Saint Luke's Employee Circle of Giving

June 3-14

You can make difference in the lives of others through Saint Luke's Employee Circle of Giving!

Your charitable gifts through payroll deduction help support many Saint Luke's funds and programs, from employee emergency assistance funds, medical programs, and services for families and children to departmental education funds.

It's quick and easy. Visit saintlukesgiving.org/employee to sign up online. Or send in a printed form.

Your generosity benefits our own Saint Luke's community of employees, patients, and families. For as little as $2 per pay period, you choose the Saint Luke's fund you want to support - and 100 percent of your gift goes to that fund.

Your gifts truly do add up and make a difference: last year 1,798 employees within Saint Luke's Health System contributed $269,138 through payroll deduction to support 112 programs.

For more information on how to become an Employee Circle of Giving member, please contact Tanya Carson at tcarson@saint-lukes.org or ext. 25612, or visit saintlukesgiving.org/employee.

Outpatient pharmacy saves you money! 

Important to Know

SLH Outpatient Pharmacy would like the opportunity to serve your prescription needs. For those of you who may be getting your prescriptions elsewhere, SLH Outpatient Pharmacy would like to work with you to move your prescription business to the SLH or another SLHS Retail/Outpatient Pharmacy location. Obtaining your prescriptions through a SLHS retail/outpatient pharmacy will save you (lower co-pay) and SLHS (not paying a competing pharmacy) some money.

The simplest method is to contact your doctor and request a new prescription(s) be written for you to pick up and bring to the SLHS location of your choice orto request the doctor to send the prescription(s) electronically to the SLHS location of your choice.

A second method is to ask your current pharmacy to transfer an existing prescription from the pharmacy you are currently using to a SLHS location. This is a very simple process as long as you have refills remaining. If you don't have any refills remaining, you will need to contact your physician and request a new prescription(s) be sent to an SLHS outpatient pharmacy. The SLHS retail/outpatient Pharmacies have prepared a form (which can also be found in the Clinical Forms Library by searching "SLHS PRESCRIPTION") that requests basic information necessary for the pharmacist to complete your prescription transfer request. Once you have completed the information requested on the form, either present the form to the SLHS pharmacy of your choice or email the document to Tony Wagner, SLHS outpatient pharmacy manager, at twagner@saint-lukes.org. Please indicate on the form when you would like to pick up the prescription(s) so we can be sure it will be ready. The SLH outpatient pharmacy is located on B-level right across from the blue elevators.

A third option is to bring your current prescription vials to the outpatient pharmacy and we can assist you in getting us the information necessary to transfer the prescription(s).

Lastly, you can call ext. 22188 and speak to the pharmacy staff or leave a message with the information requested in the attached form. 

For most situations, providing the SLHS retail/outpatient pharmacy at least 48 hours to complete and fill the prescription will assure it is ready for you to pick up. 

Helpful hint: You do not need to wait until you are almost out or completely out of your prescription medication to start this process.  Based upon your request, the pharmacy staff can request the transfer now and not fill the prescription until you actually make a request to have it filled. Keep in mind, the insurance company will reject the claim if the pharmacy attempts to fill a prescription within a certain number of days of a previous fill.

Retail/outpatient pharmacy hours:

Monday - 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday - 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday - 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Thursday - 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Friday - 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Closed daily from 1:30 - 2 p.m. for lunch

Good to Know

To kick off this effort, Tony Wagner and other pharmacy personnel will be staffing a table outside the south end of the cafeteria on Wednesday, June 12, from 11a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to offer assistance in answering questions and concerns and helping complete the prescription transfer form. Please stop by and let us serve you and save you and the hospital some money in the process.

SLHS will standardize emergency codes

Policies will be revised in coming months to reflect changes

Saint Luke's Health System is participating in the Missouri Hospital Association (MHA) initiative to standardize hospital emergency codes using plain language by Jan. 1, 2014.

Hospital personnel often are employed or practice at more than one health care facility, and variation among emergency codes increases the potential for error, resulting in a risk to patient, employee, and visitor safety. In addition, the initiative will promote transparency of safety protocols and align standardized codes with neighboring states.

Because of the widely accepted use of the two color codes for fire (Code Red) and medical emergency (Code Blue), these will be maintained in lieu of plain language announcements. Other existing color codes (orange, gray, white, etc.) used at some of our hospitals will be eliminated and replaced with plain language where appropriate.

Three employees represented SLHS on the MHA workgroup that developed the standardized plain language codes. The employees were Derek Collins, SLHS safety and emergency preparedness coordinator; Frank Hayden, Hedrick director of ancillary services; and Sarah Yelton, SLH quality analyst.

Over the next few months, all SLHS hospitals will begin the process of converting to the standardized codes by revising their emergency operations plans, policies, training materials, and other emergency management tools.

Look for more information in future editions of eRounds.

LIVESTRONG® Portfolios' name is being changed to One Choice Portfolios®

We have been notified that American Century is changing the name of its target date fund series from LIVESTRONG® Portfolios to One Choice Portfolios®, effective May 31, 2013.

These target date investment funds are available in your retirement savings plan. Under the automatic enrollment provision, your contributions are invested in the plan's default fund - a target date fund based on the approximate year when you would retire or start withdrawing your money (generally age 65) until you elect otherwise.

The new name will not affect the investment objective or investment approach of American Century's target date funds. The fund series will continue to be managed by the same investment management team, and the portfolios will not invest in tobacco companies.

Q:  What is a target date fund?

A:  Target date funds are designed to provide a diversified investment portfolio in a single fund that is matched to a specific target date. The name of each portfolio represents the approximate year when the fund's managers assume the typical investor plans to start withdrawing their money.

The fund series continues to be managed by American Century's Mountain View, California-based asset allocation team. Each target date portfolio seeks the highest total return consistent with its asset mix. Over time, the asset mix and weightings are adjusted to be more conservative. In general, as the target year approaches, the portfolio's allocation becomes more conservative by decreasing the allocation to stocks and increasing the allocation to bonds and money market instruments. This shift is designed to reduce fluctuations in the value of your investment as the time that you will need your money approaches.

The principal value of the investment is not guaranteed at any time, including at and after the target date. Target date funds are subject to the same risks as the underlying asset classes in which they invest. The higher the fund's allocation is to stocks, the greater the risk. You may lose money by investing in a target date fund, including losses near and following retirement. There is no guarantee that the fund will provide adequate retirement income.

Q:  Do I have to do anything if I'm invested in a target date fund?

A:  No. However, you may want to make sure that the fund in which you are invested is appropriate for the year in which you plan to retire.

Q:  How do I know if my contributions are invested in a target date fund?

A:  There are several ways you can confirm how your money is invested:

• Look at the statement you receive each quarter from Transamerica Retirement Solutions (formerly Diversified).
• Review your account by signing in to my.trsretire.com, using your ID and password.
• Call 800-755-5801 and speak with a customer service representative. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT.

Q:  What if I want to make a change to my current investment elections?

A:  You can do so at any time by:

• Signing in to my.trsretire.com, using your ID and password, and making the change online.
• Calling Transamerica at 800-755-5801 and speaking with a customer service representative.
• Setting up an appointment to meet with Laura Wilson or Carmellia McCray, your retirement planning consultants¹ by calling 816-932-6874.

¹ The role of the retirement planning consultant is to assist you with your savings and investment plan. There are no fees or commissions for meeting with your retirement planning consultant, who is a registered representative with Transamerica Investors Securities Corporation (TISC), 440 Mamaroneck Avenue, Harrison, NY 10528. Saint Luke's Health System (SLHS) has selected Transamerica Retirement Solutions as your retirement plan provider, but there are no other affiliations between SLHS and Transamerica or its affiliate, TISC.