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NCI Renewal page 3

Great Stories pages 4-5

Three-Way Kidney Swap page 6

National Magnet Conference in Baltimore page 7

September, October and November Employees of the Month page 7

Heart Center Hybrid OR Integrates Patient Care page 8

For every friendly face a patient encounters during a stay at UMMC, there are hundreds of staff members behindthe scenes making everything run smoothly. Equipment must be cleaned, sterilized, repaired and restocked.Linens must be washed and replenished. The telephone call center, laboratories, food services, pharmacy, medicalrecords, patient-placement center — the list of departments is long and the roles diverse. Most of this work goeson around the clock, seven days a week, even during snowstorms and hurricanes. Turn to page 2 for a BEHINDTHE SCENES look at what keeps the Medical Center humming, and meet some of the dedicated staff mem-bers who make it all happen.

n e w s f o r t h e

U n i v e r s i t y

o f M a r y l a n d

M e d i c a l C e n t e r

c o m m u n i t y

INSIDEConnections:

Message from the CEOEXCEEDING EXPECTATIONSA combination of preparednessand patience has seen the

Medical Centerthrough anextraordinarysummer. The entirestaff has risen to theoccasion time andtime again —through an earth-quake, a hurricane

and the Grand Prix race carsnearly at our front door. And atevery stage, our staff didn’t evenblink an eye. (OK, maybe for aminute — who ever heard of anearthquake in Maryland?) As ateam, we know that we can’t letthese potential distractionsinterrupt our mission to take careof patients with the highestdegree of efficiency possible.

Sometimes patient letterscome directly to my office, andsometimes they go to aparticular unit — but thesentiment is the same: Patientsand their families are so movedby the care and service theyreceived from staff throughoutthe Medical Center that they’recompelled to write and thank us.It’s clear from the letters thatthey notice everything, andencounters big and small take onnew importance inside our walls.

We’re looking for more waysto share and acknowledge these“Great Stories,” such as in thisissue (see pages 4-5).

Whether they’re exceedingexpectations during our “Shake,Rattle and Roll” summer or anyother day, I thank our entire stafffor its Commitment to Excellence.Consider these comments from agrateful wife of a cancer patient:“Every person that took care ofhim...gave care that I have neverexperienced before.”

I couldn't have said it bettermyself.

JEFFREY A. RIVEST President & Chief Executive Officer

ConnectionsUMMC

Visionary leadership and synchronized teamwork propelled theUniversity of Maryland Medical Center to the forefront of

transplantation once again this summer. The lung transplant teambecame the first in the US to use an experimental ex vivo (outside the body) perfusion technique in a clinical trial to repair donor lungsbefore transplantation.

This new technique, if approved by the FDA, could significantlyincrease the number of lungs that can be transplanted to the more than 1,700 candidates on the waiting list.

TRansplant TeamEnrolls First US Patient in Novel Lung Trial

IN THE OPERATING ROOM

PAGE 4 PAGE 6 PAGE 8

“All labor that upliftshumanity has dignityand importance andshould be undertakenwith painstakingexcellence."MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

FALL 2011

Repairing the donor lungs

Currently, only 15 to 20 percent of donor lungs are transplantable;most do not meet rigorous transplant criteria. According to the UnitedNetwork for Organ Sharing, nearly 30 people in Maryland are waitingfor a lung transplant.

“Each opportunity to transplant an organ is a precious gift,” saysBartley P. Griffith, MD, professor of surgery and head of the division ofcardiac surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.Griffith is the principal investigator in the study and director of heartand lung transplantation at UMMC. He credited the many staff membersin research and on administrative teams for the preparation thatenabled this perfusion technique to finally be used to help a patient.

“Not a single person on our team takes this responsibility lightly,”Griffith says. “Our OR staff and clinical trial program managers havestudied the variables of this case inside and out so that when theopportunity presented itself to use this new ex vivo technique, ourteam didn’t miss a beat. We were able to repair these lungs to meet ourhigh transplant standards and give this patient an option where sheotherwise might have had none.”

Other hospitals participating in the trial but still awaiting anopportunity to use this technique include Duke University, ColumbiaUniversity Medical Center, Brigham & Women’s Hospital (affiliated withHarvard University) and the University of Colorado. Amid suchesteemed medical centers, UMMC was the first to enroll a patient in thisclinical trial, demonstrating the ongoing commitment to developinginnovative procedures that improve a patient’s quality of life.

BEHIND THESCENES

[ CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ]

2 ConnectionsUMMC


BLOOD BANKDeliveries of red bloodcells, platelets and plasma arrive at theUMMC Blood Bank,where DanielKimball, laboratorytechnician II, unpacksand helps preparethem for patientsthroughout the hospi-tal. If the patient is aninfant, Kimball splits aunit into baby-sizedamounts. Forimmune-compromisedpatients, he must irra-diate platelets or otherblood products. He’s also responsible for storing bone and skin tissue,such as skull flaps — the small pieces of skin and bone that surgeonssometimes remove temporarily to accommodate swelling in the brain.Kimball labels them and stores them in the freezer until doctors reattach them to the patients.“If the Blood Bank didn’t exist, we wouldn’t have many surgeries

here and Shock Trauma wouldn’t be able to function,” Kimball notes.“We’d have to outsource a lot of the products we receive and it wouldtake more time and more money if that were to happen. We areessential to the hospital.” On an average day, UMMC patients require 110 to 130 units of

red cells, 75 units of plasma and about 40 units of platelets. But thosenumbers can spike any time there’s a motor vehicle crash with multi-ple victims, for example.

LINEN SERVICESPeople would be amazed if they could see the linen collection areas ofUMMC, says Roland Nichols Sr., linen technician. There are fourchutes at UMMC that nurses use to dispose of bags of used linens —towels, sheets, and the like — and hundreds of bags rain down into

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Here are just a few of the many people who work so hard behind the scenes to make UMMC a great hospital:

Khalia Kirby (above)holds a just-sterilizedscope sealed andready for the nextpatient. She andEverett Whitney(cover) are certifiedsterile processingscope technicians.

COVER STORY:

HOSPITALS ARE LIKE SMALL CITIES,with multiple functions all happening at the same time, independ-ent but intertwined, distinct but dependent on each other to takecare of patients. As with cities, some of the functions are more visible than others, but all play critical roles. More than 6,800 staffmembers work across the Medical Center on a variety of shifts,keeping things humming day and night. Some staff memberswork all over the hospital, interacting with multiple departments.Others might perform all their work in one area, such as the lab or

pharmacy. All of them take pride in the fact that their work touches patients whom they may never meet. Somestaff members are just starting out their career with the Medical Center, while others have worked here for decades.

22 South Greene StreetBaltimore, Maryland 21201410-328-6776www.umm.edu

Jeffrey A. RivestPresident and ChiefExecutive Officer

Mary Lynn CarverSenior Vice PresidentCommunications andPublic Affairs

Anne HaddadEditor and PublicationsManager

Frank B. MoormanDirector, Strategic InternalCommunications

Linda PraleyCreative Director

Marc LaytarPhotography

Linda J. LynchStaff Assistant

Sharon BostonMeghan ScaleaKathy SchuetzKaren WarmkesselContributors

Fax news and story ideas toUMMC Connections at410-328-3450 or [email protected].

is produced by the Office ofCorporate Communicationsand Public Affairs for theUMMC community.

ConnectionsUMMC

BEHIND THE SCENES

the collection rooms over the course of a given day. Not to mention theoccasional pocketbook, watch or ring that accidentally gets tossed alongwith them. (Such items are sent to Lost and Found, in the SecurityDepartment.) Nichols’ job is to give the bags to a cleaning service, andunload and unpack the clean linens that are delivered. He then sorts themand delivers them to storage closets throughout the hospital. The MedicalCenter goes through about 9,000 pounds of linens every day — morethan 3.3 million pounds a year.“You really wouldn’t think it was that serious, but when you walk the

areas and you take care of your units, you have a passion for your job andyou want to do the best you can,” he says. “I don’t want them to ever needsomething and not have it right there for them when they need it. There’sa lot more to it than you see on the surface.” Dedication to patients runs in the family: His son, Roland Nichols Jr.,

also works at UMMC, as a lead equipment distribution technician.

SCOPE ROOM: CENTRAL STERILE PROCESSINGEverett Whitney, certified sterile processing scope technician, cleanssome of the most contaminated and complicated equipment found in thehospital: the scopes usedfor everything fromintubations to colono-scopies. They’re delicateinstruments that containcomputer chips andfiber-optic lenses thatproject images onto amonitor during surgery.After use in an OR,these instruments areplaced in an equipmentelevator that takes themdown to the basementlevel, where Whitneyand his fellow techni-cians clean, inspect andsterilize them. “We are leading the nation as far as the fastest turnaround rate for pro-

cessing and we have the most advanced equipment. Other hospitals’ staffcome here to see our process,” Whitney says, adding that his department’saverage turnaround time is about 42 minutes. “The patients don’t see us orsay, ‘I want to thank the guy who cleaned my scope,’ but you know youwere a part of a group that made that [successful procedure] happen. It’svery rewarding.”

LABORATORIES OF PATHOLOGYWhen someone comes to the hospital complaining of chest pains, a bloodsample goes to the Laboratories of Pathology, where Jennifer Christophi,MS, MLS (ASCP), senior medical technologist, studies it for cardiac mark-ers to help determine whether the patient has suffered a heart attack. Shealso studies a variety of other types of samples, such as spinal and synovialfluid, looking for the presence or absence of disease processes. Many of thetechnologists in her department hold master’s degrees or, like Christophi,are in the process of earning a PhD.

3FALL 2011


“About 80 percent of the decision-making on the clinical side isbased on what we do here in the lab,” Christophi says. “Yet some peo-ple have no idea who we are or what we do, and how much we studyand train to do our jobs.”Christophi is working toward a doctorate in management. Her

dissertation is on quality improvement in the laboratory. “We’re here for the patients. Our goal is to provide high-quality

results in a timely fashion,” Christophi says.

CENTRAL STERILE PROCESSINGBefore Vatrice McKoy,certified sterile processingtechnician, begins her jobcleaning, sorting andsterilizing surgical instru-ments — many of whichare razor sharp — shedons thick rubber gloves,puts booties over hershoes, covers her mouthand nose with a surgicalmask, then lowers a plas-tic shield over her face, allin the name of avoidinginfection and injury.After a preliminary wash-ing, the instruments areput into what amounts toa high-tech automaticdishwasher that finishes the job with pressure and heat. It’s one of themost advanced instrument systems around: scanners and computers areused to keep track of each piece of equipment — from cleaning, to usein the operating room, and back again. “It’s a real energetic job and we learn new things every day,” McKoy

says. “We go to seminars and workshops and learn from different ven-dors how the instruments should be cleaned. It’s a good stepping stone;a lot of people go back to school to be surgical techs or anesthesiatechs.” McKoy is one step away from the OR, but her work goes all the way

inside. The instrument sets she sterilizes won’t be opened again untilthey are in an operating room with the patient and a scrubbed-in OR team.

PATIENT FINANCIAL SERVICESOn a typical day, Gina Kreafle, financial receivables coordinator, willtake 50 calls from patients to help work through any obstacles or ques-tions. Sometimes patients need help applying for Medicaid or otherprograms that can help with their hospital bills.

“Our number is on the bill, so patients can reach us easily,”Kreafle says. “Sometimes they’re frustrated: They’re not just calling tosay hi – it’s because they have a question or they believe an error hasoccurred. A lot of the time, it’s a simple solution and we can helpthem. I try to show them that I understand their frustration and thatI want to help them. I try to use terms they will understand toexplain the process and just be kind.”Kreafle and her colleagues in Patient Financial Services work about

15 miles north of the Medical Center. But they do see the occasionalpatient who prefers to come in rather than talk on the phone.

OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCEAt the heart of the Medical Center’s mission is the commitment to beavailable for all patients who need the expert care provided here. Thatmeans beds don’t sit empty for any longer than necessary when apatient care unit isdue an overhaul bythe Operations andMaintenanceDepartment. MaryAnne Judy, opera-tions and mainte-nance coordinator,makes sure the workgoes without a hitch.“We plan ahead for

‘high-priority’ proj-ects, which meansthat the patient carestaff and patientsmove temporarily toanother unit in thehospital. Then wehave exactly one weekto start and finish, sothat we can movepatients back in, and then go on to the next high-priority project,”says Judy.During the last week of September, for example, the operations

and maintenance staff upgraded the plumbing and outlets for med-ical gases in patient rooms on the Multi-Trauma Critical Care uniton the sixth floor of the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center.They painted walls, repaired cabinetry and replaced ceiling panels,among other jobs.As her colleagues wielded power tools and climbed ladders, Judy

circulated among them with a walkie-talkie in one hand and aBlackberry in the other. She made sure that anything they needed —another trades person, a carpenter, some supplies from the store room— was provided for them, stat.It’s fast-paced, think-on-your-feet work, which is just what

Judy likes.“I like to get stuff done,” says Judy, who left a 20-year career as a

paralegal to do this work. “I have to be moving.”

NCI Renews Designationfor the GREENEBAUMCANCER CENTER

The University of Maryland Marleneand Stewart Greenebaum CancerCenter has won renewal of itsNational Cancer Institute (NCI) des-ignation for five years, along with$7.6 million in new federal fundingfor cancer research.

The NCI has bestowed this spe-cial designation on only 66 centersin the US in recognition of scientificexcellence and outstanding patientcare. The renewal this summer fol-lowed an exhaustive review process,which included a 1,100-page grantproposal and visit by a team of NCI-appointed scientists.

“We’re enormously pleased,” saysKevin J. Cullen, MD, the cancer cen-ter’s director and professor of medi-cine at the UM School of Medicine.“The $7.6 million in additional fund-ing through mid-2016 will help ussignificantly expand our clinical andbasic-science research programs.”

Since the cancer center firstreceived NCI designation, its totalresearch funding has increased 55 percent, to a current level of$74.2 million.

“The cancer center’s NCI desig-nation brings more clinical trials topatients, providing new treatmentoptions,” says Jeffrey A. Rivest,president and chief executive officer of the Medical Center.

The center places a strongemphasis on participation of under-represented minorities in clinicalresearch. About 36 percent ofminority patients treated at the can-cer center participate in a clinicaltrial, compared to a national aver-age of about 1 percent. Increasedparticipation will lead to greaterunderstanding of how treatmentsmight be improved.

“African-Americans have a muchhigher death rate from cancer thanwhite patients with the same dis-ease, and we need to look at theunderlying reasons,” Cullen says.

Key areas of research includecancer health disparities; cancervaccines and tumor immunology;resistance of certain cancers tochemotherapy; HIV-related cancers;development of new cancer drugsand treatments; and the genetics of cancer.

Angela H. Brodie, PhD, professorof pharmacology and experimentaltherapeutics at the School ofMedicine, pioneered the develop-ment of drugs called aromataseinhibitors that have become thestandard of care for thousands ofbreast cancer patients worldwide.Now, she is looking at ways toreprogram resistant tumors — suchas aggressive triple-negative breastcancers — so that they respond totreatment with aromatase inhibitors.In addition, she is developing novelhormone compounds called anti-androgens to treat prostate cancer.

For more information about the center,go to www.umgcc.org.

UMMC Employee Opinion Survey

Your voice counts!

Coming Novem

ber 7-20


Sgt. Matt Christopher

Shady Side, MD 20764

Dear Mr. Rivest,

My 14-month-old son, Cameron, was seen in the children's hospital from

Christmas Night until January 4. Being first-time parents, we were

terrified. Our night started with one of your crews picking him up and

providing outstanding service the whole ride. We then were received into

the children's emergency department and were well taken care of. Then we

were transferred to the Pediatric ICU, where our level of care continued

to awe us. Our nurse, Dovita Lerner, took wonderful care of our son and

us. The whole team in the children's hospital was wonderful. The

housekeeper, Maria Guzman, would see us and ask how he was doing. Dovita

checked on us even when we had moved wards. It was plain to see that

everyone there considers it more than just a job. Our last nurse's

assistant, Nikki Burroughs, was able to relate to us and would ask us if

we needed anything. Dr. Mary Boyd checked up on us constantly and became

a quick friend. It's easy to see why you are an award-winning hospital.

You have exceeded expectations for me and all of my family. I still

can not believe the service we got while there. We were treated as if

we were royalty.

Thank you and God Bless,

Matt Christopher

Master Mason, USMC

Cameron Christopher

GreatStories4 ConnectionsUMMC

very day, patients and their families express gratitude to Medical Center

staff members for the care and service they provide. Staff members

notice when one of their own does something extraordinary, too.

Recognizing staff members for a job well done is now easier than ever, as the

Commitment to Excellence (C2X) Employee Engagement Team is reviving the

“Great Stories” and “I Was Noticed” programs with new features.

“The Employee Engagement Team has worked very hard to redevelop these

two programs in the spirit of recognizing all of the great work that happens here

at the Medical Center,” says Kerry Sobol, MBA, RN, director of Patient Experienceand Commitment to Excellence. “These programs are a great way to highlight

excellence and bring our patients, families and staff together to celebrate."

Each quarter, the Great Stories program highlights a handful of stories of staff

members or teams who exceed the behavioral standards, exemplify role-model

behavior or demonstrate how each staff member has the ability to enhance the

patient’s experience.

These stories come from a variety of sources: Patients and family members often

are so moved and impressed by the care they receive that they send letters, cards

or email, or submit comments to the UMMC Web and social media sites.

Staff members can also submit examples of colleagues doing great work through

the Great Stories email address ([email protected]).

“We know that UMMC employees do great things every day and that many go

out of their way to take care of patients and visitors,” says Diana Johnson, MS, PT,director of rehabilitation services and leader for the Employee Engagement Team.

“Great Stories allows us to showcase the ‘power of one’ as well as exceptional

teamwork, which is what makes UMMC a great place to work.”

Following are excerpts of four Great Stories selected for this quarter. If you would

like to share a great story, please send it to [email protected]. Great Stories

program recognition includes the following:

H A quarterly recognition event for the winners, providing an opportunity to

reunite staff members with patients and families who recognized their work.

H Recognition for individuals and departments specifically mentioned in the

letters received.

H Publishing of stories and the winners’ names.

E

Melissa Steimel, RN, BSN, CCRN, is one of the ExpressCare pediatrictransport nurses who cared for Cameron Christopher during the drivefrom Upper Chesapeake Medical Center to UMMC.

5FALL 2011


Nancy Gambill, left, and Susan Dorsey

When the Cure Comes with a Price

Abound @ UMMC

Daniel & Cheryl FasanoEnfield, CT

May 5, 2011

Mr. Jeffrey RivestUniversity of Maryland Medical Center22 S. Greene St.Baltimore, MD 21201-1595

RE: EMERGENCY ROOM SERVICE

Dear Mr. Rivest,

I was brought to your emergency room on April 7 after a fall at the Inner

Harbor. I have to say from the moment I was picked up by the ambulance

until the moment your courtesy shuttle dropped me off at the airport,

every single person I came in contact with was exceptional. I was well

taken care of by the medical staff as well as by the registration staff. I

was brought into X-ray within the hour. I needed to catch a plane home at

5 pm and everyone did everything they could to make that happen. I have

never been taken care of so well in an emergency room. The security peo-

ple helped us call a cab. The cab didn’t come and time was getting short

[so] Stephen Moyer, director of security, had the UMMC courtesy shuttledrop us off at the airport. And finally, when looking for a contact to send

this letter, I emailed your website and got an answer within a couple of

hours. I want to thank you and commend you for your excellent customer

service. Your staff thought outside the box at every point to help me with

my problem.

Sincerely,Cheryl Fasano

From left, Paul Edwards, patient transportationsupervisor; Nakeesha King, patient care technician inthe Adult Emergency Department; Jonathan Kum,security officer; Emily Kay, BSN, RN, nurse in the ED;Temar Clark, valet supervisor; and Stephen Moyer,director of security.

May 24, 2011

University of Maryland Medical Center

22 S. Greene St.

Baltimore, MD 21201

Attention: Office of Administration and

Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, 8th floor

To whom it may concern and to all who will read this:

On Nov. 1, 2010, my husband was taken to [another hospital]. He had cancer. A doctor

told me that if I wanted to save his life, he had to be transferred to University of

Maryland hospital.

On April 5, 2011, we learned that his cancer was gone. This is a miracle, but the true

miracle is what happened from Nov. 4 to April 5, 2011. My husband started in the MICU

unit, went to Oncology, to Acute Care, to Rehab and so on. Every person that took

care of him gave him a level of care that I have never experienced before. Everyone,

from the men who park your car or give tickets for the garage, to the people who give

the wrist bands (Stacy, Nadine) to the gentleman who greets you at the front door, are

very special. Every day, they would ask how my husband was doing. The people in the

clinic and Infusion Center were friendly and warm.

We want to say a special thanks to the people on the 8th floor of the Marlene and

Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center — this is where we spent most of our time:

Jennifer Cozad, Jennifer O, Krishna, Carlie, Kelly, Helen, Kim, Jo Jo, Phyllis, andElaine Cooper, plus the people that delivered the meals, transport and physical thera-

py. We cannot express how each and every one of the people we met helped us

through this nightmare. The great efforts of Dr. Michael Kleinberg and his team will

always be remembered. Dr. Amy Kimball is not only a great doctor, but her caring

manner brought such comfort. Dr. Stephanie Mikulsky stayed with him for several

hours and just gave him hope and comfort. We pray every day that the people, the

angels at University of Maryland, are blessed as well.

Sincerely,Marylee and Jim (Batman) GormanAberdeen, MD 21001

Jim Gorman (right) was able to beat cancer and getback to his favorite hobby of collecting Batman memora-bilia. His UMMC care team included (from left) physicaltherapists Erica Percival, MPT, and Christine Force, DPT;patient care technicians Phyllis Smith and Joselito“JoJo” Kardenas; and 8 West nurses Jennifer Cozad, RN,Kelly Malloy, RN, and Jennifer Ocampo, BSN, RN.

From: Cathylena Brown, BSN, RN 3/30/2011 6:44 AM

To: Tonja D. Marell-Bell, MSN, RN

Subject: Robert Rodriguez

Mail

>

>

Dear Tonja,

I wanted to let you know about one of your nurses,

Robert Rodriguez, who works here in the PACU

quite frequently.

First I want to start by saying that we always enjoy

it when Rob is here to work. He usually works day

shift and ends up doing a long shift. He is always courteous and friendly

to everyone. He has an excellent rapport with his patients and families

and takes time to talk with them regarding the surgery and hospital stay.

He always shows them the utmost respect and you can see that he really

cares about their well-being.

I am impressed with his positive attitude when he works. He goes out

of his way to help others when he's here, volunteering to go on trans-

ports, give boosts, turn patients, etc., and goes above and beyond until

the very end of his shift to meet his patient's needs (to the point where as

charge I have to tell him to GO HOME!!!). He is truly an asset to our

PACU when he is here.

He can care for the sickest Surgical Intensive Care Unit patient to the

easiest Same Day Surgery patient, and if it is in his ability to get that

patient to their room before his shift ends, he does it, safely. He never

complains; he is just an all-around great guy and an awesome nurse!!!!

I don't usually write these letters for just anybody but Rob is so

unique that I feel that you need to know. We truly appreciate his work

and dedication to us and our unit!!!!!

Thank you.

Cathylena Brown, BSN, RN

Senior Clinical Nurse I

Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)

University of Maryland Medical Center

x Close < Reply > Forward

Robert Rodriguez,BSN, RN, CCRN

Jim and Marylee Gorman

6 ConnectionsUMMC


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Robert Rodriquez

UMMC is tops nationwide in

LIVING DONORkidney TRANsPLANT

The belly-button TV commercial that debuted this year as part ofUMMC’s new ad campaign has been prompting smiles all over

Maryland. But under the charm is a serious message: The Universityof Maryland Medical Center boasts the largest program in the coun-try for living donor kidney transplant and is one of only three hospi-tals in the country to master a minimally invasive surgical techniqueto remove kidneys from living donors through the belly button. Hospitals that perform high volumes of a particular surgery

become especially good at it. Dozens of staff members at UMMC —technicians, nurses, surgeons, social workers and others — havebecome experts at performing complicated transplants and providingthe care required to support these patients. “Everyone at the University of Maryland Medical Center was so

wonderful to us — even the phlebotomist who came to draw myblood,” says Paul McSorley, who received a kidney this spring whenhe and five other Marylanders entered the Paired Kidney Exchangeprogram and changed each other’s lives through a three-way kidney swap. UMMC is one of only three hospitals in the country that can

remove the donor’s kidney through a single incision at the navel,leaving no obvious scar and only a Band-Aid after surgery. AndUMMC’s research-based immunologic protocol ensures that kidneytransplant recipients’ immune systems “adopt” the new organ asquickly and effectively as possible. But with all the successes, a kidney transplant is still a very com-

plicated surgery. UMMC has built a multidisciplinary team to cover

all the bases, from helping the donor to evaluate all the physical andpsychosocial issues before and after donation, to helping the recipientmanage the physical changes in the months and years followingtransplant. Social workers, patient care technicians, laboratory staff,administrative assistants, transplant coordinators and finance andinsurance experts all work on behalf of the patients.Patients often come to UMMC from other parts of the country

because the Transplant team doesn’t turn away those whose cases arecomplicated or who may have other existing medical challenges. Infact, they thrive on the challenge and opportunity to help the sickestpatients who are the most in need of this life-changing operation. A few weeks after the three-way kidney swap this past spring, the

group of three donors and three recipients met each other for thefirst time at a small reception July 8 at UMMC. Emotions ran highas recipients met the generous donors who had given a piece ofthemselves — literally — to help a total stranger.When the matches were revealed, swap participants learned that

Karen Becker’s kidney had gone to Mae Opie, a 73-year-old retiredteacher. Becker’s donation to Opie allowed Jesse Epperley, who hadoriginally intended to donate to Opie after reading about her needfor a kidney in the church bulletin, to instead give his kidney to PaulMcSorley, freeing McSorley’s twin sister, Joy Hindle, to donate herkidney to John Becker, Karen Becker’s husband. The three donors left the hospital with only a Band-Aid on their

navels, and the recipients left the hospital with a new lease on life.

The images in UMMC’s adcampaign make it clear: Living donor kidneys areremoved through the belly button.

At a press conference in July, Matthew Cooper, MD,(standing ) associate professor of surgery and direc-tor of kidney transplantation at UMMC, introducesthose who donated a kidney to the patients whoreceived them. A diagram below shows how pairedkidney donations work for patients whose own lovedones are not a match. Recipient Paul McSorley (aboveleft) hugs Jesse Epperley, who donated a kidney tohim through Paired Kidney Exchange.

DONOR

Joy Hindle

F R I E N D S

Karen Becker

Jesse Epperley

John Becker

Mae Opie

Paul McSorley

RECIPIENT

M A R R I E D

F R AT E R N A L T W I N S

A

To read more about Paired Kidney Exchange and view video of the event, go to www.umm.edu.

R e c o g n i z e d a s a 2 0 1 1

Best Hospitalby U.S. News & World Report in Nine Specialty Areas:

Cancer

Diabetes & Endocrinology

Ear, Nose & Throat

Geriatrics

Cardiology & Heart Surgery

Kidney Disorders

Orthopaedics

Pulmonology

Urology

Thanks to the clinical faculty of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the

exceptional staff of the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Another W@y to Get NoticedThe “I Was Noticed” program has a new look,with redesigned IWN cards that reflectUMMC’s new logo colors. The big change,though, is that this program has beenexpanded to include nominations frompatients and their family members.

This change occurred organically — patientsand family members had begun to see the IWNcards and boxes meant for staff, and wouldpick up the cards and make their ownnominations. Some patients and their lovedones didn’t want to wait until they went hometo write a letter — they noticed the convenientcards and seized the opportunity to recognizegreat service and compassionate care.

IWN is designed to make it easy forcolleagues to commend each other. A staffmember fills out the card and gives it tohis/her colleague and thanks them. Theemployee being recognized then gives thecard to his/her supervisor to sign and enter ina drawing. Three winners are drawn eachmonth, each winning extra vacation time (if aregular staff member). The program nowincludes per diem staff, who would receive agift card rather than vacation time.

“We decided to extend this program topatients, family members and hospital visitorsbecause over the past six months or so, wenoticed they were already filling out the IWNcards and putting them in the collectionboxes,” says Diana Johnson, director ofrehabilitation services and EmployeeEngagement Team leader. “Extending theprogram to include them will increase theamount of recognition our employees receive,while making our patients, family membersand visitors feel good about having an easyway to say ‘thanks’ for the care they or a lovedone have received.”

Thanks!ACCOUNTABILITY • APPEARANCE • COMMUNICATION • RESPECT • SERVICE

I WASNOTICED!

COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE

U M M C

SPONSORED BY THE C2X EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT TEAM

7FALL 2011


The rewards of counseling clients in UMMC’s OutpatientAddiction Treatment Services (OATS) come throughwatching people rediscover life in sobriety, says KeithFrench, LCPC, the September Employee of the Month.

“Keith has consistently demonstrated that he is anexcellent clinician who, in addition to having good tech-nical skills, also shows a genuine interest in the client’swell-being,” says Michael Papa, LCSW-C, his manager.

“I like seeing when clients start to get better — whenyou can see the physical changes in their appearanceand their personalities emerge once they get sobriety,”French says. “I like how they rediscover the mundane.For example, I work with one client who recently started cutting the grass for the first time ever, and he’s completely enthusiastic about it.”

SEPTEMBER employee of the month

OCTOBER employee of the month

The full articles forEmployees of the Monthare available on theUMMC Employee Intranet.

NOVEMBER employee of the month

When there’s a job that needs doing in the DigestiveHealth Center, October’s Employee of the Month, DawnBranagan, CMA (AAMA), is always ready to take it on.

“Dawn never lets the ‘not me’ syndrome get in theway of excellent service,” says Heather Gibson, seniorpractice manager. “Regardless of whose job it is, shetakes each challenge as her own responsibility and follows through with it until it is resolved. She inspireseveryone with her dedication and her caring. So manypeople have benefited from her phenomenal work ethic and service.”

“I love my job and I love the interaction withpatients,” says Branagan, a certified medical assistant in the center.

Everyone who works with the November Employee of the Month, Linda Mullens, LCSW-C, talks about her passion for her work and her dedication to helping adult patients manage the medical, social and practical challenges of mental illness.

“Linda has a strong internal drive to help very vulnerable psychiatric patients who must cope with the social stigma of mental illness,” says Rebecca Latham, LCSW-C, associate director for theDepartment of Social Work. “She regularly goes out of her way to help patients with needs that range from clothing to transportation to other parts of thecountry, where they can receive family support.”

KEITH FRENCH, LCPCLicensed Clinical Professional CounselorDepartment of Psychiatry, OutpatientAddiction Treatment Services

DAWN BRANAGAN,CMA (AAMA)Medical AssistantDigestive Health Center

LINDA MULLENS, LCSW-CClinical Social Worker IIDepartment of Social Work

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MARYLAND NURSES TOOK CENTER STAGEWHEN MORE THAN 7,500 NURSES FROMAROUND THE WORLD ATTENDED THE 2011 NATIONAL MAGNET CONFERENCEORGANIZED BY THE AMERICAN NURSESCREDENTIALING CENTER OCT. 4-6.

Lisa Rowen, DNSc, RN, (above) senior vicepresident and chief nursing officer for UMMC,chaired a committee from the six Marylandhospitals that have earned Magnet designa-tion and which served as local hosts for theconvention. At the opening ceremonies,Rowen introduced a video featuring fiveMaryland nurses, including June Guadalupe,BSN, RN, CEN, CCRN, CMC, (right) a nurse inthe Trauma Resuscitation Unit. More than 150UMMC nurses volunteered during the 3-dayconference and attended workshops. Threeteams of UMMC nurses were among the 120poster presenters — chosen from 1,300 sub-missions. UMMC presenters were: Ariel deVera, BSN, RN, CCRN; Susanne Anderson,MS, RN, ACNP-BC; Ronetta Lambert, MS, RN;Joan McFadden-Cain, BSN, RN; Lora Gentile,BSN, RN; Cathy Widmer, MSN, RN; and (pictured) the interprofessional team of EdBennett, director of Web and communica-tions technology, Greg Raymond, MS, MBA,RN; and Anne Naunton, MS, RN.

Magnet National Conference Held in Baltimore

8 ConnectionsUMMC


The University of Maryland Medical Center is an equal opportunity

employer and proud supporter of an environment of diversity.

is available on the Intranet and at www.umm.edu/connections.ConnectionsUMMC

PEOPLE SPOTLIGHT

TECHNOLOGY

Welcome > > > Gregory Mesa, MSPT, is the

new outpatient manag-er for theDepartment ofRehabilitationServices. He gradu-ated from Marymount

University in Arlington,Va., and has 10 years of clinicalexperience, seven of which were ina leadership role. His most recentposition was as clinic director forCapitol Orthopaedics andRehabilitation in North Bethesda.He served more than six years inthe US Navy, including SpecialForces. He will oversee hospital-based occupational therapy,ergonomics and pediatric rehabili-tation services, as well as services inthe Frenkil Building.

David Smock, MA, is thenew waste and recy-cling manager, lead-ing the staff effort tocomply with theMedical Center's waste

and recycling policies. Hehas more than 20 years of projectmanagement and leadership experi-ence in information technology,banking and community develop-ment. Before coming to UMMCas a member of the staff, heworked here in 2010 as an employ-ee of First Diversity ManagementGroup, a consultant that facilitatedthe transition of Housekeeping andHospitality Services to an in-housedepartment.

New Roles > > > Sean Barrett is the newmanager for patienttransportation. Hehas worked atUMMC for 18years, most recentlyas a supervisor for

guest services and coordi-nator of retail and valet services.In his new role, he will supervisethe staff who transport patientsand maintain transport equipment,including an in-house team ofmechanics who specialize in hospital beds. He is a graduate of Coppin State University, fromwhich he earned a bachelor’sdegree in social science and social work

Thomas F. Crusse, RN,BSN, CEN, has beenpromoted to therole of nurse man-ager of the AdultEmergencyDepartment. He

began his career in theShock Trauma Center in 1990before moving to the ED. He hasserved in leadership roles for theEmergency Nurses Association’sBaltimore-area chapter and as pastchair of the Chesapeake Chapter ofthe ED Consortium. At UMMC,he has chaired the ProfessionalDevelopment Council and is co-principal investigator for a studyon the effect of different types ofcollection tubes on the quality ofblood samples drawn from ED

patients. He is expected to completea master’s degree in nursing with acertificate in education from theUM School of Nursing inDecember.

Patricia Hudson-Pitts hasaccepted a new role asthe logistics operationsmanager in theMaterialsManagementDepartment, where she

will use her key leadershipskills to manage in-house distribu-tion of medical-surgical productspreviously delivered by an outsidevendor. Her new role involvesdetailed emphasis on product quali-ty, safety, utilization and customersatisfaction. She has worked atUMMC for more than 20 years,most recently as supervisor in thePerioperative Distribution Center.

Margie Goralski Stickles,RN, MSN, MBA,CCRN, has been promoted to directorof nursing and will oversee thePerioperative Services

Preparation Center, the GIEndoscopy Suite and the MobilePractitioner and Rapid Responseteams. Previously, she has held several positions with progressivelymore responsibility since first beginning her career at the ShockTrauma Center in neurotrauma critical care.

Honored > > > Wendy Foy, administrative

assistant in theDepartment ofManaged Care, washonored by theCitywide SpecialEducation Project, a

nonprofit organization thatbegan as part of the MarylandDisability Law Center, for her serv-ice as a member of the board ofdirectors. Several years ago, Foy hadsought help from the law center inadvocating for three of her familymembers who were students inBaltimore City Public Schools. Shegrew to take a leadership role as afamily advocate before being namedto the board.

Shari Simone, DNP, CPNP-AC, FCCM, received theOutstanding Doctor ofNursing PracticeGraduate award at theUM School of Nursingcommencement in May

when she completed her doc-torate. She is the lead nurse practition-er (NP) for Women’s and Children’sHealth at UMMC, where she hasworked for 15 years as a nurse practi-tioner in the Pediatric Intensive CareUnit. She was instrumental in develop-ing the NP model of care in thePICU. Simone also is a clinicalinstructor in the Advanced PracticePediatric Nursing program of theSchool of Nursing.

Fall

atients needing cardiac stenting or the most com-plicated of heart surgeries may now be treated in

the UMMC Heart Center’s one-of-a-kind hybrid operat-ing room. The opening of the new hybrid OR bringstogether the best of cardiology and the best of cardiacsurgery by providing a diagnostic and operative environ-ment with the most advanced imaging technology andsurgical robotics, including the da Vinci robot. The use ofthe da Vinci robot and the ability to perform closed-chestheart bypass surgery differentiate this hybrid OR fromnearly every other hybrid OR in the US.

“This cardiac hybrid OR provides patients with the bestcollaborative decision making from interventional cardiol-ogists, cardiac surgeons, anesthesiologists, perfusionistsand radiologists who are all working together, side byside, to make immediate decisions about the best path-way of care for our cardiac patients,” says StephenBartlett, MD, professor and chair, Department of Surgery.

“The inclusion of the da Vinci robot makes this OR unique. Itake my hat off to our facilities, perioperative, cardiac sur-gery and cardiology teams who shared our vision for thisinnovative OR and brought it to life for the betterment ofour patients.”

Patients treated in this OR will undergo hybrid, or com-bined, procedures, such as TECAB (totally endoscopic coro-nary artery bypass) and balloon angioplasty with stenting inthe same session. Teams will also perform heart valveimplantation and repair of the thoracic aorta through a tinyaccess in the groin. All these procedures are able to be per-formed in this hybrid setting without opening the chest,leading to faster recovery times for the patient.

Cutting-edge X-ray and 3-D imaging devices allow theclinical team to provide the highest quality care by enablingthem to view the structures and repairs inside the body innear real-time so that they can evaluate the procedure andbegin more advanced operations immediately, if necessary.

Heart Center’s New Hybrid OR Integrates Patient Care

P da Vinci robot

Be Part of the SolutionSUPPORT THE UMMC 2011 UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN

The United Way of Central Maryland aids the most vulnerable

members of the community in times of need. To be part of the

solution, sign up through the Intranet to donate or volunteer. A

full list of charitable programs connected to the Medical Center,

including the capital campaign for the Shock Trauma Critical

Care Tower, is available for donors who want to designate their

contributions for a specific program.

“The amount each employee gives is not as important as the

impact of thousands of us joining together to make a significant

difference to the vulnerable members of our community,” says

Alison Brown, senior vice president for business development at

UMMC and a former UWCM board member.

Documents

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