New hope for lung cancer patients

A publication for Hartford HealthCare employees
November 2014
NetworkNews
Max Goldberg , at left. Lorraine Kammerer with
Pat Zikorus, RN, nurse navigator
New hope for lung cancer patients
For over a year, cancer programs within the Hartford
HealthCare Cancer Institute (HHCCI) have been
offering low-dose CT lung cancer scan screenings to
patients as part of a pioneering effort to detect lung
cancer in its earlier stages.
The HHCCI cancer programs were among the first,
both in Connecticut and nationally, to implement the
low-dose screening program after a lengthy study
known as the National Lung Screening Trial concluded
last year that low-dose CT Scan screenings can be
effective in detecting lung cancer. Once the study’s
findings were released, screening programs were
soon adopted at the cancer centers of HHCCI, which
include MidState Medical Center, Backus Hospital, The
Hospital of Central Connecticut, Hartford Hospital and
Windham Hospital. Since the program was adopted
across HHCCI last year, more than 700 patients have
been screened at each of the five cancer centers that
make up the Institute. At least two of the patients
who have been screened have been found to have
lung cancer, and they both have credited the program
with saving their lives.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related
death in the U.S., and the second-most common type
of cancer behind skin cancer. Experts say the majority
of lung cancer cases are connected to a history of
cigarette smoking, which is why low dose CT Scan
screenings are now available free to HHCCI patients
Continued on page 3
New Tax Department
On Oct. 1, HHC centralized its knowledge base related
to federal and state tax laws under a system-wide Tax
Department, led by Tax Director Mark Keise. The HHC
Tax Department is responsible for:
• Oversight, preparation and timely filing of federal
and state tax returns, reports and payments
• Preparation of exempt certificates and other state
filings
• Sales and use tax filings
• Independent contractors review and approval
• Declaration of personal property for taxable and
tax-exempt affiliates
• State(s) escheat filings
• Tax-related research
• Tracking of relevant legislative developments
related to tax laws
• Ensuring compliance related to tax matters
Members of the new HHC Tax Department are: Renata
Cook, tax manager, Annamaria Tegarini, tax analyst,
Elen Arcuri, tax analyst, and Matt Calciano, payroll
analyst.
Supply Chain Support
It’s been almost a year since Supply Chain
Management centralized purchasing, contracting and
analytics functions, as well as its leadership team to
serve the entire HHC system. The department’s goal
is to provide seamless, efficient customer service
for all of our entities. If you have questions or need
assistance, please contact a member of the Supply
Chain leadership team:
HHC Vice President, Supply Chain Management –
Sharon Fried
HHC System Director – David Reska
HHC Director of Business Solutions– Kevin Kasai
HHC Operations Manager – Vicki Aleandri
HHC Purchasing Manager – Ryan Donahue
Hartford Region Director – David Reska (Hartford
Hospital)
East Region Director – DeWayne Gaines (Windham
& Backus)
Central Region Director – Sandy Geertz (HOCC &
MidState)
Clinical Laboratory Partners Manager – Ryan Burke
For more information visit the Supply Chain
Management Sharepoint website.
New Employee Discount Program
Hartford HealthCare is pleased to announce a new employee benefit: the Working Advantage discount network.
The Working Advantage discount network allows you to
save up to 60 percent on ticketed events and online shopping. Through Working Advantage you can save on:
• Movie tickets
• Ski tickets
• Sporting events
• Museums and city passes
• Merchant gift certificates
…and much more!
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Theme parks
Broadway shows
Hotels and travel
Health and fitness
Online shopping
To subscribe, visit the Working Advantage website,
www.workingadvantage.com. Use the Hartford
HealthCare ID# 816028736.
Working Advantage offers 24-hour online shopping
and customer support Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m.
to 6:30 p.m. If you have questions, contact Working
Advantage at 800-565-3712.
New hope for lung cancer patients Continued from page 1
who meet the following high-risk criteria:
• Patients must be between 55 and 74 years old
• Patients must either be a current smoker or a former
smoker who quit within the past 15 years
• Patients must have smoked, on average, a pack of
cigarettes per day for a period of 30 years or more
Also, patients may be eligible for screening if:
• They are 50 to 74 years old
• They have smoked at least a pack of cigarettes a day, on
average, for 20 or more years
• They have additional lung cancer risks including
family history of the disease, chronic lung disease or
prolonged exposure to carcinogens
The low-dose CT Scan is a type of X-ray that can
effectively identify the presence of cancer in the lungs
without high levels of radiation. Patients who receive
results showing no signs of cancer are encouraged to
continue receiving screenings every year for at least three
years.
Along with the screening programs, the cancer
programs across HHCCI offer numerous services aimed at
helping people quit smoking.
Max Goldberg
Lorraine Kammerer
When asked how she’s feeling,
Lorraine Kammerer says some
days are better than others. But
despite how she feels physically, Kammerer says
she’s always grateful.
Kammerer, from Columbia,
Conn., has stage 2 lung cancer. Her cancer was
detected through the Hartford HealthCare Lung
Cancer Screening Program after she was referred by
her primary care provider.
Kammerer says she’d been a smoker most of her
adult life but quit nine years ago because of recurring bouts of bronchitis. During her exam, Kammerer
told Hartford HealthCare Medical Group’s Dr. Kristin
Gildersleeve, that she had experienced shortness
of breath during a recent vacation. That led to the
screening.
“My first reaction after I was diagnosed was,
‘Okay, I’ll deal with this because I have to.’ There’s a
sense of gratitude that it was found so early. There’s
a feeling of ‘thank God for the screening program,’”
said Kammerer.
Kammerer had surgery at Hartford Hospital and
is undergoing chemotherapy at Windham Hospital. Before going in for a recent round of treatment,
Kammerer had some advice for smokers and former
smokers.
“If your doctor recommends that you have this
screening, do it,” she said with a big smile.
Max Goldberg was feeling just fine
when he kept his regular appointment with his pulmonologist in
March 2014. A smoker for more
than 50 years, Goldberg did have
chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease as a result, but, he says, “I
was healthy, doing everything I normally do.”
At the close of his appointment, his physician
gave Goldberg a referral to MidState Medical Center’s
Lung Cancer Screening Program. MidState launched
the program in mid-2013 after research showed that
low-dose lung CT scans reduced deaths from lung
cancer by 20 percent among people at high risk for
the disease.
Goldberg made the appointment and had the CT
scan, never expecting it would show anything worrisome. But the next day he received a phone call. The
scan had shown an abnormality in his lung.
“They said it wasn’t a very aggressive type of cancer—maybe stage 1—but the good thing was that we
caught it in time,” Goldberg says.
Today, Goldberg is doing well. He’s regaining his
strength, he’s quit smoking, he’s being monitored by
a MidState oncologist, and he’s encouraging family members who qualify to have the lung cancer
screening. He also has high praise for the care he
received at MidState.
“When someone tells you that you have lung cancer, the first thing you think is, ‘Oh my God, I’m going
to die.’ But I was optimistic and put my body in the
hands of MidState, and I feel that was the best thing
I could have done.”
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Home Care services unite to become Hartford HealthCare at Home
“At home.” That’s where we feel most comfortable, where
we usually prefer to be, especially after a major surgery
or illness. Sometimes, though, we need extra support and
expertise to help us stay safe at home while we recover
— and that’s what Hartford HealthCare at Home is meant
to do.
Hartford HealthCare at Home brings together the
services of VNA HealthCare, VNA East and Backus Home
Health Care.
Michael Soccio, executive director of Hartford
HealthCare at Home, says that changing names and
uniting services shows patients the connection the
organization has with a strong, integrated health care
system.
“This is the perfect time to launch Hartford HealthCare
at Home,” he said. “Given all the transformation
happening in the health care industry, moving away from
the generic name of VNA helps distinguish us in the
marketplace and ties us to the larger health care system
– Hartford HealthCare. Being part of an integrated health
care system helps our organization better serve our most
vulnerable patients, their families and the community
overall.”
The name “Hartford HealthCare at Home” was
tested by Adams and Knight, an HHC marketing partner.
Survey respondents said the name sounded “reassuring,”
“welcoming” and “compassionate.” While the name “VNA
HealthCare” has brand recognition, it also sometimes was
confused with other VNAs.
“Our new name allows us to better manage and
transition patients throughout our network,” Soccio said.
“We’re not simply an organization of visiting nurses, but
rather an interdisciplinary team of nurses, therapists,
social workers, nutritionists and home care aides all
working together to provide care to patients, where they
want it, in their homes.”
Starting in January, the staff will begin wearing
Mansfield staff
East Region staff
Hartford Region staff
Central Region staff
uniforms to match those worn in HHC hospitals. The
uniform colors identify nurses, therapists and other
providers. The idea is to further help patients who are
transitioning to home better understand the roles of
the staff members who are helping them recover. “This
solidifies our system connections even more,” Soccio said.
Certified Nursing, Rehabilitation Services,
Hospice, Lifeline and Private Duty Aides
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Central Connecticut Senior Health Services launches
new electronic medical record system
A new electronic medical record system recently implemented by Central Connecticut Senior Health Services will better
integrate and coordinate the medical care for residents and
clients of three senior living communities.
“This project addresses an urgent community need by
supporting the necessary infrastructure to provide optimum
care for Southington seniors, help them effectively navigate
the healthcare system, and improve the overall health of our
aging population,” said Patricia Walden, CCSHS executive vice
president.
The locations impacted by the new EMR system include
Mulberry Gardens of Southington and its Adult Day Center,
The Orchards at Southington and Southington Care Center.
The $600,000 project was funded in part by a $185,000
grant from the Main Street Community Foundation Bradley
Henry Barnes & Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust. The
cost included the initial software and hardware, staff training costs and implementation, which was a months-long
process.
The new EMR system will enhance the quality, safety and
H3W
efficiency of care for those who use CCSHS programs. It also
bridges with Hartford HealthCare, VNA HealthCare and The
Hospital of Central Connecticut to provide access to medical information to ensure smooth care transitions for this
population. The result is the elimination of data duplication
and potential for errors, improvement in accountability and
security, and streamlined operations.
“Implementing this essential EMR system will assist us in
advancing our longstanding tradition of providing premium
care to seniors throughout our region,” Walden said.
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TechTips
Josephine Carbone, Southington Care Center resident, right,
learns how to use an electronic tablet from her great-niece, Nicole Spagnoletti, marketing assistant with Central Connecticut
Senior Health Services.
By Joseph Venturelli, Vice President/Chief Technology Officer
Welcome to the November installment of
TechTips! This month we will show you how
to create an “Out of Office” reply in Outlook.
Each month the Service Desk receives many
calls from customers telling us they are going
on vacation or taking an extended absence and would like to
let their colleagues or business partners know they will be
out of the office.
Creating an “Out of Office” reply is fast and easy.
1. First click on the “File” tab located in the upper left corner
of Outlook.
2. Then click the “Automatic Reply” button. This is also
known as the “Out of Office” button.
3. A window will open. Select “Send automatic replies” and
then in the text box create your message. It is always a
good practice to state how long you will be out and to
leave a contact number for someone that might be
covering for you during your time off. By selecting the
“Only send during this time range” option, you can create
your message days in advance and set it so the message
is only sent during a specified time frame.
4. Y
ou may select the “Outside my organization” tab to
create a different reply to emails that come from vendors
or business partners outside of Hartford HealthCare.
5. Click “OK” and your “Out of Office” email is ready to go!
We hope you find TechTips useful. If you have suggestions
for future articles, please email techtips@hhchealth.org.
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HHC hospitals practice
Ebola preparedness drills
After weeks of intense planning and preparations, staff
across Hartford HealthCare recently participated in Ebola
preparedness drills designed to test a coordinated response
and adherence to strict protocols should our hospitals
encounter a patient with Ebola-like symptoms.
Drills were carried out Hartford Hospital, MidState Medical
Center, Windham Hospital, Backus Hospital, and the New
Britain and Bradley Memorial campuses of The Hospital of
Central Connecticut on Oct. 23 and Oct. 24. They involved
multidisciplinary teams, as well as first responders in the
community.
The drills were intended to assess several important
functions:
• That a three-question screening tool was effectively used to
identify possible Ebola patients
• That staff had been appropriately trained in putting on and
taking off personal protective equipment (PPE) as indicated
by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines
• That patients were properly contained and isolated for
their own protection and that of their family members,
caregivers and other hospital staff
• And that appropriate arrangements were made to transfer
patients should they require care at Hartford Hospital’s biosecure unit
“This is not something you can train for in a casual way.
You have to be bullet-proof in the level of preparation. We
understand that health care workers are most at risk, and
that is why we must train. We are committed to our providers’
safety,” said Dr. Rocco Orlando, senior vice president and chief
medical officer of Hartford HealthCare.
Drill observers watch as Mary
Ann Pinkerton, RN, carefully
removes her PPE at the Bradley
Memorial campus drill Oct. 24.
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An EMS crew from Hunter’s
Ambulance, donned in the highest level of PPE, brings a patient
into the decontamination room
at MidState Medical Center’s
Emergency Department.
Dressed in full personal protective equipment, Backus nurses
Karen Butterworth-Erban, RN, center, nurse manager for Hartford HealthCare’s East Region Emergency Services; and Renee
Malaro, RN, right, talk to Jen Clachrie, RN, clinical education for
Hartford HealthCare’s East Region Emergency Services, who
was acting as a patient with symptoms of Ebola as part of an
Ebola preparedness drill that conducted by Backus Oct. 23.
The Hospital of Central
Connecticut’s Dr. David
Mucci and Katelyn Carbone,
RN, donned in full PPE,
walk to meet their patient
who arrived from New
Britain EMS.
Hartford Hospital
nurses talk with
Stephen Donahue,
program director for
Hartford Hospital’s
Center for Education, Simulation and
Innovation, who was
acting as a patient in
the Oct 23 drill.
Cory Herrick, RN, assistant nurse
manager of emergency services
at Windham Hospital, walks out
of a room that had been set aside
for an Ebola preparedness drill,
which also included Natchaug
Hospital. The door of the room
and sections of the hallway had
been covered with plastic as a
precautionary measure.
H3W Leadership Behavior Training continues
H3W Leadership Behavior Training is well under way
across Hartford HealthCare — over 7,000 employees have
attended training so far. Over 250 sessions are scheduled
this fiscal year, presented by a team of 30 facilitators.
All full-time, part-time and per diem employees will be
required to attend a session by Sept. 30, 2016. Each session
is scheduled for 8 hours. Based on employee feedback, the
times sessions available have been expanded. Sessions
will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 4 p.m. to 12 a.m.
with a 30-minute meal break. Sessions will also be offered
on select Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sessions will be located at various system facilities, including Hartford Hospital, Windham Hospital, The Hospital
of Central Connecticut, MidState Medical Center and Backus Hospital. Employees may attend a session at a location
convenient for them. If a session is cancelled, registered
participants will be contacted, and it will be posted on the
HHC LOD site at Leadership & Organizational Development.
Here are some additional questions you may have:
How do I register to attend a session? Work with your supervisor to find an open session at a location convenient to
you. An updated list of available sessions can be found on
the HHC LOD site at Leadership & Organizational Development. Your supervisor will register you to attend.
What can I expect when I attend a session? You will learn
about the culture of service we are working to shape, and
the 10 H3W Leadership Behaviors that will empower us as
we continue our journey of providing a high-quality system
of care, building relationships and trust, and improving results.
2015 H3W Leadership Behavior Training Facilitators during their
train-the-trainer program: Carol Ghergurovich, Alison Rapose,
Pamela Clark, Roxanne Aldi, Randy Baggoo, Kim McClure, Jesse
Ahlgren, Heather Machado, Nick Morella, Mary Horan, Elliot
Joseph, Ellen Crowe, Pamela Lofton-McGeorge, Perry Phillips,
Rhonda Papallo, Will Menoche, Deanna Rodriguez, Deborrah
Glenn-Long, Sandra Voogd, Julie Norko, Peter Fraser and Catherine
Santarsiero. Not pictured: Barry Stein, Jennifer Gordon, Jessica
Gunn, Steve Oldham, Marirose Walker-Fresa, Eric Arlia, Kelly
Nablo, Marge Julian, and Diane Walczok.
After the training, what role will I play in growing our culture
of service? You will be expected to:
• Learn and practice the 10 H3W Leadership Behaviors.
• Commit to practicing these behaviors each and every day.
• Be open to giving and receiving feedback and ask for it
from your supervisors and peers.
• Be in the moment.
• Build relationships by having ongoing conversations,
asking: “How can I better partner with you?”
Hartford HealthCare By The Numbers
*Year-end FY 2014 numbers
HHC Medical Group
NEW Primary Care Patients
35,665
Outpatient HHC
Physical Therapy
Treatments
HHC Hand Hygiene
Compliance Rate
81,846 82.7%
Acute Care Inpatient Discharges
CLP Lab Requisitions
213,464 1,593,149
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Around HHC
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On Oct. 29, The Hospital of Central Connecticut (HOCC) and
MidState Medical Center celebrated the opening of the
Southington Surgery Center, located at HOCC’s Bradley Memorial
campus, with a ribbon cutting held in conjunction with the
Greater Southington Chamber of Commerce. Pictured left
to right cutting the ribbon are orthopedic surgeon Dr. William
Flynn, Southington Surgery Center medical director; orthopedic
surgeon Dr. Robert Carangelo; Kris Mineau, president and
CEO of Constitution Surgery Centers; Elliot Joseph, Hartford
HealthCare president and CEO; Art Secondo, president and
CEO, Greater Southington Chamber of Commerce; and Cindy
Russo, vice president of operations, Hartford HealthCare.
The Hartford HealthCare fund development teams gathered in September at Heublein Hall to compare notes on
best practices and trends in fundraising. Michael Hubble,
senior director of the Advisory Board Company, a global
firm that provides research and advisory services to the
healthcare and education industries, presented on the
“New Rules of Engagement.” Pictured are Backus Hospital
staff and volunteers conferring during a break between
presentations. Left to right are Genevieve Schies, program
manager, Office of Philanthropy & Development, Backus
Hospital; Lynne Quintal-Hill, board member, Backus Hospital; and Thomas McAvoy, corporator, Backus Hospital.
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Mulberry Gardens of
Southington, Marian
Heights Adult Day Center,
Jerome Home and Arbor
Rose were recently selected
as two of The Hartford Courant
and FOXCT Top Workplaces.
The Top Workplaces are
determined solely on
employee feedback. The employee survey is conducted
by WorkplaceDynamics, a leading research firm on organizational health and employee engagement. Pictured left
to right are Allison Cocco, activities assistant; Ayreanna
Marietta, CNA; Mary Schneider, activities coordinator;
Bonnie Tormay, activities assistant; Debbie Peterson,
CNA; Jane Landry, CNA; Vanesessa Falzarano, performance
improvement facilitator; and Priscilla Boima, CNA.
Hebrew HealthCare held its annual meeting on Oct.
23. Pictured left to right are the officers of the Hebrew
HealthCare Board of Trustees: David Houle, executive vice
president and chief financial officer; Mark Seltzer, vice
chairperson; Deborah Kleinman, first vice chairperson;
Ross Holland, chairman; Bonnie Gauthier, president and
chief executive officer; Anja Rosenberg, honorary life vice
chairperson; E. Merritt McDonough, Jr., vice chairperson;
Gene Rosenberg, honorary life vice chairperson; and Brad
Hutensky, vice chairperson, after being sworn into office at
the meeting.
MidState Medical Center recently gave its LaPlanche Clinic a new look.
The clinic, located at the Meriden Senior Center, underwent renovations in
September, from fresh paint, to new furniture, and eye-pleasing décor. The
LaPlanche Clinic is the product of a more than three decade-long partnership
between the hospital and senior center, in which the senior center provides
space for the clinic and the hospital provides nursing support. Three days a
week, a registered nurse consults with patients, performs health screenings,
and makes referrals to other health care providers. The clinic has served
thousands of patients since its inception.
Around HHC
Clinical Laboratory Partners (CLP)
celebrated its 3rd Annual Golf Leaf
Gala on Oct. 21 at the Connecticut
Science Center in Hartford. The
event recognizes service award recipients. The Fran McGinnity Employee of the Year Award is also
named in a special presentation
with Jim Fantus, CLP chief executive officer, and other executives.
Phlembotomist Veronica Ulloa
was selected as this year’s Fran
McGinnity Award recipient, named for her commitment,
values, and initiative on several H3W projects.
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On Nov. 6, Rushford, the Meriden Healthy Youth Coalition
(MHYC), the Meriden Police Department, and the Midstate
Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting to officially
open the city’s prescription drop box. Meriden residents
may dispose of their unwanted prescription drugs at this
permanent prescription drop box located in the main lobby of
the Meriden Police Department, 50 West Main Street. Left to
right are Meriden Police Captain Michael Zakrzewski; Meriden
Police Chief Jeffrey Cossette; Meriden Mayor Manuel A.
Santos; Rushford Prevention Specialist Krystle Blake; Meriden
City Counselor Miguel Castro; and Midstate Chamber of
Commerce Executive Director Sean Moore, who cut the crime
scene tape ribbon for the city’s new prescription drop box.
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The staff of Clinical Laboratory Partners (CLP) participated
in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund Walk to Cure
Diabetes (JDRF) on Sept. 28 in East Hartford. This is the
fifteenth consecutive year CLP has supported the cause.
Each member of the team wore t-shirts donated by
Recognition of Glastonbury. In late October, CLP also held
its annual gift basket raffle, which generated 23 donated
baskets and raised over $3,400 for the JDRF. Other events
have helped CLP stay on track to achieve its goal of raising
$15,000 for JDRF this year, including dress down days and
the annual JDRF picnic.
Hartford Hospital named its Clinical and Clinical Support Teams
of the Year at its annual State of the Hospital event on Nov. 5.
The 2014 Clinical Team of the Year is the Brownstone Specialty
Clinic and GI Endoscopy Team, which increased access to care
this year by reducing the waiting time for colonoscopies from
more than a year to less than a month and increasing colonoscopies performed by 48 percent. The Clinical Support Team of
the Year is the Research Administration Team, which implemented a system-wide Institutional Review Board and a webbased application that enabled 24/7 access to Hartford HealthCare’s entire inventory of clinical research. Their work has been
recognized as a national standard of excellence.
The annual Burlingame Award was presented to Dr.
Daniel R. Weinberger, director and chief executive officer
of the Lieber Institute for Brain Development at an awards
dinner on Wednesday, Nov. 5, at the Hartford Golf Club.
Dr. Weinberger is regarded as a preeminent scientist
in schizophrenia research, having been at the forefront of scientific investigation of this illness and related disorders for a
generation. The following day, Dr. Weinberger presented The C. Charles Burlingame, MD, Award Lecture entitled, “Epistasis
in Psychiatric Enetics: What’s Missing is not Heritability,” at the Institute of Living and hosted a resident case conference and
luncheon with teaching faculty. Pictured left to right are honored guests HHC Senior Vice President and BHN President Stephen
W. Larcen, Ph.D; IOL Olin Research Center Director Godfrey Pearlson, MD; Burlingame Awardee Dr. Daniel R. Weinberger and
HHC BHN Vice President and IOL Psychiatrist-In-Chief Dr. Harold Schwartz.
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