Rxtra - January 2007 - Hartford Hospital!

RxTra
A publication for the employees of Hartford Hospital January 29, 2007 Vol. 63 No. 5
The elevator tower and canopied
entrance to 85 Seymour Street Medical
Building nears the April completion
date. These features will afford easier
access to the medical building, Hartford
Hospital and CCMC, and will provide
in-lobby payment for parking and a
more-rapid exit from the garage with
the addition of a third exit gate.

Joseph D’Amato
appointed director
of Patient Relations
Joseph D’Amato, a 12-year
member of the Patient Relations
staff, has been appointed director of
that department. His career spans
more than 31 years, beginning as
a psychiatric aide at the Institute
of Living in 1975, shortly after
graduating from Southern
Connecticut State College with a
baccalaureate degree in psychology.
He was promoted to unit
coordinator for an inpatient
psychiatric unit, holding
responsibilities for 28 patients and
20 staff. In 1985, Mr. D’Amato was
promoted to patient advocate for
the Institute of Living, and joined
Hartford Hospital’s Patient Relations
Department shortly after the IOL’s
psychiatric services were consolidated
with Hartford Hospital’s. Until
his recent promotion, he served as
a patient advocate, working with
patients and families on both the IOL
and Hartford Hospital campuses.
Chris Woods named Engineering
Department’s Employee of the Year
Chris Woods, an
eight-year member of the
Engineering Department’s
Carpentry Division, was
elected that department’s
Employee of the Year.
Chris was among other
department candidates
nominated by their peers,
and won the award in a
secret ballot conducted
by the approximately
80 department members
who were present for the
Engineering Department’s
annual holiday breakfast.
The award recognizes
consistently high levels of
Service Excellence, a willingness
to help others without question,
and a cheerful attitude to all. In
addition to his full-time duties
within Engineering, he has
contributed 825 hours of service
to Palliative Care and the Trauma
After Care Program. “Chris has
always been willing to go above
and beyond, whether it be setting
up an event, or making special
calls,” said Volunteer Services
Manager Kelley Boothby.
Previous Engineering
Department staff members to
receive the departmental award
include John Gagliardi (a,k.a.
Santa Claus), and past president
of the Employees’ Council, John
Wrobel.
Jefferson House attains “near perfect” score
on Medicare/Medicaid unannounced survey
Jefferson House, Hartford Hospital’s subacute and long-term care
nursing home, located in Newington, attained a near-perfect score on
its recent unannounced Medicare/Medicaid survey conducted by the
Connecticut Department of Public Health. The survey, conducted
over 3½ days, looked at nursing care, dietary, social services, quality
initiatives, medical records and environment of care.
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Finalists for Employee of the Year — 2007
Greg Bickford
CSS
Edith Clark, R.N.
Cancer Research
Dottie Crampton
IOL Administration
Gerald Cyr
Radiation Oncology
Yvonne Duncan
Cedar Mt. Commons
Sue Hamilton, R.N.C.
Labor & Delivery
Jason Hamm, R.N.
B10 ICU
Darlene Henry
Security
Ann Hooker, R.N.
C9WI
Gail Raposa
OPD Surgical Clinic
Margaret Skuza, CNA
Jefferson House
Diane Spooner-Kelly
Corporate Accounting
Christopher Woods
Carpentry Div., Engineeering
One of these individuals, all nominated by their peers and selected from
all nominees by their supervisors and management members to represent their
departments, will be selected through secret ballot as Hartford Hospital’s next
Employee of the Year. The selection is made during a special meeting of the
Executive Board of the Employees’ Council, and the winner will be announced
February 15 at a special ceremony in the main cafeteria at noon.
The Employee of the Year for 2007 will receive a $2,000 check,
recognition in the Hartford Courant, and a reserved parking space for one year.
All finalists will also receive a reserved parking space in recognition of being
chosen as a finalist.
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Hartford Hospital dedicates area for Siemens
Radiographic & Fluoroscopic system and
Konica’s Computed Radiography equipment
The Imaging
Center of
Hartford
Hospital held
an open house
November 2
to introduce
the addition
of Siemens’
Radiographic
& Fluoroscopic
(R&F)
equipment and
the technology
of Konica’s
Computed
Radiography
(CR) to the
General
Diagnostic
section. The
Siemens
Cutting the ribbon at the R&F/CR equipment dedication
are (from left) Radiology Director Robert Rice; Vice
President John Fagan; Stuart Markowitz, M.D., chairman,
Department of Radiology and director, Section of
Gastroeintestinal Radiology; and President and CEO John
Meehan.
Sireskop design accommodates digital imaging from pediatric to bariatric
patients while maintaining low-dose radiation. All gastrointestinal tract
studies and other fluoroscopic procedures are performed using special features
paramount for these unique exams.
The technology of Konica Computed Radiography enhances efficiency by
allowing images to be processed at the point of patient care. This enhancement
delivers ease of workflow and provides immediate accessibility of images
through the department’s PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication
Systems) distribution.
Harold Schwartz,
M.D., elected to
NAPHS Board of
Trustees
Harold Schwartz, M.D.,
psychiatrist-in-chief and vice
president for Behavioral Health,
Institute of Living, has been
elected to the Board of Trustees
of the National Association
of Psychiatric Health Systems
(NAPHS). He was elected to a
three-year term that began January
1, 2007.
Also elected to that board
is Stephen W. Larcen, Ph.D.,
president and chief executive
officer, Natchaug Hospital, Inc.,
and vice president, Behavioral
Health, Hartford Healthcare, in
Mansfield Center. Natchaug
Hospital is a member of Hartford
Healthcare Corporation’s
Behavioral Health network.
The NAPHS board includes 20
additional members representing
the diversity of the NAPHS
membership. NAPHS advocates
for behavioral health and
represents provider systems that
are committed to the delivery
Continued on page 9
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IOL Annual
Toy Tea
The Institute of Living’s Auxiliary held its
annual Toy Tea, hosted by Susan and Frank Falvo,
Jr., in old Wethersfield. The event raised $2,700
in donations and gift cards for IOL programs, lots
of toys for children’s programs, and an astounding
$2,100 worth of toys from June’s Outback Pub in
Killingworth. Programs that benefited from the
donations and toys included Child and Adolescent
Services, Geriatric Services, Rehab Services. Adult
Day Programs, and those for the children of the
Grace Webb Schools. “It is always a joyous way
to start the season,” said Leslie Watson, manager
of the IOL Auxiliary Shop, and chairperson of the
Toy Tea.
In the photo above right, several bags of
toys are prepared to be delivered to the IOL.
From left are: IOL Auxiliary Past-President
Renée Picard-Walsh, June and Dave Vigliatto
of June’s Outback Pub; Karen Hyneck, Aetna;
IOL Auxiliary President Jenefer Berall; and
Leslie Watson.
At right, tea servers Linda Spatz (former
Auxiliary president) and Auxiliary Board
Member Mary Jane Madigan. At far right,
Toy Tea attendees discovered a great holiday
selection in the Auxiliary Shop’s Boutique set
up in the Falvo home for that day.
IOL Assessment Center contributes to “Warm
Up America!” foundation during holidays
During the busy holiday season, the staff of the IOL Assessment Center
(AC) dedicated some of their time to contribute to the “Warm Up America!”
foundation, a charitable organization that provides afghans to individuals and
families in need. AC staff members, who knit or crochet, collected their left
over yarn and created a vast assortment of 9”x7” afghan squares in a myriad of
colors, textures and patterns.
In all, 66 squares were sent to the foundation headquarters to be joined into
afghans. Agencies that receive these afghans include women’s shelters, nursing
homes, children’s hospitals, hospices, veterans’ homes, American Red Cross
chapters, homeless shelters, AIDS facilities and churches.
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Mark your calendars now ...
Sunday, June 3
the 2nd annual
Employees’ Council
Family Day at
LAke Compounce !
Watch for more
information soon !

Highlights of the “Improving Care for Hospitalized Older Adults: A Growing
Challenge” symposium; two share title “G.R.N. of the Year for 2006”
The Hartford Hospital Division of
Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology
and the Connecticut Geriatrics
Society co-sponsored their fifth
annual symposium on December
8, entitled “Improving Care for
Hospitalized Older Adults: A
Growing Challenge.”
The 60 participants represented
physicians, nurses and other
health care professionals from 10
hospitals throughout Connecticut
and Massachusetts, as well as from
several extended-care facilities, home
care agencies and universities.
Twenty-six geriatric resource
nurses (G.R.N.s) from various units
at Hartford Hospital attended the
conference. Four geriatric resource
nurses, representing Oncology
(B5), Surgery (Bliss 8), Medicine
(N12), and General Med/Surg (CB5)
units, gave presentations on the
implementation and outcomes of their
roles.
At the conference, Mary Kate
Eanniello, G.R.N., and Sally
Lundberg, G.R.N., both from Bliss
5, were selected as co-recipients of
the “Hartford Hospital G.R.N. of the
Year for 2006” award.
The goal of the conference was to
provide a forum for sharing creative
and successful strategies designed
to improve the care provided to
hospitalized older adults through the
use of the G.R.N. model.
The conference began with a
presentation by Laura Caramanica,
R.N., Ph.D., vice president for
Nursing at Hartford Hospital, on the
topic of “Creating
an Elder-Friendly
Hospital.”
Christine
Waszynski, A.P.R.N.,
gave an update on the
accomplishments of
the Geriatric Program
in 2006, highlighting
new programs and
research.
At the conference, Mary Kate Eanniello, G.R.N.,
Kelley Budlong,
(above left) and Sally Lundberg, G.R.N., both from
G.R.N., (CB5) Bliss 5, were selected as co-recipients of the “Hartford
discussed a pilot Hospital G.R.N. of the Year for 2006.”
project on her unit to
decrease falls.
falls and the need for medical
Mary Kate Eanniello, G.R.N. restraints throughout 2006.
(B5) and Colleen Mulkerin, L.C.S.W. Christine Tocchi, A.P.R.N., from
(Palliative Care), shared a very Bridgeport Hospital, described the
informative overview of palliative implementation of a G.R.N. program
care in geriatrics.
at that hospital. Kathy Urban, R.N.,
Jane Reardon, A.P.R.N., provided and Jamie Curley, R.N., from St.
an discussion of pharmacological Francis Hospital, presented their
considerations in the older adult. project, “Delirium Prevention and
Registered Nurses Deedee Management.”
Greco (N12) and Carol Lightbody
Christine Waszynski,
(B8) described their strategy and A.P.R.N., said that attendees
achievements in implementing expressed very positive comments
the role of the G.R.N. on their about this conference. “They left
unit. They shared case examples energized to implement additional
where specific interventions were creative strategies to meet the needs
utilized to improve outcomes for of older adults in their care settings,”
older patients. Common themes she added, and expressed a “special
were early recognition of high- risk thanks to all the individuals and
older adults and prompt initiation departments who helped make this
of supportive strategies to preserve conference a success.”
function and minimize excess
disability. They cited cognitive
stimulation, early mobilization, use of
restraint alternatives and diversionary
activities that have helped to decrease
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East Haven schools’ charitable programs brighten up IOL patients’ holidays
For the past few years,
teachers and students of East
Haven’s Ferrara School and the
Joseph Melillo Middle School
have touched the lives of many
individuals at the Institute of
Living during the holidays.
IOL Occupational Therapist
Erica DeFrancesco would often
talk to her mother about how
difficult it must be for so many
individuals to be hospitalized
during the holiday season. Her
mother, a second grade teacher
in East Haven, proposed that her
school might be able to help out
in some way. That same year,
the Middle School Honor Society
organized a “giving tree,” and well
over a hundred gifts were donated
to the adults on the inpatient units.
This past year marked the
fourth year that East Haven
schools have donated gifts to the
IOL. In addition to the middle
school students who donate gifts
yearly, the teachers also donate
generous gifts. As the number
of gifts has grown, the child and
adolescent, as well as the geriatric
inpatient units, benefited from this
year’s donations.
On the geriatric unit (Donnelly
1 North), gifts were customized
according to individual needs
and interests. One patient had
been in the hospital for a few
weeks, and one of his biggest
passions was Notre Dame football.
For Hanukkah, he was given a
beautiful Notre Dame blanket.
The smile on that man’s face
will never be forgotten because it
meant so much to him!
Among the many gifts
were clothing, blankets, art
supplies, board games, lotions,
and candy. The Rehabilitation
Department staff were
instrumental in assembling the
gifts and distributing them to the
appropriate units.
Erica DeFrancesco expressed
the gratitude of the staff and
patients in thanking Catherine
DeFrancesco “and the many
teachers and students at Ferrara
School and Joseph Melillo Middle
School for their kindness and
generosity. They continue to give
selflessly each year, and in doing
so, they make a positive impact
on the lives of those with mental
illness during the holidays.”
Radiography and Radiation Therapy students extend thanks
The Hartford Hospital
Radiography and
Radiation Therapy
Students would like to
extend a giant “thank
you” to all who helped
to support their holiday
FOODSHARE food
drive. In the first two
weeks of December,
they collected a total of
1,385 food items and
$125 in cash donations
for FOODSHARE.
What a fantastic support
effort from the Hartford
Hospital community
for those in need!
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The Movie Club Says:
Several staff member at the Newington campus offices have formed a movie
club, and they’d like to share their impressions of current films with their fellow
staffers. Following is the second of their movie reviews.
Dreamgirls
PG13, Musical, 2 hrs 10 min
Opens on December 15, 2006 Limited
Nationwide Release December 25, 2006
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles, Anika Noni
Rose, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, and Introducing
Jennifer Hudson
Reviewed By: Chris Owens for the Newington Movie Club
This is the big one for musical lovers. Dreamgirls features an all-star cast,
which brings the Tony Award-winning Dreamsgirls to life. The time is set
in the 1960s, and singers Effie (Jennifer Hudson), Lorrell (Anika Noni Rose)
and Deena (Beyoncé Knowles) are about to find out just what it’s like to have
their wildest dreams come true. Discovered at a local talent show by ambitious
manager Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jamie Foxx), the trio known as “the Dreamettes” is
soon offered the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of opening for popular singer
James “Thunder” Early (Eddie Murphy).
The movie is an adaptation of the 1980 Broadway musical of the same
name, and is loosely based on the rise of Motown Records and the legendary
Supremes, Diana Ross and Barry Gordy. The movie’s high points are the 60s
scenery, songs, fashions and set designs.
Jamie Fox does a wonderful job as an insensitive manager, boy friend and
record executive. Beyonce isn’t much of an actress yet, but give her time; the
camera loves her. In-addition, Bloomfield, CT native and Tony Award winner
Anika Noni Rose is very creditable in the (Mary Wilson) role of Lorrell.
However, the movies success comes from the high energy performances of
comedian Eddie Murphy and former American Idol case-off Jennifer Hudson.
Murphy gives a Oscar creditable performance as the womanizing, ego driven,
drug using “James ‘Thunder’ Early,” a cross between Jackie Wilson and
James Brown. Moreover, Jennifer Hudson gives an even more than creditable
performance as Effie White. Hudson plays the role of Effie White and gives
the show-stopping “And I’m telling you I’m not going,” performance of the
movie. Hudson, a season three cast-off from American Idol, has already been
nominated for a Golden Globe, Screen Actors, and should be nominated for an
Oscar as well. Hudson and Murphy help to pull the movie through a few slow
moments by added injections of energy and substance.
Black & Red gala, to
be held February 17
Hartford Hospital’s signature fundraising
event, the Black & Red gala,
will be held on Saturday, February
17, 2007, at The Bushnell.
This year’s gala will benefit The
Chest Pain Center, a collaborative
effort among Hartford Hospital’s
Emergency Department, Cardiology
Division, LIFESTAR, other local
emergency medical systems, and the
Nursing Department.
Ticket prices start at $250 per
person. For more information on this
event please visit www.harthosp.org/
giving or call the Fund Development
office at 545-2161.
NAPHS election, conticued from page 5
of responsive, accountable, and
clinically effective prevention,
treatment, and care for children,
adolescents, adults, and older
adults with mental and substance
use disorders. Its members
are behavioral healthcare
provider organizations that
own or manage more than 600
specialty psychiatric hospitals,
general hospital psychiatric and
addiction treatment units and
behavioral healthcare divisions,
residential treatment facilities,
youth services organizations, and
extensive outpatient networks. The
association was founded in 1933.
Dreamgirls is this year’s version of Chicago, fresh with a strong cast, great
songs, screen grabbing visuals.
The Movie Club gives this movie 4 ½ REELS out of 5
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Service Awards
December
20, 2006
Mary Ekwall, R.N., (holding flowers) is congratulated on
achieving 30 years of service to Hartford Hospital this past
December by (from left) Executive Vice President and
COO Kevin Hannifan, WAHS Co-Director Jack Greene,
M.D., and WAHS Nurse Director Lynn Deasy, R.N.
Below, upon receiving their 20-year service pins,
Domenica Dellaripa and Mighel Colon (third and
fourth from left) are congratulated by (from left) Mr.
Hannifan, B9E/SD Nurse Manager Anne Cronin, R.N.,
Cardiovascular Nurse Director Karen Habig, R.N., and
Environmental Services IOL Supervisor Charles McNamar.
30 Years
Judith Ebbets, Psych. Pre-admissions
Mary Ekwall, Delivery Room
25 Years
William Greenwood, Electrical, Engineering
Jose Rivera, Main Storeroom
20 Years
Miguel Colon, Environmental Services
Domenica Dellaripa, Surgical Service, Bliss 9 E
15 Years
Susan Atamian, ECT
Diane Braga Women’s Ambulatory Health Services
David Chicoine, OR
Concetta Filippa, Cafeteria Vending
Alfred Herzog, MD, Administration
Valerie Lavake, NE Regional Rad.-Onc. Network
Sonia Rodriguez, Medicine Services, Bliss 11 E
Robert Waddington, Radiology, Emergency Department
10 Years
Steven Alexandre, HHREC Administration
Barbara Boucher, Medicare, Patient Accounts
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At left, marking their 10th anniversary with Hartford
Hospital, John Maura and Roselyn Diaz received
congratulations and their service pins from Mr. Hannifan.
William Campeau, Cardioperfusion, OR
Roselyn Diaz, Women’s Ambulatory Health Services
Rosario Jordan, Psychological Testing
Gretchen Levitz, Women’s Ambulatory Health Services
John Maura, Mechanical, Engineering
Dennis Naumec, Paint Ship, Engineering
Julie Ochoa, Community Care Center
Desiree Schieding, Special Education, Cheshire
Iris Soto, Breast Diagnostic Center
5 Years
Kristopher Armogida, Mechanical, Engineering
Sheila Belzer, Health Science Libraries
Ambrozene Bennett, Medicine Services, North 12
Igor Bouziachvili, Materials Management, OR
Adam Dawidczyk, Surgical Services, Bliss 9 ICU
Yolanda Diaz, Donnelly 1 North
Jeanne Fedee, Surgical services, Bliss 7 East
Lydia Gonzalez, Case Coordinator, Care Continuum
Carol Harrison , Central Sterile Supply
Myqerem Hoxha, Food & Nutrition Services
Nancy Janus, PHP/Adult Day Treatment

Service Awards Continued from page 10
Five-year service pin recipients attending the December ceremony were (from left of Mr. Hannifan), Donna Safarova,
Igor Bouziachvili, Jocelyn Martinez, Kristopher Armogida, Sheila Belzer, Joseph Marrero, Mygerem Hoxha, Rachel
McLean, Jose Medina, Marisol Rodriguez and Nancy Janus.
Recognizing 500-hours of volunteer
service, Jeannine Adkins (Emergency
Department) and Marie Menut
(Integrative Medicine) — fourth and
fifth from left, respectively — received
service pins from Mr. Hannifan.
Also attending the ceremony were
(from left of Mr. Hannifan) Volunteer
Services Manager Kelley Boothby;
Trauma Coordinator Jacqueline
McQuay; Integrative Medicine
Director Marcia Rothwell; and
Volunteer Services Coordinator Erin
McCallon-Estremera.
At the December 20 ceremony, a special tribute was paid
to two hospital staff members who are major blood donors.
At right, Kevin Hannifan; Hartford Hospital Blood Drive
Coordinator Erin McCallon-Estremera; Peter Adelsberger,
program manager for IOL’s Buckingham House, who
donated 111 units of blood; and American Red Cross Blood
Drive Representative Elsie Melita. Not present at the
ceremony was Marian Dziama, Transfusion Services, who
was recognized for her contribution of 93 units of blood.
5 Years, continued from page 10
Karen Lockert, Case Coordinator, Care Continuum
Patricia Lohan, Respiratory Care
Joseph Marrero, Security
Jocelyn Martinez, Security
Richard McGaughey, Security
Rachel McLean, Radiology/MRI
Jose Medina, Main Storeroom
James Morris, Radiology
Lisa Nelson, Donnelly 3 North
Jiao Norah, Pharmacy
Jamie Norena, Environmental Services
Michele Reale, Radiology
Rosa Rios, Surgical Services, North 11
Marisol Rodriguez, Arrythmia Canter
Donara Safarova, Food & Nutrition Services
Candice Smith, Medicine Services, Bliss 6
Lalin Villafane, Ob/Gyn, North 8
Pauline Wages, Donnelly 2 South
Melton Walters, Environmental Services
Alison Wellman, Medical Ed./Child Psychiatry
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Jason Alster, M.Sc., a member of the EEG, Neurodiagnostics and the Sleep Labs at Hartford Hospital,
is the featured artist in Hartford Hospital’s Art Gallery through March 1. He says his artistic achievements came later in
life, after having worked in the field of neurosciences and special education. Jason has explored how the “artistic mode
of seeing” is acquired either naturally, or by development and instruction. His art is a reflective journey in the study of
this question. Jason likes to paint nature and the simple things in life and this process builds on the tranquility that he
seeks. He currently uses the pastel medium to achieve a soft, impressionistic effect in his work. Jason has written and
illustrated a book, Creative Painting for the Young Artist (insert above), which helps youngsters learn techniques for
developing their artistically creative potential. The book is especially well-suited for dysgraphic students and people
who lack artistic confidence.
RxTra
is published by Corporate
Communications, Joseph
E. Canning, Editor (860-
545-2199 or send an e-mail
to him at jcannin@harthosp.org). The deadline
for submitting material for publication in the
weekly Rxtra is 10 days before the publishing
date. For the end-of-month, multipaged edition,
material (including photos and graphics) must be
submitted no later than the 12th of the month in
which the material will appear. This publication
is printed by Hartford Hospital’s Digital Print
Center.
Nonprofi t Organization
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Hartford, CT
Permit No. 4361
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