news notes · uf&shands staff will also participate as a team for the march of dimes march for...

SHANDS EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER VOL. 8 NO. 8 | MARcH 2013

cOVER OH bAbY! cELEbRATiNg OuR Nicu

41112

NEWs NotEsuf&SHANDS gROWS WiTH RENOVATiONS

gRATEfuL fAMiLY giVES bAck TO Nicu

SHANDS WELcOMES QuiNTuPLETSwin this!

2 News&Notes | march 2013

FsC LoGo

NEW&NExt . . . . . . . . . . . 4 the latest system scoop

FaCEs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 see who’s making news at shands

Kudos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 recognition for standout employees and programs

to do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Ideas for your agenda

NEWs&NotEsVOL. 8 NO. 8 | MARcH 2013

I will always remember the first time I toured the Shands Hospital for Children Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

It was about a year after I started working here, when I thought I’d seen just about everything. I went with a small group of my col-leagues for work-related purposes, not at all expecting to connect so personally with what I saw there.

Anyone who has been to our NICU knows what a special place it is. Seeing such tiny, fragile babies fighting for their lives in incubators, meeting the clinical teams who take care of them, observing the wor-ried, loving faces of NICU parents — it’s an experience that stays with you long after you leave. And after we left the unit, we all seemed to feel various combinations of heartbreak, hope and pride.

I’ve since learned that premature birth is among the top causes of death in infants worldwide, and in Florida, 13.5 percent of our babies are born too soon. But I have seen for myself that there is a place for these little fighters and a dedicated team of care providers who fight for them. Because of our NICU, premature babies have a chance to beat the odds, to grow into healthy infants, to leave the unit and come home to their families as life-sized miracles.

This winter and spring has brought many opportunities for Shands employees to support the great work in our NICU. This includes the Office of Development’s Raising Hope at Work for Babies employee giving campaign (p. 14). At last count in late February, our staff has donated close to $79,000 — more than 60 percent of our $125,000 goal — to support renovations to the NICU. (See our con-struction update on p. 4 for details.)

UF&Shands staff will also participate as a team for the March of Dimes March for Babies fundraising walk this month. We have a goal to raise $100,000 to support stronger, healthier babies. Read about how you can get involved on page 19.

I hope you’ll take some time to browse through this issue and read about babies and families who have spent time in our NICU. And I hope that even if you never have the opportunity to tour the unit, this special place and its stories will stay with you long after you turn the pages.

(Many thanks to the Office of Development for sharing their patient stories with us.)

Allison WilsonNews&Notes Editor

timothy M. Goldfarb chief executive officer

Wanda J. English senior Director, strategic communications and Public affairs

Kim Rose Director, strategic communications and Public relations

allison Wilson communications coordinator News&Notes editor

Madelyn West creative services coordinator News&Notes Designer

to contribute to future issues of NEWs&NotEs:

Phone: 352-265-0373 Fax: 352-265-0603

to view NEWs&NotEs online, please visit the employee tab on Bestnet, located on the shandsconnect Portal.

Please put NEWS&NOTES back in holder, share with co-workers or recycle.

uf&SHANDS | SERVicE

We got you, babeAnnual survey reminds employees to aim high

News&Notes | march 2013 3

uf&SHANDS | SERVicE

Words from our coach: let’s play ballCEO discusses game plan for the upcoming legislative season

We’re in the first inning, and it’s going to be a long game. That’s how Mary Beth Dyer, UF&Shands public policy director, explains the complicated Florida legislative session. When Gov. Rick Scott released his proposed budget in January, that was the anthem, and then the warm-up began last month when he announced support for extend-ing Medicaid to more low-income Floridians. The game officially started with the opening of the legislative session on March 5.

The House and Senate will each propose a budget around mid-March. Now our senators and representatives are meeting on legisla-tive committees to huddle and hash out the details of the budget and related bills. By early May, lawmakers will present a final budget and the governor will have 15 days to act on it. The state requires a final-ized, balanced budget before the state’s fiscal year begins July 1. Like I said, it will be a long game.

Many of you receive emails from the Florida Hospital Association or the Safety-Net Hospital Alliance of Florida. We’re working on the same team with these partners to support our patients and protect criti-cal health care funding. We may, however, take a different approach.

You might feel like a bench warmer, waiting to be called into action. Many of you ask, “What can I do on behalf of our patients and to protect UF&Shands programs and services?”

My answer is to please be patient, and be ready. We are careful and deliberate about what issues we discuss publicly and when. The funding discussion is fluid and will keep changing throughout the session. Last year, we asked Shands managers to send emails to legislators. You always respond in the hundreds and hit it out of the park as it were. We also invited several Shands nurses to represent us in Tallahassee and speak to lawmakers. We’ll take this approach again. Please be on standby — and if you’re asked to play ball for us, please support our team!

Please see the information on the right about critical funding deci-sions we face. It’s going to be a difficult game. Even with a home run here and there, whatever happens, we will continue to be responsible with existing resources. We promise our patients the best quality care and service, and we will play hard to support our clinical, educational and research funding.

Thank you — and go team!

Sincerely,

Tim Goldfarb, CEOShands HealthCare

gRADuATE MEDicAL EDucATiONthe good news for UF&shands is that the governor’s budget included at least $80 million to support the state’s graduate medical education programs. this is critical funding to help support the University of Florida college of medicine and shands.

PATiENT PROTEcTiON AND AffORDAbLE cARE AcT Lawmakers will decide whether to expand medicaid under the PPaca. expansion would result in coverage for almost 1 million new medicaid patients.

STATE MEDicAiD AND DRg PROPOSALBased on direction from the legislature last year, the agency for health care administration developed a new payment system that bases its medicaid payments to hospitals on rates for diagnosis-related groups (DrGs). meanwhile, medicaid currently pays by a flat rate per hospital day. medicare currently pays by DrG, so we are familiar with this payment model. we are working with the Fha and sNhaF on some adjustments to the proposed DrG model to make it more similar to medicare.

the governor’s budget also included a 2 percent overall hospital rate cut for medicaid payments. at this time, we do not know if the legislature will support this.

the Low Income Pool (LIP) council made recommendations to allocate funds for hospitals serving indigent patients. the governor’s budget adopts the LIP council recommendations. therefore, we expect that LIP funds will remain about the same for shands.


NEW&NEXT

Thanks to outstanding teamwork and a focus on quality care and great service, we are experiencing continued increas-ing inpatient and outpatient referrals and volumes. We are now working on several renovations at Shands at the Uni-versity of Florida that will allow us to meet the growing needs of our patients and community. Take a look at how we are updating our facilities.

10th floor renovation - pediatric congenital heart program

Last fall we vacated several administrative suites on the 10th floor of Shands at UF (north campus) to create much-needed additional clinical space. We recently announced that this space will be dedicated to pediatric congenital heart ICU/IMC care. This builds on our commitment to evolve Shands Hospital for Children at UF, co-locate services and improve access, and better serve this fast-growing patient population. The 10th-floor space will soon be occupied by 23 new state-of-the-art ICU rooms with convenient proximity to the nearby Pediatric ICU. Construction is scheduled to be complete by the end

of 2013. (Note: The executive and administrative suites formerly on the 10th floor moved to the first floor of Shands at UF.)

Third floor – updated Level II NICU

A new Level II NICU will be located on a different section of the third floor of Shands Hospital for Children, in the space that has housed the Clinical Research Center. (The CRC will relocate in April/May to the new UF Clinical Trials and Research Building on the northeast corner of Mowry Road and Gale Lemerand Drive.) Brad Pollitt, Shands at UF Facilities Development vice president, said the updated NICU will be expanded and modernized to be more patient- and parent-friendly. Materials similar to those used in the Shands Cancer Hospital at UF ICUs will be used in the renovation. Glass and wood-tone elements will create a sophisticated and soothing atmosphere that reflects the world-class neonatal care we provide. Demolition of the current NICU II is expected to begin this summer and the renovation and move will be complete next summer (2014).

uf&SHANDS | SERVicE

UF&Shands renovates and updates facilities

the new face of shands hospital for children at UF planned for the southeastern side of shands at UF


NEW&NEXT

uf&SHANDS | SERVicE

UF&Shands renovates and updates facilities

North campus emergency generator plant

A new emergency generator plant is being built on the east side of the visitor and staff garages (garages one and 10) on the east side of Shands at UF. The plant will support the third and 10th floor ICU renovation projects noted here, and will kick into gear to provide emergency power if those units suffer an outage. The new generator will be hurricane-proof and environmentally friendly. (Note: The north campus generator plant is not as expansive as the South Energy Center, which is a full energy plant on our south campus that produces emergency power, regular power, steam, hot water and chilled water to sustain the Shands Cancer Hospital.)

Shands Hospital for Children – new entrance and pavilion

Shands Hospital for Children at UF is getting a makeover with a new facade, new entry pavilion and enhanced lobby to improve access to the hospital and create a welcoming environment for families. The external renovation is set to begin in June/July. Following the external renovation, the east lobby will be renovated at the end of 2013. The first floor Gift Stop will relocate near Volunteer Services by the food court. (Note: This internal renovation will co-locate the food court, gift shop, chapel and restrooms to become a more convenient central resource for families and visitors.)

shands hospital for children east lobby renovation

Plans for the future Level II NIcU lobby

South campus – Shands Guest House

We recently announced plans to build a short-term lodging facility to serve visiting outpatients and their out-of-town family members or caregivers and hospitalized patients receiving care at Shands. The Shands Guest House will be built on the south campus, off Southwest 16th Avenue where the Rush Lake Motel was located. Demolition of the vacated buildings on that campus, including the motel and

Shands Professional Resource Centre, will continue through late summer. Construction will begin in the fall, and the guest house is slated to open at the end of 2014. Approximately150 guest suites will feature a private bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette/living space. Shared amenities will include laundry facilities, a common lounge area and a dining area providing a limited food service.

Please stay tuned to our internal newsletters and emails for updates about these projects. n&n

NEW&NEXT

SHANDS | PEOPLE

Say what you need to say Hey Shands employees, we’re listening!

This year’s Employee Engagement Survey runs through March 18. Shands employees are encouraged to take the survey and contribute to making Shands a great place to work. Survey feedback helps leaders enhance internal com-munication, foster our sense of inclusiveness and belong-ing, and improve the quality and safety of our services at Shands.

Each item on the survey measures engagement in one of three levels of focus: organization, manager and employee.

Organization questions measure employee perceptions of respect; work-life balance; fair compensation; growth and development; sense of belonging to community; organizational alignment; and quality-customer focus.

Manager questions measure leadership effectiveness. Employee questions measure coworker relations and

job-to-person match.Survey results are reported to each unit leader, who

reviews the responses and identifies areas for improvement. Last year’s survey data revealed opportunities to improve communication, involvement and teamwork throughout the organization. Leaders throughout Shands have involved their staff in developing action plans to work on these opportunities.

You will need your six-digit employee ID number, located on the back of your Shands ID badge, and a computer to take the survey. Simply click the survey link shared in system emails and in Shands News or from the BESTnet site on the ShandsConnect Portal. Enter your six-digit employee ID number and complete the survey. You will then be on our third-party survey vendor’s secure website and your responses will be confidential and anonymous to Shands leadership.

Managers will provide a computer for employees who do not have computer access at work.

Employees who take the survey will have a chance to win a digital picture frame. There is a daily random drawing* from all completed surveys to date. Your name is entered in the drawing starting the day you take the survey until March 18.

Thank you for sharing your opinion through the Employee Engagement Survey. n&n

*Employee identification remains confidential as names are drawn by a third party.

All you need is:• Your six-digit employee ID number

(located on the back of your Shands ID badge)

• A computer

And then, simply click the survey link!Enter your six-digit employee ID number and complete the survey. You will then be on our third-party survey vendor’s secure website and your responses will be confidential and anonymous to Shands leadership.

completing the survey

is so eAsy!



NEW&NEXT

Babies in the Shands Hospital for Children at the Univer-sity of Florida Neonatal Intensive Care Unit now have a way to stay close to Mom — even when she can’t be physi-cally close.

With the NICU staff’s new Heart to Heart project, moms are given heart-shaped cloths to put next to their skin. Mom’s scent is transferred to the cloth, which is then placed under the baby’s head.

Exposure to Mom’s scent has been identified as a potentially best practice that supports the neurodevelopment of premature infants. Jayne Yazdi, B.S.N., C.L.C., a NICU staff nurse, attended a neonatal conference last year and learned about this best practice.

Yazdi brought the idea to her NICU Staff Council representative Jane Whitehill, A.S.N., R.N.C.-N.I.C., for support in developing and implementing the project. Whitehill contacted Beth Talaga, M.S.N., R.N.C.-N.I.C.,

SHANDS HOSPiTAL fOR cHiLDREN | SERVicE

Cloth hearts bond mother and babyExposure to mother’s scent supports neurodevelopment

From left, Jayne Yazdi, B.s.N., c.L.c.; Jane whitehill, a.s.N., r.N.c.-N.I.c.; and Beth talaga, m.s.N., r.N.c.-N.I.c., display the cloth hearts used to transfer a mother’s scent to her baby as part of the heart to heart project.

NICU clinical leader, who helped Whitehill think through the project details, including goal definition and how project outcomes could be measured.

Yazdi and Whitehill then collaborated with Judy Angley, March of Dimes Family Support liaison, and Kathy Rapacki, M.S.N., A.R.N.P., A.C.N.P.-B.C., Shands at UF Surgical Intensive Care Unit nurse, and Tree City Quilters, for help in making and distributing the hearts to moms. The project is being rolled out to Shands Hospital for Children NICU staff, who already embrace many aspects of developmental care and family support. n&n


NEW&NEXT

Eating Disorder Recovery Center patients battle serious body image and weight issues, which can be fatal if left untreated.

A team of experts treat patients at the EDRC, located at Shands Vista, our behavioral health hospital located on North-west 39th Avenue. Patients with anorexia or bulimia participate in daily therapy sessions in order to transform their bodies, minds and, ultimately, their lives.These sessions include nutri-tion education, yoga and art therapy.

Genevieve Camp, M.A., A.T.R.-B.C., EDRC art therapist, helps patients express their emotions and heal through art. Recently, she and a group of EDRC patients, ranging in age from 12 to 66, participated in the International Association for Eating Disorder Professionals Foundation’s annual mannequin art competition. The competition promotes eating disorder awareness and positive body image.

The EDRC submission, entitled “Transfiguration: Mak-ing Peace with Our Bodies,” came out of a project sponsored by H.O.P.E. Inc. in which patients made paper from articles of clothing that they associated with their eating disorders.The end result was a beautiful paper dress for a size 16 mannequin.

“‘Transfiguration’ began as a vision I had after attending a workshop with the Peace Paper Project where participants made paper out of clothes,” Camp said.“Hand papermaking seemed to be the perfect way of dealing with those ‘skinny’ jeans that either no longer fit one’s healthier body or are embedded with triggering memories of a painful, eating disor-dered past.”

The process of destroying the old clothes was symbolic. As the patients cut their clothes into small pieces, they shared what it meant to let go of this part of their past.The next week the patients spent a full day making sheets of handmade paper from the old clothing fibers.

Healing words including energy, strength, love and peace were inscribed on the paper that made up the dress.Patients also wrote letters to their bodies on paper that was transformed into beads and strung into a meaningful necklace.

“Part of recovery is recognizing that true beauty exists in our imperfections and brokenness. By accepting and honoring the broken fibers of our being we rediscover our sacred wholeness,” Camp said. “‘Transfiguration’ is about much more than just changing the outer appearance. It is about making peace with our bodies and revealing the inner beauty and self-healing nature that is intrinsic to all human beings regardless of size.” n&n

SHANDS ViSTA | PEOPLE

EDRC patients find peace through papermakingRepurposing ‘skinny jeans’ serves as art therapy

ERdC patients recently created paper clothing and jewelry from the fibers of clothes associated with their eating disorders.


NEW&NEXT

uf HEALTH SciENcE cENTER | RESEARcH&EDucATiON

Lab notes: What’s happening at UF?Check out some recent developments in research and education at the University of Florida Health Science Center.

University of Florida researchers have found a new way to test anti-hearing-loss drugs in people, which could help land those medicines on pharmacy shelves sooner. Their find-ings solve the longstanding problem of how to safely create temporary, revers-ible hearing loss in order to see how well the drugs work. This brings scien-tists closer to the development of drugs that could help protect people at risk of hearing damage — from rock concert goers to factory workers and military personnel who are routinely exposed to noise as they work. “Right now the only options for protecting against noise-induced hearing loss are to turn down what you’re listening to, walk away from it or wear ear plugs, and those options may not be practical for everyone,” said UF researcher Colleen LePrell, Ph.D., department of speech, language and hearing sciences associ-ate professor. Her model is the first to use controlled music levels to reliably cause low-level, temporary hearing loss in human participants.

»UF researchers have performed deep brain stimulation on a patient with Alzheimer’s disease as part of a clinical trial studying whether the treatment can slow progression of the disease. Called the Advance Study, the multicenter clinical trial will evaluate whether using electrodes to stimulate a part of the brain called the fornix can slow memory decline and improve cog-nitive function in patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

“The goal of treating Alzheimer’s disease with neuromodulation is to try to enhance what patients have and slow down memory loss,” said Michael

Okun, M.D., co-director of the UF Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration and a site principal investigator for the study. Researchers decided to test deep brain stimula-tion in the fornix — a part of the brain that connects the hippocampus to the hypothalamus — after the accidental discovery that stimulating that region of the brain provoked vivid memories in patients.

»UF researchers and colleagues have identified a protein that, when absent, helps the body burn fat and prevents insulin resistance and obesity. The discovery could aid development of drugs that not only prevent obesity, but also spur weight loss in people who are already overweight, said Stephen Hsu, M.D., Ph.D.,UF nephrology, one of the study’s corresponding authors and a principal investigator with the UF Sid Martin Biotechnology Develop-ment Institute. Developing drugs that target the protein, called TRIP-Br2, and mimicing its absence may allow for the prevention of obesity without relying solely on lifestyle modifications. One-third of adults and about 17 percent of children in the United States are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.“It would help keep them lean regardless of how much fat they ate. That is the ideal anti-obe-sity drug, one that prevents obesity and helps people burn off excess weight,” Hsu said. n&n

this month:testing anti-hearing- loss drugs

deep brain stimulation and alzheimer’s disease

trip-br2— a protein helping prevent obesity


FACES

Melissa Smiles, Shands Transplant Center business development manager, recently showcased her passion and talent for photography with an exhibit in the Shands Cancer Hospital at the University of Florida (south campus) Criser Cancer Resource Center. The display featured photos of unique moments in her daily surroundings captured with her iPhone. In an interview with Dylan Klempner, UF Center for Arts in Medicine graduate programs advisor and Shands AIM literary/visual artist-in-residence, she explained how she used the device to zoom in on her creativity. n&n

SHANDS ARTS iN MEDiciNE | PEOPLE

Artful InterviewStaff member muses about creativity

if you are interested in sharing your art or creative work for display in the criser cancer resource center, please contact kris sullivan, shands arts in medicine artist-in-residence, at sullkm@ shands.ufl.edu at 355-265-0151 or 352-733-0880.

Dylan: congratulations melissa! every-one I’ve spoken with says your project is beautiful and inspiring. can you explain what motivated you?

Melissa: one day I was watching this teD [technology, entertainment, Design] talk by a man named matt cutts called try something New for 30 Days. matt was trying to get the point across that we can achieve big goals by break-ing them into smaller goals. he said whether you want to pen a novel or lose weight this year, just commit to a little bit every day for 30 days.

D: what was the experience like?

M: I felt like having a 30-day creative challenge gave every day a sense of purpose.

D: You said that when people hear about your project they often connect with you by sharing their stories of creativity. what do they say?

M: I’ve had a transplant surgeon express his love of photography. he and his wife were generous enough to invite me over to their house on Lake sante Fe. he brought out some different cam-era lenses and taught me about photog-raphy. this is someone who I interact with in a very professional space. we found something to connect on creative-ly. It makes working together fun.

D: Did you have an idea that connecting with others was something you wanted to do or did that come later?

M: I think it was born out of it.

D: what was your intention?

M: to be more conscious about where I was placing my efforts.

D: why photography?

M: I love the idea of design and framing things. I love texture and color and how they play together.

D: what advice do you have for people who want to be more creative but don’t think they have time?

M: we share experiences through cre-ative outlets — writing, music, cinema, storytelling, photographs —because it’s a way that other people can understand us… If that’s something that truly makes you happy, that’s where you’ll find your-self placing your efforts.

melissa smiles talks with dylan klempner on what motivates her:


FACES

SHANDS HOSPiTAL fOR cHiLDREN | PEOPLE

‘Mirakle’ family gives back to the NICUParents bring comfort to other NICU families

Ryan and Brittany Rhoden, of Starke, call their son a “Mirakle.” Kon-lin, their first son, was born three and a half months early on Oct.13, 2011, at Shands at the University of Florida, weighing just 1 pound, 12 ounces. He spent 101 days in Shands Hospital for Children and 89 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Today, Konlin is a happy, healthy child and the Rhoden family decided to start a ministry to give back to the other families in the NICU. They start-ed collecting donations last November and had collected $600 by the end of the year.

The Rhoden family worked with Judy Angley, Shands at UF Pediatrics associate and March of Dimes NICU family support specialist, to plan their first ministry event.

On Dec. 18, 2012, NICU families gathered for lemonade, cookies and fellowship with the Rhoden family in the NICU Conference Room. Ryan and Brittany then walked through each

NICU room to give cards to the fami-lies who could not leave their babies. A total of 24 personal cards with a gift of $25 in each were given to families in the NICU using the donations they had received.

“We were able to sit down with the families and our ‘Mirakle’ to share some of his journey and answer any questions they had,” Brittany said. “We encouraged them to cherish this Christmas because although it might not have been exactly what they had in mind, it would be one that would be so special to them.”

The Rhoden family is already look-ing forward to doing this event again during the holiday season this year. They are also planning a spring/sum-mer ministry event after their March of Dimes walk in April. n&n

Brittany and ryan rhoden of starke pose with their son, Konlin. the family gave holiday cards with monetary donations to families with children currently in the NIcU.


FACES

SHANDS HOSPiTAL fOR cHiLDREN | SERVicE

Special delivery proves quite a handfulCongratulations to the Dyal quints and family

Heads turn wherever the Dyal family goes That’s because on Nov. 15, 2012, Stacy Dyal made local history by becoming the first mother to deliver quintuplets at Shands at the University of Florida. Stacy arrived at the hospital six weeks prior to the delivery of her babies and received care from a large, multidisciplinary team from numerous departments throughout her stay.

“We have an incredible nursing staff on labor and delivery who looked after Mrs. Dyal and Kelley throughout the whole pregnancy,” said Anthony Gregg, M.D., UF College of Medicine obstetrics and gynecol-ogy professor and maternal-fetal medicine director. “The housestaff and the residents saw to it that everybody was as comfortable as possible throughout the hospitalization.”

On Jan. 15, after the Dyals spent two months at the Shands Hospital for Children Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, members

from the various care teams gathered to say goodbye to Stacy and her five children, Kaleb, Kyndall, Kayleigh, Kyleigh and Kamryn.

Full of energy and smiles, Stacy and her husband Kelley made jokes about the family’s future vacation plans.

“If we get a chance to go out to eat, that will be our vacation,” Kelley said.

Visit UFandShands.org/news to learn more about the Dyal family. n&n


KUDOS

SHANDS HOSPiTAL fOR cHiLDREN | QuALiTY

Working together to save one of our ownGrateful aunt applauds UF&Shands teamwork

Alora Yancey had an uneventful pregnancy until the final few hours.

Her daughter, Lowyn, was born with her umbilical cord wrapped around her body which caused her to suffer from hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, a dys-function triggered by a lack of blood flow and oxygen to the brain.

ShandsCair was urgently notified to transfer Yancey and Lowyn from Mun-roe Regional Medical Center in Ocala to Shands Hospital for Children at the Uni-versity of Florida.Our ShandsCair emer-gency transport staff was able to use a cool-ing blanket to begin lowering Lowyn’s body temperature. This procedure is used for babies born with hypoxic-ischemic enceph-alopathy, and only infants who are less than six hours old qualify for the therapy.

“We are one of the first programs in the country to transport babies with a device like this,” said Michael Weiss, M.D., UF neonatology associate professor and ShandsCair’s neonatal transport team medical director. “It allows us to begin the cooling therapy very early in a controlled fashion.”

Lowyn was eventually transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit where she stayed for 11 days before returning home to Ocala.

Lowyn is the niece of Peggy Carney, UF&Shands Information Services manager of ancillary applications.

“As I stood looking at my niece connect-ed to all those machines, it hit me how my department and I were keeping her alive,” said Carney. “Because we don’t have direct contact with patients, we may lose sight of how our jobs contribute to their care.”

Today, Lowin is a happy 3-month-old who is meeting every milestone she is sup-posed to even though she suffered mild damage in the occipital and temporal water-shed areas of the brain, said Yancey.

“We had one of the best hospital expe-riences at Shands,” Yancey said. “The staff and doctors were awesome. We got their full attention every day.” n&n

Lowyn Yancey


KUDOS


RAiSE big HOPE fOR OuR LiTTLEST PATiENTS

our annual employee campaign, raising hope at work for Babies, continues this month. all donations support the NIcU renovation (see p. 4).

our goal for the 2013 campaign is for staff to raise $125,000. Your contribution, at any level you choose, is deeply appreciated.

You can add some friendly competition between departments with the Dream team bracket system! the contest began Jan. 2 and will run through march 29. employees can join their department’s team and compete against other departments for the most funds raised.

there will be prizes awarded each round, leading to a grand prize for the winning department, the champion of hope.

DREAM bigThe more you fundraise, the more points you will earn for your Dream Team! How will you get involved?

◊ sign up for payroll deduction.

◊ make a one-time gift on the website. share the site with your family and friends to get more people involved.

◊ organize a department-wide fundraiser, such as a yard sale. Yard sales not only clean out your closet, but also get your fellow employees and community involved.

Want to learn more? Visit http://giving.ufandshands.org and click the Raising Hope for babies tab.

the shands at the University of Florida atrium gleamed red on Feb. 1 as employees and patients celebrated the 10th annual wear red Day, dedicated to learning about the fight against heart disease. our teams staffed booths to educate visitors about heart attack symptoms, risk factors and prevention tips. Participants also had the chance to get free blood-pressure checks and learn about early heart attack care, or ehac.


KUDOS

ELDERcARE | SERVicEcommunity leaders, eldercare staff, seniors throughout the county, friends and supporters gathered on Jan. 24 to celebrate the first anniversary of the city of Gainesville/alachua county senior recreation center. attendees listened to guest speakers, watched photo presentations, took tours and savored cake, coffee and punch. the senior recreation center is a self-sustaining, state-of-the-art activity center offering free membership to local seniors over the age of 60. with 3,800 members already, the center offers dozens of classes, programs and activities. they include health education and preventive screenings; education and instruction; fitness activities; arts and crafts; technology classes; and movement and dance activities including yoga, dancing and Zumba. the senior recreaction center is operated by eldercare of alachua county, a 100 percent grant- and donation-funded program operated by shands. the mission of the center is to maximize independence and enrich quality of life for seniors in alachua county. For more information about the center’s programs, please visit http://alachuacountyactiveseniors.net.

on Jan. 11, Phyllis Livsey (center) presented the shands at the University of Florida cardiac Intensive care Unit staff with a shadow box to thank them for the care that her husband, thomas Livsey, received after a heart transplant. the shadow box features a crystal heart with the inscription: “I will give you a new heart and new spirit. ezk 36:26” along with a plaque that

reads “In memory of thomas Livsey Feb. 6-Jul. 5 2012,” the dates that he was treated at shands at UF. Marcia Kent, M.s.N., R.N., C.C.R.N., CICu nurse manager, invited Livsey to participate in a multidisciplinary quality team that meets monthly to discuss process improvement in the cIcU. “It’s easy to drive by [the hospital] and see concrete and brick and not see that lives are happening inside,” Livsey said. “I want to be part of making that known.”


TO DO

SHANDS | QuALiTY

Report Compliance issues anonymously Speak up without fear of retaliation

Shands has an anonymous hotline that allows staff, contractors, patients, visitors and medi-cal staff to report potential compliance issues without fear of retaliation.

HOW DOES iT WORk?The Hotline is available for confidential, anonymous toll-free reporting, 24

hours a day, 7 days a week, by calling 888-329-3569. It is a toll-free service, which is answered and staffed by employees of an independent organization who specialize in workplace ethics and compliance. The hotline is a resource for Shands employ-ees to help identify and resolve legal or ethical situations that might arise in the workplace. A confidential report, based on the information provided by the caller, is forwarded to a core team for review, investigation and appropriate corrective action. Each call is assigned a unique identification number that the caller may use to follow up at a later date.

WHO iNVESTigATES?All hotline reports are investigated and tracked. The Compliance Department

works to address all hotline concerns in collaboration with other core depart-ments including Employee Relations, Quality, Audit Services, and/or Legal. After an investigation of the facts, if the concern is substantiated, appropriate action is taken. If the concern is unsubstantiated, the hotline issue is closed.

If you use the hotline, please make sure to provide as much information as pos-sible so an investigation can be conducted. Sometimes there isn’t enough infor-mation to proceed, and the issue has to be closed.

WHERE cAN i gET MORE iNfORMATiON?Please refer to the Shands Code of Conduct, the Compliance website, Core

Policy CP04.011 (Compliance Violation Reporting and Non-Retaliation Policy), and Core Policy CP1.91 (Shands HealthCare Fraud Policy) for more information.

SHANDS NON-RETALiATiON POLicY:

No adverse action or

retribution of any kind will

be taken by Shands against

an employee who reports

a suspected violation in

good faith.


TO DO

SHANDS | QuALiTY

Report Compliance issues anonymously Speak up without fear of retaliation

shaNDs PatIeNt saFetY hotLINeShands also has a 24-hour Patient Safety Hotline for staff and physicians to report serious patient safety events.

HOW DOES iT WORk?the Patient safety hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by calling 352-538-2635 or by calling the shands operator and asking for the “Patient safety hotline.” risk managers staff the 24-hour hotline to assist with the manage-ment and reporting of any serious safety event (including sexual assault allegations).

WHEN SHOuLD i cALL THE HOTLiNE?the Patient safety hotline can be used to assist clinicians who are too busy to enter a Patient safety report — the on-call risk manager will enter the report for you after getting the information from you by phone.

To assist clinical staff in managing a serious safety event by providing guidance such as:•Accessing the chain of command•Sequestering equipment•Best actions to take to minimize harm to the patient•Appropriate documentation of the event in the chart•How to enter a Patient Safety Report, if unfamiliar with the process

The above message was provided by Shands core services departments.

•�Accepting�payment�for�outside�services or activities during work hours

•Conflicts�of�interest

•�Contributing�or�donating�shands funds or resources to a political organization

•�Discrimination�and�harassment

•�Employing�an�immediate�relative, where the employee would have direct or indirect authority over the relative

•�Inaccurate�billing�practices�(patient charges, claims and records must be reported and billed for accurately)

•�Inaccurate�books�or�accounts

whAt type of issues do i report?•�Inaccurate�reporting�of�work-

time records and expenses

•�Offering,�giving,�soliciting�or receiving inducements or kickbacks in exchange for the purchase of goods, services or patient referrals

•�Offering�or�accepting�business�courtesies to gain favorable treatment or an improper advantage (e.g. entertainment, meals, transportation or lodging)

•�Personal�use�of�Shands�property

•�Releasing�information�to�reporters or to the general public without the permission of the public relations department

•�Seeking�reimbursement�for�travel and entertainment expenses inconsistent with job responsibilities, and the needs and available resources of shands

•�Sharing�confidential�information�with other employees or others outside of the organization, unless there is a legitimate need to know for a shands business-related purpose

•�Submitting�false,�fictitious�or fraudulent claims to the government or private insurers

•�Theft,�carelessness�and�waste�of resources

•�Violations�of�health�and�safety�laws


TO DO


Heart of GoldStory courtesy of the Office of Development

Ask 4-year-old Nate Ferrell to show you his ‘arc reactor’ and he will flash a big smile, lift up his shirt and point to his stomach. “See?”

Nate may not be the ‘real’ Iron Man, but he certainly is strong at heart. Just a few weeks before his first birthday, he was diagnosed with mitochondrial dis-ease, a degenerative disease that attacks the mitochondria, the part of the cell that creates enough energy for the body’s systems to sustain themselves and sup-port growth.

According to the Foundation for Mitochondrial Medicine, one in 2,500 people suffers from mitochondrial dis-ease. Because there is no cure for the disease, all doctors can do is treat each symptom separately.

Nate has seven specialists at Shands Hospital for Children at the University of Florida. At age 3, he was the youngest patient in the U.S. to have an external device called a gastric stimulator, or in Nate’s case, an ‘arc reactor,’ implanted in his gastrointestinal tract to treat digestive issues. A G-Tube, or gastronomy tube

inserted through the abdomen provides proper nutrition directly to his stom-ach, while an oxygen tank ensures he breathes properly.

“Nate’s best friends are his doctors and nurses — he loves going to the hos-pital because he gets to see his friends,” said Nate’s mother, Amber. “One time he went to the hospital dressed up as one of his doctors [pediatric surgeon Saleem Islam, M.D.] and he even dressed up as him for Halloween last year!”

While his body may not always have the proper energy, Nate’s fun-loving personality stands in stark contrast to this disease. He has no problem keeping up with his two older sisters, Abby and Emma; he loves playing on his iPad, and he is the Gators biggest fan — he is even known to strike a “Tebow” pose.

“The past four years have been so tough, but I wouldn’t trade it. We have all been blessed. The fact that Nate is so closely watched and treated at Shands is fantastic,” said Amber. “It has enabled him to be a normal kid – to live life completely.” n&n

“Nate’s best friends are his

doctors and nurses — he

loves going to the hospital

because he gets to see his friends.”

amber, Nate’s mother

story provided by UF&shands office of Development

TO DO


uf&SHANDS | PEOPLE

SHANDS cELEbRATES DOcTORS’ DAY APRiL 1

our University of Florida college of medicine faculty physicians and house staff and the community physicians who practice at shands save lives and support our Forward together vision by delivering patient-focused care, conducting life-saving research and educating tomorrow’s medical experts.

we will honor them on monday, april 1, in observance of National Doctors’ Day (march 30).

“It’s an honor for us to work with such highly skilled and respected physicians,” said tim Goldfarb, shands healthcare ceo. “this is our opportunity to show our support for our UF faculty physicians and resident housestaff and our community physician colleagues who serve our patients with compassion and the highest quality care. Please join me and thank our medical staff on Doctors’ Day.”

Please honor our physicians at shands by wearing red on monday, april 1. the physicians on our medical staff will be invited to a lunch in their honor that day.

uf&SHANDS | PEOPLE

MARcH fOR bAbiES MARcHES ON TO 75 YEARSeach year, more than half a million babies are born prematurely, and more than 120,000 babies are born with serious birth defects. right here in Florida, 13.5 percent of babies are born too soon. that is why UF&shands staff are walking together for stronger, healthier babies.

this year, Ed Jimenez, shands at the University of Florida senior vice president and chief operations officer, and his wife, Jennifer, are the alachua county march for Babies community chairs. so let’s represent them well by showing everyone how much UF&shands cares about babies!

Last year our teams raised more than $82,000.this year we want to raise $100,000. can we count on you to help us? sign up to join our team at http://marchforbabies.org. click “join this team” to get started and select our team, named UF&shands.

the walk will take place on march 23 at westwood middle school beginning at 8 a.m. this year’s theme is “Beat your Best,” and that is what we plan to do!

for more information, email [email protected].

NOT uP fOR THE MARcH Of DiMES WALk? YOu cAN STiLL PARTiciPATE:

* STOP bY THE SHANDS AT uNiVERSiTY Of fLORiDA ATRiuM on March 8 and purchase some of the various items the teams will be selling.

* SigN uP AND RAiSE MONEY ONLiNE: Visit http://marchforbabies.org and click “join this team” and select our team, uf&Shands, to get started.

* VOLuNTEER TO HELP at our uf&Shands booth at the event.

eAch person who rAises At leAst $15 will receive A teAm t-shir

t.h

ey!


TO DO

SHANDS | QuALiTY

cELEbRATE OuR cuLTuRE Of cOMPLiANcE

corporate compliance and ethics week is nationally observed each may. this year we ask all our shands staff to take the compliance awareness survey april 8-26.

You will receive an email notification with more information on april 8. the survey is confidential and only takes a few minutes to complete. Your answers will help our shands compliance program be more effective.

thank you for your commitment to compliance and ethics at shands! compliance begins with YoU!

the ABcs of compliAnce

code of Conduct, review and understand.

obey the regulations and policies that apply to your job.

make compliance awareness part of your job duties.

pledge to always do the right thing.

lead by example.

identify potential problems.

Attend educational and mandatory training sessions.

notify your supervisor if you know of or suspect possible wrongdoing.

contribute to open and honest communication.

encourage co-workers to adopt our culture of compliance.

uf&SHANDS | SERVicE

JOiN THE cONVERSATiON

Keep up with UF&shands on our social media channels, where we share our latest news, events and videos along with health-related tips, research and fun facts. check us out on:

tfacebook

Twitterq

tYouTube

And tell your friends!

news notes · uf&shands staff will also participate as a team for the march of dimes march for...

Documents