In This Issue Cord Blood Bank Saves Amelia ... - SSM Health Care

2 NetWork — Our Bimonthly Publication for Employees, Physicians and FriendsInside ViewA letter from Sr. Mary Jean Ryan, FSMThe Power of Making a DifferenceWhen a reporter asked me recently to name the five people I considered tobe most powerful, I was caught a little off guard. I thought about what thereporter was asking.Sr. Mary Jean Ryan, FSMPresident and CEOFrom the multitude of remarkable people Iʼve encounteredthroughout my life, how could I possibly narrow the list tofive individuals?Then I realized what made this question even more difficult.Not only was I confined to such a small list, my answer dependedupon how the reporter defined “powerful.”Definitions for the word “powerful” run the gamut.In fact, a Google search of the word “powerful” yielded376,000,000 results!Homemade sauce simmering on the stove can have a powerfularoma. A superhero hoisting a car off the ground possessespowerful strength. A trial attorney can deliver a powerful argumentto a jury. Forbes magazine compilesan annual list of the “Top 100 Most Powerful Women.”But what does it mean to be powerful? Iʼd like to sharewith you my answer to that question, and it was also myresponse to the reporter:“My choices for the five most powerful can be condensedinto one. That is because I believe that Power means making adifference. Therefore I nominate all of the people of SSM HealthCare who make a profound difference in peopleʼs lives, every dayand in every way. These are the people, who at first glance, maynot fit the traditional definition of powerful, but they are, and theyuse their power to serve all those who come to us with care andcompassion. Thatʼs making a difference, and thatʼs real power.”Think about the people of SSM Health Care. The power ofmaking a difference is everywhere. You donʼt even have to lookany farther than the pages of this issue of Network!Take, for example, the seven employees from St. FrancisHospital & Health Center in Blue Island, Ill., and St. MaryʼsHealth Center in Richmond Heights, Mo., who are heading tothe Philippines in January for a medical mission—at their ownexpense. As a result of their extraordinary compassion and selflesscommitment, people normally without means or access willreceive free medical and dental care. THATʼS power.Look to the therapists and employees of SSM Rehab. They sawthe devastation to their patients by recent Medicaid cuts—and tookit upon themselves to team with a local company to create a fundto help these patients pay for outpatient therapy. THATʼS power.What about Nancy Rickabaugh from St. Francis Hospital &Health Services in Maryville, Mo.? For the past 20 years, countlesschildren at St. Francis Preschool & Child Care Center have thrivedunder Nancyʼs watchful eye and caring spirit. THATʼS power.And just last year, 38,250 trees were saved as a result of SSMʼsrecycling efforts. THATʼS power—literally.At the very moment you are reading this, thousands ofemployees around our system are making a difference in the livesof patients, families and coworkers. Right now, any number ofemployees can be found working to ease patientsʼ pain, nourishweakened bodies, sterilize patient rooms, or comfort grieving souls.When I think of the collective power of all of us, I amhumbled and awed.Iʼd like to take this opportunity to express my thanks andprofound admiration for 24,000 of the most powerful peopleI know—the employees of SSM Health Care.Blessings to you as you continually reveal Godʼs healing presence.Drawing Recognizes Longtime Service to SSMAmong the ways SSM Health Carerecognized the committed service of itsemployees this past year was through arandom drawing for six gift certificatesworth $3,000 each.Employees with 30 or more years ofservice with SSM were eligible for thedrawing. Winners of the 2006 gift cardsare Ann Bogolia, surgical technologist,St. Francis Hospital & Health Center,Blue Island, Ill., 41 years; Carol Byrd,patient accounts representative, St.Mary’s Hospital, Madison, Wis., 42 years;Kathleen Helton, Client Response Centersupport analyst, SSM Information Center,Richmond Heights, Mo., 31 years; KathrynActon, lab supervisor, SSM CardinalGlennon Children’s Medical Center, St.Louis, 30 years; Diane Giammanco,registered nurse, SSM DePaul HealthCenter, Bridgeton, Mo., 30 years; andMarilyn Williams, precertificationassistant, SSM Health Care-St. Louis, 30years.“I’m so proud of the example youset for others as to how to live ourmission of providing exceptional patientcare,” Sr. Mary Jean Ryan, SSM HealthCare President/CEO, said in a letter tothe employees.SSM HEALTH CARE is sponsored by the Franciscan Sisters of Mary.Look for Network onlineat ssmhc.com andthe SSMHC Intranet.OUR MISSIONThrough our exceptional health care services, we revealthe healing presence of God.OUR CORE VALUESIn accordance with the philosophy of the Franciscan Sistersof Mary, we value the sacredness and dignity of each person.Therefore, we find these five values consistent with both ourheritage and ministerial priorities:Compassion • Respect • Excellence •Stewardship • CommunityCORPORATE OFFICE477 N. Lindbergh Blvd.St. Louis, MO 63141Phone: (314) 994-7800Fax: (314) 994-7900DIXIE L. PLATTSenior Vice President -Mission & ExternalRelationsSUZY FARRENVice President CorporateCommunicationsLORRAINE KEECorporate Publications ManagerANNICE WESTDistribution & EditorialAssistantHOW TO CONTACT USSend questions, comments, orsuggestions for future issues ofSSM Network to Lorraine Kee,Editor, at (314) 994-7918,Lorraine_Kee@ssmhc.com.MEDIA INQUIRIESPermission is granted to quoteany material in Network, ifsource is cited. Reporters seekingadditional information shouldcontact Lorraine Kee at(314) 994-7918. Contact namesand phone numbers areprovided in Network to facilitatenetworking and informationsharing among employees andphysicians of SSM Health Careand its entities.SSM Health Care provides equalemployment opportunities, withoutregard to race, color, religion,sex, age, national origin, veteranstatus, or disability to all qualifiedapplicants and executives.Network is printed on recycledpaper that is recyclable. A webprinting press is used, makingfour-color economical.WHO WE ARE: Missouri: SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center • SSM DePaul Health Center • SSM St. Joseph Health Center • SSM St. Joseph Health Center–Wentzville • SSM St. Joseph Hospital West •SSM St. Joseph Hospital of Kirkwood • SSM St. Mary’s Health Center-St. Louis • SSM Rehab • SSM Home Care • SSM Information Center • SSM Support Services • St. Francis Hospital & Health Services • St. Mary’s Health Center-Jefferson City • Illinois: Good Samaritan Regional Health Center • St. Francis Hospital & Health Center • St. Mary’s Hospital-Centralia • Wisconsin: Boscobel Area Health Care • Columbus Community Hospital • St. Clare Hospital andHealth Services • St. Clare Meadows Care Center • St. Mary’s Hospital–Madison • St. Mary’s Care Center • Stoughton Hospital • Oklahoma: Bone & Joint Hospital, LLC • St. Anthony Hospital • Unity Health Center (North & South)November / December 2006SSM Health Care

— Our Bimonthly Publication for Employees, Physicians and Friends 3In The NewsQuality AwardsEarned ByDePaul, HealthfirstBy Jamie Newell and Sandra PayneSSM DePaul Health Center has earned the coveted2006 Missouri Quality Award. Modeled after the MalcolmBaldrige National Quality Award, the honor recognizesexcellence in such areas as organizational performance,leadership, customer service and satisfaction.Further, Healthfirst Physician Management Services Inc.,a subsidiary of SSM Health Care-Oklahoma, earned a 2006Oklahoma Quality Award at the achievement level.About 65 DePaul staff members, with glow-in-the-darkmaracas in hand, attended the annual Missouri QualityAward banquet on Nov. 16 at Lake of the Ozarks.Dr. Kevin Johnson, vice president of medical affairs andquality at DePaul, accepted the award on the hospital’s behalf.“DePaul has received a number of awards for specificareas of excellence, but the MQA evaluates the entireorganization,” Johnson said. “This award honors the bigpicture and it requires a commitment to excellence fromevery single staff member.”Said former DePaul President Melinda Clark: “Workingtoward this honor really got the organization to focus onhow we do things and how we can do them better. It helpedus put a discipline around our quality processes and thatTo celebrate their Missouri Quality Award, employees at SSM DePaul Health Center were invited to a cake and punch reception Nov.20 in the May Center. The award was on display and they watched a video on DePaul produced by the MQA organization. Employeeswere also given fleece vests with “SSM DePaul Health Center, Missouri Quality Award, 2006 Recipient” emblazoned on the chest.helps us improve the care of our patients.”DePaul employees celebrated the honor with aceremony Nov. 20 at the hospital.Healthfirst Physicians Management was scheduled toaccept its Oklahoma Quality Award, given to organizationsthat demonstrate high standards of excellence worthy ofrecognition, at a Dec. 12 ceremony at the governor’s mansion.Healthfirst provides physician practice managementand development services, managed care contracting andphysician recruitment. It is the second consecutive yearHealthfirst has won the award at the achievement level.Other SSM entities receiving site visits in Missouriincluded SSM Physicians’ Organization (SSM Medical Group,SSM DePaul Medical Group and SSM St. Charles ClinicMedical Group) and SSM St. Joseph Hospital of Kirkwood.St. Clare Hospital and Health Services and St. ClareMeadows Care Center, Baraboo, Wis., also receivedsite visits from Wisconsin Forward Award examiners.The announcement of Wisconsin’s Forward Award isexpected this month.Employees can sign up to receive a W-2 statement electronically throughthe e-payroll system or at www.theworknumber.com. They have until theend of the day on Jan. 13 to sign up to receive statements online; the W-2statements will be available there starting Jan. 22.Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is an electronic W-2 statement?A W-2 statement is issued each year to report wages paid to employees and thetaxes withheld from them.What are the advantages of receiving my W-2 statement electronically?• You can access your electronic W-2 statement earlier than mailed statements.• You will never lose an electronic W-2 as it will be available to you online.• You can print as many copies as you want for free.• In the future, you will be able to access your past W-2s (up to three years).• You can import the W-2 information into tax software like TurboTax or giveaccess to your tax preparer.Am I required to receive my W-2 statement electronically?No. If you decline to receive your W-2 electronically, your paper W-2 will be mailedbeginning in late January.Can I receive my W-2 statement by mail and electronically?No. If you elect to receive an electronic W-2 statement, you will no longer receive apaper copy in the mail.When will I receive my 2006 W-2 statement?You will have access to your electronic W-2 statement beginning Jan. 22.If you opted to receive a paper W-2 statement, it will be mailed on Jan. 29.How do I request a duplicate W-2 statement?By mail: Contact your local human resource or payroll department. After the firstW-2 statement is mailed to you in January, you can request one additional copy forthe current tax year at no extra charge. Each subsequent copy costs $10.Electronically: After accessing your W-2 statement through our e-payroll system,you can simply print out as many copies as you like.What if I don’t have access to a computer?If you do not have immediate access to a computer, you can call The Work Numberat 1-800-367-2884 for assistance.Who do I contact for more information?Please contact your entity human resources department.SSM Health Care November / December 2006

4 NetWork — Our Bimonthly Publication for Employees, Physicians and FriendsSSM Rehab Foundation Fund Helps Couple Offset Medicaid CutsBy Tasha MoxleyST. LOUIS—While Richard and JoanneThompson were on a Sunday afternoonmotorcycle ride together last fall, a carin oncoming traffic suddenly crossed thecenter line and crashed into the couple.Both lost their left legs and suffered a hostof other injuries.The Thompsons spent weeks ininpatient rehabilitation at SSM Rehab.They left the hospital in wheelchairs, butlooked forward to the day when they couldbe fitted for prosthetic legs and walk again.But when that day came, they facedanother challenge: Their insurancecovered the costs of prosthetic legs, butnot the training and therapy needed to fitand use them. Unable to work since theaccident, they relied on Medicaid, whichhad dropped coverage for all outpatienttherapy in 2005 after state spending cuts.“We got our prosthetic legs, butthought ‘Now how are we supposed towalk on them?’” he recalled.The Thompsons received an answerin the form of the Community Care Fund,a new SSM Rehab Foundation program. Itpaid for three weeks of outpatient therapy.The Community Care Fund wasestablished in response to SSM Rehabtherapists and staff members noticingthe effect of Medicaid cuts. A $228,000donation from a charitable givingprogram of Ameristar Casino and its“This fund hasbeen a blessing forindividuals whohave no means topay for therapy.”employees was used to set up the fund.To date, the program has funded servicesfor more than 20 individuals.“Without this therapy, I would havebeen lost,” said Richard Thompson, whoseprosthetic leg sat in a bag for monthsbefore his therapist connected him withthe Community Care Fund.“This fund has been a blessing forindividuals who have no means to pay fortherapy,” said Sharon Rose Gool, directorof case management for SSM Rehab.Physical therapist Linda Weigel (from left) works with Richard and Joanne Thompson,who benefitted from a fund set up by SSM Rehab Foundation .Hospital, Firm’s TeamworkBenefits New Mother, InfantBy Kelly CheramyMADISON, WIS.—Janeth Mirandawas looking forward to becoming amother last February but, withouthealth insurance, she was also facingheavy financial decisions.Enter the team of St. Mary’sHospital and a nonprofit publicinterestfirm called Advocacy andBenefits Counseling for Health (ABCfor Health). The two organizationsteamed up to help Miranda apply fora medical-assistance program thatcovered the expenses of Miranda andher baby. They also secured ongoingcoverage for her baby.Miranda and her family, whoJaneth Mirandaand her son Andy,seven months.moved to Madison from Mexico threeyears ago, were unfamiliar with theAmerican health care system.“I can spend more time with my sonand less time worrying about how to paythe bills,” Miranda said recently througha Spanish-language interpreter.The handling of her deliverybills was among the 350 positiveresolutions for patients that ABCfor Health and St. Mary’s Hospitalpartnered on during the past yearalone. The health-benefit counselingservice offers assistance ranging fromapplying for coverage and discoveringpayment options to fighting denialof coverage and plowing throughred tape. The service is provided tofamilies with children below age 19 andto pregnant women, based on incomeand access to insurance.St. Mary’s compensates ABC forHealth for identifying health-coverageoptions for patients. In return, thehospital receives payment fromanother agency that covers patientswho are uninsured or underinsured.“Everybody wins,” said Josh Salazar,a bilingual ABC for Health counselorassigned to St. Mary’s. “Patientsget services without the burden ofdebt, the hospital gets paid, and thecommunity, as a whole, is stronger.”Homeward BoundFills GapBy Tasha MoxleyST. LOUIS—As the number ofpeople covered by Medicare grows, thefederal money for health care for themis stretched thinner. For some, that maymean not being able to receive inpatientrehabilitation after a total joint replacementor debilitating injury or illness.But a new product of SSM Rehabaims to fill that gap in the carecontinuum by serving patients whodon’t qualify for federal benefits forinpatient rehabilitation, but are not yetable to return home.On Dec. 1, SSM Rehab launchedHomeward Bound, a program thatestablishes rehabilitation centers in skillednursing facilities. Through partnershipswith select facilities in the St. Louis area,SSM Rehab Homeward Bound will offerpatients intensive physical rehabilitationand 24-hour nursing care.“Our goal is to provide qualityrehab services in the setting that bestmeets the needs of each patient,”said Kathy Thayer, network director ofHomeward Bound.Unlike other skilled nursingbasedrehab programs, the careof Homeward Bound patients willbe managed by a physiatrist whoutilizes care protocols and works withpatients’ attending physicians. Mostpatients will be a part of the programfor three weeks before going home.The first two Homeward Boundcenters will be located at Alexian BrothersLansdowne Village in St. Louis and BrookView Nursing Home in Maryland Heights,Mo. Additional sites will be selected.November / December 2006SSM Health Care

— Our Bimonthly Publication for Employees, Physicians and Friends 5Photos RevealA Healing PresenceLAKE SAINT LOUIS, MO.—Providing exceptional health care is first andforemost a human interaction. So when SSM St. Joseph Hospital West openedits new patient tower in January, the facilityʼs former interior designer, PatriciaGuichet, and marketing director, Deena Fischer, figured, what better way forpatients to be greeted in the new surroundings than by pictures of caring staff.“When we were planning the photos, we joked and referred to it asthe ʻSmile Projectʼ because we just walked up to the employees and toldthem to smile,” Fischer said. “PatGuichet gave it a more formalname and called it ʻWe Are theMission,ʼ which is how each photois labeled and signed.“You can see that each personfeatured in the photos began to revealtheir healing presence of God to us,”she added. “We observed peopledoing their jobs just as they normallywould, but it was truly beautifulto see it captured in black andwhite photos.”Pictured are (top) Pat Hill, intensive care unit; (second row) Darla Smith, health information management, and Harvey Thiemann, volunteer; (third row) Jenny Lee,outpatient surgery, and Rhonda Samson, surgery; Kelly Hayes, food services; Lori Warncke, social services, and Dr. John Hamilton; and (fourth row) Betty Lewis, administration,and Michele Cockrell, information systems; Jennifer Klein, nursing education, and Brandyn Romine, environmental services. Photographs by Pat Guichet.SSM Health Care-St. Louis UnveilsQuality Reporting Web SiteBy Stacey ThomsonST. LOUIS—In an effort to providepatients and their families with easyto-readinformation on hospital quality,SSM Health Care-St. Louis Nov. 29unveiled a new Web site that containsquality scores on heart attack andheart failure care, pneumonia care, andsurgical infection rates for the network’sfive adult acute-care hospitals.The site, which can be found atwww.ssmhealth.com/quality, alsocontains patient safety data andinformation, as well as tips to helpensure the best possible hospitalexperience. But at the core of thesite is the clinical quality data trackedby the Centers for Medicare andMedicaid Services (CMS) and theJoint Commission on Accreditation ofHealthcare Organizations (JCAHO).This data, which is updated twice peryear, tells patients and their families howoften SSM hospitals provide treatmentsor use treatment methods that arerecommended by these organizations.“This Web site and the information itcontains is just another way for us to honorour responsibility to help patients and theirloved ones make informed health caredecisions,” said Ronald J. Levy, president/CEO of SSM Health Care-St. Louis.“Our site contains the same datathat CMS and JCAHO report on theirown Web sites but is packaged in away that we believe is much easier forpatients to understand.”This page from the new quality reporting Web site shows the percentage of patientsreceiving aspirin on arrival at St. Louis area SSM hospitals.SSM Health Care November / December 2006

6 NetWork — Our Bimonthly Publication for Employees, Physicians and FriendsGot Results?Department: Housekeeping at St. Francis Hospital& Health Services (Maryville, Mo.)Your outstanding results: We achieved 99thpercentile in “room cleanliness” for all Press GaneyAssociates Inc. survey participants over eight oflast 10 months. We also achieved 99th percentilein “courtesy of person cleaning room” for all PressGaney participants over the same period.Time frame over which you achieved theseresults: The team formally initiated the process inJanuary 2006 with its mission statement approvedin February 2006.How did you achieve these results? We wantedto improve or develop processes to enhance thequality and efficiency of the housekeeping staff.The results of our efforts were the developmentof a consistent training program, including acomprehensive evaluation process.How did you keep your staff engaged? The teamwas primarily made up of the housekeeping staffplus the director and the department’s assistant.Staff members were asked to report the regularduties they perform so that job cards could becreated. The staff members were also questionedregarding skills and other orientation needs inorder for the New Hire Handbook, the OrientationChecklist and the Skills Checklist to be developed.How do you celebrate your successes? A specialdinner was held for the Clean Sweep Team withhospital president Mike Baumgartner and humanresources director Martha Archer in attendance. Theteam was presented the Press Ganey results andcongratulated for its outstanding achievements.How do you share your results with otherdepartments? The team put together a skit todemonstrate and recognize its accomplishments.The skit was presented to the administrative counciland leadership team.Contact for info: Gary Thompson, building operationsdirector, St. Francis Hospital & Health Services at (660)562-7929 or Gary_Thompson@ssmhc.com.Members of the Clean Sweep Team presented a skit recognizing their efforts and accomplishments. Members include, fromleft to right, Donna Turnipseed, Pat Talbot, Christina Prothero, Pam Pierson, Ina Sportsman, Sherry Peter and Tina Carlson.During the skit, each member wore yellow sheets containing the names of administrative council members who read theteam’s job cards to perform housekeeping’s duties.How Does the CorporateResponsibility Helpline Work?To report an ethical, legal or regulatory concern, the CRPHelpline is there when you are not sure who to talk to or youwant to report a concern anonymously. Here’s how Helplinecalls are handled anonymously:SSM Health Care contracts with an outside firm to answerthe Helpline 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The toll-freetelephone phone number is 1-877-CRP-ASK. The caller reportstheir location, their concern and the people involved. The CRPHelpline representative records the information in a report andthe caller is given a reference number and a call back date.There is no voicerecorder or callerID involved.The Helplinerepresentativethen forwardsthe report to theCRP office. A CRPcontact at the entity involved is sent a copy of the report, asare the facility and regional presidents. If the concern involveshuman resources, then a human resource executive is alsosent the report.After an investigation, a response is written and sent to theCRP office for review to make sure the concerns are addressed.That response is then sent to the CRP Helpline service which filesthe report under the reference number given the caller. When thecaller calls back with the reference number, the response is read.In this way, the anonymity of the caller is ensured.If you have any questions about the CRP Helpline, pleasecontact Barbara Briggs, SSM Health Care corporate vicepresident–corporate responsibility at (314) 994-7722.AEPC Satisfaction Summit Set for Jan. 10Looking for ideas on how to please patients, inspire employees and build relations with physicians?The Achieving Exceptional Patient Care Satisfaction Summit set for Jan. 10 will showcase best ideas fromaround SSM Health Care and re-energize us for 2007.The summit is set for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac Hotel, 1335 S. Lindbergh Blvd.,St. Louis, Mo., 63131. Among those attending the summit will be administrative council members, AEPCchampions, physician relations representatives and human resource personnel.Patient, employee and physician satisfaction represents three of the five characteristics of ExceptionalHealth Care Services provided by SSM caregivers. Rather than addressing the “satisfactions” separately,the summit brings them together. “They all work hand-in-hand in fostering a culture of service,” said PaulaFriedman, corporate vice president–strategy & systems improvement.For information or to register for the summit, contact Kyna Powers at Kyna_Powers@ssmhc.com.SSM Employees, Leaders Receive Glimpse of FutureBy Brian PiperExecutives, clinicians andother employees from acrossSSM Health Care saw the notso-distantfuture: the electronichealth record (EHR).On Nov. 1–2, the groupmet at the new Epic Systems’headquarters in Madison, Wis.The goal of the trip was toexpand knowledge about theEHR and its implementationby the Project Beacon team.They were also given additionalinformation and resources tohelp lead their facilities throughthe clinical transformation thatwill shape the future of patientcare at SSM.“We had a great trip toMadison and we are very excitedabout the project,” said SSM St.Joseph Hospital West President,Pat Komoroski. “Epic is awonderful partner because theyreally seem to focus on patientsand caregivers.”A highlight of the Epic visitwas a demonstration of EHR byDr. Brad Eichhorst, vice president,clinical informatics for Epic.On Nov. 8, more than320 employees from acrossSSM received a more detaileddemonstration. Project Beaconteam members walked throughscenarios for inpatient care,emergency care, outpatientclinic care and radiology. Thedemonstrations highlightedthe workflows, best practice andsafety features of the new system.Darlene Laws, healthinformation management, SSMCardinal Glennon Children’sMedical Center, said she enjoyedseeing how the system allowsusers to follow a patient fromtheir arrival at the hospitalthrough discharge.“This was a great firstlook,” said Erin Stopke, nursingeducation at SSM St. JosephHealth Center, St. Charles, Mo. “Iteased a lot of the concerns I had.”November / December 2006SSM Health Care

— Our Bimonthly Publication for Employees, Physicians and Friends 7Archives DebutsUpdated SiteThe SSM Corporate Archives has launched arevised and updated Web site on the corporate Intranet.The site not only has a new look, but has an extensiveamount of new information. At the site, you can learnwhat the Corporate Archives collects, how records areprocessed and services it provides.Said Scott Grimwood,corporate manager of archives:“The Web site was redesignedto become a vital source ofinformation for our current andfuture clients throughout thesystem. It is our hope that the sitehelps promote our work and therole we play in preserving the richheritage of SSM Health Care.”The SSM Corporate Archives hasadopted a new logo.One of the big additions to the site is photogalleries. There are now images from 22 systementities, including between two to 12 photographsfor each entity. The images are downloadablefor viewing on computers and in PowerPointpresentations.“We hope people willreally like this feature,because everybodyloves old photographs,”Grimwood said.http://stlapps.ssmhc.com/intranet/home/ssmarchives.nsfSSM’s Health Risk AssessmentsPresent Road to Better HealthThe New Year is a time to live healthier. A goodfirst step is to assess your health by taking SSM’sHealth Risk Assessment. It’s easy to take on thecorporate Intranet and completely confidential.When you finish the assessment, you will be givenrecommendations for what you can do to be healthier,such as using your seatbelt all the time, having anannual physical or lowering your cholesterol.To take the test, go to the Healthy Living siteon the Intranet.SSM University to Help Managers Develop SkillsSSM University will develop a curriculum designed to give managers the skillsthey need to improve performance. The five-module curriculum will focus on:• LEADERSHIP—History, tradition,mission, values, ethics, SSM Health Care’sCompetency Model.• PLANNING—Priority setting andresource allocation.• FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT—Understandingindustry trends, hospital financial statementsand department budgets.• MANAGING PEOPLE—Interviewing, selecting,orientating, training, evaluating and motivatingemployees.• MANAGING AND IMPROVING PROCESSES—Including continuous qualityimprovement training.Each module will last a day. The modules willbe offered at various sites throughout the system,and once they are up and running, at least onemodule per month will be available somewhere inthe system.Steven Barney, senior vice president–humanresources, said that each module will have acore faculty of six to eight people from withinthe system. Each module will be taught by twofaculty members.“Managers will be required to take all fivemodules,” said William Thompson, senior vicepresident–strategic development and chair of theSSM University Board. “The courses will offer thetools managers need to improve performance andmove us closer to our mission.”Thompson created a framework for the coursedevelopment, which is now underway.The courses will be offered in one-day unitsso that managers can take all five componentsover an 18-month period. The Leadershipmodule will be required first. The courses willbe offered in entities and regional locations forflexibility of access.Barney said the five modules arethe first phase of courses designed to developSSM leaders. The next phase will offer advancedcourses, he said.The plan calls for the first-phasemodules to be developed within the firstsix months of 2007.New Vice Presidents NamedDon Eggleston has accepted the positionof corporate vice president–mission/values.Eggleston will assume his new position Jan. 2.Eggleston will be responsible for developinginitiatives that integrate the SSM missionand values into the organization, as wellas coordinating pastoral care services andchampioning community benefit efforts.Eggleston has been with SSM Health Carefor 17 years and currently serves as directorof organizational development for SSMDon EgglestonHealth Care-St. Louis. He was instrumental inestablishing a leadership curriculum for managers within the St. Louis network.He has also provided internal consulting and has been a key leader in theimplementation of Achieving Exceptional Patient Care. SSM Media Services,which has received both regional and national recognition in organizationalcommunications, was also developed under his leadership.He served previously as director of staff development at SSM St. MaryʼsHealth Center in Richmond Heights, Mo. Prior to joining SSM, he workedas a community education manager at St. Anthonyʼs Medical Center and aproject manager at the Cardinal Ritter Institute, both in the St. Louis area.SSM Health Care has named A. DawnRunge, PhD, as the new corporate vicepresident–organizational effectiveness.Runge will join the corporate officeJan. 2 and will be responsible for thedevelopment and assessment of systemwideeducational programs and processesto enhance training and developmentthrough SSM University.Runge came to SSM in 1999 asnetwork director of registration forA. Dawn RungeSSMHC-St. Louis. She currently serves asadministrative director of support services at SSM St. Maryʼs Health Centerin Richmond Heights, Mo. She also served as the hospitalʼs director ofrevenue development.Prior to joining SSM, she was the performance improvementcoordinator at BJC HealthCareʼs corporate office and a receivable managerat Missouri Baptist Medical Center.SSM Health Care November / December 2006

8 NetWork — Our Bimonthly Publication for Employees, Physicians and Friends — Our Bimonthly Publication for Employees, Physicians and Friends 92006 HolidayCalendar1In the Nick of Time Holiday Craft andBake Sale organized at SSM DePaul HealthCenter (Bridgeton, Mo.).Last day of three-day Annual HolidayCraft Bazaar and Bake Sale at St. FrancisHospital & Health Services (Maryville, Mo.)2St. Francis Hospital and Health Center(Blue Island, Ill.) participates in Main StreetBlue Island Christmas Light Parade 2006.Children and grandchildren eat Breakfast withSanta at SSM DePaul Health Center.30-foot star, restored atop SSM St. JosephHealth Center-Wentzville (Mo.) thanks tofundraising effort, is visible for miles.3Children carol forpatients and staffin Angel Processionat St. Mary’s HealthCenter (JeffersonCity, Mo.).First Sunday of Advent4Annual Festival of Love and Light tree-lightingceremony celebrated at St. Clare Hospital &Health Services (Baraboo, Wis.).Lights of Love tree-lightingprogram at SSM St.Joseph Hospital ofKirkwood (Mo.).5Cookies and cocoa are delivered todepartments, and night-shift employeesshare a midnight meal in SSM DePaulHealth Center cafeteria.6St. Francis Hospital & Health Center (BlueIsland, Ill.) employees deliver gifts collectedfor An Angel’s Touch, a program whichprovides clothing, food and toys for familiesin need.Good cheer spread on the Centralia, Ill.,campus of St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Inc.during the Christmas Party for employees.7SSM DePaul Health Center employees votefor their favorite department door decoratedfor the holidays. Winners announced Dec. 8.St. Mary’s Health Center (Jefferson City)and St. Francis Hospital & Health Servicesemployees adopt families for the holidays.8Holiday cookies on saleat SSM St. JosephHospital of Kirkwood.Good cheer spread on theMount Vernon, Ill., campus ofSt. Mary’s Good SamaritanInc. during Christmas partyfor employees.9SSM St. Joseph Hospital West (Lake SaintLouis, Mo.) hosts Santa for breakfast.Santa also makesstop at SSM St.Mary’s Health Center(Richmond Heights, Mo.)to eat breakfast withemployees and children.10By mid-December, SSM St. Joseph Hospitalof Kirkwood employees wrap up presents forfamilies adopted from St. Joseph OutreachCenter, a nonprofit group which distributesfood and utility assistance to people in need.The Feast of Saint NicolausThe Feast of the Immaculate ConceptionSecond Sunday of Advent11St. Clare Hospital and Health Services andSt. Clare Meadows Care Center employeessupport the Sauk County Giving Tree by fillingthe gift wishes of more than 100 children.12Our Lady of Guadalupe display continues atSt. Mary’s Health Center (Jefferson City.)13More than 700 squares knitted and crochetedby St. Francis Hospital & Health Center (BlueIsland) employees make up blankets presentedto nursing homes for Warm Up Blue Island.Employees pick names of first-graders atEugene Field Elementary School from a treeat Bone & Joint Hospital (Oklahoma City)and buy gifts, which are delivered to studentsalong with cookies and milk.14St. Louis Blues hockey players trek the hallsof SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s MedicalCenter (St. Louis) during visits with patients.15Employees at St. Anthony Hospital pluckfrom giving tree wish lifts of children at St.Anthony’s Behavioral Medicine Center andare entertained at Christmas Celebration byOklahoma City’s Canterbury Choral Society.SSM St. Joseph Hospital West celebratesits 20th anniversary.Hanukkah Begins16Display celebrates Hanukkah at St. Mary’sHealth Center (Jefferson City).17Used bicycles collected at SSM St. JosephHealth Center (St. Charles, Mo.) for Sts.Joachim and Ann Care Service, a crisisintervention program for low-income people.Third Sunday of Advent18Last day of holiday food drive at SSM HealthCare Corporate Office for Operation FoodSearch and Sts. Joachim & Ann Care Services.19Sharing the Spirit drive by employeesbenefits patients of SSM Home Careand SSM Hospice. SSM Hospice alsohosts remembrance services for familiesto recognize their loss during what is afestive season for most.20In December, employees atSt. Anthony Hospital collect anddonate toiletries to Other Options FoodBank, a program for people living withthe AIDS virus.St. Mary’s Hospital (Madison, Wis.)employees serve a holiday meal topeople in need at St. Martin House.21 22SSM Rehab Foundation beginspoinsettia deliveries to patients.Poinsettia Deliveries23St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Inc. employeesfill wishes of needy children.24Daily holiday e-mails greet SSM DePaulHealth Center employees.Hanukkah EndsFourth Sunday of Advent25ChristmasChristmas Day Eucharist celebrated inthe chapel at St. Mary’s Health Center(Jefferson City).26 27Seven days of Kwanzaa begins During the month of December, thank-younotes and pre-paid phone cards are sentto military families from SSM St. JosephHospital of Kirkwood auxiliary.28 29First Steps Back, which provides food andshelter to homeless people, and Troy House,an assisted living community, are helped bygifts of food collected by SSM St. JosephHealth Center West employees.30 31Kwanzaa Begins Kwanzaa Ends January 1November / December 2006 SSM Health Care SSM Health Care November / December 2006

10 NetWork — Our Bimonthly Publication for Employees, Physicians and FriendsGroundbreakingArchitectural renderings of the soon-to-bebuiltSSM St. Clare Health Center in southwestSt. Louis County show a campus designed withthe convenience and accessibility of patients at theforefront. The new hospital, which will replaceSSM St. Joseph Hospital of Kirkwood, will openin late 2008.“Our goal is to redesign the health-care experience,from the ground up, for patients, physicians and staff,”said Ronald J. Levy, president and chief executiveofficer of SSM Health Care-St. Louis. “Withoutquestion, this is not going to be your traditional, cutfrom-the-same-moldhospital.”How will St. Clare HealthCenter be different?“The design is focused on creating a healing,human-centered environment, while respondingthoughtfully to how patients and family membersactually use and interact with a hospital,” said BobPorter, SSMHC-St. Louis executive vice presidentfor strategy and business development and St. Clareproject executive.For instance, the design incorporates four distinctpatient experience zones—emergency, outpatientservices, inpatient care and surgical/specialty services—each with clear landmarks, separate parking and easyentrances. A central “town square” convenientlyconnects the zones, while offering dining and retailservices, a business/health information center andmeeting space. The hospital will also have meditation/spiritual areas throughout.For more information, go to www.ssmstclare.com.An aerial view of SSM St. Clare Health Center and itsadjoining medical office building (structure at top left).Ground was broken for the new hospital in June.Innovative features of St. Clare• Multiple, decentralized nursing alcoves, ratherthan the traditional centralized nursingstation, to place caregivers closer to patients.The ability to see patients at all timesimproves safety and response.• Large, all-private patient suites with sleepingaccommodations for family members. Roomswill also feature large windows to maximizenatural light while offering views of attractivegardens and water features.• Consistent patient room configurations sostaff is always familiar with room layout andequipment locations to reduce errors.• Acuity adaptable rooms will reduce the need totransfer patients from one area of the hospitalto another, which helps in preventing infectionswhile improving patient comfort and safety.• Patients control their room temperature,lighting, menus, meal times and more.• A hotel-like “front stage/back stage”orientation to optimize work flows. Whilepublic spaces are focused on warmth,comfort and visual appeal, high-pacedbackstage areas, like procedure prep/sterile/materials distribution, stress efficiency andquick turnaround.• Flexible, modular design to accommodatefuture growth and rapid technology changes.• The latest information technology, such aselectronic health records, to promote qualitycare and patient safety. Bar codes on patients’wristbands will correspond with bar codes onmedications to lessen the risk of errors.The St. Clare Health Center site plan — supplied by the architecturalfirm Hammel, Green & Abrahamson, Inc. — shows multiple points ofentry and key areas on the campus.The main drive into St. Clare provides a view of the towers that include all 158 private patient-family suites, along with a prominent family andvisitors’ zone (protruding section). The visitor zone on each floor will include amenities such as a kitchen area, a fireplace and computer access.November / December 2006SSM Health Care

— Our Bimonthly Publication for Employees, Physicians and Friends 11Mission Is MeSo how to do you live out SSM Health Care’s mission: Through our exceptionalhealth care services, we reveal the healing presence of God? Here are someshort stories on how employees are doing just that.St. Francis EmployeesSend Joy To SoldiersBy Michael HarrisonBLUE ISLAND, ILL.—It all startedwith an e-mail that Judy Holmquistreceived from her daughter-in-law inAfghanistan. Jennifer Holmquist, amember of the U.S. Army, sent an e-mail thanking her mother-in-law for thecandy, gifts and supplies she had sent toher military base in Afghanistan.In Belize, St. JosephCaregivers DeliverBy Deena FischerLAKE SAINT LOUIS, MO.—In November, the SSM St. Joseph MedicalBrigade traveled again to Belize to help people living in remote villages withlittle or no access to health care. One day after hiking six hours through themuddy jungle to and back from a remote village, the medical team ran outof daylight at the Mayan village of Crique Sarco. Villagers there graciouslyoffered them a place to sleep and a traditional Mayan meal.Her Neighbors’Keeper at St. Mary’sBy Lynde LangdonRICHMOND HEIGHTS, MO.—When SSM Health Care announcedthat all employees needed to pass acomputer competency test, NancyDuncan anticipated the worries of someof her co-workers at SSM St. Mary’sHealth Center. Duncan knew not all ofthe operating room staff members hadPictured are Dr. Srinarong Kittisopikul;microbiology supervisor Judy Holmquist;supervisor of chemistry Karen Bischoff;technical assistant in microbiology LindaCollins; Dr. Hani Al-Sabban; and directorof laboratory services Mary Kowal.“In her e-mail, Jennifer said she wasvery happy to share these items with theAfghani children and our soldiers whohaven’t received anything,” said JudyHolmquist, a microbiology supervisor atSt. Francis Hospital & Health Center.When Judy Holmquist showed the e-mail to her co-workers in the laboratoryat St. Francis, they soon filled 31 giftboxes with treats, supplies and cards forU.S. soldiers of the 76 Bravo Company.They mailed the packages in November.Above, the proud parents hold their newborn daughter, Maureen Sarah Teul. Theynamed her after retired obstetrics nurse Maureen Prendergast and nursing studentSarah Meier who helped deliver their baby.The villageʼs one trained health-care worker told them of a woman inlabor and invited them to assist in the birth. The worker was eager to learnfrom Dr. Peter Montgomery, a family practitioner with SSM St. JosephHospital West, and retired obstetric nurse Maureen Prendergast.During the labor, they discovered the baby was delivering face up, whichcan cause birth complications. Without anesthesia or fetal monitor, brigademembers worked with the mother through the complicated delivery. At1:05 a.m. Nov. 9, she delivered a baby girl, whom the family named afterPrendergast and nursing student Sarah Meier who assisted with the labor.Nancy Duncancomputers at home, nor did they usecomputers in their daily work.“I felt it would be less intimidatingfor them to have one-on-one instructionthan enrolling in a community course,”said Duncan, a clinical educator, whooffered private computer lessons.Twelve people took her up onthe offer, and all of them passed thecomputer competency test after 30 to45 minutes of basic instruction.“They were so excited that two of themwent out and bought computers and tookcourses through the library,” Duncan said.For 25 Years, Her Cookies Have Spread Holiday Cheer at Information CenterBy Brian PiperFrom left, Claire Handlon, Kathy Helton, Candy Shaw and Pam Jackson of theSSM Information Center enjoy some of Margaret Berg’s chocolate chip cookies.RICHMOND HEIGHTS, MO.—Around this time of year at the SSMInformation Center, the cookies just appear. Most employees don’t know wherethey come from, but everyone wants to savor the delicious treats found by thedozens in the break rooms.Now it can be revealed. Margaret Berg, manager of operations, InformationCenter, has been baking the cookies for about 25 years. When she started, therewere about 40 employees at what was called the Data Center. Now Berg is bakingnearly 1,300 cookies for over 250 employees at the Information Center, plus abatch or two for the Franciscan Sisters of Mary at St. Mary of the Angels Convent.All told the monumental show of appreciation is created in 10 hours over threedays. The 15 batches of cookies require over 33 cups of flour, 30 sticks of butter,almost three dozen eggs and 20 cups of chocolate chips. Berg doesn’t start bakinguntil she gets her shipment of fresh pecans. She uses pure vanilla purchased inMexico by some fellow employees.“I think of these folks as family, so I want the cookies to be the best I canmake,” she said.SSM Health Care November / December 2006

12 NetWork — Our Bimonthly Publication for Employees, Physicians and FriendsDiversity Graduates Make DifferenceST. LOUIS—There was a bit ofpomp and circumstance.For the pomp, managers, directorsand other professionals of colorfrom throughout SSM Health Caredonned gold academic stoles for theirNov. 1 graduation from the two-yearDiversity Development Association(DDA). They were handed certificatesfrom SSM Health Care President/Chief Executive Officer Sr. Mary JeanRyan, FSM.“This is your day,” Yvonne Tisdel,corporate vice president for humanresources and system diversity, said inher opening remarks. “Two years of hardwork and youʼre here. You made it.”Also, there was an appreciation ofthe circumstances. Graduates of theDDA program amassed 48,918 trainingpoints by taking part in leadershipopportunities, professional developmentcourses and continuing education. Morethan a third of the 35 graduates alreadyhave earned masterʼs degrees or arecurrently working on acquiring them.“You represent a lot of yearsin the diversity journey for SSM,”Steven Barney, senior vice president– human resources told the graduates.“Individually and collectively youʼre thevery foundation of our capacity to beeffective caregivers in our communities.”One of the goals of the DDAprogram was to grow leaders whowill make a difference to health careby bringing fresh perspectives to their“Individually andcollectively you’rethe very foundationof our capacity to beeffective caregiversin our communities.”jobs. Liz Hills, director of patientfinancial services and registration atSt. Francis Hospital & Health Centerin Blue Island, Ill., spoke about thegraduatesʼ fellowship and urged themto continue “to be heard.”“What companies are looking forin their managers today—the No. 1skill—is an ability to motivate andengage others,” said Hills, who spokefor the other graduates.“And thatʼs what DDA has done forme,” Hills added. “It has helped me getmotivated and to get more energized tomotivate and energize others.”Keynote speaker Dr. Johnetta Cole,president of Bennett College for Womenin Greensboro, N.C., was the keynotespeaker and she offered the graduatessome advice. “You need to know yourstuff,” she said. “Thereʼs simply nosubstitute for competency.”2006 graduates and guests of the Diversity Development Association include first row, left to right Necole Miller, Corporate Vice President for Human Resources and System Diversity Yvonne Tisdel, SSM Health CarePresident/CEO Sr. Mary Jean Ryan, FSM, Bennett College for Women President Johnnetta Cole, Sr. Antona Ebo, FSM, Senior Vice President–Human Resources Steve Barney, Rachelle Nelson and Deronda Clark. Rowtwo: Janet Watley, Evelyn Stalls, Gina Johnson, Mandy Hayes-Chandler, Elizabeth Hills, Lisa Shin, Ann Beverley Giustiniano, Denise Sykes-Collins, Susan Fulton, Candace Crown, Deborah Stricklin and Mary Sanders. Rowthree: Bobbie Fields, Brenda Fields, Joseph Conrod, Molia Strickland, Tonya McClelland, Patricia Martin, Deirdre Hargrove-Krieghoff, Karen Davis and Deborah Henley. Row four: Robert Smith, Kendrick Joshway, JaimePillai, Ferninand Nyarko, Homer Robinson, Cornelius Sanders, Phil Atkins and Wendell Reese. Not shown: Shirley “Marti” Edwards, Christina Johnson and Ernise Williams.Opportunity Knocks Through School at WorkWhat are the recent graduates ofCardinal Glennon’s School at Work sayingabout the program?Knock on podium. “Do you know whatthat is? That’s opportunity knocking!”—Pauline Cauley, Blood Bank clerk“I plan on going back to school inJanuary for Business Administrationand this program has helped me getback in the habit of going to school.”—Suzanne Gerstner, pediatric intensivecare unit secretary“It has been a great experience!”—Debby Costa, pharmacy technicianSSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center’s first class of School at Work graduates (front row, leftto right): Pauline Cauley, Vivian Collins, Jeff Scott and Suzanne Gerstner. (Back row, left to right) Cardinal“No matter how much schooling you gothrough it doesn’t compare to this. AndGlennon President Doug Ries, Coach Karen Miller, graduates Debby Costa and Iris Goines, Coach Kendrickit doesn’t compare to the camaraderieJoshway, graduates Diane Luna-Williams and Rene Robertson, and Karen Busch, corporate manager ofwith your students and coaches.”SSM University, joined in the celebration. Not pictured are graduates Tashundra Gantt and Lori Francis.—Rene Robertson, lead centralizedSchool at Work is a new, eight-monthemployee development program of SSMUniversity. Employees in entry-levelpositions can enroll. A new round ofclasses will be enrolling in 2007 at St.Louis-area hospitals SSM CardinalGlennon Children’s Medical Center andSSM DePaul Health Center; St. FrancisHospital & Health Services in Maryville,Mo., and the Mount Vernon, Ill., campusof St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Inc.appointment scheduler“I’m the kind of person who likes tocontinue my education and explore asmuch as I can.”—Iris Goines, lab support technicianSt. Francis Hospital TeamTravels to PhilippinesBy Michael HarrisonBLUE ISLAND, ILL.—Whenregistered nurse Perla Grino-Garcia fliesto the Philippines in January, she won’t bestaying in a five-star hotel.Instead, she and six colleagues fromSt. Francis Hospital & Health Center inBlue Island and St. Mary’s Health Center inRichmond Heights, Mo., will put their medicalexpertise to work in a place where healthcare is a luxury few can afford.The group is traveling with the IndianaPhilippine Medical Association on its annualmedical mission to Aklan, Philippines.“People don’t have medical insurancethere, and there’s a need for doctors,”Grino-Garcia said. “Doctors on the missiontrip provide free surgeries for cleft lip andpalate, thyroidectomies, hysterectomies…My nursing colleagues and I will be workingin the recovery room.”Grino-Garcia will be joined by registerednurses Dona Hoffman, Betty Darling, ColleenOliver and Feme Gamboa; physician’sassistant Steve Milenkovic; and secretaryEva Johnson. Another nurse, Mary SueMcKennan, is from St. Louis.November / December 2006SSM Health Care

— Our Bimonthly Publication for Employees, Physicians and Friends 13Around The SystemPeople making progress, progress making change, eventsaround our System about which we want you to know.MissouriPeopleHONORS AND AUTHORSWilliam Schoenhard, SSM Health Care executive vicepresident/chief operating officer, was appointed to theOrgan Donation and Transplantation Alliance Board ofDirectors. Steven Barney, senior vice president–humanresources, was appointed to the City of St. Louis Civil ServiceCommission by Mayor Francis Slay.Eunice Halverson, corporate vicepresident–Quality Resource Center,was presented the Missouri HospitalAssociation Distinguished ProfessionalAward. Dr. Andy Kosseff, SSMmedical director of system clinicalimprovement, was interviewed for a Eunice Halversonstory on public reporting of infection rates in hospitals onABC’s “Good Morning America.”Wayne Munkel, director of social service, SSM CardinalGlennon Children’s Medical Center, wrote a chapter in a newbook called, Abusive Head Trauma in Infants and Children: AMedical, Legal and Forensic Reference.A Medal of Honor from the U.S. Department of Health andHuman Services was given to SSM DePaul Health Center forDr. Kevin Johnsonincreasing its organ donation rates. Dr.Kevin Johnson, vice president of medicalaffairs and quality, was named to theMalcolm Baldrige Board of Examiners.Emergency department care teamcoordinator, Mike Bothe, was named St.Charles Catholic Youth Council’s “DistrictPerson of the Year” and Norma Barr,director of nursing operations, was elected executive secretaryof the Missouri Nurse Leaders Association board of directors.EventsPHYSICIAN RIDES FORYOUTH CAMPINGDr. John Oldham props up his bike, surrounded by emergencydepartment staff who propped him up with support during his 500-mile charity ride. Pictured, from left to right, are Dr. Jonathan Rill,Tracy Morgester, Susan Leedom (seated), Katie Robinson, LakisherBrice, Dr. Oldham, Michelle Liston, Jean Crum and Jane Wachter.Pat Komoroski, president of SSM St. Joseph HospitalWest, was featured in the July-August issue of HealthExecutive magazine.Mariann Dinello, officer manager of SSM WorkHEALTH,received the Missouri Medique Unique LeadershipAward from the Missouri Association of OccupationalHealth Nurses.Aninda Acharya, medical director for the Center forNeurological Recovery, and Gerard Erker, neuropsychologistwith SSM Rehab, received third place from among104 entries for their poster presentation,“Effect of fallson length of stay in different stroke rehabilitation settings,”at the American Society of Neurorehabilitation/American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine meeting.The Missouri Association for Healthcare Public Relationsand Marketing presented 2005 Show-Me-Excellenceawards to Tom Barry, SSM Media Services; PatrickWalker, St. Mary’s Health Center (Jefferson City); SuzyFarren, Lorraine Kee and Laura Morris, SSM Health CareCorporate Office.The American Society for Healthcare Engineering ofthe American Hospital Association recognized St. FrancisHospital & Health Services (Maryville) and its buildingoperations manager Gary Thompson with its 2006 certificateof achievement for reducing its energy consumptionby 13 percent.APPOINTMENTSSSM Health Care-St. Louis named Daniel Varga regional vicepresident–medical affairs/chief medical officer. Varga, formerlysenior vice president/chief medical officer for Norton Healthcarein Louisville, Ky., willstart work Jan. 2.Carm Moceriwas named interimpresident of SSMDePaul HealthCenter to replaceRICHMOND HEIGHTS—Dr. John Oldham trainedfor months for a 500-mile benefit bicycle ride up anddown the hills of the Pacific Northwest coastline. Morethan physical endurance, Oldham credited the prayersof his co-workers at SSM St. Mary’s Health Center.“One of the most encouraging things thathappened to me was early the first evening of theride,” said Oldham, who works in the emergencydepartment. “I was tired; a gentleman walked up to meat our motel in Crescent City, Calif., to tell me that hissister, our own Sr. Veronica (Higgins, a chaplain at St.Mary’s), and her group had been praying for me. Whata lift that gave me!”The bicycle ride, Oct. 1–6, raised money for KidsAcross America, a camping program for inner-citychildren and their youth leaders. Oldham volunteershis services each summer at the camp. His colleaguesat the hospital supported him by fundraising andpublicizing his journey.Daniel Varga“Dr. Oldham’s commitment to caring for thesechildren is so inspiring,” said Susan Leedom, anemergency department registrar.Carm Moceriformer president Melinda Clark who accepted thepost of president of Lubbock (Texas) Hospitals andexecutive vice president/chief operating officer ofCovenant Health System; Sandra Holtmeyer waswelcomed as general manager for food service; andPatricia Turnbough, formerly nurse recruiter at SSMSt. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles, was promotedto nurse navigator for Cancer Care at DePaul.At SSM St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles, SSM St.Joseph Health Center–Wentzville and SSM St. Joseph MedicalHal HolderKaren HendrenKathy ThayerPark in St. Peters, Curt Koestererwas named area director ofstrategic planning and businessdevelopment; Hal Holder hasbeen named director of finance.Karen Hendren was welcomedas director for surgicalservices at SSM St. JosephHospital of Kirkwood.Kathy Thayer was namednetwork director for HomewardBound Rehab®, the new skillednursing facility-based rehabilitationbusiness of SSM Rehab.Garf Thomas, director ofpharmacy at St. Mary’s HealthCenter in Jefferson City, wasnamed interim administrativedirector at the hospital.Kris Quasebarth joinedthe SSM Information Centeras training manager onthe Project Beacon-EpicImplementation Team.St. Mary’s Health Center (Jefferson City)announced that registered nurse Sherry Wyatthas been named emergency services director.SSM TO END CONTRACTWITH WALGREENSST. LOUIS—SSM Health Care-St. Louis announcedthat it will end its agreement Feb. 1 with Take CareHealth Systems to provide collaborating physiciansfor the retail-based health clinics in St. Louis operatedby Take Care Health.Take Care Health, based in Pennsylvania, currentlyoperates nine clinics in area Walgreens stores which arestaffed by nurse practitioners. The agreement, which wasannounced this summer, will end Feb. 1.“We continue to believe that retail-based health clinicslike Take Care Health are being developed in responseto the growing consumer demand for convenient andaccessible health care services, particularly for thosewho don’t have a primary ‘medical home,’” said Ron Levy,president/CEO for SSMHC-St. Louis.“However, at this point in time, we have decided notto maintain a formal collaborative relationship with TakeCare,” Levy said. “In the end, this is about listening to, andrespecting, the concerns of our physicians.”SSM Health Care November / December 2006

14 NetWork — Our Bimonthly Publication for Employees, Physicians and FriendsMissouri ContinuedST. MARY’S DONATES TOFRANCISCAN SISTERSOF MARY MINISTRIESRICHMOND HEIGHTS—Employees turned acelebration into an opportunity for service by collectingdonations on Heritage Day (Nov. 15) for the women ofAlmost Home and Woman’s Place, two ministries of theFranciscan Sisters of Mary.St. Mary’s Health Center’s Heritage Day commemoratesthe arrival in the United States of the first Sisters of St. Mary,now the Franciscan Sisters of Mary, in 1872. Departmentsare donating money and baskets of supplies for the sisters’ministries to honor the order’s founding. Employees weregiven free bread; and a short prayer service and blessing ofthe baskets containing donations was held.SSM HOME CARE TO TAKE OVERINFUSION SERVICESSSM Home Care announced recently that it would assumecontrol of SSM Infusion Services, LLC effective Jan. 1.Infusion Services is currently a joint venture with SSMHealth Care and Coram Healthcare, which owns 50 percentof the company. SSM Home Care will purchase Coram’sownership by year’s end.As a result of the ownership change, Infusion Services,which provides home infusion therapy to patients, willorganizationally come under SSM Home Care and willreport to Dan Kraemer, Infusion executive director ofdiversified services.ST. JOSEPH PARTICIPATES INLANDMARK LUNG CANCER STUDYST. CHARLES—SSM St. Joseph Health Center is among38 institutions participating in a New England Journal ofMedicine study on screening high-risk patients for lung cancer.The study resulted in 85 percent of patients beingdiagnosed in the earliest stage of the disease, using annuallow-dose computed tomography (CT) screening. Further,the study shows that the survival rate for patients was 92percent when followed by prompt surgical removal.The study is being conducted by researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical CenterDr. Daniel Luedkein 1993. St. Joseph, the onlyfacility in Missouri in thestudy, has participated sinceNovember 2005.St. Joseph’s principalinvestigator for the study isDr. Daniel Luedke, medicaldirector of oncology servicesat the hospital’s H.W. KoenigCancer Center and an oncologist with Missouri Cancer Care.“The fact that this study shows a very high percentageof lung cancers can be detected in Stage I—the very earlieststage—is overwhelmingly positive,” Luedke said. Stage I isthe only stage at which cure by surgery is highly likely.”NEW WorkHEALTH CLINIC OPENSWith business growing faster than expected, SSM WorkHEALTH opened its second occupational medicine clinicin the St. Louis area Oct. 9—just eight months after thebusiness first launched.Since a February opening, the north St. Louis Countyclinic has grown to serve more than 160 corporateclients and averages 600 work injury visits and healthscreenings a month. The new clinic is located in St.Charles County. SSM WorkHEALTH is a full serviceoccupational medicine business managed by SSM Rehab.The clinics treat work injuries and provide a full spectrumof prevention and employee health services. Additionalclinic openings are planned for 2007.FOR 20 YEARS, RICKABAUGH,ST. FRANCIS CARE FOR CHILDRENMARYVILLE—As St. Francis Preschool & Child CareCenter celebrates 20 years of serving the Maryvillecommunity, Nancy Rickabaugh is also noting her ownmilestone. Rickabaugh joined the St. Francis staff shortlyafter the center opened its doors in 1986.“Nancy is one of the best professionals in the business,”Nancy Rickabaughsaid Preschool & ChildCare Director CindySons. “We have a lotof references becauseshe is here.”Rickabuagh has fondmemories from workingat the center. But sheespecially has enjoyedher relationships with the center’s children. Each Christmasshe makes an ornament for each child and their parents.“We have grown tremendously,” Rickabaugh said.“We do a lot more teaching today. The children are alwayslearning something.”EMPLOYEES CELEBRATESSM’S HERITAGEST. LOUIS—Employees at SSM CardinalGlennon Children’s Medical Center lookforward each year to the loaves of bread,fellowship and shared history that mark theannual celebration “Mother Odilia Day.”Mother Mary Odilia Berger was founderof the Sisters of St. Mary, which became theFranciscan Sisters of Mary, SSM Health Care’ssponsor today. She and four sisters arrivedin St. Louis from Germany on November 16,1872, and she became known in the city forwalking the streets with a bell, lantern andbasket distributing food, medicine and othersupplies to ailing and impoverished cityresidents. Annually, ceremonies throughoutSSM mark the sisters’ arrival.In the photograph, environmental servicesemployees Mary Lott (from left) and LillianWagner pick up their loaves of bread onMother Odilia Day from Sr. Judy Carron,RSM, and Mary Ann Collins, CardinalGlennon director of mission.IllinoisPeopleHONORSDr. Sajjan NemaniEventsNovember / December 2006Dr. Sajjan Nemani,St. Mary’s Good SamaritanInc., received the “Rural Physicianof Excellence Award”from the Illinois Rural HealthAssociation for going beyondthe call of duty to carefor rural residents and helpbuild rural communities.ST. MARY’S GOOD SAMARITANPROMOTES HEART HEALTHSOUTHERN ILLINOIS—Dr. John Codd,cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon at St. Mary’sGood Samaritan Inc., spoke at a recent HealthyHearts Club meeting on peripheral vascular disease.The Healthy Hearts Club meets monthlyfeaturing specialists on different topics. Thecommunity program has grown to average 98attendees a month.UROLOGISTS VOLUNTEER FORPROSTATE SCREENINGSDrs. David Knowles and Manoj DesaiMOUNT VERNON, ILL.—Drs. David Knowles andManoj Desai volunteered in September to perform prostatescreenings at the Center for Comprehensive Cancer Carefor Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Throughout theafternoon, 87 men were screened. The screenings involvedblood tests and exams by the urologists. One in six men willbe diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetimes. TheAmerican Cancer Society recommends annual screeningsfor men beginning at age 50.ST. FRANCIS PAYS TRIBUTETO FOUNDING SISTERSBLUE ISLAND—The mission awareness teamat St. Francis Hospital & Health Center celebratedHeritage Day on Nov. 16 with a special tribute to theFranciscan Sisters of Mary. The team performed a livereading from the script used in the “Our Heritage ofHealing” documentary produced by SSM Health Care.The documentaryuses stories,photographs and otherarchival images to tellthe story of the system’sfounding sisters topresent day. Pictured isSr. Doris Ashcraft, FSM,who dressed in her habitand visited employeesthroughout the hospital,Sr. Doris Ashcrafthanding out laminatedbookmarkers highlighting historical milestones of SSMand St. Francis Hospital.SSM HOME CARE, HOSPICEVISIT BROOKFIELD ZOOBLUE ISLAND—SSM Home Care and Hospiceat St. Francis Hospital & Health Center celebratedits Mission Day Oct. 11 with a trip to the BrookfieldZoo in Brookfield, Ill. Team members discussedcommunity values and created their goals. Theyenjoyed a wonderful meal, tram ride and dolphinshow. They also rode the zoo’s new carousel, whichconsists of hand-carved figures of the zoo animals.A great day was had by all.SSM Health Care

— Our Bimonthly Publication for Employees, Physicians and Friends 15OklahomaPeopleHONORS AND AUTHORSTammy Powell, chiefTammy Powellplanning and marketing director.Eventsnursing officer for St.Anthony Hospital, washonored with OklahomaCity University’s SilverSalute Award.APPOINTMENTSAt Bone & Joint Hospital,Lori Boyd was welcomed asST. ANTHONY AWARDSPHYSICIANS FOR COMMITMENTTO EXCELLENCEOKLAHOMA CITY—In October, St. Anthony awardedfive physicians and one department for their commitmentto excellence. Along with the tradition of the St. LukeAward, St. Anthony presented new awards that recognizedphysicians who helped the hospital achieve its fiveexceptional goals.The cardiology department was awarded the Project100 Award for its exceptional improvement in acutemyocardial infarction from 2005 to the present.Dr. Jimmie Jackson was honored for his exceptionalpatient satisfaction, as he had the highest patientsatisfaction scores among all St. Anthony physicians.Drs. Eric Howell and K.A. Mehta were honored for theirimpact on initiatives to improve financial performance.Honorary staff recognition awards were given to Drs.Thomas Nix, Jr. and Raymond Dougherty, Jr., whowill be retiring from St. Anthony after many years ofdedicated service.The St. Luke Award was presented to Dr. RussellHanan, Jr. for his dedication, commitment and support—qualities of Saint Luke, the patron saint of physicians andsurgeons. The award is commissioned each year by theSt. Anthony Hospital Administrative Council to formallyrecognize a member of the hospital’s medical staff.BONE & JOINT RATES FIVE STARSOKLAHOMA CITY—A comprehensive studyreleased by HealthGrades, a leading health-carerating company, awarded Bone & Joint Hospitalits five-star rating for total knee replacement,total hip replacement and back and neck surgerywithout fusion. HealthGrades also ranked Bone &WisconsinPeopleHONORS AND AUTHORSDr. Richard Hendricks, vice president formedical affairs at St. Mary’s Hospital, announcedhis retirement at year’s end. Hendricks hasserved as a St. Mary’s administrator for 10 yearsand is a charter member of the Madison PatientSafety Collaborative.Members of the St. Mary’s Public RelationsDepartment were recognized by the WisconsinHealthcare Public Relations and Marketing Societyand the Madison chapter of the Public RelationsSociety of America for outstanding ad campaigns.Printing Industries of Wisconsin also cited the departmentfor graphics excellence for the hospital’scapital campaign materials.Also, the hospital’s Pet Therapy program receivedthe Wisconsin Award for Volunteer Excellence.EventsST. CLARE HOSPITAL NAMEDBUSINESS OF THE YEARBARABOO—St. Clare Hospital and Health Serviceswas recently named the 2006 Baraboo Area Chamberof Commerce “Business of the Year.” In presenting theaward, the chamber’s executive director, Gene Dalhoff,cited the opening of St. Clare’s Hospice House, radiationoncology service and new childbirth center in the pastyear. Sandy Anderson, hospital president, accepted theaward on behalf of employees and physicians at theChamber’s annual meeting Oct. 23.The recognition is given to a business that hasserved the community for at least three years,demonstrated the ability to overcome adversity,grown during its existence, contributes to thecommunity and is a member of the chamber.TAKING CARE EVENT TAKES A BOWMADISON—A day of health screening andawareness in September for women religious, called“Taking Care,” marked the event’s grand finale after20 years of service to religious sisters from acrossthe state and beyond.Due to the diminishing number of participants,the sisters decided to end the program. St. Mary’sHospital and the St. Mary’s School of Nursing AlumniAssociation are looking for other ways to honor St.Mary’s heritage while serving the sisters.Russ FredrickThe Wisconsin Hospital Associationhonored Russ Fredrick,a long-time member of theColumbus Community Hospitalboard of directors, with its 2006Trustee of the Year Award.St. Clare Hospital andHealth Services’ CongestiveHeart Failure Program has been awarded diseasespecificcertification by the Joint Commission onAccreditation of Healthcare Organizations.APPOINTMENTSSt. Mary’s Hospital welcomed Kathleen Ambs,administrative director for medical imaging; EmilieFedoroy, director for the new neuroscience surgicalintensive unit; Lynn Olson, director of healthinformation services; and Gabrielle Jensen, directorof business services.VOLUNTEER PLAYS ROLE INEMMY-NOMINATED STORYMADISON—St. Mary’sCare Center in Madisonreceived a ray of theEmmy Awards spotlight inNovember after one of itsvolunteers was featured inan Emmy-nominated series.The story of Bob Littky,a 71-year-old volunteerBob Littkyexercise instructor at the Care Center, was part of aseries on Madison’s NBC affiliate called More than Meetsthe Eye. The story, entered in the category of soft newsfeature series, focused on Littky as a heart attack andstroke survivor who has become an avid runner andregular marathoner. The story didn’t win at the ceremonyNov. 19, but it was nice just to be nominated.St. Mary’s nurse Joan Hoyer, as Amiga the Clown, buddiesup to Sr. Pauline Labrecque, one of the event’s participants.Joint Hospital among the top 5 percent of hospitalsnationwide in its ratings for 2007 for joint replacementsurgery; it was the only hospital in Oklahoma to beranked in the top 10 percent nationally for overallorthopedic services. Bone & Joint also is the recipient ofthe Specialty Excellence Award for overall orthopedicservices and joint replacement surgery. Pictured is thenew Bone & Joint logo.DIVERSITY FAIRLIVES UP TOPROMISEMADISON—Henna skinpainting from India was amongthe activities employees couldexplore at the first St. Mary’sDiversity Fair in October.Employees and associatesfrom St. Mary’s Hospital, St. Mary’sChild Care Center and Dean HealthSystem showcased traditionalclothing, food, music, dance andother cultural elements. Countriesrepresented were China, the CzechRepublic, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Gambia,India, Ireland, Jamaica, Mexico,Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, SierraLeone, South Africa, Tibet and theUnited States. The fair—planned andsponsored by the hospital’s diversitycouncil—was part of a larger diversityprogram including an interactivetraining session required for allemployees.Henna skin painting was one of the many activities for the firstSt. Mary’s Diversity Day.SSM Health Care November / December 2006

16 NetWork — Our Bimonthly Publication for Employees, Physicians and FriendsThis is the third in a series appearing in Network over the coming months. These stories areintended to reflect some of the many contributions of the Franciscan Sisters of Mary, sponsorof SSM Health Care. We hope the stories, which are contained in a new book and DVD,Our Heritage of Healing, illuminate how the sisters’ early contributions bear on our mission today.Continued fromSeptember/OctoberNetworkA HistoryYellow Fever1878 started out uneventfully for the sisters.On May 24, they celebrated the firstanniversary of St. Mary’s Infirmary.By June, the weather was hot and deadly.Horses died, and people became sick from theheat. Streetcar traffic came to a standstill. Andinside the infirmary, the sisters sweltered in theirwoolen habits.There was no relief from the heat. When itrained, the streets grew clogged with dirt andwaste. Rain mixed with sewage to form foul ponds,perfect for spreading disease. And sure enough,yellow fever broke out in July.But farther south things were worse. On August 13,the first case of yellow fever was reported in Memphis.As the epidemic spread, people panicked and fled the city.Sr. Mary Clara’s StoryIn late August, Mother Odilia received a letter from somephysicians in Memphis, describing the desperate conditions there.Men, women, and children lay sick anddying. The doctors begged for help.And so Mother asked for volunteersto go to Memphis. We understoodthe danger, but we were not afraid.Many of us volunteered, trusting inthe will of our Lord.Mother agonized over sending Sr. Mary Claraour sisters into such danger. But whole familieswere dying, and help was desperately needed. So shedecided to send five sisters who were young andstrong—and she began praying for their safe return.A HistorySeptember 2, 1878 - By the time the sistersarrived in Memphis, the city was a ghost town.Businesses were boarded up, and supplies could notbe found. Even the doctors and nurses had becomeill with yellow fever.The sisters immediately went to work. They wereneeded everywhere at once, and they did what theycould to care for theill and the dying. They wrote to MotherOdilia, describing the horrific conditionsand asking for more sisters. Again, thesisters willingly volunteered, and Mothersent three more to Memphis.The eight sisters worked without rest, until theirhealth began to fail. Sister Wilhelmina was the firstto get sick, and before long, five of them were ill.Back in St. Louis, Mother Odilia receivedanother urgent request, this time from Canton,Mississippi. Again, it was yellow fever. For a thirdtime, she asked for volunteers, and for a third timethe sisters willingly offered themselves. She selectedfive more sisters to go to Canton.By mid-September, more than one third of thecongregation had been sent to care for people indesperate need—far from St. Louis.Sr. Mary ClaraA few days ago, we received thenews. In Memphis, our belovedsisters—Stanislaus, Wilhelmina,Gertrude, and Vincentia—are dead.And all of the sisters in Canton aresick. Mother is beside herself withSr. VincentiaPhotos copyright Franciscan Sisters of Mary. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.grief. Our hearts are with our sisters who areso far from home. We want to go to them. Buttheir last letter begged us to send no more help.Anyone who goes to either city could be lost tothe fever.A HistoryFall came, and with it the first frost. On October29, 1878, the Memphis Board of Health declaredthe epidemic over. The cooler temperatures broughtan end to the disease in Canton, as well. More than5,000 people in both cities died of yellow feverduring that terrible summer of 1878.Among the dead were five Sisters of St. Mary.The oldest was 28 years old.A mass of requiem was held at St. Mary’sChurch in St. Louis to honor the sisters whohad died. During their two months in Memphisand Canton, the sisters had cared for more than500 patients.Mother Odilia was inconsolable over theloss of the sisters. She took to her bed for atime, and, although she would recover, shewould never be the same.November/December 2006SSM Health Care477 N. Lindbergh Blvd.St. Louis, MO 63141ssmhc.comOur Bimonthly Publication for Employees, Physicians and Friends