St. Luke’s Leads the Revolution in Cancer Diagnosis ............................. Page 8

Getting to Know... Gloria Cuadrado ................................. Page 10

A Day in the Life of Donald Botbyl ....................................... Page 6

St. Luke’s strives to be the region’s health care

employer of choice.N e t w o r k

A p u b l i c A t i o n o f s t . l u k e ’ s

2010 PCRAFT Award Winners ............. Page 5st. luke’s DominAtes 2010 HAp AcHievement AwArDs.St..Luke’s.Hospital.&.Health.Network.won.four.2010.Achievement.Awards.announced.in.May.by.the.Hospital..&.Healthsystem.Association.of.Pennsylvania..It.was.quite.an.achievement.given.that.only.17.awards.were.given.statewide..St..Luke’s.four.award-winning.programs.were.chosen.from.134.nominations,.and.there.are.about.260.hospitals.in.the.Commonwealth..

.Donna.Sabol,.vice.president.of.quality/chief.quality.officer,.says.the.applications.that.St..Luke’s.staff.members.submitted.connected.the.projects.to.SLHHN’s.core.mission,.which.includes.“providing.compassionate,.innovative,.cost-effective.and.exceptional.quality.care.”.She.also.noted.that.only.one.other.hospital.in.the.Lehigh.Valley.region.(Grand.View,.Sellersville).won..a.2010.Achievement.Award..Here.are.some.details.about.SLHHN’s.honored.programs:

.The.“Developing Insightful Leaders”.project.was.an.initiative.of.the.Organizational.Development.(OD).Department.in.Human.Resources,.with.Robert.Weigand.and.Tanya.Markovich.playing..key.roles..Bob.explains.the.goal.is.to.have.all.leaders,.staff.and.volunteers.feel.valued...A.main.focus.of.this.strategy.is.to.use.organization-wide.employee.satisfaction.surveys...

HAPAchievement

AwardsP R O G R A M

ST. LuKe’S WINNING PRoGRAMS

“Developing.Insightful.Leaders:.A.Customized.Leadership..Support/Development.Program”.

(Bethlehem Campus)

“Nurse.Practitioner-Led.Rapid.Response.Team.Reduces..Unanticipated.Transfers.to.the.ICU”.

(Allentown Campus)

“Championing.Core.Measures”(Quakertown Campus)

“Bariatric.Patient.Access.Improvement.Project”(Allentown Campus)

continued on page 2

This issue features a number of cancer-related Network activities.

JulY 2010

in tHis issue:st. luke’s Dominates 2010 HAp Achievement Awards... ................... 1

breast-surgery and cancer specialist wins national recognition as Her practice Here Grows ............................. 3

summer’s Here — water safety tips from an expert ............................... 4

2010 pcrAft Award winners ................. 5

A Day in the life ................................... 6

top 10 facts to know ............................ 6

practice makes perfect choice for its patients... .................................. 7

st. luke’s leads the revolution in cancer Diagnosis .............................. 8

1,000 Attend st. luke’s survivors Day .... 9

Getting to know... Gloria cuadrado ......10

preparing for the Accreditation process .........................11

Terry Koller (right), president-elect of the Eastern Pennsylvania Healthcare Executives Network (EPAHEN) presents Andrew Starr, assistant vice president, St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network, with the 2009 Lee-Haney Founder’s Award, presented by EPAHEN. The award recognizes individuals for their contributions to their respective health care institution, their contributions to EPAHEN, and their contributions to the community.

You mAke A Difference A major focus of this month’s Network Pulse is on awards received by several people and programs in the St. Luke’s family. Four Network programs were recognized by the Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) — among only 17 statewide. We are also proud to present our 2010 PCRAFT Award winners, who embody our guiding principles of Pride, Caring, Respect, Accountability, Flexibility and Teamwork. These employees perform their jobs in an exemplary manner, but judging from the following comments, we’re all doing a great job in the eyes of our patients and their families:

From patients, commenting on nurses at the Miners campus:

“Awesome nurses... very understanding.”

“The nurses are a credit to their profession.”

“Your nurses and aides were wonderful.”

“Over the years, I’ve been in seven different hospitals; the care in Miner’s Memorial is as good as any.”

From a patient at the allentown campus:

“The Admissions staff made me feel comfortable and informed me what was happening. Someone stayed with me until my surgery.”

From patients, commenting on the Quakertown campus:

“Very clean everywhere!”

“They made sure we were comfortable.”

“For the big family that I have, there were no complaints at any time they came to visit.”

From a patient of Vna Home Health care:

“The weekend nurse and my weekly nurses where so professional. They are hard working professionals. I will always use your services, because of the caring knowledgeable treatment.”

From patients of north Whitehall Family Practice:

“The office staff is awesome!”

“Usually I can be seen same day in an absolute emergency, the next day if it isn’t urgent.”

“Always accommodating.”

2 July 2010

After.SLHHN’s.second.survey.in.2008,.a.significant.amount.of.improvement.in.results.was.realized..However,.about.25.percent.of.managers.did.not.achieve.their.management.goals..So,.a.formal.leadership.support.and.development.program.was.created.by.the.OD.department.

An.abbreviated.form.of.the.survey.six.months.later.found.that.85.percent.of.those.leaders.in.the.development.process.had.improved.their.employee.survey.scores...To.sustain.these.leadership.development.gains,.continued.support.is.being.offered..

The.“Rapid Response Team”.(RRT).project.was.innovative.in.that.it.was.designed.to..be.led.by.nurse.practitioners..In.addition,..the.RRT.created.at.the.Allentown.Campus.covers.all.inpatient.areas,.including.neonatal,.and.is.staffed.24/7..U.S..hospitals.have.used.RRTs.since.about.2004..The.basic.idea.is.to.react.to.changes.in.a.patient’s.condition.before.a.critical.event.occurs.and.requires.unanticipated.transfer.to.the.Intensive.Care.Unit..To.measure.the.effectiveness.of.the.RRT.program,.all.RRT.calls.were.logged.and.the.first-year.data.(May.2007-April.2008).and.year-two.data.(May.2008-May.2009).were.compared..As.a.result,.unanticipated.transfers.to.the.ICU.went.down.by.7.5.percent.

To.accomplish.this,.the.number.of.full-time.nurse.practitioners.was.increased.from.two.to.five,.new.services.were.added.to.the.RRT’s.duties.and.new.off-hours.hospitalist.support.was.added..The.Allentown.RRT.also.tracked.three.quality.indicators.for.160.calls.in.its.second.year..Of.that.number,.there.were.only.six.cases.that.needed.a.second.RRT.call;.seven.cases.progressed.to.codes.and.there.was.only.one.death.during.RRT.management;.and.only.13.calls.came.within.24.hours.of.patient.admission.

Beverly.Snyder,.RN,.MHA,.vice.president.for.patient.care.services.in.Allentown.led.the.RRT.project.

“Championing Core Measures”.was.an.effort.at.the.Quakertown.Campus.to.improve.the.hospital’s.scores.on.the.core.measures.required.by.the.Centers.for.Medicare.and.Medicaid.Services..In.2005,.the.hospital.was.rated.in.the.“average”.range.for.four.clinical.areas;.acute.myocardial.infarction,.congestive.heart.failure,.pneumonia.and.surgical.infection.prevention..By.2009,.the.Quakertown.campus’s.scores.had.climbed.to.the.“exemplary”.range.

The.program.was.designed.to.have.four.“champions”.who.focused.on.identifying,.tracking.and.monitoring.the.care.of.patients.whose.diagnoses.fell.under.the.core.measures.categories..The.successful.champions.were.

HaP awards cont. Rosanne.Neiman,.pneumonia;.Joe.Lynch,.congestive.heart.failure;.Ann.Trump,.acute.myocardial.infarction;.and.Laura.Bader,.surgical.care.improvement.

The.“Bariatric Patient Project”.in.Allentown.was.inspired.in.part.by.an.observation.made.by.staff..Patients.coming.for.consultation..or.bariatric.surgery.were.seen.standing.in.waiting.rooms.or.lobbies.because.they..were.unable.to.sit.in.the.available.chairs...A.multidisciplinary.team.led.by.Maureen.Miletics,.RN,.director.of.bariatric.services,.conducted.an.inventory.at.the.end.of.2009..of.all.furniture.and.equipment.in.the.facility..Basically,.there.was.a.lack.of.chairs,.recliners.and.bariatric.transfer.equipment.known.as.HoverMatts..While.there.was.some.bariatric-.rated.furniture,.weight.limits.were.not.clearly.labeled..To.cope,.the.staff.had.to.rent.recliners.when.patients.needed.them.and.wasted.time.trying.to.verify.which.furniture.could.be.used.by.bariatric.patients.

.As.a.result.of.the.project,.by.December.2009,.all.waiting.rooms,.lobby.areas.and.conference.rooms.had.bariatric.furniture..The.purchase.of.new.HoverMatts.has.eliminated.the.need.to.rent.them..Additional.equipment,.such.as.commodes,.exam.tables.and.rehab.equipment,.have.been.added..In.addition,.400.staff.members.received.training.in.being.sensitive.to.bariatric.patients’.needs..

ST. LuKe’S MINeRS MeMoRIAL HoSPITAL CeLeBRATeS 100TH ANNIVeRSARy IN SuMMIT HILL’S ANNuAL MeMoRIAL DAy PARADe

The.town.of.Summit.Hill.celebrates.Memorial.Day.with.a.three-day.Stay-at-Home.Festival..On.Monday.morning,.the.community.honored.veterans.with.a.memorial.service.in.Ludlow.Park.followed.by.a.five.division.parade.that.wound.throughout.the.town.paying.tribute.to.the.men.and.women.who.have.so.bravely.served.our.country.

July 2010 3

breAst-surGerY AnD cAncer speciAlist wins nAtionAl recoGnition As Her prActice Here GrowsSurgeon Marian P. McDonald, MD, FACS, is one of only two women surgeons in the Lehigh Valley who specialize in breast surgery and the treatment of cancer. And, she emphasizes minimally invasive treatments of cancer. As a result, her practice, Keystone Surgical Associates, which is part of St. Luke’s Physician Group, has been attracting more and more women patients. “The decisions that women must make regarding breast cancer are more complicated than those regarding other forms of cancer,” she says.

Dr. McDonald also recently earned two professional recognitions. First, she has completed her Mastery of Breast Surgery Program through the American Society of Breast Surgeons. This is a program of modern standards and quality assurance for breast surgeons. It includes having surgeons like Dr. McDonald submit all of their cases for review and inclusion in a data bank. She says, “We are asked, ‘How did you handle this case?’ or ‘Why did you do it in this way?’ ”

The program requires surgeons to enter their open cases into the data base on an on-going basis in order to maintain their standing in the Mastery of Breast Surgery Program. That allows them to compare their data with that of other surgeons. According to the American Society of Breast Surgeons, the goal of the program is to document quality outcomes in patient care via a continuous quality improvement initiative. Dr. McDonald notes that these days, simply counting the number of surgeries performed isn’t a good measure. “The trend is to emphasize minimally invasive procedures, and I do that in my practice,” she says. “For a good surgeon, the number of surgeries may be going down.”

Dr. McDonald’s other recognition was her acceptance to the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO), as an active member. The SSO requires members to be certified by the American Board of Surgery, and they must have demonstrated an interest in oncology through teaching, writing or holding leadership positions in the community or hospital. She is a member

was a fourth-year medical student at the Pennsylvania State University School of Medicine. She essentially served as a physician with a mission group. The mission hospitals had been there for more than 40 years and they emphasized empowerment of the local community. That included involving tribal shamans in providing care, leading patients to “believe in a cure.”

Dr. McDonald’s devotion to breast health extends beyond her professional duties. She runs every year in the Women’s 5K Classic, the women-only event in Allentown that attracts thousands of runners and walkers. Last year’s event was held on a rainy cool morning and she was proud that despite the weather, her 15-year-old daughter showed up to run dressed in pink from head to toe. (She also has a daughter, 13, and a son, 11.) As for Dr. McDonald herself, she wears a shirt that has been signed by her patients. “I tell them I’m taking them with me when I run,” she says.

of the St. Luke’s Physician Group executive board. She also serves as associate director of oncology services, is a member of the Tumor Board Activities Committee and is a member of the Cancer Advisory Committee, all at the Allentown campus.

She says one of the things she strives to bring to her practice is empathy with patients. “I think that empathy, an ability to identify with the patient’s experience, has been lacking in surgery in general and in breast surgery in particular,” she says. “Breast cancer cases are more complex than other kinds of cancer. In the others, your choices may be surgery or chemotherapy. With breast cancer, you consider other things, such as needle biopsy, lumpectomy, mastectomy or even just watching. That ‘watching’ can be very stressful. I am unique among surgeons here because, as a woman, I can empathize with their anxiety and fears.”

One of the things that fostered Dr. McDonald’s empathy with patients was her experience in a medical mission in Ghana when she

4 July 2010

SUMMER’S HERE — WATER SAFETY TIPS FROM AN EXPERTKristen.Kramer,.DPT,.a.physical.therapist.at.the.Acute.Rehabilitation.Center.(ARC).at.the.Bethlehem.Campus,.has.always.wanted.to.pursue.a.career.in.the.medical.field..Two.experiences.in.her.life.—.her.mother.working.as.a.PT.assistant.and.her.grandmother.rehabbing.from.a.stroke.—.led.her.along.the.path.of.sports.medicine.and.physical.therapy.

“I’ve.been.interested.in.sports.medicine.for.a.long.time,”.says.Kristen,.who.completed.an.internship.in.that.field.while.pursuing.her.bachelor’s.and.master’s.degrees.at.Misericordia.University..“Watching.my.grandmother.undergo.physical.therapy.and.occupational.therapy,.I.decided.to.specialize.in.neural.inpatient.rehab.”

As.part.of.her.doctoral.program.in.physical.therapy,.also.at.Misericordia,.Kristen.was.required.to.develop.a.community.service.proposal..She.chose.an.educational.program..on.water.safety,.focusing.on.preventing.drowning,.brain.injury.and.spine.injury..That.specialty.area.brought.Kristen’s.efforts.to.our.attention....and.now.to.yours.

“My.mother.was.an.American.Red.Cross.water.safety.instructor.[WSI],”.recalls.Kristen,..“so.naturally,.I.also.became.a.WSI..Part.of.teaching.kids.to.swim.is.training.them.to.avoid.drowning..Even.in.near-drowning.situations,.if.the.brain.is.deprived.of.oxygen.long.enough,..it.can.sustain.an.injury..In.my.work.at.the.ARC,.I.see.patients.with.that.type.of.injury.and..I.know.many.of.these.tragedies.are.preventable.”

Kristen.tells.us.most.deaths.by.drowning.occur.in.bathtubs,.and.many.spinal.injuries.result.from.diving.into.shallow.water.in.lakes,.quarries.and,.of.course,.private.pools..She.says,.“Since.most.of.these.victims.are.young,.the.emotional.toll.on.their.families.is.enormous,..as.is.the.amount.of.money.spent.on.a.lifetime.of.care.”

With.summer.finally.here,.below.are.a.few.water.safety.tips.that.Kristen.recommends...As.you.can.see,.most.of.her.advice.is.common.sense,.so.a.little.thinking.and.planning.can..go.a.long.way.toward.preventing.drowning,.brain.injury.and.spinal.injury.—.possibly.for.someone.in.your.family.

1. Never leave a child unattended in a bathtub, even in one inch of water. Keep the phone with you.

2. If you have a private swimming pool, install a fence, regardless of where you live. And never dive into shallow water.

3. Quarries are dangerous under any circumstances, with unseen rocks and currents. Always jump feet first into quarries, lakes and ponds — even one with which you are familiar. Who knows... a tree might have fallen just a few feet from the surface.

4. Alcohol, drugs and water safety simply don’t mix — whether driving a boat or even just swimming.

5. At a private pool, always have an adult on hand or swim with a buddy. And make sure a cordless or cell phone is handy to call for help in an emergency.

6. If someone is in trouble, with arms flailing, don’t try a rescue; he or she might panic and push you under, putting two people at risk. Instead, extend a pool skimmer, a foam “noodle” or a buoy with a rope and pull the victim to the side. In a boat, use an oar or paddle.

By the numBers•. Over.the.last.150.years.the.

average.height.of.people.in.industrialized.nations.increased.by.10.cm.(4.in).

•..In.the.19th.century,.American..men.were.the.tallest.in.the.world,.averaging.1.71.m.(5’6”)..Today,.the.average.height.for.American.men.is.1.75.m.(5’7”),.compared.to.1.77.m.(5’8”).for.Swedes.and.1.78.m.(5’8.5”).for.the.Dutch.

•..Side.by.side,.2,000.cells.from.the.human.body.could.cover.about..one.square.inch.

•..Your.thumb.is.the.same.length..as.your.nose.

•..The.length.from.your.wrist.to.your.elbow.is.the.same.as.the.length.of.your.foot.

•..A.full.bladder.is.roughly.the.size..of.a.softball.

•..If.all.your.DNA.is.stretched..out,.it.would.reach.to.the..moon.6,000.times.

*Source: www.didyouknow.cd; http://gconnect.in/gc/lifestyle/health/ human-body-some-interesting-facts.html

In.1920,.committees.of.the.Ladies’.Aid.Society.were.formed.to.come.to.the.hospital.weekly.to.help.make.bandages.and.surgical.dressings,.and.to.sew.and.mend.clothing.and.linens.

✓

FACT

St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital. Front row (L-R): Diane Dixon, Debbie Huebner, Sherry Hartman, Maryann Angelo and Renée Ede. Back row (L-R): Lorri Fosbenner, Jan Wieand, Dolores Fudge and John Lester. Missing from photo: Barbara Hartman.

St. Luke’s Hospital – Bethlehem Campus. Front row (L-R): Michelle Golden, Marie Schultheis, Audrey Fedor, Eileen Wan, Gina Grekula, Lisa Kozlowski, Edie Sacks Award Winner Carol Harryn, and Barbara Lasko. Back row (L-R): Louise Gonta, Matthew Stauffer, Mark Lovell and David Henn. Missing from photo: Paul Morales.

St. Luke’s Hospital – Allentown Campus. Front row (L-R): Jodi Coffin, Donna Bydlon, Andrea Hart and Nelly Moina. Back row (L-R): Sherri Heffelfinger, Susan Meckley, Tasneem Hussain, Barbara Reynolds, Russell Kuder, Alicia Afif, John Kurtz and Brian Baum.

St. Luke’s Visiting Nurse Association. (L-R): Stacie Bartholomew, Jaine Connor, Mary O’Donnell-Miller, Beverly Phelan, Debra Breckon and Marietta Scott.

St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital. (L-R): Judith Owens, Anastasia Gibas and Marianne Ponting.

Phot

o co

urte

sy o

f Tim

es N

ews.

Kimberly Wood (center) from Bub & Associates Family Medical Center was presented her PCRAFT award with a visit from John Haney, COO, SLPG and Dean Evans, President, SLPG.

2010 PCRAFT AWARD WINNeRS

O U R G U I D I N G P R I N C I P L e SPRIDe CARING ReSPeCT ACCouNTABILITy FLexIBILITy TeAMWoRK

July 2010 5

6 July 2010

A DAY in tHe life of... DoNALD BotBYLSecurity Officer • Bethlehem.Campus.Security.Department

An officer in the Security Department at the Bethlehem Campus for more than six years, Donald is part of a team that helps to provide a safe and

secure environment for our staff, visitors and patients.

Temple/St. Luke’s Medical School

1 The.region’s.first.and.only.medical.school.

2 Inaugural.class.beginning.August.2011.

3 “Early.Assurance”.program.–.special.consideration.to.premed.students.from.Lehigh.University,.Moravian.College.and.Muhlenberg.College.who.have.achieved.academic.excellence.

4 Fifty.percent.of.students.who.train.at.Temple.University.School.of.Medicine.(TUSM).stay.in.Pennsylvania.to.practice.

5 The.school.is.expected.to.add.150.or.more.qualified,.well-trained.practicing.physicians.to.our.community.in.10.years.

6 Students.study.at.Temple.University.School.of.Medicine.in.Philadelphia..in.their.first.year;.in.years.two,.three.and.four,.students.study.at.St..Luke’s.Hospital.in.Bethlehem.

7 St..Luke’s.physician.faculty.will.teach.the.first.year.Doctoring.Course.in.Philadelphia.to.the.Temple/St..Luke’s.students.

8 Our.school’s.courses.are.identical.to.the.requirements.for.students.training.the.full.four.years.at.the.Temple.Campus.in.Philadelphia.

9 Student.applicants.are.interviewed.by.St..Luke’s.physician.faculty.members.of.the.admissions.committee.

10 Students.training.in.Bethlehem.will.learn.from.the.best.and.gain.valuable.experience.and.insight.into.a.wide.range.of.medical.specialties..TUSM..is.ranked.#2.in.Philadelphia.and.#3..in.Pennsylvania.by.U.S. News & World Report.

top 10 Facts to knowDonald Botbyl, who worked for 25 years as a police officer in Cherry Hill Township, New Jersey, understands the value of teamwork. An officer in the Security Department at the Bethlehem Campus for more than six years, he is part of a team that helps to provide a safe and secure environment for our staff, visitors and patients.

John Talijan (CHPA), manager of Security Operations at the Bethlehem Campus, portrays Donald as a “humble, flexible professional who never complains — a pleasure to work with and a great value to the hospital and the Network.”

As you read Donald’s description of his responsibilities, you’ll notice that a day in the life of a security officer is never boring. “Our duties include enforcing parking regulations; taking incident reports for accidents, thefts or other situations; and helping visitors find their destinations in the hospital or locate their vehicle in the parking areas,” he says. “As needed, we also respond to medical emergencies and, as part of a Control Team, help our nursing staff control agitated patients.”

Donald elaborates on how a Control Team contributes to the smooth operation of the hospital. “When a patient or visitor becomes agitated and poses a potential physical threat — to himself or herself, other patients, visitors, or staff — the nursing staff calls the Security Department to send a Control Team, which is comprised of security officers, as well as volunteers from other departments,” he explains. “We take direction from the nurses to ensure that no one gets hurt. Sometimes our response involves physical restraint, but usually our presence is enough to defuse the situation.”

A resident of Bethlehem for the past 10 years, Donald enjoys watching football. He attended high school games when his kids were growing up and has a passion for the Philadelphia Eagles. After years of cheering the Eagles live and watching them work out at their training camp in Saucon Valley, not far from the Bethlehem Campus, he prefers to follow them on television. Donald and his wife Diane often visit their relatives in Tampa and Clearwater, Florida, and they especially enjoy taking cruises in the Caribbean. Cancun is one of their favorite destinations.

July 2010 7

prActice mAkes perfect cHoice for its pAtientsOn a busy day, they see 140 patients at the St. Luke’s Family Medicine Center in northeast Bethlehem. The patients range from newborns to folks who need specialized geriatric care. Day in and day out, the numbers add up. In the last fiscal year, the attending physicians, residents and allied staff saw almost 21,000 patients. That represents significant growth, because in the previous five years, the annual average had been closer to 19,000.

The center is at 2830 Easton Ave. in Bethlehem. According to Anna Gonzalez, who is the practice manager, patients come from a wide area; not just Bethlehem, but the surrounding townships, too.

The center is not a “walk-in” facility; patients must have appointments. Health care is provided by a staff of nine attending physicians and 18 residents. The staff also includes four RNs and LPNs, five CNAs and five clerical employees. Among the attending, two specialize in sports medicine, two in geriatrics and one in palliative care. There also is a psychotherapist at the center.

Anna says one of the things patients appreciate is that the doctors at the center “follow” them. For instance, mothers come there for obstetrical care and then bring their babies for their well-baby and other visits. Hanging on the wall in one of the

hallways at the center is a large bulletin board that holds dozens of photos of “our babies,” as she calls them. Also, the physicians at the center will visit patients if they have been hospitalized.

The center has a lab as well as examination and procedure rooms, including one for osteopathic manipulation therapy. The center’s family medicine services include minor surgery,

immunizations, EKGs and treatment of chronic problems.

Robert Langan, MD, is the medical director. The attending physicians include Paula Bordelon, DO; Nguyet Cam-Lam, MD; Maria Ghetu, MD; Patricia Gotsch, MD; Michael Krafczyk, MD; David Skillinge, DO; and Kevin Waninger, MD. As Dr. Lam observed, some of the attending, including herself, came to the center as medical students, served their residency and decided to stay.

The Family Medicine Center’s attending physicians connect to patients and the community through various volunteer services. Dr. Lam visits Bethlehem’s Liberty and Freedom High Schools to promote smoking-cessation education and provides one-on-one counseling. Dr. Gotsch collects donated children’s books for disadvantaged children, which includes giving books to children who come to the center. Dr. Skillinge has been involved with the Via “Relay for Life” run for several years. And Drs. Bordelon and Ghetu, geriatricians, visit residents of nursing homes.

(L-R): Wanda Delgado, RMA; Gina Hertzog, RN; Bao-Huyen Nguyen, CMA; Jennifer Dandrades, CMA; Helena Wolfe, LPN; Shirley Johnson, NCMA; and Kimberly Tauber, LPN.

Front row (L-R): Linda Hassick, CSA; and Lilibeth Pizarro, CSA. Back row (L-R): Judith Blasco, CSA; Joselyn Askerneese, CSA; and Ann Freeman, CSA.

ReADeRSHIP SuRVey SuGGeSTIoN

8 July 2010

st. luke’s leADs tHe revolution in cAncer DiAGnosisRecent advancements in the fight against cancer are giving patients more time and better quality of life. While treatment technology and techniques garner most of the headlines, the behind-the-scenes work of pathologists continues to pave the way for much of that progress.

It is a great source of pride for us to learn that St. Luke’s pathologists are employing processes used by only a minority of health care systems. But then, not many organizations have the caliber of staff that our Network boasts. One of our stars is David M. Steinberg, MD, associate pathologist for the Network and medical director of the Department of Pathology at the Allentown Campus.

After graduating from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Dr. Steinberg completed an internship, residency and two fellowships at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and came to St. Luke’s in 2001. With many professional affiliations, including the College of American Pathologists, he has worked on several Network committees, won numerous honors and awards, been published in leading medical journals, presented at national professional meetings and created multimedia instructional projects.

In addition to these impressive credentials, Dr. Steinberg has a knack for explaining what

After cutting the frozen section, Dr. Steinberg places the slice on a slide for staining. Dr. Steinberg reads a slide through the microscope at his desk. The image appears on his computer screen at his left.

a pathologist does in terms that a lay person can understand — starting with the bottom line in his specialty: “making sure that the diagnosis is correct”. He also emphasizes the importance of timely communication and reporting, as well as the pathologist’s role in directing and guiding lab personnel. As he will explain, accomplishing these objectives takes a combination of training, experience and collaboration.

“Every tissue sample is trying to tell us a story,” Dr. Steinberg begins. “The job of a pathologist is to interpret that story. I might know the tissue under review is a tumor, even a malignant one, but initial analysis might not reveal the specific type of tumor with a high degree of certainty. The implications of that uncertainty are critical in the treatment of a cancer patient.

“For example, depending on whether the cancer is localized, is in the lymph nodes or has spread to another part of the body — as well as detailing what the overall tumor stage is— a pathologist’s conclusions help the clinician recommend surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or a combination of those treatments. In fact, even during surgery, we can analyze tissue samples and have an answer that may alter the course of that particular procedure.”

Dr. Steinberg continues, “By striving to eliminate false positive and false negative diagnoses, we try to avoid unnecessary, and potentially harmful, procedures, thus ensuring that our patients only get the surgery they need. To guarantee the highest degree of accuracy, the protocol at St. Luke’s is to get a second opinion within my department on all malignant cases — whether in person or by telepathology — before a diagnosis of cancer is released to the clinician, whose input also contributes to that diagnosis.”

Dr. Steinberg points out that not every hospital or health care system conducts second reviews on all cancers. Additionally, our pathologists will occasionally seek out national experts on cases that are difficult or rare, especially when there is not complete interpretive agreement within the group. St. Luke’s also provides rapid second pathology reviews for patients diagnosed at other institutions who choose to have surgery or other cancer treatments here.

“Everything we do in our Network is for the patient,” concludes Dr. Steinberg. “From the pathology perspective, that means using best practices to get the right diagnosis as quickly as possible. With our recent entry into the molecular diagnostic testing arena, we are on the cutting edge of our field in trying to provide each patient with personalized cancer care.”

July 2010 9

The.Lehigh.Valley.Zoo.in.Schnecksville,.PA,.was.open.exclusively.for.registered.cancer.survivors.and.their.family.members.to.celebrate.National.Cancer.Survivors.Day..More.than.900.registrants.attended.together.with.nearly.100.members.of.the.St..Luke’s.hospital.family,.including.cancer.specialists,.oncology.nurses.and.cancer.support.staff,.who.volunteer.at.the.event..

Guests.came.from.throughout.the.region,.including.Berks,.Bucks,.Carbon,.Lackawanna,.Lehigh,.Luzerne,.Monroe,.Northampton,.Schuylkill.and.Warren.counties..

Registered.guests.received.a.meal.deal.from.the.zoo’s.café.and.the.chance.to.ride.the.paddle.boats..Guests.also.enjoyed.animal.presentations,.a.guided.zoo.tour,.strolling.magicians,.a.magic.and.illusion.show,.and.face.painting.and.goat.feeding.for.the.kids...St..Luke’s.HealthStar.mobile.health.unit.was.also.on.site.offering.first.aid.and.blood.pressure.checks..

Dr. Darius Desai (front) with his wife Anita and sons Cyrus and Sam.

Orlando and Sue Gonzalez.

(L-R): Robyn Plesniarski, Natasha Deb, Leena Deb and Dr. Nimisha Deb.

1,000 Attend st. Luke’s survivors dAy

10 July 2010

GettinG to know... GloriA cuADrADoAssistant vice president, compensation and benefits

As.Gloria.Cuadrado.has.risen.through.the.ranks.and.assumed.more.responsibility.in..St..Luke’s.Human.Resources.Department,.one.thing.hasn’t.changed..She.remains.accessible.to.the.employees.she.serves.

Gloria.began.working.in.Human.Resources.at.the.Bethlehem.Campus.in.1974..After.a.few.years,.she.left.to.raise.her.two.children,.Cory.and.Venesa..In.1985,.she.returned.to.Human.Resources.and.has.been.there.ever.since..Most.of.that.time.has.been.in.the.area.of.Benefits,.with.Compensation.added.about.eight.years.ago..“I.have.seen.incredible.growth.and.changes.at.St..Luke’s,”.shares.Gloria...“If.someone.had.told.me.that.we.would.have.four.hospitals,.I.wouldn’t.have.believed.it.”

When.we.asked.Gloria.why.she.came.to..St..Luke’s,.she.replied,.“The.better.question.to.ask.is.why.I.stay.at.St..Luke’s..I.feel.I.make.a.difference.and.I’m.appreciated..In.my.role,..I.interact.with.and.often.help.employees.from.all.different.backgrounds..I.love.working.with.the.Human.Resources.team.—.a.cohesive,.devoted.and.hard-working.group.

“Employees.have.a.good.understanding.of.the.compensation.they.receive.every.two.weeks.and.their.eligibility.for.an.increase..With.benefits,.employees.generally.pay.attention.only.to.what.affects.them.at.the.time..Often,.we.receive.urgent.calls.from.employees.regarding.disability.benefits,..life.insurance,.pension,.etc.,.due.to.some.life-changing.event.”

In.her.role.as.a.Network.administrator,.Gloria.regularly.visits.the.Miners,.Quakertown.and.Allentown.campuses,.and.often.interacts.with.each.president.and.Human.Resources.director..“Communicating.with.employees..in.our.growing.Network.is.challenging,.but.we.are.always.looking.for.ways.to.reach.everyone,”.she.explains..“For.example,..we.now.have.an.online.enrollment.system,..a.Network-wide.employee.handbook.on.MyNet.and.a.retirement.plan.vendor.with.online.capabilities.”

Addressing.the.changes.in.the.area.of.Compensation.and.Benefits,.she.says,..“Just.like.today’s.households,.our.Network.

closely.monitors.its.expenses.and.looks.for.ways.to.save.money..However,.in.an.era.of.increasing.health.care.costs,.I.am.pleased..to.report.as.long.as.our.employees.use..St..Luke’s.providers,.there.are.no.out-of-pocket.expenses.other.than.a.minimum.co-pay.”.In.addition,.many.employees.have.told.her.that.they.are.very.pleased.about.a.recent.change.to.their.prescription.plan:.a.90-day.supply.of.generic.drugs.for.only.$2.

Gloria.proudly.portrays.St..Luke’s.as.a.very.caring.and.nurturing.organization.that’s..also.well.managed.and.fiscally.responsible..She.explains,.“While.at.times.some.difficult.decisions.must.be.made,.a.tremendous.amount.of.thought,.fact-finding.and.discussion.takes.place.to.assure.that.the.right.decision.is.being.

made..I.truly.feel.that.the.best.is.yet.to.come.for.our.organization,.and.I.feel.privileged.to.work.here.”

Gloria.and.her.husband.Felix.live.in.Bethlehem.Township..Coming.from.a.family.of.10,.she.has.many.relatives.in.the.Lehigh.Valley.and.says.there.is.always.something.to.celebrate.with.them..She.enjoys.going.to.New.York.City.to.shop.and.attend.plays,.and.loves.visiting.her.son.Cory.(serving.in.the.U.S..Air.Force),.daughter-in-law.Kimitria.and.grandchildren.Brycen.(8).and.Deron.(18.months).in.Tampa,.Florida..“Brycen.and.I.are.both.‘Disney.freaks,’.so.going.to.Florida.is.extra.special.for.me.”

ReADeRSHIP SuRVey SuGGeSTIoN

July 2010 11

prepArinG for tHe AccreDitAtion processEditor’s Note: At press time (June 21), the Joint Commission arrived at our Allentown/Bethlehem campuses.

Sometime before the end of this September, an important online posting will arrive on MyNet. Experience tells Susan York, director of accreditation and standards for the Network, that it will happen early on a Monday morning. She just does not know which one.

The much-anticipated notice will be from the Joint Commission, a private, independent, not-for-profit body that inspects and rates hospitals regarding safety, patient care and other standards. And, it will tell St. Luke’s that a team of six surveyors will arrive within the next 30 minutes.

For the next five days, the team will go throughout Allentown and Bethlehem hospitals and ambulatory sites examining patient records and talking to staff. The goal of this voluntary accreditation is to earn the Joint Commission’s “Gold Seal of Approval,” a rating that gives the hospital many benefits. They include deemed status with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and private insurance plans, and education on good practices to enhance residency programs, nursing schools and staff development. And, a “Gold Seal” provides advantages in marketing and staff recruitment. (The commission publicly identifies organizations that have the Gold Seal, but details about inspections are not released to the public.)

Susan explains that when the surveyors arrive, St. Luke’s must be prepared to provide a list of patients in the hospital, as well as patients in the emergency department and

those scheduled for surgery, catheterization lab procedures, endoscopy, C-section deliveries and other procedures requiring moderate sedation or anesthesia. From that list, the surveyors choose about 70 “tracers,” the individual cases it will review.

In that process, the Joint Commission uses a series of yardsticks that cover patient safety, patient rights, medication safety and infection control, among others. It also checks for compliance with regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Fire Protection Association and the Centers for Disease Control.

Usually, a hospital will get “Requirements for Improvement” regarding any issues that are found. The hospital responds with a plan of action and has 45-60 days to “fix” the problem. (There also is a process for responding to surveyor findings when the hospital is not in agreement with the findings.)

Whenever the surveyors visit, St. Luke’s will be prepared. That is the goal of Susan’s office. She spends a considerable amount of time reading and interpreting regulations because the Joint Commission’s standards always are being revised. When the Commission was founded in the 1950s, it had only 20 pages or so of standards. Today, they fill more than 500 pages. Susan and Lisa Fenstermaker, a member of her staff, work with every department in the Network, an aspect of the position that she

enjoys. Under her leadership, St. Luke’s does mock surveys to prepare staff members for “the real thing.” She also helps to develop management grids to lay out procedures and processes for addressing potential problems.

Susan has been in the accreditation and standards position since 2002, when it was created. At that time, the first list of eight National Patient Safety Goals also was created to address important issues such as patient identification utilizing the patient’s name and date of birth, patient and surgical site identification, removing concentrated electrolytes from patient units, forbidding use of dangerous abbreviations linked to medication, patient harm events and more.

Susan, a registered nurse with a master’s degree in health administration, has been with St. Luke’s since 1986. Among her previous assignments were managing a dialysis unit and managing a surgical floor. As for her current work, she says it is “interesting and exhilarating.”

The Joint Commission, based in Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., was created in 1951 by the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Physicians, the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association and the Canadian Medical Association. It began offering accreditation to hospitals in January 1953.

KIDS CoLLABoRATe FoR A CAuSe

Dr. Leo Heitlinger, chief of pediatrics, and Charlotte Becker, RN, pediatric patient care manager, visited Nitschmann Middle School in Bethlehem recently. Students in the eighth grade Sequoia program collected more than 300 new stuffed animals which will be given to pediatric patients as they recover from surgery.

801 Ostrum St. • Bethlehem, PA 18015

Non-Profit Org.US Postage

PAIDPermit #275

Bethlehem, PA

N e t w o r k

St. Luke’s strives to be the region’s health care employer of choice.

Our MissiOn:

The mission of St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network is to provide compassionate, excellent quality and cost-effective health care to residents of the communities we serve regardless of their ability to pay.

Our strategic FOcus:

People and Relationships• Physicians, Employees and Volunteers —

our most important assets.• We will be the region’s health care

employer of choice.

Simplicity• Continue to simplify management structure.• Promote efficiency and effectiveness.

Integrity• Transparent, accountable management.• Ongoing adherence to our

Management Philosophy.

Quality • Focus on clinical process improvements

using national benchmarks and appropriately share the outcomes of our ongoing focus on quality.

• Perform in the top decile in national pay-for-performance programs.

Cost• Perform in the top decile in Thomson

criteria for cost-effective management.• Continue to be the region’s low-cost

tertiary hospital.

Network Pulse is a periodic publication for the employees of St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network published by the Corporate Communications Department.

801 Ostrum St. • Bethlehem, PA 18015

Executive Editor: Susan M. SchantzVice President, Corporate Communications

Contributing Writers:Glenn Kranzley • Vicki Mayk • Robert Schobel

Design Supervision: Lori DiehlDirector, Network Graphic Design

Photography:Joseph KlepeissDirector, Media Production Services

Betsy Toole • Anne Kemp

A group of employees from St. Luke’s Hospice House formed a team that recently participated in Relay For Life of Saucon Valley. The team raised nearly $7,000 for the American Cancer Society. They remained at Dimmick Park in Hellertown for 24 hours, having one member of their team

walking at all times — a symbolic gesture to remind everyone “cancer never sleeps.”

This issue features a number of cancer-related Network activities.