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Special Programs of St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center Network Summer/Fall 2012 2 NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS 6 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 4 BENEFIT OF HOME HEALTH AIDES More people living in rural areas may have access to healthcare products and services, thanks to Franciscan Companies. Currently, Franciscan serves 17 counties, partnering with regional hospitals to operate Oneida Health Support in Oneida, St. Elizabeth Health Support Services in Utica, Lourdes Health Support in Binghamton and Auburn Health Support Services in Auburn. The company is now exploring relationships with other local hospitals in Northern New York. “Franciscan Companies’ slogan says it all – Live Home. Live Well. Partnering with hospitals and medical staff in smaller communities allows us to bring high quality home medical products and services to people in outlying areas,” says Franciscan Companies’ Vice President, Keith Cuttler. “At the same time, we provide financial support for their hospitals.” “Just because you live in a rural area doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have access to the same services people have in Onondaga County,” says President & CEO Frank L. Smith, Jr. Franciscan’s mission is to reduce the length of stay of patients, prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, promote good physician and community relations and generate new sources of revenue. This mission-based expansion will do just that while providing much- needed services to communities. Franciscan Expands The Future of Healthcare Telemonitoring. It’s considered a solution for effective patient monitoring and improved outcomes. But, do you know what it is? Helping people stay on track with their treatment, telemonitoring is the daily remote management of disease symptoms and signs. It can also detect early warning signs of a worsening medical condition. Simply put, telemonitoring allows you to record information - including blood pressure, weight, blood sugar, medication use and pulse – at home using electronic methods. The information is then tracked by medical professionals who note changes, concerns and the like. Telemonitoring fits into the goals of chronic disease management by improving the quality of life of the patient and reducing the need for emergency department and doctor visits. It’s especially helpful in the treatment of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), congestive heart failure (CHF) and diabetes, as well as those who have suffered from a myocardial infarction. One important member of the telemonitoring family is the medication dispenser. Medication non-adherence is the number one reason why seniors take a trip to the emergency department, and it’s responsible for up to 40% of nursing home admissions. Medication dispensers, such as the Philips medication dispenser, help ensure the user is getting the right medications at the right time. “With the medication dispenser, family members can visit their loved one. They don’t have to be the ‘pill police’,” says Beverly Lawton, executive director at Franciscan Companies. “Research shows that regular compliance with prescribed medications leads to better health outcomes. In several cases, it has led to decreasing dosages of medication as the problem wasn’t the medicine; it was how regularly it was taken.” The medication dispenser is easy to use; with the push of a button, the correct dosage is dispensed. Linda Weeks “It’s great,” Jane Dorsey says. She signed her father up for a medication dispenser through Franciscan Companies. “My father is on a more regular schedule with eating and his medications; I notice a difference in his behavior. I think the medication is working better because it’s being taken correctly.” The change Dorsey sees is fairly common. The positive impact of the medication (continued on page 4)

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Special Programs of St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center NetworkSummer/Fall 2012

2 NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS 6

CALENDAR OF EVENTS4

BENEFiT OF HOME HEALTH AiDES

More people living in rural areas may have access to healthcare products and services, thanks to Franciscan Companies. Currently, Franciscan serves 17 counties, partnering with regional hospitals to operate Oneida Health Support in Oneida, St. Elizabeth Health Support Services in Utica, Lourdes Health Support in Binghamton and Auburn Health Support Services in Auburn. The company is now exploring relationships with other local hospitals in Northern New York.

“Franciscan Companies’ slogan says it all – Live Home. Live Well. Partnering with hospitals and medical staff in smaller communities allows us to bring high quality home medical products and services to people in outlying areas,” says Franciscan Companies’ Vice President, Keith Cuttler. “At the same time, we provide financial support for their hospitals.”

“Just because you live in a rural area doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have access to the same services people have in Onondaga County,” says President & CEO Frank L. Smith, Jr.

Franciscan’s mission is to reduce the length of stay of patients, prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, promote good physician and community relations and generate new sources of revenue. This mission-based expansion will do just that while providing much-needed services to communities.

Franciscan Expands

The Future of HealthcareTelemonitoring. It’s considered a solution for effective patient monitoring and improved outcomes. But, do you know what it is? Helping people stay on track with their treatment, telemonitoring is the daily remote management of disease symptoms and signs. It can also detect early warning signs of a worsening medical condition. Simply put, telemonitoring allows you to record information - including blood pressure, weight, blood sugar, medication use and pulse – at home using electronic methods. The information is then tracked by medical professionals who note changes, concerns and the like.

Telemonitoring fits into the goals of chronic disease management by improving the quality of life of the patient and reducing the need for emergency department and doctor visits. It’s especially helpful in the treatment of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), congestive heart failure (CHF) and diabetes, as well as those who have suffered from a myocardial infarction.

One important member of the telemonitoring family is the medication dispenser. Medication non-adherence is the number one reason why seniors take a trip to the emergency department, and it’s responsible for up to 40% of nursing home admissions. Medication dispensers, such as the Philips medication dispenser, help ensure the user is getting the right medications at the right time.

“With the medication dispenser, family members can visit their loved one. They don’t have to be the ‘pill police’,” says Beverly Lawton, executive director at Franciscan Companies. “Research shows that regular compliance with prescribed medications leads to better health outcomes. In several cases, it has led to decreasing dosages of medication as the problem wasn’t the medicine; it was how regularly it was taken.”

The medication dispenser is easy to use; with the push of a button, the correct dosage is dispensed. Linda Weeks

“It’s great,” Jane Dorsey says. She signed her father up for a medication dispenser through Franciscan Companies. “My father is on a more regular schedule with eating and his medications; I notice a difference in his behavior. I think the medication is working better because it’s being taken correctly.”

The change Dorsey sees is fairly common. The positive impact of the medication

(continued on page 4)

2

Patricia Briest, MS, FNP-C

Doctors have known for a very long time that getting enough sleep is an important part of staying healthy. Lack of sleep contributes to general malaise, lack of energy and concentration, and can make you more prone to accidents. Recent research on sleep deprivation points to another risk – diabetes!

in a research study of healthy volunteers over a 39 day period, shortened sleep and changing bedtime, designed to mimic habits of a typical working adult, revealed some interesting information. Participants received no more than 5.6 hours of sleep each night. Those with sleep deprivation had impaired glucose regulation and metabolism, which can lead to diabetes. Resting metabolic rate (rate at which we burn calories) was decreased by an average of 8% - that can lead to a 10 pound weight gain in one year without changing eating habits! While it is true that older adults may not need as much sleep as they did when they were younger, a restful night’s sleep is important for all of us, regardless of age. A minimum of 7-8 hours each night should be a goal.

Quality of sleep is important as well. if you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, there is help for you. The Sleep Laboratory at St. Joseph’s Hospital is one local resource (talk to your doctor about a referral) that has helped many with quality of sleep. Exercising and maintaining healthy weight can help with quality of sleep and prevent diabetes as well (Take Shape FHS can help with weight management – call 458-7171 for information).

Your Mother was right – getting enough sleep is indeed an important part of total health and wellness. The importance of getting enough Z’s is even greater than we thought. How well do YOU sleep?

Sleep & Diabetes – Who Knew?

Franciscan Health Support launched a marketing campaign this month with the message “Tell Your Doctor You Want Franciscan”. Look for our ads in print publications and on Centro buses. A television campaign will begin in October.

Franciscan Companies opened an additional CPAP Patient Service Center on August 6, 2012. It is located at Hill Medical Park in the New York Heart Center at 1000 E. Genesee Street, Suite 300, Syracuse. The center will primarily serve patients of the New York Heart Center and Sleep and Wellness Sleep Center, but it’s also open to the general public. Customers can stop at the new center to speak with a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) about therapies related to the treatment of sleep disorders.

FRANCISCAN COMPANIES HAS A NEW WEBSITE!

Log on to FranciscanCompanies.com and check it out. The site is service-focused with six main areas: sleep/breathing, home medical equipment, home health care, Lifeline and medication management, Embracing Age and weight loss. It also contains information about our joint ventures and partners, as well as educational articles about home health care, fall prevention, senior living and sleep disorders.

NEWS

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A strong love of the arts – specifically theater – has carried through much of David Feldman’s life. The Syracuse man was once an Artistic Director and Producer at Armory Square Playhouse and Contemporary Theatre of Syracuse; his plays have been produced throughout the country. He is a professor emeritus at Onondaga Community College, a hospice volunteer and leads a Writer’s Workshop at the YMCA. As if that’s not enough to keep his dance card filled, Feldman travels extensively throughout the United States. Being active is important to this man, but he recently began to reflect on his situation. He has no family in the area.

“Most of us have raised families, had our jobs, done the things we had to do and all of those meant you had a degree of control over what you are doing the next day or week or month,” he says. “But as you get older, your choices get limited. You don’t want to drive outside in the winter and do some things that may not have bothered you years ago, but don’t appeal to you now.”

After witnessing a friend’s health problems, Feldman realized that something could easily go wrong.

“I know it doesn’t take a whole lot to fall and break a hip and all of a sudden, you find yourself in a place you don’t want…a rehab or a hospital and there’s no one there who knows you, who can tell you what’s going on. Often enough you can just end up going downhill,” he explains. “Before I get into a situation where other people are making decisions for me, I want to put myself in the position where I am making decisions for myself.”

So, Feldman joined Franciscan Companies’ Embracing Age program. He was assigned an Elder Life Specialist upon his initial meeting. She assessed his home for possible safety issues, made recommendations and referred Feldman to a professional contractor to make home improvements.

“As you get older, you want to be in control of your life. Sometimes everybody else wants to be in control of your life but you want to be able to make decisions for yourself,” he says. “To know there’s an organization that I can count on that will take care of things and make it easier to stay in my house longer is a wonderful thing. It gives me a sense of independence.”

Although Feldman gets around just fine now, he was curious about

Lifeline, the medical alert system that alerts a caregiver if the user falls. His Elder Life Specialist arranged for him to meet with a representative of Franciscan Lifeline so Feldman could learn about it for future use. Santa Savoca

“There are a lot of single agencies that do one or two things, but there is no one agency like Embracing Age that does a whole lot of things,” he says.

Not only does Feldman appreciate having a personal relationship with someone who can help him, Embracing Age reassures his daughter.

“My daughter lives in LA there’s only so much I can ask her to do from 2,000 miles away. I’ve talked to her about Embracing Age and she’s reassured knowing the organization is here to help,” he says. “I have friends in the area but you don’t want to call up your friends for everything you need.”

To read more of Feldman’s story, visit www.EmbracingAge.org/David or call Embracing Age at 855-My-HELP-2.

Active Seniors Benefit from Personal Support for Better Living

David Feldman enjoys sports cars; he is pictured in his Mazda Miata

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dispenser is a small example of the benefit electronic monitoring can play in the reduction of chronic disease complications. Telemonitoring as a whole provides better follow up, reduces patient travel time, provides health care services without using hospital beds and reduces costs. And, the sky is the limit. In fact, Philips Corp., a world leader in health care, has asked Franciscan Companies to partner in a pilot program to keep people in their homes longer using advanced technology.

For more information on the Philips medication dispenser, call (315) 492-8175.

Home Health Aides Provide Services to Help Keep Family Members at Home

Mom and Dad want to live in their homes for as long as possible. Who would blame them? But, there are serious concerns as they have difficulty getting out of bed, neglect personal care, and fall behind on household chores. Nursing homes in New York average $110,000 a year and assisted living can run you nearly $38,000.

Have you considered hiring a home health aide?

“People assume that having a home health aide is expensive and out of reach,” says Megan Hollister, executive director of Franciscan Companies’ licensed home care agency. “But, it’s a very affordable option. Home Health Aides are very helpful and often become an instrumental part of the family dynamic.”

Home health aides offer the support people need to stay exactly where they want to – in the comfort of their own home. They offer companionship and ensure your loved one is safe, plus they give family members a break from their role as caregiver.

“Caregivers can easily become overwhelmed,” Hollister explains. “It’s extremely difficult to handle that level of responsibility. An aide can give the family member much-needed respite.”

Hollister says most people don’t realize the full extent of what a home health aide can do around the house. Not only do they assist with personal care, they prepare meals, do light housekeeping and can run errands.

“Some clients hire a home health aide to come in one or two hours a week to do laundry and meal preparation,” Hollister says. “Some patients only require an aide to come in twice a day to assist with getting in and out of bed and taking showers.”

This assistance reduces the likelihood of falls, which are suffered by one out of three adults age 65 and older each year. In fact, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths among people 65 and over. Donald Williams

“Franciscan’s aides truly enjoy enriching the lives of their patients,” Hollister says. “They form bonds and we do our best to keep the same home health aide with the same patient. It’s good for the patient and good for the aide. They know what to expect and can detect changes in the patient.”

Franciscan’s home health aides complete a highly sought-after training program and are held to strict standards. For information on receiving home health services, call Franciscan Companies’ Licensed Agency at (315) 458-3200.

Welcome Home With

Home health care has proven to be an effective alternative to hospitalization by transferring skilled services and products into

the safe, comfortable environment of home.

Therapies provided:• Total Parenteral Nutrition• IV Antibiotics• Remicade• Immune Globulin Therapy• Epogen, Neupogen, Leukine Therapies• Chemotherapy

• Steroid Therapy• Hydration Therapy• Pain Management• Chelation Therapy• Growth Hormone Therapy• Synagis

www.cnyinfusion.com • 315.424.7027

Telemonitoring… continued from page 1

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Why You Should Be Concerned About Medicare

Frank L. Smith, Jr. President and CEO, Franciscan Companies

In 2012, Franciscan was required to bid on services to be provided to Medicare recipients. The bid results will be announced in the fall of 2012 and implementation is scheduled for July 1, 2013. If selected in this bid process, Franciscan will be able to continue to provide services to its Medicare patients at a reduced cost.

This may sound like “good business” but when you look closely at Medicare’s motive, it is clear that cost saving is the only motive. The quality of care patients will receive, the quality of the medical product and clinical outcomes are not being considered. This flies in the face of the Affordable Care Act or as it is known - “Obama Care”. You see, the Affordable Care Act penalizes hospitals and physicians for not achieving quality outcomes for the patients they are serving. The penalty comes in the form of a reduction in reimbursement for services rendered. This concept is designed to improve the quality of patient care. However, Medicare’s Competitive Bidding Program completely disregards quality of care in the home medical equipment industry. It also disregards quality of equipment. Like every manufactured product, there are quality differences

depending on the manufacturer. The cheaper products generally do not provide the same quality or longevity. Under Competitive Bidding, this doesn’t matter.

My final concern about the Medicare Competitive Bidding Program is that it does not require oversight of services by experienced Registered or Licensed professionals. These highly-trained individuals educate patients on the use of the equipment and monitor the effectiveness and mechanical performance of the equipment. Franciscan is very proud of our clinical support team. They are available 24/7 to ensure patients receive the very best care.

It comes down to this: When cost is the only factor for selecting a provider, QUALiTY iS FORGOTTEN.

You can help. Please contact your Congressional representative and Senator today and voice your concern. Medicare needs to be a quality-driven program and not a political weapon.

Frank L. Smith, Jr.

Join St. Joseph’s Hospital’s Sleep Apnea

Support GroupYou are invited to join St. Joseph’s for its AWAKE program, a support program for sleep apnea patients and others who are interested in improving their health through a sleep support group. Meetings are quarterly, with the next planned for Wednesday, September 12th at 6:30 p.m. The free program takes place in the 5th floor conference room at NorthEast Medical Center in Fayetteville (4404 Medical Center Drive, off North Burdick Street).

The program features a presentation by Neil Widrick, RRT, RPSGT, Manager of St. Joseph’s Sleep Center. He will speak about snoring, sleep apnea and treatment. Mary Jane Luke, RRT, of Franciscan Health Support will be available afterward for questions and to check CPAP machine pressures.

Refreshments will be served and free parking is available in the medical center parking lot. All are welcome for this free, educational event. Please call or email Bill Tillman with questions at 315-234-0828 or [email protected].

Franciscan’s Fall Pulmonary ForumThursday, November 29, 2012

8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Franciscan Management Services7246 Janus Park Drive • Liverpool, NY 13088

Accountable Care & Respiratory Therapy Part II - Frank L. Smith, Jr., MS, RRT

Pulmonary Research - Dr. Sherif El Bayadi

The RT & End of Life Issues - Daniel V. Cleveland, BS, RRT

Sleep Disordered Breathing - David Wolfe, MS, RRT

The Skinny on Flow Volume Curves - Sheri Tooley-Peters, MPH, RRT

CO2 Monitoring in the 21st Century - Claire Aloan, MS, BS, RRT, NPS

Contact Mary Jane Luke at (315) 422-1455 for more information.

Rewarding our ReadersBe sure to read each issue

carefully, as the names of three readers are now included in the

text of each issue. If you find your name, call 315.458.3600 ext. 123

and you’ll win a $25 gift card!

special programs6

333 Butternut Drive, Suite 100

DeWitt, New York 13214

Calendar of Events

PRSRT STDU.S. poStage

paidSyracuse, NY

permit No. 276

Beyond the Wallsis published by Franciscan Companies

Comments, suggestions or inquiries should be directed to Kelly Quinn, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, at 315.458.3600 ext.123 or [email protected].

Franciscan Companies 333 Butternut Drive, Suite 100, DeWitt, NY 13214 www.FranciscanCompanies.com

Franciscan Companies333 Butternut Dr., Suite 100 DeWitt, NY 13214315.458.3600

Auburn Health Support Services333 Butternut Dr., Suite 100 DeWitt, NY 13214315.294.5464

CNY Infusion Services333 Butternut Dr., Suite 102 DeWitt, NY 13214315.424.7027

Embracing Age333 Butternut Dr., Suite 100 DeWitt, NY 132141.855.MY.HELP.2 1.855.(694.4572)

FHS Services, Inc.333 Butternut Dr., Suite 100 DeWitt, NY 13214315.458.3600

Franciscan Health Support, Inc.333 Butternut Dr., Suite 100 DeWitt, NY 13214315.458.3200

Franciscan Health Support Services, LLC333 Butternut Dr., Suite 100 DeWitt, NY 13214315.458.3200

Franciscan Management Services, Inc.333 Butternut Dr., Suite 100 DeWitt, NY 13214315.458.3600

Kinney Drugs at Franciscan101 Union Avenue Syracuse, NY 13203315.474.8851

Loretto Health Support Lifeline333 Butternut Dr., Suite 100 DeWitt, NY 13214315.492.8175

Lourdes Health Support, LLC1155 Upper Front Street Binghamton, NY 13905607.724.0115

Oneida Health Support333 Butternut Dr., Suite 100 DeWitt, NY 13214315.458.3200

St. Elizabeth Health Support Services, Inc.3899 Oneida Street New Hartford, NY 13413315.734.4407

St. Francis Social Adult Day Care1108 Court Street Syracuse, NY 13208315.424.1003

St. Joseph’s Sleep Lab945 Genesee Street Syracuse, NY 13210315.475.3379 and4400 Medical Center Drive Fayetteville, NY 13066315.329.7378

The Sleep Laboratory at Oneida Healthcare601 Seneca Street Oneida, NY 13421315.363.4419

September 9-15 Assisted Living Week 9 Grandparents Day 12 St. Joseph’s AWAKE Meeting 29 Family Health and Fitness Day

OctoberTalk About Prescriptions Month Patient-Centered Care Awareness Month 21-27 Respiratory Care Week 24 Lung Health Day

NovemberHome Care Month 11-17 Home Care Aide Week 29 Franciscan Pulmonary Forum