e-ChannelThe Right Care Right Here

An electronic newsletter for our employees and friends • Available at www.irmc.cc, under ‘Staff Tools’

VOLUME 4 | NUMBER 3 | February 2 2012

The Stroke Team – back row, from left: Kathy Clark R.N., CCRN, CNML, nurse manager, Intermediate Cardiac Care and Cardiac Stepdown Unit; Theresa Urban, Pharm.D., BCPS; Randi Gravlee, R.N., CCRN, nurse manager, Critical Care; Cory Richter, EMS QA and Training Battalion Chief, Indian River County Emergency Services; Kim Leach-Wright, Marketing and Public Relations coordinator; and Debra Alderman, R.N., MHA, director Patient Safety and Quality Management.

Middle row, from left: Linda Mason, clinical data abstractor; Lisa Williams, R.N., BSN, Core Measures Coordinator; Susan Blackburn, R.N., Stroke Program/Clinical Practice coordinator; and Emilia Andrascik, R.N., Emergency Department.

Front row, from left: Marie Munroe, CCS, CTR, CCRA, manager, Health Information Management department; Dr. S. James Shafer, IRMC neurologist and medical director of the Stroke Team; and Colleen King, manager, Rehab Services.

Not pictured: Dr. Eric Carter, medical director, Emergency Services;Teri Tedesco, secretary, CSU, ICC, CCU and CVICU; and Sharon Wolfe, R.N., BSN, CCRN, director of Emergency Services and Diagnostic Imaging.

Indian River Medical Center is offering our first-ever Day of Dance® for Your Health event, where good health is just a dance away. Health screenings, dance instructions and demonstra-tions, refreshments and community celebration are just a few of the things you can participate in. Join us at Indian River Mall on Route 60 in Vero Beach on Saturday, Feb. 25th, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

This red-themed event is designed to bring awareness to women’s heart health and to help promote Indian River County Healthy Start

Coalition and their Vero’s Dancing with the Stars event. Gather your friends and head to the Indian River Mall for a day full of heart pumping exercise and dance! Enjoy live entertainment, food sampling, fashions, door prizes and much more! The first 100 ladies will receive a free swag bag! All registered participants will be able to enter

to win a $250 Macy’s Gift Card.Good health and good times are just a

dance away. Bring your friends and family to dance, learn simple ways to stay healthy, enjoy

music and participate in health screenings. Questions? Comments? Call 772.567.4311, press 3, ext. 1600.

IRMC’s Stroke Program Re-accredited With No RecommendationsCongratulations to the Stroke Team and everyone at IRMC.

We just recently learned that The Joint Commission re-accredited our Advanced Primary Stroke Center with no Requirements for Improvement (RFIs)!

Dr. S. James Shafer, medical director of the Stroke Team, and Susan Blackburn, R.N., Stroke Program/Clinical Practice coordinator, along with representatives from the CCU/ICU, Education, Emergency Department (physicians and staff), Indian River County EMS Services, Imaging Sciences, Marketing, Nursing Department, Pharmacy and other areas worked hard to maintain a standardized stroke alert protocol that improves outcomes.

The Joint Commission, who visited on Jan. 20, was highly complementary of the quality of IRMC’s stroke program. During the course of the one-day review – delayed from 2011 due to a shortage of surveyors – the surveyor interviewed multiple IRMC team members, observed the process of care provided to a stroke patient in the Emergency Department, viewed multi-disciplinary rounds conducted by Dr. George Mitchell, medical director of Critical Care Medicine, and Hamid Feiz, M.D., FHM, chief medical information officer, and then inspected medical records and reviewed quality data, said Deb Alderman, R.N., MHA, director of Patient Safety and Quality Management.

“I would like to thank all of you for your hard work and continued commitment to this program,” Susan said. “You have been an asset and integral key to its success. I appreciate the teamwork and leadership for all involved.”

The Joint Commission last recertified the program in 2009. The Joint Commission originally certified IRMC as a Primary Stroke Center and bestowed its ‘Gold Seal of Approval™’ to IRMC’s stroke program in November 2007.

Join Us at ‘Day of Dance for Your Health’ at Indian River Mall on Feb. 25th

Jennifer Cory, R.N., Exhibits Five Star Service Like a Girl Scout

Will You Be Our Valentine?Mended Hearts February Mega-Meeting and Lecture in Sebastian

Come to Indian River Medial Center and the Mended Hearts support group’s special mega-meeting on Saturday, Feb. 11, from 1-3 p.m. at the North Indian River County Library at 1001 Sebastian Blvd. (CR 512) in Sebastian.

The topic is “Everything You Wanted to Know about Heart Surgery, Cardiac Cath and Keeping Your Heart Healthy.” Speakers are Cary Stowe, M.D., medical director of Cardiovascular Services; Joshua Kieval, M.D., board certified interventional cardiologist; and Arley Peter, M.D., board certified cardiologist, all of The Heart Center.

Attendees can enter a free drawing for a romantic dinner for two at Capt. Hiram’s Restaurant.

To RSVP, please call 772.563.4670.

‘Blow the Whistle on Skin Cancer’ Talk toAddress the Most Common Form of Cancer in the United States

Did you know that each year more new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon?

‘Blow the Whistle on Skin Cancer’ by attend-ing Indian River Medical Center’s free lecture and learn about protecting yourself against basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma on Wednesday, Feb. 8. Stuart Byer, M.D., board certified radiation oncologist; and Theodor Rudolph, M.D., board certified dermatologist, will be speaking from 2:30 to 4 p.m. at Indian River State College’s Richardson Center-Mueller Campus, 6155 College Lane, Vero Beach. For reservations, call 563.4627.

This series in eChannel highlights employees, physicians and volunteers who exhibit Five Star Service.

If you see Five Star Service in action, email kim.leach-wright@irmc.cc and your observance just might become a part of the Five Star ‘Service-in-Action’ Series.

When Jennifer Cory, R.N., Surgical Services, ran across a certified nursing assistant lost on the fourth floor on the first morning of her orientation class, Jennifer did more than just help the

CNA find her way to the Education Classroom. She left enough complimentary Girl Scout cookies for the entire class to enjoy them on their break.

“What an awesome welcome for all of these new employees. Kudos to Jennifer Cory,” said Linda Williamson, R.N., Education specialist.

Michael Smith – The Warm Smile Behind Every Phone Call

Elaine Piper, R.N., BSN, Patient Experience coor-dinator, decided that she was hearing so many positive com-ments about Michael Smith, Call Center specialist, Food and Nutrition, that she had to

put it in writing. As she makes rounds checking on patient satisfaction, Elaine said patients all have glowing comments about Michael’s kindness.

“They say you are so kind and responsive to their requests,” Elaine wrote to Michael. “You make great suggestions and there just doesn’t seem to be anything that you can’t make possible for their eating pleasure.”

“You are a fabulous role model for our entire team,” she continued. “You truly have impacted so many patients in such a positive way.”

Elaine and Deb Alderman, R.N., MHA, director, Patient Safety and Quality Management, surprised Michael at a special gathering of fellow coworkers where he was recognized as a ‘Five Star Employee’ in January.

Auxilians Recognized for Hours of ServiceAt the General Membership Meeting

on Jan. 12, Auxilians honored the volunteers who had served 500 to 19,000 hours. Joan Scheffres, pictured center, with John Peeples, vice president/chief Human Resources officer, and Alma Lee Loy, community activist, was recognized for 19,000 hours of service, an equivalent of more than nine years working at a full-time position. Other volunteers with the most hours included Pat Hahn, left center, and Lorraine Roberts, right center, also pictured with John and Alma Lee, with 14,000 hours. More volunteers with multiple hours included Jerry McCown, not pictured, who received her 13,000-hour pin; Lorrie Fahey, not pictured, who received her 11,000-hour pin; and Carl and Jeanne Warren, and Steve Smith, pictured here from left, who received their 9,000-hour pins.