50th Anniversary!

Penrose Hospital Celebrates 50 Years In West Tower
120 Years of Service to Community

By Stacey Knott
PSF Marketing & Public Relations

On Sept. 15, 1959, the Colorado Springs community and Penrose Hospital celebrated the dedication of a new 12-story tower and an official name change.

Today, that tower is known as the Penrose Hospital West Tower.  Costing $7.5 million to build 50 years ago, the new hospital offered the newest technology and innovations for patient care, but getting to that point was a long process.

The Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, Ohio opened Glockner Sanatorium in 1889 for a handful of tuberculosis patients on the current campus of Penrose Hospital.  In 1945, the facility officially changed its name to Glockner-Penrose Hospital.

With the opening of the new tower in 1959, the hospital went through one last official name change to Penrose Hospital, in memory of area philanthropists Spencer and Julie Penrose.  The old Glockner-Penrose Hospital building, which sat where the new East Towers now sits, was demolished shortly after the new tower was opened.

The Colorado Springs’ newspaper, the Gazette-Telegraph, covered the building and grand opening of the new hospital extensively, and focused not only on the medical innovations, but also the structure’s design features.

The new building boasted 311 patient beds, beautiful artwork, uninterrupted power, every emergency and safety device, the new Webb Memorial Library, a kitchen able to turn out 1,800 meals daily, and much more. This was in addition to a modern surgical suite with eight major surgery rooms and an orthopedic room, as well as the maternity ward and pediatric section.

Twenty-seven key leaders were in charge of managing the new hospital and the 450 associates.  The hospital also had 202 active, associate, consulting and honorary doctors on staff, which included 32 dentists.

Today, Penrose Hospital still has the uninterrupted power, beautiful artwork, and every emergency and safety device. The Webb Library is still providing information to medical providers, but the sources of information have changed with the times.  The Cafeteria now prepares 4,000-5,000 meals daily. 

Penrose Hospital currently has 12 active operating rooms, one of which is the home to the da Vinci® Surgical Robot.  The Birth Center and Pediatric Departments have moved to Penrose-St Francis’ newest facility, St. Francis Medical Center, which opened just a year ago.

Penrose-St. Francis has a combined 122 years of service in the community.  Today, the system boasts 522 licensed beds, over 2,600 associates and 789 affiliated physicians.  

Many changes have taken place at the Penrose Hospital campus since Glockner opened 120 years ago.  Many people and families from the community have shared their great joy and great sorrow with the people who work within these 50-year-old walls.

But the true heart of Penrose Hospital is not the steel and concrete structure, it is the people.  The heart of this facility was and will always be the dedicated physicians, associates and volunteers who work to make Colorado Springs a healthier place to live.

Editors Note:
The Penrose Pulse wishes to thank Mike Herbst, PH Plant Operations manager, for his many hours at the Penrose Library gathering research for this article and to the Pikes Peak Library District for sharing their information and photos.

Congratulations to Bob Husband of St. Francis Medical Center for correctly answering last week's trivia question about the 50th Anniversary!

The following articles are from the Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph, September 1959.  

Click on each article below for a larger, printable version.

H1N1 Update

Self-Care
To ensure “no flu for you,” follow these precautions to protect yourself, and share them with your family and friends:
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water.  Use antibacterial gel if soap and water are not available.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread that way.
• Avoid other with respiratory illnesses.
• Get your seasonal flu vaccination now and the H1N1 vaccination when it becomes available in October. 
• Penrose-St. Francis associate flu clinics:
     o Sept. 25 – St. Francis Medical Center
     o Sept. 30 – Penrose Hospital
     o Oct. 1 – Penrose Hospital
     o Oct. 2 – St. Francis Health Center
     o Oct. 8 – St. Francis Medical Center

If you do get sick, here’s what to do:
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with your sleeve or with a tissue that you can throw away.
• Stay home if you are sick, and stay home until at least 24 hours after your fever (100 degrees or higher) is gone.
• If you have severe illness or you’re at high risk for flu complications, contact your health care provider or seek medical care.  Call first.

To learn more about 2009 H1N1 Flu and Centura policies, visit the 2009 H1N1 Flu information website on My Virtual Workplace and watch for more information to come.

Department Spotlight

This month the Penrose-St. Francis Department in the Spotlight shines on Langstaff-Brown Urgent Care in Woodland Park. 

Langstaff-Brown is part of Penrose-St. Francis Emergency services and also provides outpatient services and sports physicals to the community.  They currently serve approximately 750 people per month in the summer and about 500 per month in the winter. 

Langstaff-Brown was started in 1984 as Rampart Range Emergency by Dr. (Gary) Kim Langstaff and Marvin Brown.  Up until that time, there wwas no emergency medical care in the Woodland Park/Teller County area.  Though neither Dr. Langstaff nor Mr. Brown are still involved in the facility, one doctor and one of the registered nurses have been on staff since the beginning.  The facility now has three doctors and 12 associates on staff.

In 2008, the facility underwent a major makeover.  Not only did they receive a badly need facelift, but also installed a brand new Digital X-Ray machine. 

“This machine makes it so much easier not only on us, but on our patients,” said Tracy, one of the radiology techs who has been with the facility for seven years.  “We can now do x-rays without causing pain.”

So, what makes this department special?  According to Rebecca Morland, Clinical Manager, it’s the fact that they are “family” and not just co-workers.  They celebrate every event together, births, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and even go on trips together. 

“We have a waiting list to get on the staff and when people get a job here, they stay,” Rebecca said. “We all pitch in to do whatever is needed whether it’s shoveling snow, answering phones, housekeeping, whatever. We are proud of our facility and the service we provide.” 

That pride shows in the high HCAP scores, the high Press-Ganey scores, and the pillar award they received in 2008 for Service Excellence.

As with any healthcare facility, Langstaff-Brown has their challenges; a decrease in the number of patients with the opening of the Pikes Peak Regional Medical Center, staffing issues because of the fluctuating number of patients, and limited resources.  But challenges they don’t have are teamwork and spirit.  Every member of the staff had a smile on their face, a willingness to help, and a pride in their department. 

Congratulations to Langstaff-Brown!

News Briefs

FIRE EXTINGUISHER TRAINING
--Sept. 22, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at St. Francis Medical Center near the Cafeteria. 
--Sept.24, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at St. Francis Health Center near the carpenter shop
--Sept 25, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at Penrose Hospital near the loading dock
Free BBQ will be served to participants.  The training is open to all associates and does not require pre-registration.  For more information, please contact Greg Johnson at 776-5091.

ASSOCIATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Penrose-St. Francis Health Foundation’s Associate Financial Assistance Fund program guidelines are online at WWW.PSFFOUND.ORG.  Click on the link on the home page and you’ll be directed to the same information sheet that appears on the back of the assistance application. Please note that the application form itself is not available to complete online.  You must still complete the request process in person through the Foundation office located on the third floor of the Margery Reed Memorial Building, Penrose Hospital campus. For additional information or to schedule an appointment, please call 776-7760, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

TUITION REIMBURSEMENT
In an effort to save time and paper, Education will no longer distribute hard copies of applications and guidelines for tuition reimbursement.  Associates can access these documents via My Virtual Workplace.  For more information, please contact PSF Education at 776-5186.
     How to Access:
• Log into My Virtual Workplace
• Click on the Reference Tab
• Click on Docushare
• Click on PSF General Folders
• Click on Education Resources
• Click on Tuition Assistance Forms
• Click on Tuition Application (and print) AND click on Tuition Guidelines (and print)

HR AT PENROSE HOSPITAL
The PSF Human Resources Department is delayed in moving back to Penrose Hospital. In the meantime, HR is offering onsite support hours Mondays, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., and Wednesdays, 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. HR representatives will be located in the PH Wellness Center in the E-Tower basement. For questions or more information, please contact Gary Morse at 776-4782 or Cecilia Peat at 776-4785.

ASSOCIATE REMINDERS
• HR forms and policies can be found on DocuShare through “My Virtual Workplace” web site.
• All job postings and applications are online at http://www.penrosestfrancis.org
• Associates who need a computer for compliance training purposes, may contact Education Resources at 776-5186. They have a computer located in a private area.

Race For The Cure

Two minority outreach groups from Penrose-St. Francis Health Services represented a united front in the fight against breast cancer in the 2009 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure©, Sept. 13 at Garden of the Gods Park.
 
PSF’s African-American Women Nurturing and Giving Each Other Life (ANGEL) Network and Juntas, “together” in Spanish, a Latino community health advocacy group, invited the community to walk with them in the Race for the Cure.

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services was also a sponsor for the event.


(Photos by Jill Woodford)

Cafeteria Updates

Free Food With Training
A free barbeque will be held Friday in the Penrose Hospital Southwest Vendor Parking Lot anyone who attends the Safety Extinguisher Training there 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The barbeque includes hamburgers, hotdogs, chipotle baked beans, a cookie and a canned soda. This barbeque is free for all who take the training, otherwise it will be a $5 charge.
       
Serving Line Closure
The main serving area in the Penrose Hospital cafeteria will be CLOSED Oct 5-11 for the final construction phase and equipment installation in preparation for the reopening of the full service cafeteria.  Meals will be provided in the Cactus Room for this period and barbeque outside, weather permitting.  Nutrition Services apologizes for the inconvenience during this necessary final phase.
 
Name the New Cafe    
Beginning today, Nutrition Services is accepting suggestions to name the "new" Penrose Hospital cafeteria. The finalist will be chosen by senior management. A suggestion box is located beside the cashiers.

Sandwich Orders
Also starting today, the Penrose Hospital Cafe is taking sandwiches orders via Fax.  The cut off time to submit orders is 9:45 a.m.  Use the attached form or pick up fax order sandwich slips by the deli counter to take back to the office.

Click on the sheet below for a larger, printable version.

Zoo Picnic

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services celebrated the annual employee picnic Sept. 13 at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo!

Winter Gear Needed

JDRF Walk

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services was a sponsor and participant in the 2009 Walk To Cure Diabetes, Sept. 12 at America the Beautiful Park in Colorado Springs.

As many as 3 million Americans have type 1 diabetes, a disease most often diagnosed in childhood that strikes suddenly, lasts a lifetime, and carries the constant threat of deadly complications, including heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and amputation.

JDRF's mission is constant: to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Thanks to dramatic research progress, a cure is now within reach.

The Walk draws people together in a healthy activity for a worthy cause, raising money to help find a cure for diabetes. 

HIIP News

FY10 HIIP EDUCATION CLASSES
FISH: Fatty Acids in Seafood are Healthy: Sept. 24 from 4-4:45 p.m. at SFMC/Conf Room 2
Progressive Relaxation: Sept. 30 from 4:30-5:15 p.m. at SFHC/5th Floor Summit Room
Active Aging: Oct. 1 from 11:30-12:15p.m. at SFHC/Front Range Room

PSF EXTENDED FITNESS CLASSES
Pick up a schedule at HIIP Wall pockets at all sites for registration form
Penrose Hospital
Body Toning: Session 2a/b: Starts Sept. 21 from 11:45-12:50 p.m. in the PH/E-Tower Aerobics Room for 6 weeks
St. Francis Medical Center
Yoga: Session 1: Starts Sept. 21 from 5-6:15 p.m. in the North Care Building/2nd Floor Julie Penrose Center for 6 weeks  

WELLNESS CENTER ORIENTATIONS
Please register for orientations via HealthCalc on My Virtual Workplace or call 776-5839, ext 2.
PH Wellness Center- Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 4 p.m.
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.

WALKING CLUBS
PH Walking Club: Every Thursday at 7:15-7:50 a.m. outside of valet. Contact Michelle Somers x5034
SFHC Walking Club:  Every Monday at 11:30 a.m. outside of the Foundation building. Contact Tracy x7085
SFMC Walking Club:  Every Tuesday at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. meet outside 1st floor/valet entrance- Winter season- the group will walk the stairs indoors. Contact Rox x11064.

Peak Challenge

For the seventh straight year, Penrose-St. Francis Health Services sponsored the annual Pikes Peak Challenge Sept. 12, the vigorous hike up our favorite mountain on behalf of the Brain Injury Association of Colorado. 

BIAC provides education, advocacy and resources on behalf of the brain injured in our state and has been instrumental in creating and supporting the local CIRCLE group, which helps many vets at Fort Carson.

The PSF Rehab hikers were physical therapists Vicki Lieber, Sonya Hultman, and Jenette Palmer with occupational therapists Christina Thompson and Mary Lynn Matthews. Not pictured are Eileen Cannon, physical therapist, and Kerri Tremaroli, Admissions Coordinator. (Courtesy Photo)

Brownie Troop

Brownie Troop #2068 tour St. Francis Medical Center and presented blankets they made to Kathleen Woodard, Clinical Manager for Pediatrics and NICU at SFMC, Sept. 8.

The Brownie Troop from Ranch Creek Elementary in Colorado Springs decided last year they wanted to do a service project to benefit the community.  They wanted to do something for children in the hospital and decided they would do something for the brand new hospital, SFMC, in their neighborhood.  

Many ideas were bounced around before deciding on the small, cuddle-size fleece blankets.  Money to buy the fleece was raised from Girl Scout Cookie Sale proceeds, and throughout the 2008-2009 meeting year, the troop worked on the blankets.  

The troop consisted of 11 second graders and four third graders last year.  Some girls liked to tie the blankets in pairs and others preferred to go at it on their own and when a fellow Brownie buddy was struggling with the task another stepped in to help. Even a few parents helped contribute along the way.  It was truly a labor of love.  The girls have all agreed they would like to continue making the blankets again this year as well.

The troop is much smaller this year, with only seven third graders, but their mission to give back to the community is still strong.  They are hoping they can donate another batch of blankets in the spring.  They are also planning to help support the Ronald McDonald house this year, by baking cookies and brownies for its residents.

Troop members include the girls who attended the tour and are current members are:  Allyson Brokaw, Madeline Cole, Lauren Hines, Jenna Kondracki, Julie Papaj, Skyler VonVett, and Emily Zaugg. The Troop Leader is Becky Brokaw and Co-Leader is Sharon VonVett.

Health Learning Center

Here are the next three months community health and wellness classes at the Health Learning Center.

All classes require pre-registration / cancellation a minimum of 24 hours prior. A $20 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.

T’ai Chi – A form of ancient Chinese martial arts that works to improve body awareness, strength and coordination. Offered monthly, Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning the first Tuesday of each month, 9 to 10 a.m.  Oct. 6-29, Nov. 3-24 (seven sessions), Dec. 1-17 (three weeks only). The cost is $40 for the 4-week session (or discounted session rate as applicable).

Basic Weight Training For All Ages - A wonderful strength and conditioning class for the entire family.  This class will challenge all fitness levels with its varied class format of circuits, resistance training, and core stability training. One hour twice per week for 4-weeks.  Mondays and Wednesdays,  5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Oct. 19-Nov. 11.  The cost is $40 for the 4-week session.

New!  Creating Healthy Food Gifts – Healthy food is always a great gift idea. Join us in creating items such as soups, teas, basket ideas, cookies or other treats to personalize your holiday giving.  An economic way to please even the most difficult person on your list.  5:45 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.,  Tuesday, Dec. 1. The cost is $30.       

Essential Core Training - Core strength and stability is essential in maintaining functional ability for activities of daily living.  Core training is not just sit ups and crunches but incorporates stability muscles from your chest to your knees to create a foundation for all movement.  Come and join us for great workouts and “take home” information. Mondays, Nov. 16 – Dec. 7, 5:30 – 6:15 p.m.  The cost is $30.

New! YoChi - This unique class will incorporate exercise components of both seated Yoga and Tai Chi to promote relaxation and stress reduction. Thursdays, Oct. 29-Nov. 19, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. The cost is $30 for the 4-week session.
  
Join The Health Learning Center Gym – Did you know that a one month membership at the HLC gym is equal to one class option through Colorado Springs Utilities?  Join us for one or more months and get your workouts kick started under the guidance of our fitness experts.  Call the registration number for an exercise intake appointment.  By appointment only. Contact 776-4761 to schedule your intake to initiate your membership. The cost is $46 per month / no contracts – month to month membership.

NEW! Portion Distortion – Learn about correct portion sizes verses restaurant portion sizes. Bigger is not always better.  How do you deal with our “upsized” world without becoming “upsized” yourself.  A great visual aid to your nutrition plan. Tuesday, Oct. 13, 5:45 – 7 p.m. The cost is $20.

NEW! Stress Management and Emotional Eating – Learn to identify and combat emotional eating. Discussion will include emotional and physical hunger and explore alternative methods of handling stress and other emotions.  Discover possible emotional connections to commonly craved foods. Thursday, Oct. 22, 5:45 – 7 p.m. The cost is $20.

NEW! Balancing Your Fat and Fiber for the Health of Your Heart / Incorporating Exercise – Discuss types of fats and their impact on your cholesterol levels. Understand how to comfortably add fiber to help lower your cholesterol. We will also discuss how to effectively incorporate exercise and movement into your lifestyle. Tuesday, Nov. 3, 5:45 – 7:15 p.m. The cost is $20.

NEW! Cooking Demo and Tasting – Cooking with healthy grains, beans, vegetables and spicy sauces to improve heart health. Lower your risk of heart disease by incorporating some of these great recipes and easy suggestions into your own home cooked meals.  Thursday, Nov. 5, 5:45 – 7:15 p.m.  The cost is $25.

Resistance Training with Bands – Resistance band training is a unique resistance training method that may easily be accomplished at home or work with very little space and just a few varied tensions of bands.  Join us for this creative class that will provide exercises and direction for your mobile training system.  Thursday, Oct. 15, 5:45 – 7:15 p.m.  The cost is $20.

New!  Individual Fitness Assessment – Measure your fitness levels against the national averages and note areas in which you excel and potential areas of need. A sub-max VO2 treadmill test as well as evaluations for flexibility, strength and strength endurance will be performed.  Results will be reviewed and discussed with a fitness expert to help direct you in your future fitness goals.  By appointment only; contact 776-3600 to schedule your appointment .  The cost is $50. 

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 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Cafeteria Menu

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

Penrose Hospital daily lunch menu.

NOTE:  The Penrose Hospital cafeteria hot line will be closed for construction.  A temporary hot line will be in place by the cashier stand, however hot choices will be limited. The salad bar, sandwich bar, and grab and go cooler will remain open and accessible. Construction is anticipated to last six to eight weeks.  Nutrition Services will host an outdoor BBQ every Friday during the construction.

TODAY
Breakfast: Eggs Florentine & Mornay Sauce; Lunch: Baked Potato Bar, Garlic Crumb Halibut, BBQ Baby Back Pork Ribs, Cherry Pineapple White Cake

TUESDAY
Breakfast: Sausage, Egg & Cheese McMuffin; Lunch: Beef Taco Bowl, Tri-Pepper Chicken Fajitas, Roast Turkey, Warm Blueberry Crunch

WEDNESDAY
Breakfast: Breakfast Burritos; Lunch: Bourbon Glazed Salmon, Curry Chicken Breast, BBQ Beef Brisket, Homemade Apple Strudel

THURSDAY
Breakfast: Sausage Biscuits & Gravy; Lunch: Beer Battered Cod, Beef Pepper Steak over Rice, Country Fried Chicken, Triple Berry Granola Crisp

FRIDAY
Breakfast: Green Chili Cheese Omelet; Lunch: English Breaded Orange Roughy, Spaghetti & Meat Sauce, Sweet Potatoes & Broccoli, Outdoor BBQ:  Hamburgers Hotdogs Chipotle Baked Beans Cookie and a canned Soda

SATURDAY
Breakfast: Minnesota Egg Casserole; Lunch: Red Hook Fried Shrimp, Turkey Pot Pie, Meat Lasagna & Garlic Bread, Blueberry Cherry Cobbler

SUNDAY
Breakfast: Pancakes; Lunch: Country Fried Chicken, Meatball Hoagie, Macaroni & Cheese, Apple Dumplings