of $1.5 million. This year, PPMC funds will be designated towards their Discharge Pharmacy Assistance Program, which provides prescription medications upon discharge to the most vulnerable populations we serve. HUP and PAH donations will support the Safe Sleep Sack Initiative, after which remaining funds will also support Discharge Pharmacy Programs. The Penn’s Way campaign is marked by raffles, fairs and events, honoring not only the donations that come in from thousands of employees, but also the culture of caring and spirit of giving at Penn Medicine.
`` (From left): Penn Medicine Golf Committee members Steven F. Honeywell and Matt Killinger with Steven C. Larson, MD, co-founder of Puentes de Salud.
If you have not done so already, please visit Penn’s Way at www.upenn.edu/pennsway and pledge your support and immediately impact the communities we serve.
RAISING AWARENESS DURING HEALTH LITERACY MONTH Learn more about HUP’s efforts to promote health literacy: Information tables and activities will be available from 11 am to 1 pm at the following dates and locations: • Monday, October 17, Ravdin Mezzanine. • Wednesday, October 19, Perelman Center. • Thursday, October 20, 2 Founders cafeteria.
Schwartz Rounds, Tuesday, October 18, from noon to 1 pm in the 5 Maloney Conference Room. Topic: “Exploring Patient Education Across the Continuum: A Nutrition Case Study”
Unit Rounds • Night shift: Tuesday, October 18, through Wednesday, October 19, from 11 pm – 2 am. • Dayshift: Friday, October 21, from 11 am – 3pm. Safety Rounds, Thursday, October 27, from 2 to 3 pm.
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`` Elizabeth Glass-Jolly (25), Erasmus Gweh (25), Geraldine McCausland (40), Susan Carney (25), Maureen James (25), and April Chmielinski (25).
THE 25-YEAR-CLUB WELCOMES ITS NEWEST MEMBERS: CORPORATE Melissa Alvarez Denise Amaro Tracey Anderson-Morton John Anton Jr. Robert Bacon Marcy Barrett Willene Blair Tammy Clack
Carol Collins Thomas Cooper Debra Davis Margaret Dougherty Patricia Estell Renette Greenlee Caroline Hall Joseph Heaney
Cheryl Hunter Maureen James David McLaughlin Regina Redfern Tod Simons Lynda Tobin Bea Marie Travisano Terri-ellen Wasserstein
Eileen Hollen Tricia Holt Elizabeth Irwin Corlette Johnson Sharon Lopez TeresaMcCormick Henry Nicastro
Theresa Osterhout Connie Saylor Gwendolyn SingletonBronson Jacqueline Wright
Kelly Foreman Elizabeth Glass-Jolly Mary Gray Veronica Gregg Vilma Griffiths Erasmus Gweh Toria Harris Jill Huzinec Rachel Issac Ronald Kiker Heather Larovere Diane Leichter Joseph Lemon Michelle Marino Arnetta McGowan Minerva Mercado Nicole Miller Paul Ortlip
Bernadette Pellegrino Rolando Pinon Tanisha Robinson Jeanette Sassi Donnamarie Schuele Francis Steenberg Gracy Sunny David Szczecinski Terrace Taylor Rosemary Thomson Martha Toney Florence Trinsey Malcolm Waddell Linda Wheelan John Woeger Theodore Xu
CPUP Darlene Bassett Tiffiney Brown Frances Burke Randi Collinson Kenneth Costello Deborah Freda Laverne Graves
HUP Saramma Abraham Flor Bayawa Pramod Bhutani Susan Carney April Chmielinski Susan Cieslinski Nichol Clark Stacey Cockerham Karima Cooper Bernadette Coyle Cherise Debouse Karen Demers Richard Demers Janis Dingle David Domzalski Karen Eberman Stephanie Ennis Ronaldo Fernandez
BRA DONATION EVENT In recognition of BRA (Breast Reconstruction Awareness) Day, Plastic Surgery is collecting gently used, unwanted bras for Philadelphia-area women in need. BRA Day is an initiative designed to promote education, awareness and access for women who may wish to consider post-mastectomy breast reconstruction. Please bring donations to the BRA Day table in the Perelman Center atrium on Wednesday, October 19, from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm. Donations will also be collected throughout the month of October at Penn Plastic Surgery in the PCAM South Pavilion.
Penn Medicine Publications Readership Survey In an effort to ensure that our suite of internal publications is meeting the needs of our readers from across the health system, the Communications department invites you to share your feedback through a brief online survey. The results of this survey will help inform ongoing improvement efforts for our four main internal publications — System News as well as our three entity-based publications, HUPdate, What’s New, and the Presby Bulletin. The survey is available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RZ8SHTH.
HUPdate EDITORIAL STAFF Sally Sapega Editor and Photographer Lauren Hochenberger Graphic Designer
ADMINISTRATION
Deadline for Quality Award Extended There’s still time to apply for the 2016 UPHS Quality and Patient Safety Awards! The deadline for submitting has been extended to Friday, October 21. This award has been a long standing opportunity for teams to formally document their achievements in quality and patient safety over the last 12 months. To learn more and apply, go to http://bit.ly/2bgDXPL.
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Susan E. Phillips Senior Vice President, Public Affairs Holly Auer Director of Communications CONTACT HUPDATE AT: 3535 Market Street, Mezzanine Philadelphia, PA 19104 phone: 215.662.4488 fax: 215.349.8312 email: sally.sapega@uphs.upenn.edu HUPdate is published biweekly for HUP employees. Access HUPdate online at http://news.pennmedicine.org/inside/hupdate.