Volume 27
Number 17
August 19, 2016
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
HARD WORK: The “Secret” to Success ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL PIPELINE GRADUATION Students in Penn Medicine’s High School Pipeline Program do not have it easy. Over the course of the two-year program, they take college courses, work in positions throughout the Health System, receive professional development training and complete their last two years of high school. But, in the long run, it’s all worth it. “We’ll be the first in our families to attend college,” said Siani Harris, one of this year’s graduates. “We have juggled college, high school, work — and even made every meeting — and are ready to begin college. We can overcome anything!”
INSIDE PaintFest: A Creative Force at PCAM.....................................2 Penn Medicine Receives High Rankings in U.S. News....3 Master Clinicians Nominations..............................3
Tyler Jackson, a 2014 graduate from the program who is heading into his junior year at St. Joseph’s University, spoke about his own experiences. “I was excited about earning college credits and also to have a job. The program taught me about budgeting time and taking the initiative to solve a program. It helped me create my resumé and prepare for interviews. I tried to carry that level of professionalism into any other activity I participated in.
`` Frances Graham (l), director of Workforce Development, and Daniel Bryan, Jr., academic coordinator (r), with this year’s graduating Pipeline Program class (from left): Monique Murray, Ajae Hardy-Lewis, Siani Paul, Siani Harris, Hafsah Ali, Trelsie Trotman, and Jimmie Natee, III. Not pictured: Zaahir Matthews and Khayharah Wilford.
“But the most valuable lesson was: no matter what assignment comes my way, I need to give it my maximum effort to complete the task,” he continued. “There is no secret to success. If you work hard and seek help when you need it, you’ll be all right.” Get ready for new achievements and new challenges, he said, concluding with a quote by Booker T. Washington, an American educator: “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.” (Continued on page 4) `` Rhonda Holmstrom presented book scholarships from Trauma to this year’s Pipeline graduates going on to college, including Hafsah Ali.
Support the Undy Run/Walk....4
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PaintFest:
A CREATIVE FORCE AT PCAM
“ This is one of the positive things to come out of the diagnosis — the opportunities to learn newfound talents.” part of a 50-state mural called “Stars of Hope.” In each state, a cancer survivor and cancer patient were chosen to work on these panels. At the ACC, that honor went to Sharon Civa, information technology officer in Radiation Oncology, and Susana Jones, director of Transitions in Care at GSPP. “I was honored to not only represent Penn Medicine but all cancer survivors in Pennsylvania,” Civa said. “Art entered my life when I got ovarian cancer. It started during chemo when I used a coloring book as emotional therapy and then I took local art classes and started drawing, a talent I never knew I had.” Civa also volunteers for a nonprofit organization that designs and creates cards that go in comfort bundles for cancer patients. “I received one myself. It brings cheer.” So far, she’s created 300 cards for patients.
`` Sharon Civa (l) and Susana Jones were chosen to paint the state panel that will be part of the 50-state mural called “Stars of Hope.”
Last month, the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine was alive with creative energy, as more than 200 people — cancer survivors and patients, family members, and staff — took part in the PaintFest America Tour, an event sponsored by the Foundation of Hospital Art. The Tour stops at only one cancer center in each state. Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center was chosen to represent Pennsylvania. On the big day, PCAM’s atrium was transformed into a painting studio, with 15 long tables and a color-coded panel set down at each place. Heather Sheaffer, DSW, LCSW, director of Patient and Family Services at the ACC, said that initially there was a real excitement in the air — and a lot of talking — but as people settled down to paint, “it became very quiet. People were so wrapped up in the painting,” she said. “It was a time for quiet reflection and not thinking about cancer.” The ACC staff who took part in PaintFest benefitted as well, Sheaffer said, “sitting with patients and spending the time together to create something beautiful.” Over the two-hour session, even ACC director Chi Van Dang, MD, PhD, took a turn with a paint brush! Sheaffer said that all of the painted panels were sent back to Foundation of Hospital Art, where professional artists will touch up the pieces and send six completed murals back to the ACC. “They’re huge — around 10 x 4 feet!” Sheaffer said. “Everyone who saw them wants to hang one in their area.” While the majority of panels painted that day will be incorporated into murals and returned to Penn, one special panel will become
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For Jones, the experience served as a lighthearted way to shift her focus on something other than the treatments she undergoes for breast cancer. “This is one of the positive things to come out of the diagnosis — the opportunities to learn newfound talents,” she said. “It was a blessing to have the opportunity to experience Penn. I saw firsthand what it’s like to be a patient.” The two women met because of their cancer diagnosis “and now we’re friends,” Civa said. `` Also taking part in Paintfest were Chi Van Dang, MD, PhD, director of Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center, along with Scott Feight, executive director of Foundation of Hospital Art.
PENN MEDICINE RECEIVES
HIGH RANKINGS IN U.S. NEWS Penn Medicine hospitals have once again been ranked among the top 10 hospitals in the nation and #1 in Pennsylvania by U.S. News & World Report, achieving Honor Roll status and top rankings in 11 clinical specialties. Together, the combined enterprise of HUP and Penn Presbyterian is ranked as the 9th best hospital in the United States for the 2016-2017 annual survey by U.S. News. Once again, the hospitals are also ranked #1 in the Philadelphia metro area. According to the magazine’s editors, the Honor Roll distinction “signals both rare breadth and rare depth of medical excellence,” with each hospital performing near the top of the rankings in at least half a dozen specialty areas. Out of nearly 5,000 hospitals analyzed nationwide, Penn Medicine is among only 20 institutions — and the only one in the Philadelphia region — to be named to the publication’s 2016-2017 Honor Roll. The hospitals are also recognized for excellence in 11 specialties, including Cancer, Cardiology and Heart Surgery, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT), Nephrology, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Geriatrics, Orthopedics, Pulmonology, and Urology. Penn Medicine’s other hospitals also netted honors. Moving up four slots from last year, Pennsylvania Hospital has been ranked 4th in the Philadelphia metro area and 7th in Pennsylvania. Several PAH specialties were also recognized for excellence, including Orthopedics which was nationally ranked as one of the top 50 programs in the country. Chester County Hospital is ranked #6 in the Philadelphia region and 12th in the state. Lancaster General Health is ranked 5th in the state and nationally ranked in Gastroenterology & GI Surgery and Pulmonology. The annual U.S. News Best Hospitals rankings, now in its 27th year, recognize hospitals for their exceptional performance, based on outstanding quality, expertise, technology, and experience.
Nominations
Master Clinicians
The Academy of Master Clinicians was launched in 2013 to recognize those Penn Medicine clinicians who exemplify the highest standards of clinical excellence, humanism and professionalism. To date, 53 Penn Medicine physicians have been selected through a rigorous nomination and review process. The contributions of the members of The Academy of Master Clinicians serve to advance the core values of Penn Medicine, contribute to our goals of excellence in patient care, enhance the education and training experiences of our students and trainees, promote professionalism in all areas, and expand professional development opportunities for our physicians. Selection for The Academy is the highest clinical honor for a Penn Medicine physician today. Nominations are now open for The Academy’s next class. Any Penn Medicine employee can nominate a physician for this honor. Active practice clinicians at all Penn Medicine entities, including those at CHOP and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, are eligible. Physicians must have been in active clinical practice for a minimum of six years. To learn more about the program and to nominate a physician, go to http://www.med.upenn.edu/ fapd/academy-of-master-clinicians/. Nomination packets should be sent electronically to Victoria Mulhern at vmulhern@exchange.upenn.edu, no later than Friday, October 7.
Heartfelt Thanks
Submitted by Shirley Wright, supervisor of Patient Transport Services
W illiam Fletcher transported a patient ... who became very upset [due to changes in his care]. The patient jumped out of the wheelchair and began to get hostile with the doctors and staff members as he proceeded to disconnect himself from his telemetry monitor. Mr. Fletcher was able to control the situation without involving Security by talking to his patient in a very calm, peaceful tone explaining the severity of his outburst and convincing him to re-think his actions. The patient finally agreed to sit back down in the wheelchair and let Mr. Fletcher place his telemetry leads back on so that he could be properly monitored. Thereafter, Mr. Fletcher had an uneventful transport trip from PCAM to Rhoads 2 with his patient.
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SUPPORT THE
UNDY RUN/WALK On Saturday, September 10, Penn Medicine will participate as a team in the 2016 Philadelphia Undy Run/Walk. The event is a family-friendly event that was created by the Colon Cancer Alliance. Participants are encouraged to run in their boxers to bring attention to the area affected by colon cancer. A portion of the Philadelphia Undy Run/Walk proceeds will go to the UPHS’s Colon Cancer Screening Navigation Program, which helps West, South and Southwest Philadelphia patients complete colon cancer screening, one of the most powerful ways to prevent colon cancer. For more information, to participate, donate and more, go to http://bit.ly/1SCe3Vp and click on “Join A Team” to find team Penn Medicine. Questions? Please email Alicia at alicia.lamanna@uphs.upenn.edu. Let’s go team Penn Medicine!
HARD WORK: The “Secret” to Success (Continued from page 1)
Trauma provided each of the Pipeline graduates heading to higher education with a $500 Barnes & Noble gift card to help with expenses. “I congratulate all your parents because you’ve raised wonderful children who’ve become great assets of our community and here at Penn,” said Rhonda Holmstrom, Trauma Outpatient & Injury Prevention coordinator, who presented the Trauma scholarship to the graduates. “You need to tell your story to people coming up after you and encourage them to make the same choices.” Since the two-year, year-round program began in 2010, 139 students have participated. In the past five years of the program, 100 percent of the students graduated from high school compared to an overall rate of 64 percent for Philadelphia high schools. This year’s students graduated from three Philadelphia high schools: Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia Charter School, Paul Robeson High School for Human Services, and William L. Sayre High School. The program partners with Peirce College, Community College of Philadelphia and the Lenfest Foundation.
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INNOVATION ACCELERATOR APPLICATIONS The Penn Medicine Center for Health Care Innovation is currently accepting applications for the next class of its Innovation Accelerator. The program is designed to support thought leaders from across Penn Medicine in their efforts to develop, test, and implement new approaches to dramatically improve health care delivery and patient outcomes. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, September 6. To apply and learn more, go to http://healthcareinnovation.upenn. edu/innovation-accelerator-program.
After Graduation, Where?
This year’s Pipeline Program graduates will be heading to the following schools: Hafsah Ali Community College of Philadelphia Marquise Dogan George Washington University Ajae Hardy-Lewis Indiana University of Pennsylvania Siani Harris Indiana University of Pennsylvania Jermell Hollerway Bloomsburg University Zaahir Matthews Neumann University Monique Murray Community College of Philadelphia Jimmie Natee, III Shippensburg University Siani Paul Shippensburg or Lockhaven University Trelsie Trotman Delaware State University Khayharah Wilford Undecided
HUPdate EDITORIAL STAFF Sally Sapega Editor and Photographer Lisa Paxson Graphic Designer
ADMINISTRATION
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.