NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011 Vol. 8 // Issue 6...november/december 2011. vol. 8 // issue 6. new guest...
Transcript of NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011 Vol. 8 // Issue 6...november/december 2011. vol. 8 // issue 6. new guest...
SHARPA MAGAZINE FOR THE STAFF, PHYSICIANS AND VOLUNTEERS OF SHARP HEALTHCARE
N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 1 Vol. 8 // Issue 6
NEW GUEST SERVICES DEPT. PAGE 6 | MY STORY PAGE 8 | WOMEN’S HEALTH CONFERENCE PAGE 11
PLUS: ICD-10 PROGRAM, THE ART OF NOURISHMENT, PATIENT NAVIGATOR PROGRAM, SHARING GOODNESS AND MORE
2011 Support Services Issue
TOUCHING PATIENTS’ LIVES BY ROBYN CARTER
Touching Patients’ Lives 1
Introducing the New Guest Services Department News From Sharp Grossmont Hospital 6
The Art of Nourishment News From Sharp Metropolitan Medical Campus 7
My Story: Strengthening Relationships with Patients News From Sharp Coronado Hospital 8
From Survivor to Supporter: Breast Cancer Patient Finds Purpose in Navigator Program News From Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center 9
Decoding Sharp Rees-Stealy News From Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Centers 10
High Turnout Expected at 2011 Women’s Health Conference News From System Offices 1 1
Sharing Goodness News From The Sharp Experience 12
The Faces of Sharp Employee Features From Across the System 13
Employees of the Month Back Cover
SHARP
On the Cover: Alyson Merz, Maternity Aide, Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, helps provide patient Ibisay Muchewa and baby Zoe with a great patient experience.Photo: Carol Sonstein
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Contributing Editors Janet Clancy, Amy Cline, Mackenzie Collins, Twyla Cox, Jacki Eidson, Debbie Fix, Laura Fox, Rona Garcia, Bruce Hartman, Kathy Hutchens, Lynn Kelly, Melissa Minjarez, Christina Page, Nicole Quiroz, Harriet Sangrey, Hillary Schuler-Jones, Lynn Swenberger
Contributing Photographers Tim Mantoani, Carol Sonstein
Design and Layout viadesign
Please send all correspondence, whether compliment, criticism or idea, to Tom Hanscom or Robyn Carter.
editors boxEditor-in-Chief Tom Hanscom 858-499-4976 [email protected]
EditorRobyn Carter858-499-4112 [email protected]
Managing Editor Erica Carlson
Copy Editor Vicki Gibbs
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Caregivers come in many different forms: They
may wear a service uniform or work from a cubicle,
but they are involved in patient care nonetheless.
Many support services employees and volunteers
regularly engage with patients and their family
members to touch lives in a lasting way.
* * *
A Welcome Dose of CheerRecovering mothers in the Postpartum Care Unit
at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center are treated
like VIPs, thanks in large part to maternity aide
volunteers — many of them young students —
who deliver fresh Starbucks coffee, water, juice,
snacks and linens to patients and their families.
“We love having college-age and junior volunteers
on the unit,” said Beverly Codallos, Volunteer
Services Coordinator, who was instrumental in
developing the maternity aide position in October
2010. “A fresh, cheerful face can mean a lot to an
exhausted new mom and her family.”
Nurses also appreciate having the maternity aides’ help,
which enables them to dedicate more time to other
important tasks, such as keeping charts up to date,
lactation education and baby care education, said Lisa
Golden, Manager, Volunteer Services, Sharp Chula Vista.
Since the inception of the maternity aide position,
patient satisfaction scores shot up to 99 percent for
three months in a row, added Blanca Placides-
Ayana, R.N., M.S.N., Obstetric Acute Clinical
Lead, Sharp Chula Vista.
“We are making a huge difference, which is why the
team won a 2011 C.O.R.E. Award for service,” she said.
Students who work as volunteer maternity aides
also benefit from the experience, said nursing
student Alyson Merz, Maternity Aide.
“It’s great to see how things work at this hospital,” she
said. “You feel like you’re part of something here.”
And, she added, the patients often let her hold
the babies.
“I love that part,” Merz said, smiling.
“A fresh, cheerful face can mean a lot to an exhausted new mom.”
Patient Ibisay Muchewa bonds with her newborn daughter, Zoe, in her room in the postpartum unit at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, where volunteer maternity aides help to provide a comforting environment.
A Bittersweet FriendshipWhen Paola Magana, Environmental Services
Worker, Sharp Memorial Hospital, enters a
patient’s room, her intentions go well beyond
changing bed linens and cleaning the bathroom.
“I can tell when patients need someone to talk to,
so I’ll say something like, ‘It’s a beautiful day,
isn’t it?’ It’s enough to let them know I care, and
sometimes they’ll open up,” Magana said.
That’s exactly what happened about a year ago
at the inpatient oncology unit, where Magana,
a single mother, immediately connected with a
leukemia patient, also a single mother.
“Her family wasn’t coming to visit a lot, and she
needed someone to listen to her,” Magana said.
“She was getting sicker, and she needed friends.”
Magana began bringing her daughter, then 2 years
old, to visit the patient after work. The after-hours
visits became a daily ritual after the patient was
moved to the Critical Intensive Care Unit.
“We were very close, like family,” Magana said.
“I didn’t expect to become so close to her. I just try
to put a smile on people’s faces because it makes
them feel better, and it’s rewarding for me.”
The day the patient died, Magana was working at
the hospital, so she was able to say goodbye. She
attended the patient’s funeral, and still keeps in
touch with her family.
“Paola supported this patient out of the kindness
of her heart, not to gain any recognition for it,”
said Carlos Mendez, Director, Environmental Services,
Sharp Metropolitan Medical Campus. “I didn’t even
know she was making these visits until I happened
to see her there one day. She really helped put
things in perspective: She served as a reminder that
patients are at the heart of what we do.”
Calling for CompassionClerical assistants at Sharp Rees-Stealy laboratories
do more than answer patient calls and book labo-
ratory appointments: They connect with patients
to determine their specific needs, and make it a
priority to accommodate them. This is not a simple
task, considering they field an average of more than
100 calls per day, verify doctors’ orders, remind
patients of doctor-required testing, and find
appointment availability at other Sharp Rees-
Stealy sites, if necessary, said Carmen Maldonado,
Laboratory Manager, Sharp Rees-Stealy Downtown.
Patients like the convenience of being able to make an
appointment at the lab, avoid a long wait, and get
in and out quickly, Maldonado said, while they equally
appreciate that the clerical assistants are courteous,
pleasant and accommodating over the phone.
Gloria Cervantes, Clerical Assistant III, Sharp
Rees-Stealy Downtown, recalls several instances
when she or other clerical assistants accommodated
patients who lost their hair due to chemotherapy,
and wanted to book an early morning
appointment to avoid a crowd.
“We always try to accommodate them, and we’re
happy when we’re able to help,” Cervantes said.
Pregnant women who have to go without food
before taking a routine test for diabetes are also
treated with special consideration.
“We make sure to get them the first appointment
in the morning, so they can eat afterwards,” said
Tamara Jeanty, Clerical Assistant III. “We also
have reclining chairs for them, so they’re comfortable
while they’re here. Those little things really do
make a difference for patients.”
‘You are Not Alone’During the admissions process at Sharp Mesa Vista
Hospital, the premier provider of mental health,
chemical dependency and substance abuse
treatment in San Diego County, many patients are
experiencing extreme sadness and stress. Angela
Wahlstrom, Access Services Representative — who
assists patients with admissions and is often their
first point of contact — does everything in her
power to make this difficult time a little bit easier.
“Many of these patients have reached the lowest
points in their lives and are embarrassed. Some
have lost their jobs or their spouses, and they are
shaking, crying, and very nervous,” Wahlstrom
said. “While I can’t provide treatment for them,
I can definitely make them feel at home and
remind them that they are not alone.”
An upbeat person who is quick to smile,
Wahlstrom goes beyond discussing insurance
deductibles and other admissions issues with
patients: She tells them to have a seat, offers a
tissue if they are crying, looks them in the eye and
tells them that things will get better.
All patient access services staff members share
Wahlstrom’s passion for helping patients, she
added.
“These patients really need help,” Wahlstrom said,
“We should all be grateful for places like Sharp
Mesa Vista.”
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TOUCHINGPatients’ Lives CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“She served as a reminder
that patients are at the heart of
what we do.”
“We’re happy
when we’re
able to help.”
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“I can make them
feel at home and
remind them that
they are not alone.”
Angela Wahlstrom, Access Services Representative, is often the first point of contact for patients at Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital.
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“I’ve learned to be more kind.”
Novis Naoom, Volunteer, Sharp Grossmont Hospital helps patient Trudy Wheeler out of the ‘Blue Angels’
shuttle in front of the hospital’s main lobby.
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
‘Angels’ Guide the WayPatients and their family members who become
tired, lost or confused trying to find their way
around Sharp Grossmont Hospital, the largest
health care facility in East County, are always
relieved to see volunteers who drive the “Blue
Angel” shuttles.
The volunteers drive the shuttles — three golf
carts and a new hybrid SUV — from 7:30 a.m.
until 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, giving
complimentary rides to people who need to get to
doctor’s appointments, visit loved ones, find their
cars, get up a steep hill, and more.
“People talk to me when I’m driving them, and
I hear many life stories: I hear a lot of sad stories,
too,” said retired school bus driver Ellie Kingsbury,
Volunteer, Sharp Grossmont Hospital. “I always
try to make my passengers laugh, if possible.”
Novis Naoom, a pre-med student who also drives
the shuttles, said the experience has taught him to
be more compassionate.
“Many of the people I come in contact with are
very anxious, so I’ve learned to be gentle with
them. I’ve learned to be more kind,” he said.
Naoom speaks Arabic, and said it is gratifying to
assist Iraqi- or Chaldean-Americans — one of
Sharp Grossmont’s largest patient populations —
who are having trouble finding their destinations
due to a language barrier.
“People are so appreciative when I can help them,”
Naoom said. “That makes me feel good.”
Help Is NearbyAt Sharp Coronado Hospital, inpatients who take
important blood-thinning medications to prevent
blood clots after joint replacement surgery have
easy access to a pharmacist, stationed on the
medical/surgical floor.
“I’m right there if patients or their family members
have questions about medications they are taking
after surgery,” said Bridget Olson, Pharmacist, Sharp
Coronado Hospital. “Since I am in close proximity,
the care is more interactive and personal.”
In addition to working closely with patients during
their stay, pharmacists attend total joint replace-
ment clinics to educate patients and their family
members about medications prior to surgery, and
they continue to monitor patients’ blood work and
adjust medication dosages for a four-week period
after discharge.
“We’re very hands-on and personal with patients,”
Olson said. “I see them before their surgery at the
total joint class, so I am a familiar face to them
while they’re here.”
The location of the pharmacist’s station — in the
second-floor physician’s dictation room — also
facilitates improved communication between
pharmacists and physicians.
“Better communication between doctors and
pharmacists will always end up benefitting the
patients,” Olson said. “The whole team works
really well together this way.”
Nurturing New MomsWhen new mothers return home from the hospital
after giving birth, many have questions about
breastfeeding and other issues; questions they
didn’t ask while in the hospital. These patients are
relieved and grateful to receive a post-discharge call
from Dianne Randall, Lactation Educator, Sharp
Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns.
“Some of the moms I call have no support with the
breastfeeding issues they are experiencing,” said
Randall, who makes an average of 15 calls per day
to postpartum patients recently discharged from
Sharp Mary Birch. “Some are in a panicked state,
crying, emotionally exhausted, and afraid they are
doing everything wrong.”
In addition to offering breastfeeding advice, Ran-
dall asks the mothers about their experience in the
hospital, and ensures that they have all the help
they need at home. She will refer them to breast-
feeding support groups available at Sharp Mary
Birch — two of which Randall facilitates — and
inform them of the free lactation education available
at the hospital’s New Beginnings Boutique.
“We want to keep the education and the connection
going after patients leave the hospital,” Randall
said. “They absolutely need help, and we don’t want
them to feel like we’re dropping them after they leave.
Instead, we are maintaining a continuous link.”
Many of the mothers who attend the breastfeeding
support groups form lasting friendships, and
continue to attend even after their babies’ first
birthdays, Randall said.
* * *
Nurses, affiliated doctors and therapists certainly
are not the only Sharp team members who care for
patients: Support Services staff members through-
out Sharp — from clerical assistants to access
service representatives — are living proof
that everyone in the organization can make a
significant difference in the lives of patients and
their families. ES
“ The care is more
interactive and personal .”
“We want to keep the connection going after
patients leave.”
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INTRODUCING THE NEW GUEST SERVICES DEPARTMENT BY NICOLE QUIROZ
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Customer service comparable to a high-end hotel is
now available at Sharp Grossmont Hospital, thanks
to the newly created Guest Services department.
The new department was rolled out in July 2011
to enhance the visitor experience at the hospital
and make better connections with patients and
their families. Sandy Pugliese, Manager, Guest
Services, says that the re-branded Front Desk area
provides the means by which her five-person staff
can contribute to the patient care experience.
“We want to go above and beyond expectations
and fulfill those requests that are also out-of-the-
ordinary,” explained Jose Codallos, Supervisor,
Guest Services. “Our goal is to do our very best to
make guests and patients happy.”
Some of these special requests include writing
thoughtful letters on behalf of family members
who are located across the country to their loved
one in the hospital, staying on the phone with
frustrated guests and creating photo flower cards
for patients in the Intensive Care Unit.
Guest Services also offers services to help patients
and family members pass the time in comfort,
providing them with NookTM e-readers, cell phone
docking stations and chargers, and more. One of
the more exciting high-tech amenities being
offered is iPod touches, where patients can do
video conferencing with loved ones, listen to
music, play games and watch movies.
Although some of these enhancements are subtle,
Codallos says it’s all about the little touch of home
that make a patient’s stay at the hospital more
comfortable.
“People are in the hospital at possibly the most
vulnerable time in their lives,” said Codallos. “We
want to give them some of the comforts of home,
such as music they like or a movie, which will lift
their spirits. In other words, we want to provide
The Sharp Experience.” ES
Sharp Grossmont Hospital’s new Guest Services Department shows off some of the hospital’s newest amenities, including the Nook e-reader and the iPod Touch. From left to right: Yesenia Granero, Nicole Pearson, Jose Codallos, Samantha Shelton and Steve Sandoval.
expe
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es SEASIDE FINE DINING CHEFS COOK HEALTHY IN EAST COUNTY Acclaimed chefs from one of San Diego’s most prominent restaurants, The Marine Room, will be cooking up recipes that feature cancer-fighting super foods. Executive Chef Bernard Guillas and Chef de Cuisine Ron Oliver will team up with Candy Cumming, Registered Dietician, Sharp HealthCare, for a free healthy cooking demonstration on Tuesday, Dec. 13. Guests will be able to sample some of the chefs’ recipes, learn cooking techniques and gain health tips. Attendees will also get a chance to win a copy of the chef’s award-winning cookbook, Flying Pans: Two Chefs One World. To register, call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277) or visit sharp.com/grossmont.
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Miguel A. Chavez has traveled the world creating
beautiful paintings and murals that have won him
awards in many countries, including Canada, the
United States, England, Mexico, Guatemala and
his home country, Argentina. After settling in
San Diego, Chavez took a job at Sharp Memorial
Hospital as a Patient Service Attendant, delivering
meals to patients by day and painting by night.
When Lori Wells, Vice President of Clinical
Support, Sharp Memorial Hospital, became aware
of Chavez’s artistic talents, she commissioned him
to create original artwork to adorn the walls of the
Sharp Memorial Cafeteria.
Since healthy food is an important component of
the healing process of all patients, Chavez created
“The Art of Nourishment” — a series of 11 original
oil paintings that showcase the healing power of
food. Chavez’s work with food at Sharp Memorial
now goes full circle, from the patients’ plates to the
colorful paintings that brighten up the cafeteria.
“Miguel brings a passion to his artwork that is
also evidenced every day when he delivers meals to
our patients,” said Al Jimenez, Director of Food
Services, Sharp Memorial Hospital. “We’re proud
to have his paintings displayed in the cafeteria for
everyone to enjoy.” ES
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THE ART OF NOURISHMENT BY AMY CLINE
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SHARP MEMORIAL HOSPITAL ACQUIRES NEW IMAGING TECHNOLOGY The Sharp Memorial Hospital Radiology Department recently acquired the Symbia TruePointTM SPECT-CT system from Siemens Medical Solutions. The increased image clarity of this new technology allows physicians to obtain more detailed information about the location, size, nature and extent of the disease. More accurate diagnostic information will enable physicians to plan treatment more effectively, avoid unnecessary invasive surgery and reduce the risks of necessary surgery. As a result, physicians can better individualize their clinical decision-making and ultimately achieve better outcomes for patients.
experiencevibes
Photo Courtesy of Siemens
Miguel A. Chavez, Patient Service Attendant, Sharp Memorial Hospital, was commissioned to create 11 original oil paintings to adorn the walls of the hospital’s cafeteria.
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It is said that
everyone has a story.
In health care, that
tale is often told
through charts, pre-
scriptions, X-rays and
medical histories; but
the team at Sharp
Coronado Hospital
has introduced a new
tool, My Story, to help
caregivers find out what
patients value most.
The idea came to life
earlier this year when a
resident at Villa Coronado,
Sharp Coronado’s skilled
nursing facility, began
talking to a nurse about
her childhood passion for
softball during a routine
mobility exercise.
“She told the caregiver that she had played as a
girl, and she wished she could watch the children
play at the field across the street [at Tidelands
Park],” said Nancy Lee, Chief Nursing Officer and
Experience Champion, Sharp Coronado Hospital.
“In that one simple conversation we discovered
how to create an unforgettable experience for her,
and that’s when the light bulb went on for us.”
Staff members started taking the resident to games,
and Lee started brainstorming how her team could
connect with other patients in similar ways. She
found her answer in My Story, a printed piece that
encourages caregivers to ask questions that might
otherwise go unanswered.
After being admitted, each patient
(or one of their family members)
meets with a volunteer to fill out a
poster with information like, “My
favorite foods are…, “I enjoy the
aroma of…” and “I’m happiest
when…” Patients can add their
favorite photos or drawings, and the
entire creation gets posted on the
wall above their bed. Every caregiver
who interacts with that patient has
an instant view of the things that
person values most.
“When folks come to us, we know a
lot about them physically, because of
the diagnostic testing and assessments
we do, but we don’t always know
much about them as people,”
Lee said. “My Story gives us an
opportunity to learn who they are,
what is important to them and what
they are passionate about.”
Lee said that My Story is just one of multiple tools
and resources the hospital is using to provide
extraordinary care to patients.
“Our goal with My Story, as with every program
we put in place at Sharp Coronado, is to
personalize and humanize health care for patients,”
Lee said. “That’s how we provide The Sharp
Experience.” ES
MY STORY: STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PATIENTSBY HILLARY SCHULER-JONES
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es CELEBRATING PATIENT-CENTERED CARE AT THE PLANETREE EXPO As a Planetree Designated Hospital, Sharp Coronado is nationally recognized for its commitment to patient-centered care. To highlight the special elements that helped the hospital achieve and maintain its designation, the leadership team held a Planetree Expo for staff that included massages, aromatherapy, Healing Touch sessions, acupuncture workshops and blessings from the Spiritual Care department — all services that are available to patients every day. The event also featured a tea ceremony, a thank-you card station and meditation classes.
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“ Our goal is to personal ize and humanize health care for pat ients.”
My Story helps caregivers learn more personal details about patients’ lives.
Julia Jaramillo felt many things when she was told
she had breast cancer, but more than anything, she
felt alone. Just 39 years old when she was
diagnosed, Jaramillo was a newly single mother of
two young sons and the owner of a struggling
business when she received the news.
“It felt like too much to handle, but I knew I had
to be strong,” Jaramillo said.
Jaramillo began treatment, which included surgery
and chemotherapy, at Sharp Chula Vista Medical
Center and started attending the hospital’s breast
cancer support group, where she found the
strength that carried her through the hardest times
of her ordeal with the disease.
On the day her cancer was declared in remission,
Jaramillo had never been happier, but she knew
her work with the disease wasn’t over: With her
work hours cut in half, Jaramillo decided to
become a volunteer breast cancer patient navigator
in Sharp Chula Vista’s Radiation Therapy
Department, a position created through a
partnership between the department and the
hospital Auxiliary.
“It’s a whole new, scary world for patients to come
into a hospital and face this battery of tests,
treatments and words they’ve never heard before,”
said Lisa Golden, Volunteer Services Manager,
Sharp Chula Vista. “Now they walk through the
front door and have a tangible, real human
connection and that puts them at ease.”
Jaramillo is one of two volunteer breast cancer
patient navigators, an add-on to the hospital’s Breast
Cancer Patient Navigator Program, which provides
personalized information and guidance for patients
and their families. Wearing the same big smile she
wore throughout treatment and with her hair beginning
to grow back, Jaramillo, now 41, visits the hospital
twice a week to help breast cancer patients fill out
paperwork, answer questions and listen to them.
“I understand them because I went through that
process,” Jaramillo said. “I try to tell them that we
have a support system here. We are not alone.” ES
MY STORY: STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PATIENTS
FAREWELL TO A FURRY FRIEND Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center employees said farewell to a special member of the hospital’s pet therapy family — Dakota — in September. Dakota, who succumbed to bone cancer, visited patients at Sharp Chula Vista every week for more than five years. Along with his owner, Sharon Ussery, he made visits to every floor of the hospital, as well as the Emergency Department, Birch Patrick Convalescent Center and Intensive Care Unit. Dakota will be remembered for the smiles he put on the faces of everyone he met.
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FROM SURVIVOR TO SUPPORTER: BREAST CANCER PATIENT FINDS PURPOSE IN NAVIGATOR PROGRAM
BY LAURA FOX
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Julia Jaramillo, a breast cancer survivor, volunteers as a breast cancer patient navigator in Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center’s Radiation Therapy Department.
Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center 9
Jul ia Jaramil lo v is i ts
the hospital twice a
week to help breast
cancer pat ients.
Sharp Rees-Stealy’s Regulatory Compliance
Department is hard at work improving the way the
organization cares for its patients with the
implementation of a new federally mandated
coding program — the International Classification
of Disease (ICD), version 10.
The ICD-10 is a medical classification list for the
coding of diseases, conditions, signs and symptoms
that consists of more than 60,000 alpha-numeric
codes. In the previous version, commonly referred
to as ICD-9, there were only 14,000 codes. The ICD-
10 codes will be used by doctors to more specifically
describe the conditions being diagnosed. The benefit
of this update is that it gives Sharp Rees-Stealy doctors
and staff more specificity for the measuring of qual-
ity, safety and efficacy of care and more viability in
tracking public health risks by insurance companies.
“The implementation of the program will not only
affect the way we diagnose patients, but will
streamline the accounting processes and improve
payment system accuracy with the additional
information that will be provided,” explained
Maria Simas, Business Service Manager, Sharp
Rees-Stealy Regulatory Compliance.
The upgrade to version 10 is not without its
challenges. A significant amount of training will
be necessary since the number of diagnoses has
increased dramatically.
“Training will be conducted for all doctors and
staff members who work directly with ICD-10,”
explained Monica Gamboa, Coding and Compli-
ance Manager, Sharp Rees-Stealy Regulatory
Compliance.
A team, including Simas and Gamboa, are
preparing far in advance to ensure a smooth
transition for all those impacted.
“There is a multidisciplinary, cross-entity steering
committee which oversees the implementation
of ICD-10 across Sharp HealthCare, working
to ensure the system works correctly and that
the doctors and staff are ready for the new
technology,” Simas added. ES
DECODING SHARP REES-STEALY BY MACKENZIE COLLINS
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STAFF SAVES THE DAY WITH A NEW EVACUATION TOOLAt 3:38 p.m. on Sept. 8, Sharp Rees-Stealy and about 1.4 million San Diego and Orange County residents encountered numerous challenges when a massive power outage occurred — leaving many to cope with the sudden loss of energy for more than 15 hours. For the Amputee Support Group meeting on the third floor of Sharp Rees-Stealy Down-town, the challenge to get the meeting attendees out of the building safely was made a little easier with a new piece of equipment — the Stryker Evacuation Chair. The chair has tracks that allow for easy evacuation down a stairwell by a single operator. Lisa Kojima, R.N., Patient Care Supervisor, and Sylvia Rudd, Medical Assistant, safely transported all the amputee patients down three flights of stairs using the chair, which was just installed six months ago. Kojima and Rudd said they were very thankful for the purchase of the Stryker Evacuation Chair and its usefulness in getting everyone out of the building safely.
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Doctors can be more specific when reporting a patient’s condition with the new ICD-10 coding system.
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“ Training will be conducted
for all doctors and staff
members who work
directly with ICD-10.”
GOING GREEN WITH HIGH-TECH CONFERENCING Traveling to off-site meetings and business conferences, whether they are 10 miles away or in another state, can be costly and damaging to the environment. This is why an increasing number of Sharp employees are taking advantage of Video/Telephone conferencing (VTC). Information Services Department Entity Coordinators are available at each entity to consult with employees and facilitate a variety of remote connections — desk-to-desk, room-to-room, or desk-to-room — with the latest in VTC technology. For more information about VTC, contact an Entity Coordinator or call the Technical Assistance Center (TAC) at 858-627-5000.
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HIGH TURNOUT EXPECTED AT 2011 WOMEN’S HEALTH CONFERENCE
BY ROBYN CARTER
experiencepulseJanuary/February Question: Why do you give to Sharp HealthCare?
1) To honor a family member2) To honor a friend3) I’m passionate about a
particular service4) I believe in Sharp’s mission5) Other
What’s your response? Respond to the Experience Sharp poll when posted on the SharpNET home page (http://sharpnet). Results will appear in the January/February issue.
November/December Question:
Which support service do you most rely on?
30% Technical Assistance Center
23% Unit Clerks
8% Environmental Services
27% Security
12% Other
TINA BIRD Women’s Education Lead, Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns
12%
23%
30%
27%
8%
Answer: Other; Room Scheduling
“ We teach childbirth preparation classes seven days a week so our department depends completely on Room Scheduling to ensure we have classrooms in which to teach. We often have last-minute changes and Room Scheduling communi-cates this information in a timely manner so we don’t have any disruptions to scheduled classes.”
After more than two decades of providing quality
health education events for women, Sharp HealthCare
is once again hosting Speaking of Women’s Health, an
exciting, inspirational, one-day conference where
women of all ages from San Diego’s diverse commu-
nities can learn about today’s important health issues.
Conference planners from Sharp’s Strategic Events
department are expecting 850 women to attend
this year’s big event, which will feature dynamic
keynote speakers, informative sessions on health
and fitness, free health screenings and assessments,
Ask-the-Doctor and Ask-the-Pharmacist sessions,
exhibits, a continental breakfast, a three-course
luncheon, and a gift bag filled with fabulous goodies.
“This is an event where you will not only be educated
about women’s health issues, but you will be enter-
tained and inspired,” said Lara Phillips, Manager
of Partnerships and Strategic Events. “Every year,
women have so much fun at this event as they connect
with each other and re-connect with themselves.”
By providing practical and
dependable information in a
stimulating and entertaining
environment, the event is
designed to encourage and
empower women to focus on
themselves, and make lifestyle
changes that will improve
the health and the well-being
of themselves and their
families, Phillips added.
Speakers at this year’s confer-
ence will include motivational
speaker Tami Evans, M.F.A., author and former
broadcaster Christine Cashen, M.A.Ed., and radio
personality Laura Cain. Evans will discuss her
“Travel Guide for Life’s Great Adventure,” giving tips
on making the most of personal journeys, Cashen
will explain “How to Get What You Want With
What You’ve Got,” and Cain will share her story of
addiction and recovery, offering strength and hope.
The event is scheduled for 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday,
Nov. 19 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina
(Harbor Island). Attendees are asked to bring
canned goods for Sharp’s Thanksgiving food drive.
Items will be donated to San Diego Food Bank.
For more information, call 1-800-82-SHARP
(1-800-827-4277) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.
to 6 p.m. To purchase tickets, visit www.sharp.
com/ womensevent.
Visit www.speakingofwomenshealth.com to learn
more about the Speaking of Women’s Health
national program. ES
Women enjoy the Zumba dance break at the 2010 Speaking of Women’s Health Conference.
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Over the last few months, team members have
been sharing goodness far and wide with the
brown bags they received as part of their invitation
to the 11th Annual All-Staff Assembly. Thousands
of employees decided to make a positive difference
for someone else — from providing a care package
to someone in need to giving messages of
encouragement to patients and guests.
As Mike Murphy, President and CEO, Sharp
HealthCare, mentioned at the 11th Annual All-
Staff Assembly, not every idea fits perfectly into a
small brown bag, however. Mr. Murphy then
shared the following story:
As Christina Jordan, Director of Stewardship, was
leaving her office recently, she saw a young man
who appeared to be lost.
“I left Spectrum at 5 p.m. — already late to pick
up my boys from daycare — when a young man
drove up in his small family car looking a little
worried,” Jordan said. “My co-worker, Liz, and I
both noticed two brand new car seats perfectly and
squarely placed in the back seat.”
The man was lost and needed direction to Sharp
Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns to
be there for the birth of his twins.
“I quickly offered to escort him to Sharp Mary
Birch and saw a huge sigh of relief. He followed
me all the way to a parking space, and then I
escorted him to the front lobby. Our compassionate
concierge team took over from there,” Jordan added.
This story is confirmation that every individual at
Sharp can have an impact on the health and wellness
of patients and guests. Some team members don’t have
a direct line to the patient, but all fulfill an impor-
tant role in the experience patients have every day.
“When I left, I gave him a hug and told him to enjoy
his new twins. He called me a few days later to let me
know he made it to see the birth, and thanked me
for going out of my way,” Jordan said. “It makes
me feel great to know that I shared goodness and
made a difference for a patient.”
Like Jordan, everyone at Sharp is a caregiver —
from Support Services to employees who provide
direct patient care — and it is up to each team
member to extend the spirit of The Sharp
Experience every day. ES
1 2 The Sharp Experience
expe
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“ Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
– Margaret Mead, cultural anthropologist and writer
THE 2011 SHARP EXPERIENCEALL-STAFF ASSEMBLY
We believe health care
should be personal.
Newborn twins Brianna and Ian KronenbitterPhoto: Brandon Kronenbitter
WHEN CUSTOMER CARE IS A PASSION, THERE’S NO BETTER PLACE TO BE Helping people — that’s why the Sharp Health Plan Customer Care team is here. Whether it’s answering a question about referrals or explaining benefits, it’s about putting members at ease and providing The Sharp Experience — no matter what the situation. “What I like best about working at Sharp is having the opportunity to make an instant positive impact in a member’s life,” says Kenneth Johnson, Training and Quality Coordinator of the Customer Care Call Center. Based in San Diego, the Customer Care team helps hundreds of valued members each day, working closely with other Plan departments and physician offices to help members receive a quality health care experience.
Employee Feature 13
THE FACES OF SHARP:
EXEMPLARY EMPLOYEE, MOTHER AND HULA DANCER } L U C R E C I A R A G U R O| BY HILLARY SCHULER-JONES
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LEFT: Lucrecia Raguro, Patient Access Services Repre-sentative, Sharp Coronado Hospital, was a competitive hula dancer as a child. RIGHT: Lucrecia Raguro enjoys a recent camping trip with her husband and three sons.
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ROAMERS TAKE THE HASSLE OUT OF VACCINATIONS Instead of the inconvenience of making an appointment or driving to a public clinic to get vaccinated for the flu, Sharp employees can let the vaccine come to them. Flu vaccine roamers — licensed nurses — will make rounds at every Sharp entity throughout the 2011 flu season. Employees who receive the vaccine are automatically entered into a weekly drawing for free movie tickets. The flu vaccine is essential for maintaining good health and preventing the spread of flu to vulnerable populations such as newborns, pregnant women and the elderly. And, despite some misconceptions, it is impossible to get the flu from a vaccine. The deadline for getting the shot or filing a flu vaccine declination form is Dec. 15. For more information about the flu vaccine, and for a vaccine schedule for each Sharp entity, visit SharpNET and click on the “flu” link.
During her eight-year career at Sharp HealthCare,
Lucrecia Raguro, Patient Access Services Represen-
tative, Sharp Coronado Hospital, has earned a stellar
reputation for her ability to communicate with patients
and her willingness to go the extra mile for coworkers.
However, Raguro has a few hidden talents that her
colleagues may not have discovered yet.
“From the age of 3 or 4 through high school, I
took gymnastics, hula, Tahitian and tap dancing
classes,” Raguro said.
A San Diego native, she spent her adolescent years
traveling to hula competitions and performing at
local events with her two sisters. She has even taken
the stage at the Del Mar Fair on numerous occasions.
Today, she is more likely to be seen in a baseball cap
than a grass skirt: She and her husband are active Little
League volunteers, taking on coaching duties and team
management for their three sons, ages 9, 8 and 6.
“We are very family oriented, and we like spending
time together whenever we can,” she said.
When they aren’t at the baseball diamond,
Raguro’s family enjoys visiting relatives in San
Diego and going camping. Some of their favorite
excursions have been to the redwoods in Northern
California and to Lake Tahoe, and she dreams of
international travel in the future.
“My husband and I would love to take our kids to
the Philippines,” she said. “That’s where our families
are from, so we’d like to expose them to the culture.”
Raguro’s dedication to her family is exceptional,
and she applies the same level of commitment to
her role in Patient Access Services, where she col-
laborates with patients, physicians and nurses to
collect data, record billing information and ensure
a smooth flow of communication between all parties
at the hospital. She was recognized for her hard
work in September 2010 when she was named
Sharp Coronado’s Employee of the Month.
As she continues to raise her boys, attend baseball
games, organize family trips and earn distinctions
at work, Raguro is also taking classes through
Indiana State University to complete her bachelor’s
degree in nursing.
But one never knows when she might make time
to perform the hula again. ES
Editor’s note: Lucrecia Raguro recently accepted a new
position as an enrollment specialist at Sharp Health Plan.
LEWELYN ABELON-PASCASIONursing Unit ClerkMedical Intensive Care UnitSharp Chula Vista Medical CenterIn addition to being Sharp Chula Vista’s Employee of the Month, Lewelyn was named by her team to be the first ICU Employee of the Month in November 2010.
PACITA GUILLERMONursing Assistant Medical/Surgical UnitSharp Coronado HospitalPacita loves to spend time in her garden when she’s not at work, and Hawaii is her favorite place to visit.
DWIGHT RODRIGUEZShop Lead PainterEngineering Sharp Memorial HospitalDwight won first place at the 2011 San Diego County Fair with a two-story doll house he built. Complete with kitchen and bath, he made all of the house’s furniture and fixtures.
ALFREDO ALMEDACharge TechnicianSupply Chain ServicesSharp Memorial HospitalAl has never missed a day of church! If it isn’t Wednesday or Sunday, he’ll likely be riding bikes with his wife and son.
LARYNDA JONES, R.N.Clinical SupervisorSharp Home CareLarynda and her husband are starting a new venture and opening a business together.
ANISSA SHARMAPatient Access Service RepresentativeWomen’s ImagingSharp Memorial Outpatient PavilionWith seven brothers and one sister, holidays are all about family for Anissa. Fortunately, they all live in San Diego, so there’s no out-of-town holiday travel to plan.
VICTOR ARANDALift Team TechnicianPatient TransportSharp Chula Vista Medical CenterVictor enjoys watching his three children play soccer, and he occasionally plays with them.
KIM KUMORAdministrative AssistantInformation Services Department System ServicesKim loves to experiment in the kitchen, cooking new meals with her daughters, ages 6 and 10.
TRENA STEWARDAccount Analyst IIISharp Home CareTrena enjoys singing and dancing in her band, Makai. She can also be found at local casinos launching her new band, Ultra.
REBECCA DEAL Computer Tomography TechnologistImagingSharp Memorial Outpatient PavilionRebecca didn’t stray far from her childhood roots. She attended Kearny High and Mesa College and still lives two miles from campus.
EMILY PARKERLead Sterile Processing and Distribution TechnicianSupply DistributionSharp Grossmont HospitalWhen she’s not working at the hospital, Emily can be seen around town as a real estate agent.
TRACEY TAKEUCHIPhysical Therapist IIRehabilitation Services Sharp Grossmont HospitalTracey loves to take her kids hiking.
JACLYN FRALEY, R.N.Clinical NurseLabor and DeliverySharp Mary Birch HospitalJaclyn loves to cook, bake, eat and bike. The biking makes up for the cooking, baking and eating.
ARLENE PIZANO-SIEGRISTAdministrative AssistantAdministrationSharp Chula Vista Medical CenterArlene and her husband, Bill, enjoy “healthy” happy hour every Friday after work: They go cycling together.
SUSAN WILLIAMS, R.N.Clinical NurseEast Wing IISharp Mesa Vista HospitalSusan is off to a silent retreat for her birthday. She will incorporate “the progression of silence into mindfulness” for patient therapy.
MCKINSEY FRYE, R.N.Clinical NurseLabor and Delivery Sharp Mary Birch HospitalMcKinsey caught a 20” trout after having not fished for five years: She must have inherited the gene from her family of avid fishermen.
CHERYL PORTER, R.N.Utilization Review/ Quality Assurance AnalystSharp Home CareCheryl enjoys caring for her “big pet,” a 37-year-old Mustang horse she’s had for 28 years. With arthritis and advanced age, this geriatric equine lives the good life.
JANET WHELAN, R.N.Clinical NursePre-anesthesia Admission Evaluation ServiceSharp Coronado HospitalJanet spends her time kayaking with her husband, walking on the beach and collecting sea glass and shells.
ALFIE FULLENRegistered DieticianFood and Nutrition ServicesSharp Mesa Vista HospitalAlfie was honored by San Diego State University faculty in 2009 as the Outstanding Foods and Nutrition Graduate in the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts.
RACHEL REIDAdministrative AssistantSharp HospiceCareRachel likes to write and sing gospel music, and her performances have been featured on television and radio.
ANDREW YEUNGSystem Consultant PharmacistPharmacySharp Chula Vista Medical CenterAndrew exercises so he can eat more of the foods he loves.
EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH
Recognize a deserving individual by nominating him or her for Employee of the Month. Nomination forms are available on SharpNET by selecting “E” for “Employee of the Month Form.”