Connecting

towards me, understanding what I was going through and then being moved to help me, was such a wonderful gift. Brittney had her own patient discharge to take care of but she went above and beyond and FOCUSED on all of the JRC patient care. The extra work she did to help me ensured that all JRC patients received the very best care that day. Because of her extra efforts, all call lights were answered timely and patient pain levels were well controlled.

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On April 21, for the first time since my employment at Beloit Health System, I found myself crying at work. I have always thought of myself as a strong person but this was a particularly difficult day. I had three patients who required high level care, which is time consuming, and one patient had challenging family dynamics. In addition, on this day, thoughts of my mother who passed away in the last year were weighing on my mind as I was to attend the Beloit Regional Hospice dedication ceremony that evening. Thankfully there are wonderful staff at Beloit Health System who live our Values. Brittney Diderich, RN, Float Pool, is one of those amazing individuals! She immediately stepped in to help me and demonstrated how she lives our value of Engagement. If there was ever a display of TEAMWORK, it was how Brittney helped me. Because of the help she provided to me on this very difficult day, she created a BEST employee environment for me. Her EMPATHY

From left, Sue Beeman and Judy Simonds from Alertline congratulate the winner of the Alertline summer planter giveaway at Harry’s Place Concert in June.

FUN SUMMER EVENTS

Sunday, July 24 Snappers Game at Pohlman Field in Beloit Join us for a baseball game and employee picnic. The event is free but registration is required. Tickets are available at: Beloit Hospital:

Shyla Thayer (first floor Business Office)

Cissy Frendahl (4th floor Nursing Office)

Jennifer Tillotson (4th floor Information Systems)

Heather Hasseler (1st floor HR) Beloit Clinic:

Mary Butzler (1st floor Customer Service),

Sandy Raethz (lower level, Materials Department)

Hospice:

Nora Gard NorthPointe or any Outreach Center:

Email anyone above for tickets

VIP Clothing Drive | July 10-July 16 Drop Off: ER Dept. Front Registration

Living our Values

Employee Spotlight...continued from page 1

Brittney even took the time to help me with communication to a patient family with challenging dynamics. In summary, Brittney cared and gave her very best effort! Her demonstration of being EMOTIONALLY INVESTED, dedicating efforts to a best patient and employee environment, made our health system stronger. Did her efforts create an environment where staff want to continue working here? Absolutely! Because of her care for me, as a BHS team member, I was able to leave on time that evening to attend the Hospice ceremony. I was able to fully focus on my own personal grief process that evening knowing that my patients had been well cared for. Words cannot express my gratitude for Brittney Diderich, RN, Float Pool. Sincerely, Brenda Allen, RN, JRC

Value: Quality

Gary Bauer and Donovan Dailing (left), representing the Engineering Department, accept the award.

The Engineering Department at Beloit Health System recently received the Environmental Facility of the Year given annually by the City of Beloit. This award names a local large industry that meets the requirements set forth by national agencies. Regulating agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) require large industries to follow certain guidelines for removal of wastes and toxins.

They also inspect to see the industry has policies and equipment available to prevent and reduce chemical spills. The City of Beloit performs annual site Inspections to see that Beloit’s large industries are following these guidelines. In addition, Beloit Health System Engineering received an award for Consistent Environmental Compliance for complying with waste water regulations.

Beloit Health System is a proud supporter of the School District of Beloit Summer Food Program. Representing the system at the kick-off event at Beloit Memorial High School in June were (from left) Laura Trippiedi, Karen White, Claudia Klein and Bri Cox.

Denise Polglaze, coding, passed the national coding exam and is now a Certified Professional coder. Rebekah Sykes, coding has gained another certification. As well as being a Certified Professional coder, she just passed the national OB/GYN coding exam. Sheila Sweetland, coding just passed the national exam for professional billing. Melissa Leonard, Special Care RN, completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in June.

Katie Switzer, RN graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Saint Anthony’s School of Nursing. Congratulations to Greg Ammon MS, CMPE, Director of Physician Clinics, Counseling Care Center, Patient & Family Services, who recently earned the designation as Certified Medical Practice Executive by the American College of Medical Practice Executives.

Director Craig Mellem’s responsibilities have been expanded to include Facilities/Maintenance in addition to Biomedical Engineering and Security. Craig has been managing the area on an interim basis since March.

Executive Chef Tom Sullivan has been promoted to Director of Hospitality Services (Dietary and Environmental Services). Tom has also been in the role on an interim basis since early March.

The need for organ, tissue, and eye donors is great. In Wisconsin, nearly 2,300 people are listed on the organ transplant waiting list. Sadly, on average 21, people die each day in this country waiting for a transplant. Beloit Health System is doing our part to help educate our community on the importance of organ transplant and the process of being an organ donor. To increase our donor rates we are work-ing on improving community education (attending events such as Harry’s Place this year). Historically, we have had educational sessions for the community on what the Wisconsin Donor Registry is and how it works. There are also nursing units that will have representatives come to meetings and skills events to have the experts discuss the process of the areas of donation. Certain units have yearly education on designated requestor training which allows the staff to present to the family and discuss the possibility of organ donation if criteria is met. With the assistance of our representatives, we have implemented a new process that will be reviewed with all newly hired nursing/CNA staff that outlines this program. How has your measurement changed? Our measures have stay consistent since my time of involvement with organ, tissue

and eye donation. We review our progress yearly and set goals for the coming year. What are the areas we have measured for quality? We measure the areas of organ and tissue donation for quality based on the amount of donors we have for all areas: solid organs, eyes and tissue. We also collect data on missed referrals, which

is a patient that meets criteria for solid organ donation notification but the vendor was not notified. Who are staff within Beloit Health System who are involved in the organ donation process? Currently our team is myself, Leesa McGowan, Critical Care and Shelly Tyler, Cardiology.

One of the goals of the organ donation program is to help educate the community about the im-portance of organ donation and how to legally let others know about your wishes. Here Brenda Knighton and Carol Hay attend Beloit Health System’s sponsorship of Music and More at Harry’s Place.

By Sharon Cox, Director, Beloit Cancer Center

Value: Quality

Beloit Health System’s Volunteers in Partnership (VIP) recently announced the winners of eight $1,500 scholarships awarded to high school graduates who are entering the field of medicine. The following are the scholarship winners, their high school, intended college or university, and career goal:

Caroline Locke, from Beloit Memorial High School, attending Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH, major in Nutrition and Dietetics. Cecilia Cárdenas, from Beloit Memorial High School, attending UW Madison, major in Biology and Spanish. Kira Larson, from FJ Turner High School, attending Concordia University, Wisconsin, major in Pharmacy. Emily Adas, from FJ Turner High School, attending UW Oshkosh, major in Nursing. Joslyn Juhl, from Hononegah High School, attending University of Indianapolis in Indianapolis, IN, major in Pediatric Nursing. Bailey Thomas, from Beloit Memorial High School, attending UW Madison, major in Biochemistry. Zander Davila, from Rock County Christian High School, attending UW–Rock County, major in Nursing. Marleen Romero, from Beloit Memorial High School, attending Coe College in Cedar Rapids, IA, major in Nursing.

This is the 21st year the scholarships have been awarded. Beloit Health System volunteers include over 300 volunteers, who work in 24 different areas of the hospital, clinic and its outreach centers.

Nursing Collaborative Practice Corner | By Heidi Christianson, RN, BSN

Value: Quality

It may be hard to believe, but it has been nine months since we began bedside reporting. To evaluate our progress a patient survey was developed and implemented by nurses on various units.

We received 60 responses: FCC-5, MCC-11, JRC-19, and Intermediate-25. So, how are we doing? Here are the results of the survey… What could we do to improve Nurse Bedside Report? Most of the comments were positive stating we are doing a great job! There were a few comments stating the patient does not want to be woken if asleep; we need to remember to have the discussion of bedside reporting earlier in the shift so their requests may be honored. A few comments addressed including the patient in the “conversation”…that is a great reminder, as that is one of the goals of bedside reporting: make the patient an active participant to increase quality care and patient satisfaction. It is apparent, from the raw data, that we are progressing with bedside reporting. Yet, we are always striving for a higher

level of satisfaction. As we improve on discussing bedside reporting on admission and goals with our patients, we will continue to progress and excel at the great care we give our patients. So to answer the question “how are we doing?” We are doing fantastic. Keep up the great work!

At admission were you told about Nurse Bedside Shift report? Never - 31 | Sometimes - 6 | Always - 23 Was the Nurse Bedside Shift report done at every change of shift during your stay? Never - 0 | Sometimes - 6 | Always - 54 Was the Nurse Bedside Shift report helpful during your stay? Never - 0 | Sometimes - 8 | Always - 52 Were your goals discussed during Nurse Bedside Shift report? Never - 3 |Sometimes - 19 | Always - 38 Were your questions answered during Nurse Bedside Shift report? Never - 0 | Sometimes - 3 | Always - 57

Beloit Health System will be offering an important community program for area victims of sexual assault. The program will offer 24-hour care, seven days a week with an on-call SANE nurse when a sexual assault survivor comes in the Emergency Room. SANE is a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner who is a registered nurse specially trained to provide comprehensive care to sexual assault survivors. SANEs perform the medical forensic examination and provide testimony in court proceedings if needed. When a survivor arrives at Beloit Health System’s Emergency Room and the need for an exam is acute, a SANE will respond within one hour. “SANEs are important for many reasons,” explains Betsy Press, RN and SANE Coordinator at Beloit Health System. “If DNA is not collected and no visible injury

exists, a medical exam is still conducted and the chart is still evidence if a survivor chooses to report it to law enforcement. We will collect forensic evidence in cases when the assault occurred within 120 hours of arrival for an exam.” Survivors of sexual assault have an increased risk of depression, anxiety and other concerns. SANEs can make referrals, assist with pain alleviation, and help with appropriate follow-up care. “Survivors need to know that their body will heal and that the physical pain will go away,” adds Press. If you have questions about this new program, please call Betsy Press at 608-364-5559.

American Heart Association Award recognizes Beloit Hospital’s commitment to quality stroke care Beloit Hospital’s Stroke Center has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment and success in ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. To receive the Silver Plus Quality Achievement award, Beloit Hospital, a Joint Commission certified Primary Stroke Center, achieved 85 percent or higher adherence to all Get With The Guidelines-Stroke achievement indicators for at least 12 consecutive months. During the same period the hospital achieved 75 percent or higher compliance with five of eight Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Quality measures. These quality measures are designed to help hospital teams provide the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. They focus on appropriate use of guideline-based care for stroke patients, including aggressive use of medications such as clot-busting and anti-clotting drugs, blood thinners and cholesterol-reducing drugs, preventive action for deep vein thrombosis and

smoking cessation counseling. “A stroke patient loses 1.9 million neurons each minute stroke treatment is delayed. This recognition further demonstrates our commitment to delivering advanced stroke treatments to patients quickly and safely,” said Brenda Williams, Stroke Program Coordinator, Beloit Health System. “We continue to strive for excellence in the acute treatment of stroke patients. Get With The Guidelines®-S puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nation-

wide, helping hospital care teams ensure the care provided to patients is aligned with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal to save lives and improve recovery time, Get With The Guidelines®-S has impacted more than 3 million patients since 2003. According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds, someone dies of a stroke every four minutes.

Clockwise from top left, Brianne Morwood, RD, Dietitian; April Danielson, RN, Intermediate; Brenda Williams, RN, Intermediate; Sharon Krohn, CT, Imaging; Pam Nightingale, RN, Intermediate; Jeannie Yowler, RN, Emergency Department

Value: Quality

Beloit Hospital will accept custody of and provide care for unwanted, unharmed newborns up to 72 hours old who are left with employees as designated by provisions in Wisconsin Act 2. There is a red Safe Place for Newborns packet at the entrance of each facility of Beloit Health System.

At the hospital they are located at the Employee entrance in a holder on the wall, in ED they are at the registration desk, and they are also located at the front desk of the lobby. Each outreach facility also has a red packet at main registration desks.

Inside the red folders is a “Dear Birth Mother” letter, Maternal and Child Health Hotline numbers, Warning signs after delivery, and a BMH self-addressed envelope with a form for the mother to fill out with medical information and return to the hospital. For more information you can find this policy on the Hartnet/PolicyStat or contact Mindy Brancamp.

In recognition and appreciation of outstanding effort and service to the patients, visitors or fellow employees, the following employees are being thanked. With our Values Initiative now rolled out across our health system, please recognize your coworkers using the new Employee to Employee Values Recognition form. You will find tablets with these forms located in your workgroup.

Nominations compiled by JoAnn Donoghue, Human Resources

Gretchen Adams, Surgery: Satisfaction Andrea Amend, Surgery: Satisfaction Shawn Antle, MD, Hospitalist: Quality Elizabeth Armstrong, Hospice: Engagement Mitchell Avila, Ortho: Engagement Kristie Barnes, Billing: Satisfaction Ashley Belke, Registration: Satisfaction Colleen Bell, Hospice: Engagement Latju Bell, Device Checks: Engagement Mary Bennett, Equipment Operator: Satisfaction Lisa Blankenship, Admin: Engagement Elizabeth Brandl, HomeCare: Engagement Andrea Brown, Immediate Care: Quality | Satisfaction Jennifer Burner, Cancer Care Center: Integrity Holly Burt, FCC: Engagement Haroon Chughtai, MD, Cardiology: Satisfaction Donna Colwell, Registration: Satisfaction Joy Curry, Intermediate: Quality Jacob Dailing, Security: Engagement Georgene Daughtry, Billing: Engagement | Quality Teresa Davies, Lab: Engagement Diane Demers, Hospice: Engagement Kristy Dollinger, Intermediate: Engagement Andres Dominguez, Bio-Med: Satisfaction Vickie Edwards, Intermediate: Engagement Lillie Faircloth, Ambulatory: Engagement Donna Franklin, Occ Health: Quality Rea Fritz, Education: Integrity Pamela Frost, Registration: Integrity Kathleen Garsow, Hospice: Engagement Deborah George, Cancer Care Center: Engagement Patricia Glynn, Physical Therapy: Engagement Cori Grandt, Radiology: Satisfaction Tracy Greenlee, Gastro: Engagement Sally Greer, Counseling Care: Satisfaction Alison Hanaman, ER: Satisfaction Mary Helwig, Registration: Satisfaction Karon Huffman, Med Outpatient: Satisfaction Ashlea Hughes, Quality Assurance: Engagement Mardell Jacobsen, Radiology: Satisfaction Donna Jacobson, Admin: Quality Meghan Jeffers, Surgery: Integrity Tammy Kemp, Surgery: Engagement | Integrity Heather Kinkade, Registration: Engagement | Satisfaction Sheila Kosior, Central Supply: Quality Jolie Larsen, Oncology: Quality Kelly Leach, Physical Therapy: Satisfaction Kristine Linde, Family Care Center: Engagement Amy Lindstrom, Counseling Care: Engagement | Quality Kari Listenbee, Quality Assurance: Engagement Jacquelyn Luttig , Registration: Satisfaction Jackson Maddox, Pharmacy: Quality Maria Marcial, Nursing Admin: Satisfaction

Tracy Markley, Hospice: Engagement Joseph Martin, Engineering: Quality Jillian Miller, Registration: Engagement Monica Miller, Surgery: Engagement Gloria Mitok, Nursing Admin: Satisfaction Melissa Mondragon, Cardiology: Engagement Tinika Monroe, Gastro: Quality Deborah Moriarty, Pharmacy: Engagement | Satisfaction Brianne Morwood, Dietary: Satisfaction Margaret Neir, Pharmacy: Satisfaction Cindy Nguyen, Family Practice: Integrity Joan Oldenburg, Registration: Satisfaction Jennifer Olsen, Ambulatory: Engagement Eboni Pabst, Registration: Integrity Ronda Perry, Cancer Care Center: Integrity Vilinda Pierce, Medical Outpt: Satisfaction Diane Ponzo, Occ Health: Engagement Gail Ramsey, Counseling Care: Satisfaction Dawn Redmond, ER: Engagement Ruth Richardson, Physical Therapy: Satisfaction Linda Robson, Family Practice: Satisfaction Mary Russell, Radiology: Engagement | Satisfaction Dixie Scheehle, Oncology: Engagement Susan Schnell, Lab: Satisfaction Sara Schumacher, Intermediate: Engagement Pamela Schwartz, Laboratory: Engagement Bev Scoville, ER: Satisfaction Kristi Shanaa, Recovery: Engagement | Satisfaction Stacey Shultz, Intermediate: Engagement Lori Simonson, ER: Satisfaction Annette Spencer, Quality Assurance: Satisfaction Thomas Stelter, Bio-Med: Engagement Cassandra Stevens, ER: Integrity Donelle Studer, Intermediate: Satisfaction Sadie Stueck, Intermediate: Engagement Ashley Thompson, Nursing: Engagement Brian Torbeck, Bio-Med: Satisfaction Tammy Waelti, Counseling Care: Engagement | Satisfaction Glenn Wallace, Engineering: Quality Audra Walsh, Registration: Satisfaction Douglas Waters, IS: Quality Natasha Weberg, Hospice: Satisfaction Mercedes Webster, Occ Health: Engagement Rebecca Wergin, Cardiology: Engagement Theresa Wich, Registration: Satisfaction J'Juan Winfield, IS: Quality Melanie Wobig, Radiology: Engagement Victoria Woock, Occ Health: Quality Jessica Wulf, Hospice: Satisfaction Maria Zittlow, Gastro: Engagement

Information Systems – Top-Notch Customer Service! I get the tools and resources I need to provide the best service for our clients. The I.S. Team TOGETHER decided they wanted some new tools to be more proactive and faster at providing assistance for technical issues. The team conducted a review of available software, and over the last 18 months, implemented 3 new tools. One tool takes an inventory of all PC, serv-er, and network gear, one tool sends our team alerts based on pre-determined check points, and the last tool allows us to connect to computers to fix issues without physically traveling to the workstation. Thank you to our I.S. Team for brainstorming ways to deliver even better customer service to BHS staff! Pulmonology – Customized

Highlighting employees’ and leaders’ involvement in building dynamic action plans that find real-world solutions.

Value: Engagement

Front Row (L to R): Ashley Draeving, Cissy Frendahl, Gail Yanke, Karlie Wellnitz Back Row (L to R) Amanda Dorcey, Greg Ammon, Carol Vickerman and Randy Jurgens

Front Row (L to R): Michelle Watts, Jane Miller, Joan Piefer, Lenore Piccione. Back Row (L to R): Linda Hammer, Katy Stebbins, Tamara Buckner

From left, Terri Harmon, Lori McKee, Pam Nelson, Janice Ramquist, Mary Marino

Celebrating 40 years of service, from left Christine Martin, Helen McCarthey, Dee Bunker, and Linda Bruner. Not pictured is Diane Engh.

Event organizers, Theresa Albrecht and Stephanie Todd from Human resources