Horizons - Summer 2012

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A PUBLICATION FOR THE SPONSORS, BOARDS, REGIONAL LEADERSHIP, SYSTEM OFFICE AND COLLEAGUES OF CATHOLIC HEALTH EAST HORIZONS C ATHOLIC H EALTH E AST C ATHOLIC H EALTH E AST Quality on the Web CHE Launches CareLink Website Ministry Formation Sr. Kathleen Popko Receives CHA Lifetime Achievement Award ER Colleagues Save One of Their Own Across the System 10 Minutes with ... Patrick Taylor, M.D. Interactive Education Benefits Patients, Families and Communities Core Values Kindle Contest The Growing Demand for Mobile Websites CareLink Go Live 2011 Community Benefit Annual Report Now Available Summer 2012 1, 4 & 5 2 3 5 6 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 continued on page 4 HORIZONS Interactive E ducation Benefits P atients, F amilies and C ommunities n all walks of life, educators often insist that the most effective way to gain new knowl- edge is “learning by doing.” Taking this advice to heart, colleagues across CHE are using interactive education techniques to help patients, families and communities “learn by doing” in a wide variety of settings and circumstances. The result: healthier people and healthier communities. Journey Through the Body In Albany, N.Y., people of all ages walked through an inflatable two-story heart, crawled through an oversized colon and listened to the sounds their voices made while they strolled through a giant ear during an annual, two-day event known as Journey through the Body © . “We want to be a leader in health education—just as much as we want to be the leader in quality health care,” said Elmer Streeter, director of communications, St. Peter’s Health Care Services, “and Journey through the Body provides a vehicle for just that.” Numerous exhibits and larger-than- life displays of human body parts provide a fun, hands-on approach to learning and are designed to educate children and their parents about select organs and parts of the human body I and their functions, components, strengths and limitations, as well as ways to lead an active, healthy lifestyle. Now in its 14th year, the event attracts over 10,000 participants and is staged in an indoor shopping mall. Promoted heavily by its co-sponsor, local NBC affiliate WNYT News-Channel 13, it also offers a Jeopardy-like quiz on the brain and other parts of the body, as well as informational booths with topics ranging from skin cancer screenings to maintaining good nutrition to finding a career in health care. The event, which includes health-related giveaways, is free to the public. A team-building exercise in its own right, nearly 600 individuals staff the event, including employees, clinicians, volunteers and area high school and college students. The event has also identified people who need medical follow-up. “There have been occasions when our staff have identified people who may have a serious health issue that they need to follow up on,” said Amy Baker, communications assistant, St. Peter’s Health Care Services and coordinator of the event. “For example, one year a high school athlete was attending Journey Through the Body and stopped at the heart display, where there was a pulse oximeter and EKG monitor. When this teen had his pulse and heart rate checked, a member of our medical staff became very concerned about the test results and let the teenager’s parents know they needed to follow up with their doctor. What started out as a fun activity may have actually saved this child’s life.” “This event provides a huge learning opportunity for both the child and the parent,” said Streeter. Demystifying Technology In Camden, N.J., Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center recently gave staff and visitors the chance to “test drive” one of medicine’s most advanced technologies—the da Vinci ® Robotic Surgical System. Participants experienced firsthand what it is like to sit behind the surgeon’s console and manipulate the machine’s unique controls. A In celebration of National Child Life Month, pediatric patients switched roles with their caregivers during “Doctors for a Day” at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. The young doctors treated pretend illnesses, fixed broken bones and gave make-believe shots with needleless syringes.

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CHE's quarterly newsletter

Transcript of Horizons - Summer 2012

Page 1: Horizons - Summer 2012

Patrick Taylor, M.D.

A PUBLICATION FOR THE SPONSORS, BOARDS, REGIONAL LEADERSHIP, SYSTEM OFFICE AND COLLEAGUES OF CATHOLIC HEALTH EAST12

H O R I Z O N S

H O R I Z O N S

C A T H O L I C H E A L T H E A S TC A T H O L I C H E A L T H E A S T

Quality on the WebCHE Launches CareLink WebsiteMinistry FormationSr. Kathleen Popko Receives CHA Lifetime Achievement AwardER Colleagues Save One of Their OwnAcross the System10 Minutes with ... Patrick Taylor, M.D.

Interactive Education Benefits Patients, Families and CommunitiesCore Values Kindle Contest The Growing Demand for Mobile WebsitesCareLink Go Live2011 Community Benefit Annual Report Now Available

S u m m e r 2 0 1 2

1, 4 & 52356

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continued on page 4

H O R I Z O N SInteractive Education Benefits

President and CEO,Holy Cross Hospital

Patients, Families and Communities

P10 Minutes with... Patrick Taylor, M.D.

n all walks of life, educators often insist that the most effective way to gain new knowl-edge is “learning by doing.” Taking this advice to heart, colleagues across CHE are using interactive education techniques to help patients, families and communities “learn by doing” in a wide variety of settings and circumstances. The result: healthier people and healthier communities. Journey Through the Body In Albany, N.Y., people of all ages walked through an inflatable two-story heart, crawled through an oversized colon and listened to the sounds their voices made while they strolled through a giant ear during an annual, two-day event known as Journey through the Body©.

“We want to be a leader in health education—just as much as we want to be the leader in quality health care,” said Elmer Streeter, director of communications, St. Peter’s Health Care Services, “and Journey through the Body provides a vehicle for just that.”

Numerous exhibits and larger-than-life displays of human body parts provide a fun, hands-on approach to learning and are designed to educate children and their parents about select organs and parts of the human body

HORIZONS is a publication for the Sponsors, Boards,Regional Leadership, System Office and Colleaguesof Catholic Health East.

Horizons Editorial Staff

Scott H. Share Vice President, System Communications

Maria Iaquinto Communications Manager

Meg J. Boyd Communication Specialist

Design, production and printing by JC Marketing Communications • jcmcom.com • Southington, Conn.

Catholic Health East is a community of persons committed to being a transforming, healing presence within the communities we serve.

Locations: Located in 11 eastern states from Maine to Florida.

Workforce: Approx. 60,000 employees.

Sponsors

Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, St. Bonaventure, N.Y.

Hope Ministries, Newtown Square, Pa.

Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, Greensburg, Pa.

Sisters of Mercy of the Americas: Mid-Atlantic Community, Merion Station, Pa. New York, Pennsylvania, Pacific West Community, Buffalo, N.Y. Northeast Community, Cumberland, R.I. South Central Community, Belmont, N.C.

Sisters of Providence, Holyoke, Mass.

Sisters of St. Joseph, St. Augustine, Fla.

Published by:

Please direct comments and suggestions to [email protected]

3805 West Chester Pike, Suite 100Newtown Square, PA 19073Phone 610.355.2000Fax 610.271.9600www.che.orgwww.facebook.com/catholichealtheast

atrick Taylor, M.D., M.B.A., was named president and chief executive officer of Holy Cross Hospital in May 2010. He is responsible for

the overall strategic direction and operating performance of the system. The 571-bed facility is recognized as one of the leading acute-care, specialty-referral hospitals in South Florida.

Dr. Taylor joined Holy Cross Hospital as an emergency physician in 1988 and has served in increasing levels of management responsibility since then. In 2006, he was named executive vice president and COO. Prior to that, he served as chief medical director, during which time he was the physician chief executive of the Holy Cross Medical Group. Dr. Taylor received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame, his doctor of medicine from Duke University and completed a residency in emergency medicine at Georgetown/George Washington/University of Maryland combined program. He subsequently completed an executive MBA at Florida Atlantic University while actively practicing medicine at Holy Cross Hospital. Dr. Taylor serves on the board of directors of the Broward Partnership for the Homeless and the Jack and Jill Children’s Center.

Can you tell us a little bit about what’s happening at Holy Cross Hospital? Holy Cross is fully engaged in bringing to life our strategic repositioning initiatives. We are on the path to continuing the vital mission that our Sponsors, the Sisters of Mercy, brought to this community many decades ago. Primary to our success are our associates, so we have refocused on associate engagement/satisfaction. I believe that with loyal committed associates, all other success factors such as patient satisfaction, quality, physician satisfaction, excellent financial performance and continued growth will shine. Extremely high levels of associate commitment and patient satisfaction are non-negotiable for me. The great news is that we have dedicated associates who truly live the mission of the Sisters every day.

How do you think being a physician affects your role as a hospital CEO? Approximately half of the physicians and associates at Holy Cross know me from when I practiced in the emergency department. The other half only know me since my transition

to administration. It has been an advantage to be a physician, as I feel very comfortable in each clinical unit of the hospital, since I at one time or another have practiced there. I am involved in clinical issues every day and my medical training and practice is invaluable. The physicians, nurses and entire staff know that I have been in their shoes. Over the years I have been told by many physicians that they are happy that a physician is involved administratively. Having said that, it comes down to building trusting relationships with associates and physicians. You must remain true to your word and promises. I was blessed with a great mentor (John Johnson), have the support and the passion of the Sisters of Mercy and have a great administrative and leadership team. Those are truly my greatest advantages in leading Holy Cross.

What new initiatives do you have planned for 2012 and beyond? There are so many wonderful and transforming initiatives at Holy Cross. We have launched a Clinically Integrated Network where the hospital and more than 160 employed and independent physicians are coming together to manage the health of our community. Our focus is on quality, improved efficiencies, coordination of care and embracing the value equation of health care. We are expanding our geographic footprint by developing five ambulatory care and diagnostic imaging centers throughout our community. Since May 2012, we have successfully performed multiple transcatheter aortic valve replacements, in which a new valve is inserted via peripheral catheter without open heart surgery for patients who are not surgical candidates. We also have a growing collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital in the fields of oncology and cardiovascular medicine. And over the next five years Holy Cross will

become an academic teaching institution with residencies. Thanks to the generosity of our community we have raised $15 million to complete our women’s center—a comprehensive program serving women’s health, emotional and spiritual needs in a soothing environment. Additionally, we are implementing a new patient logistics system (CareLogistics), which I truly believe will transform the time patients spend as inpatients. It is like an air traffic control system for patients that gives reverence to the time patients spend with us. If we treat patients like our loved ones then we will be successful. How did you become involved in CHE’s shared services board? I was asked if I would be willing to serve and I gladly accepted the role. Along with three other RHC CEOs our role is to oversee, provide input and guidance to the activities of the shared services of CHE. The uniqueness of the CEO members is that we are not only board members but also “customers.”

What is the purpose of the shared services board? Its purpose is to make sure that we are being good stewards of the resources that we share and are entrusted with collectively as CHE. Are the shared service programs such as IT, AP, supply chain, etc … providing the best value for us as a system and for us as RHCs? That is a question that we are constantly asking as we review existing and new initiatives being taken on by shared services. Tough discussions and questions are wrestled with at the shared services board but always with reverence, with the goal of making us better as we serve in our respective communities. Clayton Fitzhugh, CHE’s EVP of shared services, diligently listens to the voice of the customer. He also has brought processes and quality metrics to each area of shared services. These metrics and performance targets are reviewed with the board, as well as plans for closing any gaps that exists.

How do you think the shared services board has made a difference for CHE? The shared services board has made us more accountable for delivering value both individually and collectively. It has helped us reconcile that we as a system have limited resources, huge ambitions and at times competing priorities and therefore must be very wise in our choices. It also has instilled the voice of the associate, physician, patient and resident (“the customer”) into the dialogue at the shared services board. The leaders who oversee shared services have become more acutely aware of and I trust more sensitive to how they impact the lives of those we all serve.

I

and their functions, components, strengths and limitations, as well as ways to lead an active, healthy lifestyle.

Now in its 14th year, the event attracts over 10,000 participants and is staged in an indoor shopping mall. Promoted heavily by its co-sponsor, local NBC affiliate WNYT News-Channel 13, it also offers a Jeopardy-like quiz on the brain and other parts of the body, as well as

informational booths with topics ranging from skin cancer screenings to maintaining good nutrition to finding a career in health care. The event, which includes health-related giveaways, is free to the public. A team-building exercise in its own right, nearly 600 individuals staff the event, including employees, clinicians, volunteers and area high school and college students.

The event has also identified

people who need medical follow-up. “There have been occasions when our staff have identified people who may have a serious health issue that they need to follow up on,” said Amy Baker, communications assistant, St. Peter’s Health Care Services and coordinator of the event. “For example, one year a high school athlete was attending Journey Through the Body and stopped at the heart display, where there was a pulse oximeter and EKG monitor. When this teen had his pulse and heart rate checked, a member of our medical staff became very concerned about the test results and let the teenager’s parents know they needed to follow up with their doctor. What started out as a fun activity may have actually saved this child’s life.”

“This event provides a huge learning opportunity for both the child and the parent,” said Streeter. DemystifyingTechnology In Camden, N.J., Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center recently gave staff and visitors the chance to “test drive” one of medicine’s most advanced technologies—the da Vinci® Robotic Surgical System.

Participants experienced firsthand what it is like to sit behind the surgeon’s console and manipulate the machine’s unique controls. A

In celebration of National Child Life Month, pediatric patients switched roles with their caregivers during “Doctors for a Day” at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. The young doctors treated pretend illnesses, fixed broken bones and gave make-believe shots with needleless syringes.

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Child life specialists at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital (part of BayCare Health System), organize special events in an effort to provide patients with experiences that they might not otherwise have due to treatment and hospitalization. Recently, nearly 100 current and former St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital patients took part in their own prom night held at the hospital. The evening included a mix of music, dancing, refreshments, photos and memories that are sure to last a lifetime.

Participants in LIFE St. Mary, Trevose, Pa. (a PACE program affiliated with St. Mary Medical Center) enjoyed “play” with the children of a local day care center as part of a celebration of Older Americans Month. This year’s theme, Never Too Old to Play, focused on the essential value of play for people of all ages. For older people with chronic disabilities, all too often physical limitations define their day-to-day life and play is overlooked.

Ashley Thomas, M.A., Mercy Gorham Primary Care, examines Portland Sea Dogs mascot Slugger at the 2nd Annual Hit, Throw and Run Competition. The event, sponsored by Mercy Health System of Maine, was attended by over 200 Little Leaguers who competed at various baseball skill events. More than twenty Mercy colleagues volunteered to provide free health screenings to adults in the crowd.

More than 500 people turned out for the 5th Annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event held recently at Northeast Health’s Samaritan Hospital (part of St. Peter’s Health Partners) in Troy, N.Y. Participants—mostly men—sported high-heeled ladies shoes and literally walked a mile in support of victims of rape and gender violence. The event raised more than $65,000 to benefit Samaritan’s Sexual Assault and Crime Victims Assistance Program for Rensselaer County, N.Y.

More than 500 people turned out for the 5th Annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event held recently at Northeast Health’s Samaritan Hospital (part of St. Peter’s Health Partners) in Troy, N.Y. Participants—mostly men—sported high-heeled ladies shoes and literally walked a mile in support of victims of rape and gender violence. The event raised more than $65,000 to benefit Samaritan’s Sexual Assault and Crime Victims Assistance Program for Rensselaer County, N.Y.

Lourdes Health Foundation board member, Brad Bono, donated six Apple iPads and four interactive applications for the Child Development Program of Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center (Camden, N.J.) to enhance the curriculum for children with autism spectrum disorders. Technology such as the iPad has been found to improve socialization, develop fine motor skills, increase attention span and assist in communicating wants, needs and feelings. Pictured with Bono (2nd from left) are (l to r) Jane Femia-Baider, administrator of rehabilitation services; Heather Haines, early intervention supervisor for the Child Development Program; Kimberly Barnes, vice president of planning, and Ruth Cila, executive director, Lourdes Health Foundation.

Celebrate Our Core Values and Win a Kindle!

All colleagues throughout the system are encouraged to submit their stories, poems, images or patient vignettes related to the Core Value being celebrated this quarter—Stewardship. A Kindle will be awarded to the colleague who presents the best submission.

Catholic Health East is continuing its reflection on our Core Values. Living our Core Values is a way of furthering CHE’s Mission; when practiced, they continue the legacy of our Sponsors and are a key component of our organizational spirituality. Core Values education serves as an important means of providing ministry formation to all colleagues.

To help keep our Core Values ever-present, CHE is ‘celebrating’ a different Core Value each quarter. Colleagues are encouraged to submit a personal story, poem or artwork that relates to that Core Value. Last quarter, we celebrated the Core Value of Care for Those Who Are Poor. We received many wonderful submissions; but only one winning entry could be chosen for a prize. That submission is featured at the right.

The remaining submission deadlines are: • Stewardship, September 10, 2012 • Courage, December 10, 2012 • Integrity, March 11, 2013

This quarter, CHE will award a Kindle to the colleague who submits the best story (500 word maximum), poem or image related to Stewardship. The winner will be announced at the system-wide webinar on that Core Value and featured in system-wide publications.

The system-wide webinar on Stewardship will be held at noon on September 20. Information on how you can join in on that webinar will be shared shortly. To be eligible for the contest, submission of your creative material (story, poem, etc.) should be sent to Philip Boyle, CHE’s vice president, mission and ethics at [email protected] by September 10, 2012.

CHE Contest

Prizes

Deadline: September 10, 2012 Face of the PoorBy Laura Stainbrook, M.Ed., residential director, Mercy Behavioral Health Pittsburgh Mercy Health System

I am the homeless man sitting on the sidewalk quietly asking you for a dollar, a quarter, anything; however you ignore me as you always do when you walk past.

I am the woman sitting on the bus with two black eyes, bruises and too many children to feed; whose eyes you cannot meet, whose story you don’t want to hear.

I am the crying child torn from the arms of her mother by a government worker due to a misunderstanding you would never understand;

I am the neighbor who is an oddity in the community, whose house is rundown and yard left in disorder; whose family hasn’t visited or called in months and seems to have forgotten.

I am the teenager who has made one bad decision after another, whose been given 2nd, 3rd, and 4th chances to redeem myself only to end up doing what I do best … make more bad decisions and repeatedly falling out of society’s grace.

I am the husband who has loved a child as his own, even though she wasn’t; the husband, who has been walked on, trampled over and left with only the footprints of pain as a friend.

I am the person who is intellectually disabled shopping at the mall; oh, you know me. I’m the one you avoid coming within 30 feet of because you might ‘catch’ something; little do you know the only thing you would ‘catch’ is my contagious smile and love of life.

All of these are me; the face society so easily forgets, the face society doesn’t want to acknowledge, the face society can’t or won’t try to understand; the face of the poor.

Poor of money Poor of spiritPoor of familyPoor of healthPoor of an advocate Poor of being cared forPoor of a life worth livingPoor of being lovedPoor of beingSimply … poor.

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T he world is going mobile. According to comScore, a global leader in measuring the digital world, the use of smartphones continues to grow. In a February 2012 study of more than 30,000 mobile phone users, more than 104 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones … up a staggering 14 percent in just three months! Interestingly, it seems that people are using their smartphones for everything except … talking. About 75 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their devices; about 50 percent downloaded applications; and about 49 percent accessed websites. Smaller but still significant numbers of people used their smartphones to access social networking sites or blogs (36 percent), play games (32 percent), and listen to music (25 percent). Of all of these uses, however, the one that is growing at the fastest rate is … accessing websites. “Brands are using the mobile web to extend key desktop functionality to a growing number of mobile users,” said Ryan Kelly, vice president of sales and marketing at Mad Mobile, Tampa, Fla., in the February 14, 2012 issue of Mobile Commerce Daily.

He used the example of a person using a smartphone to access a website he saw promoted in a company’s television commercial. If the mobile user is taken to a regular website, their experience is not tailored to their device and they have a stronger likelihood to leave the website. However, with a mobile-optimized website, users are more willing to interact. “We are rapidly approaching a time when a brand’s mobile website will be more important than the desktop site,” said Kelly.

The dramatic growth in the use of smartphones to access websites has major implications for the health care industry. While virtually all health care organizations have websites, relatively few have developed web sites that can be easily accessed by mobile phone users.

Several Catholic Health East RHCs/JOAs have initiated or are in the process of building mobile websites; among the RHCs who have already launched their sites are St. Mary Medical Center, Langhorne, Pa., and Sisters of Providence Health System, Springfield, Mass.

On April 9, 2012, St. Mary launched its mobile website, providing patients, family members and the community with real-time access to its services.

“In order to continue to provide our community with

ease of access to St. Mary information, we decided it was imperative to build and launch a mobile website,” said Laurie Temple, senior communicator at St. Mary. “Our patients, families and visitors will now be able to search, browse and view content about our services and programs while they’re on the go and away from their home or office laptop or computer.”

St. Mary mobile website pages include Find a St. Mary Doctor, Door-to-Door Driving Directions, Request an Appointment, Important Phone Numbers, Visitor Information and summarized content about medical services.

In May, Mercy Medical Center launched a mobile version of the MercyCares.com website that allows smartphone and tablet users to automatically access general information about the hospital, such as departments and services, contact information and phone numbers, directions, maps and visiting hours. The new mobile web application, called “Mercy Cares Mobile,” also provides access to Mercy’s physician directory.

Developed under the creative direction of Frank Mastromatteo, graphics supervisor, Sisters of Providence Health System, Mercy Cares Mobile is the hospital’s latest initiative to respond to consumer-driven trends that require the quick and convenient delivery of information.

“As more and more people replace their cellphones with smartphones, mobile websites are becoming increasingly important as a source of reliable, easy-to-read information,” said Mastromatteo. “Our Mercy Cares Mobile site answers that need by putting that information at our customers’ fingertips, at the touch of a button.”

Users who access www.mercycares.com from a smartphone, including iPhone, Droid and Blackberry, or a tablet (iPad or other) are automatically directed to the mobile site.

For more information, please contact Laurie Temple at [email protected] or Frank Mastromatteo at [email protected].

Going Mobile:The Growing Demand for Mobile Websites

Sisters of Providence produced billboards promoting its new mobile web application, Mercy Cares Mobile.

St. Mary Medical Center’s mobile website has a simple user interface, allowing users to easily access its website.

oe Treimel remembers little about the night he died. But he knows he could not have chosen a better place for his heart to stop beating. It was just after midnight in the Saint Michael’s Medical Center emergency department. Treimel, a veteran emergency medicine nurse, recalls telling a colleague he was going to take a break. “I remember a patient asked me for something and I said I would get that first,” he recalled.

Then suddenly his heart stopped beating. Treimel, a seemingly healthy 61-year-old father of two—a bicyclist who rode 30 miles just two days earlier—fell to the floor.

He was not breathing. He had no pulse.

“I was clinically dead,” Treimel said.

His Saint Michael’s emergency room colleagues quickly sprang into action, responding with the precision that comes from years of experience and training.

“We heard someone cry out and we ran to find Joe on the floor,” recalled Dr. Alan Miller, medical director of the emergency department. “It was sudden death. Everyone went into action. We established that he had no pulse and was not breathing. We got him on a stretcher and immediately began chest compressions to keep his blood circulating.”

An emergency team was quickly formed. Each understood his or her role. A nurse started oxygen. CPR was started immediately and continued. Another team member “breathed” for Treimel with a bag valve mask until a tube was placed into his trachea. Another team member started an intravenous line into one of Treimel’s veins to deliver adrenaline while one of the doctors inserted a central line into a vein in his groin.

“I would describe the mood as very organized, very business-like. This is what we are trained to do,” Dr. Miller said. “The only difference was this time the patient was someone we knew.”

The team determined that his heart could

Emergency Medicine ColleaguesSave One of Their Own

be shocked and administered a heart medication. The team continued to administer shocks until Treimel’s heart began beating—nearly 30 minutes after his collapse.

Meanwhile, the cardiac catheterization team assembled and took Treimel to the cardiac catheterization lab.

The team used angiography to determine the location and size of Treimel’s heart blockage. The test showed he had a 100 percent blockage of his left anterior descending coronary artery, a condition nicknamed the “widow maker” because of the high rate of death. The team then threaded a catheter into the blocked artery to open it. A stent—a mesh-like device—was inserted to keep the blockage open.

An hour after Treimel died, he was on the road to recovery. Five days later, he was discharged and went home.

“I could not have chosen a better place to have this happen,” Treimel said from his home in Pequannock. “I was clinically dead and they brought me back to life. I never had any doubt about the training and experience of the people at Saint Michael’s.”

Treimel runs and bikes and has no obvious risk factors for heart disease. He ran eight miles just a few days before his cardiac arrest and, in retrospect, recalls only some mild flu-like symptoms that he dismissed.

A faithful, church-going man who volunteers each year on a medical mission to Honduras, Treimel said people ask him if the experience will change his life.

“I feel now that I have my life back, I will continue living as I always have. I believe I was doing the right things already. Volunteering. Going to church. Working to help people in the emergency department,” he said.

After years of working in emergency medicine, Treimel said he has a pragmatic view of death. “You learn that you have to be ready every day. You never know when your moment will come,” he said.

He has had follow-up care from Dr. Fayez Shamoon, Saint Michael’s chief of interventional cardiology. He wants to return to work and remains thankful he can be there as his two adult children move forward with their lives.

A few weeks after the event, accompanied by his ex-wife, he returned to the emergency department with flowers. He heard clapping. Then more clapping. Soon everyone was on their feet. He received hugs from everyone—from doctors to security guards.

“It was a wonderful feeling,” he said. Submitted by Carol Ann Campbell, vice president, Jaffe-Campbell Health Group, Saint Michael’s Medical Center

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The emergency team that saved Joe Treimel, from left to right: Sue Jones, R.N., Dr. Andrew Miller, Joe Treimel, Vincent Villescuesa, R.N., Kim Lynch-Reid, R.N., Joyce McAfee, R.N., Marc Weiss, tech.

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urrounded by family, friends and colleagues, Sr. Kathleen Popko, S.P., president of the Sisters of Providence and former longtime CHE executive, was honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the Catholic Health Association’s annual Assembly on June 4, 2012 in Philadelphia.

CHA’s Lifetime Achievement Award is conferred each year upon an acknowledged leader of the health ministry who has inspired and mentored numerous others. The individual’s leadership extends past the Catholic health ministry to influence and impact the local community and beyond.

With hundreds of Catholic health care leaders from throughout the nation in attendance, a brief video tribute to Sr. Kathleen was shown, chronicling her career highlights and accomplishments. This video can be viewed on CHA’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyqefTG1oL4. Then, in a poignant moment, CHA’s outgoing board chair (Bob Stanek, CHE’s former president and chief executive officer), who worked side-by-side with Sr. Kathleen for many years, called her onto the stage and presented Sr. Kathleen with this richly deserved award. It was a very special moment for Sr. Kathleen, as well as for her family and all of her Sisters of Providence and CHE colleagues who were able to share this special day with her.

“This Award vividly reminds me of the many blessings I have received: the opportunity to engage in the Catholic health care ministry, the privilege of working with extraordinarily committed religious and lay leaders, and the chance to assist the ministry in its wonderful work of serving the People of God, especially those most in need,” said Sr. Kathleen. “I am so grateful and thankful for all of my colleagues at Catholic Health East for the gift of their support and friendship over the past 15 years.”

Known for her tireless spirit and boundless energy, Sr. Kathleen’s exemplary career has spanned more than 40 years in the fields of

Sr. Kathleen Popko Receives Catholic HealthAssociation’s Lifetime Achievement Award

nursing, teaching, strategic planning and hospital and congregational leadership.

Sr. Kathleen entered the Sisters of Providence congregation at age 17, following her high school graduation. She began her health care career in 1969 as a staff nurse at Mercy Hospital, Springfield, Mass., progressing to become the hospital’s assistant administrator for planning from 1975-1981. She also served as vice president of the Sisters of Providence congregation from 1981-1985, during which time she was project director for the creation of Sisters of Providence Health System (SPHS). She served as president of the congregation from 1985-1993, as well as the SPHS board chair. From 1994-1997, Sr. Kathleen was president and CEO of SPHS and was instrumental in the formation of Catholic Health East, which formed when SPHS came together with Eastern Mercy Health System and Allegany Health System.

When Catholic Health East was officially formed in January 1998, Sr. Kathleen became the executive vice president of the new ministry’s Northeast Division. During her eight years in this position, she provided oversight and support to the nine hospitals, 20 nursing homes, six behavioral health centers and numerous home health care and outpatient facilities owned by CHE in Maine, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. As a key member of CHE’s senior management team, Sr. Kathleen helped to guide

the ministry though this period of opportunity, growth … and challenge.

In January 2006, Sr. Kathleen’s career came full circle, as she accepted the new position of executive vice president for strategy and ministry development at CHE. By returning to her planning “roots” on a full-time basis, she was able to devote all of her years of strategic planning experience and expertise in organizational and programmatic innovation to benefit the entire system. Among her key accomplishments were the development and implementation of CHE’s strategic plan (known as Vision 2017); the creation of “Leadership Vision and Guiding Principles,” a document which outlined CHE’s “shared services” approach to management; the development of CHE’s first Governance Charter; and the commitment to continuing care as a core ministry of CHE.

In September 2009, Sr. Kathleen answered the call of her congregation and returned to once again become president of the Sisters of Providence.

“CHE would not be where we are today without the guidance, leadership and vision of Sr. Kathleen Popko,” said Judy Persichilli, CHE’s president and CEO. “We thank her for her gifts, her contributions, and her accomplishments over the years, and we congratulate her for being recognized with CHA’s Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Scombination of man and machine, the system translates the surgeon’s hand, wrist and finger movements to miniature instruments inside the patient. A major feature of the system is its three-dimensional camera, which the surgeon can reposition, zoom and rotate to provide bright, crisp, highly magnified views of the operative field, giving surgeons greater precision and enhanced visual clarity.

“The da Vinci is a remarkable technology,” said Arthur Martella, M.D., Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center’s chief of cardiothoracic surgery. “For example, to treat lung cancer, traditionally we would have to make a cut down your chest, crack your breastbone and spread your ribs. This procedure can cause a lot of pain after the operation and can make breathing difficult. With the da Vinci, we need only four small half-inch incisions on one side of the chest, resulting in less pain and a quicker recovery.” Lourdes physicians perform cardiac, urologic, gynecologic, colorectal and bariatric surgeries using the da Vinci. “Doctors For a Day” Pediatric patients also get to experience “learning by doing.” In Tampa, Fla., an annual event that has taken place for over 15 years at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, part of BayCare Health System, is known as “Doctors for a Day.” The event utilizes the technique of role-playing in an effort to help children understand and cope emotionally with their medical experiences.

“The children get dressed up in gowns, hats, masks and gloves with their stethoscopes and we invite the physicians and nurses to take part and become patients for the day,” said Leah T. Frohnerath, B.S., CCLS, CEIM, child life depart-ment, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital.

On a designated day the “doctors” treat pretend illnesses and mend broken bones. Their patients (doctors and nurses) lie on gurneys positioned in the lobby of St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, which is transformed into a waiting room and clinical area for the afternoon. The young doctors are even given the opportunity to give “shots” with needleless syringes.

“The participating clinicians love to see the kids behave just as they do. The children completely mimic and imitate what the nurses do, which is a

Interactive Education BenefitsPatients, Families and Communities

continued from page 1

sign that they pay attention and are inspired by them,” said Frohnerath. “A big part of our daily mission is to demystify health care for children and to help them feel more empowered in this setting. It is also our goal to help children see doctors and nurses as helping people.”

Bike Safety In Athens, Ga., when the Athens Twilight Criterium bicycle race comes to town on the last Saturday in April, it provides the perfect opportu-nity to present helmet safety education to area children. Doubling as a “fun event,” St. Mary’s Health Care System’s Cammie Llewallyn, R.N., CNRN, neurosciences director, and Shelley Nichols, M.S.N., R.N.-BC, stroke coordinator, together with the cyclists, start conducting school presentations the week before the race to provide clear, simple, understandable education about what the brain is, what it does, what happens when it gets injured, and why helmets can help prevent or lessen injury.

“We talk about things the kids have experience with, such as impact, swelling and pressure,” said Llewallyn. Dressed in uniform with their bikes and when ample room allows, the cyclists begin their talks by racing inside the school gym.

“The cyclists bring a completely different level of energy and excitement into the gymnasiums for the kids,” said Llewallyn. “The kids get so excited,

they love it, they are very engaged, and the cyclists are very well-versed on teaching helmet safety.”

The Twilight Criterium is a huge event for the community. What used to be a single race has grown into three days of activities for the community, fans and friends including the Twilight Kids Criterium for children ages 5-14, sponsored by St. Mary’s, and the Chick-fil-A Twilight Big Wheel Race for children 5 and under. The events bring over 30,000 spectators to the city of Athens, home of St. Mary’s.

“Our community work is really important to everything that we do here,” said Llewallyn, “and many of these injuries are preventable.” St. Mary’s also donates hundreds of free helmets to the schools to be given to students who need them. Many of these schools are in underprivileged areas, so the program reaches large numbers of students who otherwise would have limited access to helmets or safe riding information.

Founded in 1980, the race is one of the top races of its kind in North America, and the men’s race attracts some 150 riders from all over the world. A highlight of the pro cycling season, the twilight is a part of the USA CRITS Championship Series, USA CRITS Speed Week, and Georgia Championship Series.

continued on thebottom of page 5

Nurse Cammie Llewallyn talks to Athens-area students

about the importance of wearing a bicycle helmet. St.

Mary’s and professional bicycle racers bring

interactive programs about cycling, helmets and brain injury prevention to more

than 1,000 area elementary school students each year.

Sr. Kathleen Popko, S.P. (2nd from left) was joined at the CHA award ceremony by all three of CHE’s current and past presidents (l to r): current President and CEO Judy Persichilli; CHE’s first president, Dan Russell; and former president Robert Stanek.

Page 5: Horizons - Summer 2012

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H O R I Z O N S S U M M E R E D I T I O N 2 0 1 2

Exploring Health Careers Years ago, most teenagers learned about health care matters from a textbook, or in a classroom discussion. Today, as part of Exploring, a learning for life organization that partners students with organizations, 15 to 20-year-olds are now able to gain health care experience firsthand. The hope is that some of these students will be a part of the next generation of health care professionals in Wilmington, Del., home of the program’s founder, Saint Francis Healthcare.

“We have high school age students come to Saint Francis twice a month,” said Coy Smith, N.D., R.N., M.S.N., NEA-BC, FACHE, vice president, patient care services and CNO, Saint Francis Healthcare. “Our goal is to have these students exposed to different types of patients and departments and specialties that are within a hospital so that they might be encouraged to consider careers in health care.”

Tyra Bedford, R.N., B.S.N., clinical administrator at Saint Francis and an Explorer co-captain, shared her thoughts on a recent meeting which featured a guest physician speaker.

“Dr. Olowo of Sounds Physicians was engaging and appeared to reach the kids in a non-intimidating manner,” said Bedford. “He was educating about his profession, while also mentoring the students about the responsibilities they have now and ones to look forward to in the future.”

Bedford is still collecting feedback from the students and the hospital. “I hope the impact on the community will be one of providing a safe, fun and inspiring environment for kids to come and learn how to make an informed decision regarding their professional futures,” she said.

As RHCs throughout Catholic Health East are demon-strating, daily, interactive learning—through observing, listening and doing—is an effective means to build healthier communities.

Contributors to this story include Josh Bernstein, publica-tions editor, Lourdes Health System; Amy Gall, communica-tions coordinator, St. Joseph’s Hospitals, BayCare Health System; Trish Perrault, manager, public relations, St. Peter's Health Care Services; and Mark Ralston, public relations manager, St. Mary's Health Care System.

n June 5, 2012, St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne, Pa., became the latest RHC to “go live” with CareLink. St. Mary’s phased deployment of CareLink continued with electronic physician and provider order entry into MEDITECH’s electronic medical records system. “Our medical staff have been amazing in their participation in this new and sometimes challenging implementation process,” said Marian Moran, vice president, support services and chief information officer, St. Mary Medical Center. “As of this morning, 275 physicians have entered orders through CPOE. Their

O

CareLink Website Springs Forward

Interactive Education BenefitsPatients, Families and Communities

Go-Live UPDATE:St. Mary Medical Center is “Live” with CareLink!

continued from page 4

Using a “hands on” approach, St. Peter’s staff gave children the opportunity to learn, see and touch during its annual Journey through the Body event.

everal years ago, recognizing that fewer and fewer leadership positions in Catholic health care were being filled by women religious, CHE’s Sponsors encouraged the development of a robust and substantive Ministry Formation course for our lay leaders. Our Sponsors saw the need for CHE leaders to be grounded more completely in the Catholic traditions and empower them to embrace their role as ministry leaders more fully. To meet this challenge, Catholic Health East’s mission team, working with their peers from Covenant Health System and Bon Secours Health System, designed what became known as the Excellence in Ministry program. The fruit of that collaboration was a six-part program developing five major topics: The Power of Story and Biblical Foundations; Church and Sponsorship; Ministry and Servant Leadership; Catholic Social Teachings; and Organizational Ethics. The sixth module was designed to be an integrative experience, characterized by fewer didactic elements and more reflection.

The first Excellence in Ministry cohort, a pilot group of 27 participants nominated by RHC CEOs and CHE senior leadership, came together for the first time in the fall of 2007 at Villanova Conference Center for a new experience in adult formation. The experience of Cohort I’s first module was so positive that system leadership immediately determined that the Excellence in Ministry program would be required for all CEOs and their executive teams. Cohort II began a few months later.

Since that time, over 150 colleagues from throughout CHE have completed this well-established Ministry Formation program for executives. In April 2012, Cohort XII began the EIM process at Villanova Conference Center. Thirteen entities were represented among the 30 colleagues who participated in the formation of this new adult learning community.

Excellence in Ministry: EmpoweringLay Leaders to Embrace the Ministry

How did this community begin to coalesce? The colleagues were first welcomed to Gracious Space by Martha Conroy, CHE’s director, ministry formation, and were invited to practice the skills of listening, learning in public, willingness to be influenced, welcoming the stranger, and building trust. “Graduates” of the program will recall that the participants are the presenters for the first session. Each RHC, as well as Allegany Franciscan Ministries and System Office colleagues, told stories about the founding of their organization. They also addressed the questions: What were the challenges then? What are the challenges now?

Steve Surprenant, senior vice president and chief operating officer of The Mercy Community, West Hartford, Conn., and Rev. Michael Saxton of CHRISTUS Health System were the presenters at Cohort XII for these topics: Power of Story; Sacred Writings; Call, Response, Relationship; Suffering; Caring for the Most Vulnerable; and Healing the Sick.

Throughout the day and a half session, the times of didactic learning were balanced by integrative exercises such as table discussions, journal writing, partner walks, large group process and silent reflection. By noon on the second day, it was clear that strangers had indeed been welcomed and that listening had occurred. Gracious Space was established and had been nurtured by 30 new participants!

Steve Surprenant is well known to Excellence in Ministry participants. He was a member of the pilot Cohort I and began serving as faculty before his own EIM program was completed. Steve presented the Power of Story and Suffering topics for Cohort II’s first module; he also agreed to be the primary presenter for the Servant Leadership topic of Module Three, beginning with Cohort II. His creativity inspired the design of the Integrative Retreat (Module Six), for which Steve is now regular faculty. CHE is very grateful to The Mercy Community for its generosity in sharing Steve and his many gifts with the broader system community.

“The opportunity to be part of the EIM program has been rejuvenating for me, both personally and professionally,” said Suprenant. “I believe that the program advances our healing ministry in several ways. Participants are exposed to the wealth of the tradition which comprises Catholic health care as well as Catholic social teaching and ethics. Colleagues have a chance to integrate these learnings into their daily lives and activities within their local RHC or the System Office. In addition, colleagues become part of a community that often reflects the diversity that is CHE itself. By engaging with colleagues from other parts of CHE, the sharing of experiences is more robust. Often colleagues will note that they would never have met another colleague from a different RHC had it not been for the EIM program.”

Anecdotally, colleagues who have participated in these cohorts report that the quality of their deliberations within their executive teams has been enriched and deepened. Leaders have greater fluency in using the common language of the Catholic Social Teachings to describe the basis of their various perspectives. They are more skilled in being personally reflective and are more deliberate about bringing a reflective dimension to group discernment. Without exception, each Cohort has noted the richness that was the fruit of bringing together colleagues from various roles and from across the system.

For more information about CHE’s Excellence in Ministry initiatives, please contact Martha Conroy, CHE’s director, ministry formation, at [email protected].

S

Cohort XII participants engaged in “Partner Walks,” one of the tools used during these learning sessions.

participation has resulted in over 19,000 orders done in this new process. We thank our physicians and all of our colleagues for their hard work and support.”

According to Michael McCoy, M.D., CHE’s chief medical information officer, the command center—which is staffed for all CareLink go-lives—was eerily quiet, with few calls coming in for relatively minor issues, mostly username and password/access issues.

“The calmness and matter-of-fact demeanor

made this a ‘non-event’ event,” said McCoy. “It reflects so very well on the leadership at St. Mary; it had planned the rollout in such a detailed and reflective manner that there weren’t any real problems that surfaced.”

Congratulations to all of the CareLink teams at St. Mary and the CHE System Office for making this go-live occur so smoothly!

The next CareLink go-live is scheduled for Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at Sisters of Providence Health System in Springfield, Mass. Other CareLink deployments are in the process of being scheduled and will be announced on the CareLink website at www.checarelink.org as they are finalized.

Page 6: Horizons - Summer 2012

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H O R I Z O N S S U M M E R E D I T I O N 2 0 1 2

CHE Launches CareLink WebsiteCHE’s 2011 Community BenefitAnnual Report Now Available C atholic Health East launched

its newly created CHE CareLink website in April. The website—www.checarelink.org—provides patients, physicians, clinical and non-clinical staff, prospective colleagues and partners with information, education and resources related to the CareLink initiative, including information about electronic health records (EHRs), computerized provider order entry (CPOE), evidence-based medicine and best practices across our health care system. The home page features the most recent news about CareLink, as well as a featured video clip from different CHE clinicians and leaders talking about the CareLink initiative and a blog written by Michael McCoy, M.D., CHE’s vice president and chief medical information officer.

From the home page, users can navigate via tabs which lead to additional information for patients, physicians and colleagues. Within these pages are: fact sheets, “Frequently Asked Questions,” talking points, key messages, a glossary and more. From the patient tab, users can view an interactive map featuring all of CHE’s locations with links to their individual websites. Users who require training will also find links to each RHC learning management system website.

Also included on the website is an order set library. Developed through a collaboration of our clinicians and based on the latest clinical research and evidence, standardized order sets will help us apply best practices to patient care, resulting in clinical efficiency, comprehensive care coordination and better outcomes for our patients. While there is no required sign-on or password needed to view order sets, entering the library will trigger a pop-up disclaimer, which explains that viewing is limited to licensed physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and midwives. Users who fall into one of these categories may click ‘accept’ to view the order set library. All others should click ‘decline’, which returns the user to the homepage.

Please visit the CHE CareLink website at www.checarelink.org today.

n 2011, Catholic Health East facilities provided a combined $322 million in community benefit programs and services. This number includes charity care, unpaid costs of Medicaid programs and free and subsidized community health and education services. CHE’s commitment to those who are poor and underserved is at the core of “who we are” as a health care ministry. These are impressive and meaningful results, and should be shared proudly throughout our health system. But numbers alone do not tell the story.

The 2011 Community Benefit Annual Report includes first-hand accounts of individuals and families whose lives have been touched by our

I outreach efforts. These personal vignettes help to demonstrate how colleagues throughout Catholic Health East live out our Core Values—Reverence For Each Person, Community, Justice, Commitment to Those Who Are Poor, Stewardship, Courage, and Integrity—every day.

Current and previous editions of the Community Benefit Annual Report are available on CHE Connect (http://portal.che.org) in the Communications Community as well as on CHE’s website at www.che.org/publications.

We hope you enjoy this opportunity to learn about some of the inspiring community benefit work being done throughout Catholic Health East. We are privileged to serve those in need … and to be a transforming, healing presence in the communities we serve.

Quality on the Web atholic Health East’s Quality Report Card is now live on CHE’s public website at www.che.org/quality. Aggregate information for the entire health system is available for the following areas: heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care improvement/surgical infection prevention. Our intention is to provide accurate, timely information on the performance of our health system and how we compare to others across the nation. “By publicly posting CHE’s data, consumers will have a better understanding of our quality measures, what they represent and why they are important. Consumers will then be able to relate this to their own health care,” said Jeff Komins, M.D., CHE’s executive vice president and chief medical officer/chief quality officer.

C Information is empowering. It raises the health awareness of people, allowing them to make informed comparisons and choices. To help put this into a framework, CHE espouses the Institute of Medicine’s six aims for health care quality: safe, effective, timely, patient-centered, equitable and efficient.

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), consumers understand that care should:

• Protect patients from medical errors and not cause harm (i.e., is safe);

• Be proven to work (i.e., is effective, timely and efficient); and

• Be responsive to a patient’s needs and preferences (i.e., is patient-centered and equitable).

On the provider side of the equation, information drives organizations to continuously improve quality. As part of CHE’s Quality Committee of the Board’s 2012 Work Plan, external measurement is a focus. This includes reviewing and discussing CHE performance

using external sources such as the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Hospital Compare website. CHE’s Quality Report Card mirrors what is publicly reported on the CMS website and reflects measures that are based on scientific evidence that are known to achieve the best outcomes.

Many CHE RHCs/JOAs are also transparent with their quality data, either posting their own results for the public to view or providing a direct link to Hospital Compare. “Consistent with CHE’s focus on clinical excellence, transformation and innovation, the intent is to promote a culture of transparency related to reporting quality,” said Dr. Komins. “With the black-out periods now lifted for home care and long-term care, and as external requirements expand, we fully anticipate the information we post on our website to grow accordingly.”

This article was contributed by Pam Carroll-Solomon, CHE director, quality services. For more information, contact Pam at [email protected].

Page 7: Horizons - Summer 2012

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H O R I Z O N S S U M M E R E D I T I O N 2 0 1 2

CHE Launches CareLink WebsiteCHE’s 2011 Community BenefitAnnual Report Now Available C atholic Health East launched

its newly created CHE CareLink website in April. The website—www.checarelink.org—provides patients, physicians, clinical and non-clinical staff, prospective colleagues and partners with information, education and resources related to the CareLink initiative, including information about electronic health records (EHRs), computerized provider order entry (CPOE), evidence-based medicine and best practices across our health care system. The home page features the most recent news about CareLink, as well as a featured video clip from different CHE clinicians and leaders talking about the CareLink initiative and a blog written by Michael McCoy, M.D., CHE’s vice president and chief medical information officer.

From the home page, users can navigate via tabs which lead to additional information for patients, physicians and colleagues. Within these pages are: fact sheets, “Frequently Asked Questions,” talking points, key messages, a glossary and more. From the patient tab, users can view an interactive map featuring all of CHE’s locations with links to their individual websites. Users who require training will also find links to each RHC learning management system website.

Also included on the website is an order set library. Developed through a collaboration of our clinicians and based on the latest clinical research and evidence, standardized order sets will help us apply best practices to patient care, resulting in clinical efficiency, comprehensive care coordination and better outcomes for our patients. While there is no required sign-on or password needed to view order sets, entering the library will trigger a pop-up disclaimer, which explains that viewing is limited to licensed physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and midwives. Users who fall into one of these categories may click ‘accept’ to view the order set library. All others should click ‘decline’, which returns the user to the homepage.

Please visit the CHE CareLink website at www.checarelink.org today.

n 2011, Catholic Health East facilities provided a combined $322 million in community benefit programs and services. This number includes charity care, unpaid costs of Medicaid programs and free and subsidized community health and education services. CHE’s commitment to those who are poor and underserved is at the core of “who we are” as a health care ministry. These are impressive and meaningful results, and should be shared proudly throughout our health system. But numbers alone do not tell the story.

The 2011 Community Benefit Annual Report includes first-hand accounts of individuals and families whose lives have been touched by our

I outreach efforts. These personal vignettes help to demonstrate how colleagues throughout Catholic Health East live out our Core Values—Reverence For Each Person, Community, Justice, Commitment to Those Who Are Poor, Stewardship, Courage, and Integrity—every day.

Current and previous editions of the Community Benefit Annual Report are available on CHE Connect (http://portal.che.org) in the Communications Community as well as on CHE’s website at www.che.org/publications.

We hope you enjoy this opportunity to learn about some of the inspiring community benefit work being done throughout Catholic Health East. We are privileged to serve those in need … and to be a transforming, healing presence in the communities we serve.

Quality on the Web atholic Health East’s Quality Report Card is now live on CHE’s public website at www.che.org/quality. Aggregate information for the entire health system is available for the following areas: heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care improvement/surgical infection prevention. Our intention is to provide accurate, timely information on the performance of our health system and how we compare to others across the nation. “By publicly posting CHE’s data, consumers will have a better understanding of our quality measures, what they represent and why they are important. Consumers will then be able to relate this to their own health care,” said Jeff Komins, M.D., CHE’s executive vice president and chief medical officer/chief quality officer.

C Information is empowering. It raises the health awareness of people, allowing them to make informed comparisons and choices. To help put this into a framework, CHE espouses the Institute of Medicine’s six aims for health care quality: safe, effective, timely, patient-centered, equitable and efficient.

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), consumers understand that care should:

• Protect patients from medical errors and not cause harm (i.e., is safe);

• Be proven to work (i.e., is effective, timely and efficient); and

• Be responsive to a patient’s needs and preferences (i.e., is patient-centered and equitable).

On the provider side of the equation, information drives organizations to continuously improve quality. As part of CHE’s Quality Committee of the Board’s 2012 Work Plan, external measurement is a focus. This includes reviewing and discussing CHE performance

using external sources such as the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Hospital Compare website. CHE’s Quality Report Card mirrors what is publicly reported on the CMS website and reflects measures that are based on scientific evidence that are known to achieve the best outcomes.

Many CHE RHCs/JOAs are also transparent with their quality data, either posting their own results for the public to view or providing a direct link to Hospital Compare. “Consistent with CHE’s focus on clinical excellence, transformation and innovation, the intent is to promote a culture of transparency related to reporting quality,” said Dr. Komins. “With the black-out periods now lifted for home care and long-term care, and as external requirements expand, we fully anticipate the information we post on our website to grow accordingly.”

This article was contributed by Pam Carroll-Solomon, CHE director, quality services. For more information, contact Pam at [email protected].

Page 8: Horizons - Summer 2012

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H O R I Z O N S S U M M E R E D I T I O N 2 0 1 2

Exploring Health Careers Years ago, most teenagers learned about health care matters from a textbook, or in a classroom discussion. Today, as part of Exploring, a learning for life organization that partners students with organizations, 15 to 20-year-olds are now able to gain health care experience firsthand. The hope is that some of these students will be a part of the next generation of health care professionals in Wilmington, Del., home of the program’s founder, Saint Francis Healthcare.

“We have high school age students come to Saint Francis twice a month,” said Coy Smith, N.D., R.N., M.S.N., NEA-BC, FACHE, vice president, patient care services and CNO, Saint Francis Healthcare. “Our goal is to have these students exposed to different types of patients and departments and specialties that are within a hospital so that they might be encouraged to consider careers in health care.”

Tyra Bedford, R.N., B.S.N., clinical administrator at Saint Francis and an Explorer co-captain, shared her thoughts on a recent meeting which featured a guest physician speaker.

“Dr. Olowo of Sounds Physicians was engaging and appeared to reach the kids in a non-intimidating manner,” said Bedford. “He was educating about his profession, while also mentoring the students about the responsibilities they have now and ones to look forward to in the future.”

Bedford is still collecting feedback from the students and the hospital. “I hope the impact on the community will be one of providing a safe, fun and inspiring environment for kids to come and learn how to make an informed decision regarding their professional futures,” she said.

As RHCs throughout Catholic Health East are demon-strating, daily, interactive learning—through observing, listening and doing—is an effective means to build healthier communities.

Contributors to this story include Josh Bernstein, publica-tions editor, Lourdes Health System; Amy Gall, communica-tions coordinator, St. Joseph’s Hospitals, BayCare Health System; Trish Perrault, manager, public relations, St. Peter's Health Care Services; and Mark Ralston, public relations manager, St. Mary's Health Care System.

n June 5, 2012, St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne, Pa., became the latest RHC to “go live” with CareLink. St. Mary’s phased deployment of CareLink continued with electronic physician and provider order entry into MEDITECH’s electronic medical records system. “Our medical staff have been amazing in their participation in this new and sometimes challenging implementation process,” said Marian Moran, vice president, support services and chief information officer, St. Mary Medical Center. “As of this morning, 275 physicians have entered orders through CPOE. Their

O

CareLink Website Springs Forward

Interactive Education BenefitsPatients, Families and Communities

Go-Live UPDATE:St. Mary Medical Center is “Live” with CareLink!

continued from page 4

Using a “hands on” approach, St. Peter’s staff gave children the opportunity to learn, see and touch during its annual Journey through the Body event.

everal years ago, recognizing that fewer and fewer leadership positions in Catholic health care were being filled by women religious, CHE’s Sponsors encouraged the development of a robust and substantive Ministry Formation course for our lay leaders. Our Sponsors saw the need for CHE leaders to be grounded more completely in the Catholic traditions and empower them to embrace their role as ministry leaders more fully. To meet this challenge, Catholic Health East’s mission team, working with their peers from Covenant Health System and Bon Secours Health System, designed what became known as the Excellence in Ministry program. The fruit of that collaboration was a six-part program developing five major topics: The Power of Story and Biblical Foundations; Church and Sponsorship; Ministry and Servant Leadership; Catholic Social Teachings; and Organizational Ethics. The sixth module was designed to be an integrative experience, characterized by fewer didactic elements and more reflection.

The first Excellence in Ministry cohort, a pilot group of 27 participants nominated by RHC CEOs and CHE senior leadership, came together for the first time in the fall of 2007 at Villanova Conference Center for a new experience in adult formation. The experience of Cohort I’s first module was so positive that system leadership immediately determined that the Excellence in Ministry program would be required for all CEOs and their executive teams. Cohort II began a few months later.

Since that time, over 150 colleagues from throughout CHE have completed this well-established Ministry Formation program for executives. In April 2012, Cohort XII began the EIM process at Villanova Conference Center. Thirteen entities were represented among the 30 colleagues who participated in the formation of this new adult learning community.

Excellence in Ministry: EmpoweringLay Leaders to Embrace the Ministry

How did this community begin to coalesce? The colleagues were first welcomed to Gracious Space by Martha Conroy, CHE’s director, ministry formation, and were invited to practice the skills of listening, learning in public, willingness to be influenced, welcoming the stranger, and building trust. “Graduates” of the program will recall that the participants are the presenters for the first session. Each RHC, as well as Allegany Franciscan Ministries and System Office colleagues, told stories about the founding of their organization. They also addressed the questions: What were the challenges then? What are the challenges now?

Steve Surprenant, senior vice president and chief operating officer of The Mercy Community, West Hartford, Conn., and Rev. Michael Saxton of CHRISTUS Health System were the presenters at Cohort XII for these topics: Power of Story; Sacred Writings; Call, Response, Relationship; Suffering; Caring for the Most Vulnerable; and Healing the Sick.

Throughout the day and a half session, the times of didactic learning were balanced by integrative exercises such as table discussions, journal writing, partner walks, large group process and silent reflection. By noon on the second day, it was clear that strangers had indeed been welcomed and that listening had occurred. Gracious Space was established and had been nurtured by 30 new participants!

Steve Surprenant is well known to Excellence in Ministry participants. He was a member of the pilot Cohort I and began serving as faculty before his own EIM program was completed. Steve presented the Power of Story and Suffering topics for Cohort II’s first module; he also agreed to be the primary presenter for the Servant Leadership topic of Module Three, beginning with Cohort II. His creativity inspired the design of the Integrative Retreat (Module Six), for which Steve is now regular faculty. CHE is very grateful to The Mercy Community for its generosity in sharing Steve and his many gifts with the broader system community.

“The opportunity to be part of the EIM program has been rejuvenating for me, both personally and professionally,” said Suprenant. “I believe that the program advances our healing ministry in several ways. Participants are exposed to the wealth of the tradition which comprises Catholic health care as well as Catholic social teaching and ethics. Colleagues have a chance to integrate these learnings into their daily lives and activities within their local RHC or the System Office. In addition, colleagues become part of a community that often reflects the diversity that is CHE itself. By engaging with colleagues from other parts of CHE, the sharing of experiences is more robust. Often colleagues will note that they would never have met another colleague from a different RHC had it not been for the EIM program.”

Anecdotally, colleagues who have participated in these cohorts report that the quality of their deliberations within their executive teams has been enriched and deepened. Leaders have greater fluency in using the common language of the Catholic Social Teachings to describe the basis of their various perspectives. They are more skilled in being personally reflective and are more deliberate about bringing a reflective dimension to group discernment. Without exception, each Cohort has noted the richness that was the fruit of bringing together colleagues from various roles and from across the system.

For more information about CHE’s Excellence in Ministry initiatives, please contact Martha Conroy, CHE’s director, ministry formation, at [email protected].

S

Cohort XII participants engaged in “Partner Walks,” one of the tools used during these learning sessions.

participation has resulted in over 19,000 orders done in this new process. We thank our physicians and all of our colleagues for their hard work and support.”

According to Michael McCoy, M.D., CHE’s chief medical information officer, the command center—which is staffed for all CareLink go-lives—was eerily quiet, with few calls coming in for relatively minor issues, mostly username and password/access issues.

“The calmness and matter-of-fact demeanor

made this a ‘non-event’ event,” said McCoy. “It reflects so very well on the leadership at St. Mary; it had planned the rollout in such a detailed and reflective manner that there weren’t any real problems that surfaced.”

Congratulations to all of the CareLink teams at St. Mary and the CHE System Office for making this go-live occur so smoothly!

The next CareLink go-live is scheduled for Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at Sisters of Providence Health System in Springfield, Mass. Other CareLink deployments are in the process of being scheduled and will be announced on the CareLink website at www.checarelink.org as they are finalized.

Page 9: Horizons - Summer 2012

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urrounded by family, friends and colleagues, Sr. Kathleen Popko, S.P., president of the Sisters of Providence and former longtime CHE executive, was honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the Catholic Health Association’s annual Assembly on June 4, 2012 in Philadelphia.

CHA’s Lifetime Achievement Award is conferred each year upon an acknowledged leader of the health ministry who has inspired and mentored numerous others. The individual’s leadership extends past the Catholic health ministry to influence and impact the local community and beyond.

With hundreds of Catholic health care leaders from throughout the nation in attendance, a brief video tribute to Sr. Kathleen was shown, chronicling her career highlights and accomplishments. This video can be viewed on CHA’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyqefTG1oL4. Then, in a poignant moment, CHA’s outgoing board chair (Bob Stanek, CHE’s former president and chief executive officer), who worked side-by-side with Sr. Kathleen for many years, called her onto the stage and presented Sr. Kathleen with this richly deserved award. It was a very special moment for Sr. Kathleen, as well as for her family and all of her Sisters of Providence and CHE colleagues who were able to share this special day with her.

“This Award vividly reminds me of the many blessings I have received: the opportunity to engage in the Catholic health care ministry, the privilege of working with extraordinarily committed religious and lay leaders, and the chance to assist the ministry in its wonderful work of serving the People of God, especially those most in need,” said Sr. Kathleen. “I am so grateful and thankful for all of my colleagues at Catholic Health East for the gift of their support and friendship over the past 15 years.”

Known for her tireless spirit and boundless energy, Sr. Kathleen’s exemplary career has spanned more than 40 years in the fields of

Sr. Kathleen Popko Receives Catholic HealthAssociation’s Lifetime Achievement Award

nursing, teaching, strategic planning and hospital and congregational leadership.

Sr. Kathleen entered the Sisters of Providence congregation at age 17, following her high school graduation. She began her health care career in 1969 as a staff nurse at Mercy Hospital, Springfield, Mass., progressing to become the hospital’s assistant administrator for planning from 1975-1981. She also served as vice president of the Sisters of Providence congregation from 1981-1985, during which time she was project director for the creation of Sisters of Providence Health System (SPHS). She served as president of the congregation from 1985-1993, as well as the SPHS board chair. From 1994-1997, Sr. Kathleen was president and CEO of SPHS and was instrumental in the formation of Catholic Health East, which formed when SPHS came together with Eastern Mercy Health System and Allegany Health System.

When Catholic Health East was officially formed in January 1998, Sr. Kathleen became the executive vice president of the new ministry’s Northeast Division. During her eight years in this position, she provided oversight and support to the nine hospitals, 20 nursing homes, six behavioral health centers and numerous home health care and outpatient facilities owned by CHE in Maine, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. As a key member of CHE’s senior management team, Sr. Kathleen helped to guide

the ministry though this period of opportunity, growth … and challenge.

In January 2006, Sr. Kathleen’s career came full circle, as she accepted the new position of executive vice president for strategy and ministry development at CHE. By returning to her planning “roots” on a full-time basis, she was able to devote all of her years of strategic planning experience and expertise in organizational and programmatic innovation to benefit the entire system. Among her key accomplishments were the development and implementation of CHE’s strategic plan (known as Vision 2017); the creation of “Leadership Vision and Guiding Principles,” a document which outlined CHE’s “shared services” approach to management; the development of CHE’s first Governance Charter; and the commitment to continuing care as a core ministry of CHE.

In September 2009, Sr. Kathleen answered the call of her congregation and returned to once again become president of the Sisters of Providence.

“CHE would not be where we are today without the guidance, leadership and vision of Sr. Kathleen Popko,” said Judy Persichilli, CHE’s president and CEO. “We thank her for her gifts, her contributions, and her accomplishments over the years, and we congratulate her for being recognized with CHA’s Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Scombination of man and machine, the system translates the surgeon’s hand, wrist and finger movements to miniature instruments inside the patient. A major feature of the system is its three-dimensional camera, which the surgeon can reposition, zoom and rotate to provide bright, crisp, highly magnified views of the operative field, giving surgeons greater precision and enhanced visual clarity.

“The da Vinci is a remarkable technology,” said Arthur Martella, M.D., Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center’s chief of cardiothoracic surgery. “For example, to treat lung cancer, traditionally we would have to make a cut down your chest, crack your breastbone and spread your ribs. This procedure can cause a lot of pain after the operation and can make breathing difficult. With the da Vinci, we need only four small half-inch incisions on one side of the chest, resulting in less pain and a quicker recovery.” Lourdes physicians perform cardiac, urologic, gynecologic, colorectal and bariatric surgeries using the da Vinci. “Doctors For a Day” Pediatric patients also get to experience “learning by doing.” In Tampa, Fla., an annual event that has taken place for over 15 years at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, part of BayCare Health System, is known as “Doctors for a Day.” The event utilizes the technique of role-playing in an effort to help children understand and cope emotionally with their medical experiences.

“The children get dressed up in gowns, hats, masks and gloves with their stethoscopes and we invite the physicians and nurses to take part and become patients for the day,” said Leah T. Frohnerath, B.S., CCLS, CEIM, child life depart-ment, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital.

On a designated day the “doctors” treat pretend illnesses and mend broken bones. Their patients (doctors and nurses) lie on gurneys positioned in the lobby of St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, which is transformed into a waiting room and clinical area for the afternoon. The young doctors are even given the opportunity to give “shots” with needleless syringes.

“The participating clinicians love to see the kids behave just as they do. The children completely mimic and imitate what the nurses do, which is a

Interactive Education BenefitsPatients, Families and Communities

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sign that they pay attention and are inspired by them,” said Frohnerath. “A big part of our daily mission is to demystify health care for children and to help them feel more empowered in this setting. It is also our goal to help children see doctors and nurses as helping people.”

Bike Safety In Athens, Ga., when the Athens Twilight Criterium bicycle race comes to town on the last Saturday in April, it provides the perfect opportu-nity to present helmet safety education to area children. Doubling as a “fun event,” St. Mary’s Health Care System’s Cammie Llewallyn, R.N., CNRN, neurosciences director, and Shelley Nichols, M.S.N., R.N.-BC, stroke coordinator, together with the cyclists, start conducting school presentations the week before the race to provide clear, simple, understandable education about what the brain is, what it does, what happens when it gets injured, and why helmets can help prevent or lessen injury.

“We talk about things the kids have experience with, such as impact, swelling and pressure,” said Llewallyn. Dressed in uniform with their bikes and when ample room allows, the cyclists begin their talks by racing inside the school gym.

“The cyclists bring a completely different level of energy and excitement into the gymnasiums for the kids,” said Llewallyn. “The kids get so excited,

they love it, they are very engaged, and the cyclists are very well-versed on teaching helmet safety.”

The Twilight Criterium is a huge event for the community. What used to be a single race has grown into three days of activities for the community, fans and friends including the Twilight Kids Criterium for children ages 5-14, sponsored by St. Mary’s, and the Chick-fil-A Twilight Big Wheel Race for children 5 and under. The events bring over 30,000 spectators to the city of Athens, home of St. Mary’s.

“Our community work is really important to everything that we do here,” said Llewallyn, “and many of these injuries are preventable.” St. Mary’s also donates hundreds of free helmets to the schools to be given to students who need them. Many of these schools are in underprivileged areas, so the program reaches large numbers of students who otherwise would have limited access to helmets or safe riding information.

Founded in 1980, the race is one of the top races of its kind in North America, and the men’s race attracts some 150 riders from all over the world. A highlight of the pro cycling season, the twilight is a part of the USA CRITS Championship Series, USA CRITS Speed Week, and Georgia Championship Series.

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Nurse Cammie Llewallyn talks to Athens-area students

about the importance of wearing a bicycle helmet. St.

Mary’s and professional bicycle racers bring

interactive programs about cycling, helmets and brain injury prevention to more

than 1,000 area elementary school students each year.

Sr. Kathleen Popko, S.P. (2nd from left) was joined at the CHA award ceremony by all three of CHE’s current and past presidents (l to r): current President and CEO Judy Persichilli; CHE’s first president, Dan Russell; and former president Robert Stanek.

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T he world is going mobile. According to comScore, a global leader in measuring the digital world, the use of smartphones continues to grow. In a February 2012 study of more than 30,000 mobile phone users, more than 104 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones … up a staggering 14 percent in just three months! Interestingly, it seems that people are using their smartphones for everything except … talking. About 75 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their devices; about 50 percent downloaded applications; and about 49 percent accessed websites. Smaller but still significant numbers of people used their smartphones to access social networking sites or blogs (36 percent), play games (32 percent), and listen to music (25 percent). Of all of these uses, however, the one that is growing at the fastest rate is … accessing websites. “Brands are using the mobile web to extend key desktop functionality to a growing number of mobile users,” said Ryan Kelly, vice president of sales and marketing at Mad Mobile, Tampa, Fla., in the February 14, 2012 issue of Mobile Commerce Daily.

He used the example of a person using a smartphone to access a website he saw promoted in a company’s television commercial. If the mobile user is taken to a regular website, their experience is not tailored to their device and they have a stronger likelihood to leave the website. However, with a mobile-optimized website, users are more willing to interact. “We are rapidly approaching a time when a brand’s mobile website will be more important than the desktop site,” said Kelly.

The dramatic growth in the use of smartphones to access websites has major implications for the health care industry. While virtually all health care organizations have websites, relatively few have developed web sites that can be easily accessed by mobile phone users.

Several Catholic Health East RHCs/JOAs have initiated or are in the process of building mobile websites; among the RHCs who have already launched their sites are St. Mary Medical Center, Langhorne, Pa., and Sisters of Providence Health System, Springfield, Mass.

On April 9, 2012, St. Mary launched its mobile website, providing patients, family members and the community with real-time access to its services.

“In order to continue to provide our community with

ease of access to St. Mary information, we decided it was imperative to build and launch a mobile website,” said Laurie Temple, senior communicator at St. Mary. “Our patients, families and visitors will now be able to search, browse and view content about our services and programs while they’re on the go and away from their home or office laptop or computer.”

St. Mary mobile website pages include Find a St. Mary Doctor, Door-to-Door Driving Directions, Request an Appointment, Important Phone Numbers, Visitor Information and summarized content about medical services.

In May, Mercy Medical Center launched a mobile version of the MercyCares.com website that allows smartphone and tablet users to automatically access general information about the hospital, such as departments and services, contact information and phone numbers, directions, maps and visiting hours. The new mobile web application, called “Mercy Cares Mobile,” also provides access to Mercy’s physician directory.

Developed under the creative direction of Frank Mastromatteo, graphics supervisor, Sisters of Providence Health System, Mercy Cares Mobile is the hospital’s latest initiative to respond to consumer-driven trends that require the quick and convenient delivery of information.

“As more and more people replace their cellphones with smartphones, mobile websites are becoming increasingly important as a source of reliable, easy-to-read information,” said Mastromatteo. “Our Mercy Cares Mobile site answers that need by putting that information at our customers’ fingertips, at the touch of a button.”

Users who access www.mercycares.com from a smartphone, including iPhone, Droid and Blackberry, or a tablet (iPad or other) are automatically directed to the mobile site.

For more information, please contact Laurie Temple at [email protected] or Frank Mastromatteo at [email protected].

Going Mobile:The Growing Demand for Mobile Websites

Sisters of Providence produced billboards promoting its new mobile web application, Mercy Cares Mobile.

St. Mary Medical Center’s mobile website has a simple user interface, allowing users to easily access its website.

oe Treimel remembers little about the night he died. But he knows he could not have chosen a better place for his heart to stop beating. It was just after midnight in the Saint Michael’s Medical Center emergency department. Treimel, a veteran emergency medicine nurse, recalls telling a colleague he was going to take a break. “I remember a patient asked me for something and I said I would get that first,” he recalled.

Then suddenly his heart stopped beating. Treimel, a seemingly healthy 61-year-old father of two—a bicyclist who rode 30 miles just two days earlier—fell to the floor.

He was not breathing. He had no pulse.

“I was clinically dead,” Treimel said.

His Saint Michael’s emergency room colleagues quickly sprang into action, responding with the precision that comes from years of experience and training.

“We heard someone cry out and we ran to find Joe on the floor,” recalled Dr. Alan Miller, medical director of the emergency department. “It was sudden death. Everyone went into action. We established that he had no pulse and was not breathing. We got him on a stretcher and immediately began chest compressions to keep his blood circulating.”

An emergency team was quickly formed. Each understood his or her role. A nurse started oxygen. CPR was started immediately and continued. Another team member “breathed” for Treimel with a bag valve mask until a tube was placed into his trachea. Another team member started an intravenous line into one of Treimel’s veins to deliver adrenaline while one of the doctors inserted a central line into a vein in his groin.

“I would describe the mood as very organized, very business-like. This is what we are trained to do,” Dr. Miller said. “The only difference was this time the patient was someone we knew.”

The team determined that his heart could

Emergency Medicine ColleaguesSave One of Their Own

be shocked and administered a heart medication. The team continued to administer shocks until Treimel’s heart began beating—nearly 30 minutes after his collapse.

Meanwhile, the cardiac catheterization team assembled and took Treimel to the cardiac catheterization lab.

The team used angiography to determine the location and size of Treimel’s heart blockage. The test showed he had a 100 percent blockage of his left anterior descending coronary artery, a condition nicknamed the “widow maker” because of the high rate of death. The team then threaded a catheter into the blocked artery to open it. A stent—a mesh-like device—was inserted to keep the blockage open.

An hour after Treimel died, he was on the road to recovery. Five days later, he was discharged and went home.

“I could not have chosen a better place to have this happen,” Treimel said from his home in Pequannock. “I was clinically dead and they brought me back to life. I never had any doubt about the training and experience of the people at Saint Michael’s.”

Treimel runs and bikes and has no obvious risk factors for heart disease. He ran eight miles just a few days before his cardiac arrest and, in retrospect, recalls only some mild flu-like symptoms that he dismissed.

A faithful, church-going man who volunteers each year on a medical mission to Honduras, Treimel said people ask him if the experience will change his life.

“I feel now that I have my life back, I will continue living as I always have. I believe I was doing the right things already. Volunteering. Going to church. Working to help people in the emergency department,” he said.

After years of working in emergency medicine, Treimel said he has a pragmatic view of death. “You learn that you have to be ready every day. You never know when your moment will come,” he said.

He has had follow-up care from Dr. Fayez Shamoon, Saint Michael’s chief of interventional cardiology. He wants to return to work and remains thankful he can be there as his two adult children move forward with their lives.

A few weeks after the event, accompanied by his ex-wife, he returned to the emergency department with flowers. He heard clapping. Then more clapping. Soon everyone was on their feet. He received hugs from everyone—from doctors to security guards.

“It was a wonderful feeling,” he said. Submitted by Carol Ann Campbell, vice president, Jaffe-Campbell Health Group, Saint Michael’s Medical Center

J

The emergency team that saved Joe Treimel, from left to right: Sue Jones, R.N., Dr. Andrew Miller, Joe Treimel, Vincent Villescuesa, R.N., Kim Lynch-Reid, R.N., Joyce McAfee, R.N., Marc Weiss, tech.

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Child life specialists at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital (part of BayCare Health System), organize special events in an effort to provide patients with experiences that they might not otherwise have due to treatment and hospitalization. Recently, nearly 100 current and former St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital patients took part in their own prom night held at the hospital. The evening included a mix of music, dancing, refreshments, photos and memories that are sure to last a lifetime.

Participants in LIFE St. Mary, Trevose, Pa. (a PACE program affiliated with St. Mary Medical Center) enjoyed “play” with the children of a local day care center as part of a celebration of Older Americans Month. This year’s theme, Never Too Old to Play, focused on the essential value of play for people of all ages. For older people with chronic disabilities, all too often physical limitations define their day-to-day life and play is overlooked.

Ashley Thomas, M.A., Mercy Gorham Primary Care, examines Portland Sea Dogs mascot Slugger at the 2nd Annual Hit, Throw and Run Competition. The event, sponsored by Mercy Health System of Maine, was attended by over 200 Little Leaguers who competed at various baseball skill events. More than twenty Mercy colleagues volunteered to provide free health screenings to adults in the crowd.

More than 500 people turned out for the 5th Annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event held recently at Northeast Health’s Samaritan Hospital (part of St. Peter’s Health Partners) in Troy, N.Y. Participants—mostly men—sported high-heeled ladies shoes and literally walked a mile in support of victims of rape and gender violence. The event raised more than $65,000 to benefit Samaritan’s Sexual Assault and Crime Victims Assistance Program for Rensselaer County, N.Y.

More than 500 people turned out for the 5th Annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event held recently at Northeast Health’s Samaritan Hospital (part of St. Peter’s Health Partners) in Troy, N.Y. Participants—mostly men—sported high-heeled ladies shoes and literally walked a mile in support of victims of rape and gender violence. The event raised more than $65,000 to benefit Samaritan’s Sexual Assault and Crime Victims Assistance Program for Rensselaer County, N.Y.

Lourdes Health Foundation board member, Brad Bono, donated six Apple iPads and four interactive applications for the Child Development Program of Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center (Camden, N.J.) to enhance the curriculum for children with autism spectrum disorders. Technology such as the iPad has been found to improve socialization, develop fine motor skills, increase attention span and assist in communicating wants, needs and feelings. Pictured with Bono (2nd from left) are (l to r) Jane Femia-Baider, administrator of rehabilitation services; Heather Haines, early intervention supervisor for the Child Development Program; Kimberly Barnes, vice president of planning, and Ruth Cila, executive director, Lourdes Health Foundation.

Celebrate Our Core Values and Win a Kindle!

All colleagues throughout the system are encouraged to submit their stories, poems, images or patient vignettes related to the Core Value being celebrated this quarter—Stewardship. A Kindle will be awarded to the colleague who presents the best submission.

Catholic Health East is continuing its reflection on our Core Values. Living our Core Values is a way of furthering CHE’s Mission; when practiced, they continue the legacy of our Sponsors and are a key component of our organizational spirituality. Core Values education serves as an important means of providing ministry formation to all colleagues.

To help keep our Core Values ever-present, CHE is ‘celebrating’ a different Core Value each quarter. Colleagues are encouraged to submit a personal story, poem or artwork that relates to that Core Value. Last quarter, we celebrated the Core Value of Care for Those Who Are Poor. We received many wonderful submissions; but only one winning entry could be chosen for a prize. That submission is featured at the right.

The remaining submission deadlines are: • Stewardship, September 10, 2012 • Courage, December 10, 2012 • Integrity, March 11, 2013

This quarter, CHE will award a Kindle to the colleague who submits the best story (500 word maximum), poem or image related to Stewardship. The winner will be announced at the system-wide webinar on that Core Value and featured in system-wide publications.

The system-wide webinar on Stewardship will be held at noon on September 20. Information on how you can join in on that webinar will be shared shortly. To be eligible for the contest, submission of your creative material (story, poem, etc.) should be sent to Philip Boyle, CHE’s vice president, mission and ethics at [email protected] by September 10, 2012.

CHE Contest

Prizes

Deadline: September 10, 2012 Face of the PoorBy Laura Stainbrook, M.Ed., residential director, Mercy Behavioral Health Pittsburgh Mercy Health System

I am the homeless man sitting on the sidewalk quietly asking you for a dollar, a quarter, anything; however you ignore me as you always do when you walk past.

I am the woman sitting on the bus with two black eyes, bruises and too many children to feed; whose eyes you cannot meet, whose story you don’t want to hear.

I am the crying child torn from the arms of her mother by a government worker due to a misunderstanding you would never understand;

I am the neighbor who is an oddity in the community, whose house is rundown and yard left in disorder; whose family hasn’t visited or called in months and seems to have forgotten.

I am the teenager who has made one bad decision after another, whose been given 2nd, 3rd, and 4th chances to redeem myself only to end up doing what I do best … make more bad decisions and repeatedly falling out of society’s grace.

I am the husband who has loved a child as his own, even though she wasn’t; the husband, who has been walked on, trampled over and left with only the footprints of pain as a friend.

I am the person who is intellectually disabled shopping at the mall; oh, you know me. I’m the one you avoid coming within 30 feet of because you might ‘catch’ something; little do you know the only thing you would ‘catch’ is my contagious smile and love of life.

All of these are me; the face society so easily forgets, the face society doesn’t want to acknowledge, the face society can’t or won’t try to understand; the face of the poor.

Poor of money Poor of spiritPoor of familyPoor of healthPoor of an advocate Poor of being cared forPoor of a life worth livingPoor of being lovedPoor of beingSimply … poor.

Page 12: Horizons - Summer 2012

Patrick Taylor, M.D.

A PUBLICATION FOR THE SPONSORS, BOARDS, REGIONAL LEADERSHIP, SYSTEM OFFICE AND COLLEAGUES OF CATHOLIC HEALTH EAST12

H O R I Z O N S

H O R I Z O N S

C A T H O L I C H E A L T H E A S TC A T H O L I C H E A L T H E A S T

Quality on the WebCHE Launches CareLink WebsiteMinistry FormationSr. Kathleen Popko Receives CHA Lifetime Achievement AwardER Colleagues Save One of Their OwnAcross the System10 Minutes with ... Patrick Taylor, M.D.

Interactive Education Benefits Patients, Families and CommunitiesCore Values Kindle Contest The Growing Demand for Mobile WebsitesCareLink Go Live2011 Community Benefit Annual Report Now Available

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H O R I Z O N SInteractive Education Benefits

President and CEO,Holy Cross Hospital

Patients, Families and Communities

P10 Minutes with... Patrick Taylor, M.D.

n all walks of life, educators often insist that the most effective way to gain new knowl-edge is “learning by doing.” Taking this advice to heart, colleagues across CHE are using interactive education techniques to help patients, families and communities “learn by doing” in a wide variety of settings and circumstances. The result: healthier people and healthier communities. Journey Through the Body In Albany, N.Y., people of all ages walked through an inflatable two-story heart, crawled through an oversized colon and listened to the sounds their voices made while they strolled through a giant ear during an annual, two-day event known as Journey through the Body©.

“We want to be a leader in health education—just as much as we want to be the leader in quality health care,” said Elmer Streeter, director of communications, St. Peter’s Health Care Services, “and Journey through the Body provides a vehicle for just that.”

Numerous exhibits and larger-than-life displays of human body parts provide a fun, hands-on approach to learning and are designed to educate children and their parents about select organs and parts of the human body

HORIZONS is a publication for the Sponsors, Boards,Regional Leadership, System Office and Colleaguesof Catholic Health East.

Horizons Editorial Staff

Scott H. Share Vice President, System Communications

Maria Iaquinto Communications Manager

Meg J. Boyd Communication Specialist

Design, production and printing by JC Marketing Communications • jcmcom.com • Southington, Conn.

Catholic Health East is a community of persons committed to being a transforming, healing presence within the communities we serve.

Locations: Located in 11 eastern states from Maine to Florida.

Workforce: Approx. 60,000 employees.

Sponsors

Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, St. Bonaventure, N.Y.

Hope Ministries, Newtown Square, Pa.

Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, Greensburg, Pa.

Sisters of Mercy of the Americas: Mid-Atlantic Community, Merion Station, Pa. New York, Pennsylvania, Pacific West Community, Buffalo, N.Y. Northeast Community, Cumberland, R.I. South Central Community, Belmont, N.C.

Sisters of Providence, Holyoke, Mass.

Sisters of St. Joseph, St. Augustine, Fla.

Published by:

Please direct comments and suggestions to [email protected]

3805 West Chester Pike, Suite 100Newtown Square, PA 19073Phone 610.355.2000Fax 610.271.9600www.che.orgwww.facebook.com/catholichealtheast

atrick Taylor, M.D., M.B.A., was named president and chief executive officer of Holy Cross Hospital in May 2010. He is responsible for

the overall strategic direction and operating performance of the system. The 571-bed facility is recognized as one of the leading acute-care, specialty-referral hospitals in South Florida.

Dr. Taylor joined Holy Cross Hospital as an emergency physician in 1988 and has served in increasing levels of management responsibility since then. In 2006, he was named executive vice president and COO. Prior to that, he served as chief medical director, during which time he was the physician chief executive of the Holy Cross Medical Group. Dr. Taylor received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame, his doctor of medicine from Duke University and completed a residency in emergency medicine at Georgetown/George Washington/University of Maryland combined program. He subsequently completed an executive MBA at Florida Atlantic University while actively practicing medicine at Holy Cross Hospital. Dr. Taylor serves on the board of directors of the Broward Partnership for the Homeless and the Jack and Jill Children’s Center.

Can you tell us a little bit about what’s happening at Holy Cross Hospital? Holy Cross is fully engaged in bringing to life our strategic repositioning initiatives. We are on the path to continuing the vital mission that our Sponsors, the Sisters of Mercy, brought to this community many decades ago. Primary to our success are our associates, so we have refocused on associate engagement/satisfaction. I believe that with loyal committed associates, all other success factors such as patient satisfaction, quality, physician satisfaction, excellent financial performance and continued growth will shine. Extremely high levels of associate commitment and patient satisfaction are non-negotiable for me. The great news is that we have dedicated associates who truly live the mission of the Sisters every day.

How do you think being a physician affects your role as a hospital CEO? Approximately half of the physicians and associates at Holy Cross know me from when I practiced in the emergency department. The other half only know me since my transition

to administration. It has been an advantage to be a physician, as I feel very comfortable in each clinical unit of the hospital, since I at one time or another have practiced there. I am involved in clinical issues every day and my medical training and practice is invaluable. The physicians, nurses and entire staff know that I have been in their shoes. Over the years I have been told by many physicians that they are happy that a physician is involved administratively. Having said that, it comes down to building trusting relationships with associates and physicians. You must remain true to your word and promises. I was blessed with a great mentor (John Johnson), have the support and the passion of the Sisters of Mercy and have a great administrative and leadership team. Those are truly my greatest advantages in leading Holy Cross.

What new initiatives do you have planned for 2012 and beyond? There are so many wonderful and transforming initiatives at Holy Cross. We have launched a Clinically Integrated Network where the hospital and more than 160 employed and independent physicians are coming together to manage the health of our community. Our focus is on quality, improved efficiencies, coordination of care and embracing the value equation of health care. We are expanding our geographic footprint by developing five ambulatory care and diagnostic imaging centers throughout our community. Since May 2012, we have successfully performed multiple transcatheter aortic valve replacements, in which a new valve is inserted via peripheral catheter without open heart surgery for patients who are not surgical candidates. We also have a growing collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital in the fields of oncology and cardiovascular medicine. And over the next five years Holy Cross will

become an academic teaching institution with residencies. Thanks to the generosity of our community we have raised $15 million to complete our women’s center—a comprehensive program serving women’s health, emotional and spiritual needs in a soothing environment. Additionally, we are implementing a new patient logistics system (CareLogistics), which I truly believe will transform the time patients spend as inpatients. It is like an air traffic control system for patients that gives reverence to the time patients spend with us. If we treat patients like our loved ones then we will be successful. How did you become involved in CHE’s shared services board? I was asked if I would be willing to serve and I gladly accepted the role. Along with three other RHC CEOs our role is to oversee, provide input and guidance to the activities of the shared services of CHE. The uniqueness of the CEO members is that we are not only board members but also “customers.”

What is the purpose of the shared services board? Its purpose is to make sure that we are being good stewards of the resources that we share and are entrusted with collectively as CHE. Are the shared service programs such as IT, AP, supply chain, etc … providing the best value for us as a system and for us as RHCs? That is a question that we are constantly asking as we review existing and new initiatives being taken on by shared services. Tough discussions and questions are wrestled with at the shared services board but always with reverence, with the goal of making us better as we serve in our respective communities. Clayton Fitzhugh, CHE’s EVP of shared services, diligently listens to the voice of the customer. He also has brought processes and quality metrics to each area of shared services. These metrics and performance targets are reviewed with the board, as well as plans for closing any gaps that exists.

How do you think the shared services board has made a difference for CHE? The shared services board has made us more accountable for delivering value both individually and collectively. It has helped us reconcile that we as a system have limited resources, huge ambitions and at times competing priorities and therefore must be very wise in our choices. It also has instilled the voice of the associate, physician, patient and resident (“the customer”) into the dialogue at the shared services board. The leaders who oversee shared services have become more acutely aware of and I trust more sensitive to how they impact the lives of those we all serve.

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and their functions, components, strengths and limitations, as well as ways to lead an active, healthy lifestyle.

Now in its 14th year, the event attracts over 10,000 participants and is staged in an indoor shopping mall. Promoted heavily by its co-sponsor, local NBC affiliate WNYT News-Channel 13, it also offers a Jeopardy-like quiz on the brain and other parts of the body, as well as

informational booths with topics ranging from skin cancer screenings to maintaining good nutrition to finding a career in health care. The event, which includes health-related giveaways, is free to the public. A team-building exercise in its own right, nearly 600 individuals staff the event, including employees, clinicians, volunteers and area high school and college students.

The event has also identified

people who need medical follow-up. “There have been occasions when our staff have identified people who may have a serious health issue that they need to follow up on,” said Amy Baker, communications assistant, St. Peter’s Health Care Services and coordinator of the event. “For example, one year a high school athlete was attending Journey Through the Body and stopped at the heart display, where there was a pulse oximeter and EKG monitor. When this teen had his pulse and heart rate checked, a member of our medical staff became very concerned about the test results and let the teenager’s parents know they needed to follow up with their doctor. What started out as a fun activity may have actually saved this child’s life.”

“This event provides a huge learning opportunity for both the child and the parent,” said Streeter. DemystifyingTechnology In Camden, N.J., Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center recently gave staff and visitors the chance to “test drive” one of medicine’s most advanced technologies—the da Vinci® Robotic Surgical System.

Participants experienced firsthand what it is like to sit behind the surgeon’s console and manipulate the machine’s unique controls. A

In celebration of National Child Life Month, pediatric patients switched roles with their caregivers during “Doctors for a Day” at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. The young doctors treated pretend illnesses, fixed broken bones and gave make-believe shots with needleless syringes.