Pharmacy Saves Big $$$

By Mike Force

Did you know... that the clinical pharmacists who work in Penrose-St. Francis Health Services actually save the hospitals hundreds of thousand of dollars every month?

During the past two quarters of this fiscal year (six months), PSF hospital pharmacists posted savings over $135,000 in therapeutic initiatives, and over $847,000 in clinical interventions. This is a total savings over $982,000.

The pharmacy works to save money through a focus on two types of activities: clinical interventions and therapeutic initiatives.

Among other things, the clinical initiatives involve reviewing patients’ medication regimes looking for duplicate types of therapies, prevention of adverse drug events, and avoidance of inappropriate therapy and conversion of IV meds to oral as soon as possible.

The therapeutic initiatives involve the focus on the interchange of more expensive agents with equally efficacious yet more cost effective therapeutic equivalents. It also promotes the use of generic agents where possible and attention to contract negotiations that maximize cost savings.

With a drug budget that exceeds $15 million a year for PSF, it’s important that correct utilization of expensive pharmaceuticals is managed. Our clinical pharmacists spend a lot of their time reviewing patient orders and looking for appropriate use of medication therapy.

Next time you see one of our pharmacists, give them a pat on the back!

Did you also know the Penrose Hospital Retail Pharmacy is open to the public and PSF Associates?  With discounts for associates.

For more information, call the Penrose Hospital Retail Pharmacy at 776-5486.

News Briefs

Webb Memorial Library
The Webb Memorial Library will be closed through March 13, due to the medical librarian, Casey Welch, being out.  Physicians and hospital staff may call Security at 776-2111 for access; you must show your hospital badge.  If you have a research request, e-mail it to webblibrary@centura.org and Casey will get back to you as soon as she can upon her return.

Central Scheduling Moving
Central Scheduling will be moving from SFHC to the PH main patient access area effective March 16.   All phone numbers will remain the same.  For questions or more information, please call Deborah Benner at 776-5351.

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Event
A free public event, tonight, 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Penrose Library, Carnegie Room at 20 N. Cascade Avenue, Colorado Springs. The event “Catch It Before It Starts!” includes Penrose Cancer Center physicians talking about various Colorectal Cancer tests and treatments, a cancer survivor’s personal story, and refreshments.  People should RSVP for the event by calling Ask-A-Nurse at 719-776-5555.  For more information, visit www.penrosecancercenter.org.
 
Donations for John Zay Guest House
The Outreach Committee will be collecting items for the John Zay Guest House through March 20.  Collection boxes and a list of the most needed items will be set up at all Penrose-St. Francis sites.  For more information, please contact Debbie Parrish at 776-5703.
 
PSF Associate Campaign
The Penrose-St. Francis Health Services 2009 Associate Campaign is coming soon.  For more information, please contact the Penrose-St. Francis Health Foundation at 776-7060.

Halos for Heroes

The following people were recognized through the Penrose-St. Francis Health Foundation’s Halos for Heroes program in February.  Halos for Heroes recognizes associates, nurses and physicians who have touched the lives of patients in a special way.

February Heroes
Dr. Roger Nagy
Amy Kelley, RN

Left, Margaret Sabin, Penrose-St. Francis President & CEO, with Dr. Roger Nagy, and right, Amy Kelley and her son, show off their Halos for Heroes certificates.  Dr. Nagy and Amy were Heroes for February. (Photos by Sharon Meyers)

Haloes for Heroes is a program that has evolved out of Centura Health’s desire to highlight the relationship between patients and providers. It allows patients, family, and friends to recognize and honor a specific Centura staff member who provided them with outstanding service.Halos for Heroes endorses Centura’s ideals in the areas of quality, service, cost, people, growth, and community in its quest to build an outstanding organization that better serves the needs of patients. Donations from Halos for Heroes benefit patients through better programs, services, and technology. Visit the website at WWW.HALOSFORHEROES.ORG for more information.

For Your Spirit

Mondays always seem busy.  In fact I suspect many of us plan out our hectic and busy lifestyles at the beginning of every week.  In between scheduling and doing, do we find ourselves saying "I just can't fit anything else in this week." 

Today's prayer comes out of that experience.

ARE YOU BUSY ENOUGH FOR GOD TO USE?

When God has a project, He seems to always ask us for help at a time when everything else in life is already moving at the speed of sound. When God wants a great servant, He calls a busy person.

Moses was busy with his flock at Horeb.
Saul was searching for his father's lost sheep. 
Esther's courage delivered a nation.
James and John were busy mending their fishing nets.
Matthew was busy collecting customs.
The Samaritan was rushing when he stopped to treat the man on the roadside.
St. Louise de Marillac was busy when God called her to create a network of services for the poor.
Are you busy enough for God to use?

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
"Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here I am Lord: send me!"
                                     Isaiah 6:8

Results Are In!

The results of the recent on-line Patient Safety Culture Survey are in and the departments with the highest participation rates are:

Penrose Hospital:  3rd Floor CVU
SFMC:  Post-Partum
SFHC:  3E Behavioral Health

All three departments will be treated to a free catered lunch in the near future.

Participation rates for each facility were:  Penrose Hospital, 29 percent; SFMC, 38 percent; and SFHC, 45 percent.  Overall, the participation rate more than doubled from the last Patient Safety Culture Survey in 2005.

“I’d like to thank the staff for their participation in the survey,” said Kelli Saucerman, Director of Clinical Effectiveness for PSF.  “Of course, they don't need to wait for a survey to express their ideas and opportunities for improving our safety culture.  Our leadership team is committed to take action on the areas that need improvement.”

Smoke Doors

From the PSF Occupational/Environmental Health, Safety and Security Office

The Penrose-St. Francis Code Red policy has, for many years, stipulated that should it become necessary to evacuate a portion of a floor, to evacuate horizontally.

The reason has much to do with the construction of the hospital facilities. Floors and areas are separated into multiple smoke compartments separated by smoke barriers (walls) equipped with rated smoke doors.

In order to assist associates in recognizing these smoke doors, and thus the adjoining smoke compartment (area of refuge), the Facilities Department added a special designation to all smoke doors at Penrose Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center.

When conducting fire drills, be sure to ask where to relocate in case of fire.

For more information or questions, contact PSF Occupational/Environmental Health, Safety and Security Office at 776-2122.

Mail Room To Move

The Mail Room at Penrose Hospital is permanently moving to the PH basement.

On Friday, the mail room will close at 1 p.m. in the current location.  It will reopen for business in the new location across from Supply Chain Management at 7:30 a.m. Monday, March 16. 

The move is in preparation for eventually moving receiving functions from ASC to PH.

After the move, the Mail Room business hours will remain the same; 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.  The Mail Room will also continue with all services including personal mail services for associates, such as purchasing stamps and mailing letters and packages.

For questions or more information, please contact Larry Higgins at 776-5432.

Going Green

Did you know….From January to August 2008, Penrose-St. Francis Health Services recycled 112.7 tons of paper. By recycling this paper PSF saved 1,915.9 trees (1 ton of paper = 17 trees) and 42,826 gallons of oil (1 ton of paper=380 gallons of oil).  PSF accomplished this by recycling the paper in shred bins. 

Going Green Tip of the Week…Please help reduce the amount of paper PSF disposes by following these tips:

--When copying a product use both sides if you can
--Do not print out an email unless its absolutely necessary
--Proof read documents on the computer versus proof reading them after you print them
--Use the blank side of a piece paper for notes

The Going Green Section of the Penrose Pulse was developed to educate and inform Penrose-St. Francis associates, physicians, and volunteers on how to Reduce and Reuse valuable resources.  For questions or to share a tip, please contact Ann Martin at 776-5111 or by email annmartin@centura.org

Medical Assistance Needed

SET Family Medical Clinics is hosting a free clinic for National Cover the Uninsured Week and needs volunteer doctors, nurses and PAs for two-hour shifts or more.

The 7th Annual Nationwide Cover the Uninsured Week, a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, takes place March 22-28 in cities and towns across the country.

SET Family Medical Clinics is doing their part this year by hosting a free walk in clinic for uninsured people in the Pikes Peak Region. SET's free walk-in clinic will be held on Wednesday March, 25 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the St. Francis Health Center located at 825 East Pikes Peak Ave. Bldg. 29.
 
To volunteer or for more information, please contact Barb Cronin at 776-8850 ext. 1007.

Club HIIP

LUNCH ‘N’ LEARN: “Maneuvering the Menu”
Celebrate National Nutrition Month 2009 and learn to “Eat Right”. In our crazy busy lives, this is easier said than done, right? Michelle Somers, Registered Dietitian, will share tips on maneuvering the menu at a restaurant, fast-food location, or the PSF cafeterias. Learn what key words to look for on the menu to help you get fueled up but not fattened up! 
March 18, 12:05-12:35 p.m., SFMC/Conf Rooms 2-3              
March 19, 12:05-12:35 p.m., PH/E-Tower Gala Room       

KNOWING YOUR NUMBERS
Confused about your Cholesterol test results from the health screen? Do you know the difference between HDL and LDL or have you had high numbers in the past?
Come join us for this educational presentation on how to understand your results and numbers from the Health Screening! Whenever you attend a health screening or see your physician, chances are your results from Body Mass Index, Blood Pressure, lab work (Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, Glucose, etc.) are in numbers.  Come learn what the numbers stand for, what constitutes healthy/unhealthy results, and what you can do to improve your numbers into the healthy categories!  Michelle Somers, dietitian from Club HIIP, will be presenting this informational class!  Those who attend will receive Club HIIP Education Credit.
Thursday, Noon to 12:45 p.m., SFMC Conf Rm 1
March 16, 5 to 5:45 p.m., PH/Volunteer Conf Rm

WEIGHT WATCHERS AT WORK: Session beginning in the spring
We are looking to do a 17-week series beginning spring 2009.   If we have more than 20 employees participate the cost will be $10.94/wk. More meetings mean a greater potential for success!! We are trying to gather enough individuals to begin this session, please contact Michelle Somers, 776-5034 if you are interested.

HIIP EDUCATION CLASSES
Exercising With Restrictions: Wednesday, Noon to 12:45 p.m., SFHC/5th Floor Summit Room
Hypnotist: Behavior Changes: March 17, Noon to 12:45 p.m., PH/E-tower Basement Aerobics Room

LIFE FITNESS
Walking and Learning for a better life physically, emotionally and mentally
Walk for 30 minutes and then learn tips and tricks to manage stress, master relaxation techniques to reduce anxiety and sleep better, discover methods to maintain motivation in all areas of life, get tools for reducing depression and managing your emotions, and find out the role of nutrition and sleep in mood and stress levels.  To register for this free class, please call (719) 634-1825.
PH Wednesdays March 11- April 29 (8 weeks), 3:45-5 p.m., in the Aerobics Room
SFMC Wednesdays March 18- May 6 (8 weeks), 6:15-7:30 a.m. location TBD

HIKING CLUB
Saturday at 10 a.m., Cheyenne Mountain State Park “Geocaching”
Hit the trails on a high-tech treasure hunt! Combining GPS technology, gadgets and nature, geocaching is a fun and exciting way to explore the park's trails.  Several caches are hidden in the park with clues posted on the internet. Bring your GPS.  Two geocaching enthusiasts, Kevin and Dale will have extra GPSs to share if you do not have one.  Meet in the main parking lot at 10:00AM.  There is a $6 per car state park entrance fee. Dogs are not allowed on the trails.  If there is too much snow, we will still hike and postpone the geocaching until March 28…same place, same time.
Directions:  South on Nevada Ave [Rt. 115] to the park entrance directly opposite Fort Carson’s main gate.  Turn right at the traffic light and follow to the main parking lot. For more information contact Lynette at 201-7554 or 448-9905. 

PSF EXTENDED FITNESS CLASSES
Pick up a schedule at HIIP Walk pockets at all sites for registration form
Yoga: Session 4: Starts, Thursday, 5:15-6:30 p.m. in the PH/E-Tower Aerobics Room,  6 week session

Body Sculpting
Learn how to sustain visibly strengthened core muscles groups, improve balance and increase energy levels. The cost for the three-week session is $17 for PSF employees, $20 for PSF volunteers, and $22 for community members, family and friends.  To sign up or for more information, contact Liz Beradi at 776-7393.
Session 1: Tuesdays 6:15-7 a.m., March 17, 24, 31 PH/ E-tower Aerobics Room, 3 week session

WELLNESS CENTER ORIENTATIONS
Please register for the orientations below via HealthCalc on My Virtual Workplace or call 776-5839, ext 2.
PH Wellness Center- Thursday at 8 a.m.
SFHC Wellness Center- Friday at Noon
Anyone over 40 years old must have a physician’s form signed giving permission to use Wellness Centers.
*SFMC Wellness Center Orientations: Please note that if you used to have access to the PCH Wellness Center, you must attend an orientation at SFMC in order to gain access to that facility.

Cafeteria Menus

Penrose Hospital breakfast and lunch menu.

TODAY
Breakfast: Ham & Swiss Quiche; Lunch: Sloppy Joes, Chicken & Dumplings, Penne Pasta w/ Alfredo or Marinara, and Apple Raspberry Cobbler

TUESDAY
Breakfast: Sausage McMuffins; Lunch: Beer Battered Fried Shrimp, Beef Taco Bowls, Chili Rellanos, and Warm Chocolate Brownies

WEDNESDAY
Breakfast: Breakfast Burritos; Lunch: Beef Stir Fry over Jasmine Rice, Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya, Calamari & Marinara Sauce, and Raisin Bread Pudding

THURSDAY
Breakfast: Belgium Waffles; Lunch: BBQ Pork Wings, Burgundy Beef Stew in Bread Bowl, Spinach & Cheese Ravioli, and Sunshine Lemon Orange Cake

FRIDAY
Breakfast: Breakfast Pizza; Lunch: Chik Filet Burger, Corned Beef & Cabbage, Gorgonzola Mahi Mahi, and Warm Cherry Cobbler

SATURDAY
Breakfast: Breakfast Pizza; Lunch: Popcorn Chicken, Meat Lasagna & Garlic Bread, Smoked BBQ Pork, and Blackberry Cobbler

SUNDAY
Breakfast: Belgium Waffles; Lunch: Country Fried Chicken, Honey Baked Ham, Sweet Potato & Marshmallow, and Apple Dumplings

For the SFMC menu, please call the daily menu phone line 571-1001.

Health Learning Center

Wellness Classes: Now through March 31.

T’ai Chi – A form of ancient Chinese martial arts that works to improve body awareness, strength and coordination.  Monthly - Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning the first Tuesday of each month.  Current class runs through March 26, 9 to 10 a.m.  The cost is $40 for the 4-week session.

ZUMBA! – No experience or rhythm necessary. Latin based dance that is fast moving and lots of fun.  A great cardio workout with lots of movement.  Every Tuesday through March 24, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.  The cost is $30 for the 4-week session.

New! The Anti Aging Diet – Can what you eat keep you looking and feeling younger? Join our registered dietitian for an informative and fun hour to find out!  Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The cost is $20.

Family Wellness Camp - A six-week comprehensive family “camp” for overweight or de-conditioned kids and their families.  Meeting twice per week, this participatory class includes nutrition sessions, movement and exercise sessions and family counseling on incorporation of concepts into daily lifestyles. Financial aid available for families. Mondays and Wednesdays through April 8, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.  The cost is $250 per family for the 6-week session ($50.00 co pay with available financial assistance for the remainder of the fee for committed families).
  
Aquatics Classes – The Penrose Health Learning Center in cooperation with Colorado Sports and Spine. A structured class two to three times per week, concentrating on range of motion, overall strengthening and general cardiovascular conditioning.  All Aquatics classes are located at 1625 Medical Center Point (Union and Templeton Gap).  The cost is $46 per month for 2x / week or $66 per month for 3x / week.
- Monday/Wednesday/Friday: 10:30–11:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- Monday/Wednesday: 5-6 p.m.
- Monday/Friday: 12:30-1:30 p.m
- Tuesday/Thursday: 8:30-9:30 a.m., 11:30-12:30 p.m., 12:30-1:30 p.m.

All classes require pre-registration / cancellation a minimum of 24 hours prior.A $20.00 no show fee will be billed to the participant if registration not cancelled 24 hours in advance. To register or for more information, please call the Penrose Health Learning Center at 776-3600. 

Thank You Note

Editor's Note:  The following letter was recently sent to Margaret Sabin, President & CEO of Penrose-St. Francis Health Services.
 
A diagnosis of cancer is never a good experience, but my journey through the surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and physical therapy has been made much easier to accept and deal with because of Penrose-St. Francis Health Services and the caring staff of so many.
 
Even more importantly, I feel my "venture" has been made much easier because of the John Zay Guest House.  My husband and I have been truly blessed and our lives enriched by Sister Lou Krippel, Mickey Zay and even by the other families who have stayed in the house as well.  We all share our stories and experiences and even get a new prospective sometimes of what and how to deal with everything; not to mention the beautiful home itself and the convenience of not having a 100 mile round trip drive every day for treatment has been such a boost to my physical (and mental) recovery.

My family will forever be grateful for being welcomed at the John Zay Guest House and allowed to begin the healing process among new friends and with the spirit of John Zay himself guiding us and allowing us the time needed to regroup and even begin to make plans for our future filled with lots of hope and a tremendous gratitude for the John Zay Guest House staff and the house that love built and will sustain so many families in the future months and years.
 
Again, our thanks and appreciation to all who were involved in the construction of the guest house and have spent so many hours volunteering to make it all possible.  It is truly a gift that Colorado Springs can be proud of.
 
God bless each of you and those who spend time at the John Zay Guest House and are touched by Sister Lou and Mickey Zay.
 
-- Carole Kaderlie and Family

The John Zay Guest House opened in November and is a “home away from home” for out-of-town patients receiving extended treatment at Penrose Hospital, as well as a respite for their family members. (Photo by Dave Kottler)