|
Chip Hayes named Employee of the Month
 Congratulations to Chip Hayes, Pharmacy, who was named Employee of the Month for June.
Teamwork: We call Chip every day with questions regarding patient care and medication administration. He is very available and approachable. He works so well with all the staff on the unit.
Quality/Excellence: Chip is very professional and is always up to date on new policies. Chip's knowledge and commitment to his job is a great example of quality and excellence.
Customer Focus: Chip is wonderful with patients. He explains any questions they have in a way that they can understand and makes them very comfortable.
Learning and Innovation: I frequently see Chip orienting new Pharmacy staff and residents. He helps facilitate a safe environment with patients, responds positively and promptly, and is always going above and beyond to ensure safety for our patients and assurance for the nursing staff.
Stewardship: When I see Chip he is always busy working hard on whatever the challenge is at that time. Chip is a great asset to our unit and SLH. He is respectful to patients and teaches them on a level they will understand.
|
|
Making a Difference
Each and every day our dedicated and passionate employees make a difference in the lives of our patients, visitors, and colleagues. We would like to highlight some of those stories. If you have a colleague you would like to recognize, please send the employee's name and how he or she made a difference to slhrounds@saint-lukes.org.
I want to thank two members of the recovery room staff. I was working on a Saturday and was called in the late afternoon to issue crutches to a patient who had undergone surgery earlier that day. However, her needs were more complex and she required additional time to recover as well as additional IV fluids. We finally ended up issuing her a walker, rather than crutches, for safety at home. The entire visit lasted approximately 90 minutes.
Sue P. was the R.N., and Garrin was the N.A., and they were both so patient and calm and had such a great attitude throughout the whole experience. The patient kept apologizing for the delays, and Sue and Garrin kept reassuring her that everything was going to be fine. After the patient departed, Sue thanked me profusely for helping out. The patient was extremely satisfied with her experience in the recovery room, and I felt like a welcome member of a true patient care team.
Thank you, Sue and Garrin, for turning a potentially dreadful time into a pleasant experience!
- Carol Hobbs, P.T.
|
|
Are you on track to create the income you'll need in retirement?
This is the question that was addressed in the personal OnTrack® retirement savings report1 that was sent to you recently. "Retirement outlook" is Transamerica Retirement Solutions' nickname for how much above or below your income goal you're likely to be when you retire. (We assume you'll aim for 80 percent of your final working income in retirement to cover typical expenses you're likely to face, but you can change your goal online).
The reports use weather icons - sunny, partly sunny, cloudy, or rainy - to help you gauge your savings progress and to alert you to take action if you're falling behind. These reports were based on your 2012 total compensation, your current deferral rate, and any additional information you may have included in your online profile from other income and retirement sources outside of SLHS.
Now it is time to take the next step. Sign in to your account at my.trsretire.com, then click on your 403(b)/401(k) plan name. On the Account Overview page, see if your outlook is sunny, partly sunny, cloudy, or rainy. If your outlook isn't as sunny as you would like, click on the "How Much Should You Save?" to see how saving more could brighten your outlook.
To update your profile, click the "Update" button under your retirement income estimate and a new window will open where you can add information for outside retirement accounts, or for expenses you expect during retirement.
The more you know about your retirement outlook, the easier it will be to plan for the future. And the more information you add to your retirement profile, the more comprehensive your outlook will be. You can use this handy worksheet to help you make the most of this retirement planning tool.
If you have questions about this report or retirement in general, please contact Laura Wilson or Carmellia McCray, your Transamerica retirement planning consultants2 at 816-932-6874. Let them show you how you can reach that sunny outlook!
Please note that if you have met the following criteria, you will not receive a report:
- Employees who have sunny outlook (Congratulations!)
- Currently saving up to the maximum IRS limit
- Have an annual salary greater than $250,000
- Are age 70 or older
- Have not previously participated in the plan
- Other criteria may also apply
1 The projections or other information generated by OnTrack® regarding the likelihood of various investment outcomes are hypothetical in nature, do not reflect actual investment results and are not guarantees of future results. Results derived from the OnTrack tool may vary with each use and over time. Please access OnTrack for more information regarding the criteria and methodology used, the tool's limitations and key assumptions, and other important information.
2The 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.
Saint Luke's Health System has selected Transamerica Retirement Solutions as your retirement plan provider, but there are no other affiliations between the two organizations.
|
|
Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure
Join the Saint Luke's team!
 The 20th annual Susan G. Komen Kansas City Race for the Cure is Sunday, Aug. 11, at Union Station.
Once again, Saint Luke's will be the early detection sponsor for the race and will have a booth at the event.
Early registration is $25. On July 1 registration is $30 and then $35 beginning Aug. 5. Special activities and rates for children and babies are also available. Online registration is now open. You can form your own team or join the Saint Luke's Health System team.
Click here to register. To join the SLHS team, click "Join an Existing Team." Select "Saint Luke's Health System" from the company dropdown menu. If you would like to form your own Saint Luke's team, click on the "Start a Team" button, enter your team's name, and select "Saint Luke's Health System" as your company.
Discount through Aug. 11
When registering, enter promotional code KKCG2013 to receive a $5 discount off any adult or adult timed race registration through Aug. 11.
Thank you for showing your support by participating in this event and helping to fight against breast cancer!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PTO maximum limits effective July 1
The SLHS Benefits team wants to make sure employees remember that the new PTO maximum limits will be effective starting July 1. If you are over your PTO maximum as of July 1, you will not receive any additional PTO accruals until you have taken the PTO time that brings you back under the PTO maximum.
If you have any questions, please contact the SLHS Benefits team at 816-932-2300 or email SLHSBenefits@saint-lukes.org. You can find a copy of the Paid Time Off Policy out on the Benefits Single Source site.
|
|
Recognizing our tenured nurses
The Nursing Recruitment and Retention Committee would like to recognize our tenured nurses (nurses with more than 30 years of dedicated service at SLH) in a unique and special way. In appreciation of our tenured staff, we conduct a drawing for three designated parking spots on the first floor of the Employee Parking Garage for a six-month duration. The winners for the next six months are:
- Katherine Walsh (35 years, Admit Unit)
- Patricia Stauffer (33 years, SICC)
- Nancy Garrison (31 years, CV Surgery)
Thanks for your longstanding dedication and commitment to Saint Luke's. We value you!
|
|
Anesthesiology Residency Program receives five-year accreditation
Eugene Fibuch, M.D., chairman and program director of the UMKC Anesthesiology Residency Program, received notification from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education that the Anesthesiology Residency Program received the maximum five-year accreditation cycle without any citation. This is the third consecutive site review resulting in a five-year accreditation for the program without citation. The training program, which started in 1976, has had full accreditation since 1978, the same year Dr. Fibuch became program director. "I am pleased with the results and I want to commend the entire faculty and residents for their efforts to maintain the academic enterprise," Dr. Fibuch said.
|
|
Look Good, Feel Better Workshop
Thursday, June 27
1 - 3 p.m.
SLH Plaza
Muriel I. Kauffman Women's Heart Center Conference Room
Women currently undergoing cancer treatment are invited to attend the next Look Good, Feel Better class, a free two-hour workshop offering simple beauty techniques for skin and nail care, makeup application, and coping with hair loss. You will receive a complimentary bag of makeup to use in the session and at home.
Call Vickie at 816-932-2124 to sign up.
|
|
Privacy Pipeline
Security of patient information is everyone's responsibility
Protecting our patients' medical information is everyone's responsibility. One section of the HIPAA privacy rule addresses wrongful disclosure. Wrongful disclosure occurs when protected health information (PHI) for an individual or group of individuals is obtained by an unauthorized party. Wrongful disclosure can be intentional or unintentional.
Many lawsuits in the U.S. have resulted in severe penalties for individuals and organizations found guilty of wrongful disclosure. One recent lawsuit involved a hospital records technician who took copies of medical records home to disguise the fact that he wasn't getting work done. A family member and friend found the unsecured records, accessed financial and identifying information, and used it in a bank fraud scheme. The employee received jail time followed by three years supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution of approximately $22,200.
Unintentional wrongful disclosure can easily occur. We always need to be aware of our surroundings -
discussions that include patients and PHI should never occur where others could hear. Do not discuss patients in front of visitors, in the cafeteria, on the elevator, in stairwells, or other public areas. Remember, one side of a phone conversation, if overheard, can result in an inappropriate disclosure. Unintentional wrongful disclosure can be as simple as a patient receiving discharge documents belonging to another patient. While this may seem benign, the PHI of one patient given to another patient who did not have the authority to receive is considered a breach.
Individuals should never remove PHI from any health care facility unless authorized. Always check your pockets when leaving your work area. Electronic information should never be transferred to a computer disk or thumb drive unless it is approved for work-related purposes and the information is encrypted. Also, be sure to secure your computer when you walk away from your workstation.
A breach of PHI could require SLHS to notify the patient of wrongful disclosure of their health information, report the incident to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and may result in disciplinary action, monetary fines, loss of professional license, and/or prison time.
If you become aware of a wrongful disclosure or access event, please notify your manger, entity privacy site coordinator, or system privacy office immediately. Issues can also be reported by email at privacy@saint-lukes.org or through the Privacy Hotline at 816-932-6282. Prompt intervention may reduce the risk of harm to the patient and the SLHS entity.
|
|
