March 13, 2014 Volume 36 Issue 5 Berkshire Health Systems Employee Newsletter Walk with Me in the Berkshires Entering 12 th Year The popular Berkshire Health Systems Walk with Me in the Berkshires program enters its 12 year this April, with a community walking program and a BHS employee walking program running simultaneously for a six week period. For 2014, the community component of the program will be operating the same as it has for the past eleven years, but the BHS employee program will see some significant changes (see page 6 of this for full details). The community portion of this year s Walk with Me in the Berkshires will see 2,200 people walking (or running) in teams of between two and 20 members, from April 21st to June 1st, recording their steps on step counters provided by Walk with Me, and this year generously underwritten by Celticare Health. Registration for the community program is Tuesday, April 1st at 10 am on the iberkshires website (www.iberkshires.com). Once the 2,200 available slots are registered, the registration will automatically close. The BHS employee side of the program will have an extended period of registration, all done through the Wellness Works website, which can be found by visiting the BHS Employee Web Portal. The walking actually begins on Monday, April 21st, and will continue for a six week period, ending on Sunday, June 1st. Each week, community participants will record their step counts and the team captains will report the individual numbers through the iberkshires website. For BHS employees, reporting this year can be done each day, and employees can view their statistics daily. BHS employees (from left), Kathy Hart, Rita Tassinari and Ann McDonald experienced the health benefits of walking as part of the Walk with Me in the Berkshires program, shown here in a photo taken during last year s program. Up to 2,000 members of the general community, and over 1,000 BHS employees have annually participated in Walk with Me for many years. Each year, the participation from the community in the Walk with Me program has grown, and the number of steps recorded is impressive. In 2013, with a total of over 3,000 participants (between the community and BHS employee portions of the program combined), over 950 million steps were recorded, or 475,000 miles. Berkshire Health Systems thanks the many sponsors of the Walk with Me in the Berkshires program, including: o Berkshire Healthcare Systems and its Berkshire County long-term care facilities o Celticare Health o Greylock Federal Credit Union o Health New England o Boxcar Media o Troy s Promotions Continued on page 2
2 Walk with Me in the Berkshires Entering 12 th Year continued from page 1 Enjoy the Health Benefits of Walking Walking is easy, and in the Berkshires in springtime, it can be filled with beautiful vistas and, hopefully, warm days. But walking is also a very good form of exercise, and according to the American Heart Association: There are countless physical activities out there, but walking has the lowest dropout rate of them all! It's the simplest positive change you can make to effectively improve your heart health. Research has shown that the benefits of walking and moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day can help you: Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease Improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels Improve blood lipid profile Maintain body weight and lower the risk of obesity Enhance mental well being Reduce the risk of osteoporosis Reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer Reduce the risk of non-insulin dependent (type 2) diabetes Chaplain s Corner Do You Ever Wonder? By The Reverend Art Kaufman, BMC Chaplain Ever wonder how God works in this world of ours? I do, and am often confronted with that question by others. Here is one possible answer: God is like a coach. We re the team and He/She does the very best to teach us the rules of the game and how to be the very best player and teammate that we can be. Then God sends us out on the field, or court, or rink, to play, all the while standing on the sidelines cheering us on. Sometimes He/She is calling timeouts, correcting us or sending in someone to take our place. And sometimes we win and sometimes we lose but our coach never gives up on us. What do you think? BMC Annual Employee Award Nomination Forms Now Available Recognize a Colleague for Exceptional Service The annual BMC employee awards will be bestowed during National Hospital Week, which is May 11th through 17th, and all employees now have the opportunity to nominate a co-worker for his or her exceptional service. Employee recognition awards cover four categories: Clinical Excellence; Service Excellence; Leadership in Healthcare; and Management Excellence. The nomination forms can be found outside the Staffing Office, outside the Café and on the BHS employee web portal. Each award s criteria are documented in the nomination forms. Please help support this special recognition program by encouraging staff to nominate employees who they feel meet the criteria. The deadline for submission of the nominations is Friday April 4th.
3 Fairview s Clinical Ladder Program Honors Advancement Fairview Hospital recently honored five clinical staff members and the Food Service and Nutrition team in Fairview s Clinical Ladder Recognition Program, a professional model of care and skill advancement within the clinical practice setting. The Advanced Clinical Ladder Program at Fairview is designed to encourage advanced practice at Fairview Hospital and illustrate relationship-based care in actual practice. Participants meet specific criteria in seven areas that are documented in a final report. The individuals who were recognized at the February reception included: Paulette Pontier, BSN, RN, CCU ( Level IV), Lee Ann Fleming- Hand, RN, CCU (Level III), Jessica Buchinski, DPT Fairview Rehabilitation (Level II), Mary Lopez, BSN, RN CCU( Level III) and Ellen Hamm, RN, Cardiac Rehabilitation (Level III). Also recognized were the Food Service team, including Kelly Holmes, Tom Audet and Patrick Wilson. Honorees in the Fairview Clinical Ladder program recently posed with senior leaders, from left to right: Gene Dellea, Fairview President; Ellen Hamm, RN; Lee Ann Fleming-Hand, RN; Jessica Buchinski, DPT; Betty Kirby, RN, BHS Director of Education; Paulette Pontier, BSN,RN; Doreen Hutchinson, Vice President of Operations/Chief Nurse; Bobbi Ransom, Director of Rehabilitation; and Brian Burke, MD, Fairview Chief of Staff. Betty Kirby, RN, Director of Education for Berkshire Health Systems, attended the celebration and applauded the recipients, Patient care is positively affected by any advancement in education. The Career Ladder Program is patient-focused, and assures an enhanced level of knowledge and expertise. Big Y Aids in the Fight Against Breast Cancer Donates $11,000 to BMC Women s Imaging Center As part of its annual Partners of Hope campaign, Big Y Foods has donated $11,000 to the Women s Imaging Center at Berkshire Medical Center, in support of BMC patients in need of breast cancer screening or care. Since the beginning of Big Y's Partners of Hope program in 2007, more than $863,000 has been raised for the fight against breast cancer. Big Y has supported the Women s Imaging Center at BMC with significant donations each year for the past several years. The Partners of Hope campaign promotes breast cancer screening, education and treatment. We cannot thank Big Y enough for their continued, generous support of BMC s Women s Imaging Center patients, said Ruth Blodgett, Berkshire Health Systems Senior Vice President of Planning and Development. Each year, the Big Y donation has a direct impact on people s lives, helping those in our community who otherwise may not be able to afford mammography screening because they are uninsured or have a high co-pay or deductible, said Kim Murdock, Women s Imaging Center. We are so grateful to Big Y for this significant donation. The Big Y in Lee made the formal presentation of this year s donation, as shown here, with from left to right, Barbara Lavoine, Big Y Employee Services Representative; Kim Murdock, Women s Imaging Center; Kathy Guertin, Manager of the Big Y in Lee; and Ruth Blodgett, BHS Senior Vice President of Planning and Development.
4 Healthcare Career & Education Opportunities to be Highlighted at BHS Event The Human Resources Department at Berkshire Health Systems will host its annual Healthcare Career Education Fair for anyone wishing to enter the fields of nursing, diagnostic radiology technology, laboratory, pharmacy, physical, occupational and speech therapy and medical record coding. The event is also for current healthcare professionals who desire to further their education and qualifications. The fair will be held on Tuesday, April 1st from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. in Berkshire Medical Center s Private Dining Rooms, adjacent to the cafeteria. The fair is designed to promote awareness of careers in healthcare where job opportunities are increasing. In light of nationwide shortages in many areas of healthcare, there are opportunities in the near future for Registered Nurses to enhance their education and for those who want to enter the fields of nursing, diagnostic radiology technology, laboratory, pharmacy, physical, occupational and speech therapy and medical record coding. As part of the program, participants can learn more about degree and professional training programs at numerous schools and colleges from throughout the area and beyond, including online learning programs. Representatives from the schools will be available at the event to discuss their programs. In addition, attendees can learn more about financial assistance programs and other financial aid resources. The Healthcare Career Education Fair is open to anyone interested in a healthcare career and targeted to high school students and their parents, guidance counselors, current Registered Nurses wishing to seek a bachelor s or master s degree and all employees of Berkshire Health Systems and Berkshire Healthcare Systems wishing to further their training and careers. Refreshments will be provided. Put a Spring in Your Step and Support BMC Cardiac Rehabilitation UNICO and the ITAM are sponsoring a dinner and dancing event in support of BMC s Cardiac Rehabilitation Department. Putting a Spring in Your Step will be held on Friday, April 25th at 5:30 pm at the ITAM Lodge, 22 Waubeek Road in Pittsfield, and will feature dinner, prize drawings, music and dancing. The event will support the BMC Friends of Cardiopulmonary Rehab Co-Pay Assistance Fund. Tickets can be purchased for $25 per person at the Cardiac Rehab Department, 4th floor of the Medical Arts Complex. Buy your tickets by April 18th! For more information, call ext. 3093. Forum on Healthcare Needs of LGBT in April The Director of the National LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) Health Education Center at the Fenway Institute will lead a discussion at BMC on healthcare needs for LGBT people. Dr. Harvey Makadon, who is also a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, will present, Meeting the Healthcare Needs of LGBT People on Monday, April 7th from 12 noon to 1 pm in the BMC Auditorium. Dr. Makadon will provide an overview of LGBT health disparities, demographics and terminology, as well as key strategies for bringing high quality care to LGBT people at health centers and other healthcare organizations. He will also discuss the creation of LGBT-inclusive environments of care and the intersections of LGBT health, population health and primary care. The program is open to all BHS/BMC employees. Harvey J. Makadon, MD Clinical Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Director of the National LGBT Health Education Center at The Fenway Institute, a division of Fenway Health, Boston.
5 Visit the WellnessWorks page of the employee portal for more information and to register for any of our programs: https://www.bhswellnessworks.org Spring into Fitness! All programs require pre-registration. Visit https://www.bhswellnessworks.org or call 447-3100. Tennis Anyone? Berkshire West and WellnessWorks are teaming up to offer BHS employees and their spouses a one hour tennis clinic for a reduced rate of $15 per person. No membership is required. Please bring your own racket*. *A limited number of rackets will be available. Friday March 28, 2014: 6:00 pm (Beginner) & 7:00 pm (Intermediate) Friday April 4, 2014: 6:00 pm (Beginner) & 7:00 pm (Intermediate) Berkshire West Indoor Tennis Courts, Dan Fox Drive, Pittsfield Exercise-Keeping it Simple This is a 4-week (8 class) group exercise program at Berkshire Nautilus for BHS employees & their spouses. Small classes with a Certified Personal Trainer in the private exercise room include cardio, strength & endurance and core & flexibility. Two payment options are available-see portal for details. Par-Q is required. Classes meet at 5:00 pm Mondays and Wednesdays Berkshire Nautilus 42 Summer Street Pittsfield, MA (5 minutes from BMC) 30-Minute Express Workout Join Instructor Kristin Burgess, Certified Personal Trainer, for this 6-week fitness program. Cost is $60*. *Payroll deduction is NOW available for ALL BHS employees for on site fitness classes. Anyone choosing this new option will receive a %10 discount (total program cost: $54). Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:30 & 5:00 pm Private Dining Rooms Starts April 22, 2014 Cyclone Circuit Join instructor Kristin Burgess, Certified Personal Trainer, for this fun, fast-paced one hour class, which incorporates cardio and strength training. Each class works all major muscle groups to take you to the next level of fitness. Wear workout clothing and bring water. Cost: $60 for 6 week program* *Payroll deduction is NOW available for ALL BHS employees for on site fitness classes. Anyone choosing this new option will receive a %10 discount (total program cost: $54). Wednesday and Friday, 4:00 pm or 5:00 pm Cardiopulmonary Rehab Gym, 4 th floor Medical Arts Building / Starts April 23, 2014 You Can Now Schedule Your Wellness Screening Online! Go to https://www.bhswellnessworks.org, look for Upcoming Events & Programs and select your appointment. You will receive instructions and an email reminder. You can also save your appointment to your outlook calendar! Of course, you can still schedule your appointment by dropping by our office, calling 447-3100, or by sending us an email. We hope that you enjoy the convenience of selecting your appointment online!
6 Visit the WellnessWorks page of the employee portal for more information and to register for any of our programs. https://www.bhswellnessworks.org walk with me in the berkshires It s a Laughing Matter Laughter & Your Health Registration: March 24 - April 27 2014 Walk begins: April 21, 2014 Walk with Me in the Berkshires is a program that encourages better health through exercise. This reference sheet contains some basic information you and your team will need to participate in the program this year. NEW in 2014 BHS employees will be registering on the WellnessWorks website, this allows each individual to log their steps each day and view their statistics. how to register: Form your team of 2-20 people, choose a captain and team name On March 24th captains need to log on to the WellnessWorks website Click on the Walk with Me Challenge banner to register and create a team Captains will then invite their team members to join their team via the WellnessWorks website WellnessWorks staff will be available to help captains during the registration period Participants will also need to complete a brief online survey Registration begins on March 24, 2014 on the WellnessWorks website. (https://www.bhswellnessworks.org) The goal of the program is to achieve 70,000 steps each week (10,000 per day). Walk yourself to better health and have fun doing it. Wellness staff will be available to answer questions and help captains and employees register for the challenge on the following: Date Monday, March 24, 2014 11:00AM - 2:00PM BMC, PDR-A Tuesday, March 25, 2014 Time 11:00AM - 1:30PM Location Fairview, Ground Floor Conference Room Wednesday, March 26, 2014 12-noon - 2:00PM Clocktower, 5th Floor Class Room Thursday, March 27, 2014 11:30AM - 1:00PM Hillcrest, Café Did you know that laughter is good for you? In this presentation by Mark Kenyon, LMFT, LADC-I, CEAP, learn about the many health and emotional benefits of laughter, and look at ways to include humor in your life more often. See the portal for more workshop dates and times. First Workshop: Monday, April 7 th Be one of the first 15 people to pre-register and attend to receive a $5 lunch ticket to any BHS Cafeteria along with a reusable Wellness lunch bag (1 per participant/year). Congratulations to the February winners of the $50 Berkshire Organics gift card! These winners completed their Wellness requirements during their birthday month: Kortney Gardner of Cardiology & Judy Tremblay of Ambulatory Surgery!
Job Opportunities Berkshire Medical Postings, 03/14/14 Education Services, Simulation Lab Coordinator, 40 Hr/D 4 West Telemetry, Staff Nurse, 36 Hr/N temp to six months 3 South Medical, Unit Coordinator, 32 Hr/D 2 South, Staff Nurse, 16 Hr/E 3 East Surgical, Nursing Assistant, 24 Hr/E 5 South Medical, Staff Nurse, 24 Hr/E McGee Unit, LPN II, 16 Hr/E IV Therapy, IV Therapist, 24 Hr/D Respiratory Therapy, Registered Respiratory Therapist, 36 Hr/N 2 East Rehab, Staff Nurse, 24 Hr/D Performance Improvement, Secretary, 40 Hr/D Lab, Phlebotomist/Registrar, 32 Hr/D Emergency Department, Staff Nurse, 36 Hr/N Night Special Emergency Department, Unit Assistant, 32 Hr/D, 24 Hr/N Dietary Food Services, Dietary Aide, 32 Hr Varies, 33.25/Hr/D Dietary Food Services, Dietary Technician II, 30 Hr/D Service Excellence, Service Excellence Assistant, 32 Hr/D Housekeeping, Housekeeper 40 Hr/E, 40 Hr/D, 40 Hr/D Cardiology, RN Clinical Coordinator EP Services, 40 Hr/D Telecommunications, Telecommunication Specialist, 16 Hr/D/E Cancer Center, Clinical Trials Research Coordinator I, 40 Hr/D HCAP, Community Health Education Coordinator, 32 Hr/d temp (10 month position) 7 Berkshire Health Systems Postings, 03/14/14 LTC, Compliance Director, 40 Hr/D BVNA Postings, 03/14/14 VNA Skilled Nursing, Community Health Nurse 32 Hr/D, 5 Per Diem Fairview Hospital Postings, 03/14/14 Operation of Plant, Security Officer, 15 Hr/E Med/Surg, Nursing Assistant, Per Diem Rehabilitation, Physical Therapist, 30 Hr/D Radiology, Radiologic Technician, Per Diem Food Services, Food Service Aide, Per Diem Wound Center, Hyperbaric Medical Assistant, Per Diem Case Management, Case Manager, Per Diem Wound Center, Registered Nurse, Per Diem Rehabilitation, Physical Therapist, Per Diem Please direct any comments, questions or suggestions for to Development and Community Relations at 447-2060. Editor: Ruth Blodgett Writers: Mike Leary, Elzbieta Lauren Smith Ala Trzepacz Layout and Printing: Deirdre McKenna, Materials Management is printed on paper with post-consumer recycled content.
8 Thanks and Recognition My experience was very good. I was well taken care of and all the staff was helpful, and because of them I left the hospital earlier than I thought I would. I can't say enough about how wonderful they were. They taught me what to watch for and what to do when I got home. Comment from a BMC Orthopaedic Unit patient Fairview Hospital has always been there for me and I ll always be there for your doctors, nurses and staff. Great Barrington is very blessed to have Fairview in our town. God bless your entire staff. Comment from a Fairview Hospital patient A wonderful team who make it their goal to have the patient leave pain free. From beginning to end a great experience. Comment from a BMC Center for Rehabilitation patient Our Mother Baby experience was outstanding from the time we walked in until we walked out. Doctors, nurses everyone was excellent, you really have the right people in the right place. Thanks again. Comment from a BMC Mother Baby Unit patient Right away I observed and was impressed by the camaraderie and cooperation among staff. That they all appeared to enjoy their work was instrumental in developing my enjoyment of the program. I hadn't expected to like it. It is a great group. Comment from a BMC Cardiac Rehabilitation Center patient Having had a hip replacement five years ago at BMC, this experience was entirely notable. Every aspect of my stay now was outstanding. Nursing staff worked like a well tuned piano while observing customer service and safety and hygienic practices. I am very impressed and grateful, not to mention proud of BHS. Comment from a BMC Orthopaedic Unit patient I have never had a bad experience here. I have lived in many states and cities and this facility rates at the top of all of them. Comment from a BMC Ambulatory Services patient My husband and I feel so very fortunate to have known Fairview all these years (since 1961) for care, consistent every single visit, for whatever we need, service or just routine care, has been more than satisfactory, especially nurses, aids, doctors. It would be very difficult for us to find any area for complaint. The openness and follow-up on every detail and knowledge and skills are most evident. Comment from a Fairview Hospital patient I travel further to have my ambulatory surgeries at the Crane Center because of my trust and confidence in their abilities and professionalism. Comment from a Crane Center for Ambulatory Surgery patient I have accompanied friends and found the care and attention to be excellent. Recently, I had cataract surgery and was, again, impressed by the care, the great attention to detail and efficiency of everyone. And the breakfast was delicious too. Comment from a Fairview Hospital patient In Memoriam Judith D. Chabot, who formerly served as a nurse with the Berkshire Visiting Nurse Association, died on March 4th at the age of 57. Bruce R. Russell, who worked as a cook for Hillcrest Commons Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for many years, died on March 5th at the age of 59. The staff of Berkshire Health Systems offers its deepest condolences to their friends and family.