 April Employee of the Month
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| | Denise Taylor |
Denise Taylor, teacher at the Child Care Center, is the April Employee of the Month. Taylor's nomination read, "Denise has been with our department since 2007. In that time I have seen her grow into a terrific teacher. Denise always has a smile and is genuine. Recently, there was a co-worker without a ride to work and Denise offered to bring her to work and take her home for a week during the holiday season."
Another nomination read, "As a teacher, Denise exemplifies the values of Saint Luke's Health System. She greets her customers (my children and I) with a smile each day. Her love of the children she cares for is obvious as she shares funny and loving stories of the interactions she has with my daughter on a daily basis. I also see that Denise is a positive team player with her fellow teachers. Caring for all of our children takes a 'village.' I have observed her offering to help her fellow teachers and filling in where she is needed. Her contribution to the team makes the center a positive place to be."
Please join us in congratulating Taylor on this much-deserved honor.
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Volunteer of the Year - Mardel Lillard
 | | Mardel Lillard |
Mardel Lillard of Prairie Village, Kan., has been named 2012 Volunteer of the Year at Saint Luke's Hospital. She will be honored at the hospital's annual volunteer recognition luncheon on April 12.
Since 1982 she has donated more than 15,000 hours of service. Through the years she has volunteered in a variety of areas and currently helps at information desks by answering phones and guest questions, and serving as an ambassador, walking visitors to patient rooms and other locations on the hospital campus. Lillard also volunteers in the surgery waiting room, serving as a liaison between the surgery staff and the patient's family, providing information and updates.
Co-workers who nominated Lillard said, "A kind word, a pleasant smile, and a cup of coffee can many times relieve the anxiety of a friend or family member whose loved one is in surgery. Mardel serves the surgery waiting room in a dignified manner, but with all the compassion needed."
Lillard also donates hand-sewn articles for patient use such as comfort pillows and eye glass cases. She is described as a team player who focuses on how the volunteers can better serve Saint Luke's patients and guests.
Volunteers and auxilians at Saint Luke's contributed a total of 55,947 hours in 2011, the equivalent of 27 full-time employees, valued at more than $2.1 million in payroll. For information on volunteer opportunities at Saint Luke's Hospital, call 816-932-2183 or click here.
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More than 80 Saint Luke's doctors honored as Best Doctors
 More than 80 Saint Luke's doctors were named Best Doctors in The Kansas City Business Journal. The list is an excerpt of The Best Doctors in America database. Only 5 percent of physicians nationwide are selected for this prestigious list.
Every two years, Best Doctors, Inc., selects the best doctors in the nation by polling physicians asking, "If you or a loved one needed a doctor in your specialty, to whom would you refer them?"
Click here for a full list of Saint Luke's doctors honored this year. Congratulations to all!
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National Volunteer Week
 Show your appreciation for Saint Luke's Hospital volunteers during National Volunteer Week, April 15-21
This week is the perfect opportunity to recognize those volunteers and auxilians who serve your units and patients on a daily basis. Last year, volunteers donated more than 55,000 hours to the benefit of the hospital and the patients at Saint Luke's. Some accomplishments include: Handling more than 241,000 items in assembling projects and mailings, visiting more than 39,659 patients, assembling 1,626 diaper bags for newborns, and delivering 1,128 flowers! Volunteers are an integral part of our hospital and an invaluable resource. Please show your gratitude!
Please notify Kay Weir, director of Volunteer Services, of your plans to recognize volunteers in your area during National Volunteer Week. For suggestions, contact Weir at ext. 22448 or kweir@saint-lukes.org.
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Donate Life Month
 April is National Donate Life month. The month-long celebration honors the generosity of organ, eye, and tissue donors and their families and commemorates all transplant recipients in the United States. Activities this month will focus on supporting Donate Life America's new campaign, 20 Million in 2012, which looks to add 20 million new organ, eye, and tissue donors to state donor registries in 2012.
One such activity is participating in National Health Care Decisions Day on April 16. Members from the SLH Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Council and the Midwest Transplant Network will be in the MAHI south lobby to provide information about donation and how individual wishes can be made known.
April 20 is the first annual "National Donate Life Blue and Green Day" in support of organ, eye, and tissue donation. On this day Donate Life America encourages all to wear blue and green to show their support of donation.
To learn more about saving lives through organ and tissue donation visit www.DonateLifeMissouri.com or www.DonateLifeKansas.com.
SLH activities
Tuesday, April 10
- Blood drive, 7:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., BMW rooms
Monday, April 16
- National Health Care Decision Day starting at 10:30 a.m., MAHI south lobby
Friday, April 20
- National Donate Life Blue and Green Day
Thursday, April 26
- Feed Your Brain, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., BMW rooms
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National Cancer Registrars Week April 9 - 13
Cancer Registrars: Partners in Progress in the Nation's Fight Against Cancer
Cancer registrars worldwide observe National Cancer Registrars Week to highlight the foundation these professionals provide for cancer research, prevention, and treatment. These "Partners in Progress" support the medical community for a cancer-free tomorrow.
Cancer registrars are data information specialists who collect and code patient-level data for cancer registries. The registries provide essential information to health care providers and health officials to better monitor and improve cancer treatment, conduct research, and target cancer prevention and screening programs.
With this information aggregated at the state and national level, cancer programs may accurately determine cancer patient populations, measure outcomes of treatment and survival, and formulate plans for improvement.
At Saint Luke's our staff of five Certified Tumor Registrars ensure that clinical information about cancer patients is collected, managed, and safeguarded for correct, complete, and timely reporting to the states of Missouri and Kansas.
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Healing garden work day
Thank you to all of the employees who volunteered to prepare the garden for summer and for donating plants to place in the garden.
The gardening team first met last year in March, created the blueprint for the garden, and started planting in May. A very dedicated group of volunteers watered and tended the garden throughout the hot summer months and in the fall planted more than 200 bulbs so the garden could be enjoyed year round.
People from many areas in the hospital, including their friends and family, have contributed to the success of this garden. Thank you! - Donna Hinkle
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Noteworthy
Opening day special
Please join us in Broadway Dining for a Kansas City Royals home opener special on Friday, April 13. For $5 you can have your choice of polish sausage, foot-long corn dog, or a chili dog along with Cracker Jacks and drink (fountain drink, hot/iced tea, carton of milk, coffee).
Toddler swim lessons The Center for Health Enhancement offers lessons to help your toddler become comfortable in the water and gain confidence for additional swim lessons. For children ages one to three years. In-water participation from a parent or guardian is required. Click here for session dates, time, cost, and registration information. Contact the Center for Health Enhancement at ext. 23260 with any questions.  Explore nursing/open house at Saint Luke's College Saint Luke's College of Health Sciences is hosting 'Explore Nursing' on Thursday, April 19, from 5 - 7 p.m. Anyone interested in the traditional B.S.N. or the R.N. to B.S.N. program is invited. Visitors will have the opportunity to tour the new college, walk through the new state-of-the-art simulation center, and visit with admissions, financial aid, current students, and faculty to get all the information you need regarding the college and nursing programs. Saint Luke's College is located at 624 Westport Road, Kansas City, MO 64111. For more information about the college and the 'Explore Nursing' event, contact the Admissions Office at 816-932-6710, or go to its website.
New corridor by
ED complete
Construction is now complete for the security office and the new corridor around the ED on A level. All staff will have access to the new corridor via your ID badge. Please see the map to familiarize yourself with the new path. As of April 23, the ED will be secured and you are reminded not to use the ED as a shortcut. Thank you for your cooperation.
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Retirement Balance Plan
As was previously announced, the 2011 funding of eligible employee's Retirement Balance Plan accounts occurred on March 30, 2012. Employees can access their accounts by going online at www.divinvest.com or by calling Diversified at 1-888-676-5512. You should be able to view your account under the Saint Luke's Retirement Balance and Matching Plan.
As a reminder, the SLHS Retirement Balance Plan is a new 401(a) retirement plan that is funded solely by SLHS for the employee's retirement benefit and requires no action by the employee to enroll in the plan. SLHS employees become eligible for the SLHS Retirement Balance Plan once they have completed 12 months of employment and 1,000 hours of benefit service. Once eligible to participate in the SLHS Retirement Balance Plan employees will enter the plan on Jan. 1 or July 1, whichever date comes first after completing the 12-month and 1,000-hour requirement.
Vesting in the SLHS Retirement Balance Plan will require an employee to complete three years of benefit service (1,000 hours) before the employee is 100 percent vested in their account funds. A vested employee can take the SLHS Retirement Balance Plan funds with them when they retire or leave SLHS.
Another feature of the SLHS Retirement Balance Plan is that the funds contributed to the employee's account are invested by the employee. Employees have access to the same mutual fund line offered by Diversified Investment Advisors that they use to invest their 403(b)/401(k) contributions and their 401(a) matching plan contributions. For those employees that do not want to actively manage their investments, the plans use the American Century LIVESTRONG mutual funds as a default fund. The American Century LIVESTRONG mutual funds are balanced mutual funds tied to the employee's projected retirement age.
If you have any questions about the Retirement Balance Plan, or any of your SLHS retirement accounts, please contact Diversified at the phone number above.
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Web conference
SLHS Annual Wellness State of the Union
You may have wondered: Why does Saint Luke's want employees to complete an annual health appraisal and an adult wellness exam every two years? Or, you may be curious about the results of the annual health appraisal and how it benefits us.
Tammy Leslie, senior director of Compensation and Benefits, will present a web conference to answer these questions. Leslie will share the results of the latest health appraisal as well as the purpose for the SLHS wellness strategy.
You can choose from two sessions: Thursday, April 19, or Wednesday, April 25, from 12 - 12:30 p.m. To register for either of these sessions, email
Healthenhancement@saint-lukes.org or call Gayle O'Connell at ext. 23807 and a meeting invitation will be sent to your calendar.
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