Volume 7 Issue 19 September 21, 2012
PRESBYbulletin Penn Presbyterian Medical Center
TJC CERTIFIES PPMC AS The Joint Commission recently certified Penn Presbyterian Medical Center as a Primary Stroke Center (PSC), a designation that recognizes the Hospital’s special expertise in caring for patients with acute stroke. This action by TJC, in conjunction with its certification of Pennsylvania Hospital and previous certification of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania makes Penn Medicine the first Philadelphia health system to have all of its member hospitals certified in this way. The importance of this achievement cannot be overstated, since the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Emergency Medical Services announced last year that EMS ambulances would start bringing patients suspected of having a stroke only to certified PSC’s rather than the closest hospital.
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To be certified as a stroke center is acknowledgement by the outside world that the work we do for our patients here at Presby is outstanding and on the cutting edge.
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“Being recognized and certified as a Primary Stroke Center is an important step for Penn Presbyterian. It further cements our status as a hospital that is providing evidence-based standard of care for our patients,” said Kevin Fosnocht, MD, chief medical officer at Penn Presbyterian. “Additionally, studies show that patients who are treated for stroke at a certified PSC have reduced long-term disabilities and overall health care costs. We’re proud to be recognized as an institution that delivers that superior level of care.” Stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is suddenly interrupted due to a blockage of an artery (ischemic stroke) or when an artery in the brain bursts (hemorrhagic stroke). Symptoms of acute stroke include sudden loss of strength (usually on one side of the body), sudden loss of or change in the ability to speak, sudden loss of vision or sudden change in sensation. Strokes are more likely to occur in people with stroke “risk factors,” the most important being high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and a smoking habit. Acute stroke is a medical emergency, and anyone experiencing the symptoms of a stroke should call 911 to be taken to the emergency department of a PSC designated hospital. Just as chest pain is a classic symptom of “heart attack.” About 795,000 strokes occur annually in the US, making stroke the leading cause of adult disability at an annual cost of $68 billion. (continued on back)
Green Block Build Please join volunteers from PPMC and Rebuilding Together Philadelphia - the nation’s leading nonprofit organization that provides critical home repairs, modifications and improvements for Amer Am eric ica’ a s lo loww in inco come me hom omeo eown wner erss – at a community event in the Belmont Neig Ne ighb hbor orho hood od of We West st Phi hila lade delp lphi hia. a. Memb Me mber erss fr from om PPM PMC’ C s Pa Patitien entt an andd Family Education Committee will host a table at the event to inform the comm co mmun unitityy ab abou outt st stro roke ke sig igns ns and syymp ptoms,, and what to do if someone is exhibiting these symptoms. Other actitivi ac vitities es inc nclu lude de ins nstr truc uctition onss on how to administer hands-only CPR, and a video demonstration. When: Saturday, September 29, 2012 Where: 860 N. Holly Street, Philadelphia PA 19104 (The neighborhood is adjacent to PPMC) Hours: 11am to 4pm (Set up begins at 10:45am) For more information about opportunities to volunteer at the event, or to RSVP, please contact Jennifer Marcellus, BSN, RN, PCCN att 21 2155.66 6622.91 9153 53 or jennif ifer.marcell llus@ @uphs.upenn. h edu. d
TJC CERTIFIES PPMC AS
PR RIM MAR RY STTROKEE CEENTEER (continued from front)
“To o be ceertified as a stroke ceenter is ackn nowledggemeent by the outtside world th hat the work we do for ou ur patien nts here at Presbyy is outstan nding and on the cu utting edge,” said Sam mi Khella, MD D, chieef of Neurology and d director off Strokee Serr vices at Pen nn Preesbyterrian. “In addiition to a higgher stan ndarrd of care, thee certifi fication n also enabless physicians at PPMC C to provide com mpreh hensive patient educaation about stroke risk factors, as well as seelf-man nagement straategies so pattients caan taake better carre of th hemselvves when theyy are able to return hom me.” PP PMC an nd PAH H received thee PSC certifi fication follow wing a TJC C revieew thatt found both facilities to be in com mpliiance with req quirem ments fo or TJC’s Diseaase-Specific Care Ceertifi fication pro ogram as welll as primary stroke centerr requireemen nts, which incclude im mplem menting eviden nce based prrotocolss and d collecting thee Joint Comm mission core measure dataa to use in peerformance improvem ment acctivities. Devveloped in collaborattion with the Am merican n Strokke Association n and launch hed in 2003, The Joint Co ommisssion’s PSC Certificattion program m is baseed on n the Brain Atttack Coalition n’s “Recommeendations fo or the Esstabllishment of Priimary Stroke Centers.” Cerrtification is availab ble on nly to stroke pro ograms in Joiint Commissiion-accrediteed acutee caree hospitals.
NEW EXHIBITIONS!
“Ass a certtified sttroke center, Penn Presbyyterian has made a com mmitm ment to o the commun nity and surrroundin ng areeas to preevent and oveercome strokee so that our patientts can n lead heaalthierr lives,” said Chanellle Russell, RN, BSN N, MH HA, MH Hed, CPHQ, senior qualiity analyst att Penn Presbyterian. “Th Through hout th he certification n process, we’ve beeen fortunate to wo ork clossely witth colleaguess across Penn n Mediccine to ensure thaat theree is a co onsistent stan ndard of caree, and th hat alll of our pattients are receeiving the besst chance of survivall witth the lowest possibilitty of lon ng-term disab bility.” Please visit the Historic Library and Hallway on 2 Pine Center to view our latest exhibition, Mental Health During the Civil War: Thomas Story Kirkbride and the Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane. This exhibit will explore the treatment of the mentally ill during the Civil War period.
Take one flight up to the Historic Amphitheatre and visit our temporary exhibition Life and Limb: The Toll of the American Civil War,r which explores the experiences of disabled Civil War veterans and their role as symbols of the fractured nation. This exhibition is on loan through October 6, 2012 from the National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health.
PPMC CONGRATULATES
JODY GILMORE Please join us in congratulating Jody Gilmore, MSN, CRNP, PPMC Nurse Practitioner, who was recently selected as the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care’s (ANAC) 2012 recipient of the ANAC Joanne Ruiz Achievement Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice in HIV Care. This award, given in memory of Joanne Ruiz, one of the first nurses in the United States to become infected with the HIV disease through occupational exposure, is given to outstanding nurse clinicians who are a source of pride to self, peers, patients and colleagues. Award recipients are recognized for their knowledge and skill in caring for people with HIV and their families. According to the ANAC, the Joanne Ruiz Achievement Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice in HIV Care Award is given to “the nurse you would most want to care for your loved ones.” Jody will be recognized for her achievement at an awards ceremony later this year. Congratulations, Jody! Thank you for all you for PPMC and our patients!
Nursing Research Workshop Attention PPMC Direct Care Nurses and APNs: Do you have an idea and want to be involved in change?
Join us for a 2-day Nursing Ressearch Woorkshop January 24-25, 2013 REGISTRATION DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 29, 2012 The PPMC Nursing Research Committee, sponsors of this workshop, will educate and support you through your entire project. In the fall, the Committee will assess and evaluate the relevant literature for your project. The goal is that proposals will be fine tuned and completed at the January workshop. To register, contact Jean Boles at Jean.Boles@uphs.upenn.edu.