Also serving the Bronx, Dutchess, Putnam & Rockland HomeFront on the SUMMER/FALL 2014 VNSW Earns Gold! The Home Health Quality Improvement (HHQI) National Campaign has designated VNSW as a Gold Medal Agency for demonstrating our dedication to quality improvement. Our Quality Improvement (QI) team has utilized all 8 Best Practice Intervention Packages from the HHQI s 2012-2014 Campaign, which encourages home healthcare providers to use their evidence-based educational resources and best practice application tools to reduce avoidable hospitalizations and improve care quality. Through these resources, and additional staff initiatives, VNSW has maintained a better preventable re-hospitalization rate than both the national and NY State averages. Putnam Legislature Bestows Honors IN THIS ISSUE Leadership News 2 Spring Gala Breaks Records 3 VNSW Trains Concordia Students 3 New Patient Satisfaction Committee 4 Pathways to Excellence 5 Expansion Update 5 Leveraging Mobile Technology 6 WCAH Telephony System 6 Annual Report 7 Congratulations to VNSW RN, KRISTIN MCGOWAN, and the rest of our Putnam team, who were called heroes by the Putnam County Legislature at their June meeting. Kristin was recognized for saving the life of a severely burned patient, as quoted by the patient s wife, Mary McGuigan, (at left with Kristin and Putnam Branch Manager, Loretta Molinari). The story of Kristin s care and the patient s remarkable recovery appeared in the Putnam Courier. Read more: https://www.vns.org/news-events/ Photo: Eric Gross; Courtesy, Putnam County Courier FOR HOME HEALTH CARE SERVICES, CALL 1.888.FOR.VNSW
Leadership News The combined experience and skills of the Board and staff members listed below will further strengthen our outstanding leadership team as we continue to build our capacity to better serve our patients. New Board Appointments KYLE O LOUGHLIN-CAHILL, FACHE, a Board member since 2010, was elected Board Chair at our May meeting. She has more than 20 years of leadership experience at a wide range of healthcare organizations in the region. She has extensive background in strategic growth, financial analysis and management, regulatory compliance issues and quality improvement, among other areas of expertise. DR. AMY ANSEHL, a Board Member since 2011, was named Vice- Chair. As Executive Director for the Partnership for a Healthy Population at New York Medical College and through additional roles, she has advanced numerous public health initiatives working with nonprofit organizations, academic and public health departments, and governmental agencies. JAMES R. MARTELL was newly appointed to our Board. Currently an Audit partner in KPMG s New York Healthcare and Not-for- Profit practice, he has more than 30 years of industry experience providing auditing and advisory services to healthcare providers and non-profit organizations. New Members of our Administrative Team TIMOTHY P. LEDDY joined us in June in the role of Chief Financial Officer. Tim brings over three decades of leadership in the healthcare financial management field to the position, in which he is responsible for all fiscal operations for VNS Westchester and our affiliate agency, Westchester Care at Home. KATHERINE BROWNE, will assume the role of Administrator at Westchester Care at Home on October 1st. Katherine succeeds Karen T. LaMonica, who is retiring after 11 years of distinguished service. Katherine has more than twenty years of management experience in a variety of home care settings and brings a wealth of knowledge about the industry. Read more at: www.vns.org/new-events/press-releases 2
In the Community Spring Benefit Gala Breaks Records With over 250 people in attendance, our 2014 Benefit Gala was the largest and most successful in our history! Held on May 15, 2014 at the Sunningdale Country Club, the event brought together friends and colleagues from healthcare and other organizations in Westchester and beyond. Hosted by NBC4 New York Anchor, MICHAEL GARGIULO, the Gala featured a lively networking reception and dinner, our popular Silent Auction and an Awards Ceremony honoring: RITA MABLI, President & CEO of United Hebrew; ANNE SWEAZEY, former Executive Director of the Arc of Westchester Foundation and past WVNS Board Member; and the WESTCHESTER COUNTY ASSOCIATION (WCA) HEALTHCARE CONSORTIUM, accepted by WILLIAM P. HARRINGTON, WCA Board Chair. For more event photos, go to: www.facebook.com/vnswestchester From left to right: Jeffrey Menkes, Sr. VP, System Network Development, Montefiore Medical Center; Michael Gargiulo, Anchor, NBC4 New York; Lou Nemnom, President & CEO,VNS Westchester; Jon B. Schandler, CEO, White Plains Hospital; and John F. Gleason, Partner, Epstein, Becker & Green, PC. Supporting VNS Westchester s Home Healthcare Services VNSW Nurses Train Concordia Students I t is well known that more skilled nurses are needed to serve the growing senior population in our region who are receiving care at home. Taking this to heart, VNSW serves as a clinical site for nursing students from a number of local colleges, with our nurses providing training in at-home patient care. According to DR. SUSAN APOLD from Concordia College s School of Nursing: Our students and faculty say that VNSW s nurses have contributed mightily to their 3 education and professional development. We thank VNSW for its generosity and for embracing this partnership. VNSW also serves as a clinical training site for nursing students from the College of New Rochelle s School of Nursing and Pace University s Lienhard School of Nursing. F O R H O M E H E A LT H C A R E S E R V I C E S, C A L L 1. 8 8 8. F O R.V N S W
Bringing the Best Care Home New Patient Satisfaction Committee Patient satisfaction with our home healthcare services is our #1 priority. VNSW has scored above the national average for patient satisfaction on the Home Health Care Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers Survey taken by our patients a strong indication that we have been successful in meeting their needs. Other indicators are the many heartfelt letters we get from patients and their families. To develop additional ways to increase patient satisfaction with our care, VNSW has formed a Patient Satisfaction Committee. The group has implemented several new strategies, including a new checklist to review with patients upon discharge to heighten their awareness of medication management, pain control and the need KUDOS FROM PATIENTS & THEIR FAMILIES My mom had a stroke and needed your services. Knowing your nurse Mary was watching over her made me feel very relieved she was always available if I needed to call her. TERRY SULLIVAN, SCARSDALE for medical follow-up. Staff education to increase health literacy awareness and to enhance customer service is supporting this initiative. A new Customer Satisfaction Liaison position was created to reach out to current/recently discharged patients to gauge their satisfaction with our services. Individual and corporate donations are essential for underwriting the scores of free community programs we provide each year Your Donations Support our Free Community Programs at health fairs; assisted living and other healthcare and senior facilities. Help us help our community stay healthy! Please use the postage-paid envelope in the centerfold to donate to our not-for-profit home healthcare agency. 4
Pathways to Excellence VNSW recently launched a Pathways to Excellence Research Council, which will focus on evidence-based data and approaches that have a high potential to improve patient outcomes. The Council, headed up by Board Vice- Chair, DR. AMY ANSEHL, (far right in photo) and Director of Patient Services, SUZANNE MOSES (to her direct left) will examine and integrate the best evidence from welldesigned studies and combine it with patient preferences, values and our staff s expertise, to provide proven interventions and share best practices with peers. Expansion Update: Spotlight on Dutchess Now in our second year of providing services to Dutchess residents, our Putnam/Dutchess Branch reports fast and steady growth in our total number of admissions, with a fourfold increase during the first half of 2014 vs. the first half of 2013. Our service area now extends from Beacon to Hyde Park, and from Pawling to Dover Plains. Pleasant Valley was recently added, and there are plans for further expansion in the future. Our ability to provide services in remote areas of Dutchess has been especially welcomed, with positive feedback from healthcare providers and patients alike about the quality of our services. This is thanks to our dedicated clinicians and support staff! KUDOS FROM PATIENTS & THEIR FAMILIES I am writing to single out your nurse Lindsay who was extremely positive, friendly, efficient, patient, knowledgeable you name it, she possessed it! ROBERT. L. MAIER, WHITE PLAINS Thank you for sending such wonderful visiting nurses. They have treated us with warmth and knowledge, and we are healing well due to their care and help. TOM & HELEN YVONNE MORGAN, YORKTOWN HEIGHTS 5 FOR HOME HEALTH CARE SERVICES, CALL 1.888.FOR.VNSW
Tech Corner Leveraging Mobile Technology VNSW recently purchased new tablets and smart phones for our field staff, who use these tools at the point of care in the patient s home. What role does mobile technology play in improving patient care? Key benefits include: 4 Real-time access to patient records in our database which include data on prescribed medications, the physician s treatment directives, and more informs decision-making. 4 The ability to instantly communicate with other VNSW staff and healthcare providers, family members and caregivers, fosters improved care coordination. 4 Enhanced viewing and transmitting capabilities for wound care and other medical images, expedites diagnoses and treatment. 4 More efficient documentation of the home visit to record and monitor patient progress, boosts accuracy and saves time, allowing more time to spend with patients. 4 Access to medical apps supports treatment and patient education, such as drug interaction checkers and access to medical updates. These and other benefits promote greater effectiveness and efficiencies in our delivery of home care services, resulting in reduced costs a major goal in today s changing healthcare landscape. WCAH Launches Telephony System Our affiliate agency, WESTCHESTER CARE AT HOME, has implemented a new time and attendance system to document patient care by its home health aides (HHA s). The HHA simply calls into the system at the start of care and again when leaving the patient s home. They are then prompted to enter tasks performed that day, as per the Plan of Care developed by the agency s registered nurses. This new system ensures compliance with the requested/required hours of service and ensures that the tasks performed match the Plan of Care. This translates into timely, accurate documentation and, above all, optimal patient care. 6
VNSW/WCAH ANNUAL REPORT FY 2013 VNSW Patients Served Growth over FY 2012 VNSW Patient Admissions 7,796 +10% WCAH Hours of Service 388,674-3% VNSW Visits By Discipline Nursing 96,074 Home Health Aide 43,318 P h y s i c a l T h e ra py 4 4, 2 0 3 O c c u p a t i o n a l T h e ra py 6, 2 2 6 S o c i a l Wo r k S e r v i c e 2, 9 1 2 S p e e c h T h e ra py 2, 757 Total Visits 195,490 Patients by Age, Group and Gender Age Male Female Totals Under 21 88 87 175 21-64 637 849 1,486 65 and over 2,182 3,953 6,135 Totals 2,907 4,889 7,796 Top Ten Diagnoses Treated in 2013 1 Wounds 2 Circulatory Disorders 3 Cardiac Disease 4 Mental Disorders 5 Neurological Disorders 6 Orthopedic Disorders 7 Diabetes 8 Cancer 9 Respiratory Diseases 10 Pregnancy/Newborns Sources of Net Revenue Medicare/Medicaid 86% Managed Care and Other 14% VNSW/WCAH Statement of Operations and Change in Net Assets Revenue, Gains and Other Support FY 2013 FY 2012 % Change Net Patient Service Revenue $37,599,692 $36,309,893 3.5% Other Operating Revenue $1 1 2,769 $1,898 Total Revenue $37,712,461 $36,311,791 3.8% Expenses $38,490,614 $35,988,669 6.9% Gain (Loss) from Operations ($778,153) $313,122 Change in Net Assets $484,629 $379,736 Visiting Nurse Services in Westchester and Westchester Care at Home Number of Employees and Independent Contractors 616 7 FOR HOME HEALTH CARE SERVICES, CALL 1.888.FOR.VNSW
NON PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID White Plains, NY Permit No. 399 360 Mamaroneck Ave. White Plains, NY 10605 www.vns.org info@vns.org Westchester Office 360 Mamaroneck Ave. White Plains, NY 10605 914.682.1480 1.888.FOR.VNSW Putnam Office 979 Route 22 Brewster, NY 10509 845.278.2550 1.855.4.PUTNAM Westchester Care at Home (An affiliate of VNS Westchester) 914.997.7912 1.800.305.WCAH HomeFront on the Westchester Visiting Nurse Services Group, Inc. Board of Directors 2014 Kyle O Loughlin-Cahill Chair Amy Ansehl Vice-Chair Nancy J. Rudolph Treasurer Andrea McKay-Harris Secretary SUMMER/FALL 2014 Michael J. Amoruso Jessica Ansehl Steinberg Christopher J. Aventuro Katharine W. Conroy Joan C. Considine Nicholas D Angelo Karen Herrero Telka A. Howard Jean C. LePere James R. Martell Christine Monroe Debra Swee President & CEO Elias M. (Lou) Nemnom Accreditation Community Health Accreditation Program Register Now for our Flu Clinic Program! It s not too early to schedule flu shots for your employees... WHY: Annual vaccinations are the best way to prevent the flu, reducing sick days and lost productivity! WHERE: On-site at your company, school or nonprofit WHEN: Flexible schedules during October, November & December HOW: Administered by a VNSW Registered Nurse To learn more & register: Contact Jill Foscaldi: 914-682-1480, ext. 618 or jfoscaldi@vns.org Visit our Web site at www.vns.org For the latest news and events, find us (Like Us!) on Facebook at: www.facebook.org/vnswestchester Design: Jill Singer Graphics