RxTraA publication for the staff of Hartford Hospital January 24, 2011 Vol. 67 No. 2

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FTC Approves Affiliation with Central Connecticut HealthAlliance; Hospital of Central Connecticut Joins HHC SystemThe Federal Trade Commission hasapproved the affiliation of HartfordHealthCare and the Central ConnecticutHealth Alliance, parent organization ofThe Hospital of Central Connecticut.

The Hospital Of CentralConnecticut, with campuses in NewBritain and Southington, has nearly3,000 staff members and 500physicians. The CCHA also includesCentral Connecticut Senior HealthServices, Alliance Occupational Health,The Jerome Home, Central ConnecticutPhysical Medicine, the VNA of CentralConnecticut and CenConn Services.More than 4,000 CCHA staff membersserve communities throughout CentralConnecticut.

These organizations join the 11,000staff members of Hartford Hospital andthe Institute of Living, ClinicalLaboratory Partners, EasternRehabilitation Network, HartfordMedical Group, MidState MedicalCenter, MidState Medical Group,Natchaug Hospital, Rushford, VNAHealthCare and Windham Hospital aspart of HHC.

“Combining the resources ofCCHA and HHC is really one plus oneequals three – the two organizationstogether are greater than the sum of ourparts,” said Elliot Joseph, president andCEO of Hartford HealthCare. “Ouraffiliation will improve the quality ofcare as we increase the sharing of bestpractices and new technology; increaselocal access to care by providing moreprimary and specialty care in our

communities; increase efficiencies andreduce healthcare costs by the sharingof information technology platformsand by taking advantage of larger-volume, lower-cost purchases ofsupplies and services; and play a vitalrole in the economic development ofour localcommunities.The affiliationalso willstrengthen thelong-termviability oflocal healthcare.

“Shared IT platforms will enableus to more efficiently developelectronic medial records across thesystem,” Joseph said. “This not onlylowers costs but improves the qualityof care as all care providers have asingle patient view.”

“This affiliation is the culminationof a successful 20-year relationshipbetween Hartford Hospital and TheHospital of Central Connecticut,” saidClarence J. Silvia, president and CEOof The Hosptial Of Central Connecticutand CCHA. “We have a long-standingrelationship between our hospitals andhealthcare systems. Together, we knowwe are making a positive difference forthe people of our state.”

HHC is working to build a high-performance health-care system thatprovides seamless coordination of top-quality patient care from primary careto lab services; to complex, hospital

care; to home care and other services.“We want to be the health-care

system which patients andcommunities rely on to give them theright care, at the right time and in theright place,” Joseph said. “Thisaffiliation is another step in

accomplishing that goal and inachieving our system mission to be‘nationally recognized for excellencein patient care and most trusted forpersonalized, coordinated care.’Together, HHC and CCHA will be ableto serve more communities indelivering excellent, personalized,coordinated care.”

Day-to-day operations at bothorganizations will continue as usual.Integration teams, made up of HHCand CCHA staff, will optimize thebenefit of the affiliation by reviewingHuman Resources and other programsand practices over time.

“This affiliation is a profoundwin-win situation for everyone,”Joseph said. “Patients will benefit fromthe wider continuum of care that ahealthcare system offers, communitieswill benefit from a broader range ofservices, and staff will benefit fromgreater professional opportunities.”

Ethics or Compliance Concerns?

If you have any business ethics or compliance concerns, please contact your supervisoror call the Compliance Helpline, a confidential service, at 1-800-431-5572.

Su usted habla Español, favor llamar1-800-297-8592.

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Two Hospital Teams Compete in Community Spelling BeeTo Support Literacy Programs in Hartford Public SchoolsThree physicians from the cancerprogram called themselves “Bee Tuffon Cancer,” while three members ofthe community relations departmentwere the “Scrabble Babblers” as theycompeted in a community spellingbee on Oct. 22, 2010 to supportliteracy programs in Hartford publicschools.

Drs. Patricia DeFusco, MadhaviGorusu and Mohanakrishnan Menonmade up the cancer program team,while the community relations teamwas Damaris Perez, Sylvia Murachand Rachel Opito.

The event, held at The Theater ofthe Performing Arts in Hartford, washosted by Achieve Hartford!, anindependent, nonprofit organizationof business and community leadersthat focus on student achievementand supporting reform in theHartford Public Schools.

It was Achieve Hartford!’s fourthannual community spelling bee,designed to celebrate learning whileraising funds that support literacyprograms that will benefit students inthe Hartford public schools.

Teams of three spellers createdtheir own team names and costumes.Prizes were awarded for best spellingteam, best costumes and team spirit.

Both Hartford Hospital teamssaid they had fun while supporting agreat cause.

Drs. Patricia DeFusco and Mohanakrishnan Menon (above) put their heads together at the

community spelling bee. (The third member of the “Bee Tuff on Cancer” team, Dr. Madhavi

Gorusu, is not pictured.) Below, the Scrabble Babblers from community relations, Sylvia

Murach, Damaris Perez and Rachel Opito, work on a word.

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Gifts From Grateful Patients Recognize Outstanding Care

Hartford Hospital often receives financial gifts frompatients who are grateful for the care they have receivedhere. The Fund Development Office receives thesedonations, often with a note that the gift is being made inhonor of someone who went “above and beyond” for apatient and their family.

These financial gifts to Hartford Hospital support oursuperb medical care through advanced technology,

research, cutting edge clinical practices, and compassionatepatient care.

The staff in Fund Development would like to recognizeand applaud those employees who have made a difference to apatient, who in turn made a difference to Hartford Hospitalwith a donation in their honor.

The following staff people were recognized with suchdonations made from October 1 to December 31, 2010:

Bliss 11 E StaffCardiac ICU Nursing StaffThomas Allan, M.D.Peter Barnett, M.D.Elliot Berman, D.D.SCharles Castiglione, M.D.Jeffrey Cohen, M.D.Susan DanaPatricia DeFusco, M.D.Pat Frasier, R.N.Carol Garlick

John Grady-Benson, M.D.Richard Graniero, M.D.Lee Hoffman, M.D.Elliot JosephJames Kallal, M.D.Herbert Keating, M.D.Francis Kiernan, M.D.Lisa Kugelman, M.D.Katie LevesquePaul Murray, M.D.Stacy Nerenstone, M.D.

Angela Petronio, M.D.Robert Piorkowski, M.D.Andrew Salner, M.D.Peter Schauer, M.D.Jack Schmetterling, M.D.Steve Shichman, M.D.Robert Siegel, M.D.Gary Spiegel, M.D.Paul Thompson, M.D.Kory Tray, M.D.H. Kirk Watson, M.D.

Staff in the Finance Department at theNewington Campus, led by United Waycampaign coordinators Shari Turner andLisa Aneiro, hosted an event to collectgifts for those served by a local shelter forbattered women.

The Interval House, a United Wayrecipient agency, offers services forwomen and children who haveexperienced domestic violence situations.The 20-bed shelter is the largest domesticviolence organization in Connecticut, andmany women arrive at the shelter withabsolutely nothing since they have fled toescape dangerous situations. IntervalHouse also runs a hotline with onsitecounselor/advocates available to helpvictims 24 hours a day.

Collections included toys, games,puzzles, clothing, accessories, books, andDVDs, and paper to wrap it all. It went along way to make the season brighter forthe children and moms at Interval House.

Newington Staff Makes Holidays Brighter for Battered Women

Representatives from Interval House, children’s program supervisor andchild advocate Lydia Lopez (far left), and court victim advocate KarenGatson (far right), accepted the donations from Lisa Aneiro (secondfrom left) and Shari Turner.

Announcements

NOVAPLUS Skin Preps RecalledThe manufacturer ofNOVAPLUS Disposable SkinPreps has issued a recall of allalcohol prep pads by Triad,including those with theNOVAPLUS label, identified

by blue and white packaging with catalog number V9100.The main storeroom has replacement products available.Please bring all recalled product (full boxes and loose pack-ages) to the storeroom, and have your cost center available.Full boxes will be exchanged. Be sure to check ALL areasof your department where alcohol wipes may be stored, suchas patient rooms, exam and procedure rooms, crash carts,medication closets, anesthesia carts, Pyxis Units,IV/phlebotomy boxes, clean utility rooms and desk drawers.Call the storeroom at 860-545-2128 if you have questions.

Need Childcare?Hartford Hospital staff is invited to an open house at the"Kids Are Great Learning Center" on the IOL campus onMonday, Feb. 7 from 5:30-8 p.m. Parents can tour thecenter, meet the staff, and learn about the age-appropriatecurriculum. The center is open Monday-Friday from 6:30a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and serves children ages 2 months to 6years. Full time, part time and drop-in care is available tochildren of HH/CCMC staff. Please R.S.V.P. to Lynn orDebra at 860-545-8460. (Snow date: Thursday, Feb. 10.)

Schwartz Center Rounds, Jan. 26The Schwartz Center Rounds, a forum where staff gettogether to discuss a common theme in healthcare, will beheld on Wednesday, Jan. 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.in Gilman Auditorium. The topic is “Kindness in the WorstWay: The Rehabilitation of a Staff.” Join your peers for aninformative time when you can share your ideas aboutthings that come up in your day-to-day dealings withpatients, their families and other staff members. All are wel-come. Box lunches will be provided. For information, callKathy Burns at 860-545-5712 or Evan Fox at 860-545-2629.

Federal Loan Forgiveness for NursesApplication Deadline is February 8Eligible registered nurses may apply for the 2011 NursingEducation Loan Repayment Program, a federally fundedprogram that offers RNs substantial assistance to repayeducational loans in exchange for service in critical shortagefacilities like Hartford Hospital. Last year, four HH nursesqualified to have 60 percent of their nursing loans forgiventhrough this program. Deadline for applications is Feb. 8.Contact Nancy Bafundo, 860-545-2558, for information.

Join Weight Watchers at WorkThere is still time to join Weight Watchers at Work. Therewill be a sign-up meeting on the first floor of the Grace S.Webb School in the Braceland Building of the IOL, onTuesday, Jan. 25 at 3:30 p.m. Even if you are not sure if youwill be joining, you should come prepared to sign up. Feeswill be determined by the number of participants.

Tickets Available to Black & RedTickets are still available for the Black & Red matineeperformance to support the Helen & Harry Gray CancerCenter, Jan. 29 at 3 p.m. at the Bushnell. Concert willfeature Michael Cavanaugh, the “New Voice of theAmerican Rock and Roll Songbook.” Order tickets at 860-987-5900, or online at www.bushnell.org/index.cgi/49141;$40 each with the discount using the HARTHOSP code, and$20 per ticket for groups of eight or more.

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RxTra is published by the Planning and Marketing Department each week of the year, with a special monthly issue on thelast week of the month. Submissions should be sent to announcements@harthosp.org at least two weeks before the publicationdate using the submission form found on the hospital Intranet under the Planning and Marketing Department. (The web link forthe form is http://intranet.harthosp.org/hh/docs/2484). For questions or comments, please contact Garret Condon atgcondon@harthosp.org or 860-545-4180. This publication is printed by Hartford Hospital’s Digital Print Center (DPC).

Fall Back In Love With FitnessIt’s a new year, and the Hartford Hospital Fitness Centerinvites you to fall back in love with fitness with their newincentive program. Sign up now for a $5 entry fee, and youcan get fit and be eligible to win prizes. CelebrateValentine’s Day and Heart Month with a healthier you. Formore information, call 860-545-3077.