Volume 4
WHAT’Snew
How the PAH Outpatient Pharmacy has evolved over the centuries…
Apothecary. Drug Store. Pharmacy. No matter what you call them, they do the same, vitally important thing: prepare and dispense medicine.
PAH opened the first hospital pharmacy in the original 13 U.S. colonies in 1752. The pharmacy remained in the original, historic Pine building for next 175 years. During
Inside PAH’s New Outpatient Pharmacy Continued...................................2 Cribs for Kids Campaign to Help Families in Need.................................... 2 Open Enrollment Begins April 20....... 2 Medical Laboratory Professionals Week – April 19-25................................ 3 Theresa Ryan, Named PAH “Heart Hero”.......................................... 3 Longtime PAH Family Member Retires After 40 Years........................... 4 Put It in Writing!.................................... 4 2015 Philadelphia Science Festival...4
April 17, 2015
Pennsylvania Hospital
A Peek Under the Counter of P A H ’ s New Outpatient Pharmacy Over time, the local pharmacy has become a community staple, expanding to provide more and more health care and retail services. And in today’s world, hospital pharmacies are no different. The Outpatient Pharmacy at Pennsylvania Hospital moved to a new, larger location on April 13, where it now offers expanded services and products to patients, employees and community residents. All employees were invited to attend an open house April 9, for a ribbon cutting ceremony which officially kicked-off the Pharmacy’s reopening and to tour the brand new facility.
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this time the pharmacy only served hospital inpatients. Once the pharmacy was moved into a newer hospital building it still only served inpatients but eventually did expand service to employees. Then, in 2001, a small Outpatient Pharmacy (OP) was designated on the first floor of the hospital’s Spruce building, across the street from the main hospital complex, to accommodate outpatients, employees and community members.
`` The original Pennsylvania Hospital Apothecary.
`` The Pennsylvania Hospital Pharmacy, c1920s.
Over the past 14 years, the OP remained in the same space with only one walk-up window. But that’s about the only thing that didn’t change as its work grew exponentially. Today, the six staff members of the PAH OP fill approximately 40,000 prescriptions annually — which translates into an average of 163 prescriptions filled per day during its Monday to Friday operations. That means staff average filling over 20 prescriptions an hour, all while working with physicians and hospital staff and assisting customers. “We are so excited for everyone to see our brand new space,” said Suzanne Brown, MS, RPh, director of Pharmacy Services. “Thanks to our new location, we literally have the room to evolve and improve so we can always provide the best for our customers.” The PAH OP has the same convenient amenities that other Penn Medicine hospitals have, such as an E-prescribing System that allows physicians to prescribe electronically, eliminating the need for paper copies and unnecessary wait times;
an automated telephone refill system; and myPennPharmacy, a free, concierge-based discharge prescription program for patients. Through the new Outpatient Pharmacy, PAH can a be a part of myPennPharmacy, where patients have the invaluable convenience of being able to have their prescriptions ready and waiting for them upon discharge. “It is so important for our patients to be able to leave the hospital and go directly to the comfort of their own home — to be able to avoid the extra burden of having to make another stop to get their prescriptions filled, or to have to arrange for someone else to do it. This is really is an invaluable service to our patients and caregivers,” said Jason Bofinger, MD, an Infectious Diseases physician. / / / Continued on page 2
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A Peek Under the Counter of P A H ’ s New Outpatient Pharmacy It is also an effective service. MyPennPharmacy enables pharmacy and nursing staff to provide complete discharge education with medications in hand. It improves patient medication adherence and decreases re-admissions related to medication issues, which ultimately improve patient satisfaction. The new OP location is not just a pretty façade of drop-off and pick-up windows. There is a private consult room where pharmacy professionals can provide vaccines and medication counseling. However, what customers will notice first is the new retail section. Patients and employees are now able
to get their prescriptions and other over-thecounter medications along with other personal items, such as dental and skincare products, all in one place on the way out of the hospital. “We received invaluable feedback via a survey regarding what types of products employees and current patients would like to see in Outpatient Pharmacy,” said Brown. “We really do want to make things as convenient as possible for all our community residents, patients and employees.” Convenience aside, there are other compelling reasons for patients to use the hospital’s Outpatient Pharmacy rather than going to a retail pharmacy.
Cribs for Kids Campaign to Help Families in N eed The second annual Cribs for Kids campaign kicked off April 8, at PAH. This program provides sleep education and a portable crib to families in need in the Greater Philadelphia area. Since 2004, the Cribs for Kids program of Maternity Care Coalition has distributed over 20,000 cribs, and in the last year alone provided over 3,000 individuals with safe sleep education. Despite this success, the surface has only been scratched when it comes to helping families in need of safe sleep education and a crib.
on its importance prior to discharge. Things such as no blankets or stuffed animals in the crib, placing babies on their back to sleep, and ensuring that the head of the bed is flat is important to teach before they go home.”
“Some of our patients here at Pennsylvania Hospital have directly benefited from the Cribs for Kids campaign and have been recipients of a crib pack,” said Women’s Health Outreach leader Michelle Sohlich-Miller, RN, BSN, RNC-NIC, CBC. “Plus, we have wonderful • Philadelphia currently has the highest social workers dedicated to Women’s Health Services here at PAH. Deb Mittleman and Lisa rate of SIDS death in the country • 95% of SIDS babies are found to not have Penn reinforce the campaign’s mission through working with moms in need of access to this a safe sleep environment wonderful resource.” • Safe sleep practices has been shown to significantly reduce SIDS related deaths • For every $100 donated to the Cribs for Kids campaign a family in need will receive a crib, sheets, a sleep sack, and safe sleep education
“SIDS prevention is all about behavior modification,” said Elizabeth Quigley, MSN, RNC, NEA-BC, nurse manager of the Intensive Care Nursery. “In the ICN we role model safe sleep behaviors and educate parents
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The PAH Women’s Health Outreach team will host a table in the Elm Garden Cafeteria every Wednesday in April, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition to monetary donations, donated items for Maternity Care Coalition are also welcome. Items needed include: diapers and baby wipes, tissues, classroom supplies and children’s books. Donated items can be dropped off to the ICN anytime throughout the month of April or in the Cafeteria any Wednesday in April.
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“Being a hospital pharmacy, we carry all the medications retail pharmacies do not,” said Alyssa V. Baker, PharmD, Outpatient Pharmacy Supervisor. “For example, we carry the special vitamins for bariatric surgery patients. Plus, we have access to integrated electronic Health Records, or EHRs, which is important to ensure a patient has no contra indications with prescriptions.” “Our pharmacy professionals are part of the Penn Medicine team,” added Brown. “We know and work with all physician providers. That combined knowledge of our patients’ medical history enables us to provide a level of personalized care that no outside, retail chain pharmacy can match,” said Brown.
Open Enrollment Begins April 20 Open Enrollment for benefits is April 20 – May 3, 2015, Take action during Open Enrollment if you want to: »» Make changes to your current benefit elections for 2015–2016 »» Add or drop a dependent from your benefit coverage. »» Contribute to a Health Care or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) in 2015–2016. »» Receive the lower Non-Tobacco Medical payroll deduction for your medical coverage. To enroll for benefits, visit the HR&You website, www.uphshrandyou.com, starting April 20, and select EnrollOne — your secure, online benefits enrollment website. Log in using your Social Security number (SSN) as your login and the last four digits of your SSN as your PIN. Enroll 24 hours a day during Open Enrollment. Any elections you make during Open Enrollment are effective July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2016. If you are enrolled in the PennCare PPO Plan and do not take any action, you will remain enrolled in the PennCare PPO Plan at your current coverage level. If you currently pay the Non-Tobacco Medical payroll deduction for medical coverage, this discount will carry forward into 2015 – 2016.
Medical Laboratory Professionals Week – April 19-25 National Medical Laboratory Professional Week (MLPW), held the last full week in April each year, is when we celebrate the hard work and dedication of the more than 600 laboratory professionals in more than 30 different laboratories across Penn Medicine. NMLPW, now in its 40th year, is sponsored by the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science and coordinated by a collaborative committee with representatives from 14 national clinical laboratory organizations. There are approximately 300,000 practitioners of clinical laboratory science in the U.S. Since the development of this career field in the 1920s, the clinical laboratory science professional has played an increasingly vital role in the diagnosis and prevention of disease. Today, the clinical lab professional is a key member of a health care team.
2015-2016 Healthy Rewards Program Earn up to $200 in Healthy Rewards and get entered into a drawing for FREE health care for the 2015-2016 plan year! If you are enrolled in the PennCare PPO Plan, you can earn up to $200 in Healthy Rewards by completing the following: 1. Take the Well-Being Assessment. 2. Get a biometric screening to Know Your Numbers. »» Receive an onsite biometric screening (schedule online or visit http:// adurolife.com/uphs-biometric-scheduler/) at a UPHS location, OR »» Submit the Health Screening Provider form completed by your doctor (found on the HR and You page and in the healthy rewards site). 3. Participate in healthy activities (health challenges and activities year round and optional health coaching starting July 1). Visit www.uphshrandyou.com and log in to healthy rewards using your UPHS network credentials to start earning points. For questions contact UPHS Benefits at BenefitsQuestions@uphs.upenn.edu or by calling 215-615-2675.
If you get a biometric screening to Know Your Numbers and complete the Well-Being Assessment by June 14, 2015, you will receive a $50 Healthy Rewards Credit AND your name will go into a drawing for FREE health care for the 2015–2016 plan year!
In order to bring awareness to PAH employees and the community, the members of the 2015 PAH Lab Week Committee have organized a week of “Super Hero” themed events. PAH Lab “fun facts” will be printed on table tents and placed in the Elm Garden Cafeteria along with an informational poster representing who our lab pros are and what they do. Lab Divisions will host their own games and events for staff. Also during the week, high school students from Penn Charter High School will visit PAH to tour our facilities and speak with staff about the different career opportunities.
Theresa Ryan, Named PAH “Heart Hero” Cong rat ulations to Theresa Ryan, BSN, RN, cardiovascular thoracic coordinator who was named this year’s Penn Heart and Vascular “Heart Hero.” Ryan was nominated by her coworkers as an employee who consistently goes above and beyond to help her cardiovascular thoracic patients, their families, and coworkers, demonstrating extraordinary compassion in the delivery of patient care. Employees from each Penn Medicine entity were chosen to receive this award. “Terri is mentioned in our patient satisfaction surveys often,” said Ryan’s nominator, Kristene Renshaw, BSN, RN-BC, Cardiology Services Coordinator. “She does not limit herself to just the patients in Cardiac Surgery Services. I have witnessed her helping family members of patients outside of her service when she went out of her way to help. Moments like this are not rare, or even occasional for Terri. This is who she is every day and we are so lucky to have her here on our team. Terri never settles when it comes to the care of our patients and that is why she is my Heart Hero!” “When patients walk into the hospital for surgery they are nervous and unsure of what to expect. To those patients and their families, Terri is a beacon of light,” said Danielle Heffner, MHA, BBA, director of Cardiology Services. “She has been a nurse at Pennsylvania Hospital for the past 30 years and has always taken the time to educate and reassure every patient she encounters. From preoperative appointments to the day of surgery to post-operative care, Terri consistently goes above and beyond to make sure that each patient gets the best care possible.”
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Longtime PAH Family Member Retires After 40 Years After 40 years of dedicated service, Donna Piroga,
Put It in When it comes to health care decisions, most of us know what we
RN, ONC, clinical resource coordinator, is retiring
would want for themselves, but what
from PAH. Her last day is May 1.
if — due to illness or an unexpected
During her long tenure here, Piroga has held multiple positions. She started working at PAH in the operating room in 1975. She then worked on the orthopaedic floor when orthopaedics was located in the Spruce Building. Certified as an orthopaedic nurse, Piroga followed the orthopedic unit to its current location on 7 Cathcart where she became charge nurse and assistant head nurse. “Donna was always willing to chip in, acting as nurse manager whenever needed,” said Anne Arnold, RN, MD, director of clinical resource management. In 2002, Donna joined the Clinical Resource Management team as a Clinical resource Coordinator. She worked in this role in multiple clinical areas, and was eventually named Lead Clinical Resource Coordinator. “We all want to thank Donna for her decades of hard work and commitment and wish her all the best as she starts this next exciting chapter of her life,” said Arnold. “She will be missed!”
accident — you’re unable to make them? Would your loved ones know what medical decisions to make for you if you couldn’t speak for yourself? If not, now is the time to create an advance directive. There are actually two parts to an advance directive: the living will (which names treatments you want or don’t want at the end of life) and the naming of a healthcare power of attorney or proxy. Both are important, said hospitalist Mrinalini Sarkar, MBBS, in Internal Medicine at HUP. “Living wills only speak to certain situations, for example, when a patient has a terminal or irreversible condition [like a coma],” she said. “The proxy is your advocate, able to speak directly with the healthcare team about what you’d want.”
The Festival, from April 24 – May 2, is a partnership among 210 of the region’s most influential institutions, museums, and cultural centers working together to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers and spark discussion among young and old. The aim is to create homegrown citizen scientists, by exploring the many ways that science and technology touch our everyday lives.
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Sarkar has found that very few healthcare workers have advance directives. “We see the dilemmas and distress family members go through with patients, how these decisions play out, but yet think it won’t happen to us. But what if the patient were your own father or family member? “Everyone has the right to make choices in healthcare,” she continued. “Creating an advance directive should be as much a priority as discussing your next career move or buying a house.” To learn more about having these important conversations and creating your own advance directive, go to www.nhdd.org.
WHAT’Snew
Penn Medicine at the 2015 Philadelphia Science Festival Penn Medicine will again play a leading role in the fifth annual Philadelphia Science Festival, a citywide collaboration showcasing science and technology every spring. The Festival packs more than 100 events into nine days at locations across the region, including restaurants and breweries, parks, libraries, and museums.
Advance directives are not just for the elderly, Sarkar stressed. All adults should have these documents. An unexpected medical emergency can happen at any time, to anyone. “Don’t wait until you or a loved one is sick — and emotions are running high — to have this conversation. Talk with family members now,” she said.
PAH plays a part in this year’s Festival! Discover the History of Philadelphia Science: A Free, Self-guided Tour Through Old City and Society Hill.
Sunday, April 26 | 12 p.m. Journey into the past and explore Philadelphia’s rich scientific history. Hear a “Once Upon A Nation” storyteller, brought to you by Historic Philadelphia, Inc., reveal the tale of Thomas Jefferson’s mastodon; take a tour of Pennsylvania Hospital’s historic Pine Building; peek inside one of Lewis & Clark’s notebooks from their famous exhibition; and step into the shoes of a doctor during the Yellow Fever epidemic in Philadelphia while you experience the creation of soda pop at the Physick House.
EDITORIAL STAFF
Olivia Fermano Editor and Photographer Pamela Furches Design Graphic Design Barry Ogburn Photography
ADMINISTRATION
Susan E. Phillips Senior Vice President, Public Affairs Holly Auer Director of Communications Sally Sapega Director of Internal Communications Contact What’snew at: Department of Communications Pennsylvania Hospital Philadelphia, PA 19106 phone: 215.829.6799 email: olivia.fermano@uphs.upenn.edu WHAT’Snew is published biweekly for PAH employees. Access WHAT’Snew online at http://news.pennmedicine.org/inside/whats-new/.