System News - Penn Medicine Employee Newsletter

System News Digital Edition -- May 2013

Greg Richter — Tue, 28 May 2013 13:48:07 -0400

CEO's Corner

Greg Richter — Tue, 28 May 2013 13:41:50 -0400

The line of descent from Benjamin Franklin to the Penn Medicine of today is a long and celebrated one. And you can be a part of it! Another opportunity to display your innovative thinking -- much as Dr. Franklin did -- is now in high gear.

The Your Big Idea Challenge encourages members of the Penn Medicine community to propose ideas for improving operating efficiencies and lowering costs … while of course maintaining the Penn hallmarks of excellence in patient care, research, and education.

Last year’s Your Big Idea -- our innovation tournament to improve the patient experience -- proved so successful that we’ve brought it back in a new version this year. Nearly one-third of our workforce took part in the 2012 tournament by submitting, commenting on, or rating ideas. This year we’re aiming to climb even higher than that impressive participation rate.

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A New Procedure Offer Hope to Lymphedema Patients

Greg Richter — Tue, 28 May 2013 13:38:49 -0400

Seeing your knuckles may not seem like much to get excited about. But for patients such as Jeannette Aspden, knuckles represent progress -- significant progress.

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Awards and Accolades

Greg Richter — Tue, 28 May 2013 13:33:58 -0400

Shelley Berger, PhD, director of the Penn Epigenetics Program, and Virginia Man-Yee Lee, PhD, director of the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. One of the nation’s most prestigious honorary societies, the Academy is also a leading center for independent policy research. Current membership includes some of the world’s most accomplished leaders from academia, business, public affairs, the humanities and the arts.

Garret FitzGerald MD, FRS, chair of Pharmacology and director of the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, has been awarded the 2013 Grand Prix Scientifique by the Institut de France. FitzGerald shares the prize with Carlo Patrono MD, chair of Pharmacology at the Catholic University, Rome. The Grand Prix Lefoulon-Delalande, valued at 500,000 euros ($650,000), is one of the largest prizes for scientific accomplishment and is considered the world’s most prestigious prize for cardiovascular research. FitzGerald and Patrono share the prize for their development of low-dose aspirin for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Susan Mandel, MD, MPH, associate chief of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism has been elected vice president, Physician-in-Practice, of The Endocrine Society. In addition, Mitchell Lazar, MD, PhD, chief of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, and Director of the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, was elected to serve as a council member, at-large. They will collaborate with other newly elected Officers and Council members to lead the world’s oldest, largest and most active organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology.

Jon Morris, MD, vice chair of Education in Surgery and associate dean for Student Affairs at the Perelman School of Medicine, has been named president-elect of the Association of Program Directors of Surgery. Among its many functions, the organization provides a forum for discussions on post-graduate surgical education and promotes high standards of surgical residency training.

Peter C. Nowell, MD, of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, is one of three physician scientists to receive the Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research, for landmark research that helped transform the treatment of cancer. The $500,000 award, one of the largest prizes in medicine and science in the United States, is given to those who have altered the course of medical research. This year, the prize will recognize groundbreaking research into the nature of cancer, which has led to the development of a new generation of cancer drugs, most notably Gleevec for chronic myeloid leukemia that, unlike chemotherapy, target specific genetic defects causing cancer.

Ran Reshef, MD, was recognized as the 2013 scholar in the Amy Strelzer Manasevit Research Program. The program is one of the largest and most coveted fellowships in the field of transplantation, supporting the research endeavors of scientists and clinicians early in their careers. Reshef’s research focuses on graft-versus-host and graft-versus tumor-effect to improve post transplant outcomes in patients with hematologic malignancies.

HUP Earns Comprehensive Stroke Center Status

Greg Richter — Tue, 28 May 2013 13:28:24 -0400

HUP was recognized by The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) as meeting The Joint Commission’s standards for Disease-Specific Care Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification. It is the first center in Philadelphia -- and among a select few hospitals in the US -- to be so named. Comprehensive Stroke Centers are recognized as industry leaders and are responsible for setting the national agenda in highly-specialized stroke care.

To receive this recognition, HUP underwent a rigorous onsite review with Joint Commission experts reviewing its compliance with the Comprehensive Stroke Center standards and requirements including advanced imaging capabilities, 24/7 availability of specialized treatments, and staff with the unique education and competencies to care for complex stroke patients.

CCU at Presby Turns 50!

Greg Richter — Tue, 28 May 2013 13:27:47 -0400

In the 1960s, as the knowledge of cardiology expanded, so did the skills needed to care for these patients. During this time, with the inception of the CCU, nursing had to assume the skills needed for cardiac monitoring and defibrillation, breaking down the barriers between the scope of nursing and physicians. Having a nurse recognize a fatal arrhythmia and saving a patient’s life by defibrillation without the guidance of a physician was the first step in advancing and expanding the role of the CCU nurse. This was done for the very first time at Penn Presbyterian.

In 1963, Dr. Lawrence E. Meltzer and then chief of cardiology, Dr. J. Roderick Kitchell, proposed a research plan for a new two-bed cardiac unit at Presbyterian. It was a nurse-focused study investigating if 24-hour nurse monitoring and intervention could reduce mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction. The experiment was a huge success. The nursing role expanded beyond just caring for patients to include curing them as well. Presby faculty and staff came together with honored guests to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this great “experiment” and how it became the platform for a continued expansion of the role of nursing.

Annual Total Compensation Statements Now Available Online!

Greg Richter — Tue, 28 May 2013 13:26:55 -0400

Your annual Total Compensation Statement gives you a “big picture” view of the value of your UPHS pay and benefits. The newest statement, showing the total value of your benefits and compensation for the period January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012, is now available online. Visit the Human Resources website, www.uphshrandyou.com and click on one of the links for the Total Compensation Statement.

NEW this year: It’s easier to access your statement! Just use your network ID and password.

Did you know your statement is also a valuable tool to use in retirement planning? Review the Retirement section to be sure you’re participating in all the retirement plans that you’re eligible to join and that you’re making the most of your opportunities to plan for your future.

In order to receive a Total Compensation Statement, you must be a UPHS employee, enrolled in UPHSflex benefits, and have a hire date on or before June 30, 2012.

Sign up for Penn Medicine “In the News”!

Greg Richter — Tue, 28 May 2013 13:25:52 -0400

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Top News Showcasing Penn Medicine Experts and Discoveries
The Latest Posts from the Penn Medicine News Blog
Selected Patient Care, Research, and Medical Education News of the Day
Penn Medicine News Releases

It’s Good to be Green

Greg Richter — Tue, 28 May 2013 13:00:14 -0400

Penn Medicine at Radnor is officially ‘green,’ thanks to the efforts of the staff of its General Internal Medicine and Cardiology practices. It is the first medical office in the Health System to achieve the Level 1 Green Office Certification by the Penn Green Campus Partnership.

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Spoof 2013 Leaves Audience in Stitches

Greg Richter — Tue, 28 May 2013 12:48:40 -0400

Writing skits, lyrics, choreography, and more, a group of Perelman School of Medicine students took a break from training and studying to make fun of themselves and the medical school experience in a performance of Spoof 2013: Game of Crohn’s.

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Hand Sanitizer and Thermometers Save Lives

Greg Richter — Tue, 28 May 2013 12:46:57 -0400

For Eileen Agiya, RN, BSN, and Veleta Boswell, RN, MSN, NP, CRNI, sometimes saving lives is as simple as a bottle of hand sanitizer or a thermometer.

As Home Infusion nurses for Penn Home Care and Hospice Services, they know that preventing infection and monitoring body temperature is imperative when delivering care during regular house visits to patients.

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Newest Penn Medicine CAREs Grant Winners

Greg Richter — Tue, 28 May 2013 12:46:04 -0400

Congratulations to the third-quarter winners of the Penn Medicine CAREs grant:

Alessia Bhargava	PSOM	Diabetes and Hypertension Clinic, University City Hospitality Coalition
Anthony Bracey	PPMC	Presby Give Back Volunteer Program
Bruce Kloss	HUP	Magnet Community Outreach Program
Karen Wagner	Abramson Cancer Center	UC Green Corps Greening Maintenance Program
Leah Seifu	PSOM	Penn Human Rights Clinic
Rebecca Kimmel	HUP	PSOM Bladder Health Class for the Prevention of Urinary Incontinence in Women
Rhonda Holmstrom	HUP	Strategies to Reduce Falls in the Community
Sharon Lockett	CPUP	HELP, The Health Exposure and Longevity Project, Inc.
Steven Allen	HUP	Improving Bicycle Safety in the Penn Community

Simply Because

Greg Richter — Tue, 28 May 2013 12:42:05 -0400

“The needs that call Penn Medicine to action in the community are profound. Twenty-five percent of Philadelphians live in poverty – that’s nearly 400,000 adults and children – and one in seven city residents have no health insurance. Hunger and homelessness remain, still, throughout the city. These societal problems only make health problems that much harder to address, but doing whatever we can to help is in our nature here.”

That rather sobering paragraph introduces the reader to the 2013 edition of Simply Because, the community benefit report of the Perelman School of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania Health System. But as the introduction goes on to say, Penn Medicine’s physicians, scientists, nurses, staff, students, and partners in the Philadelphia community come together “to serve those who might otherwise go without.”

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PM@Work: Penn Medicine Academy On-Site Degree Program -- A Profile

Greg Richter — Tue, 28 May 2013 12:40:33 -0400

Making the decision to go back to school while simultaneously having a full-time job can be daunting for many. Between juggling work, family life and a social calendar, it can be difficult to determine where schoolwork, group projects and studying for exams can fit into the mix.

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Open Enrollment 2013 Recap

Greg Richter — Tue, 28 May 2013 12:37:17 -0400

Open Enrollment has ended but, over the course of the two-week enrollment period, over 13,000 employees enrolled for benefits!

To kick off Open Enrollment, the UPHS Corporate Benefits team hosted health fairs at seven different UPHS locations: HUP, Penn Presbyterian, Pennsylvania Hospital, Penn Medicine at Radnor, Corporate Finance at 15th and Market Street, 3001 Market Street, and Home Care and Hospice Services. The health fairs were staffed by the UPHS Benefits Team and our vendor partners. Activities included blood pressure and BMI screenings, free healthy giveaways, and raffle prizes. Each of our vendors provided educational and informational materials to employees. Congratulations to all of you who received a blood pressure and BMI screening and took a healthy step to “Know Your Numbers!”

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The Your Big Idea Challenge

Greg Richter — Tue, 28 May 2013 12:35:43 -0400

Last year, two ideas, Patient Services Kiosks and myPenn Scheduler, were selected as the winners of Your Big Idea: Penn Medicine’s Innovation Tournament. Today, both of these ideas are a reality, thanks to the hard work of the Your Big Idea winners and skilled collaborators from all across Penn Medicine. In addition to those winning ideas, Penn Medicine teams have implemented dozens of other ideas that were submitted.

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