Volume 3
WHAT’Snew
Number 21
October 17, 2014
Pennsylvania Hospital
Penn Gynecologist Collaborates with Sister to Explore the “Wild West” / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / of Reproduc tive Medic ine Billy the Kid. Jesse James. Buffalo Bill. Wild Bill Hickok. We’ve all heard the names before: They’re the colorful and dangerous characters of America’s old “wild west” that have dominated U.S. cinema and television for decades. And that is where the connotations of entertainment end.
`` Wanda Ronner, MD, left, and her sister Margaret Marsh, PhD.
Inside Penn’s Way 2015......................2
Today, whenever an emerging trend — usually something in technology or medicine — expands into uncharted territory, outpacing regulation, you’ll hear it being referred to as the “wild west.” (Think cyber-stalking or dietary and weight loss supplements.) The field of reproductive medicine and all it entails, especially in the Unite States, is another potential example.
“Societal conflicts involving reproductive technology — often politically and religion-based — are so deep and divisive that as a nation, we’re unable to find common ground...” — Wanda Ronner, MD
Penn Gynecologist Collaborates with Her Sister to Explore the “Wild West” of Reproductive Medicine continued.................2 Finding the Right Words for Better Health: October is Health Literacy Month......................3-4 What’s Happening....................4
The U.S. remains virtually the only developed nation in the world that has no national policy on assisted reproduction. Since the emergence of the field 40 years ago, the
federal government has not funded, regulated, prohibited or approved any reproductive technologies or practices, including vitro fertilization, sperm, egg and embryo donation, gestational carriers and surrogates. “Societal conflicts involving reproductive technology — often politically and religionbased — are so deep and divisive that as a nation, we’re unable to find common ground,” said Wanda Ronner, MD, professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Perelman School of Medicine, a gynecologist and medical student coordinator at Pennsylvania Hospital. “So it has been by default that we’ve allowed the market to determine access to reproductive services.” Ronner and her sister Margaret Marsh, PhD, a distinguished professor of History at Rutgers University and fellow researcher and author, are collaborating once again to seek answers to how and why the current state of reproductive medicine in the U.S. developed and its effects on potential parents, egg and sperm donors, surrogates, researchers, health care providers, and society as a whole. Most important, Ronner and Marsh hope to devise possible solutions for change to both medical practice and policy. Funded by a three-year Investigator Award in Health Policy Research from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Ronner and Marsh are on their way to exploring the Continued on Page 2 / / /
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Penn’s Way
2015
Continued from Cover / / /
Penn Gynecologist Collaborates with Her Sister to Explore the “Wild West”
Giving is Penn’s Way Penn’s Way is underway across all our campuses! This year’s campaign kicked off on September 29 and continues through Friday, November 14. In partnership with our colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Medicine is stepping up to support the greater Philadelphia area through donations to Penn Medicine, United Way and the Center for Responsible Funding Agencies. As one of the largest umbrella campaigns in the region, Penn has set a goal of $1.5 million. This year, all funds raised for PAH, HUP and PPMC are designated for our Pharmacy Assistance Programs which provide prescription medications upon discharge to the most in-need populations we serve. “This year’s campaign theme, Giving is Penn’s Way, honors the culture of generosity and thoughtfulness fostered by our employees,” said Daniel Feinberg, MD, chief medical officer of PAH and Penn’s Way administrator. “The generous
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donations of everyone in the Penn community help us to continue to make a meaningful impact on our community and the vulnerable populations we serve.” “We encourage anyone who hasn’t already done so to please visit the Penn’s Way site, which is easily accessible via the PAH Intranet homepage,” said Matthew Menard, PAH physician liaison/community relations coordinator and Penn’s Way administrator. “From there it is so quick and easy to pledge your support and positively impact the communities we serve.” Donate directly now by visiting: www.upenn.edu/pennsway. Get information about some of the exceptional organizations that benefit from Penn’s Way on the following Wednesdays at the PAH Penn’s Way Fairs held in the Elm Garden Cafeteria from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: October 22, 29, and November 5.
It’ s fu n to participat e ! • All those who participate in the Penn’s Way campaign are eligible to win weekly raffles including restaurant gift certificates, gifts baskets, gift cards, sports memorabilia, theater tickets and more! • Pretzel parties will be given to all PAH departments that achieve 90% participation. • Pizza parties will be given to all departments that achieve 100% participation.
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of Reproduc tive Medicine
recent history of infertility, reproductive medicine reproductive and technology. “We’re both really excited to be working together again and hope our joint expertise in experiences from past collaborations will help us address the many looming issues surrounding infertility and reproductive medicine,” said Ronner. When it comes to the sensitive and often polarizing topic of reproductive medicine and technology in the U.S., the divisions aren’t just political or religious, said Ronner. “They go straight to the core of what it means to be a family,” she said. “There are so many questions: Who gets to decide who has access to reproductive services? Should fertility be classified as a disease and, if so, should insurance cover it? Should reproductive decisions be made by individuals, regulated by professional organizations, state or federal law? Then there are issues of longstanding racial and socioeconomic disparities — all difficult but important questions my sister and I are looking forward to spending the next few years addressing.” During the three year grant period, Ronner and Marsh intend to complete a book geared toward a broad audience of policy-makers, legislators, medical practitioners, potential patients, and the public. Also during this time they plan to create a project website, lecture to both professional organizations the public, and produce journal articles for publication. Ronner and Marsh previously co-authored two books: The Empty Cradle: Infertility in America from Colonial Times to the Present and The Fertility Doctor: John Rock and the Reproductive Revolution. Both books were funded by research grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Awards in Health Policy Research provides funding to highly qualified researchers to study current U.S. health care and policy issue challenges. The awards were created in 1992 to “enhance society’s understanding of significant problems and policy issues related to the health and health care of Americans and to provide information that can help improve the formulation of sound policies.”
Finding the Right Words for Better Health: O c tobe r i s Health Lite rac y Month principles and standards which was sponsored by SEPA-READS, a regional program supporting the improvement of education for patients 50 and older with cardiovascular health concerns. “This year we’re hosting special events all month-long long so staff and the community can learn more about improving health literacy and how it benefits everyone,” said Christopher.
What is health literacy? Health literacy can be described as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. In other words, it’s not just a person’s ability to read, but a person’s ability to maintain his or her own health through the scheduling appointments with the right providers at the right time, and taking medication properly. Even more simply put, health literacy is the skill to use health knowledge and services to make better health choices. “Inadequate health literacy is a significant concern in today’s health-care environment as more than one-third of all Americans don’t understand the basic medical information that’s needed to make informed health care decisions,” ,” said Deborah Christopher, director, Quality and Patient Safety. This knowledge gap can have serious repercussions: poor medication adherence, increased mortality, increased hospital readmissions and trips to the Emergency Department. Clinicians can help improve patients’ health literacy by using clear and concise verbal and written communications and appropriate teaching methods such as the teach-back technique. This technique is when a patient is asked to describe his or her understanding of the plan of care back to a care provider after it is explained to him or her. PAH formed a Health Literacy Task Force in 2009 to focus on meeting the health literacy needs of patients. A multi-disciplinary group, the Task Force is comprised of representatives from Pharmacy, Nursing, Quality & Performance Improvement, Nutrition, Nursing Education, and Library Services and a community volunteer. Task Force Members have completed formal training on health literacy
PAH hosted a health literacy conference for providers on October 7, featuring guest speaker Michelle Burda, Network and Advocacy coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences Library. On October 8, Joanne Ruggiero, nurse manager, and Jeanette Sukhu, dietician, 6 Cathcart Cardiac Unit, presented “Ask Me 3 for Health Literacy” to patients, families, and staff — the nationally recognized method of asking three good questions about health when meeting with a doctor, nurse of other health care provider. On October 16, the monthly Schwartz Rounds was “Focus on Health Literacy” where clinical and non-clinical background and levels, came together to explore how health literacy plays a vital role in compassionate health care.
Be a Health Literacy Hero: Make health information simple and easy to understand! By following these tips from the Agency for Healthcare Rsearch and Quality’s Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit, we all can help improve health literacy. erbal communications: Speak in a way patients understand. V > It can be difficult for patients and family members to follow us when we speak using big words and long sentences. This is especially true for patients with cognitive impairments. When talking to patients and families use short sentence, and simple, everyday words. Written instructions: Use short sentences and simple, everyday words. >P atients and families are more likely to understand simple and clear written information. Staff should avoid using long sentences, multi-syllable words, acronyms and medical jargon. Ideally, information should be written at a 5th-6th grade reading level. Use the Teach Back technique as a communication strategy to verify patient and family understanding. >P atients who understand health and hospital information are better prepared to engage in decision making. PAH staff use the “teach back” method where a patient is asked to describe his or her understanding of the plan of care back to a care provider after it is explained to him or her. This helps confirm a patient’s understanding of information. Continued on Page 4 / / /
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WHAT’S H a p p ening
Y o ur res o urce f o r events and happenings thr o ugh o ut PA H and P enn M edicine
For complete events listing, please visit What’s New on the Inside Penn Medicine web site at: http://news.pennmedicine.org/inside
October October 15 – December 1
October 24
Until November 2
Penn Program for Mindfulness Courses & Special Event
October 26
November 2
October 24
November 1
Free Employee Flu Vaccines
Fall 2014
PAH Infant Remembrance Day Memorial & Candle Lighting
PPMC’s 5th Annual Cultural Diversity Conference 37th Penn Medicine Radnor Run NEW! PurpleStride Philadelphia 2014 for Pancreatic Cancer
Fit Around Philly, UPHS Physical Activity Campaign National Brain Tumor Society’s Race for Hope
November 8
Run For The Stripes 5K Run/Walk
November 8
2014 American Heart Association Heart Walk
November 15
Finding the Right Words for Better Health: O c tobe r i s Health Lite rac y Month Continued from Page 3 \ \ \
Health Literacy Month Events: Test Your EQ for Health Literacy Thursday, October 23 | 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Elm Garden Cafeteria Health education professional Pamela Zubow Poe, PhD. will have games, test questions, and other activities so you can learn your emotional intelligence — or “EQ” — and how it is related to health literacy. Patty Harris, Director of Patient Safety and Process Improvement will have information on a new initiative, the “Care for the Care Provider” program. Tips for Taking Your Medicine: Brown Bag Discu ssion Thursday, October 30 | 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Elm Garden Cafeteria Back by popular request, our PAH team of pharmacists led by Jim Bobyak, RPh, and Ryan Green, PharmD, will be available to answer questions about medications. Bring any over the counter medicines, prescriptions, vitamins, dietary and herbal supplement to review with a hospital pharmacist.
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NEW! 5th Annual PPMC Periop Nursing Conference
WHAT’Snew EDITORIAL STAFF Editorial Staff Olivia Fermano
Sally EditorSapega and Photographer Director of Internal Communications Pamela Furches Design Olivia Fermano Graphic Design Editor and Photographer Barry Ogburn Pamela Furches Design Photography Graphic Design
ADMINISTRATION
Barry SusanOgburn E. Phillips Photography Senior Vice President, Public Affairs Holly Auer
Administration Director of Communications
Susan E. Phillips Senior Vice President, Public Affairs Sally Sapega Director of Internal Communications Contact Contact What’snew What’snew at: at: Department Department of of Communications Communications Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Hospital Hospital Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA PA 19106 19106 phone: phone: 215.829.6799 215.829.6799 email: email: olivia.fermano@uphs.upenn.edu olivia.fermano@uphs.upenn.edu WHAT’Snew WHAT’Snew isis published published biweekly biweekly for for PAH PAH employees. employees. Access Access WHAT’Snew WHAT’Snew online online at at http://news.pennmedicine.org/inside/whats-new/. http://news.pennmedicine.org/inside/whats-new/.