May/June 2012 - Catholic Health System

May/June 2012Volume 2, Issue 7Kenmore Mercy Breaks Ground for New ERContinuing Catholic Health’s commitment to enhanceemergency services throughout the region,Kenmore Mercy Hospital broke ground in March ona new $14 million Emergency Department that willdouble the size of its existingER and bring state-of-the-artemergency services to Buffalo’snorthern communities.Designed to care for up to40,000 patients a year, thenew 24,000 square-foot facilitywill include 25 privatetreatment rooms equippedwith the latest medical emergencyand clinical informationtechnology. It will also featureprivate registration and triageareas, centrally located nurses’stations, and onsite CT anddigital X-ray equipment toenhance patient comfort and improve the work environmentfor doctors, nurses and other emergency staff.“Careful thought and planning went into the designof this new Emergency Department,” said James Millard,president & CEO of Kenmore Mercy Hospital.“It will enable us to provide the most advanced care forlife threatening medical emergencies, as well as moreCatholic Health and Mount St. Mary’s HospitalSign Collaborative Services Agreementprompt and efficient care to expedite the treatment ofminor medical emergencies.”The construction at Kenmore Mercy follows similarprojects at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo in 2010, Sisters ofCharity Hospital in 2011,and its St. Joseph Campusin 2005. Called “ProjectRenaissance,” the multiyear,multi-million dollarER project will concludewith a redesign of theEmergency Departmentat the Mercy AmbulatoryCare Center in OrchardPark, creating the region’smost advanced network ofemergency services.Kenmore Mercy’s newER is scheduled to open inthe summer of 2013. “OurEmergency Department has served the community forover 60 years and we are proud of the care we provide tofamilies and businesses throughout the region,” Millardcontinued. “Now is the time to turn the page on a newchapter in our history and bring the same high qualityemergency care to our patients in a more modern, spaciousand comfortable facility.”Bishop Edward U. Kmiec (far right) joined Catholic Health andKenmore Mercy officials and local political leaders to break ground forKenmore Mercy’s new Emergency Department.Don’t miss the Patient Experience update on page 5.Catholic Health and Mount St. Mary’s Hospitaland Health Center in Lewiston, have signed acollaborative services agreement that will create a strongerworking relationship between the two organizationsand enhance care for residents throughout NiagaraCounty. Under the agreement, Mount St. Mary’s willgain operational efficiencies through the utilization ofshared resources, while patients will have expanded accessto a wider range of healthcare services.Catholic Health has similar agreements with BertrandChafee and Cuba Memorial hospitals. “By creating partnershipsthat help patients access specialty services thatdidn’t exist or were geographically out of reach, we areimproving the health of our community while controllingthe cost of care,” said Joe McDonald president andCEO of Catholic Health. “Our goal is to work withcommunity hospitals, like Mount St. Mary’s, to helpstrengthen their ability to care for patients locally.”Other benefits for Mount St. Mary’s include strengtheningrelationships witharea doctors and accessingfunding to recruitprimary and specialtycare providers to Niagara County. Many of the hospital’sphysicians are also part of Catholic Medical Partners.“As two Catholic-sponsored health providers, thiscollaboration is a perfect fit for our hospital and ourpoint of view on the healthcare environment,” said JudyManess, president & CEO of Mount St. Mary’s Hospital.“We believe delivering an exceptional patient experiencethat is safe, high quality, and low cost, will require a strongregional presence. Through this collaboration, we notcontinued on page 3Partnersin HealthAs a leading health systemin Western New York,Catholic Health not only has aresponsibility to the patients itserves, but also to the communityat large. Looking beyondErie County, we have partneredwith providers in the SouthernTier and Niagara County to ensurethat patients throughout theregion have access to needed carein their own community, as wellas advanced specialty services offeredwithin Catholic Health.In Springville, NY, we partneredwith Bertrand ChaffeeHospital to provide administrativesupport at a time when thehospital was facing serious financialdifficulties. Thanks to theleadership of CEO Nils Gunnersen,who previously servedas COO at Mercy Hospital ofBuffalo, Bertrand Chaffee hasemerged stronger, and better positionedto serve the local community.For patients in rural communitieslike Springville, access tophysician specialists often meanshaving to travel outside the areafor needed care. With the supportof the Catholic HealthHeart Center at Mercy Hospital,and cardiologists ThomasP. Smith, Jr., MD, and SyedShah, MD, the Heart Center atcontinued on page 2Joe McDonaldPresident & CEO• Living Our Mission• Catholic MedicalPartners Selectedfor Federal ACO• Go Green• CEO Messagecontinued• Helping to Ensurea Safe Delivery• Faith CommunityNursing• Tops in ResidentSatisfaction• NYS Partnershipfor Patients• Treatment Optionfor Heart Failure• St. Joseph Campusjoins TCAB• CHS Partnerswith Text4Baby• KMH MRU RanksAmong Top• Patient ExperienceAcross the System• Patient Experienceby the Numbers• SatisfactionResults• Advocacy ProgramHelps ER Patients• Home Care News• VOA – What's Next?• Students LookBehind the Mask• Behavioral HealthServices Offered• Mobile Website• Around theSystem• DevelopmentSupport Team• Catholic HealthUniversity• Compliance Nowor Pay Later• It's Not HealthInsurance – It'sHealth Coverage• Preventing StrokesBegins withEducation• CHS AssociateAppreciationEvents

Catholic Medical PartnersSelected for Federal ACOBelieve in Giving and theBuffalo City MissionWhen Catholic Health first introduced the Believe inGiving Campaign in 2007, our goal was to support charitableorganizations in our community who share similarvalues. We began by supporting the Society of St. Vincentde Paul and Gerard Place. During the past two years, wehave focused our efforts on the Food Bank of WNY andour own ministry Helping Hands funds.Thanks to the generous support of associates throughoutCatholic Health, we have donated thousands of dollarsto help these charities serve the poor and disadvantagedin our community. We have also donated our timeand talents and, in the case of the Food Bank, thousandsof pounds of non-perishable food items as well.This year, we are beginning a new partnership with theBuffalo City Mission, while continuing to support ourown associates through our Helping Hands funds.The Buffalo City Missionis a faith-based serviceorganization thatprovides the basic necessitiesof food, clothingand shelter to helpindividuals and familiesovercome poverty andhomelessness and turn their lives around.Beyond the basics, Buffalo City Mission offers longtermrecovery programs, counseling, work and life-skillstraining, education assistance and healthcare services. Italso offers outreach programs to prevent homelessness forindividuals and families in low-income communities.Over the next two years, Catholic Health’s Mission Integrationteam will plan fundraising activities and otherevents to support the work of the City Mission. Someideas include sponsoring “brown bag challenges,” to donatethe money you would normally spend on lunch tothe City Mission, or an “Undie Monday Drive” to collectnew underwear, socks, and other personal items to providethese important necessities to people in crisis.Watch for ways you can help. If you would like moreinformation, contact the Mission Integration leaderin your facility or visit www.BuffaloCityMission.org.Together, we can help restore hope and dignity to improvethe lives of people who need it most.Catholic Medical Partners – a network ofmore than 900 physicians, Catholic Healthand Mount St. Mary’s Hospital – was selectedto participate in a national programaimed at improving quality and loweringthe cost of providing healthcarefor Medicare patients.The local physician andhospital network was oneof just 27 across the country,and the only one fromWNY, chosen for the federalshared savings “AccountableCare Organization” (ACO)program, announced in April by the Centersfor Medicare and Medicaid Services.“This is a milestone moment in the effortto reform and improve healthcare in WesternNew York,” said Dennis R. Horrigan,president & CEO, Catholic Medical Partners.“The commitment of our physicianpartners and our strategic relationship withCatholic Health is enabling this transformation.We are excited to serve area Medicarepatients as an Accountable Care Organizationand move our community closerto realizing the goals of true health reform– improved quality, improved patient experienceand lower cost.”By definition, ACOs are groups of doctorsand other health providers who worktogether to provide highquality care for their patients.The concept wasdeveloped as part of theAffordable Care Act tobetter coordinate care forMedicare patients. Insteadof patients having to navigatethe complex healthsystem on their own, ACOs will workhand-in-hand with patients to ensure theyget the care they need across a variety of settings—includingdoctors’ offices, hospitals,and other healthcare settings.“The goals of the Accountable Care Organizationare aligned with Catholic Health’swork as a High Performing Health Systemand with our vision of transforming the deliveryof healthcare in Western New York,”added Joe McDonald, President & CEO,Catholic Health.Catholic HealthSponsors ElectronicRecycling DayIt’s time to do some spring cleaning and gather those old electronic devices for CatholicHealth’s annual Electronic Waste Recycling Day - Saturday, June 2 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.in the front parking lot at AppleTree Business Park, 2875 Union Rd. in Cheektowaga. Theevent is open to Catholic Health associates, physician offices and volunteers with proper ID.As part of this collection, participants are invited to bring non-perishable food donationsfor the Buffalo City Mission. Our recycling partner, Regional Computer Recycling &Recovery, will also donate eight cents per pound of electronic waste collected to the BuffaloCity Mission. Based on last year’s totals, that could mean over $1,600!Home electronic waste accepted (we cannot accept electronic waste from businesses):• Computer Equipment - monitors, computers, PC terminals, printers, networkequipment, keyboards, mice/computer accessories, toner/ink jet cartridges• Miscellaneous Electronics - televisions, circuit boards, cabling/wiring, typewriters, faxmachines, audio/visual equipment, video game systems, cell phones, PDAs, iPODs,universal power supplies, telephones, VCRs, DVD Players, cameras• Batteries (any type)Items NOT accepted:• Air Conditioners• Any Liquids• Fluorescent Bulbs• Kitchen/PersonalAppliancesCEO Message continuedContinued from page 1Bertrand Chaffee recently opened to provide patients with cardiac services that are convenientand close to home.Also in the Southern Tier, we have established a relationship with Cuba Memorial Hospitalto strengthen health and wellness services in that region of Western New York. ThroughCatholic Health’s Mission on the Move, we are able to offer valuable health screenings andwellness programs to help the people of Cuba stay healthy or recognize the early warningsigns of conditions like stroke, heart disease and diabetes.We recently signed an affiliation agreement with Mount St. Mary’s Hospital in Lewistonto strengthen Catholic healthcare services in Niagara County (see article on page 1). Thispartnership has also helped Mount St. Mary’s recruit new OB-GYN physicians and heartspecialists, to ensure patients throughout the Niagara region continue to have local access tothese important services.Through these and other partnerships with area providers, and our relationship withCatholic Medical Partners, we are redefining the way healthcare is delivered in WesternNew York. We are also gaining the respect of state and federal health agencies as we pioneernew methods of care delivery that are keeping people healthy, better managing chronicmedical conditions, and controlling rising healthcare costs.There is an old expression, “a rising tide lifts all boats.” By developing and nurturing theserelationships, we are not only strengthening Catholic Health and our medical partners, weare creating a groundswell that is improving the health of our collective community.

Helping to Ensure a Safe DeliveryPreparing for the birth of a baby can bea nervous time for expectant parents. Theywant everything to go well – especially thedelivery. Mercy Hospital of Buffalo andSisters of Charity Hospital were recentlyselected, along with four other New YorkState hospitals, to participate in a specialprogram to enhance obstetrical safety.Endorsed by the American College ofObstetricians & Gynecologists, MOREOB (Managing Obstetrical Risk Efficiently)is a comprehensive patient safety, professionaldevelopment, and performance improvementprogram for OB staff.“This program is a game changer for OBcare in our community,” said Aimee Gomlak,vice president of Women’s Services forCatholic Health. “Clinical errors in obstetricalcare affect babies, their families andproviders. By building and sustaining a ’cultureof safety’ in our hospitals, we are ensuringthat new moms and their babies havethe safest birth experience possible.”The multi-year program is based on theprinciples of High Reliability Organizations(HRO’s) including: safety as the priority,effective communication, teamwork,decreased hierarchy in emergencies, practicefor emergencies, and reflective learning. Byintegrating evidence-based practices withFaith Community Nursing ReaffirmsChurch’s Role in HealingTops in Resident SatisfactionThree Catholic Health Long Term Carefacilities – Father Baker Manor in OrchardPark, Mercy Nursing Facility at OLV inLackawanna, and St. Vincent’s of Dunkirk– have been named among the top 10% inthe country for resident satisfaction, accordingto a reportpublished by My InnerView,a divisionof the National ResearchCorporation.“The best way toknow how we are doingis to ask the peoplewho truly mattermost – our residentsand their families,”said ChristineKluckhohn, president& CEO forCatholic Health Continuing Care. “Surveytools like My InnerView help our administrators,including Mark Wheeler at FatherBaker Manor, Patricia Weeks O’Connorat Mercy Nursing Facilty, and DeborahSmith at St. Vincent’s Home, measure oursuccess against the top performing seniorThe residents at St. Vincent’s of Dunkirk always provide awarm welcome to new residents.Mercy Hospital’s OB team including Lawrence Gugino,MD, chair of OB/GYN; Linda Pollinger, RN; MaryAnn Murphy, BSN, director of Maternal & Child Services;Jennifer Field, midwife; and Lynn Marie Aronica,MD; help celebrate the launch of MORE OB.current and evolving patient safety principles,MORE OB hospitals improve clinicaloutcomes, better manage emergencies, andincrease patient and staff satisfaction.“Patient safety is a top priority among ourdoctors, nurses, certified nurse midwives,residents and support staff,” Gomlak added.“Participating in MORE OB is another opportunityfor us to enhance the high qualitycare and service we already provide.” Theprogram is funded through a $20,900 grantfrom The John R. Oishei Foundation, withadditional support from Catholic Healthand Catholic Medical Partners.Parish life is an active faith community for many Catholics. As a health ministry of theCatholic Church, Catholic Health is pleased to announce a new partnership with St. Leothe Great Parish in Amherst to develop a Faith Community Nursing Ministry.Sister Ellen McClure, OSF, RN, BS, MS, MA, vice president of Mission Integration atKenmore Mercy Hospital will direct the mission based program. Working with registerednurses within the parish, she will assist in identifying the healthcare needs of parishenersand coordinate health screenings and education programs to meet those needs.“Churches are, and have always been, places of healing,” said Bart Rodrigues, senior vicepresident of Mission Integration for Catholic Health. “Faith community nursing reaffirmsthe church’s role in ministering to the whole person – body, mind, and spirit – by linkingparish life with everyday life.”Faith community nurses combine parish ministry with the art and science of nursing byhosting health screenings, discussion groups, classes and other events to educate the congregation;providing personal consultations; and linking parishioners with community andreligious resources and services.By assisting congregations like St. Leo’s to incorporate health and wellness into their parish,the faith community nursing program enhances Catholic Health’s mission – to revealthe healing love of Jesus to those in need. Through this partnership, it’s expected that membersof St. Leo’s who experience care, will care for others, making for a healthier parish.care providers in the country and strive tobe among those providers.”Residents and their family members wereinvited to participate in the My InnerViewsurvey, which measures such things asrespectfulness and competency of staff,resident-to-stafffriendships, varietyof meals, respect forprivacy and feeling ofsecurity.“Results like thisdon’t happen by accident,”Kluckhohnadded. “It takes a lotof hard work anddedication from everyonewho works inour facilities – fromthe doctors, nurses,therapists and aides, who provide directcare, to the dietary, housekeeping and supportstaff, who provide delicious and nutritiousmeals and a clean and comfortableenvironment that feels like home. They deserveall the credit for this significant accomplishment.”Catholic Health Joins NYSPartnership for PatientsIn 2011, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services(CMS) launched Partnership for Patients, a publicprivatepartnership designed to help improve the quality,safety, and affordability of healthcare. With a target ofreducing hospital-acquired conditions by 40% and preventablereadmissions by 20% over the next two years, thispartnership has the potential to save 60,000 lives, eliminatemillions of preventable errors and hospital complications,and save billions of dollars in healthcare costs.As part of this effort,Catholic Healthhas joined New YorkState Partnership forPatients (NYSPFP),a statewide initiativeinvolving more than170 hospitals in activitiesaimed at reducing hospital complications and preventablereadmissions. “New York State Partnership forPatients is another tool to measure, as well as bolster ourquality improvement and patient safety efforts,” said JoeMcDonald, president & CEO of Catholic Health. “Wealready have very active Quality and Patient Safety Departmentsin each of our ministries that will support thework we are doing with our state partners.”NYSPFP is a joint project of the Healthcare Associationof New York State and the Greater New York HospitalAssociation. The partnership will provide participatinghospitals with technical assistance, training opportunitiesand educational programming to build on existing qualityimprovement programs.“These initiatives include measures we are already focusingon to enhance safety and improve clinical outcomesfor our patients,” said John Kane, vice president ofQuality & Patient Safety for Catholic Health. “The centralmessage is that improving quality and patient safety isa team effort involving hospital staff at all levels, includingclinical, administrative and support personnel.”To kick-off its participation, Catholic Health askedall hospital staff and physician leaders to participate in acomprehensive survey on patient safety culture. The resultsof the survey will help raise awareness about patientsafety among hospital staff, identify areas of strength andopportunities for improvement, and evaluate the successof initiative designed to improve care, enhance safety, andreduce preventable readmissions.Collaborative Servicescontinued from page 1only reap the operational benefits of working with anorganization the size and scope of Catholic Health, but westrengthen our ministry of healing by collaborating with apartner that truly understands our mission and core values.”The agreement will help Catholic Health grow itsspecialty services outside Erie County while supportingMount St. Mary’s efforts to enhance its primary care,outpatient and acute care services along a continuum ofcare in Niagara County. Mount St. Mary’s and CatholicHealth have already collaborated on several projects to expandaccess to cardiac and stroke specialists and developcommunity health education and screening events. Theseefforts help Niagara County residents get the health andwellness services they need to maintain their health ormanage more serious medical conditions.

What About Our Experience?A positive patient experience requires compassion, respect, and attentiveness – what happens if we have nothing left to give?Catholic Health is committed to focusing notonly on the technical aspects of quality healthcare,but also on the elements that make-up apositive patient experience – respect, compassion,a positive attitude, teamwork, accountabilityand much more. In the fast-paced, stressfilledworld of healthcare, sometimes nursesand other clinical professionals simply run outof gas and end up with “Compassion Fatigue.”The term, first coined in 1992, refers to a syndromethat affects health professionals caringfor patients with life-threatening or life-alteringillnesses and injuries. It is often the resultof very real feelings of sympathy and the strongdesire to relieve suffering conflicting with thereality that pain, suffering, and even death cannotalways be stopped.Compassion fatigue is a response to the peoplewho are suffering, rather than the work itself.It does not result from being busy, but fromgiving high levels of energy and compassionover a prolonged period to those who are suffering,often without experiencing the positiveoutcomes of seeing patients get better.When compassion fatigue occurs, it not onlyinflicts great emotional pain on the sufferer, butalso leads to a decline in job performance andefficiency, and a rise in mistakes. As nurses andclinicians with compassion fatigue continue towork, they can disrupt the morale of the unit.Personal relationships are affected at work andat home. Depending on the severity and durationof the situation, emotional and physicalhealth may also decline.Unlike compassion fatigue, which is generallyassociated with direct patient care and themost gravely ill patients, job “burnout” can affectalmost anyone. Burnout has been associatedwith the routine challenges we often experiencein healthcare, such as dealing with timepressures, managing complex patient loads orcoordinating care with other departments andteam members.Healthcare professionals who are burned outusually become less empathetic to their patientsand display negative behaviors toward coworkers.Dealing with burnout can be as simple asmaking positive changes in the work environmentor taking a vacation, to more difficultchanges like finding a new job.An associate support initiative is underway tohelp find ways to address problems like compassionfatigue; however, there are steps youcan take now if you feel that compassion fatigueis setting in:• Take allotted breaks to rest and recharge• Talk with friends and peers about a betterbalance between work life and personal life• Take care of your physical health – getenough sleep, make healthy eating choices,and find enjoyable ways to exercise• Recognize your limitations – you can bethere for patients and families, but you can’tfix everything• Recharge yourself by making time for thethings you really enjoy• Stimulate your mind – healthcare is bothcaring and scientific. By continuing to learnabout diseases and treatments, you can givethe emotional centers of your brain a restwhile recharging the cognitive centers.Symptoms of Compassion FatigueAccording to the Online Journal of Nursing ( Jan.2011), compassion fatigue symptoms can be groupedinto three areas: work-related, physical, and emotional.Work-Related Symptoms• Avoidance or dread of working with certain patients• Reduced empathy towards patients or families• Frequent use of sick days• Lack of joyfulnessPhysical Symptoms• Headaches• Digestive problems: diarrhea, constipation, upsetstomach• Muscle tension• Sleep disturbances: insomnia, too much/little sleep• Fatigue• Cardiac symptoms: chest pain/pressure, palpitations,tachycardiaEmotional Symptoms• Mood swings, irritability• Restlessness• Oversensitivity• Anxiety• Excessive use of nicotine, alcohol, illicit drugs• Depression• Anger and resentment• Loss of objectivity• Memory issues• Poor concentration, focus, and judgmentPatient Experienceby the NumbersFor more than a year now, a great deal of efforthas been made across the system to focuson things we can do individually and as a teamto improve the patient experience at CatholicHealth. A wide range of initiatives, from unitlevelprojects to system-level programs, are beginningto positively affect our patient satisfactionscores. Everything from thank-you cardsto noise limiting technology are contributing tothe upturn.The chart on the right shows our Patient Satisfactionresults for the first three months of2012, year-to-date totals, our 2011 average, andtop decile, state and national averages.Our CMS patient satisfaction scores haveimproved three percent since 2010, beating thenational average of two percent improvementover the same time period. Those organizationsperforming at what is considered “best practice”have improved between four and five percent.Because CMS looks at just 300 surveys ayear, slight variations in responses can have asignificant impact on scores. We are increasingour sample size by 200% to gain a more accuratepicture of our opportunities for improvementat the unit level. Although CMS will continueto use the 300-survey sample, our larger samplewill give us a better understanding of what initiativesare working and where we have opportunitiesto improve.We’re doing well in our efforts, but occasionallywe fall just shy of our goal of having patientsrate us a 9 or a 10, the only two scores CMS usesto show we are exceeding expectations. More recently,where our scores have shown a decline,it’s been from a 9 or 10 to an 8, which shows weare consistently on the cusp of where we need tobe. As you can see, staying focused on the detailsis critical!Catholic Health Patient Experience (Satisfaction) Results Through 3/12Overall Hospital Rating (% of patients who gave a hospital rating of 9 or 10)Advocacy Program Helps ER Patients at KMHFor many patients, navigating through healthcare cansometimes become a confusing and frustrating experience,especially under the stress of a medical emergency.Kenmore Mercy Hospital is working to change that byestablishing a Patient Advocate Program in the hospital’sEmergency Department.Staffed by hospital volunteers,the program, which is similar toadvocacy programs in our otherCatholic Health ERs, enhancescommunication and comfort.The volunteers serve as a liaisonbetween patients, their familiesor visitors, and the hospital staff,providing information on waittimes, checking on the status of aloved one, or simply providing acomforting or reassuring presence.Jason and Robert DiVincenzo speak with EmergencyDepartment Patient Advocate Mike Cox while waitingfor a loved one at Kenmore Mercy.BenchmarksJanuary February March YTD YTD Top NYS US2012 2012 2012 2012 2011 Decile Average AverageCatholic Health 57% 59% 67% 61% 63% 82% 60% 68%(Target 66%)Mercy Hospital 38% 52% 56% 48% 55% 82% 60% 68%(Target 58%)Kenmore Mercy 77% 54% 70% 65% 73% 82% 60% 68%(Target 73%)Sisters Hospital 59% 69% 73% 67% 61% 82% 60% 68%(inc. S.J. Campus)(Target 66%)“While these volunteers don’t practice medicine, theyhelp in many other ways that enhance the patient experience,”said Lynn Overbeck, CAVS, director of VolunteerServices at Kenmore Mercy. “Their role is to bean advocate for our patients and visitors to help relieveunnecessary anxiety and see that their needs are takencare of while they are in our Emergency Department.”As construction gets underway on Kenmore Mercy’snew Emergency Department,the hospital is currently recruitingadditional volunteers for thePatient Advocate Program. Specialtraining is provided, includinginformation on ER policiesand procedures and patient confidentiality,as well as guidelinesfor interacting with people instressful circumstances.“Our new Emergency Departmentwill provide us with abeautiful facility to offer our patientsthe very best care,” said Overbeck. “The PatientAdvocate Program is another important way to ensurethat all their needs are being met.”

Students Get a Look “Behind the Mask”Home CareNews & EventsLOVE Award & Kudos WinnersDawn Flanagan, Home Health Aide with MercyHome, and Sherri Harrington, RN, McAuley SetonHome Care, are the first quarter LOVE Award recipients.Dawn and Sherri received their awards during a receptionon May 2 in the Home Care office.Congratulations to Lori Salhab (Feb.), Sara Izzio(March), and Evelyn Griffis (April) winners of themonthly Kudos movie passes.Mission ActivitiesMany thanks to everyone who supported the Apple-Tree Mission Integration Auction/Bake Sale on May 2.Approximately $2,562 was raised to benefit the HelpingHands Fund, the Buffalo City Mission, and the HomeCare Mission Fund, which helps to purchase gift cards forfood, clothing, household items, and medical equipmentfor our patients. Through activities like this, we are able tohelp so many in their time of need.• • •The AppleTree Mission Integration Committee willhold its annual hot dog roast in late July (in the coveredarea behind AppleTree.) Watch for more details.Voice of the Associate –What’s Next?Associate commitment encompasses many facets of“engagement,” such as associate satisfaction and loyalty,and positively impacts a wide range of performance measuresincluding patient satisfaction, quality of care, associateretention, and financial performance. When associatesare committed to an organization, they will strive toenhance the organization’s performance. The results arehigher levels of engagement, confidence and pride in theorganization, increased job satisfaction, a commitment tolong-term employment, and a willingness to go beyondwhat is expected.Our 2011 VOA scores indicate strong workforce commitmentacross Catholic Health. Our engagement scoreof 48.6% and satisfaction score of 41% are above industrynational averages. Responses to the statement, “I seeCatholic Health heading in the right direction,” increasedfor the third year in a row with a score of 88.1%! Ourefforts over the next several months will be focused onmaintaining these scores and working on the areas thatscored below our target of 3.0. For detailed results, visitthe Catholic Health intranet.What’s next? As of April, results were shared with allassociates. Focus groups, action plans, and targets are beingdeveloped in each ministry around things such asimproving availability of supplies and materials, dealingwith poor performers, decreasing stress, increasing crossfunctionalcommunication and more.Want to get involved? Visit your HR office or speakto your manager. Also, look for updates regarding specificministry initiatives and projects related to the VOA survey.Please feel free to share your suggestions for futuresurveys at brusso@chsbuffalo.org.Did You Know?You can receive a bonus of up to $2,500 if someone yourefer is hired for an open position in Catholic Health.Eligible positions* include registered nurses; therapists,home health aides, physician assistants, and many more.Who knows... you can earn some extra cash and a friend,neighbor or family member can have a rewarding careerin Catholic Health.*Eligible positions may change. See Human Resources ReferralBonus Policy HR-119-BE for full details and a list of eligiblepositions or contact your local HR Department.Students from Mount Mercy Academy and BishopTimon St. Jude High School got to examine lab specimensduring a visit to Mercy Hospital.Most teenagers have little idea what goeson behind the scenes in a real hospital. Theirviews are likely limited to what they see duringan episode of Grey’s Anatomy or House.In March, students from Mt. Mercy Academyand Bishop Timon - St. Jude High Schoolgot a rare “Behind the Mask” look at MercyHospital of Buffalo. It was part of a uniquepartnership between the schools and CatholicHealth to nurture students who have aninterest in a career in healthcare.As part of the partnership, the schools havecreated The Academy of Science & Healthcare, aspecial program that includes a concentratedscience curriculum and exclusive learning opportunities.During the school year, students take part in health and science-related fieldtrips; participate in shadowing and internship programs; and meet one-on-one with professionalmentors to learn more about a particular health career or field of study.“This is a one of a kind program that positions our students for success as they move fromhigh school to college, and hopefully back to our community to join the ranks of workinghealthcare professionals,” said Sr. Mary Ellen Twist, principal of Mount Mercy Academy.“One of our students, who was interested in becoming a doctor, had a chance to sit downwith a cardiac surgeon. How many students have an opportunity to do that?”For Catholic Health, it’s an opportunity to plant a seed that the health system hopes willbear fruit in years to come. “This effort is a win-win for the schools and Catholic Health,”said Mike Moley, senior vice president of Human Resources for Catholic Health. “In fiveor ten years, we hope to see many of these young men and women working in rewardingcareers in our hospitals and health programs.”Piver Center Offers Behavioral HealthServices Through Horizon HealthThe birth of a baby can be one of life’smost joyous moments, but for some womenit can trigger feelings of depression beyondthe simple “baby blues” that fade after a fewweeks. Post Partum Depression is a moresevere, long lasting formof depression that may requirethe help of a behaviorhealth specialist.Last summer, CatholicHealth’s Piver Center atSisters of Charity Hospitalin the Seton ProfessionalBuilding, teamed up withHorizon Health Servicesto offer on-site behavior health services.“The collaborative effort between Horizonand Catholic Health is a proactive onethat allows patients to access counselingservices in a timely manner,” said Horizon’sAlicia Kohlhagen, licensed master socialworker at the Piver Center. “Our hope is toreach out to women experiencing Post PartumDepression and help them understandthis illness, while focusing on recovery. Ourcaring, non-judgmental approach fosters asafe and effective relationship with patientsto ensure a positive outcome.”Post Partum Depression may be causedby physical or hormonalchanges, emotional factorsor lifestyle influences.It is characterized byinsomnia; loss of appetite;severe mood swings;intense irritability andanger; and withdrawalfrom family, friends andbaby. Left untreated, itcan interfere with mother-child bondingand cause family issues and behavioralproblem in infants.In addition to Post Partum Depression,Horizon offers counseling services at thePiver Center for other behavior health issuesincluding anxiety, depression, grief andloss, and marital and parental issues. Formore information call 862-1965.Catholic Health Website Goes “Mobile”Last year, over 62,000 visitors to the Catholic Health website accessed the site using amobile device, such as a cell phone or notebook tablet. To meet the growing demand, andbetter serve our mobile users, we have developed a “small screen” version of our website.Now, when you visit our website using a cell phone or tablet, you’ll see a condensed layout,with the most popular links at the top of the page.The mobile web page adjusts to the width of the screen, eliminating the need to scrollfrom left to right, and the navigation buttons have been enlarged for easieruse with touch screens. The search bar at the top of the mobilepage offers a quick links to access interior pages. For mobileusers who prefer the standard site layout, a link inthe website header restores the full version.The mobile layout is triggered by the sizeof the browser window. For those who preferthe condensed size, it can also be viewed ona regular computer screen. Simply reduce thewidth of the browser, and a blue bar will displayat the top of the page, indicating that thesite content has adjusted to fit the window.Maximize the browser window, and the largerlayout will be restored.The mobile site uses CSS3 technology and iscompatible with Android, Blackberry and iOS devices. For desktop users, the mobile site iscompatible with the following browsers: Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Safari.

Around the System...Congratulations to Catholic Health’s 2012Nurses of Distinction for their dedicatedservice and compassionate care: MeganHewett, RN, McAuley Seton Home Care;Mary LaMartina, RN, Kenmore MercyHospital; Kristin Lane, RN, Sisters ofCharity Hospital, St. Joseph Campus;Mary Ann Murphy, RN, Mercy Hospitalof Buffalo; Katie Schreiner, RN, FatherBaker Manor, Continuing Care; and KarenSendker, RN, Sisters of Charity Hospital.MeganHewett, RNMaryLaMartina, RNKristinLane, RNMary AnnMurphy, RNKatieSchreiner, RNKarenSendker, RNDr. Michael Edbauer, MD, chief medicalofficer of Catholic Medical Partners, andMike Hickok, director of Online Services/HealthConnection, have been inducted intothe Canisius College Chapter of the BetaGamma Sigma Honor Society. Dr. Edbauerand Mike were among 21 MBA graduatesselected for this special honor. Since 1978,only 1,300 students have been inductedinto the society, which is the highest honora business student can achieve.Catholic Health University offers more than 70courses to assist associates in improving their performanceand enhancing our Mission. Below is a sample ofupcoming courses. Courses are specifically tailored to theneeds of associates in clinical, non-clinical, managerial,and supervisory roles.May 201223 – Team Building (CH124)24 – Communication 3 (CH285a)31 – Creative/Critical Thinking (CH179)David KerstenShari McDonoughAnne SnyderKathy SwensonCatholic Health IntroducesDevelopment Support TeamWe are pleased to announce the creation of a Development SupportTeam to raise the profile of philanthropic giving in support of themission of Catholic Health. The corporate resource will support thefundraising activities of Sisters Hospital Foundation and the St. JosephFund, Kenmore Mercy Foundation, Mercy Hospital Foundation, and theContinuing & Home Care Foundation. Each foundation board retainsresponsibility for governance, policy and asset management.David Kersten has been named vice president of Development forCatholic Health reporting to John Stavros, senior vice president ofMarketing and Development. In this role, David will coordinate the workof the foundation executive directors, support their fundraising activitiesand lead the solicitation of major gifts. Originally from Buffalo, Davidcomes to Catholic Health from ParishPay, Inc., an online fundraisingservice for Catholic parishes based in New York City. He also served asexecutive director of the Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese ofBuffalo and director of Development for Catholic Charities of Buffalo.Shari McDonough continues as Executive Director of KenmoreMercy Foundation, a position she has held since 2008. Prior to that, sheserved as Executive Director of St. Joseph Hospital Foundation. She cameto Catholic Health in 2004 from the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra,where she was Director of Development. Her development backgroundincludes positions with the March of Dimes and the American HeartAssociation.Anne Snyder has been named Executive Director of the SistersHospital Foundation. She joined Sisters Hospital in 2001 as DevelopmentOfficer and was named Director of Development in 2004. Priorto joining the Sisters Hospital Foundation, Anne worked in sales andmarketing for the Rochester Broadway Theatre League, Ticketmaster,and the Buffalo Sabres.Kathy Swenson has been named Executive Director of the MercyHospital Foundation and the Continuing & Home Care Foundation,splitting her time between the two foundations. She comes to CatholicHealth from Gateway-Longview, where she served as Foundation vicepresident. You may also recognize Kathy from her years as an anchorand reporter for WIVB-TV.Catholic Health Mentors HIT ProgramCatholic Health leads the region in healthinformation technology (HIT) and willsoon help create statewide opportunitiesfor emerging technology firms thanks to anew program designed to accelerate HITdevelopment in New York. Selected as oneof only 18 “mentors” in New York’s DigitalHealth Accelerator (NYDHA) program,Catholic Health leaders and clinicians willprovide insight and guidance to cuttingedgetechnology firms and investment companieswho are partnering to develop healthtechnology better and faster.“Transforming healthcare in our communityis going to depend on our ability toeffectively leverage innovative technology,”said Joe McDonald, president & CEO ofCatholic Health. “This program will allowus to lend real-world experience to thosebuilding the tools we need and encouragehigh-tech investment in our community.”The program will make New York a hubfor the emerging digital health technologyindustry. By offering participants the opportunityto engage directly with health providersincluding hospitals, long term carefacilities, community health centers, andprimary care practices, NYDHA will createthe next generation of health informationtechnology, generate hundreds of new jobs,and attract millions of dollars in new investmentin New York State.“We are excited to serve as a mentor inthe Digital Health Accelerator program,”said Michael Galang, DO, senior vicepresident and CIO, Catholic Health. “Bybringing together HIT developers, investorsand end users, this program can help bringto market technologies that are better suitedto our needs, quickly and efficiently.”June 20121 – Influential Leadership (CH396)6 – Foundations of Healthcare L1 (CH351)8 – Working With You is Killing Me (CH106)13 – Care of the Poor & Vulnerable (CH377e)14 – Leading Change (CH100b)15 – Manager Core Curriculum - Session 1 (CH394)29 – Manager Core Curriculum - Session 2 (CH394)All classes are held at the Catholic Health Staff DevelopmentEducation Center, AppleTree Business Park, Suite 8A,unless otherwise noted. For more information, includingclass times or registration help, contact Cory Sikorski atcsikorski@chsbuffalo.org or (716) 706-2541.“Compliance Nowor Pay Later”“Compliance Now or Pay Later” summarizes manylarge monetary settlements paid to the government as aresult of the fraud, waste and abuse related to state andfederal laws and regulations. Catholic Health makessignificant investments to identify and mitigate potentialcompliance risks through the implementation of itsCompliance Program, which includes:• Prevention, detection and mitigation of fraud, wasteand abuse in healthcare• Mandatory and voluntary compliance educationand training of associates, physicians and vendors• Disclosure/reporting potential conflicts of interest• Auditing and monitoring• Oversight of internal controls that ensure theintegrity of financial and accounting information• Develop and maintain policies and procedures incompliance with state and federal regulations/laws• Design and implement corrective action plans• Promoting fair and consistent disciplinary action• Providing confidential reporting mechanisms suchas the Compliance Hotline & Compliance Officer• Enforcement of “Code of Conduct”A “compliance now” attitude significantly reduces “paylater” penalties by identifying and correcting situationsthat can impact Catholic Health financially and damageour reputation. Following policies/procedures whichare based on regulations and laws (governing healthcare)support these efforts. Associates remain our first line ofdefense in both deterring and detecting errors and fraudulentor negligent compliance activities. You can help bystriving towards excellence, maintaining a questioning attitudeand reporting compliance concerns to Anne Mason,Compliance & Privacy Officer at 821-4469 or ourconfidential Compliance Line at 1-888-200-5380.