UMMC Connections

for the employees, medical staff and friends of the university of maryland medical center

UMMC Bi-monthly

Message from the CEO THE HUMAN TOUCH Witnessing the enthusiasm of staff attending the recent series of C2X

news

for the Medical Center

community

Connections Pharmacy Services NEW SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Communications and Public Affairs

A ROLL N O

Employee Communication Forums was a gratifying way to start the fall season. We were proud to share many of the great things going on throughout the Medical Center.

Many members of our staff have earned regional and national recogni-

new generation of pharmacy TUGs use WIRELESS TRACKING SYSTEM

tion in recent weeks. You’ll see examples on nearly every page of this issue of UMMC Connections. We’re providing excellent service to our patients and visitors, and they’re taking notice.

You’ll see the evidence in our higher patient-satisfaction scores.

Mary Lynn Carver

EVERYONE WHO WORKS AT UMMC KNOWS

Service and safety both factor in the brand-new technology Pharmacy Services is using in the TUG robots that deliver medications. We were the first hospital in the world to use these robots, and now the first to use the new tracking system. The response from nurses and pharmacy staff has been very positive. The robotic technology reduces paperwork, freeing our staff to spend more time with their patients, providing the human touch.

As the holidays approach, I’d like to wish all of you a pleasant season with your friends and families. We’ll have our annual holiday celebration for all staff in the Medical Center on Dec. 15 – including a late-night celebration for the night-shift staff. See page 6 for details. I’ll be there, and I look forward to seeing you.

MR. GOWER AND FLORENCE HAVE EARNED A PROMOTION — AND A HIGHER SECURITY CLEARANCE. They are two of the Medical Center’s fleet of nine TUGs — ROBOTS that navigate by wireless technology to deliver medications to patient units, often to the delight of visitors who encounter them in the corridor. UMMC became the first hospital in the world to use the Aethon TUGs to deliver medications in 2002, with more than 100 hospitals nationwide following suit since then. Now, UMMC is the first in the country to equip two of the TUGS with enough security and tracking technology to deliver medications that require more documentation than the robots previously could provide.

JEFFREY A. RIVEST

Continued on page 2

President & Chief Executive Officer quotes to live by:

“No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be.”

ISAAC ASIMOV

that there are great stories to be told to the public about the work going on at the hospital. Mary Lynn Carver wants to provide the strategic plan and the tools to tell these stories, whether they are about the latest treatment for a disease or the compassionate service patients get each day.

Carver is the new senior vice president for communications and public affairs for the Medical Center and for the University of Maryland Medical System. Before arriving in September, she served in a similar role for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, including leading all scientific research communications. Prior to that, she worked for more than 11 years for AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, one of the world’s largest drug companies, including serving as a senior executive for corporate communications at the company’s world headquarters in London.

She is a graduate of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and started her career in the field of business communications and strategy consulting.

What was it about UMMC that attracted you to this position?

UMMC has a really strong leadership position in many treatment areas. I think first and foremost, along with the University of Maryland School of Medicine partnership, that leadership position is what attracted me. I was looking for a high-quality organization ready to take things to the next level.

What is your vision for communications at UMMC? Our job is to translate what is going on in the clinical and research areas so that our patients and the rest of the world can understand who we are and what they Continued on page 3

inside this issue:

B a l t i m o r e M a g a z i n e To p D o c s a t U M M C N e w Q u e e n A n n e ’s E m e r g e n c y C e n t e r

page 3 page 3

Scalea Honored by National Italian American Foundation

page 4

U M M C E f f o r t S h i f t s t o S t r e n g t h e n i n g H a i t i ’s H e a l t h I n f r a s t r u c t u r e November and December Employees of the Month Patient Success Story

page 5

page 5

page 6

We Heal > We Teach > We Discover> We Care > We Heal > We Teach > We Discover> We Care >We Heal > We Teach > We Discover> We Care >We Heal >

nov/dec 2010

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UMMConnections cover story continued: pharmacy services on a roll

”One of the pharmacy’s goals is to identify and install ‘Technology of Integrity’— which means technology that helps the hospital reach its goals of improving safety, enhancing efficiency, enhancing medication security, complying with regulatory standards, improving work satisfaction, and freeing up staff time to advance clinical practice and overall quality of care,” says Marc Summerfield, MS, director of pharmacy at UMMC.

Playing off the way FedEx and other delivery services track their packages around the world, the TUGs manufacturer, Aethon, calls this new tracking system

Heather League, CPhT, pharmacy services coordinator, must scan her fingerprint to document that she has stocked a TUG with medication from the Shock Trauma satellite pharmacy. Within minutes, the TUG takes the elevator to Shock Trauma Acute Care on the fourth floor, where staff nurse Shanna Pusinsky, RN, BSN, uses her fingerprint to document removal and storage in a secure cabinet.

So far, only the two Shock Trauma Center TUGs have the new tracking technology, but early reviews from the nursing staff are favorable.

“We plan to expand to the Weinberg and Gudelsky buildings if the data we collect for the pilot project in the Shock Trauma units is favorable,” says Marc Summerfield, MS, director of pharmacy at UMMC. “So far, it has been.”

The TUGs have a whimsical appeal – Mr. Gower is named for the pharmacist in the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and Florence is named for Florence Nightingale – but they are all business. Their electronic “whiskers” can sense someone in their path, which brings them to a halt to say, “Waiting to proceed.”

Hospitals must document and track some medications more thoroughly than others. So the TUGs give their precious cargo only to someone authorized with a PIN and, lest anyone’s PIN get hijacked, a fingerprint that the

MedEx.

built-in scanner recognizes.

Radiofrequency identification (RFID) technology allows the TUGs to read a tag on each dose. In this way, the TUG knows who withdraws what, and thus is responsible for each dose, and records a complete chain of custody.

The TUGs transmit this information back to the pharmacy staff, who can track the whereabouts of any dose at any time and determine who has custody of the medication.

Playing off the way FedEx and other delivery services track their packages around the world, the TUGs manufacturer, Aethon, calls this new tracking system “MedEx.” The automatic documentation frees nurses and pharmacy staff from most of the cumbersome chain-of-custody paperwork otherwise required to comply with federal law, giving them more time that can be dedicated to direct patient care.

“The transfer of time from paperwork to patient care is an example of ‘walking our talk,’” Summerfield says.

“I think it’s just safer,” says Cynthia

Cosgrove, RN, BSN, CCRN, a nurse in the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. “It’s a more accurate way to have the medicine accounted for. Nothing is lost in translation. It means fewer interruptions for the nursing staff and makes patient safety the priority.”

The RFID provides thorough documentation that eliminates some potential gaps in the paper-based system, says Meagan Rushe, PharmD, the pharmacy manager who coordinated the pilot program.

“We can track in real time exactly where a controlled substance is, which has never been possible with the paper forms,” Rushe says.

“And if the cart gets stuck somewhere, we can actually look through its eyes: Each cart has a camera, and the staff in the pharmacy can see through it on the computer. And it’s greener— it saves a lot of paper.”

quality and safety

Connections is produced by the Office of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs for the UMMC community.

22 South Greene Street Baltimore, Maryland 21201 410-328-6776 www.umm.edu Jeffrey A. Rivest President and Chief Executive Officer Mary Lynn Carver Senior Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs Ellen Beth Levitt Director, Public Affairs and Media Relations Anne Haddad Editor and Publications Manager Frank B. Moorman Employee Communications Manager Linda Praley Creative Director/Designer Marc Laytar Photography Linda J. Lynch Staff Assistant Sharon Boston Kathy Schuetz Karen Warmkessel Contributors Fax news and story ideas to UMMC Connections at 410-328-3450 or email ahaddad@umm.edu.

Dropping Pounds and Inches, Gaining Safety Pharmacy Collaborates with Nursing, Medicine, Clinical Engineering and IT for Complete Shift to Metric

S

cience and medicine long ago embraced metric units of measurement — even if the general public in the US did not. Still, the measurement of weight, height and body temperature were often in pounds, inches and Fahrenheit degrees.

As of Oct. 19, the Medical Center staff is using only metric measurements across the board, in line with recommendations from the Institute for Safe Medication Practice. Why? Medications are always in metric measurements, and data show that greater consistency and standardization could prevent many dosing errors.

Unit-Based Cabinets Bar Codes, PINs and Fingerprint Scans Protect Patients from Medication Errors

T

he TUGs might get all the attention, but they’re only part of the picture of how technology has changed the way medication is safely stored and accounted for at UMMC. While the TUGs deliver specially-prepared drugs for a specific patient, computerized cabinets on each unit store and track the drugs most commonly administered, so that they are on hand when patients need them.

Most staff members at the Medical Center have become accustomed to referring to these cabinets by the manufacturer’s name — Omnicell.

There is an Omnicell cabinet in each pharmacy satellite and patient care area — more than 200 throughout the hospital — and each one is customized to meet the needs of that area for inventory, size and storage. The Pharmacy Services department provides 24-hour support for the technology.

The unit-based cabinets are equipped with a variety of safety features to promote safe medication use: • Only authorized and trained users can access medications from the cabinets by logging in via badge, manual password or fingerprint.

The transition at UMMC was led by Pharmacy, Medicine, Clinical Practice and Professional Development, Clinical Engineering, and Information Services and Technology. One important change involved the computerized prescriber order entry (CPOE) system, which now includes KILOGRAMS POUNDS prompts so that the clinician can catch 1 kg 2.2 lb an incorrect entry of a patient’s height, 30 kg 66 lb weight or temperature.

70 kg

154.3 lb

• Each cabinet is linked to the pharmacy computer system in real time. A pharmacist must review and verify medication orders before a nurse can remove most medications. A perpetual inventory system alerts staff when to restock.

• Software incorporates barcode scanning to ensure that the correct medication is restocked or dispensed.

• Customized alerts — such as for “sound-alike-look-alike” medications — ask the clinicians to double-check in cases where errors are most likely to occur or where danger is high. For example, an alert reminds the clinician when a timed-release drug should not be crushed, chewed or split.

• Nursing and pharmacy managers can generate reports to highlight areas that need improvement.

“The Omnicell helps the staff meet the challenge of administering medications in a safe and efficient manner,” says Rita Herzog, MSN, CNRN, a nurse on Gudelsky 5.

“Implementation of unit-based cabinets at the Medical Center is a great example of using a safety strategy to make it easier for our caregivers to do the right thing,” says Jonathan E. Gottlieb, MD, chief medical officer and senior vice president. “Medication administration is one of the most complex hospital processes, and creative use of technology like unit-based cabinets can allow us to perform complex tasks more reliably for every patient, every time.”

NOV/DEC2010 Mary Lynn Carver speaks out...

Q&A

local news

UMMC DOCS

ARE TOPS

with Carver

can expect from us. Essentially, what is the promise of UMMC and how are we fulfilling that promise?

We’re all responsible for telling the University of Maryland Medical Center story. I’m committed to helping our employees have better tools in order to do so consistently to have an impact externally. The employees are our best ambassadors for what we do.

You mentioned employees. What are your thoughts about internal communications?

The C2X Forums, the Employee Opinion Survey – all of these are wonderful best practices that show the Medical Center is already communicating well with employees. Frankly, this level of commitment to employee communications was something I was looking for when I began discussions with UMMC. A lot of other organizations pay lip service to communicating with employees but don’t necessarily follow through.

What I do see is that we need to give more focused attention on internal communications to make it simpler for employees – less clutter, fewer messages, better communication channels, but more impact. The goal is for everyone to get what they need to know, get it quickly, and understand exactly where we are headed, so we can all row the boat in the same direction.

You’ve had a heavy schedule meeting with lots of people from all departments. What do they want from you?

They want to make the great work of UMMC more widely known, so that patients who need us, can reach us. It’s that simple.

The public affairs and communications function must be closely aligned with the strategic goals of the organization.

What are some best practices at other organizations for communications and public affairs that you hope to bring to UMMC? The public affairs and communications function must be closely aligned with the strategic goals of the organization. Because of the nature of the media, oftentimes we have to deal quickly with whatever issue is at the other end of the phone or the e-mail at the moment, but in the last 10 years, the focus in communications and public affairs has been to work in a much more strategic fashion. The online world is 24/7 and enables news to move rapidly between audiences. Reputation management in this environment is key – it all goes back to fulfilling that ‘promise’ or expectation that patients and the public have. Our job is to fulfill their expectations of us so they will trust us with their lives.

With all the changes in the media, how do you successfully get the story out?

The traditional gatekeepers of information to the public have been removed. Some see that as a negative, and some see it as an opportunity. I see it as an advantage for us. The public is looking for trustworthy information sources. Anybody who goes to our website or our other channels knows they’re getting really solid information they can base their decisions on.

How do employees affect UMMC’s reputation?

Actions speak louder than words. We can’t just say something and expect people to believe us. When there’s a disconnect between an organization’s actions and its words, you get reputational damage. I can only promote UMMC as a great organization as long as the employees of UMMC continue to make it a great organization. Reputation, to me, is our “Do,” not our “Say.” Tell us a little about your family.

My husband is also in health care. He’s a biomedical engineer in orthopedics, developing and testing new devices. We have three children, ages 13, 9 and 6, a border collie and a cat – a pretty busy household!

What do you do in your free time?

I’m a busy working mom. If I do have time, I sleep! And read things totally unrelated to work.

“

More than 60 of our

“Top Docs” are affiliated with the University of

T

”

he November Baltimore Magazine — also known as the annual “Top Docs” issue — Maryland Medical Center. includes 66 physicians from the Medical Center and the University of Maryland School Baltimore Magazine of Medicine listed as the best in their specialties. In fact, the magazine chose Teresa York, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics and pediatric oncologist at the University of Maryland Hospital for Children, for the cover of the issue.

The complete list of physicians featured in the magazine can be This is an unprecedented showing for the Medical Center and the School of Medicine. found at: www.umm.edu/topdocs In addition to those in the list of 398 “top docs” from the Baltimore region, there are three separate articles about UM physicians: • A day in the life of the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, featuring Physician-in-Chief Thomas Scalea, MD. • “Ironic Cure,” about Scott Strome, MD, chair and professor of otorhinolaryngology-head & neck surgery and chief of otorhinolaryngology, who agreed to help a veterinarian friend remove a tumor on a beloved puppy. In the process, Strome noticed a skin lesion on the dog’s owner, leading to a cancer diagnosis and successful treatment of the owner.

• “Climbing for a Cause,” about Matthew Weir, MD, professor of medicine and director of the Division of Nephrology, and his son climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. medical system news

New Queen Anne’s Emergency Center PROVIDES HIGH-QUALITY CARE FOR EASTERN SHORE RESIDENTS AND VACATIONERS

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newly opened emergency center near Grasonville will provide Eastern Shore residents and vacationers with quicker access to emergency care and be able to refer patients when appropriate to UMMC and other hospitals in the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS).

In the first month of the Queen Anne’s Emergency Center opening, the number of patients – 30 to 40 per day – exceeded expectations. Word spread quickly among the communities on the Eastern Shore, where residents previously faced much longer drives for emergency care over the Bay Bridge to Annapolis or through rural roads to Easton, says Patti Willis, vice president for corporate communications for Shore Health System, which is part of UMMS. The center opened in early October as a partnership between Queen Anne’s County government, UMMS and Shore Health. These organizations came together to add a level of emergency medical services not previously available in that part of the Mid-Shore region. Elected officials and the emergency medical services community also supported the effort.

Residents of Queen Anne’s County have supported the Queen Anne’s Emergency Center by raising nearly $1 million for equipment.

Since the center opened, patients have arrived with a range of emergencies, including traumatic injury, appendicitis, asthma attacks, chest pain and seizures. Those who need to be admitted to a hospital would be taken to the nearest one – Memorial Hospital in Easton for most cases. Patients who need tertiary care could be taken by ground or air transport to UMMC. The new center is one of only three freestanding emergency centers in Maryland and the only one in a rural area. The facility consists of approximately 16,000 square feet with 13 treatment rooms and onsite diagnostic imaging and laboratory services.

The full-service Queen Anne’s Emergency Center will operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year. It is staffed by board-certified emergency medicine physicians, experienced ER nurses and radiology and laboratory technologists.

The center’s campus is equipped with a helipad for landing of helicopters operated by Maryland State Police and other emergency medical services transport organizations.

The Queen Anne’s Emergency Center is located just off US Route 50 near Grasonville, from Exit 45 B – Nesbit Road.

3

4

UMMConnections

employee health

top recognition

Thomas Scalea, MD, Honored by National Italian American Foundation THOMAS M. SCALEA, MD, PHYSICIAN-IN-CHIEF AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND R ADAMS COWLEY SHOCK TRAUMA CENTER, WAS HONORED AT THE

FLU VACCINE DEC. 13 DEADLINE APPROACHES

ANNUAL BLACK-TIE GALA OF THE NATIONAL ITALIAN

Plenty of influenza vaccine is available

AMERICAN FOUNDATION (NIAF) IN WASHINGTON,

for all UMMC employees, residents,

DC, ON OCT. 22 FOR HIS ACHIEVEMENTS AND

volunteers, medical students and clinical faculty to ensure that everyone

DEDICATION AS A WORLD LEADER IN TRAUMA

can comply with the flu vaccine policy

CARE. SCALEA RECEIVED THE NIAF SPECIAL

by the Dec. 13 deadline. By that date, all staff must be vaccinated or have

ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN SCIENCE AND MEDICINE.

filled out an online form declining the vaccine, or they may not come to work until they do so.

Walk-in hours at Employee Health Services are from 7 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday Visit the UMMC Intranet for the link to the Flu-Free Zone website. Use the website for online declination, to see EHS extended hours and to get answers to flu-related questions. The online declination includes a way to report having received a flu vaccine elsewhere.

S

calea shared the stage with many prominent figures, including actor Danny DeVito, head coach of Michigan State Basketball Tom Izzo, Supreme Court Justice Saumuel Alito Jr. and Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. A large contingent of supporters from Scalea’s family, the Shock Trauma team, Medical Center and Medical System leadership and the Shock Trauma Board of Visitors were on hand to support Scalea. Peter G. Angelos, attorney and majority owner of the Baltimore Orioles, presented the award to Scalea on stage.

“Do for others before you do for yourself – words my mother taught me,” Scalea said after he received the award. A moving video about Scalea and his work at Shock Trauma was shown to the crowd of more than 2,000 people gathered for the event.

The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the heritage and culture of Americans of Italian descent.

“Do for others before you do for yourself – words my mother taught me.”

—TOM SCALEA

All UMMC employees who receive a flu vaccine (at UMMC or by submitting online documentation of getting a vaccine elsewhere) will be entered in two drawings Nov. 24 and Dec. 17 to win $250, $100 or $50.

Employees who are members of

news

Here Now for Patients UMMC offers a patient care technician (PCT) training program to the community. The latest group of 20 PCTs,

UNET or MPP insurance can earn a

who were selected from more than 100 applicants,

second chance to enter the drawings

participated in a completion ceremony Oct. 15 in the

for cash prizes by filling out a confidential health risk assessment (HRA)

Paca-Pratt building. To be eligible for the training

at www.umm.edu/stepuptogoodhealth.

program, all had to have one year of experience as certified nursing assistants (CNAs). The training program at UMMC consists of 80 hours of classroom instruction

congratulations

and 70 hours of supervised clinical experience.

The Beacon Continues to Shine for Inpatient Cardiology

Nurse Researchers Receive National Award for Study on Caring for Surgery Patients Who Are Obese

Congratulations to the Cardiac Care Unit for acheiving the Beacon Award for the second year in a row AND TO THE

Progressive Care Unit for its first-time award.

A group of nurses from two different units who collaborated on a research topic have won a national award for their study on different methods to measure blood glucose in surgical patients who are obese.

Lead authors Barbara Saia, BSN, RN, (top photo) of the Surgical Intermediate Care (IMC) Unit, and Priya Viswanatha Kaimal, BSN, RN, RN-BC, CBN, (bottom photo) of Weinberg 5, an acute care unit for patients who have had surgery, received the 2010 Research Award, including $1,000 to cover the costs of their research protocol, from the National Association of Bariatric Nurses.

Saia and Kaimal worked on this project with fellow UMMC nurses Anthony Aroh, RN, CMSRN, CBN; Genevieve Vidal, BSN, RN; Gloria Fisher, BSN, RN, CMSRN; Patricia Anne Bulacan, BSN, RN, CCRN; Veronica Brock, RN, and Vijaya Ramakrishnan, MS, RN, CMSRN, CBN. The research team was mentored by Karen Johnson, PhD, RN, director of nursing, research and evidence-based practice.

Maryland Senate Recognizes Surgical Techs

The high professional standards of the UMMC surgical technologists caught the attention of Maryland Senate President THOMAS V. “MIKE” MILLER JR. when he met THOMAS YEWELL, BA, CST, (far right), at a social event, leading to a Senate resolution honoring their work. The surgical techs presented the resolution to JEFFREY A. RIVEST, (center) UMMC president and chief executive officer, and LISA ROWEN, DNSc, RN, (left of Rivest), senior vice president for patient care services and chief nursing officer.

Also above are surgical techs (in scrubs, left to right) SHEILA LUNN, CST; KATHERINE COLLINS, CST; and ROBBIN BROWN. At left are JAMES MCGOWAN, DHA, MBA, RRT, vice president for perioperative services, and NICHOLAS TROELEMAN, RNFA, BSN, director of perioperative nursing.

NOV/DEC2010

5

november department/employee of the month ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT DEPARTMENT OF CLINICAL ENGINEERING SERVICES

Lakeasha Brandford The Department of Clinical Engineering Services is responsible for acquiring, maintaining and repairing all of UMMC’s clinical equipment. That includes everything from an IV pole to the Gamma Knife — more than 17,000 pieces of equipment in all. When any of that equipment requires parts or outside service for repair, the department’s 21 biomedical technicians get in touch with November’s Employee of the Month, Lakeasha Brandford, who handles the day-to-day purchasing and budgeting for supplies and equipment for the “biomed team.” • Although Brandford’s title — administrative assistant — hasn’t changed since she joined the department in 2006, her level of responsibility has increased significantly. She now oversees and tracks a budget of several million dollars. • “When I took over as interim director of the department in 2008, I found out that Lakeasha had a bachelor-of-science degree from Towson University, and that she had excellent financial acumen. So we started piling more and more work on her. Every time we threw a challenge at her, she rose to it. She’s been an absolute pleasure to work with,” says Deborah Photiadis, director of customer management in the Facilities Department.

The full article is available on the UMMC Employee Intranet.

december department/employee of the month PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN • STOLER PAVILION MARLENE AND STEWART GREENEBAUM CANCER CENTER

Tracey Jones Tracey Jones, a patient care technician in the Stoler Pavilion, seldom has a chance to sit during her workdays. That suits her just fine. • “I like a job that keeps me up and moving; otherwise, I get restless,” she says. • Jones’ energy, her can-do attitude and her exceptional care for patients who come for outpatient chemotherapy and clinic visits made her an excellent choice for December’s employee of the month, says Theresa Johnston, RN, BSN, OCN, nurse manager in the Stoler Pavilion. • “Tracey has shown dedication and provides an outstanding example of C2X service to both patients and staff of the Medical Center. She was a supplemental employee who assisted us with staffing when we had needs. She made such a positive impact on the unit that I decided to hire her as a full-time staff member,” Johnston says.

The full article is available on the UMMC Employee Intranet.

update

in the community

• • • • • •

UMMC Effort Shifts to Strengthening Haiti’s Health Infrastructure The UMMC community continues to aid Haiti after the earthquake that devastated the country in January. Clinical and administrative staff and faculty have shifted the focus to helping the country rebuild its health care institutions and train Haitians in clinical areas.

“Our actions right now are focused not on direct medical aid, but rather on training physicians and nurses as part of strengthening the Haitian infrastructure,” says John Spearman, senior vice president for external affairs at UMMC, who has been coordinating the Haiti effort.

“The University of Maryland Medical Center, in partnership with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Catholic Relief Services (CRS), remains committed to this project,” Spearman says. “We maintain a close relationship with the St. François de Sales Hospital, and are providing clinical training and education.”

A recent outbreak of cholera has killed hundreds of Haitians and sickened thousands more. Staff from UMMC and the School of Medicine are helping seven CRS-supported hospitals around the country prepare to respond to a possible influx of cholera patients.

UMMC staff set a fundraising goal of $125,000 to aid Haiti. A total of $105,230 had been raised as of Oct. 29, including:

• $90,407 from 149 employees who have donated vacation hours that are being converted to cash for the Haiti effort.

• Cash donations and pledges by UMMC employees.

• Proceeds from events planned by staff and led by Nicole Bailey, guest services manager.

Since January, more than 6,000 Haitians have received medical attention — including surgery for more than 700 patients and follow-up care — from 237 physicians, nurses, surgical techs and other essential staff who traveled to Haiti, 20 of whom traveled there multiple times.

Spearman Keynote Speaker at NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet

J O H N S P E A R M A N, UMMC senior vice president for external affairs, gave the keynote address at the Baltimore City Chapter of the NAACP Freedom Fund banquet Oct. 26. He spoke on the chapter’s 2010 focus — reducing the incidence of childhood obesity.

Among the several UMMC staff members who attended was VERLYN WARRINGTON, MD, MS, assistant professor of family and community medicine,

$3,230

At least was raised in October by a team of cyclists led by BARRY DALY, MD (right), professor of diagnostic radiology, and SCOTT JEROME, MD (left), assistant professor of cardiology. The team of physicians, nurse practitioners and other staff members from the School of Medicine and Medical Center biked 100 miles in the 22nd Annual Seagull Century ride on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

whom Spearman said is among those on the front lines helping families battle obesity.

“But she cannot do it alone,” Spearman said to the attendees, who included several national, state and local officials and longtime civil rights activists.

“There’s a tremendous amount of power in this room.

We need to keep our eyes on the prize. Today, that prize is ensuring the health of our children.”

6

UMMConnections a patient’s story

people spotlights

calendar/events November 18 • BLOOD DRIVE AT PACAPRATT The Medical Center will host a blood drive for the American Red Cross from 9 am to 3 pm in the lower level of the Paca-Pratt Building. Schedule your donation by contacting Fred Herman at 8-4391 or fherman@umm.edu, or just stop by.

Walk-ins are welcome, but scheduled donors will have priority.

November 23 • LAST FARMERS’ MARKET The University Farmers’ Market continues Tuesdays until Nov. 23. Visit the University Plaza Park on South Paca Street between Redwood and Baltimore streets from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm to purchase fresh produce and other local foods.

WELCOME

HONORED

Jonathan Bromberg, MD, PhD, known for his innovative research involving ways to train the body’s immune system to accept a transplanted organ, has joined the University of Maryland School of Medicine as a professor of surgery and microbiology and immunology. At UMMC, Bromberg will serve as a kidney and pancreas transplant surgeon, director of research in the Division of Transplantation and director of strategic services for transplantation. He comes to UMMC from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, where he served for 10 years as a professor of surgery and gene and cell medicine in addition to chief of kidney and pancreas transplantation and the Transplantation Institute at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Bromberg received both his MD and PhD from Harvard University.

Rudoph J. Castellani Jr., MD, director of neuropathology at UMMC and professor of pathology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, received the 2010 Alzheimer Award presented by the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, in recognition of his article, “Reexamining Alzheimer’s Disease: Evidence for a Protective Role for Amyloid-β Protein Precursor and Amyloid-β.” Castellani also was presented with the bronze Alzheimer Medal at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease.

Participation is free and a lunch is

Allison Murter, MSN, RN, is the new professional development coordinator in the Office of Clinical Practice and Professional Development. In her new role, Murter will primarily focus on nursing practice for Women’s and Children’s Services. She will also be involved in broader nursing practice issues, infection control policies and Joint Commission activities. She comes to UMMC from Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she worked for 23 years. She received her BSN from the University of Maryland and her MSN from Johns Hopkins University.

included, but advance registration is

NEW ROLE

required. Call 8-2999.

Shana Ntiri, MD, MPH, has been named medical director of the Baltimore City Cancer Program (BCCP). In her new role, Ntiri plans to focus on expanding the program’s already successful outreach, education and screening efforts.

Ntiri began her career at UMMC as a resident in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, where she is now an assistant professor. In addition to her work with BCCP, she divides her time between patient care, graduate education and primary care research.

December 14 • WEIGHT-LOSS SERVICES IN FAMILY MEDICINE Verlyn Warrington, MD, MS, assistant professor of family and community medicine and medical director of UMBC Student Health Services, will talk about obesity, its consequences and the services offered at the medical weight-loss clinic in the Department of Family Medicine.

This event is part of the Step Up to Good Health “Care Package” series, and will be from noon to 1 pm in the Patient Resource Center Assembly Room, (S1D03).

December 21 • BLOOD DRIVE The Medical Center will host a blood drive for the American Red Cross from 8 am to 2 pm near the Gudelsky entrance to the hospital.

Schedule your donation by contacting Fred Herman at 8-4391 or fherman@umm.edu, or just stop by. Walk-ins are welcome, but scheduled donors will have priority.

Carnell Cooper, MD, associate professor of surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and director of the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) at UMMC’s R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, was presented with the American Trauma Society Maryland Division Distinguished Achievement Award in recognition for creating the VIP. The first hospital-based program of its kind, VIP ensures that victims of intentional violent injury receive assessment, counseling and social support from a multidisciplinary team to help them make critical changes in their lives.

I N V O LV E D

Linda Goetz, MHS, CRNA, chief nurse anesthetist at UMMC, is the new president of the Maryland Association of Nurse Anesthetists (MANA). The mission of MANA is to advance and elevate the standards of practice of anesthesia, to elevate the standing of nurse anesthetists, to generally increase the quality and availability of anesthesia services to the general public and to provide ethical guidance for members of the association practicing anesthesia in Maryland.

Lisa Rowen, DNSc, RN, FAAN, senior vice president and chief nursing officer for UMMC, has been named adjunct associate professor of nursing at Northeastern

Pat Tierney: Cancer Survivor

A F T E R F O U R Y E A R S of nagging throat and ear problems, Pat Tierney was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer at the base of her tongue in 2008. She traveled from her home in Kentucky to several cancer centers around the country for opinions before deciding to be treated by William Regine, MD in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center in Baltimore. In this video, she shares the story of how she navigated a difficult diagnosis and treatment, including 17 months on a feeding tube, and how she has chosen to approach her life as a cancer survivor.

To watch the video, go to http://www.umm.edu/media/channel/ and select the topic “Cancer.”

University in Boston, in addition to her faculty appointments as associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing and adjunct professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.

Maria Madden, BS, RRT, respiratory care trauma clinical coordinator, and Matthew Davis, AS, RRT, respiratory care education coordinator, will present three abstracts at the American Association for Respiratory Care International Conference in Las Vegas. Both Madden and Davis authored individual abstracts that will be presented at the conference.

The two also collaborated on a third abstract.

The presentations will be given Dec. 7-9.

UMMC Staff Share SUCCESSFUL APPROACHES TO LINGUISTIC DIVERSIT Y

U

WE CARE

NEW HOME

SAME GREAT CARE

The UMMC 2010-1011 United Way campaign kicked off Oct. 5 in the Weinberg Atrium while a jazz band played in the main lobby.

The campaign is winding down, but employees can still pledge through Dec. 31. See the Intranet for the link to donate.

University of Maryland Pediatrics at the Harbor (PATH) opened in a new and improved location at the corner of South Charles and East Lee streets, near the Inner Harbor. The general pediatric practice of the University of Maryland Hospital for Children provides comprehensive primary care to children from birth through age 20. Formerly known as the Pediatric Ambulatory Center when it was located on Penn Street, the practice is still staffed by the same doctors, such as medical director JILL KEMPTHORNE, MD, (above, with patient), assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

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The University of Maryland Medical Center is an equal opportunity employer and proud supporter of an environment of diversity.

This publication is printed on recycled paper.

Holiday Party *

DECEMBER 15

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The annual UMMC holiday party for all staff will be from 3 to 8 pm in the hospital’s Gudelsky Atrium, and from 11 pm to 1 am near the Courtyard Café.

Employees must wear their badges.

MMC staff members Eryl Quilao, RN, BSN, CEN, CCRN, a nurse in the Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit; Kimberleigh Nash, MA, director of diversity; and Fe Nieves-Khouw, MSN, RN, director of quality improvement and patient safety officer, delivered a presentation on the challenges and opportunities of language diversity in a health care setting, including issues related to speaking one’s native language in the workplace. They gave the presentation at the Philippine Nurses Association education seminar on Aug. 7 at Howard County Community College. Patricia Wilson RN, BSN, clinical transition coordinator, Quilao and Nash also gave a poster presentation on linguistic diversity in the workplace at the Diversity Rx 7th National Conference on Quality Health Care for Culturally Diverse Populations held at the Renaissance Hotel in Baltimore Oct. 19.

Bienvenido welcomE Mabuhay Ciao

UMMC Connections is available on the Intranet and at www.umm.edu/connections.