Volume 26
Number 7
April 3, 2015
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
`` Karalyn DeLuca of CEQI with Stephanie Bourne of Perioperative Services.
ANOTHER
Successful
PATIENT SAFETY
FAIR
`` Steven Gaynes with the UV light that has helped lower HAIs on three oncology units and the “Best Patient Safety Poster” at the fair.
INSIDE A New Chapter for Al Black......2 Welcome to HUPs New COO...2 Be a Donor and Save Lives!.....3 Creating Canopy........................4 Helping People All the Time........4
That’s why one of the goals of this year’s Fair was to raise awareness of Safe Haven of Pennsylvania (also known as the Newborn Protection Act). A person may give up an unwanted infant anonymously at a hospital or police station without fear of arrest or prosecution as long as the baby is no older than 28 days and is not harmed. It is also a HUP policy (1-3-01). According to Marguerite Kerry, BSN, JD, director of Regulatory Affairs, if someone approaches wanting to give up a baby, the employee should accept and take the infant to the ED or contact Security. No information is required. No one will judge. “These people are in crisis and we want to protect the infant’s well-being.”
The Safe Haven interactions with staff— on both Ravdin and the Perelman Center atrium — were awarded the “Best Patient Safety Fair Demonstration.” Another award winner at the Fair went to Environmental Services for Best Patient Safety Poster, which focused on the ongoing push to lower health-care associated infections (HAIs). During a six-month study with Infection Control, EVS used ultraviolet light as a secondary means of killing microorganisms especially Clostridium difficile (C-DIFF), a common HAI in contact isolation rooms on HUP’s three oncology hematology units: Rhoads (Continued on page 4) (Continued on page 2)
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If someone came up to you at HUP and handed you a baby, would you know how to respond? If the answer is “not really,” you’re not alone. Participants in HUP’s Patient Safety Fair didn’t all know what to say when members of Regulatory Affairs handed them a baby doll and asked, “What would you do?”
A NEW CHAPTER FOR
AL BLACK (See page 2)
1
A
New Chapter for Al Black
“ I’ll miss the whole stimulation and excitement of being here, and the friends and wonderful people that I have been blessed to have
”
in my life by virtue of working for such a wonderful organization.
It’s not unusual to see Al Black, HUP’s chief operating officer, walking through the hospital’s hallways — or onto patient-care units — and talking with people. It’s how he keeps on top of what’s happening. “I think, in my role, some of what I hear may be filtered,” he said. “I feel you have to listen to staff, who may be seeing things with a different set of eyes.” This openness — and his desire to really listen to people — have been his MO for most of his career. In a HUPdate article published shortly after he arrived in 2002, he said, “We need to know what each other is thinking in order to create an optimal work environment.” And today, looking back on his career at HUP as he prepares to retire, he’s most proud of his work to “encourage greater coordination, cooperation, and team work among various departments.”
At a recent farewell party, several employees commented on Black’s impact throughout HUP. “He helped talk me through some struggles in my personal life and always gave me hope for the future,” said one employee. Another noted “how comfortable Mr. Black always makes everyone feel -- he brings joy wherever he goes.” His openness to listen extends to patients as well. In 2011, he teamed up with Victoria Rich, PhD, HUP’s former chief nurse executive, to create the Patient and Family Centered Advisory Council, which is helping to establish a patient-centered environment at HUP. “Throughout my career I’ve always been interested in the patient experience, making sure staff sees them as the center of why we’re here.”
Welcome
“Al has a passionate dedication to the needs of our patients,” said Garry Scheib, HUP executive director. “He has always made time to meet with troubled patients and translated their concerns into important and actionable feedback.” Black’s focus on patient advocacy extends beyond HUP as well. He has participated on several governmental committees and public policy forums,“to advocate for increased access to health-care services to those who have been locked out.” And he also played a key role in creating the Institute `` Black, one of the first to donate blood at the Penn Medicine Blood Donation Center, with Don Siegel, MD, PhD, director of Transfusion Medicine and Therapeutic Pathology.
to HUP’s New COO!
Carolyn Jackson has been named HUP’s new chief operating officer. She will take over the position from Al Black, who retires later this month. Prior to coming to HUP, Jackson was CEO of St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, a part of Tenet Healthcare System. She is a four-time recipient of Tenet’s prestigious ‘Circle of Excellence’ award for excellent hospital performance and a two-time recipient of Tenet’s ‘Grassroots Champion’ award, for leadership and commitment to Tenet’s government relations grassroots advocacy program. Jackson also received the Dallas Business Journal ‘40 Under Forty’ award; the Philadelphia Business Journal ‘Women of Distinction’ award; the Philadelphia Business Journal Healthcare Innovation Awards winner in ‘Emerging Executive of the Year’ category and the Modern Healthcare “Up & Comers” award. Welcome to HUP!
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`` The staff of Rhoads 4 with transplant recipient Dan Bonner.
“Working with Al has been an honor. His sound advice and counsel will definitely be missed.” for Diversity’s Summer Intern program, in which underrepresented minorities have the opportunity to interact with strong role models and consider careers in health-care management. This extensive community outreach has not gone unnoticed: Black has received numerous national and local community service awards. Once he leaves HUP’s fast-paced environment, Black and his wife, Linnette, hope to spend more time with their grandchildren and take a cross-country trip focused on historical sites. But “retirement” does not really characterize this new chapter in his life. “My wife and I see ourselves getting more involved in our scholarship and mentoring programs,” he said. “And, personally, I’m looking forward to doing more advocacy on public policy issues.” What will he miss most when he leaves? “The whole stimulation and excitement of being here, and the friends and wonderful people that I have been blessed to have in my life by virtue of working for such a wonderful organization.” “Working with Al has been an honor,” Scheib said. “His sound advice and counsel will definitely be missed.” `` Black with Sara Lamming, a winner of Pastoral Care’s Spirit of Caring award.
Be a Donor and Save Lives! April is National Donate Life Month, which commemorates the countless lives affected by transplant and donation across the United States. It also raises awareness of the need for people to register as organ, eye and tissue donors and celebrates those who have saved lives through the gift of donation. No one is more aware of the importance of donors than Dan Bonner, a HUP patient who received a liver transplant 10 years ago. According to Rebecca Farrell, Liver Transplant coordinator, “Dan lives every minute of every day feeling grateful and giving back to others.” Bonner attends HUP’s liver transplant support group meetings, volunteers at the Clyde Barker Transplant House, and regularly visits post-transplant patients on Rhoads 4, encouraging them and helping with their struggles of daily living activities. “He is the epitome of transplantation and what it is all about,” Farrell said. Learn more about how you can become a donor at http://www.donors1.org/penn. You can also help raise awareness of the critical need for registered organ and tissue donors by joining Penn’s team in the annual Dash for Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness on Sunday, April 19. To register, go to www.pennmedicine.org/transplant.
ALL EMPLOYEE MEETINGS Be sure to attend an All Employee Meeting to learn more about HUP and the Health System. HUP leaders will be available to answer questions.
All Employee Meetings are held in Medical Alumni Hall, on 1 Maloney.
The next three will be held: T HURSDAY, APRIL 9 8:30 to 9:30 am W EDNESDAY, MAY 13 Noon to 1:00 pm T HURSDAY, JUNE 11 5:00 to 6:00 pm
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ANOTHER
Successful PATIENT SAFETY FAIR
``
(Continued from page 1)
3,6, and 7. “We used two eight-minute cycles of the ultraviolet light disinfection in each room,” said Steve Gaynes, director of EVS Operations. The UV addition to the routine cleaning with bleach led to a 30 percent reduction in C-DIFF infections. This project also won this year’s Operations Award at HUP in the annual Patient Safety and Quality Awards. Members of HUP’s Nursing Quality Patient Safety Core Council created the traveling room of errors to raise awareness of medical violations that could lead to serious results. The “patient” that was brought on a stretcher into every unit — for both day and night shifts — suffered from many such errors. For example, he had two arm bands with different names.
His oxygen tubing was not connected. The med rates were wrong. Suzanna Ho, RN, MSN, coordinator of Patient Safety and Quality for Nursing, brought the stretcher onto the units with Megan McMullen,RN, BSN of Founders 12. She said that nurses had 90 seconds to come up with as many errors as possible. “There were easily more than 20 errors, and nurses on the units found the majority.” Thanks to Jill Huzinec, director of Patient Safety, who led the effort, and the many others who worked so hard to pull together another successful Patient Safety Fair. To read more about the many exhibits and patient safety posters, and see more photos, go to http://uphsxnet.uphs.upenn.edu/ ceqi/ and click on “2015 Patient Safety Awareness Week.”
Creating Canopy:
G e t a F r e e Tr e e
Help “green” our region by picking up a free tree and planting it at your home. Penn’s Creating Canopy program offers one free tree to all University and Health System employees who own homes in the city or suburbs in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. The deadline to register for the tree is May 1. Tree pick-up is Tuesday, May 5, and Thursday May 7, between 3 and 6 pm only, at the Penn Park Parking Lot (3100 Lower Walnut Street). A wide variety of small or large, flowering or shade trees is available. A valid Penn or UPHS ID is needed and you must provide transportation to take the tree home. For details, please visit http://www. upenn.edu/sustainability/get-involved/ creating-canopy.
HUPdate
`` Founders 10 staff searching for medical errors in the traveling room of errors “patient.”
EDITORIAL STAFF
Helping People ALL THE TIME
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Sally Sapega Editor and Photographer
Congratulations to November’s winners of the Helping People All the Time raffle. If you’d like to nominate an employee, go to http://pennpoint.uphs.upenn.edu/sites/HUP/hupse and click on “HUP Service Excellence Nomination” and then “New” at the top of the chart. You can also submit a name on a paper form, available at several locations throughout the hospital.
Alexa Creter Graphic Designer
Dan Bagby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lisa Ryan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jenny Galbraith. . . . . . . . . Allen Torrance. . . . . . . . . . Vince Mele . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frank Suplick. . . . . . . . . . . Corine Jackson . . . . . . . . Antonia Trotman. . . . . . . . Mary Annas. . . . . . . . . . . . . Pauline Smith. . . . . . . . . . . Eugenia Kim . . . . . . . . . . . . Grace Lee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adriana Messina . . . . . . .
Holly Auer Director of Communications
CICU CICU CICU Radiology Pharmacy Pharmacy Pharmacy MICU MICU Perioperative Services Ravdin 6 Ravdin 6 Ravdin 9
Laura Mattock. . . . . . . . . . Charles Bourne . . . . . . . . . Olivia Amendolia . . . . . . . Rachael Mea . . . . . . . . . . . Gabby Masci . . . . . . . . . . Pamela Garvin . . . . . . . . . Carrie Defeo. . . . . . . . . . . . Mosetta Harris. . . . . . . . . . Krista Sarbello. . . . . . . . . . Diana Filipek . . . . . . . . . . . Jamie Hawkey . . . . . . . . . Patricia McHenry . . . . . .
Radiology Rhoads 1 Rhoads 2 Rhoads 7 Rhoads 7 Rhoads 7 Rhoads 7 Rhoads 7 Silverstein 12 Silverstein 12 Silverstein 12 Silverstein 12
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.