Rxtra, February 2008 - Hartford Hospital!

RxTra
A publication for the employees of Hartford Hospital February 25, 2008 Vol. 64 No. 8
Debra Caldwell, Food & Nutrition
Services, receives her $2,000 check
and plaque after being named Hartford
Hospital’s 2008 Employee of the Year by
President and CEO John Meehan. Turn to
page 3 of this issue for more on the event.

New CEO announced for Hartford Hospital
and Hartford Healthcare Corporation
The Board of Directors of
Hartford Hospital is delighted
to announce that an offer has
been made and accepted for the
positions of President and Chief
Executive Officer of Hartford
Hospital, and CEO-Designee of
Hartford Healthcare Corporation.
Elliot Joseph will take
over the leadership of Hartford
Hospital in early April 2008. At
the same time, he will become
CEO-designee of Hartford
Healthcare Corporation, the
hospital’s parent organization.
John Meehan, with a remarkable
career as the long-time steward
of Hartford Hospital, will remain
the CEO of Hartford Healthcare
Corporation until the end of the
year. These steps for the system
are the outgrowth of a process
that started last July, when a
national search for a new chief
executive was launched.
Mr. Joseph is currently
senior executive with Ascension
Health, the nation’s largest
Catholic and nonprofit health
system. For eight years prior to
that he served as the president and
CEO of St. John Health, a sevenhospital,
$2 billion system in
Warren, Michigan, that is part of
the Ascension system. There he
oversaw a team composed of 18,000
associates and 3,200 physicians.
“The search committee, and
all who participated in the search
process, were impressed with
Mr. Joseph’s accomplishments
and leadership qualities,” said
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Elliot Joseph
President and Chief Executive Officer
of Hartford Hospital, and CEO-Designee
of Hartford Healthcare Corporation
Laura Estes, Chair of Hartford
Hospital’s Board of Directors. “His
fresh vision and dynamic ability
to build consensus will serve the
hospital well for years to come. We
thank John Meehan for his many
contributions, and look forward to a
new era in the hospital’s history.”
“I am very happy to be joining
the Hartford Healthcare team,”
said Mr. Joseph. “The caliber of
the system’s physicians, nurses,
staff and volunteers is impressive.
Hartford Healthcare has a
rich tradition of excellence in
providing care, teaching and
research, with tremendous
potential for continued growth
and innovation. My family and
I are pleased to return to the
East Coast to make Connecticut
our home. My wife and I
are both sports fans and look
forward to becoming Huskies
supporters.”
While CEO of St. John
Health, Elliot Joseph focused
his efforts on transforming the
culture of the organization from
a loosely-united group of seven
hospitals and 125 outpatient
centers into a coordinated
system of care. His vision of
“providing the highest quality
patient care experience every
day, everywhere, for everyone”
became the impetus for fixing
what he views as a “broken”
health care industry. His
accomplishments there include
an improved annual operating
margin, decreased mortality
rates, significant inpatient growth,
decreased turnover in nursing and an
increase in employee satisfaction.
Mr. Joseph holds a bachelor of
science from the State University of
New York at Binghamton, a master
of health services administration
from the University of Michigan in
Ann Arbor, and is an alumnus of the
Wharton CEO Program for Health
Care Leadership. He and his wife,
Carolyn, have five children
Please help support Hartford Hospital Auxiliary’s
Annual Spring Plant Sale
May 8 in the Main Cafeteria and Lobby from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Offering a Beautiful selection of Spring Plants in a variety of colors and sizes
Proceeds assist Hartford Hospital with projects that directly benefit our patients.

Debra Caldwell
Hartford Hospital’s 2008 Employee of the Year
Debra Caldwell, a member
of Hartford Hospital’s Food
and Nutrition Department for
21 years, has been selected as
the hospital’s 17th Employee
of the Year. Nominated by
her peers, Debbie Caldwell’s
commitment to Hartford
Hospital’s Service Excellence
shines through continually in
her role in the hospital cafeteria
serving breakfast and lunch to
staff, patients and community.
She brings a bright and cheerful
greeting to all those she serves,
and always has a positive
outlook. Her infectious laugh
rings out frequently over the
cafeteria diners.
Besides her devotion
to her family, especially her
four children — Shamika,
Shanae, Malinda and Joshua
— Debbie’s commitment
and caring nature reach into
the Hartford community as
well, through her activities
at her church, Shiloh Baptist
Church, including the church’s
community soup kitchen.
Debbie has been
nominated twice before for
Employee of the Year, and has
been a finalist both times. In
recognition for being chosen as
Hartford Hospital’s Employee
of the Year for 2008, Debbie
was presented with a $2,000
check, and given a reserved
Debbie Caldwell’s exuberant reaction (above) to President and CEO John
Meehan announcing her as Hartford Hospital’s Employee of the Year for
2008 was outdone only by the outpouring of well-wishers who stood in line to
congratulate Debbie, and receive her special hug and kiss.
parking spot at Hartford Hospital
for one year.
Other nominees who were
chosen as finalists for Employee
of the Year were: Kristine
Bishop, Business Systems
Analyst, Information Services;
Arthur Bouchard, Security
Associate, Security; Laura
Bourque, RN, IOL Assessment
Center; Colleen Brown, APRN,
Surgery; Karen Cudworth, RN,
Nurse Educator, Women’s Health
Services; Gloria Dieppa, AA3,
Case Coordinator; Rev. Derly
Foerste, Pastoral Services;
Candace Johnson, Research
Associate, Clinical Research
Administration; Julie Malecki,
Payroll Coordinator, Payroll;
Lynn Pascal, CN, Jefferson
House; Naddine Taylor, PAA,
Bliss 8; and Nancy Wilson,
PAA, PACU.
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Drs. Robert Piorkowski and
Ramon Jimenez, both Hartford
Hospital surgical oncologists,
received prestigious appointments by
the American College of Surgeons
Commission on Cancer recently. Dr.
Piorkowski has served as the chair
of the Connecticut Cancer Liaison
Physicians for the past nine years. He
now has been appointed as a national
member of the Commission on Cancer
(COC), composed of 97 individuals
who are either surgeons representing
the American College of Surgeons, or
representatives from 42 other national
professional organizations or member
organizations.
This prestigious appointment
is limited to those individuals who
have demonstrated true professional
leadership regionally and nationally, and
who will contribute to standard-setting
and promote excellence in cancer
care nationally. Dr. Piorkowski has
also been appointed a member of the
Commission on Cancer Committee on
Cancer Liaison, directing activities of
the Cancer Liaison Program nationally.
Ramon Jimenez, MD, who has
served as Hartford Hospital’s cancer
liaison physician, has recently received
a three-year appointment as the state
chair of the American College of
Surgeons Commission on Cancer
Liaison Commission Program. State
chairs are volunteer physicians who
serve as COC representatives and
provide leadership and support to the
COC accredited programs and cancer
liaison physicians in their state. He
succeeds Dr. Piorkowski in this role.
Dr. Jimenez is among a network
of 64 state chairpersons who guide
the activities of more than 1,600
volunteer cancer liaison physicians
appointed in cancer programs across
the country. Cancer liaison physicians
spearhead COC initiatives within
their cancer program, collaborate with
local agencies, such as the American
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Hartford Hospital surgical oncologists appointed to pre-eminent cancer positions
Drs. Robert Piorkowski (left) and Ramon Jimenez
Cancer Society, and facilitate quality
improvement initiatives utilizing data
submitted to the COC’s National Cancer
Data Base (NCDB). Dr. Jimenez
will also work with the American
Cancer Society, the Connecticut
Cancer Registry, and the Connecticut
Department of Public Health to support
data-driven comprehensive cancer
control planning throughout the state.
As state chair, Dr. Jimenez is the
main contact between the American
College of Surgeons Commission on
Cancer, and the local chapter of the
American College of Surgeons. The
commission achieves its goal through
standard-setting, cancer prevention,
research, and educational activities,
as well as monitoring comprehensive
quality care.
Hartford Hospital is fully accredited
by the American College of Surgeons
Commission on Cancer in the teaching
hospital division.
“Hartford Hospital could not be
more proud of Dr. Piorkowski for his
new national leadership position, and
Dr. Jimenez for his statewide leadership
position,” said Andrew Salner, MD,
director of the Helen & Harry Gray
Cancer Center at Hartford Hospital.
“They have each devoted substantial
personal and professional efforts to
enhance Hartford Hospital’s Cancer
Program, and to ensure that we are true
leaders in providing cancer care in New
England.”
Drs. Piorkowski and Jimenez
provide surgical care for a wide variety
of cancer types, and participate in
multidisciplinary collaborative care
with colleagues in the other cancer
specialties. Dr. Piorkowski’s major
interests include treatment of patients
with cancer of the breast, melanomas,
sarcomas, and head and neck tumors.
Dr. Jimenez’s major interests are caring
for patients with cancers of the breast,
liver, pancreas, and GI malignancies.
For more information on the Cancer
Liaison Program and the Commission
on Cancer, visit www.facs.org/cancer.

ICU graduate nurses congratulated by fellow nurses and preceptors
Front row (seated from left): Orientees Katie Tyminski, Kate Nigro, Stacy Bentil, and Kerri White; (orientees missing
from photo, Christina Farrington, Sheena McFarlane, Magilta Joseph); standing, Susan Ramos (second row) preceptors
Rebecca Lange, Elda Marcelynas, Katie Ortiz, Amy Litchfied, Jacqui Coveney, Sonja Intagliatta, Leonie Jackson; (third
row) preceptors and nurse educators Kevin Mooney, Lynn Jansky, Olga May Smith, Susan Healy-Schnitman, Ann Russell
and Liza Nowicki.
A breakfast reception was held
January 24 in Hartford Hospital’s
main cafeteria to congratulate Hartford
Hospital’s first group of graduate
nurses hired for the ICUs in June and
July 2007. All are completing their
orientation to our ICUs at Hartford
Hospital this month.
A special “Thank You” message
was shared for all of the preceptors who
have given so much time and devotion
to the many aspects of growth and
development of these seven new RNs
during this transition time. Many of
these preceptors also had contributed
their ideas when the program was
initially designed. The orientees thanked
each preceptor with personal notes and
a single rose, and each was also give a
starfish lapel pin along with a copy of
the following tale:
Tai Chi for Health is an exercise
program based on Tai Chi principals.
Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese art
that medical studies have shown to
The Starfish Story
Original Story by Loren Eisley
One day a man was walking
along the beach when he noticed a
boy picking something up and gently
throwing it into the ocean.
Approaching the boy, he asked, “What
are you doing?” The youth replied,
“Throwing starfish back into the ocean.
The surf is up and the tide is going out.
If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.
“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize
there are miles and miles of beach and
hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a
difference!”
After listening politely, the boy bent
down, picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf. Then,
smiling at the man, he said…“I made a
difference for that one.”
ICU educators, managers and
directors wanted to recognize the new
nurses for the long-term commitment
they agreed to take on, and wanted
them to see what a difference they have
made in their nursing careers, as well as
expressing their hope that the graduate
nurses have all found the experience
rewarding.
The GN-ICU Transition Program
consists of four incremental stages
to be completed, each stage building
on the previous. Training includes
orientation, ICU classroom, online
critical care education through AACN’s
ECCO program, and simulation training
throughout the six-month period.
The current group of six GNs started
in early January.
The Hartford Hospital’s Trauma Institute offers a new
Tai Chi for Health class at the Glastonbury Wellness Center
be a complete healing art consisting
of slow, relaxed movements for total
self-development. For the body it is an
exercise. For the mind it is a study in
concentration and visualization. And
for the soul it is a system of meditation
and breathing.
Continued on page 7
5

Hartford Hospital hosted its annual
“High Fashion With A Heart” at
Hartford Stage on February 2. Emceed
by WFSB anchor Denise D’Ascenzo,
and WTIC-FM on-air personality
Jeanine Jersey, the show featured
fashions by West Hartford’s BK &
Company, and make-up and hair styling
tips from Matthew Phillips Salon in
West Hartford.
Proceeds from the ticket sales
benefited the Women’s Heart Program
and the Hartford Stage Educational
Fund. A panel of fashion experts talked
about what’s new for
spring, and Christine
Greene, Ph.D,
director of Weight
Management at the
Healthy Weight and
Wellness Center at
Blue Back Square,
spoke to the women
on diet and fitness.
Featured in the
program was a
whole-body make
over of JoAnn DeWind, an art teacher
from Newington, who was chosen from
many respondents to be the makeover
High Fashion, With a Heart
Continued on page 7
At left (from
left), Jeanine
Jersey, WTIC-
FM; Denise
D’Ascenzo,
WFSB-TV;
and MaryEllen
Fillo, Hartford
Courant, prepare
to take the stage
at the “High
Fashion With A
Heart” event on
February 2.
Above right (clockwise), panel
members discuss healthy lifestyles
and what’s new in fashion for
’08. They are (from left): Denise
D’Ascenzo, Channel 3; Barbara
Kansky and Karen Herbert, BK
& Company; Shari and Matthew
Phillips, Matthew Phillips Salon;
Christine Greene, Ph.D, Healthy
Weight and Wellness Center;
MaryEllen Fillo, Hartford Courant;
and Jeanine Jersey, WTIC-FM.
Brenda DaVilla, Patient Relations,
models an evening dress; three
models show a variation of the
same basic jacket; Heather
Sullivan, Patient Relations,
models a spring dress in front
of a Hartford Stage set.
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“High Fashion With A Heart”
continued from page 6
contestant featured throughout the show.
Ms. DeWind underwent a heart checkup
in Preventive Cardiology, received
nutrition and exercise counseling from
Christine Greene, a hair and skin makeover
from Matthew Phillips Salon and
outfits by BK & Company.
Tables staffed with volunteers
passed out information on heart disease,
imaging and women’s health issues,
and answered questions from attendees.
Hartford Hospital employees Jeanne
Bodett, Brenda DaVilla, Jennifer
DeStefano and Heather Sullivan joined
the professional models on stage, and
Cardiologist Melissa Ferraro Borgida,
MD, from Cardiology P.C., opened the
fashion show. She closed her address to
the sold-out crowd of 400 women with,
“Every woman should understand what
her risk factors are for heart disease and
what she can do to prevent it.”
Respiratory care students begin clinical studies here
University of Hartford
Fourteen University of Hartford respiratory care students have begun the clinical
aspect of their baccalaureate studies here at Hartford Hospital. They are (seated
front, from left) Keli Stober, Samantha Solomon, Ashley Mead, Jennifer Fuller, Joy
Correia ( standing from left ) Ethan Kurtzman, Dejourn Shields, Chantelle Rouleau,
Jennifer Hogan, Maribel Molina, Cieamber Bartell, Jerry Saintiche, Beverly Griffith
and Lindsay Salerno. Missing from the Photo are Teresa Guckenheimer, Jonnsi
Morris and Rachel Desmond.
Manchester Community College
“Tai Chi for Health” continued from page 5
The Tai Chi for Health program
allows anyone to do Tai Chi, no matter
their age and physical ability. Each
movement can be modified to meet the
student’s specific need. This program
can also be done in a sitting position.
The class at the Glastonbury
Wellness Center, which is organized
through Hartford Hospital, will start
on April 1 and end on May 22. It is
held twice a week, on Tuesdays and
Thursdays, from 9 to 10 a.m. To
register, call Harford Hospital Health
Referral Service, 545-1888 or 1-800-
545-7664. For more information, call
Siobhan Ranniello, Injury Prevention
Center, 860-545-9988; or Monika
Forstner 860-643-1425.
These respiratory care students from Manchester Community College began their
clinical training at Hartford Hospital in February. They are (from left to right
standing): Lesley Petersen, Sandy Clavet, Patti Forest, Brian Peregrin, Shauna
Green, Casey Lenderman, Amal Hagras, Randy Dickson, Merideth Lowerre, and
Dwight Williams. Sitting: Kettlyne Dominique, Hilary Burns, Corey Natal, Amy
Chadwell and Eunmi Han.
“Buried in Treasures: The Nature and Treatment of Compulsive Hoarding”
Social Work Services invites you to attend:
“Buried in Treasures: The Nature and Treatment of Compulsive Hoarding”
Tuesday, March 4, 9 a.m. Jefferson Building 118
Presented by David Tolin, Ph.D., ABPP, director of the Anxiety Disorders Center, IOL
7

Service Awards
January 16, 2008
Celebrating fortieth anniversaries with
Hartford Hospital, Rachel Ewaski (left)
and MaryAnn Sandberg are shown here
with Executive Vice President and COO
Jeffrey Flaks. Each was presented with a
Hartford Hospital chair.
Marking 35 years
with the institution
are (to right of Mr.
Flaks) Rosemary
Aiello, Irene Nadzieja,
Doreen Parisen and
Jovito Reyes.
Celebrating 30 years of service to Hartford Hospital, Ana Ferreira, Susanne Seaha, Cindy Martin, Curtis Grady, Raymond
Kowalski and Zulmira Rodrigues each received congratulations from Mr. Flaks.
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Continued on page 9

Service Awards, continued from page 8
New Quarter Century Club
members receiving their 25-
year pins in January were Sheila
Wallis, Hernando Ortiz, Tracy
Boykins, Mary Ann Pianka and
Lucille Tremblay, shown here with
Mr. Flaks.
Receiving their 20-year service
pins at the January 16 ceremony
were (from left), Joseph Reale,
Susan Marino, Diane Depa,
Mary Adams and Maria Teles,
shown here with Mr. Flaks.
At left, Martha Filippa (center) and Denise Royer receive
congratulations from Mr. Flaks on achieving 15 years of
service with Hartford Hospital.
Below, to right of Mr. Flaks, are 10-year pin recipients Jennifer
Vazquez, Travis Keiderling, Lori Hastings, Gayle Flanagan and
Barbara Everest.
Continued on page 10
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Service Awards, continued from page 9
Five-year pin recipients (to right of Mr. Flaks) are: Wende Rund, Pamela Holbrook, Ana Reyes, Merva Dixon, Mary Ann
Price, Maria Casanelli-Quiles, Jessica Jarvis, Marge Araujo, Giselle Springer, Marjorie Allen, Angel Garcia, Christie Aballe
and Wendy Lincoln.
40 Year
Rachel Ewaski, Purchasing, Materials Management
35 Year
Rosemary Aiello, OR
Diane Morrin, Food & Nutrition Services
Irene Nadzieja, Information Services
Doreen Parisen,Insurance
Jovito Reyes, Vending Services, Cafeteria
30 Year
Ana Ferreira, Mail Room
Curtis Grady, Security
Raymond Kowalski, Finance
Cindy Martin, IV Therapy
Zulmira Rodrigues, OR Assistive Personnel
Susanne Seaha, Nursing Administration, IOL
25 Year
Tracy Boykins, Food & Nutrition Services
Hernando Ortiz, Security
Gwendolyn Pawlak, Telecommunications
Mary Ann Pianka, Wonen’s Ambulatory Health
Lucille Tremblay, Case Coordinator
Lenworth Walker, Security
Sheila Wallis, Cancer Registry
20 Year
Mary Adams, Buckingham Program
Diane Depa, Orthopaedics, CB6
Susan Marino, Nursing Service Office
Joseph Reale, Cardiology Services, Bliss 10 ICU
James Rogasky, Carpenters, Engineering
Joseph Scalora, IS Operations
Maria Teles, Central Sterile Supply
15 Year
Martha Filippa, Administration
Nora Lee, MD, Neurology
Peter Niederhauser, Rented Real Estate, Newington
Tammy Petrik, Barnard Program
Marie Reynolds, Special Education, Hartford
Denise Royer, Prenatal Testing Center
Helen Styran, Surgical Services, Bliss 7 ICU
Jomaria Watkins, Orthopaedics, CB4
10 Year
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Barbara Everest, Post Anesthesia Care Unit
Gayle Flanagan, Reimbursement Division, Finance
Travis Keiderling, IS Operations
Theresa Levesque, OR, Cardiovascular
Trishia Moultry, Medicine Services, Bliss 11 ICU
Jeannette Reese, Obstetrics, Bliss 6
Sheila Syms, Telecommunications
Jennifer Vazquez, Radiation Therapy
5 Year
Christie Aballe, OR
Marjorie Allen, Medicine Services, North 12
Marge Arajuo, Emergency Department
Phyllis Blauvelt, Pharmacy
Maria Casanelli-Quiles, Assets/Liabilities Accounts
Judith Cavagnaro, Electronic Health Records, IS
Jessica Costa, Cardiology Services, Bliss 10 East
Stephen Delmoral , Emergency Department
Merva Dixon, Medicine Services, Bliss 11 East
Beverly Fedirko, Donnelly 2 South
Marzena Femiak, Surgical Services, North 9
Rita Ferrera, Surgical Services, North 9
Angel Garcia, Laundry
Sedrick Hardy, Donnelly 3 South
Pamela Holbrook, Human Resources
Lawrence James, Surgical Services, North 9
Jessica Jarvis, Medicine Services, Bliss 11 East
Douglas Keyes, Radiology/Nuclear Medicine
Kathryn Ledeman, Radiology
Wendy Lincoln, Oncology Services, Bliss 6
Christine Macht, Emergency Medicine
Rebecca Mehl, Women’s Health Services, North 8
George Merced, Environmental Services
John Metts, OR
David Morales, Food & Nutrition Services
Donna Mosur, Nutrition Service
Amy Neal, Emergency Medicine
Mary Ann Nelligan, Budget Division, Finance
Katherine Ortiz, Surgical Services, Bliss 7 ICU
Michael Petrozzi, Donnelly 1 South
Robert Pettinicchi, Plant Operation
Continued on page 11

Service Awards, continued from page 10
Mary Ann Price, Donnelly 2 North
Ana Reyes, Social Work Services
Wende Rund, Respiratory Care
Edgar Salas, Surgical Services, Bliss 9 East
Maryann Sandberg, HIM
Chad Schrock, Special Education, Hartford
Giselle Springer, OR
Sharon Wayner, OPE Dental Clinic
Tara Wilson, Patient Accounts, Medicare
Performance Development Center Spring Schedule
11

Employees’ Council gavel passed to new chairperson
Hartford Hospital Employees’ Council’s fortieth chairperson
officially took office in February during a gavel passing ceremony and
EC Executive Board luncheon. Carol Blanks-Lawson (at right in photo,
right) accepted the gavel and EC directorship duties from outgoing
chairperson Val Riccio. Healthstream administrator.
Carol, a 28-year member of Hartford Hospital’s staff, she is the
office coordinator/recruiter for the School of Allied Health. Her career
began at Jefferson House in Newington, and moved through Food &
Nutrition Services, Information Services, and the Clinical Lab. She has
served on several committees in the hospital, volunteered as a United
Way representative, organizing several fund raising activities (talent
shows, “HH Hoops,” etc), volunteers and is a donor on the blood drive,
and presently is a greeter in the Conklin Building. She has served as
a board member at St. Thomas the Apostle School, and as assistant
basketball coach at St Timothy Middle School for the girls’ champion
junior varsity team; she also was the boys’ junior varsity head basketball
coach at that school. Carol can be reached at the EC, extension 53904,
or e-mail her at Ecouncil@harthosp.org.
Above, former EC chairperson Val Riccio is
presented a plaque, by President and CEO John
Meehan and EC Chairperson Carol Blanks-
Lawson, marking the hospitals appreciation for her services during her 2007 term of office. At right, former EC
chairperson (2003-2005) John Wrobel (standing) Engineering Department, gives Ms. Blanks-Lawson, Mr. Meehan and
Executive Vice President and COO Jeff Flaks ((at table head, right) a humorous account of what she can expect during
her term of office.
RxTra
is published by Corporate
Communications, Joseph E.
Canning, Editor (phone 860-
545-2199, or send an e-mail to him at jcannin@
harthosp.org). The deadline for submitting
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days before the publishing date. For the end-ofmonth,
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