The Children's Home and Lemieux Family Center Celebrate New ...

MARK YOURCALENDARMAY 11:Event BridgesHospitals, HealthSystems, PhysiciansEmbracing TechnologyPage 4EDUCATION:Chatham College Develops Doctorof Nursing Practice DegreePage 22ELDERCARE: DEPARTMENTS:Commentary:LEGAL UPDATE Page 6The ChallengeAROUND THE REGION Page 8of EldercareThrough 2034 MAKING ROUNDS Page 10CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Page 21DATEBOOK Page 39Page 27RESOURCE DIRECTORY Page 40PRSRT STDU.S. PostagePAIDPermit #12Indiana, PAAPRIL 2007 • $3.00RecognizeYOURSecurity& SafetyDepartmentBY BOB BRONDERThere’s no question that securitystaffs play ever-increasing roles inthe day-to-day operation of mosthealthcare facilities. Oftentimes, they arethe first people that patients, staff and visitorssee when they visit your facility; andalso, the last ones they see when theyleave. They enhance the feeling of safetyand security in areas of higher vulnerability,including parking lots, emergencyrooms and even hospital nurseries. Inareas where security personnel aren’talways visible, security, fire alarm, accesscontrol and video surveillance systemsalso provide an added measure of reassurance.The role of security is not alwaysviewed to be as important as a healthcarefacility’s reputation for care, cutting edgetechnologies, cleanliness and results.However, it is increasingly becoming acontributing factor in the overall equationwhich makes a healthcare location moreor less attractive to both patients and staffmembers.So, this year, Vector Security, in associationwith Hospital News, has created anawards program designed especially tohonor individuals whose collective effortskeep those you serve and your colleaguesContinued on page 12The Children’s Home of Pittsburghopened its doors for a ribbon cuttingceremony on March 15 to celebratethe organization’s new facility andhome of its three programs: Adoption,Child’s Way, and its 28-bed PediatricSpecialty Hospital. The ribbon cuttingwas the public’s first glance into the stateof-the-artfacility. Over 150 dignitaries,families, and neighbors attended.“This expansion marks a significantimprovement in the continuum of careavailable to pediatric patients in ourregion,” said Pamela Schanwald, ChiefExecutive Officer of The Children’s Homeof Pittsburgh. “We are helping to fill gapsin care for medically fragile infants andchildren while supporting the entire family.In this building we can offer ourunique services to more children and familiesin Pittsburgh, help continue therenaissance of the Penn Avenue corridor,Continued on page 13WThe Children’s Home and LemieuxFamily Center Celebrate New Facility✶ FOCUS: SALUTE TO VOLUNTEERS ✶Children’s Hospitalof Pittsburgh of UPMChen children across the countryhear the name “Elmo” they thinkof the furry red muppet from“Sesame Street.” When patients at Children’sHospital of Pittsburgh hear the name“Elmo,” they think of a furry brown dog thatvisits them and puts a smile on their face.Elmo is a labradoodle, a cross between aLabrador and Poodle, and is an importantmember of the Pet Friends program atChildren’s. Two or three times a month JulieHailstone, Elmo’s owner, brings the friendlydog to visit patients. She has been bringinghim for the past two years, since Elmo was 1year old.“We spend a couple of hours up on thefloor visiting the kids,” said Hailstone. “Heloves seeing the kids and the kids get reallyexcited when he comes to see them.”Hailstone has dedicated her life to volunteerwork, beginning from the time her twodaughters were young. Even when she went looking for a dog, shehad the Pet Friends program in mind.To be a Pet Therapy dog the animal must be highly trained andboast a temperament conducive to interacting with children. Elmois certified through Therapy Dogs International, a volunteer organizationdedicated to regulating, testing and registration of therapywww.hospitalnews.org(l-r) Mario and Nathalie Lemieux, Mr. McFeely, and Children’s Home CEO Pam Schanwald cutthe ribbon at The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh and Lemieux Family Center. The Children’sHome added Lemieux Family Center to its name in honor of The Mario Lemieux Foundation’ssubstantial gift to the building project.Julie Hailstone and Elmodogs and their volunteer handlers for thepurpose of visiting nursing homes, hospitalsand other institutions.In addition to the certification, dogs thatenter Children’s go through a second screeningfrom Kathy Dougherty, a local veterinarian.“Just being able to pet and walk and playwith a dog makes the kids feel more comfortable,more relaxed,” Hailstone said.“Sometimes Elmo will do a trick and thenthe kids take that idea home with them andteach their own dog how to do it.”Laura Burns, manager of VolunteerServices at Children’s, sees the positiveimpact that the Pet Friends visits have onthe patients. “Elmo is a very special dog. He is actually one of thekids’ favorites, probably because he so fluffy and affectionate. Wefeel very lucky to have both him and Julie with us,” Burns said.See pages 30-35 for more Salute to Volunteers!

IPublishers Note...t’s indisputable. We don’t need a recount or an examination of a hanging chad. Iam, without a doubt, the world’s worst patient – and I don’t care who knows it.All I want is to put the back pain I’ve been experiencing lately behind me, so tospeak.I’d like to tell you the exact nature of my malady, but I’m afraid I’ll violate someHIPAA regulation. (Talk about your classic pain in the back, eh?) I think I may be abit delirious from my medication. I’m picturing my pain on a scale from one to ten –with one being Pee Wee Herman and five being, oh, George Clooney –then I’m way past 10, all the way to an off-the-charts John Waynekind of pain. Or, if one is a Rosie O’Donnell, I’m at a Bo Derek.In other words, I’m a hurtin’ cowboy. I’ve figuratively fallen,and I can’t get up – at least not without screaming or grindingmy teeth so hard I can taste enamel. Okay, HIPAA bedarned: my problem has to do with a problem with myback, a problem not bad enough to require surgery, butaggravating enough to banish me to the floor when Iwant to get any sleep.If there’s one thing immobility gives you, it’s plentyof time to think, and this recent mishap with my backhas caused me to reflect on how much we take ourhealth and health care for granted.Here’s what I’ve come up with, offered for your considerationas coherently as possible (the meds, remember?):First, it’s a lot easier to maintain perspective abouta health problem when it’s someone else’s rather thanyours. Indeed, I’ve been there for many a friend goingthrough everything from a headache to cancer. In every case,I’ve been sympathetic, supportive … and extremely rationale.But when the illness is mine, well, it’s all about me. When I’msick, nothing else matters. But it gets worse. Like aspoiled child, I want attention. Here’s a classic: I had anappointment to see my orthopedic surgeon, his officeBy Harvey D. KartA Pain in the Back Can Be A Pain in The ….Harvey with granddaughter Mackenzieand grandson Kartercalled to cancel because he had the flu and, at least for a moment, I was offended.Hey, I thought, if I’m willing to drag my aching body to his office he should be willingto suffer some sniffles to meet me there.Here’s another truism: My illness is worse than yours. This is not open for discussionor contestation. If your ingrown toenail is throbbing, mine is throbbing more. Ifyou have tennis elbow, mine is Wimbledon grade. And if you happen to be sufferingfrom a bad back, know that my back is so bad it could write rap music.I am also obsessive compulsive when I’m suffering. The day the techniciangave me the film of my MRI and CT scan to deliver to my doctor, I firsttook them home and, with help from the Internet, did a 4-hourself-diagnosis. (I finally had to quit when the only thing I couldfigure was that I’m pregnant.)But in the midst of all this self-absorption, I must give ashout out to the caregivers, physical therapy staff, familymembers, and friends who suffer right along with me –or maybe because of me. To paraphrase Judy Collins,I’ve looked at pain from both sides now, and I know onething for sure: I’m better at giving comfort than receivingit.But, while I might not always show it, I do appreciatethe support and concern I’ve received through thismost recent tribulation. It really is true that if you haveyour health you have everything. So in the words of theTerminator (a.k.a. Governor Arnold), when it comes tomy back, I’ll be baaaaack. In the meantime, pass the medsand hand me a pillow. If you need me, I’ll be on the floor.Harvey KartYou can reach Harvey Kart at (412) 856-1954or hdkart@aol.com.SuccessOver the years, VITAS has developed positive relationships andendorsement from thousands who have a personal orprofessional commitment to quality end-of-life care, solidifyingVITAS’ reputation as the nation’s leading hospice provider:• Since hospices do not compete on cost, success can be measured in large part by anorganization’s reputation throughout the communities it serves for providing great care.VITAS cares for more patients each day than any other hospice in the nation. That recordof success speaks for itself.• VITAS often offers care that many smaller hospices find it difficult—if not impossible—to provide. For example, VITAS concentrates its significant case management expertise onproviding Continuous Care services, which allows us to manage the patient’s care at homeand avoid the inconvenience of a transfer to an inpatient facility. Today, approximately4–5 percent of the more than 11,000 VITAS patients served nationwide are on ContinuousCare in a typical day.• VITAS allows many seniors to “age in place” by receiving end-of-life care in their assistedliving residence.InnovativeHospice CareFor information, please call(412) 799-2101 or toll-free (800) 620-8482www.VITAS.com2 April 22, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

Hospital News hospitalnews.org April22, 2007 3

AEvent Bridges Hospitals, Health Systems, PhysiciansEmbracing Technologynew and very unique healthcare executive technology event iscoming to Pittsburgh next month. The event is calledNortheast U.S. Healthcare Trade Faire & Regional Conference.The event is both a day full of various Conference tracks, coupled withan upscale and intimate Trade Faire of 50+ solution providers.This event brings regionally based hospital and health system managementand physicians together for an all day networking and educationalevent, which will take place from 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. onFriday, May 11th at the Hilton Pittsburgh, Ballroom level.This event coming to Pittsburgh next month on Friday, May 11thalso brings together several different elite professional healthcare associationchapters and organizations for a day of networking and education.For next month’s event in Pittsburgh, the sponsor group isWestern Pennsylvania Chapter of HIMSS (WPHIMSS). The Pittsburghevent is also driven in cooperation with Hospital Council of WesternPennsylvania (HCWP).Additional groups participating in this event whose membershipsare being invited to attend and network with their fellow regionalindustry peers include but not limited to: ACHE of WesternPennsylvania, Jewish Healthcare Foundation, Central & Southern OhioChapter HIMSS (CSOHIMSS), Pennsylvania Health InformationManagement Association, and national HIMSS. Many healthcare and hospital managementwill also be attending the May 11th event from regions in fairly close geographic proximityto western Pennsylvania. Parts of regions of West Virginia, New York, Maryland, New Jersey,Virginia, Delaware, and Ohio. But the bulk of the event audience who be Pennsylvaniabased.Conference portion of the event:The day will have over dozen conference presentations and keynotes to be able to choosefrom to listen in on.MARK YOUR CALENDARFRIDAY, MAY 11HILTON PITTSBURGH• There will be a morning and afternoon Keynote speaker presentation.The featured Morning Keynote speaker at 9:00 a.m. for the event willbe Jerry J. Fedele, President and CEO, West Penn Allegheny HealthSystem. Topic is being determined at press time. Panelists for this presentationwill include Nicholas J. Valadja, Vice President and CIO, WestPenn Allegheny Health System. Other panelists for this presentationbeing determined at press time. At press time the Afternoon Keynotespeaker details are not confirmed fully.•There will be four to five morning presentations and four to five afternoondone by Event sponsor companies/organizations and their executiveand medical panelists. These presentations, the presenters areoverviewed at www.healthcaretradefaire.com/Pittsburgh/• At 3:45 p.m., one key track to be sure to check out is presented viathe Hospital Council of Western Pennsylvania. This track is titled CIOInsomnia: what job issues keep hospital CIOs in the Northeast U.S.region up at night? The interactive discussion and dialog will high lightthe top ten issues or things and then will have multi-perspective discussionson four or more of them. Audience CIOs and their directreports are encouraged to interact, or to just listen and observe. Here arefour short discussions that will be touched on:1. Connecting all stakeholders in the healthcare system to a single informationand communications infrastructure2. Improving connections between clinicians, patients, and information, while takingadvantage of location-based and collaborative-care components3. Eliminating the costs and delays associated with traditional film imaging by using digitalimaging to quickly and easily share diagnostic images4. Enabling effective distribution of electronic health records to help caregivers improvecare while allowing organizations to decrease expenses and increase productivityTrade Faire portionof the event:Here is a partial list of some of thecompanies who will be on hand forthe Trade Faire portion of the event:Gold LevelSponsors/ExhibitorsMcKessonMcKesson is transforming healthcarethrough a comprehensive portfolioof advanced financial, clinical andconsumer solutions combined withautomation technologies. Please visitwith us in booth # 39.Bronze LevelSponsors/ExhibitorsGeisinger Health SystemGeisinger Health System will haveIS staff on hand in their booth.Geisinger Health System staff will alsobe giving away from the booth CD’s ofour lab mapping training tools used inthis project. Visit us in booth # 46.IBMExplore Innovation in Healthcarewith IBM and Healthlink, a division ofIBM. We will be showcasing ourbroad range of leading healthcare andlife sciences services and solutions.Visit with us in booth # 51.M*ModalM*Modal offers speech recognitionbased conversational documentationservices that help healthcare providerscapture discrete clinical informationfrom dictation to generate completeand timely electronic medical records.Please visit with us in booth # 14.OracleOracle’s business is information –how to manage it, use it, share it, protectit. Visit with us in booth # 24.Siemens Medical SolutionsSiemens Soarian is an integratedhealth information solution (HIS)that was developed to empowerhealthcare providers to proactivelymanage the clinical, financial, andadministrative process from beginningto end. Visit booth #47.ADDITIONAL EVENTEXHIBITORSAdvizeX TechnologiesAdvizeX Technologies is a leadinginformation technology provider ofinfrastructure and enterprise applicationsolutions. Visit booth # 41.AEC GroupAEC Group, Inc. is a technologysolutions provider with core competenciesaround access infrastructure,communication and collaboration,and availability. Please visit with us inbooth # 22 on the exhibit floor.ALLSCRIPTSALLSCRIPTS delivers the clinicalsoftware and information that morethan 30,000 U.S. physicians in 4,000clinics use to improve health care. Tolearn more, visit us on the web atwww.allscripts.com. Visit booth # 15.api Software, Inc.api Software, Inc. offers integratedtime and attendance, scheduling andstaffing, productivity management,payroll/human resources, workflow,education management and accesscontrol solutions. Visit booth # 49.CernerCerner is the leading U.S. supplierof healthcare information technologysolutions that optimize clinical andfinancial outcomes. Visit booth # 22.CiscoThe Cisco Medical-Grade Networkarchitecture connects features fromClinical Connection Suite, ConnectedImaging, and Electronic HealthRecords solutions to enable secureinformation sharing. Visit booth # 34.dbMotiondbMotion’s proven healthcareinformation integration software facilitatesinteroperability and HealthInformation Exchange (HIE) forhealth information networks and integratedhealthcare delivery systems.Visit with us in booth # 28.EclipsysEclipsys is The OutcomesCompany®, a leading provider ofadvanced integrated information software,best-practice clinical contentand professional services that helphealthcare organizations improveclinical, financial, operational andcustomer-satisfaction outcomes. Visitwith us in booth # 15.EnovateITEnovateIT products include Mobileand Medication Workstations,Automated Vital Sign ChartingSystems, and Computer Fixed Armsand Mounts. CPOE, EMAR andBedside Documentation are just a fewof the many emerging healthcareapplications that we support with ourcomprehensive, custom solutions.Visit with us in booth # 33.HIMSSHIMSS is the healthcare industry’smembership organization exclusivelyfocused on providing leadership forthe optimal use of healthcare informationtechnology (IT) and managementsystems for the betterment ofhuman health. Learn how HIMSS andyour local HIMSS Chapter enable youto shape your professional future,enrich your career, and expand yourindustry intelligence. Visit booth # 25.Intel – Digital Health GroupIntel brings breakthrough technicalexpertise, manufacturing leadership,inspired partners, and the drive forindustry standards to put new technologiesand platform solutions in thehands of patients, their families andhealthcare providers. Visit with us inbooth # 38.IronPort SystemsIronPort Systems is the leadinggateway security provider for organizationsranging from small businessesto the Global 2000. Please visit withus in booth # 22 on the exhibit floor.MedicityMedicity specializes in complexclinical integration projects and e-health solutions configured from itsown commercially-available componentapplications, which include anMPI, an integration engine, and anEHR. Visit with us in booth # 20.Misys Healthcare SystemsMisys Healthcare Systems, anindustry-leading healthcare IT companyand a division of Misys plc,develops and supports reliable, easyto-usesoftware and services thatenable physicians and caregivers tomore easily manage the complexitiesof healthcare. Visit booth # 26.NextGen HealthcareInformation Systems, Inc.NextGen Healthcare is a leadingprovider of fully integrated enterprisepractice management and electronicmedical records software. Visit booth# 48.Dictaphone, Div. of NuanceCommunications, Inc.Nuance’s Dictaphone HealthcareSolutions Division provides comprehensivedictation and transcriptionsolutions and services that improvethe way patient data is captured,processed and used changing the waypeople process and work with medicalinformation. Visit booth # 50.Prithvi Information SolutionsPrithvi is an ISO 9001:2000-certifiedglobal technology consulting andprocess outsourcing company. Visitwith us in booth # 46.QuadraMedQuadraMed develops innovative,flexible information technology solutionsthat empower healthcare institutionsto deliver quality care with optimumefficiency across the entirepatient care continuum. Visit with usin booth # 37.Rubbermaid MedicalSolutionsRubbermaid Medical Solutions providesinnovative Mobile Medicationand Computing Stations that assistNortheast U.S. based healthcare facilitiesin patient safety initiatives. Visitwith us in booth # 33.Sensitron, Inc.Sensitron will be showcasingcareTrendsR, which enables a varietyof point-of-care devices to directlycommunicate results to a centralizedintelligent database for storage,retrieval, trending and interface tomany CISs. Visit us in booth # 35.Specialized ReceivablesSpecialized Receivables is the leadingaccident claims billing companyfocused exclusively on the successfulresolution of healthcare claims relatingto motor vehicle accidents, workrelated injuries or illnesses, and thirdparty liability claims. Visit booth # 44.Sprint NextelSprint provides an array of costeffectivemobile solutions that helphealthcare providers balance patientcare, operational efficiency, cost managementand regulatory compliance.Visit with us in booth # 36.TeleTracking TechnologiesMarket leader TeleTrackingTechnologies, Inc. has helped over650 hospitals manage mission-criticalpatient flow challenges with theirproven workflow automation solutions.Visit with us in booth # 30.The Global InnovationCenter (GIC)The Global Innovation Center(GIC) is a cross-disciplinary venturethat uniquely combines innovativeprocesses from industry-leadingexperts with emerging and provendata analysis technologies. Visit booth# 46 on the exhibit floor.•••On average, over 200 regionallybased healthcare professionals attendthis unique event in each city whereit is held. These ‘select’ regionsinclude Honolulu, Oklahoma City,Atlanta, and Pittsburgh. Cost toattend is $695. The fee will bewaived if you qualify. Inquire viaRobert Glanville contactinformation below.Hospital and health system executives, as well area physicians who would like information on how to attend this event should contact the eventorganizer Robert Glanville at (503) 387-3120 or robert@healthcaretradefaire.com.4 April 22, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

Building a Resource forthe Community.Part of what makes The Commons at Squirrel Hill Nursing and RehabilitationCenter unique is our dedication to providing vital community resources. It’spart of who we are as a nonprofit organization. As such, we continue to developeducational outreach as well as specific clinical programs to meet the needs ofour community. From providing experienced ventilator and respiratoryprograms, to in-house hospice, extensive wound care, rehabilitation and longtermcare, The Commons at Squirrel Hill is committed to providing vital services,now and in the future. We invite you to learnmore by calling or scheduling a tour withSuzanne Machek at 412-287-8408.2025 Wightman Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 • thecommonsatsquirrelhill.orgYour Community Resource for Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Healthcare.Hospital News hospitalnews.org April 22, 2007 5

MAKING ROUNDSPHYSICIAN ANNOUNCEMENTS, APPOINTMENTS AND AWARDSPsychiatrist Joins UPMCNorthwest Medical StaffPsychiatrist Ronald McFadden, M.D., is the new medicaldirector of Behavioral Health at UPMC Northwest.Dr. McFadden has practiced psychiatry the past six yearswith several western Pennsylvania health care organizationsincluding Paoletta Psychological Services in Franklin andMercer, Community Counseling Center of Mercer County,Clarion Psychiatric Center, Brookville Hospital, and UPMCHorizon in Mercer County. Earlier he practiced for threeyears in West Virginia.AGH Physician Named to ExclusiveNCI Panel Overseeing Conduct ofClinical Cancer Trials ResearchDavid Parda, M.D., F.A.C.P., chairman of AlleghenyGeneral Hospital’s (AGH) Department of RadiationOncology, is one of three cancer specialists in the countryrecently elected to the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI)Central Institutional Review Board (CIRB) Initiative.In addition to his AGH role, Dr. Parda serves as chairmanof the West Penn Allegheny Health System RadiationOncology Network.Children’s Names New HepatologyDirector To Develop Cutting-EdgeLiver Disease Management ProgramBenjamin L. Shneider, M.D., has been named director ofPediatric Hepatology at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh ofUPMC.Dr. Shneider comes to Children’s from The Mount SinaiSchool of Medicine in New York, where he served as chief ofPediatric Hepatology and was a tenured professor ofPediatrics.Memorial Medical Center PhysicianElected to ACEP PostDaniel Wehner, M.D., M.B.A.., Chairman of EmergencyMedicine at Memorial Medical Center, was elected secretaryof the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College ofEmergency Physicians (PA ACEP).Dr. Wehner has been with Memorial for seven years. Priorto moving to Pennsylvania, he was president of the DelawareChapter of ACEP.Upon graduating from Jefferson Medical College inPhiladelphia, Dr. Wehner completed a residency at WrightState University in Dayton, Ohio, in 1984.Plastic Surgeon Dr. RobertKang Joins The WesternPennsylvania HospitalThe Western Pennsylvania Hospital is pleased toannounce that plastic surgeon Robert H. Kang, M.D.,F.A.C.S., has joined the medical staff. Board-certified in plasticsurgery and hand surgery, he now practices with WestPenn Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in the hospital’sMellon Pavilion on Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield. He comesto West Penn from Mercy Hospital, where he was chief of theDivision of Hand Surgery.Dr. Ronald McFaddenDr. David PardaDr. Benjamin L. ShneiderDr. Daniel WehnerDr. Robert H. KangDr. Charles J.DeNunzio, Jr.Joins WetzelCounty HospitalCharles J. DeNunzio, Jr.,D.O., a physician certified bythe American OsteopathicBoard of Family Physicians,has joined the Wetzel CountyHospital medical staff as a familypractice physician,announced George Couch,CEO.Dr. DeNunzio attended thePennsylvania State Universitywhere he received a B.S. inMicrobiology, High Distinction.He received his Doctor ofOsteopathy degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completedhis post-graduate training at West Allegheny Hospital. Dr. DeNunzio served 6 years inthe US Public Health Services in rural Pennsylvania.Wilson Named to LeadTrauma CenterAlison Wilson, M.D., has been appointed director of theJon Michael Moore Trauma Center at West VirginiaUniversity Hospitals. Dr. Wilson also serves as section chiefof trauma, emergency surgery and surgical critical care inthe WVU School of Medicine.Dr. Wilson received her residency and fellowship trainingat the Baylor College of Medicine and has been a facultymember in the Department of Surgery at WVU since 2002.She was appointed section chief of surgical critical care in2006.OVMC Physician Appointed toCommission on Cancer PositionNadeem Ikhlaque, M.D., of Wheeling, WV, recentlyreceived a three-year appointment as Cancer LiaisonPhysician for the cancer program at Ohio Valley MedicalCenter.Dr. Ikhlaque, who specializes in Oncology andHematology, joined the Cancer Center at OVMC in July2006. A graduate of Rawalpindi Medical College, Universityof the Punjab, he served as a Field Medial Officer andFamily Physician in Pakistan. He completed his ResidencyDr. Nadeem Ikhlaquein Internal Medicine at Wright State University in Dayton,Ohio. While at Wright State he served as Chief Resident in Internal Medicine and completeda Fellowship in Hematology and Oncology.Solan to Receive Sickman-LevinAward at Hospital’s Annual GalaDr. Charles DeNunzio, Jr. with (l-r) Joan Pack, Secretary,Faye Marne, LPN, and Jayne Viskovich, RN.Dr. Alison WilsonJames A. Solan, M.D., of Rostraver Township is the 2007recipient of the Sickman-Levin Award for Dimensions inMedicine at Monongahela Valley Hospital.A family practice physician whose service to the healthsystem spans more than 20 years, Dr. Solan will be honoredSaturday, May 19 at the hospital’s Nineteenth AnnualGala.Dr. Solan, who was appointed to the MVH Medical Staffon September 4, 1986, received his Medical Degree fromThomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia in June 1979. Dr. James A. SolanHe completed his residency in family practice at TheWashington Hospital in Washington, PA in June 1982.He was a member of the Medical Staff at Geisinger Medical Center in Phillipsburg, PA,where he also was a member of a large medical practice, from 1982 to 1986. He returnedto Rostraver Township in 1986 and has been in solo practice with an office in FayetteCity since then.10 April 22, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

Hospital-PhysicianJoint Ventures:Looking Into the FutureBY BILL MURPHYCONTRIBUTING AUTHOR, GENO BONETTITBILL MURPHYGENO BONETTIhe landscape for hospitals and physicians is changing. Physician incomes are sufferingas payments and reimbursement rates continue to trend downward, andhospital inpatient volumes are suffering as cases continue to move to outpatientsurgery centers. It’s time for hospitals to start looking at things in a new way beforetheir physician base, procedure mix and market share begin to – or continue to – deteriorate.According to the American Medical News, the number of surgeries performed in outpatientsurgery centers jumped by 191% from 1990 to 2000. And in the year 2000, 70%of all surgeries performed in the United States were outpatient. These numbers clearlyindicate that outpatient surgery centers have grown and continue to grow in their popularityand case volume. This trend leaves little doubt as to what hospitals need to doto remain competitive both now and in the future: Develop hospital-affiliated outpatientsurgery centers that physicians want to participate in and patients want to betreated in. The solution? A hospital-physician joint venture that satisfies physicianownership and control desires while allowing hospitals to preserve their money-makingstaff, procedures and market share.The hospital-physician joint venture idea isn’t a new one, although it’s recently begunincreasing in popularity. According to a 2006 article in Healthcare FinancialManagement, regulatory and market changes are causing physicians to begin workingmore collaboratively with hospitals. Financial changes have also made it more difficultfor physicians to finance ASC opportunities on their own. In addition to these changes,an article in Health Affairs says hospital-physician relationships “aren’t what they usedto be.” The article goes on to say they’ve become increasingly strained over the yearsdue to physicians investing in competing community surgery centers and taking astand when it comes to what’s being asked of them by employers.As a hospital, you know that continued advances in research and treatment makeretaining valued physician staff more important now than ever. Coupled with the factthat hospital management continues to better understand the benefits of joint ventures,and that joint ventures show no sign of letting up in the near future, it’s clear that hospital-physicianJV partnerships will continue to be a positive way for hospitals andphysicians to work together going forward.Is your hospital prepared to handle the needs and demands of your system’s physicians?Have you ever considered joint venturing with your doctors and, if so, do youknow where to start in order to maximize your success as well as theirs?Take a look at part three of our article series on hospital-physician joint ventures innext month’s issue of Western PA Hospital News. We’ll be discussing your options fordeveloping an ASC joint venture with your physicians, and some of the importantthings to consider before getting started.Bill Murphy, Vice President of Business Development for Titan Health Corporation, can bereached at bmurphy@titanhealth.com or (214) 722-7539.Geno Bonetti, Vice President of Business Development for Titan Health Corporation, canbe reached at gbonetti@titanhealth.com or (412) 670-1053.Unhappy physicians?Increased competition?Decreased market share?It’s time to consider joint venturing withyour hospital’s physicians to develop anoutpatient surgery center.• Improve physician satisfaction and retention• Develop valuable physician partnerships• Create a valuable competitive advantage• Preserve your market shareTitan Health Corporation is an industry leader inASC development and operations. We can help youdo this and more.AUCTION:10,000 s.f. Lot2700 s.f. Commercial Bldg.ROSS TOWNSHIP - Excellent commercial location on busy McKnight RoadRetail or office – near Ross Park Mall.Major Income Producing Billboard7504 McKnight Road Auction: May 22nd at 12:00 Noon #AU003301LHARRY DAVIS REAL ESTATE412-521-1170 • www.harrydavis.comGeno BonettiVice President of Business DevelopmentPittsburgh, Pennsylvania412.670.1053gbonetti@titanhealth.comwww.titanhealth.comHospital News hospitalnews.org April 22, 2007 11

COVER STORY: Recognize YOUR Security & Safety Department:ENTER THEM IN THE 2007 VECTOR SECURITY/HOSPITAL NEWS SECURITY AWARDS PROGRAMContinued from Page 1safe and secure within the work environment.Our plan is to bestow four awardsduring February of 2008 to healthcare securitydepartments and personnel fromWestern PA and Eastern OH, which makeup the subscriber base of WesternPennsylvania Hospital News. The awardcategories will be as follows:1. Healthcare Security Executive,Director or Manager of the Year (1 award)This award will be given to theHealthcare Security Executive, Director orManager who has been the most effective inhis or her role. Qualifications for this awardwould include excellent planning of oradministration of a new security program,the successful deployment of new securitytechnologies, achieving a unique level ofleadership within the organization, personaldedication to a security or life safetyadvocacy cause or association, reachinghigh goals or performance levels in the executionof the facility security plan, oractions taken during a highly volatile securityincident. Submitted entries couldinclude those which impact the life safety ofpatients, staff or the community at large.2. Healthcare SecurityDepartment of the YearThis award will be given to the collectivesecurity department that has performed itsjob best as a department, rather than asindividuals. Qualifications for this awardwould include achieving high goals or performancelevels by acting as a team; a specificteam-oriented program that provides ahigher level of security and safety to thefacility’s staff, patients or visitors; team dedicationto a security or life safety advocacycause or association; or exemplary actionsas a team during a highly volatile securityevent.3. Healthcare Security Officeror Staff Member of the Year(1 award)This award will be given to a single memberof a healthcare facility’s security staff ?to include a security officer, clerical personor front line manager ? who has demonstratedan exemplary performance level inthe execution of his or her job.Qualifications for this award would includeachieving high goals or performance levels,personal dedication to a security or life safetyadvocacy cause or association, or exemplaryaction during a highly volatile securityevent.4. Healthcare SecurityBest Practice of the YearThis award will be given to the healthcarefacility that has deployed the most highlyeffective security or safety program or “bestpractice.” Qualifications for this awardwould include items such as the developmentand implementation of a highly effectivehiring or training program which hasproduced exemplary results in terms of officers’/staffmembers’ performance, careerenhancement and higher retention levels;the application of new technologies or the“marriage” of new technologies with highlytrained officers to achieve higher performancelevels; or the development of a newprogram which itself has brought aboutnew levels of security and safety.Submission of Entries: ContentEntries should consist of a completeJoseph Antonowicz, M.D., (left) medical director of Altoona Regional BehavioralHealth Services, presents the Darrell Nixdorf Award to Mark Schimminger,community treatment coordinator, for his outstanding contributions to his field.Altoona Regional Behavioral Health ServicesPresents Darrell Nixdorf AwardAltoona Regional Behavioral Health Services recently presented the DarrellNixdorf Award to Mark Schimminger, community service treatment coordinator.The Nixdorf Award is given to the staff member who goes above and beyondthe scope of his or her duties in the field of behavioral health to improve servicesor advocate for consumers.Schimminger has been an employee for 16 years. He determines the mostappropriate work site for persons with community service obligations.description of the entry subject and whythat specific entry should be worthy ofconsideration. Each entry should includeback-up materials which support theentry. Back-up information could includeitems such as (a) documentation of definableincreases in performance levels; (b)department reports; (c) citations fromsenior healthcare managers; (d) letters ofcitation or recommendation from publicofficials, police departments or any othergovernmental agency which has jurisdictionover healthcare security; (e) mediacoverage of any event or incident reflectedin the submission; or (f) any additionaldocument that serves to describe, ratify orextol the submission subject.Submission of Entries: DeadlineAll completed entries must be receivedno later than Monday, December 3, 2007.Any facility wishing to submit an entry isasked to complete a pre-submission applicationform no later than July 1, 2007,which will serve as notification of yourintent to participate. Applications will beprovided by Vector Security; please contactBob Bronder at 724-779-8800 to obtainone.Development & Limit ofSubmissionsWe strongly suggest that you obtain theinterest and assistance of your facility’ssenior managers and public relations/marketingstaff in the development of your individualsubmission(s). Please remember thateach facility can provide a submission forANY ONE OF THE FOUR CATEGORIESthey prefer, or even ALL FOUR of the categories.The person ultimately responsibleEfor the submission must be the most seniorsecurity and/or safety manager at your facility.Divisions or Satellite Operationsof a Major Healthcare ProviderIf your security department operates in adivision or satellite facility of a largerhealthcare group, you can make award submissionsif your department operates as aseparate entity with a distinct local managementstaff.Separate Technology & SecurityOfficer DepartmentsIf your facility operates separate technologyand officer management departments,then the department responsible for managingthe topic of the award submission mustbe involved in the application process. Theperson ultimately responsible for the submissionmust be the most senior securityand safety manager operating out of thelocation.In closing, the impetus behind the creationof this awards program is to give welldeservedrecognition to members of thesecurity industry. We want the program tobe successful, and for that to happen, weneed to hear from you! Also, please feel freeto contact me at 724-779-8800 if you haveany questions or comments concerning theprogram. We’ll report on the progress of thisprogram in future editions of WesternPennsylvania Hospital News.Bob Bronder is the General Manager atVector Security’s Pittsburgh branch office location.Bob can be reached at (724) 779-8800ext. 1264 or by email atrpbronder@vectorsecurity.com.Health Rangers ProgramLooks To The Futurevery other Friday morning fromOctober through May a group ofChildren’s Hospital employees can befound meeting with students from localmiddle schools in various parts of the hospital.As part of the Health Rangers program,employees (mentors) meet withselected students from the PittsburghPublic Schools (mentees) within the hospital,sharing information about health-relatedcareers.Coordinated by The CommunityEducation Program, The Health Rangersprogram encourages employees to sharetheir expertise with students by providing apositive role model, and aspires to help thestudents improve school attendance,achieve higher grades and exhibit betterbehavior. In addition, these mentors helpteach students basic job skills and providean opportunity to develop relationshipswith positive role models and support tomake informed decisions about career goalsand life choices.Current host hospitals for Health Rangersinclude Allegheny General, Mercy as well asChildren’s Hospital. Children’s Hospitalpartners with Frick International Academyand Arsenal Middle School.The Health Rangers program is one of the150 local mentoring programs supported bythe Mentoring Partnership of SouthwesternPennsylvania. With a mission to expand thecommunity’s capacity to support qualitymentoringrelationships they work to providequality training and technical assistancefor local mentors and mentoring programs,as well as raise awareness about theneed for mentors. By helping to connectthose wanting to be a mentor with theappropriate local program they are workingto eliminate the waiting list of over onethousand youth who have asked for a mentorin their life.Currently, The Mentoring Partnership isgearing up for their annual “MentoringAwareness Day” on Saturday, June 2, 2007.This festive and informative event will takeplace from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at the Waterfrontin Homestead in the Town Center (behindStarbucks) and includes music from theAmbridge High School Steel Drum Band aswell as a chance to talk to representativesfrom a variety of mentoring programs aboutvolunteer opportunities. According toGregg Behr, chairman of The MentoringPartnership Board of Directors, “As kids,most of us, somewhere along the way,received valuable guidance from somebodyaparent, a teacher, a friend- who took aninterest in us because they wanted to see usbecome somebody. We’re asking for peopleto return the favor and at the end of the day,our entire community will be better for it.”You can be the key to a child’s success.For more information, visitwww.MentoringPittsburgh.org, call(412) 281-2535 or emailinfo@mentoringpittsburgh.org.12 April 22, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

Mario and Nathalie greet children Annie and Greg Boughner who are busy enjoying one of themany play spaces for children and families located throughout the new Children’s Home ofPittsburgh and Lemieux Family Center.Children’s Home CEO Pam Schanwald smiles alongside County Chief Executive Dan Onorato(left) and Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl (center) who were on hand to help cut the ribbonand show their support.COVER STORY: The Children’s Home and Lemieux Family CenterCelebrate Expanded Services at New FacilityContinued from page 1and have a significant impact on ourregion’s economic development,” saidSchanwald.In recognition of a substantial grantfrom The Mario Lemieux Foundation, TheChildren’s Home added Lemieux FamilyCenter to its name. This addition signifiesthe importance of family at the center ofthe organization’s mission and is physicallyrepresented through the many familyspaces throughout the building, includingan enlarged family living area and Austin’sPlayroom for siblings.“Our son Austin was born prematurely,”said Mario Lemieux. “Nathalie and I,along with other members of theFoundation, certainly understand andbelieve in the importance of a place likeThe Children’s Home.”The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh andLemieux Family Center includes livingspaces that allow families to spend timetogether. These areas were created to providea sense of home and comfort for thechildren and families who are receivingcare at facility.Another significant source of supportfor the project was $4.5 million in financialassistance from the Commonwealth ofPennsylvania, Honorable Edward G.Rendell, Governor. The announcement ofthis funding in August marked the firstpublic support ever received by TheChildren’s Home of Pittsburgh.The ribbon cutting featured a receptionand remarks by The Children’s HomeCEO Pam Schanwald, President of TheChildren’s Home’s Board of Directors BillWycoff, Pittsburgh Mayor LukeRavenstahl, County Chief Executive DanOnorato, and Executive Director of TheMario Lemieux Foundation, TomGrealish.Mario Lemieux, his wife Nathalie, and“Mr. McFeely” of Mister Rogers’Neighborhood, David Newell, wereamong the ribbon cutters. Following theribbon cutting, attendees had the opportunityto explore the new facility and askquestions of The Children’s Home staff.The building’s unveiling marks the culminationof several years of diligent planningand involvement from staff, families,neighbors, volunteers, advisors, donorsand other community leaders. Manygroups collaborated to ensure the buildingwas attuned to families’ and children’sneeds.“The layout for the new Child’s Way isbeyond our imagination,” said Robb andEmmie Belak, parents of Gabriel, 4, whoattends Child’s Way and wasalso a patient in TransitionalInfant Care (T.I.C.) as a baby.“It’s as if the all the designerstruly had a vocation to nurtureour children. All the areas speakof a center that will provide thesocial interaction that the kidsthrive in.”Designed by Pittsburgh architecturalfirm Perkins EastmanRobb and Emmie Belak with sonGabe, 4, share a smile in thenew Child’s Way, Pittsburgh’sfirst and only pediatric extendedcare center providing day careto medically fragile children agesbirth to eight. Gabe also spenteight weeks at The Children’sHome’s Transitional Infant Care(T.I.C.) hospitalunit as a baby.with construction management by P.J.Dick Incorporated, the new buildingspans 63,000 square feet at an approximatecost of $20 million. The Children’sHome is expanding its 28-bed PediatricSpecialty Hospital which houses theTransitional Infant Care (T.I.C. ®) and thenew Transitional Pediatric Care (T.P.C.)units. The Hospital specializes in providingcontinued acute care for infants andchildren transitioning from hospital tohome. The new Transitional PediatricCare unit also offers the first dedicatedpediatric in-patient hospice beds in southwesternPennsylvania.Child’s Way, a state licensed PediatricExtended Care Center, will increaseenrollment from 45 to 60 medically fragilechildren per day in a medical day care setting.The Children’s Home’s flagship infantAdoption program will benefit fromimproved meeting space and conferencerooms for support groups, training sessions,and one-on-one counseling.Let Paris show you how our proven system will save you money and increaseyour efficiencies in Linen Management:• Lower “Cost Per Patient Day” Than In-house Laundry or Other Outsourcers• Computerized Linen Tracking System• Strict Quality Standards• On-time, Dependable Deliveries• Personalized Customer Service and SupportFor more information, and for a free evaluation of your presentlinen management system, please contact Randy Rosetti at:1-800-832-2306 or info@parisco.comLocated in: DuBois, PA • Williamsport, PA • Pittsburgh, PA • Ravenna, OHHospital News hospitalnews.org April 22, 2007 13

THE REGION’S MONTHLYHEALTH CARE NEWSPAPER4417 Old William Penn Hwy. #6Monroeville, PA 15146Phone: (412) 856-1954E-mail: hdkart@aol.comWebsite:www.hospitalnews.orgHARVEY D. KARTPublisherNANCY CARROLL LAMMIEEditorMARJORIE ANN WILSONDirector of AdvertisingJUDY GRAMMEditorial CoordinatorsSHANNON NASSMarketing AssistantART/PRODUCTIONJMC GraphicsContributing WritersRon CichowiczJohn FriesNancy KennedyRon PagliaVanessa OrrMichael PodraskyLois ThomsonAndrea ZrimsekSISTER PUBLICATIONSAtlanta Hospital NewsKristen & Josh Felix, Publishersinfo@atlantahospitalnews.comChicago Hospital NewsKristen & Josh Felix, Publishersinfo@chicagohospitalnews.comSouth FloridaHospital NewsCharles & Carol Felix, Publisherssflahospitalnews@aol.comTO REACH US FORADVERTISING OR EDITORIALCall (412) 856-1954 ore-mail hdkart@aol.com____________REPRINTSCall (412) 835-5796 or e-mailcarrollncy@aol.com____________SUBSCRIPTIONSOne Year $30Two Years $45Three Years $60____________All rights reserved. Reproductionin whole or part without writtenpermission prohibited.Copyright © 2007SnapshotsACMC Opens ExpandedCardiac Rehab CenterAshtabula County Medical Center recently unveiled itsnewest addition - a new, expanded space for the CardiacRehabilitation Department.The new Cardiac Rehab department features a largereception space and a gym with a wall of windows, plustreadmills, bikes, weights, and other equipment. Two newtreadmills were recently obtained, one purchased byACMC and one donated by the Richard S. MorrisonFoundation.Construction of the new space was done entirely inhouseby ACMC’s Engineering Department, saving thehospital thousands of dollars.Alle-Kiski Medical CenterOpens New Medical/Surgical UnitOfficials at Alle-Kiski Medical Center (AKMC) recentlyannounced the opening of a recently renovated 20-bedmedical surgical unit that provides added inpatient roomsto accommodate increasing patient volumes.The renovated first floor unit once housed Obstetrics.The renovation, which included adding medical gases tothe rooms, allows for more flexibility to accommodatepatients with various medical and surgical conditions. Thenew unit makes available an additional 12 private and 4semi-private rooms for those inpatient admissions.MVHHostsAnnualRegionalAuxiliaryMeetingThe Auxiliary ofMon-Vale HealthResources, Inc.recently teamedup with theSouthwest Regional Area Pennsylvania Association of HealthcareAuxiliary (SRAPAHA) and held its annual spring meeting in theAnthony M. Lombardi Education Conference Center.Pictured are Maureen Lusk, President of the Auxiliary of Mon-Vale Health Resources, Inc., chatting with Reverend MikeMilinovich during the SRAPAHA/Auxiliary spring meeting.Hospital’s New SystemAdvances Breast CancerDetectionA state-of-theartimaging systemis advancingUPMCNorthwest’sability to diagnosebreastcancer and otherbreast diseases.The hospital’sR2 TechnologyImageCheckerSystem makesmammographyexams more thorough than ever, according to radiologist andImaging Department chairman Mark Salerno, M.D.Pictured is mammography technologist Brianne Groomsdemonstrating the ImageChecker’s touch screen features.Mercy Trauma and Burn Centers Celebrate Excellence,40 Years in Burn Care & 20 Years in Trauma CareIndividuals who have survived from some of life’s most devastating injuries recently reunited with their caregivers at TheMercy Hospital of Pittsburgh during Burn Survivor Sunday. The annual celebration of survivorship took place at the close ofNational Burn Awareness Week.Started in 1994 by a burn center nurse, the event took on even greater importance in 2007 as Mercy observes its 40thanniversary as a comprehensive burn center and its 20th anniversary as a Level I Regional Resource Trauma Center.Pictured are students from the Mercy Hospital School of Nursing who volunteered their time to help pediatric burn survivorswith Valentine’s Day crafts and face painting.14 April 22, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

We each have ourown life stories.Often those storiesbecome even moreimportant as we reach theend of our life. Sometimesthe life review is mostimportant for us, sometimesit is most importantfor those closest to us.Because of the impact ofthese life stories and theimportance of life review,Family Hospice andPalliative Care created YourGift of Legacy.Through Your Gift ofLegacy, patients create avisual journal that reflectstheir lives, experiences, and relationships.Some choose to record an audio or videointerview while others are more comfortablewith a hands-on-project, such as amemory box or a collage. Like all hospicedecisions, the patient is the driving forceand directs the project. “Recently anelderly gentleman and his wife made aDVD about their life together and viewedit with their family at Christmas time. Itwas very meaningful for them to sharetheir life story with their children andgrandchildren,” reflects Paula Church,Your Gift of Legacy coordinator.A former hospice nurse and photojournaliststudent, Ms. Church, either visitswith the patients at home or meets themat Family Hospice and Palliative Care’sQuality of Life Center. Together, theyThe Journey to ImproveHospice Care in Americaembark on this personaljourney about thepatient’s life. Once completed,the patient maychoose to distribute thevideo or art work tofriends or family.According to one patient’swishes, her video storieswere delivered to familymembers once she hadpassed away. Her videoreiterated her desire thather family rejoice in herlife rather than mourn herabsence.Your Gift of Legacyemphasizes the basic hospicephilosophy – to carefor patients medically, emotionally andspiritually. To see the whole person. Tocare for the individual person not just thedisease. It lets patients know that our staffand their loved ones see them as peoplewith distinct experiences, individualmemories, and unique life experiences.The recording of an individual’s storycan often be healing for the patient andfamily. Although more than 50 years hadpassed, our patient had never talked withhis family about his intense experience asa World War II solider. Making a video,complete with still photos of him in uniform,gave him the chance to share withhis family and important time in his life.For others, Your Gift of Legacy allowspatients and families to focus on better,easier times in life. While participating inBY RAFAEL J. SCIULLO,MA, LCSW, MSthe project, one mother was able to relivehappy memories of times she had withher children when they were young. Formany, this project serves as a launchingpad for many hours of storytelling withtheir loved ones.Many patients are surprised that ahealth care organization – a hospice – isinterested in their lives before becoming apatient. Your Gift of Legacy is one waythat Family Hospice and Palliative Caredemonstrates to patients their commitmentto caring for the whole person. Italso shows how the hospice philosophyfocuses on living rather than death anddying. Your Gift of Legacy says to apatient – “You are an individual and weare interested in the stories that make upyour life.”Your Gift of Legacy reflects the best ofhospice by helping patients and familieswith reaching a level of peace and comfortthrough life review and storytelling. Formany this project provides the neededclosure and for others it is a welcomeopportunity to review the good times inlife. Family Hospice and Palliative Careunderstands the importance of both ofthese. Sometimes good end-of-life care isless about the end of life and more aboutthe memories, stories, and experiences ofan entire life.Rafael J. Sciullo, MA, LCSW, MS, isPresident and CEO of Family Hospice andPalliative Care. He may be reached atrsciullo@familyhospice.com or at(412) 572-8800.Health Hope NetworkSponsors Stroke Survivorand Caregiver SymposiumHealth Hope Network (formerly Visiting Nurse Foundation) is hostingthe 2007 Stroke Survivor and Caregiver Symposium on Saturday, May19 from 8 a.m.- 3 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, Green Tree.The Stroke Survivor & Caregiver Symposium is targeted to the stroke survivor& their families, not the medical profession, which is more typical. Theday will provide stroke survivors and their caregivers with information toimprove their quality of life through educational opportunities addressing allareas of wellness—physical, emotional, cognitive and social.Speakers include Ashis Tayal, M.D., Medical Director of theComprehensive Stroke Program at Allegheny General Hospital; CarolSchramke, Ph.D., Director of Behavioral Neurology, Department ofNeurology, Allegheny General Hospital, and Associate Professor of NeurologyDrexel University College of Medicine; Catherine Birk, M.D., MedicalDirector of Neuroscience Program, HealthSouth Harmarville RehabilitationHospital; and Lynn O’Donnell, BSN, RN, CRRN, CBIS, Primary Nurse CareCoordinator for the Stroke & General Rehabilitation Unit at South SideHospital.Vendors represented at the Symposium include American StrokeAssociation, Highmark, Medtronic, American Healthcare Group, Hangar O &P, Merck, Solutions for Accessible Living, Advance Staffing, UPMC StrokeInstitute, Allegheny General Hospital, Blind & Vision Rehabilitation Services,Home Instead Senior Care, HealthSouth, The Woodlands Foundation, Sanofi-Aventis, Stroke Survivor Connection, and UPMC South Side Hospital.Admission to the event is $10. For more information, visit www.healthhopenetwork.orgor call (412) 937-8350.For the Most Efficient Solution,Call HBE for Your Next Medical Building Project.Since 1960, HBE is a leader at improvingoperational efficiency, maximizing usablespace in relation to gross space, properlyplanning for future growth, and optimizinga balance between design, practicality andcost benefit.The HBE team is made up of the toparchitectural, engineering, interiordesign, and construction professionalsin the United States – specializing in thehealthcare industry.In addition, HBE offers a GuaranteedLump Sum Price (including allarchitecture, engineering, interior design,and construction) on all of its projects.Unlike other delivery approaches whereerrors and omissions by architects resultin costly general contractor change orders,HBE’s drawings are guaranteed or they arecorrected at no cost to our clients.Call Lincoln Boschert, HBE MedicalBuildings VP at 314-567-9000 to startdiscussing, planning, and designing yourmedical building project. Or visit us atwww.hbecorp.com.Hospital News hospitalnews.org April 22, 2007 15

Accoladesaccolades(l-r) HIMSS Vice Chair Marion J. Ball, Ed.D, FHIMSS; HIMSS Chair George T. Hickman,CPHIMS, FHIMSS; Barry Ross, FHIMSS, Lifetime Member Hackett(l-r) HIMSS Vice Chair Marion J. Ball, Ed.D, FHIMSS; HIMSS Chair George T. Hickman,CPHIMS, FHIMSS; Stephanie Rose Hackett; Brian Compas, FHIMSS, Fellows FoundationFundraising Workgroup ChairTwo Members of Western Pennsylvania HIMSSChapter Recognized for Health IT ContributionsTwo members of the Western Pennsylvania Chapter of HIMSS residents were recognizedat the 2007 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition in New Orleans, LA.Barry T. Ross, MS, MBA, FHIMSS, DHHS, president of the Western PennsylvaniaChapter of HIMSS, received the John A. Page Outstanding Service Award. Stephanie R.Hackett, a PhD student in Rehabilitation Science with an emphasis in health informationsystems at the University of Pittsburgh, was honored with the HIMSS FoundationPhD Scholarship.Barry T. Ross, MS, MBA, FHIMSS, DSHS, was one of two recipients of the John A. PageOutstanding Service Award. The award is presented to an individual(s) who, in the judgmentof the HIMSS Board of Directors, has made significant, commendable and longstandingcontributions to the Society. A long-time HIMSS volunteer, Ross is president ofthe Western Pennsylvania Chapter. He was the 1984 President/Chairman of the Boardof HIMSS and was responsible for instituting the HIMSS scholarship program. Ross wasfounder and past president of both the HIMSS Dairyland (Wisconsin) Chapter and theNew York Chapter. He is both a fellow and lifetime (30 years or more) member ofHIMSS. He has served on the board of Western Pennsylvania ACHE.Stephanie R. Hackett, a native of St. Marys, PA., received the 2007 HIMSS FoundationPhD Scholarship. Hackett is a 1995 graduate of St. Marys Area High School. She earneda BS in Health Information Management and a MS in Health and Rehabilitation Sciencesfrom University of Pittsburgh with an emphasis in Health Information Systems. She isalso active in the Western Pennsylvania Chapter and serves on the chapter’sCommunications Committee. Hackett is also the recipient of 2007 Anne Pascasio PhDscholarship and 2007 Pennsylvania Health Information Management Association(PHIMA) student scholarshipCorazon Founder & CEOReceives DistinguishedAlumni AwardJackie Johnson, Chief Executive Officer and Founderof Corazon has received the 2007 DistinguishedAlumna Award from the University of Pittsburgh’s KatzGraduate School of Business.A Nominating Committee brings candidates to theentire Board for a vote on the year’s winners. This year,Jackie’s professional qualifications, leadership contributionsto the healthcare industry, and commendablecommunity service have earned her this special recognition.Jackie JohnsonJohnson earned her Master of Business Administration Degree from Katz in 1986 as arecipient of a Fellowship for Academic Excellence—she was the only nurse in a class of209 full-time students. In 2004, Johnson completed an Entrepreneurial Fellowship withthe University, and to date remains involved with the Katz Business School as a participantin the EFC Roundtable and through attendance at speaker and social events held throughoutthe year.Arnie Burchianti, CEO,Celtic Healthcare Nominatedfor 2007 Ernst &Young Entrepreneurof the Year AwardArnie Burchianti, CEO of Celtic Healthcare, wasnominated for the 2007 Ernst & Young Entrepreneurof the Year Award.The Entrepreneur of the Year awards began as a wayto recognize and honor the best in the business world,and Ernst & Young has been honoring entrepreneurialArnie Burchiantiexcellence for over twenty years.Burchianti began his entrepreneurial career as a Physical Therapist in 1995 with the formationof Functional Integration, Inc., a therapy rehabilitation company, which has sinceevolved into Celtic Healthcare, Inc.Memorial Medical CenterEmployee “Humbled” byTribute to Women Award“If it’s important enough, you make time for it.”That quote from Shelby McHenry reflects the kind ofthinking that landed her the YWCA of GreaterJohnstown Tribute to Women’s highest honor, theYellow Rose Award, which is selected by YWCA Boardof Directors.“The Yellow Rose Award was established to recognizesomeone who upholds the mission of theYWCA,” says Audrey Basko, a YWCA Board Memberwho nominated McHenry. “Shelby is the Yellow RoseShelby McHenryAward, she doesn’t just exemplify its meaning. Afteryou hear her speak and her positive attitude, you think, ‘I can be a better person.’”McHenry, a certified surgical technologist (CST) at Memorial Medical Center’s LeeAmbulatory Surgery Center, and Basko became acquainted while serving together on theYWCA board and have since helped coordinate events such as public teas and otherfundraisers as Tea Committee members. McHenry had to step down from her role as boardmember when her husband began experiencing serious health problems. “The YWCA isan excellent institution,” says McHenry. “When I was going through a particularly roughtime with my husband’s illness, they supported me; and everyone needs a little helpinghand sometime, that’s why I feel it’s so important to give back to them.”Health Hope Network Stroke Survivor and Caregiver SymposiumHealth Hope Network (formerly Visiting Nurse Foundation) is sponsoring aStroke Survivor and Caregiver Symposium on Saturday. May 19, 8a-3pto mark Stroke Awareness Month. The symposium will provide stroke survivorsand their caregivers with information to improve their quality of life throughspeakers and vendors addressing all areas of wellness: physical, emotional,cognitive and social.Health Hope Network also sponsors Stroke Survivor Connection – a network offree weekly therapy support groups for stroke survivors and their caregivers.The symposium will take place at the Holiday Inn in Green Treeand admission is $10, which includes lunch. Please visitwww.healthhopenetwork.org or call 412-937-8350 for more information.Equal HousingLENDERwww.parkvale.comHelen Green, ManagerOakland Office3520 Forbes AvenuePittsburgh, PA 15213Phone: 412-687-1200Member FDIC16 April 22, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

TAdvanced Practice Nursing is on the Moveat Robert Morris University’s School of Nursinghere has never been a better timeto be an advanced practice nurse!Now is a critical time in the visionand direction of nursing as educatorsbegin offering advanced practice nursingprograms to prepare the Doctor ofNursing Practice (DNP). Robert MorrisUniversity’s new DNP offering will leadPennsylvania’s nursing efforts to providestrong programs with clear outcomesthat support the delivery of qualityhealth care for all of our citizens.The role of advanced practice nurses(APN) has evolved over the past threedecades in response to the changing andcomplex health care system. Nursing hasalways met the challenge of the changinghealth care environment by educatingnurses to deliver high- quality health carein acute and primary care settings. In thepast, non-baccalaureate nurses were ableto practice as APNs if they obtained a certificatefollowing an associate degree ordiploma education. Many of these cliniciansare grandfathered and in practicetoday. Now, however, recognition as anAPN requires a graduate degree and inPennsylvania, national certification, topractice.APN programs continue to evolve and,just recently, the American Association ofColleges of Nursing (AACN) recommendedthat all APNs be educated at the doctorallevel by 2015. APN doctoral programswill provide nurses the opportunitiesto gain an advanced knowledge baseand skills through classroom and clinicalinstruction. The DNP is a practice degreepreparing nurses to work at the highestBY CARL A. ROSS, R.N., PH.D., C.R.N.P., BC,CNE, & LYNDA J. DAVIDSON, R.N., PH.Dlevel of nursing practice. The DNP is notmeant to take the place of the Doctor ofPhilosophy degree (PhD), which is thepreferred degree for nurses who wish tobe nurse scholars.Nurses who fit under the category ofAPN are those who practice as certifiedregistered nurse practitioners (CRNP),clinical nurse specialists (CNS), certifiednurse anesthetists (CRNA), and certifiednurse midwives (CNM). APNs are frequentlyin situations where they must useclinical judgment in the treatment andmonitoring of disease states. In addition,many APNs play an important role in caringfor the underserved, rural populations,and the elderly in long-term carefacilities and assisted living. With decliningnumbers of family practice physicians,it is imperative that APNs such as NPscontinue to provide safe, high qualityhealth care.Robert Morris University’s (RMU)School of Nursing has led the way foreducation of these APNs by opening thefirst Pennsylvania State Board of NursingapprovedDNP program for bachelor’spreparednurses. This innovative programwill allow nurses who currently hold abachelors of science in nursing (BSN)degree to begin doctoral studies. RMU’sSchool of Nursing offers the DNP degreewith specialization as a family nurse practitioner,adult nurse practitioner, andadult-psychiatric nurse practitioner.While a handful of Pennsylvania institutions,including RMU, currently offera completion option for advanced practicenurses with master’s degrees, RMU’snewest program is the first to allownurses with bachelor’s degrees to pursuelearning at the highest level of nursingpractice without obtaining a separate master’sdegree. Similar to the DNP completionoption announced by RMU inJanuary, the curriculum in the BSN-to-DNP program will incorporate the recommendationsof the Institute of Medicine indeveloping multi-disciplinary teamworkskills in order to meet the challengesoutlined in the organization’s“HealthProfessions Education:A Bridge to Quality,2003.” DNP studentswill also complete acapstone course inwhich they conductfield projects underthe supervision of anonsite preceptor andRMU faculty advisor.RMU’s BSN-to-DNP programaddresses recent initiatives by bothPennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell andthe AACN. As part of his “Prescription forPennsylvania” program, the governor hasproposed expansion of the role of nursepractitioners in the provision of patientcare throughout the Commonwealth. TheAACN’s recommendation that alladvanced practice nurses be educated atthe doctor of nursing practice level by2015 is also supported by the NationalAcademy of Science. Currently, there areonly 28 other DNP programs in existencenationwide.Carl A. Ross, R.N., Ph.D., C.R.N.P., is aprofessor of nursing at Robert MorrisUniversity. He can be reached atross@rmu.edu. Lynda J. Davidson, R.N.,Ph.D., is dean of the School of Nursing and aprofessor of nursing at Robert MorrisUniversity. She can be reached atdavidsonl@rmu.edu.Health care providers know that for medically fragile and technologydependent children and their families, challenges await long after achild stabilizes.At The Children’s Home, we offer Transitional Infant Care (T.I.C. ® )Hospital, a freestanding, sub-acute 11-bed pediatric specialty hospitalfor premature and high-risk infants and their families.We also fill the need for specialized medical day care withChild’s Way ® .In 2007, we will add a Pediatric Transitional Care unit that willprovide 24-hour, pediatric short term care, respite and hospice care ina family focused setting.Transitional Infant Care (T.I.C. ® ) Hospital. Child’s Way ® .Pediatric Transitional Care.Complex Careat a Crucial TimeCreating Pathways to Growth.412-441-4884www.childrenshomepgh.orgHospital News hospitalnews.org April 22, 2007 17

TEDUCATIONLake Erie College Of Osteopathic Medical Education IsPreparing The Teaching Physician of the Futurehe success of medical studentsdepends a great deal on the qualityand experience of the professorsand physicians who teach them. As aleader in faculty development, The LakeErie College of Osteopathic Medicine hastrained physicians to become better teachersthrough national and regional workshops.This June, a new group of teachingphysicians will take medical education toa higher level. Nine doctors will earn aMasters of Science in Medical Educationfrom LECOM.Associate Dean for FacultyDevelopment and Evaluation Hershey S.Bell, M.D., a MS in Med Ed candidate andfaculty member, provides a description ofthe program:We designed this two-year, 32 credithour curriculum specifically for clinicianswho desire careers in academic medicineand academic leadership. LECOM seeksto prepare physicians who, as educationalleaders, possess the knowledge, skills andattitudes necessary to create and sustaincurricular innovation.We want to assure that the MS in MedEd graduates are well equipped to advancethe science and practice of medical education.We expect graduates of the MS inMed Ed curriculum to pursue careers inacademic osteopathic medicine andachieve positions of leadership withintheir medical education settings.An emphasis on curriculum distinguishesour program from other MS inMed Ed programs. The curriculum isdivided into three components. The firstcomponent covers the full scope of the“Fundamentals of Medical Education.” Infive courses, we teach educational theory,the relationship between medical educationand medical quality, curriculumdevelopment and design, and competency-basededucation. We provides thebasics of working with individual learners,working within difficult teacherlearnersituations, lecturing skills, smallgroup teaching skills, advising and mentoringskills, giving and receiving feedback,and the fundamentals of conductingvalid and reliable evaluation.The third course covers the topics felt tobe most necessary to assuring successfulcurriculum implementation includingdelegation and supervision, negotiation,meeting management, and money andtime management. The fourth course coversnewer topics that have not traditionallybeen part of the medical school curriculum,but which are invaluable to thephysician-educator. The topics includeevidence-based medicine, research designand implementation, grant-writing andfunding opportunities, health care managementand medical-legal issues, bothwith an emphasis on academic medicine.Finally, the “Fundamentals” series concludeswith a reflective course on leadership.In January 2008, LECOM will putonline a distance education version of theMasters curriculum. Students will coverthe “Fundamentals” course material in aninteractive learning environment that willinclude podcasts, chat rooms, bulletinboard discussions, and other leading distanceeducation innovations. Twice peryear, students will convene for “experientiallearning” at either LECOM’s Erie, PAor Bradenton, FL campus. The educationalpracticum can be completed at the student’shome site and the thesis will hopefullybe tied into a true need at the student’shome program, making the resultsof the student’s education immediatelyavailable to their entire program or COM.The ideal student for this curriculum isa graduate medical practitioner – DO,MD, PA, NP or other related health careprofession – who aspires to a career inacademics and has opportunity to teach intheir current setting. Interns, residents,fellows, and faculty are ideally suited toenter this curriculum.For more information, visitwww.lecom.edu.C H A T H A M C O L L E G EARE YOUREADY?to change your worldCHATHAM COLLEGE’S TRANSITIONALDOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY ISSPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR CURRENTPHYSICAL THERAPISTS WHO WANT TOEARN THEIR DOCTORATE THROUGHA CONVENIENT WEEKEND PROGRAM.THE DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPYIS A FULL-TIME, ENTRY LEVEL PROGRAMFOR FUTURE PHYSICAL THERAPISTS.www.chatham.edu ■ 800-837-1290 ■ admissions@chatham.eduChatham College ■ Woodland Road ■ Pittsburgh, PA 15232PHYSICAL THERAPYM.S. inNursingOfferedat IUP -MonroevilleIndiana University ofPennsylvania (IUP) offers theM.S. in Nursing - EducationTrack and Administration Track– from their IUP at Monroevillelocation. Graduates of theEducation Track meet the growing need to fill faculty teaching positions in LPN,Diploma, Associate, and Bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Additionally, graduatesof this program are prepared to pursue roles as patient educators and nursingstaff developers in a variety of academic and health care settings.Graduates of the Administration Track assume leadership positions in a varietyof health care settings including hospitals, long-term care facilities, home healthagencies, and rehabilitation facilities. As health care leaders, graduates assume acritical role in health care decision-making and in evaluating outcomes.Students complete this program in two years by taking two courses per term.Classes are offered Fridays from 5:00p.m. – 9:00p.m. at Penn Center East and aretaught by doctoral-level IUP Nursing faculty members. This program utilizes acohort format, where students take all required courses as a group, enabling themto develop a strong relationship with faculty members and colleagues, which promotesa supportive and challenging learning environment.To learn more about the program first-hand, attend an information session at 4 p.m.on Friday, April 20 or on Friday, May 25 at Penn Center East (Building 4, 9th Floor).IUP is accepting applications for the Fall 2007 term. For further information,call 1-800-845-0131, email grad-ocp@iup.edu or visit www.iup.edu/graduate.18 April 22, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

LLEmployees at Kane Climbingthe Career Ladderisa Marton had her career mappedout, but the directions to herintended destination weren’t quiteclear.Six years ago, Marton was working as anurse aide, but a career in nursing waswhat she wanted. However, with a 1-yearolddaughter to care for at home and limitedresources to pay for the educationneeded to further her career, Martonknew she needed to find a special programthat would meet her needs. That’swhen she turned her attention to John J.Kane Regional Centers.Martin learned about Kane’s CareerLadder program, which pays for tuition,fees and books for employees training tobecome LPNs and RNs. She soughtemployment with Kane, and as soon asshe was eligible, she enrolled in theCareer Ladder Program in January of2002. In 2004, she completed her LPNtraining and last year she became a RN.“I couldn’t have done it otherwise,” saidMarton, who now works at Kane RegionalCenter Scott Township. “I had to workfull time and at most places your employeris not going to accommodate theschedule you need”.“Here, they gave me the schedule Ineeded to accommodate my schoolingand family life. I never would have gottenthat cooperation elsewhere, plus I wouldhave had student loans to pay back whenI finished.”While the program is generous, it doesrequire that employees qualify. To be eligiblefor Career Ladder, workers musthave been employed by Kane for a yearand satisfy some other criteria.Charlotte Bennett, Training andDevelopment Coordinator for KaneRegional Centers, said the program hasbeen very successful with between 10 to20 employees enrolling each year. Kanehas gained nearly 50 nurses since the program’sinception in 2002.“If you read the classified ads, you’ll seefacilities offering signing bonuses fornurses,” Bennett said. “Our philosophy isthat we would rather grow our own ratherthan offer signing bonuses.“We have had a lot of people who havebeen with us for a long time and it’s a wayof offering career advancement within ourfacilities. We also see it as a way of attractingnew employees because once theyhave been here for a year they can participatein the program as long as they continueto meet the other criteria.”Bennett said that, like Marton, mostwho enter into the Career Ladder programare entry level employees at Kane.Some are nurse aides, but others comefrom different positions such as housekeeping,clerical and dietary.“We develop individualized programsfor each person that will help them toarrange to take all of the coursework theyneed to complete their degree.” Bennettsaid.The Career Ladder Program isn’t theonly way Kane encourages its employeesto improve themselves. It also offerstuition reimbursement for other coursesof study, which many have taken advantageof to continue their education.Marton said a bachelor’s degree will be thenext step in her progression. .Both programs do require that employeesgive a time commitment following thecompletion of their degree. Once thatcontractual obligation is satisfied, they arefree to go elsewhere, but Bennett said veryfew have chosen to leave even after fulfillingtheir commitment.“I’m not going anywhere,” Marton said.“I’ve got a good job paying a good wage, Iwork 15 minutes from home and myschedule is exactly what I was looking for.Why would I go anywhere else?”For more information on the CareerLadder program, contact Charlotte Bennett,Training and Development Coordinator, at(412) 422-6799.LECOM Introduces Three-YearMedical Degree CurriculumECOM has decided to recruit more physicians for family practice by reducingthe time it takes to earn an osteopathic medicine degree to three years.Continuing the mission to help grow the osteopathic medical profession, thecollege will start a Primary Care Scholars Pathway (PCSP) that not only willreduce the time it takes to become a family physician but also reduce the cost ofmedical education.The LECOM PCSP has received approval from the American OsteopathicAssociation Committee on Osteopathic College Accreditation and backing of theAmerican College of Osteopathic Family Practice. The PCSP will condense fouryears of medical education into three years in order to graduate more family doctorssooner and to save these students one year of expenses that adds to themounting debt held by medical college graduates.LECOM proposed this innovative curricular pathway in response to the declininginterest in primary care and particularly family practice. Studies show that educationalloans topping $150,000 will influence career paths taken by medical students.They are least likely to pursue family medicine. LECOM hopes to attractnew students by offering them a shorter path to a medical degree without jeopardizingtheir education in the areas needed to train a family physician.In the fall of 2007, LECOM will select its first PCSP class from a group of candidatesafter they complete the first twelve weeks of Gross Anatomy. Medical studentswho enter PCSP in October 2007 will graduate with a Doctor of OsteopathicDegree in 2010. Graduates will continue their post-graduate education through athree-year residency program at selected hospitals.For more information, visit www.lecom.edu.IUP ATATTENTION NURSES:It’s time to earn yourMaster’s degree.Now accepting applications for Fall 2007Attend an Information Session:Friday, April 20 orFriday, May 25 at 4:00 p.mPenn Center EastBuilding 4, 9th FloorR Concentrations inNursing Administrationand Nursing EducationR Attend classes parttime,one evening perweekR Quality education fromdoctoral-level IUPfaculty membersR Cohort format withlimited enrollmentTo R.S.V.P.Call: 1-800-845-0131 orE-mail: grad-ocp@iup.eduIUP is a member of thePennsylvania State Systemof Higher Education.M ONROEVILLE Hospital News hospitalnews.org April 22, 2007 19

Last year, Community College ofAllegheny County was ranked thirdin the nation for the number of studentsit graduates in both the HealthProfessions/Related Clinical Sciences andNursing programs by “CommunityCollege Week” newspaper. A lot of thosegraduates are the nontraditional studentwho chose later in life to pursue a healthfield career.Sharon Sommerfeld used a personaltragedy as a motivational tool to pursue acareer in the health field. Her older brothersurvived a horrible car accident in 1993but lived in a long-term care facilitybefore dying in 2004.“I was forced to reflect on my life andplan for the future. I decided that I wantedto help others become as functionallyindependent as possible.”Sommerfield is in her second year inthe Occupational Therapy Assistant(OTA) program at CCAC-Boyce. Prior tocoming to CCAC, she was a full-timemother of three and homemaker for 21years.“The OTA program at CCAC is veryaccommodating to my life’s schedule,”said Sommerfield. “You can work a parttimejob and go to school.”In addition to her studies at CCAC,Sommerfield is the president of theStudent Occupational Therapy As–sociationat Boyce Campus as well as doingvolunteer work for the therapeutic ridingfor the handicapped in Allison Park.“My advice to anyone making a careerchange is to volunteer in a health careerarea before applying for that program.That way you can see if how much youlike it.”Linda Radovich also took an introspectivelook at her life which led to a newcareer path at CCAC. As a graduate fromthe Art Institute of Pittsburgh, sheworked several jobs over the years involvingvarious forms of art, sales and management.Simultaneously, she became adisplaced worker as well as the primarycaregiver for her elderly mother.“I found it necessary to look for a newcareer and direction for my life,” saidRadovich.Since CCAC offers more than 30 associatedegrees and certificate programs inleading health careers, Radovich carefullyresearched several professional career topicsbefore deciding on enrolling in thePhysical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program.“My counselor at CCAC instructed meto participate as an observer in an outpatient therapy setting and I got to seefirst hand what a PTA does,” saidRadovich. “Although it is a very difficultprogram, I was convinced this is where IEDUCATIONCCAC Students Find Success in Health Career ProgramsSharon Sommerfeldwant to be.”Radovich will graduate this spring withan associate’s degree in PTA. In additionto that degree, she will also finish with acertificate in Massage Therapy.“I’m taking 22 credits this semester butthe overall sacrifice is well worth it.”Radovich is also a member of the PhiTheta Kappa honor society and is currentlyworking at Churchill Country Clubas a massage therapist.Linda RadovichSince Health Career programs at CCACare not open enrollment programs, studentscannot enroll in Health Careercourses without having been formallyaccepted into a program.For more information on applying to a program,please call the Center for HealthCareers Intake Office at (724) 325-6834.University of PittsburghSchool of NursingRanked 7th OverallIn the 2008 edition ofU.S. News & World Report’sAmerica’s Best Graduate SchoolsSeveral nursing specialtiesalso ranked in the top 10:Anesthesia ........... 5thCNS Psychiatric/Mental Health....... 6thPediatric NP ......... 6thAdult NP............... 9thSchool of NursingAdvancing the Science andPractice of Nursing412-624-4098www.nursing.pitt.eduRRMU to Launch First State Boardof Nursing-Approved Doctor ofNursing Practice Programobert Morris University (RMU)recently received full approval fromthe Pennsylvania Board of Nursingto begin offering the state’s first doctor ofnursing practice (DNP) program fornurses holding bachelor of science innursing (BSN) degrees. While a handfulof Pennsylvania institutions, includingRMU, currently offer a completion optionfor advanced practice nurses with master’sdegrees as nurse practitioners, clinicalnurse specialists, midwives or nurseanesthetists, RMU’s newest program is thefirst to allow nurses with bachelor’sdegrees to pursue learning at the highestlevel of nursing practice without obtaininga separate master’s degree. In addition,the University has named Judith A.Kaufmann, Dr.P.H., CRNP-BC, as directorof the DNP program, effective June 1.RMU’s BSN-to-DNP program addressesrecent initiatives by both PennsylvaniaGovernor Ed Rendell and the AmericanAssociation of Colleges of Nursing(AACN). As part of his “Prescription forPennsylvania” program, the governor hasproposed expansion of the role of nursepractitioners in the provision of patientcare throughout the Commonwealth. TheAACN, supported by the NationalInstitutes of Health, has recommendedthat all advanced practice nurses be educatedat the doctor of nursing practicelevel by 2015. Currently, there are only 28other DNP programs in existence nationwide.Expected to enroll its first class of 11full-time and 25 part-time students thisfall, RMU’s BSN-to-DNP program willallow nurses to earn a doctoral degree aseither a family nurse practitioner, adultnurse practitioner, or adult psychiatricnurse practitioner. Similar to the DNPcompletion option announced by RMU inJanuary, the curriculum in the BSN-to-DNP program will incorporate the recommendationsof the Institute of Medicinein developing multi-disciplinary teamworkskills in order to meet the challengesoutlined in the organization’s“Health Professions Education: A Bridgeto Quality, 2003.” DNP students will alsocomplete a capstone course in which theyconduct field projects under the supervisionof an onsite preceptor and RMU facultyadvisor.The content and competencies ofRMU’s program also align with theEssentials of the Doctoral of NursingPractice as defined by the AACN.For more information, contact graduateenrollment counselor Janene Szpak at(412) 397-2429.20 April 22, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

BY RON CICHOWICZTPitt Program HelpsProfessionals Update Skillsand Knowledge toMeet Changing Timesen years ago, the Graduate Schoolof Public and International Affairs(GSPIA) at the University ofPittsburgh launched a program aimedspecifically toward helping mid-careerprofessionals.A decade later, GSPIA’s Master of PublicPolicy Management (MPPM) would haveto be considered an unqualified success,having graduated more than 200 studentsto date.“MPPM students usually are workingfull-time and attending one or two classesper term; the majority of MPPM studentscannot attend school during the day,” saidProgram Director Michele Garrity. “The‘typical’ MPPM student is 35 to 45 yearsold and has seven to 10 years work experience.”The program admits students for fall,spring and summer terms. On average,MPPM admits 25 to 30 students per year.Applicants must have at least five years ofsignificant experience. An acceleratedprogram, MPPM has a 30-credit requirement,which can be completed in one yearof full-time study, or two years if the studentopts to go part-time.Among the areas of specialization fromwhich students can choose are nonprofitmanagement, urban and regional affairs,policy analysis and evaluation, securityand intelligence studies, global politicaleconomy, and human security.“As one of the leading schools in theUnited States, GSPIA affords students aunique opportunity to learn critical managementskills while getting a sharperunderstanding of the changing nature oftoday’s global environment for governmentsand nonprofit organizations,” saidGSPIA Interim Dean David Miller. “Weare proud of our ability to teach criticalmanagement skills while giving students abetter understanding of the political andcultural forces that are shaping today’smanagement climate.”Added Garrity: “I think what is attractiveabout GSPIA in general is its focus onpolicy issues, and public affairs morebroadly, and that the school has a domesticfocus as well as a global focus.”She also said that students most oftenpursue an MPPM degree for promotion oradvancement opportunities with theircurrent employer; if they’re planning a lateralmove within their profession or occupation;if they’re switching careers; orthey’re pursuing a second—or third—career due to early retirement, downsizing,or disability.“MPPM students come from verydiverse backgrounds across the public,private, and nonprofit sector,” saidGarrity. “What they have in common is adesire to become a part of a learning environmentagain. While they are a bit nervousabout returning to school after aseven to year absence, they are also veryenthusiastic about being a student oncemore.”One such student is Stacey Chick(MPPM ’07), who said this about MPPM:“This program has allowed me to gainStacey Chickmanagement skills, and the knowledgeand expertise on how to lead an organizationto both financial and goal-orientedsuccess. There has been a good selectionof courses offered in the evenings, whichhas enabled me to take one or two classeseach semester while working full timeduring the day at The University ofPittsburgh Medical Center. Moreover, theeducation received via the MPPM programhas contributed to an internal promotion.”Chick doesn’t appear to be alone in herassessment of the value of a degree fromthe MPPM Program. GSPIA conducted anMPPM alumni survey in 2002 and theresults were extremely positive. Amongthe findings: 86 percent of respondentssaid the MPPM program contributed to apositive change in employment status.Many said their experience at GSPIAbroadened their perspectives on the politicaland socio-economic factors at work insocieties, while others agreed it enhancedtheir understanding of the ethical dimensionsof public and/or international policymaking and decision making.More than three-fourths said their experienceat GSPIA deepened their commitmentto public service.Said Arita L. Gilliam, MS, MPPM, whoserves as coordinator of the UPMCShadyside/Pittsburgh Public SchoolHealth Partnership: “GSPIA offered me animmediate, tangible resource for personalprofessional development. After completingthe core courses, which served to providethe technical foundation for myinterest in policy analysis, I had theopportunity to explore topics that werespecifically related to my work and myinterest in adolescent health policy andeducation.“The availability of evening classes, thecultural diversity of the student body, andthe expertise and professional credentialsof the professors all contributed to a richand rewarding educational experience.”For more information about the Master ofPublic Policy Management at the GraduateSchool of Public and International Affairs atthe University of Pittsburgh, visitwww.gspia.pitt.edu/mppm or call(412) 648-7598.CAREEROpportunitiesFor advertising information,call Margie Wilson at (412) 856-1954 or email hdkart@aol.com.St. Clair HospitalHuman ResourcesDepartment1000 Bower Hill RoadPittsburgh, PA 15243www.stclair.orgAn Outstanding OpportunityWith an Outstanding OrganizationReimbursement andContracting SpecialistDue to departmental reorganization and growth,St. Clair Hospital has created a Reimbursementand Contracting Specialist position.We are seeking a motivated individual to join ourexpanding finance team. The successfulcandidate will be responsible for coordinatingand maintaining the budget and actual netrevenue models, analyzing net revenuecomponents, identifying and tracking modelingvariances as well as monitoring, negotiating andcoordinating managed care contracts andcontract renewals and preparing cost reports andvarious other financial analyses.This position requires BS/BA in accounting orrelated fields as well as a minimum of 3 to 5 yearsprogressively responsible healthcare experiencewith managed care, contract negotiation, netrevenue development and cost reportpreparation experience in a fully automated andcomputerized environment. Desirablequalifications for this position would be a CPA orMBA or equivalent.Interested applicants, please apply online at:www.stclair.orgEOEHospital News hospitalnews.org April 22, 2007 21

Chatham CollegeDevelops Doctorof NursingPractice DegreeIn response to the anticipated shortage of nurse educatorsand executives in the near future, the ChathamCollege faculty have approved the creation of a new Doctorof Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, according to LauraArmesto, Ph.D., vice president for academic affairs. Thenew program is Chatham’s third nursing degree, whichincludes a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) andMaster of Science in Nursing (MSN).The first DNP cohort, entering fall 2007, is limited to 20students to ensure greater student-faculty interaction.“We are building upon our existing relationships withUPMC Shadyside School of Nursing and St. Margaret’sSchool of Nursing to provide an advanced education thatfocuses on evidence-based scientific nursing practice,patient safety, and quality outcomes,” Dr. Armesto said.“Employers are seeking nurses with advanced degrees totake leadership roles in private practices, hospitals andother healthcare settings, and so our programs aredesigned to help nurses reach career goals and impactquality health care delivery in a variety of health care environments.”For more information call (800) 837-1290 orvisit www.chatham.edu.TEDUCATIONRespiratory Care ProgramUnder Way at UPMC Northwesto help meet the need for respiratory care professionals, UPMC Northwest has joined forces withClarion University-Venango Campus and UPMC Horizon to launch a two-year respiratory care programthat is under way. Thirteen students are enrolled in the new program and they completed the fallsemester at Venango Campus.“The respiratory care program is an important addition to the School of Nursing and Allied Health,” saidRenee Smith-Schaffer, chair of the Department of Allied Health, “and is a clear example of its mission to partnerwith area employers to meet critical workforce needs of the region.”Students will complete the 14-month clinical practicum portion of the respiratory care program at UPMCNorthwest and UPMC Horizon campuses in Greenville and Farrell, as well as at other clinical affiliatesincluding Clarion Hospital, Meadville Medical Center, Hamot Medical Center in Erie, and St. Elizabeth’sHospital in Youngstown, Ohio. Students will graduate in August 2008 with an Associate of Science inRespiratory Care degree from Clarion University-Venango Campus, and will be eligible to sit for the credentialingexaminations for advanced-level respiratory therapists administered by the National Board forRespiratory Care (NBRC).Students who successfully complete the NBRC examinations earn the credential RRT (registered respiratorytherapist) and are qualified to provide care in a variety of health care settings.The respiratory care program is not the only way that UPMC Northwest and Clarion University worktogether to meet the need for health care professionals. UPMC Northwest’s Radiologic Technology Schooland Clarion University partner to offer a Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences degree program. Withover 140 students enrolled in the four-year program, students who graduate each year are eligible to sit forthe certification examination in radiography administered by the American Registry of RadiologyTechnologists.Also, more than 30 UPMC Northwest employees are enrolled in the second RN Back-to-School program,an associate degree nursing program that UPMC Northwest offers in partnership with Venango Campus. TheRN Back-to-School students will graduate in May 2010 before joining the nursing staff of UPMC Northwestorganizations.In addition, a number of UPMC Northwest employees have been accepted into Clarion University’sExecutive MBA program that will begin at Venango Campus in fall 2007.For more information about the respiratory care program, call (814) 677-7202 atUPMC Northwest or visit the respiratory care home page on Clarion University’s web site athttp://www.clarion.edu/academic/nursing/nursing_respiratory.shtml.22 April 22, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News

Students at theUniversity ofPittsburghSchool ofNursing workwithseniors in avariety of settings.ANurses are Shaping theFuture of Healthcareging baby-boomers ready to crowdthe healthcare market are drivingchanges, not just with their numbers,but also with their level of knowledgeand their attitudes about healthcare delivery.Armed with knowledge and data fromthe Internet, they want to be partners inhealthcare – they don’t want anyone tellingthem what to do, they want to have choices,and they want control. An estimated 17percent of Americans younger than 65 donot have health insurance, so as theybecome eligible for Medicare, these agingbaby boomers may use more health careresources because of health care that wasdelayed at earlier ages.Faculty and students at the University ofPittsburgh School of Nursing are preparingto meet the medical needs of this growingsegment of the population with a numberof programs and initiatives. Research in theareas of adherence, technology, and healthcareinformatics help elderly patientsremain independent. And highly skillednurses trained in gerontologic care,advanced practice specialties, evidencebased practice (EBP), and leadership are allmaking a difference in healthcare deliveryand outcomes.“We are one of the few nursing schools inthe country that offers a specialized programfor geriatric nursing,” says DeborahCrowley-Lisowski, MS, RN, instructor inthe Department of Health and CommunitySystems. The program has transitionedfrom a focus on Alzheimer’s care to exposestudents to a broader spectrum of seniorhealth concerns. In the clinical setting,Crowley’s mission is to expose junior levelnursing students to a variety of learningopportunities to care for and learn from, asmany older adults as possible. “ThePittsburgh region is rich with hands-on,experiential and service-based learningopportunities,” says Crowley. “Consequently,our students are able to interactwith and care for many seniors along a continuumof care; including senior centers,adult day care centers, dementia units,rehabilitation units, assisted living facilities,and nursing homes.”The didactic curriculum adheres to theguidelines taken from the John A. HartfordFoundation Institute of Geriatric Nursingfor baccalaureate nursing students. Thefocus of this intense program is on the scientifictheories and principles central to thedelivery of health care to the elderly. Theprogram emphasizes assessment and healthpromotion, management of commonhealth problems, nutrition and aging, geriatricpharmacology, psychosociology andpsychopathology of aging, and geriatrichealth issues. “There is also a research componentin the program,” says Crowley-Lisowski. “It is important for students tounderstand why certain things are doneand how it benefits older adults.”Researchers at the School of Nursing aredeveloping technology solutions to assistcaregivers as well as improve outcomes andquality of life for patients. Studies includethe use of hand-held computers and pocketPCs to promote adherence, communicationdevices for non-speaking ICU patients,robotic assistance for the elderly, andhealthcare informatics and computer trainingmodules to support evidence basedpractice.With more than four times as many nursesin the United States as physicians, and anaging population that’s growing faster thanat any other time in history, nurses areshaping the future of health care in waysthat could not have been imagined even adecade ago.For more information,contact Deborah Crowley-Lisowski at(412) 624-1915 or dcrowley@pitt.edu.REPRINTS AVAILABLE!If you would like a reprint of an article thatappears in this issue of Hospital News,call JMC Graphics at (412) 835-5796 ore-mail adsjmcgraphics@aol.com.Hospital News hospitalnews.org April 22, 2007 23

Amerinet applauds you for a joHealth care touches every aspect of our lives…You are committed to delivering the highest quality patient care.At Amerinet, we share your commitment to achieving the highest level of qualityat the best possible cost. And, we applaud your dedication to improving the livesyou serve and honor your contributions to the communities in which we live.Find out how Amerinet can help you set the stage to optimize financial performance,and complete your mission – call us at 800-711-5600 or visit www.amerinet-gpo.com.In recognition of: National Hospital Week Na24 April 22, 2007 hospitalnews.org Hospital News