HUPdate

Volume 24

Number 1

January 11, 2013

Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

} Patient Analise Santos (c.) with members of Penn’s heart transplant team (l. to r.):Debbie Gordon, Patricia Poderis, Nicole Wynne, Ava Dunn-Shaw, Maria R. Molina, Patricia Stutman and Christine Gearhart.

“Penn’s heart transplant outcomes are

AMONG THE NATION’S BEST, with three-year survival rates greater than 80 percent.”

H eartfelt

MILESTONE

AT HUP

INSIDE Bearding for a Good Cause .....2 A Crash Course in Running a Hospital...................3 HUP Holiday Outreach, Continued..................................3 Helping People Winners ..........4

Born with heart defects from blue baby syndrome, Analise Santos had major open heart surgery at four years old. When she was 14, she received a pacemaker. At 25, a ruptured artery in her left leg led to a double bypass operation in her abdomen, leaving her paralyzed for about three months. Five years later, the bypass was completely blocked, so she had femoral artery surgery. By age 44, Santos’s cardiac condition had deteriorated and she was added to the heart transplant list. Then, on June 25, 2010, she underwent a heart transplant at HUP. Now Santos is in the “best health” of her life. She has witnessed many milestones she otherwise might have missed, including her son’s wedding.

Penn’s Heart Failure and Transplantation Program recently reached an important milestone in its 25-year history. Santos is now one of 1,000 HUP patients who have received a new lease on life.

“This milestone was made possible by the tireless dedication of a multidisciplinary team

at the Penn Medicine Heart & Vascular Center over the last two decades,” said Lee R. Goldberg, MD, MPH, the program’s medical director.

“Working closely with our patients and their families and our partners at Gift of Life Donor Program, we’ve been able to make significant progress in heart transplantation care.”

The program’s success can also be measured by official recognition. It received the 2012 Department of Health and Human Services Bronze Medal of Honor award for its role in increasing the number of organs available and transplanted in the United States.

Ronald Kerstetter measures the program by its role in saving his life. Over the years, he has suffered three heart attacks and a stroke and received three stents and 19 cardiac catheterizations.

Then, while Kerstetter was on the heart transplant list, a tragic accident led the victim’s family members to designate their loved one’s heart for Kerstetter. “What they did for me was absolutely incredible,” he said. “And the fact that it matched was a miracle. I think about it every day.”

As with Santos, the new heart has changed his life.

“I have 11 steps to my bedroom at night,” said Kerstetter. “Before transplant, I could only do four without stopping to catch my breath. If it weren’t for the transplant team and donor family, I’m not (Continued on page 4)

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BEARDING FOR A

GOOD CAUSE “All donations benefitted the Cole Hamels Foundation, which provides support for quality education in this country.”

} (L. to r.): Simon Akerman, Ryan Fuller, Mike Vozniak, Mike Daly, Bob Hickey, Ike Unegbu, and Mike Kleinschmidt all grew beards to raise money for the Cole Hamels Foundation..

Growing a beard is not a typical way to raise money for a good cause, but it proved to be a success in the Pharmacy Department.

Octobeard 2012 began on October 1 when 25 staff members agreed to grow a beard. Each participant had one to three female sponsors donating $1 for every day he continued growing his beard. Then, at the end of the month, each beard grower matched all monetary donations made in his name.

“Our initial goal was $500, which then progressed to $1,000 as the days passed,” said Michael Kleinschmidt, PharmD, co-chair of Pharmacy’s Shared Governance Committee, which led the fundraiser.

A CRASH COURSE in Running a Hospital

Reggie Frank is currently the associate director of Facilities at the University of Botswana. With the planned opening of a new 450-bed academic teaching hospital on the University of Botswana campus in 2014, his responsibilities will be greatly increased. Supported by the Botswana-UPenn Partnership and the University of Botswana, Reggie spent six months at HUP to get what Chuck Aitken, assistant executive director, called a “crash course” in keeping a hospital up and running. He shadowed many of Aitken’s team as well as members of Support Services. He also met with School of Medicine support staff and some of the contractors who built the Smilow Translational Research Center to gain knowledge about the ins and outs of constructing and operating a top-notch health-care facility. } Reggie Frank (front and center) with members of Physical Plant.

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By month’s end, they had raised $3,200. “We also raffled a Cole Hamels autographed poster which brought in an additional $400.”

All donations benefitted the Cole Hamels Foundation, which provides support for quality education in this country.

Many thanks to all the participants for rocking their beards all month and to the sponsors for providing both monetary and verbal encouragement!

} Many employees volunteered their time to wrap presents for the children attending Councilwoman Blackwell’s annual holiday party.

HUP HOLIDAY OUTREACH,Cont inued!

In addition to what was featured in the December 28 HUPdate, several others helped make the holiday season happier for those less fortunate.

Nearly 60 volunteers from throughout Penn Medicine helped out at Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell’s annual holiday party last month.

And close to 35 employees spent the previous Saturday wrapping presents for the event. In all, nearly 5,000 adults and children received an early holiday meal, and each child received a present.

And, for the fourth year, Respiratory Care Services collected food for the Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission. David Moore, administrative director, said they collected nearly a ton of food this year, several boxes of clothes and just over $500 in donations from various departments throughout the hospital.

“In the four years we have sponsored this food drive, we have collected nearly six tons of food.”

And while residents in local communities received much of our outreach efforts, marines on the other side of the world benefitted as well.

Lance Corporal Drew Sestito, U.S. Marine Corp, is based in a remote location in Afghanistan, as part of a NATO security force, with “very poor conditions, including a lack of showers, eating facility or any basic needs,” said his father, John Sestito, associate executive director, CPUP, and COO of Neonatology.

Knowing of this difficult situation, Debra Watson, billing manager for Neonatology & Newborn Services; Faye Banks, accounts receivable coordinator for that area; and Kate Fitzpatrick, clinical director of Nursing

Operations, came up with a great idea: collect food, toiletries, warm clothing, magazines and books, and other “comforts of home” for Drew and his fellow marines to help make the holidays — and life in general — a little brighter.

Word of the drive quickly spread through ICN Nursing, CPUP, HUP and PAH Neonatology and Pediatrics at CHOP. In the end, enough was collected to fill 108 boxes! Corporal James Hart of Security, a former marine, and Security officer Ronald Emerson went with Watson and Fitzpatrick on their days off to bring the packages to the post office. An anonymous donor paid for all the shipping, Sestito said.

Although communications from his son are infrequent due to where he’s stationed, Sestito did hear from him about the special delivery.

“He was so overwhelmed by the supplies and the thoughtfulness of people he didn’t even know,” Sestito said. “He said it was cold and the warm clothes and especially the food supplies are so welcome. He never thought he would be happy to have ramen noodles and Slim Jim’s for dinner!” In addition, Respiratory Care Services, where Sestito worked as director for 14 years, started a drive of its own last month and sent the additional items to his son.

“My colleagues have played a large role in helping me through each day” of his son’s deployment, he said. “Their kindness and thoughtfulness is something I’ll never forget.”

New HRIC HOUR S

The days of operation for the Human Resources Information Center (HRIC) on Ground Gates will be changing effective February 4, 2013. With the new and exciting online self-service tools, employees are now able to obtain information on records, paychecks, benefits, retirement and much more. Just log on to www.uphs.upenn.edu/ employeeselfservice with your network ID and password to view your paycheck; change your name and address; sign up for direct deposit and view benefit information. The website is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can be accessed from any computer that has Internet access. Employees can also go directly to www.uphshrandyou.com for more detailed information about benefits, retirement and health promotion programs.

The HRIC’s new hours will be the following: • WEDNESDAY from 7:30 am to 10:30 am • FRIDAY from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm There is currently a mail drop box located outside the HRIC but, whenever possible, please send mail through interoffice delivery to the Human Resources office at 3001 Market Street. Mail in the drop box will now be picked up two days a week instead of three.

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H eartfelt

MILESTONE AT HUP (Continued from cover story)

sure if I’d be here today. Dr. [Michael] Acker and the entire Penn team keep me going.”

He extended a similar sentiment to the Clyde Barker Transplant House where he stays for his appointments at Penn. “It’s a great place. I’m nine months since transplant and I walk in and everyone calls me by name.”

Penn’s program performs more adult heart transplants per year than all other Philadelphia area hospitals combined, making it one of the

top three heart transplantation programs in the nation. Even though its faculty and staff treat some of the most complex cases, its heart transplant outcomes are among the nation’s best, with three-year survival rates greater than 80 percent.

Just ask 73-year-old Wesley Morris, who received his heart in March 1988. As HUP’s oldest living transplant patient, he continues to lead a healthy and active life.

March 15, 2013

MADPARTY

PENN PRESBYTERIAN MEDICAL CENTER PRESENTS A

Helping People WINNERS

Submitting the names of employees to Helping People All the Time is a great way to acknowledge those who have gone above and beyond to help patients, visitors or coworkers.

Now, you can submit forms online at http://uphsxnet.uphs.upenn.edu/hupse/. Using the Helping People All the Time website promotes more timely notification to employees — and their supervisors — of their exceptional service. Paper submissions will continue to be accepted at various locations through the hospital.

Congratulations to the employees below who are July’s winners of the Helping People All the Time raffle.

Susan Abramson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rhoads 2 Curtis Ball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radiology Woodrow Bowie . . . . . . . . . . . . Patient Transport Jessica Carter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ravdin 9 Dominique Centanzo . . . . .Perioperative Services Erin Coady . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Founders 10 Jason Colloton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radiology Julia DeMuth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ravdin 9 Antoinette Edwards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radiology Carla Fazio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rhoads 2 Kevin Haley . . . . . . . . . . . .Materials Management Jacqueline Hoffman . . . . . . . . . . . . .Silverstein 7 Kevin Joynt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rhoads 2

Dawn Juliana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radiology Kathleen Lipski . . . . . . . . .Perioperative Services Michael Long . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radiology Alyse Maiden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ravdin 9 James Mansfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radiology Christine Mauger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radiology Christopher Mignogna . . . . Path & Lab Medicine Elizabeth Scaravaglione . . . . . . . . . . . . Dulles 6 Elizabeth Shields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radiology Camille Stevns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radiology Jennetta Stubanas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rhoads 2 Christy Viscanti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rhoads 5

Weight Watchers

ON SITE! HUP is now offering Weight Watchers at Work every Wednesday at 12:30 in the Nursing Renewal Center on the Penn Tower Bridge level. The new session began this past Wednesday but you can still join if you sign up now. For the cost of the program, options and any questions, contact the Center at 662-2471 or nursingrenewalcenter@uphs.upenn.edu. Act fast!

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PPMC GOES ’MAD’ Penn Presbyterian’s 12th annual benefit — Mad Party — will be held on Friday, March 15, from 6 to 9 pm. The evening will feature a silent auction, swanky music, classic cocktails, and 1960s vintage attire. To learn more, contact Maggie McIntosh at 484-881-1988 or MAD.PARTY@uphs.upenn.edu.

HUPdate EDITORIAL STAFF

Sally Sapega Editor and Photographer Lisa Paxson Designer

ADMINISTRATION

Susan E. Phillips Senior Vice President, Public Affairs 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.