Gold Star & Golden Lure - Trident Health System

The
Gold Star &
Golden Lure
Award Winners
Announced
Inside
Employee Newsletter for Trident Health System
Pat Gerwig (Left)
Sonja Henderson (Right)
Frist Award Winners

Message
From the President & CEO
“If Mama ain’t happy, nobody’s happy!”
Its employee survey time! Measuring employee satisfaction is a good way to check in on our progress and journey, but its caused me to
look into really what we are measuring or trying to find out. To get at that, I looked up the definition of satisfaction:
sat-is-fac-tion: noun
1. a. The fulfillment or gratification of a desire, need, or appetite.
b. Pleasure or contentment derived from such gratification.
c. A source or means of gratification.
2. a. Compensation for injury or loss; reparation.
b. The opportunity to avenge a wrong; vindication.
c. Assurance beyond doubt or question; complete conviction.
For some reason, these all seem a little off to what we are trying to measure with the employee satisfaction survey. To me, measuring
employee satisfaction gauges the level of happiness a person has about their job. Might sound simple, but a happy employee will be a
better employee and help Trident Health System take better care of our patients. Happy employees will stay with us longer and share
their higher level of competence, make improvements in the job, advance, and be more committed to quality and satisfaction for our
patients. So, just like the old saying goes, if mama (our employees) ain’t happy, nobody’s (our patients) happy. Our patients can tell if
we truly enjoy our work and they are telling us this with our patient satisfaction surveys. Thank you!
In this issue, you’ll see a number of improvements we‘ve completed
to make this a better place to work. One of the big changes we
have made is beefing up communication. Towards that end,
I have enjoyed sending you the Friday Snapshot’s, sharing my
perspectives, pet peeves, what’s kept me busy, and recognizing
the great work of our staff. I appreciate all the feedback you have
given me about these notes and look for these to continue.
So maybe the formal definition of Satisfaction doesn’t really fit,
but I think this quote by Margaret Thatcher fits well, particularly
given the important work we do:
“Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It’s
not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it’s when
you’ve had everything to do, and you’ve done it.” Over the
next few days, you will be invited, encouraged, cajoled, and
pushed to take the employee survey. Please take the time to
do this for me. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Summerville Medical Center Cardiac Rehab.
Todd Gallati, FACHE
President/CEO
Trident Health System
2 Pulse | 2nd Quarter
Because of you, we provided staff with opportunities to earn Continuing Education Units.

New TMC Clinic
Helps Patients Battle Heart Failure
waits too long to see a health care
professional, they can go right back
into heart failure. Walters adds that a
positive impact needs to be made on
the patient quickly, giving them the best
chance at survival. “When they eat the
wrong type of foods, retain too much
fluid or skip their medication, that’s a
combination to end up right back in the
hospital.” The AHA reports that about
10% of patients diagnosed with heart
failure die within one year, and about
50% die within 5 years. Symptoms of
heart failure include shortness of breath
when lying down, general fatigue and
weakness, as well as difficulty sleeping
and swelling.
The Heart Failure Clinic program begins
with a one hour session educating the
patient on what heart failure is, what
their treatment will entail, proper
foods they should be eating and the
importance of taking their medications.
Patients have the opportunity to ask
questions their cardiologist or primary
care physician may not have had time
to answer. The Clinic works closely with
the patient’s cardiologist, making
coordination of care a top priority.
According
to the American Heart
Association (AHA), 5 million people
experience heart failure each year in
the United States and an additional
550,000 cases are diagnosed each year.
Those numbers are staggering but new
services at Trident Health System are
giving patients a way to battle their
heart failure. “Two things make a huge
difference in the lives of heart failure
patients, early follow up and education,”
said Allison Walters, Assistant Vice
President of Cardiovascular Services at
Trident Health System. Sometimes a
patient’s cardiologist or primary care
physician can’t see them right after they
are discharged. Trident Health System’s
new Heart Failure Clinic gives individuals
the attention they need after they are
released from the hospital. The Clinic
takes every necessary step to help
ensure the patient’s heart failure
doesn’t worsen.
When a patient sees a health care
provider 24 hours after discharge, it
reduces the chances that they’ll be
back in the hospital. If an individual
In addition to educating the patient and
their family, Trident’s Heart Failure Clinic
provides a physical exam, EKG and IV
Diuretic treatment to help avoid an
emergency department visit. “After the
first session, patients feel extremely
relieved. It helps to have every one
of your questions answered,” added
Walters. The Clinic lasts between 12-20
weeks, depending on the patients’ needs.
Individuals meet every other week and a
referral is not needed.
For more information on the Heart
Failure Clinic, please call 843-847-4957.
Because of you, more action plans were developed for departments across THS.
Pulse | 2nd Quarter 3

4 Pulse | 2nd Quarter
Dr. Neil McDevitt
Bariatric Surgeon

New Bariatric Weight
Loss Program Is Changing Lives
Dolores Surprenant’s wake-up call
came in 2008 when she was hospitalized
with congestive heart failure. She was
425 pounds, and while the excess weight
was clearly affecting her health, she
found she couldn’t lose it on her own.
Through research, she found Dr. Neil
McDevitt, MD, a board certified general
surgeon who specializes in bariatric
medicine, or weight loss treatments, and
who recently joined Trident Health System.
Dr. McDevitt’s program was a good fit,
says Surprenant, and her weight dropped
to 300 pounds, but she wanted “to do
better.” After further consultation with
Dr. McDevitt, she decided to have LAP-
BAND surgery as an increasing number
of obese individuals have done in recent
years, not merely for aesthetic reasons
but often to resolve cardiovascular issues
or target other health problems such
as diabetes and sleep apnea. After
the surgery, she eventually reached 220
pounds — nearly half the weight she once
was — and she is quick to credit Dr. McDevitt
for his role in the transformation.
“I have never met a doctor who puts
so much of himself into what he does,”
she says, adding that her doctor even
answers questions via Facebook. “He has
given me so much confidence.” Known
for the supportive nature of his weightloss
program Dr. McDevitt has teamed
up with Trident Health System in
establishing Coastal Carolina Bariatric
Center in Summerville.
Dr. McDevitt adds that the community is a
main reason he chose to open his practice
with Trident Health System. “Summerville
Medical Center has an intimate atmosphere,
a history of quality care, and a personal
feel that personifies our program.”
What sets this program apart is that it
is rooted in the community it serves.
He recalls how he and his staff once
celebrated a patient’s loss of 200 pounds
by going kayaking with the program’s
bariatric support group. “We took a
bunch of people who would have never
dreamed of getting in a kayak and
spent a day on the water,” he recalls.
“Making sure patients realize they are
not alone is a key part of our success.”
When patients are referred to the
Center they must first attend an
information seminar before undergoing
a comprehensive educational program
utilizing a dietician, exercise physiologist,
and an independent psychologist before
obtaining their procedure. As far as surgery,
the center currently focuses on two
options. The Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass,
which Dr. McDevitt performs laparoscopically,
reduces the stomach’s size and
also prevents the absorption of calories
in the small intestine. It is the most common
weight loss surgery in the U.S. LAP-BAND
surgery also is a laparoscopic procedure,
but in this case, the surgeon places a band
around the upper part of the stomach,
causing an hourglass effect that makes the
patient feel full more quickly, while also
affecting hormone levels.
Bariatric surgery gained greater
recognition on South Carolina’s health
stage last year when lawmakers approved
a pilot program that would cover the
surgery’s costs for 100 state employees.
Moreover, new research from the Medical
College of Georgia suggests that severely
obese patients who have gastric bypass
surgery can expect stabilization or possible
reversal of heart abnormalities. The
findings, published in the Feb. 8 issue of
the Journal of the American College of
Cardiology, also indicate a potential
long-term payoff in cardiovascular
health. That should be good news to
Surprenant — but not necessarily a
surprise after her success with bariatric
surgery. “It has changed my life,” she
says. “I live so much better.” For more
information, please call Coastal Carolina
Bariatric Center at 843-875-8994.
Bariatric Support Group kayak trip.
Because of you, Employee Voice Committee took part in developing the action plans.
Pulse | 2nd Quarter 5

New Faces at Trident
Lori M. Reed,
RN Cardiovascular Liaison
Alison M. Albano,
RN
Stephanie A. Case,
RN
Angela H. Smith,
RN
Rachel K. Beddoe,
RN Med/Surg (SMC)
Allison M. Krakeel,
RN Emergency Svcs (SMC)
Christopher S. Kling,
Resp. Therapist RRT II PRN
Megan P. Benardo,
RN Float Pool Plan 3
Jasmine L. Jarvis,
Patient Care Tech
Jessica N. Jackson,
Patient Support Tech
Elaina L. Pyle,
RN Plan A PRN
Hannah S. Creed,
RN Plan A PRN
Mary M. Collins,
Spv-FANS
Catherine E. Hillyer,
FANS Asst
Tanisha I. Hutchinson,
Diet Clerk
Landon F. Marina,
Diet Clerk
Corey J. Muhammad,
FANS Asst
Courtney A. Wragg,
FANS - Room Serv. Host/Hostess
Catherine A. Crosby,
RN Labor & Delivery
Tara M. Sullivan,
RN OR
Rebecca Phillips,
Patient Support Tech
Rachael E. Baudry,
RN Nursery
Rory L. Neiden,
Physical Therapist
Robert T. Powell,
Physical Therapist
Lauren M. Bennet,
RN Plan B
Timothy D. Bromhead,
Physical Therapist
Jennifer L. Weaver,
RN Cath Lab
Michelle E. Rinauro,
RN Wound Care
Belinda C. Burn,
HR Specialist
Nicole L. Calleiro,
RN
Debbie A. Hanton,
PST PRN
Audrey D. Major,
PST PRN
Sheila K. Barrineau,
RN Senior Health PRN
Brittany L. Greene,
Exercise Physiologist
I-Ling Chang,
RN Emergency Svcs (SMC)
Jacqueline O. Showalter,
RN Emergency Svcs (SMC)
Courtney S. Matthews,
Patient Care Tech PRN
Kristopher K. Field,
Cert Surgical Tech
Jacob A. Forrest,
Surgical Tech PRN
Brandyne Dawn Echeandia,
Patient Care Tech PRN
Florante M. Nostratis Jr.,
Patient Support Tech PRN
Tony S. Nocera,
RN Critical Care
Angela F. McKee,
FANS - Room Serv Host/Hostess
Abraham H. Scott,
FANS - Room Serv Host/Hostess
Fannie L. Smith,
FANS - Room Serv Host/Hostess
Margaret J. Brewer,
RN Plan A PRN
Shante M. Delesline,
RN Critical Care
Kristen L. Phillips,
Cancer Center Systems Analyst
Queen E. Spann-West,
Lead EVS Asst
The Trident and Summerville Awards
Every department director chooses one staff member per quarter who exemplifies the vision of THS through action, thought and deed in
what they do every day. Submissions for each quarter are due at the end of the previous quarter. At the end of the 3rd quarter, a nominee
from TMC/MCMC and SMC will be chosen as employee winners, each receiving a $1,000 and another $1,000 going to each winner’s charity
of choice. Congrats to our first quarter winners below!
The Trident Award
Cathy Brewer
Admin.
Kathy Roumillat
Human Resources
Inetha White
Telemetry
Peggy Sommers
Staff Development
Kim Campbell
COU
Shanna Black
ICU
Kammy Rebl
Tumor Registry
Shayla Peace
Moncks Corner Lab
Rick Covard
Sports Medicine
Jean Humbert
Medical Staff Service
Rachel Williams
Staffing Office
The Summerville Award
Kim Carpenter
Pharmacy
Rudy Delacruz
2nd Med/Surg
Jennifer Smith
Respiratory Therapy
Toni Moore
Sleep Lab
Barbara Stewart
Laboratory
Tyrone Cooper
SMC FANS
Tara Canady
Physical Rehab.
Mary Thompson
Medical Img
Lori Kendall
3rd Med/Surg
Bessie Pinckney
EVS
6 Pulse | 2nd Quarter Because of you, action plans for improvements were reviewed for departments with low scores.

Golden Stars/Golden Lure
Award Winners
Gold Star Winner
Valorie Crowell, Medical Records
Gold Star Winner
Bonnie Suarez, Nutrition
Shining Star Winners
3rd Floor
Gold Star Winner
Rachel Corey, Nutrition
Golden Lure Award
Elizabeth Fiedler, Patient Registration
Gold Star Winner
Melissa Hall-Spriggs, Medical Imaging
Golden Lure Award
Nicole Nichols, RN, ER
Gold Star Winner
Karen Polston and Joe Baker, 6th Floor
Get Caught…
“On-the-Spot”
The next time your director sees you
working hard, he or she may be handing
over a gift. The Human Resources
Department is providing all directors
with various trinkets and items for
instant recognition of employees who
exemplify the vision of Trident Health
System. Keep up the good work and
get caught…“On-the-Spot.”
Pulse | 2nd Quarter 7

Trident
Health
System
Receives Gold Seal
Trident Medical Center has once again
earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal
of Approval, as the new Heart Failure
Clinic has obtained its initial Joint
Commission certification. The Joint
Commission has also re-certified Trident
as a Primary Stroke Center and for knee
and hip total joint replacement. The
three programs earned certification by
demonstrating compliance with The
Joint Commission’s national standards
for health care quality and safety.
“By achieving re-certification as a
Primary Stroke Center, Trident Medical
Center has proven that it has the ability
to provide effective, timely care to stroke
victims and can significantly improve
outcomes for stroke patients,” says Jean
E. Range, M.S.,R.N., C.P.H.Q., executive
director, Disease-Specific Care Certification,
The Joint Commission. “Certification is a
voluntary process and I commend Trident
Health System (THS) for successfully
undertaking this challenge to elevate its
standard of care and install confidence in
the community it serves.” Trident Health
System was the first facility in the state
of South Carolina to earn both knee and
hip total joint certification.
Trident Family,
Yes, I love my job! Becoming a Nurse Navigator for Trident Medical Center has been a
desire I have had for several years now. One of my breast cancer patients planted the
idea in my head about 4 years ago and I just knew I wanted to serve this community in
that capacity. Trident Breast Care Center (TBCC) shared the vision and brought be on as
Breast Health Nurse Navigator about 6 months ago and I couldn’t be happier! There are
so many reasons I enjoy my job. I absolutely love the opportunity to work with the
patient population seen here at TBCC. They are involved in their care and have a desire
to learn and be successful throughout the treatment process. The patients are very
appreciative and I feel privileged to be a part of their journey. My job here is very
satisfying, and I am so thankful for it.
The great leadership team here at TBCC is another reason I enjoy my job. They have been
very supportive of the program and made all this possible through their commitment to
the community and the ambition to make TBCC the best center it can be! The staff here
at TBCC is top of the line with so much compassion for the patients they serve which
makes the environment here very pleasant to be in. We all share the common goal of
taking the best care of the patients we come in contact with. I would not want to work
any other place!
Penny Willard, RN BSN OCN
Breast Care Nurse Navigator
Trident Breast Care Center
Employee
Letter
From
Penny
Willard
Do you have a
page?
Are you on ?
Facebook.com/tridenthealthsystem
Twitter.com/tridenthealthpr
Well so is !
TridentHealthSystem.com
Make sure to friend or follow YOUR work place. See videos, pictures, get Trident updates and meet your new co-workers!
8 Pulse | 2nd Quarter

THS is the first hospital in
the LowcountryTo Perform The TIF Procedure
A new procedure that helps stop chronic
heartburn is now available from Trident
Health System. In December of 2010,
Dr. Thomas Litton and Dr. Jeffrey Lafond
became the first specialists in Charleston
to perform the TIF procedure. Tens of
millions of Americans suffer with daily
heartburn or other symptoms of reflux
such as regurgitation, chronic cough,
hoarseness and dental erosions. Until
recently these individuals faced either
a lifetime of daily medications or the
risks of invasive surgery. Now you have
a better option. Trident Health System
now offers the new Transoral Incisionless
Fundoplication (TIF) procedure, which is
performed completely without incisions.
“Recent studies of the TIF
procedure have shown that it
can reduce patients’ dependency
on medications, with 79% of
patients remaining off their daily
medications after two years
and experiencing a dramatic
improvement in their quality
of life,” said Dr. Litton.
Reflux medication can help relieve your
heartburn symptoms but they don’t
cure the root of the problem. Even on
medication, many patients are unable
to eat the foods they want or have to
sleep sitting up to reduce nighttime
reflux. After the TIF procedure, clinical
trials show that most patients can eat
and drink foods they avoided for many
years. Reflux may no longer impacts
your life like it previously did. Because
the procedure is incisionless, there is
reduced pain, reduced recovery time
and no visible scar.
For more information on TIF, please call Tri-
County Surgical Associates at 843-797-5151.
Behind the Scenes
with Demetrice (Dee-Dee) Strickland
Patient Registration
Serving as the Emergency Room, Outpatient Registration
Supervisor at Trident Medical, Demetrice (Dee-Dee)
Strickland has proven to be a valuable team member.
Dee-Dee has worked with Trident for over seven years
and is instrumental in ensuring every patient is attended
to and registered in a timely manner. Her attention to
detail and can-do-attitude makes the hospital’s entry
point a very pleasant and inviting experience.
A Ladson resident, Dee-Dee is a proud mother of three
beautiful children Jordan, Jalin and Jerren.
Bet you didn’t know:
• Favorite hour of the day: 8 p.m. – it’s my time to unwind
• Book on your nightstand: Hardwiring Excellence
• Favorite local restaurant: Halls Chophouse
• Something many people don’t know about me: I can sing
• Favorite Sports Team: Miami Dolphins
Because of you, the CEO is shadowing in different departments for a couple of hours.
Pulse | 2nd Quarter 9

Healing With Every Breath
Terrence Mabry understands why some people call a treatment in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber taking a “dive.” “I’ve been in,”
says Mabry as he stands by one of the two hyperbaric chambers at the Advanced Wound Care Center at Summerville Medical
Center. “You don’t feel any pain. It just feels like you are underwater. You are going deeper and deeper, and then when you come
back up, it feels like you are coming back up to the surface.”
Trident Health System now offers
hyperbaric oxygen therapy, artificial skin
grafts, specialized dressings and other
treatments proven to speed healing
through its new Advanced Wound Care
Center locations at Summerville and
Trident Medical Centers.
Mabry serves as program director of the
Summerville facility and brings with him
the experience of opening and overseeing
a similar wound care center at Beaufort
Memorial Hospital. Such centers typically
see patients who struggle with health
issues such as diabetes, obesity, immobility
and paralysis, all of which can make
the patients susceptible to problematic
ulcers and other chronic wounds.
These wounds not only diminish quality
of life, they also can lead to greater
complications, including the need for
foot and leg amputations – a common
danger for diabetics.
As a result, the philosophy at Trident
and Summerville’s Advanced Wound
Care Centers goes beyond treating a
patient’s wound and instead takes
a holistic approach to the patient’s
health by providing as many services
as possible in a convenient outpatient
center close to home.
The multi-disciplinary staff includes
specialists in podiatry, surgery and
hyperbaric medicine. All doctors and
nurses have received special training in
wound care. Moreover, they can access
diabetic educators and nutritionists
as needed.
“A big part of wound care is nutrition,”
says Terry Siegel, RN, who previously
worked at Trident Medical Center’s burn
clinic and before that spent 10 years as a
wound care nurse in New Jersey.
Terrence Mabry, SMC Advanced Wound Care Program Director.
“We focus on diets rich in protein. Proteins
are the building blocks for wound healing.”
Those patients who undergo hyperbaric
oxygen therapy receive multiple treatments
over the course of several weeks
or sometimes months. The air the patient
breathes inside the hyperbaric chamber
is 100 percent oxygen, and as a result of
the increased air pressure, the blood can
carry more oxygen to organs and tissues.
The treatment not only promotes
immediate healing through the infusion
of oxygen, it also stimulates the growth
of new blood vessels, which can improve
circulation.
While a patient spends up to two hours
in the hyperbaric chamber with each
treatment, the chamber is designed for
comfort, and the patient is able to enjoy
television or even fall asleep. Afterward,
they often feel refreshed from the
oxygen boost.
“When I was in Beaufort,” Mabry says,
“I had a couple of patients who said that
was their relaxation time.”
Summerville’s Wound Care open house
for employees is scheduled for May 12th
from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Trident’s
open house will be on May 17th from
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The Advanced Wound Care Center at Summerville (843-832-5379) is at 105 Burton Ave.
by Summerville Medical Center. The Advanced Wound Center at Trident (843-847-4379)
is located at 9302 Medical Plaza Drive, Suite A, by Trident Medical Center.
10 Pulse | 2nd Quarter Because of you, there is now an Administrator Drop-in.

Snapsnots
from Trident Health System
Pulse | 2nd Quarter 11

2011 EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY
May 2 through May 31
Speak
Listen
Act
Tell
Speak
Listen
Act
Tell
It’s your chance to speak
about what it’s like to work here.
It’s our commitment to listen to what you have to say.
It’s our pledge that we will act on what we hear.
It’s our intent to tell you about improvements made
in response to your input.
Take your survey online at www.HCAsurveys.com
Join us for our
2011 HOSPITAL WEEK
Saturday 5/7 Monday 5/9 Tuesday 5/10 Wednesday 5/11 Thursday 5/12 Friday 5/13
TMC
Free Pizza and
Pasta for all the
WOW’s
Taste of Trident
Extra tickets
Balloons and
decoration & DJ
Location:
Parking lot or
Café A
and Café B
Slushy (Day)
2 - 4 p.m., Free
Late night Grill
Free
Location:
Café A
reserved from
2 - 4:30 p.m.
Vendor Fair
Ice Novelties for
night shift
Free
Location:
Cafe B from
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Support Person of
the year Ceremony
3:00 p.m.
Punch and Cake
Location:
Café B from
3 - 4 p.m.
Free Burgers
and Dogs
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Leadership grills/
Admin at 12:30
Location:
Patio outside
cafeteria
SMC
Pizza party for
the weekend
shift 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Free
Slushy 2 - 4 p.m.,
Free Pizza party
for the night shift
9:30 - 10:30 p.m.,
Free
Support person of
the year Ceremony
2 p.m.
Punch and Cake
Taste of Summerville
Balloons and
Decorations & DJ
Vendor Fair
Location:
All Class rooms
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Free Burgers
and Dogs
Leadership will
be cooking
MCMC
Pizza Party for
Weekend Shift
Support Person of
the Year 1 p.m.
“Browns“ free
lunch, 12 & 7 p.m.
Slushy 2 - 4 p.m.
Free
Ice Cream Bars
Free
Vendor Fair