JANUARY 2007 CELEBRATIONS -...

HOW“GREEN” IS YOUR FACILITY? PAGE 8

The Sweet-Spot in the Patient Throughput Model PAGE 10

Ready or Not...JCAHO is Coming PAGE 6

JANUARY 2007

CELEBRATIONSCROTHALL SERVICES GROUP

A MEMBER OF THE COMPASS GROUP

2 CELEBRATIONS JANUARY 2007

INTEGRITY.A commitment to forthright, honest

communication in all of our encounters.

COLLABORATION.An unyielding commitment to consistent

teamwork in order to achieve collective goals.

ACCOUNTABILITY.As a company and as individuals, we

accept full responsibility for our actions and the associated outcomes.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.Providing the right tools, training and

support for professional growth.

LEADERSHIP.Displaying the passion to exceed

expectations in all that we do.

OUR VALUES

OUR MISSIONIn the markets we serve, we will be recognized

as the premier provider of the best quality,customer focused support services.

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

BOBBY KUTTEH

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/SALES & MARKETING

BART KAERICHER

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/PUBLISHER

SHERI RUSH

EDITORIAL/CONTRIBUTORS

TIM POLIZZI

DESIGN

MARY SCHWARTZ

Celebrations is published bi-monthly by Crothall Services Group, a division of the Compass Group. © 2007 Crothall Services Group. All rights reserved.955 Chesterbrook Boulevard,Wayne, PA 19087.

Printed in the USA

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HOW “GREEN”IS YOUR FACILITY?Crothall shows how going green works.

PAGE 8

iinn eevveerryy iissssuuee3 From the CEO4 Crothall Momentum14 Centers of Excellence16 “Make A Difference”Winners

READY OR NOT...How prepared are you?

PAGE 6

How “Board” areYour Patients?Optimizing FunctionalCapacity.

PAGE 10

Looking Back on 15 YearsReflections from Crothall Day.

PAGE 12

ccoovveerr ssttoorryy

JANUARY 2007





10% Post Consumer Waste

JANUARY 2007 CELEBRATIONS 3

HE HOLIDAYS are a fond memory and always are a special time to reflect on the past year and to plan for the new one. There is much for which to

be grateful. Not one day goes by without the realization of how fortunate I am to work with such a great company, with tremendous people and supportive customers. I am energized and very motivated to make the upcoming year our best ever.

We will be publishing “Celebrations” bi-monthly this year, and will be taking a closer look at industry issues and trends that impact all of us. We will also share some of the solutions that we have developed.

We continue to make progress on our “Green” initiative and have committed significant time to ensure that we are not only protecting the patients we serve but also the environment that we all share. On page eight you will learn more about how we are embracing the “Green” healthcare model throughout our service lines.

JCAHO readiness is a critical and instrumental component of our service delivery program. Our programs ensure that we are JCAHO ready, every day.With the recent introduction of unannounced surveys, we have enhanced and further invested in a proactive, preemptive inspection process. On page six you will learn of our outstanding success as our track record continues to remain unblemished.

Finally,our more than 20,000 employees are without question our key resource.I truly value the important functions that they perform each day. Recognition of their efforts is essential. We recently broadened our recognition endeavorwith the introduction of our “Make A Difference” Program. The extra efforts of our winners inspire all of us to embrace the mission and values of Crothall and to live them out in our daily lives.

Please enjoy. Many thanks for all of your support and for helping to make Crothall a special company. All the best wishes for a most successful and rewarding year ahead.

T

From the CEO

...protecting the

patients we serve

but also the envi-

ronment that we

all share...

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Environmental Services – National Standardization ProgramCrothall has grown based on the suc-

cess of not only its people, but also itssuperior systems and programs. In anongoing effort to provide the highestquality to clients, Crothall has appointedNational Training Director, Rich Feczko,to head up a National Standardizationprogram. This program will take a lookat the best cleaning practices and prod-ucts being used, and then ensure thatthey are used consistently throughoutthe country. This important projectwill have a great impact on the qualityof Crothall’s programs, and will ensurethat while the company grows, it main-tains its leadership in providing qualityservice.

Laundry & Linen – Energy Generation Project in the WorksCrothall Laundry Services, in its contin-

uing objective to be a responsible cor-porate citizen and introduce operationalmeasures to reduce costs, has launcheda project at its California laundry facili-ties to explore generating its own elec-tricity. Should this project prove suc-cessful, both Crothall's La Mirada andOntario operations will generate approx-imately 80% of their electricity require-ment on-site with specially designedequipment. The plan calls for Crothallto be able to manufacture its own elec-

EnvironmentalServices

Laundry & Linen

PatientTransportation

both relief to the nursing staff and fin-ancial benefits to the hospitals. Indirectlythese programs can increase patientsatisfaction, nursing retention and recruit-ing,employee morale, and most impor-tantly, safety for patients and staff.

Facilities Management – Record Sales ActivityIn October, Crothall completed the

purchase of Bio-Medical Services, Inc.(BMSI). This establishes a presence for Crothall in the southeast US for biomedical services, providing a greatopportunity for add-on services toCrothall’s existing account base in the region. This acquisition broadensCrothall’s size and capabilities, andalong with the purchase of Kinetic,positions Crothall for strong futuregrowth. This growth has already startedto occur, according to Division VicePresident, Steve Carpenter. This is themost sales activity that the Crothallteam has ever experienced in the

tricity at approximately 10% less thanmarket rates and will result in a signifi-cant kilowatt hour demand reductionfrom the local utility providers, helpingto alleviate current statewide consump-tion stress.

Patient Transportation – Launching Safe PatientHandling Program Handling patients is one of the most

dangerous activities performed by nursesand technicians, resulting in back injuries,workers’ compensation claims, lost days,replacement and retention challenges,and diminished quality of life. In fact,healthcare workers rank as the #1 pro-fession for musculoskeletal disordersas reported by the U.S. Bureau of LaborStatistics 2004. In response, Crothallhas launched a program in which spe-cially trained transporters take overthese responsibilities. A recent studyshows that this “zero lift” program hasbeen universally successful, providing

Crothall Momentum


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Business &Industry

FacilitiesManagement

Facilities Management division. Manynew customers are being added, strength-ening not only Crothall’s bottom line,but also its position in this market.

Business & Industry –Managing GrowthCrothall’s Business & Industry division

continues to manage its growth, aftermore than tripling in size over the lasttwo years. In an effort to deliver thehighest quality programs to its commer-cial clients, B&I has acquired manage-ment talent from Crothall’s healthcaredivision, bringing on two regional man-agers with almost 20 years of experi-ence between them. In addition tostrengthening the organizational struc-ture for operations, the sales team isrestructuring under the leadership ofCompass Group VP of Sales FrankLombardi, whose proven experienceselling to national accounts will enablethe division to continue its fast pace ofgrowth over the next several years.


Crothall Cares — The HolidaysProvided Many Opportunities for GivingOCTOBER was Breast Cancer Awareness Month - Crothall’s

corporate office helped spread awareness throughout the month by making donations to the Susan G. Komen BreastCancer Foundation, wearing the symbolic pink ribbons,and recognizing the day by wearing pink clothing.

NOVEMBER – We started the Holiday Season off by making food basket donations to the local Salvation Army.Our goal was to make 10 baskets, but we actually filled 18!Baskets consist of the traditional Thanksgiving items: turkey,mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, etc.

DECEMBER – During December we participate in a toy drive for children. This year we will provide over 100 gifts to children in our community, through theSalvation Army.

MAKE-A-WISH – This year, Crothall will make a substantial donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation in our customers’names. This special organization does remarkable things foryoung children. Crothall’s gift will help bring hope, strength,and joy to four courageous children in need.

momentuma review of our businesses

Want to make a difference in your community? Here are just a few ways to start volunteering:

Visit www.secondharvest.org to find volunteer opportuni-ties at Food Banks in any city across the country.

Call or visit the website for your local Salvation Army,United Way or any organization promoting research for a specific disease.

Visit www.volunteermatch.com. This website will matchopportunities of all kinds in your area.


past, we would gear up in preparationfor the scheduled survey,” recalls DianeThorgrimson, Director, Patient ServicesAdministration at Children’s NationalMedical Center,Washington DC. “Now,weexpect our team to be ready every morn-ing for an inspector to walk in the door.”

Most of the JCAHO survey focus is onthe clinical areas of the hospital. Butfor non-clinical departments, the spotinspection can be just as demanding.This is especially true for support serv-ices vendors, whose survival at the hos-pital depends on providing nothing butthe best service at all times. A diligentapproach to understanding and enforc-

hen the Joint Commissionissued its statement that allaccreditation surveys would

be unannounced, a shift occurred inthe way hospitals had to prepare.JCAHO President and CEO DennisO’Leary stated that the idea arose out of popular demand from hospitals,with the goal being that every hospitalis “in compliance with 100 percent ofthe standards, 100 percent of the time.”Hospitals must now be prepared forinspectors any time from 18 to 39months following the previous survey.

Hospitals cannot afford to “cram forthe test” as in previous years. “In the

feature

OR

NOT...

READY

Here They Come!

How prepared isyour institution foran unannouncedvisit from JCAHO?

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ing standards is vital to our success.Crothall recognizes that even a smallviolation by a member of our team canlead to big problems for the hospital.

What We Do Impacts OutcomesVendor responsibilities are often com-

plex, especially when multiple depart-ments are managed.

• Environmental Services is closelymonitored for Infection Control viola-tions. Employees must demonstratebehavioral competency in all stages of the cleaning process, storage ofchemicals, and safety procedures.

• Facilities Management often haswider, cross-departmental oversightand responsibility for documentation of Environment of Care protocols.

• Laundry Providers must considercontinuity plans to maintain linen avail-ability in a disaster.

• Patient Transportation needs toconsider not only JCAHO standards, butalso National Patient Safety goals, whichhave implications on proper communi-cation and protocols for patient “handoffs” to prevent disease transmittance.

In the new survey process, the NationalFire Protection Association’s Life SafetyCode takes on more importance. Becauseof this there are two major areas thatCrothall must pay special attention towith respect to Life Safety. Failure toproperly handle either one can result in immediate “conditional accredita-tion” status for the entire hospital.They are:

Statement of Conditions, which is anoverall evaluation of Life Safety compli-ance. This is often the responsibility ofthe Facilities Director, who must fix anyproblems, big or small, and create a com-prehensive plan for remedying largerviolations. If the documentation is not


Services was singled out for its thor-ough training documentation, whichwas simply a byproduct of Crothall’sregular weekly “safety minders”program.

In another case, a Crothall employeewas taken aside by a surveyor anddrilled on cleaning protocols. Althoughthe employee was nervous, she per-formed marvelously by simply remem-bering her basic Crothall training. That’sthe idea. With a sharp focus on stan-dards and a commitment to ongoingemployee training, we are helping hos-pitals be “JCAHO-ready, every day!”

maintained or the plan is not followed,this is considered a “busted plan.”

Interim Life Safety Measuresprovide temporary safety guidelines tobe used until major compliance issues are resolved. Failure in these areastriggers conditional accreditation,which can lead ultimately to a denial of accreditation.

JCAHO-Ready, Every Day!How does Crothall Services Group

view the JCAHO challenge? Accordingto President and CEO, Bobby Kutteh,“It is an opportunity for us to differen-tiate our company from the rest of thepack. We promise our clients the high-est quality service and consistent deliv-ery, and our success with spot-inspectionsproves that we deliver on that promise.In fact, we’ve been saying that we’re‘JCAHO-ready,every day’ for years. Now,that claim is being confirmed by theinspectors when they come through.”

Crothall is putting its money where itsmouth is. Recognizing a need for exper-tise in JCAHO preparedness, we madethe decision to work with an outsideconsultant. Mark Shamash,President ofSafety and Disaster Solutions, Inc. (SDSi)has aided Crothall in evaluating andmaking recommendations to improveadherence to standards in severalCrothall accounts.“This is an opportu-nity we have not seen before,” DianeThorgrimson explains,“While we expectour vendors to be proactive, Crothall is definitely going above and beyond.”

Accountability in ActionCrothall’s track record so far is unblem-

ished. After JCAHO unannounced sur-veys at over 70 client hospitals, Crothallhas not been responsible for a singleRequirement for Improvement (RFI) inany of the departments it manages.During a recent survey, Environmental

“Crothall is the first support services

vendor to use an

outside consultant

to verify its perform

ance. Crothall is will-

ing to move beyond

operational consider-

ations and take the

blinders off to find problems before

an inspection occurs, and do what

is necessary to fix them.”

— Mark Shamash,President, Safety and

Disaster Solutions, Inc.

cover story

HOWGREEN IS

YOURHOSPITAL?

Crothall Services Group is recognizedas an industry leader in integrating environmentally friendly processes.

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES SOLUTIONSCrothall Services Group reviewed its current cleaning process and has embraced many “Green”cleaning alternatives.

GreenSeal® Certified Cleaning Products.In collaboration with its supply partners, Crothallhas introduced a new line of “Green” cleaning products that have received certification fromGreenSeal® (www.greenseal.org).

Environmentally Friendly Mopping System.We’ve implemented a new “micro-fiber moppingsystem” that decreases water consumption, wastewater creation, and chemical usage.

Safer Product Dispensing.The implementation of the JohnsonDiversey J-FillSystem, a new product dispensing system, reduceschemical exposure to the skin and overall waterconsumption.

Waste Stream Improvements.Crothall’s innovative waste stream managementprocess prevents the mixing of “regular” waste withmedical waste, reducing expense for our customersand sending less material to local landfills.

“Implementing the ‘Green’

chemical line was a great

initiative for our medical

center. It helps to demonstrate

our underlying commitment to

the environment and our

community. It sets us apart

from other facilities.”

— Bob Adams,Vice President of Support Services,

Jersey Shore University Medical Center

LOG ON TOwww.crothall.com/celebrations

to learn how JSUMC successfullyintegrated Crothall’s “Green”programs into the EVS model.

C8 CELEBRATIONS JANUARY 2007

equipment, and processes that are effi-cient and environmentally sensitive, wework hard to protect our patients andsurrounding communities from unnec-essary exposure to toxins and otherpollutants. We offer proven solutionsthat span our service lines, includingEnvironmental Services, FacilitiesManagement, and Laundry Services.

The chart below illustrates the servicesolutions that Crothall Services Groupprovides and which result not only inhealth and environmental benefits, butalso in improved employee productivity,lower operating costs, and enhancedJCAHO readiness.

In response to this issue, several indus-try organizations have been formed toaddress the environmental impact ofhospitals.These organizations are dedi-cated to creating national healthcarestandards that stress the use of saferconstruction materials, the use of lesstoxic cleaning products, and the conser-vation of energy and water usage inhospital settings. Their mission is topromote and educate healthcare profes-sionals on how they can create ahealthy hospital environment and beenvironmentally responsible corporatecitizens.

Crothall Services Group is on the cut-ting edge when it comes to supportingthe “Green” healthcare model. By pro-viding our customers with products,

s more and more people become awareof the environmental impact hospitalshave on their patients and communities,healthcare service providers across thenation are recognizing that they havea civic responsibility to create environ-ments that are as healthy as possible fortheir patients, as well as their neighbors.We are all aware that medical waste,cleaning products, hospital supplies,and building materials can generatetoxic pollution.What many of us mayfail to realize is that these by-productsof the healthcare industry, combinedwith insufficient facility ventilation andwaste management systems, may con-tribute to longer recovery times forpatients, higher incidents of illnessamong hospital staff, and less profitablebottom lines.

FACILITIES MANAGEMENTCrothall Services Group’s Energy & AssetManagement division provides a range of energyconservation solutions, including:

Efficient Lighting Systems and Thermostats.Crothall Services Group installs lighting systemsand thermostats that reduce energy use and cost.

Improved Air Filtration Systems.Our air filtration systems are designed to enhance air quality and conserve energy.

Environmentally Friendly HVAC Systems.Our HVAC systems provide energy conser-vation and cost reduction benefits.

Innovative Options for Re-Engineering and Retro-Fit Projects.We advise clients on energy efficient, cost-effec-tive options for large re-engineering projects.

LAUNDRY & LINEN SERVICESIn an industry that encourages “re-usable” vs.“disposable” textiles, Crothall Services Grouphas been providing its clients with cost-effectiveand environmentally friendly solutions since dayone.These solutions include:

State-Of-The-Art Washing and Drying Units.Our state-of-the-art washing and drying unitsuse less energy and reduces water consumptionand waste.

Innovative Engineering Solutions.Crothall employs innovative engineering solu-tions at our laundry plants such as using heatfrom dryer exhausts to re-heat water, helping to conserve energy and lower customer costs.

Improved Washing Chemicals.We are constantly researching new washingchemicals to ensure that environmentally soundproducts are used.These products are not onlykinder to the environment, but also to the tex-tiles themselves, increasing usage time and reduc-ing replacement costs.

To learn how Crothall ServicesGroup can assist in making your

organization “Green”, call800.447.4476 or log onto

www.crothall.com.

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feature

PORTLAND, OREGON.HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.EL PASO,TEXAS.

What do these four mid-size cities have in common?

According to a recent study conducted by the AHA, hospitals in these areas face similar ED capacity and patient boarding issues.

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A s a matter of fact, more and morecommunity hospitals throughout thecountry are experiencing similar situa-tions. There are too many patientscoming through the ED doors, with too few critical care beds available.Although a lack of critical care beds is the most obvious drag on patientthroughput, it is not the only factor at work. Population growth and a lackof physicians in certain geographicalareas also play a role. This leads to the“boarding” of patients, who may remainin the ED, or even corridors, for hoursbecause the hospital does not have thecapacity to provide a bed expeditiously.

The Sweet-Spot

in the PatientThroughput

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those rooms around within the 60minute window considered to be the“gold” standard within the industry.However, in many instances, our teamshave significantly reduced the amountof time that it takes to clean a room andmake a much needed bed available for a patient.

Envision a Crothall Services EVS tech-nician equipped not only with a clean-ing cart, but also a harness that holdsthe most used items and productsneeded during the cleaning process.By holstering this equipment, it savestechnicians the time wasted by walkingback and forth to the carts to retrievethem. Through careful choreographingof literally every step a technician takesduring the process of cleaning a room,Crothall has effectively reduced the turnaround time for a room to approximately53.5 minutes.

To experience even more efficiency inpatient throughput, many hospitals andhealthcare organizations have incorpo-rated Crothall’s Patient Transportationservices along with EVS. This creates a seamless approach to both services,and provides the opportunity to beginthe turn around process much sooner.The moment a patient is dischargedand crosses the threshold of the room,the Patient Transportation Specialistinteracts with our Hospitality ResourceCenter (HRC), which automatically cre-ates a discharge cleaning task. An EVStech is immediately dispatched to theroom and gets to work. Should therebe multiple discharges within a particularunit simultaneously, the HRC dispatcheris instantly aware and can reassign staffaccordingly, thus ensuring the quickestturn around possible for the entire org-anization. It isn’t out of the ordinary tosee a Department Manager chipping inwhen these mass migrations occur.

“Transport/Business Center and

Environmental Services have a

significant impact on patient flow in

our organization. The efficiency they

provide in moving patients and

preparing the room after

discharge helps to ensure more

immediate availability of beds

for new patients entering the

hospital.”

— Leslie Nettleman,Vice President

Allegheny General Hospital

The Joint Commission on Accredita-tion of Healthcare Organizations recog-nizes ED crowding as barrier to patientsafety and effective outcomes. Thelonger a patient is boarded, the lesspositive the treatment outcome will be.Emergency Departments have histori-cally been designed to provide just intime triage treatment to those individu-als who present for care, stabilize them,and move them into the appropriateunit within the hospital for ongoing orcritical care. Today, Emergency Depart-ment staff must be trained and preparedto provide critical care to patients for a much longer period of time than inthe past.

The Right Patients in the Right Beds,Faster.

Many hospitals have turned to a sys-temic approach in addressing the patientthroughput challenge. Administratorsrealize that the problem doesn’t beginin the ED, but rather arises because ofissues that occur in other areas of thehospital on a daily basis. By modelingpatient flows throughout their organi-zations, leaders are recognizing that thethree main components that impactthroughput are the number of ICUbeds available, surgical schedulingprocesses, and the ability to quicklyturn dirty beds into clean ones. Under-standing the interconnectedness ofthese three items, many hospitals areintegrating more ICU beds into theirfacilities, have incorporated better sur-gical scheduling techniques into theirprocesses, and insist on more efficientbed turn around times from the staff.What does this accomplish? It places theright patients into the right beds, faster.

This is where Crothall Services Groupcomes in. Our Environmental Services(EVS) teams have studied the layout ofthe rooms they are responsible formaintaining, and in most instances, turn

The Right Patients in the Right Beds, Faster.

Crothall’s Seamless Approach

To learn how Crothall ServicesGroup can have a positive impact

on your patient throughputstrategy, call 800-447-4476.


November 15th, 2006

took on new meaning for

Crothall Services Group

employees. More than

25,000 employees at over

700 locations across the

US and Canada celebrated

Crothall Day! The follow-

ing are just a few of the

ways that the day was

commemorated through-

out the company.

feature

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CrothallDay

Memories

The Bayonne team posing with their cake. Bayonne MedicalCenter, Bayonne, NJ. (T)

Cakes seemed to be the most pop-ular item on the menu. Check outwhat a beautiful cake the folks atBP, Naperville, IL enjoyed. (M)

The Capital Regional MedicalCenter team posed for a groupphoto,Tallahassee, FL. (B)

Check out the fun the folks atCrothall Laundry Services, LimaOH had! (T)

James Norman, Crothall LaundryServices, Lima, OH is overjoyed torecieve the 15th Anniversary Issueof Celebrations! (M)

The folks at Freeman HealthSystem, Joplin, MO shared the day with their families, too! (B)


The Gadsden Regional MedicalCenter team celebrated with“Make a Difference” winnerMargaret Reynolds. (T)

The JPS Health Network groupin Fort Worth,TX celebrated in style. (M)

Bobby Kutteh,Tom Racobaldo,and the JPS Health NetworkManagement Team get togetheron Crothall Day. (B)

What a smile! Michelle Gabrieland friends celebrate at Presby-terian Hospital, Charlotte, NC. (T)

“Make a Difference” winnerMildred Mayes (center), RegionalManager Sean LeMaster (left)and Unit Director Rodney Gause(right), Presbyterian Hospital,Charlotte, NC. (M)

Just kicking-back at RiverviewMedical Center, Red Bank, NJ. (T)

Save me a slice! Some members ofthe EVS team at St. Peter’s Hospital,Albany, NY enjoy pizza. (M)

The folks at Villa St. Benedict, Lisle,IL put out a mouthwateringspread! (B)

Be sure to log on towww.crothall.com/

celebrationsto view all of thephotographs thatwe have received

from Crothall Day.If you haven’t

shared your photosyet, please email

them to Tim Polizziat [email protected].

We’ll be sure topost them on the

website for all to see!


♥ Bedding for the family has been received.

♥ Chenango Memorial Hospital is storing all of the donations until the family finds a new place to live.

♥ At Thanksgiving, the entire housekeeping staff donated $15 grocery gift cards to the family,totaling more than $150.

♥ The staff purchased Christmas gifts for all of the children, ages seven through twelve.

♥ Both Crothall & Morrison staffs came together to cook Christmas dinner for the family.

♥ Crothall Cares has made a donation to the family to help them get back on their feet.

To see a department give so generously of their belongings,money, and time to a family in need is truly incredible.

Iris VerdiUnit ManagerChenango Memorial Hospital

EDITOR’S NOTE: The CMH team has shared photosof their Christmas dinner with us. Please log on to www.crothall.com/celebrations to review.To make a donation to the family, please contact Iris Verdi at [email protected].

hen a local family of six lost their home and all of their belongings in a fire at the beginning of November, the housekeeping Department

at Chenango Memorial Hospital in Norwich, NY decidedto do something to help. Debra Lorimer and RebeccaDodd were the first to spring into action.

With the blessing of their Unit Manager, as well as theMorrison Food Services team, also located at Chenango,they organized a drive to help this family rebuild theirlives. As we went to press with this issue of Celebrations,this is what has been done to help:

♥ Clothing for all six family members has been collected.

♥ The Auxiliary ofChenango MemorialHospital has donatedwinter coats for theentire family.

♥ Replacement toysfor the childrenhave been purchased.

♥ A Microwave andVCR have been donated.

Centers of Excellence

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FIRE!(then Blessings

from the CMH Team)

Chenango Memorial Hospital

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Then one day, my shoe fairy stopped com-ing. My trash remained overflowing andmy shoes just as I left them, like some forlorn victims of afierce storm that had rolled through my office. Severalweeks went by before I had the opportunity to inquireabout the sweet woman who cared for me through caringfor my shoes.

She had retired. I was sad that I didn’t realize that shewas leaving and that I hadn’t ever properly acknow-ledged her for how she enhanced my life. I was disap-pointed in myself for never having told her how remark-able her simple acts of kindness made me feel.

I still don’t know her name, but I want to acknowledgeher now as representative of the many, many people whomake up the Virginia Mason Team... people who in theirdaily work touch the lives of patients, friends, family mem-bers, and one another. I am very proud to be part of thisorganization. Thank you for the privilege.

Rowena S. Ponischil, RN, MSNNurse ManagerVirginia Mason Medical Center

EDITOR’S NOTE: Crothall Housekeeper Helga Rhodeswas Rowena’s “shoe fairy.” The two recently had theopportunity to meet, with Rowena thanking Helga personally for the special way that she cared for herclients over the years. To read more about their meeting, logon to www.crothall.com/celebrations.

LOVE SHOES. I have at least five different pairs in myoffice at any given time. Each pair has its own uniqueand distinctive purpose in my life. My three-inch

pumps allow me to appear taller than my 5-foot, zeroheight so that I can stand up tall when representing mystaff. My white nursing shoes are for when I work thefloor, side-by-side with the nurses, taking care of patientsand keeping my nursing skills sharp. The well worn flatsare for running through the halls when I’m late for a meet-ing. There are my comfy,“I don’t care who sees me inthese” shoes, and lastly my “power” shoes. You know the ones. They make you believe that you can do any-thing if you only believe strongly enough about it.

I change my shoes as circumstances dictate, and havebeen known to kick off one pair and put on another in the blink of an eye. By the end of the day, my office lookslike the Neiman Marcus shoe department after a really great sale. There are shoes everywhere!

Each evening as I would leave the office, I’d look at theshoes on the floor and think to myself,“I’ll straighten themup in the morning.” Off went the light as I headed home.

In the morning, however, I would open my office doorand surprisingly my shoes would be lined up, standingperfectly at attention, against the wall. Finding this everymorning filled my heart and somehow left me feelingcared for and special. Of course, my office was always vacuumed and my trash emptied, but it was the sight ofthose perfectly arranged shoes that spoke volumes to meand validated my own sense of self worth.

I

Virginia Mason Medical Center

MyShoes

“Make A Difference”Winners

FRED FRONZEK • BMETHubbard Regional HospitalFred has always been a very knowledgeable technician with a reputation

for providing excellent customer service. But it is his caring and compas-sionate personality which sets him apart from his peers at Hubbard RegionalHospital. He is liked not only by the staff, but also by patients who come in regularly for treatment. The patients actually look for him, as he alwaysprovides a kind word and a warm smile. What the patients don’t know is just how much care Fred puts into the equipment that is used to treat

them. He feels it is his personal responsibility to make sure that everything is operating as it should.He stays late, comes in on his days off…all to ensure that the staff is comfortable with the performanceof newly installed or repaired equipment. To him, the tools the doctors and staff use to treat patients hasto be better than good…it has to be perfect.

Recognizing that he plays a role in quality patient care

is what makes Fred special!

To read other stories about our“Make A Difference” winners

log ontowww.crothall.com/celebrations.


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