A Fond Farewell to Happenings - St. Mary Medical Center

December 2005
Primary Stroke Center Earns JCAHO Certification
St. Mary has the first and only JCAHO-certified stroke program in Bucks County
People experiencing signs of stroke have another excellent reason to choose St. Mary Medical
Center for urgent evaluation and treatment: After a rigorous on-site review of policies,
procedures and patient outcomes, the St. Mary Primary Stroke Center recently earned
the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare
Organizations (JCAHO), an independent organization that evaluates clinical care quality.
St. Mary is one of only nine hospitals in Pennsylvania and 166 nationwide to earn this
important distinction.
“We have placed a great deal of emphasis on creating one of the best primary stroke
centers in the region, and we are proud to achieve this distinction,” says Greg Wozniak,
Continued on page 2
A Fond Farewell
to Happenings
This is the final edition of Happenings,
our long-time colleague newsletter. We
are launching a new publication, Spirit, in
January 2006 as part of our overall efforts
to better communicate.
“Spirit was shown to focus group
participants, along with a brief explanation
of the objectives and approach taken to
improve the overall strategic direction,
editorial content, creative design, and
layout. Overwhelmingly, 95 percent of
colleagues responded favorably to Spirit,”
says Patrick Donohue, Director, Marketing
and Communications.
In addition, the Marketing and
Communications department has taken
significant steps over the last few months
to improve newsletter distribution to all
colleagues, physicians, and volunteers
by increasing printing quantities and
coordinating with Human Resources and
Volunteer Services. That process will
continue with the Spirit launch.
Johanna Nieves, MSN, CRNP, CNRN, left, and Dr. Emil Matarese visit with a stroke survivor in the Primary
Stroke Unit. St. Mary was the first hospital in Pennsylvania to implement the recommended Brain Attack
Coalition’s Guidelines for Acute Stroke Treatment, and also was awarded a Certificate of Recognition for
implementing the American Stroke Association’s “Get with the Guidelines” stroke beta pilot program.
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New MRI Capabilities Offer Enhanced Breast and Prostate Imaging Services
Detecting cancer in its earliest stages is essential to treatment success,
and St. Mary Medical Center has upgraded its magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) capabilities to better diagnose suspected breast and
prostate tumors.
“We are using the most recently available, specially designed
equipment for MRI of the breast, which provides higher resolution
images of both breasts simultaneously. Because MRI of the breast is so
sensitive, it has become a valuable tool for early detection and characterization
of very subtle findings on mammography or ultrasound,”
says Daniel Cohen, MD, Medical Director, Langhorne MRI.
The speed and resolution of the sophisticated MRI system also
enhances the diagnostic capabilities in orthopedic, neurological, and
orbital imaging.
In 2005, St. Mary Langhorne MRI increased its operating hours
until 11 PM each weeknight and added weekend hours. We’re now
providing same-day or next-day services in many cases,” says Suzanne
Monte, Service Line Administrator, Radiology/Oncology.
MRI Senior Technologist Kristin Castelberg, RTR, checks
a bilateral breast image obtained by the new MRI system.
Cardiac Ultrasound Now Offered
at St. Mary Heart Center
St. Mary cardiologists are using
three-dimensional (3D) digital
echocardiography to diagnose heart
disease with greater precision than
ever before. The breakthrough new
technology—also known as cardiac
ultrasound—provides high-definition,
real-time images of the valves,
vessels, and chambers of the
human heart and allows doctors to
view progressive slices through the
heart tissue image.
Cardiac ultrasound helps patients
better visualize and understand
their condition, minimizes
the need for more invasive tests
and inpatient procedures, and helps physicians identify heart disease earlier.
Integrated Heart Lab
Richard Leshner, DO, Chief of Cardiology,
is one of the St. Mary cardiologists,
cardiothoracic surgeons and echocardiac
technicians who recently completed
comprehensive onsite training in using
the complex new technology.
Along with new cardiac imaging technology, St. Mary is upgrading its information
technology to speed the processing and reporting of results from cardiac
catheterizations, nuclear medicine studies, and EKGs.
“Physicians will be able to view multiple study results at the same time,
from numerous hospital workstations or a secure Internet connection,” says
Scott Hartman, MS, Director, Cardiopulmonary/Neurology/Sleep Lab.
Primary Stroke Center (from page 1)
St. Mary President and CEO. “The JCAHO certification of
our Primary Stroke Center reinforces St. Mary’s commitment to
providing outstanding care to our community.”
Working hand in hand with St. Mary’s Emergency
Department, the primary stroke center brings together a 24-
hour on-call team with stroke-trained physicians from multiple
specialties, including neurology, neurosurgery, radiology, and
emergency medicine. The team uses state-of-the-art technology
to evaluate and treat patients who exhibit signs of a stroke,
which increasingly is referred to as a “brain attack.”
The goal of the St. Mary Primary Stroke Center is to
lessen and prevent further brain damage by providing acute
intervention with the most advanced medical therapies,
pharmaceutical treatments, and neuroradiological techniques.
In addition to direct medical care, the stroke center also provides
programs designed to educate the public about stroke symptoms
and treatments.
The St. Mary Primary Stroke Center was developed under
the direction of Emil L. Matarese, MD, director of the Primary
Stroke Unit at St. Mary Medical Center, working with a team of
St. Mary physicians and nurses.
“We are an emergency stroke-ready hospital that can meet
the needs of any potential stroke victim,” says Dr. Matarese.
“Every second counts when treating a stroke. Prompt care could
mean the difference between permanent paralysis and/or death,
and complete recovery or minimal residual deficits.”
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Founding Sisters Honored at St. Mary
In October, St. Mary Medical Center celebrated the 150th
anniversary of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, which
founded the hospital. The celebration included a Mass at the
Church of St. Andrew, Newtown, followed by a dinner reception in the
Sister Clare Carty Education Center at St. Mary.
To honor the Sisters’ “legacy of love,” St. Mary developed a Wall
of Heritage, left, commemorating their work in education, healthcare,
spiritual and pastoral care, care of orphans, the elderly, homeless,
poor, and persons with AIDS, immigrants and refugees.
View the pictorial tribute and video in the main lobby.
Sisters Serving St. Mary Today
First row, left to right:
Sr. Alberta Chelius, OSF, Library
Sr. Agnes Schilling, OSF, Sacristan
Sr. Mary Ann Potenza, OSF, Emergency Department
Sr. Rose Marie Lynch, OSF, Nursing
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Unit
Sr. Margaret Jones, OSF, Spiritual Care
Sr. Marie Cecilia Irwin, OSF, Community Health
Ministries, Bensalem
Second row, left to right:
Sr. Julia Tierney, OSF, Emergency Department
Sr. Marie Barbara McNamara, OSF, Spiritual Care
Sr. Catherine Alexis, OSF, Community Health
Ministries, Bensalem
Sr. Eileen Hennessey, OSF, Access
Sr. Patricia Warman, OSF, Holistic Center
Sr. Mary Louise, OSF, Spiritual Care
Clinical Decision Unit Blessing
On Tuesday, November 8, Father Holleran, pictured far left,
led a blessing of the new clinical decision unit (CDU) in the
Emergency Department (ED) at St. Mary Medical Center.
According to Pat Geary, RN, BSN, ENPC, Nurse
Manager, CDU and Pediatrics, the unit is designed to determine
within 23 hours if a patient is well enough to go home or
requires admission to the hospital for further evaluation.
“The CDU provides an alternative to waiting overnight
in the ED, and provides a comfortable, state-of-the-art center for a patient to relax and
wait for test results or further cardiac workup. Patients can receive a full range of services
without having to be away from home, work, or other commitments for greater than 23
hours,” she says.
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Cardiac Cath Lab Marks Another Clinical Milestone
According to Patrick Hogan, RN, Cardiology, the Cath Lab performed new procedures to
close congenital defects in the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart.
“One patient had a patent foramen ovale closed. In the other, an atrial septal defect
was closed. Both cases went perfectly and the patients are doing great,” says Patrick.
Each patient was treated using the Amplatzer Closure device from AGA Medical.
The device is placed through a catheter in the femoral vein and advanced through the
inferior vena cava to the right heart and intra-atrial septum. Once in position the device
is un-sheathed, allowing it to deploy across the defect and closing the hole.
A Successful Mammogram Promotion
St. Mary Mammography Technicians
Dawn Larcher, left, and Linda Krebs
prepare to pick another winning
name from the nearly 1,300 women
who received mammograms at
St. Mary during National Breast
Cancer Awareness month in October.
St. Mary colleagues and breast
cancer survivors donated prizes for
the weekly drawings held in October
to encourage women to schedule
a mammogram, which is the fi rst
line of defense for early detection of
breast cancer.
Mark Your Calendar
Luxury Car Raffle
Grand prize drawing, December 9
Proceeds benefi t St. Mary Regional
Cancer Center patients
Contact: Lil Schonewolf, ext. 2096
St. Mary Thrift Shop Blessing
and Grand Opening
Saturday, December 10, 10 AM–3 PM
140 North Pine Street
(Pine Watson Plaza), Langhorne
Contact: Andrea Hogan, 215.750.8400
Colleague Holiday Party
Thursday, December 15
11:30 AM – 2 PM • 5 PM – 7 PM
10 PM – MIDNIGHT
St. Mary Auditoriums
Emergency Department Ribbon Cutting
Wednesday, January 11, 8:30 AM
St. Mary Auditoriums and ED
Contact: Patrick Donohue, ext. 6908
Cardiovascular Care Unit (CVCU)
Ribbon Cutting
Wednesday, February 1, 8:30 AM
St. Mary Auditoriums and CVCU
Contact: Patrick Donohue, ext. 6908
Survey Follow-up
Best Places to Work in Pa.
Thank you to the 250 colleagues who
responded to the survey for St. Mary’s
application for “Best Places to Work in
Pennsylvania.” The survey process was
lengthy and enlightening.
“Even though St. Mary was not
selected, your feedback is being used to
further improve our workplace. St. Mary
remains committed to being a great place
to work, practice medicine, and receive
care,” says Marcia Miller Telthorster,
Vice President, Human Resources.
From the Mail Bag
Through a donation to the Cancer Healing
Ministries, the Women’s Guild is providing
tote bags filled with comfort items for
each chemotherapy patient who receives
infusions at St. Mary.
“My heartfelt thanks for the beautiful bag
and its contents that were given to me
at St. Mary while a recent patient . . . . I
have been given pleasure with the many
items in the bag, and I have had such
wonderful warmth from your beautiful
blanket. . . . May God bless you.”
—N.M., recent patient at the St. Mary
Regional Canter Center
Important Phone Nos.
Work-related Injuries
1. Contact supervisor
2. Notify Employee Health, ext. 5827
SAFE Hotline
Ext. 7233 (SAFE)
Compliance Hotline
800.254.0458
JCAHO Quality Monitoring
630.792.5636
complaint@jcaho.org
SPIRIT will be published monthly by the
Marketing and Communications department of
St. Mary Medical Center. Submit items of interest
to ksmith@che-east.org.
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