National Housekeeping Week is Sept. 9 - 13

Many of you have close bonds with our EVS staff and look at them like part of your own family and team. During this week we ask you to please show appreciation and respect by thanking each one of them for all they do and all the hard work they put in around Saint Luke's Hospital every day. We couldn't ask for a better team that takes the utmost pride in their work.

Thank you for all that you do!

Emergency Fund receives many requests

New fund helps SLHS employees facing emergencies and unexpected financial hardships

In January, Saint Luke's Health System announced a new Emergency Fund that was created to assist employees who experience financial hardships due to emergency situations. So far, the Employee Assistance Program and the Emergency Fund Advisory Committee have received more than 100 applications for assistance.

Employees who have received funds have experienced situations such as medical expenses for critical/life threatening illnesses, destruction to their homes or property, and domestic violence.

The fund is designed to assist employees who are unable to meet immediate essential expenses and/or have exhausted available avenues of assistance. Examples include:

• House fires
• Theft/robbery
• Domestic violence
• Traumatic car accidents
• A terminal illness or sudden death within a family
• A critical illness or injury that results in unexpected medical expenses
• Natural disasters causing damage to property (e.g. flooding, tornados)

"In situations where applications have been for expenses outside the scope of the fund, such as requests to pay utility bills or issues related to long-term debt, employees have been referred to community resources or other funds," said Bill Tidd, director of Saint Luke's EAP. "Applicants have also been offered EAP services including Financial Consultation and Legal Assist, which are available at no cost to our employees and their dependents."

All active, full-time, and part-time benefits-eligible employees who have been employed at SLHS for at least six months are eligible. Recipients can receive up to $1,000 in a 12-month period. The SLHS Emergency Fund policy and application form are available on the Employee eLink, or contact your Human Resources Department for information.

Click here to view the SLHS Emergency Fund policy and application form. Employees who are requesting funds should send their completed application, documentation, and receipts to the Employee Assistance Program.

For more information on the EAP's Financial Consultation and Legal Assist benefits, go to eap.saintlukeshealthsystem.org and enter user name SLHS and password EAP.

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Medical-Legal Partnership expands to all SLHS facilities

Saint Luke's Health System has partnered with Legal Aid of Western Missouri to create the Medical-Legal Partnership, which provides legal services to low income patients. Attorney Kate Cohen and paralegal Ben Summers are available at no cost to patients and their families.

These services are available to inpatients and outpatients. Any SLHS staff member may make a referral to the Medical-Legal Partnership. This service is now available to all SLHS patients.

Common legal issues the Medical-Legal Partnership assists include Medicaid denials, Social Security disability denials, public housing, landlord tenant disputes, food stamps, utility shut off, orders of protection for domestic violence, special education services for children, powers of attorney, and guardianship. The Medical-Legal Partnership will conduct an intake interview with the patient or patient family member to determine eligibility and identify, investigate, and resolve legal problems.

To make a referral to the Medical-Legal Partnership, please obtain the patient's verbal consent to refer and send a page to 816-440-2362. For general questions about the partnership, call Kate Cohen at 816-932-6859.

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Recruit an experienced R.N. - earn $2,500!

Due to the success of the initial program, we are re-launching the R.N. Referral Bonus Program for another three months! The referral bonus program rewards you for recruiting exceptional nurses to SLHS

No one understands the vision of SLHS like our current employees. That's why we need your help recruiting your talented and dedicated friends and colleagues with at least one year of R.N. experience to join our nursing team. If your referral is hired and meets service requirements, you'll be eligible for a $2,500 referral bonus!

Important information: You must submit a referral form BEFORE the potential new R.N. candidate applies. The program ends Dec. 15, 2013.

Which SLHS employees can participate?

All full-time, part-time, and PRN employees are eligible (except for administrators and Human Resources staff). Wherever you work at SLHS, you can refer a qualified candidate for any location. Managers and supervisors are eligible, except for candidates fulfilling positions in departments they supervise.

If more than one employee refers the same candidate, the referral bonus will be awarded based on who completed the referral document first.

What are the requirements for the job applicants?

• Applicants must be individuals NOT currently employed by or on the payroll system of SLHS. Travelers and per agency/diem employees working through any vendor at SLHS are not eligible.
• The applicant must have a minimum of one year R.N. experience.
• Current employees of SLHS or anyone who has worked for SLHS in the past 18 months are not eligible. Referral of a relative must follow the "Hiring of Relative" policy.

How is the referral bonus paid?

Employees whose referral is hired will receive their $2,500 bonus in three installments:

• $500 after the new employee completes the 90-day probationary period
• $1,000 after six months of the new employee's continuous employment
• $1,000 after the successful completion of the new employee's first year of employment

Read the full policy for additional details and see a link to the application form.

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Renée Pernice Memorial Golf Tournament

Sept. 28, 2013

The Rock at Country Creek

7 a.m. - Registration

8 a.m. - Shotgun start

Family and friends established the Renée Pernice Memorial Nursing Scholarship at Saint Luke's College in 2009 to celebrate Renée's love of nursing and Saint Luke's. Proceeds from this event will go to the Renée Pernice Scholarship at Saint Luke's College of Health Sciences.

Renée worked as a nurse at Saint Luke's Health System from 1996 until being hired in August 2007 as an instructor at Saint Luke's College. She was a very professional and caring nurse who loved working in the Emergency Department. Renée had a passion for the nursing profession and derived great pride and joy from being a staff member of Saint Luke's College.

Renée's husband took her life Jan. 2, 2009. She left behind two young sons, parents, a sister and brother, and numerous family members, friends, and work colleagues who love her deeply.

Click here to view flier.

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Go ahead, eat like a hunter-gatherer

Our stone-age ancestors knew how to eat healthy. Now you can learn more about how to reduce your risk of developing heart disease and other chronic conditions. Join Loren Cordain, Ph.D., best-selling author of the Paleo Diet books, and renowned preventive cardiologist James O'Keefe, M.D., at a community health event hosted by Saint Luke's Cardio Health & Wellness Center.

Monday, Oct. 7

Unity Temple on the Plaza

707 W. 47th St.

Kansas City, MO 64112

5 - 6:15 p.m.

Complimentary refreshments

6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Presentations and Q&A

Considered one of the leading experts on the evolutionary basis of diet and disease, Dr. Cordain will discuss "Origins and Evolution of the Western Diet: Health Implications for the 21st Century." Dr. O'Keefe will provide tips on "Becoming a 21st Century Hunter Gatherer." You'll also learn how Saint Luke's Cardio Health & Wellness Center can help you live a heart-healthy life.

Join us!

Although this event is free, please register with Saint Luke's Concierge to reserve a seat. Visit saintlukeshealthsystem.org/paleo or call 816-932-5100.

Presented by the Charles & Barbara Duboc Cardio Health & Wellness Center at Saint Luke's Hospital

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Mammograms & Massage

Is it time for your annual mammogram? Join the Saint Luke's Hospital Breast Center for a mammogram and complimentary chair massage. We now offer 3-D tomosynthesis mammograms!

Call 816-932-6800 to RSVP.

Click here to learn more.

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Nutrition Services update

The Nutrition Services Department will be updating processes to standardize and simplify catering and patient nourishment (floorstock) ordering processes. They will be launching a web-based product called CaterTrax accessible via the Employee eLink (and the new ePulse) in mid-September to replace the current paper/Excel processes currently used to fill these types of orders. As of Oct. 1, 2013, Nutrition Services will no longer accept faxed/paper catering requisitions or any emailed Excel-based order sheets for patient nourishment.

In order to get you comfortable with the new process, Nutrition Services will be offering 30-minute training sessions depending on the types of orders you place (catering or patient nourishments (floorstock) or both). Below is a list of links of different types/dates/times for you to choose from. *Please note - all four entities are standardized, so if you are at SLH and want to attend the SLEH Data session, you can. Please select one session per type (catering versus patient nourishments (floorstock) or both, if applicable) as all four options per type will cover the same material. Once you complete your training you are welcome to login to the system and send test orders. On Sept. 20, we will delete all "test" orders and anything submitted after 9/20 will be considered a live order and will be processed/charged/delivered to your unit.

If you have questions please contact John Geiger, director of Nutrition Services, at ext. 22458.

Catering only

Thursday, Sept. 12, 1 - 2 p.m.

SLNH - Barry Road, SLNH - Smithville, Cushing Hospital

Monday, Sept. 16, 9 - 10 a.m.

SLH

Wednesday, Sept. 18, 11 - 12 p.m.

SLSH

Patient nourishments (floorstock) only

Friday, Sept. 13, 1 - 2 p.m.

SLNH - Barry Road, SLNH - Smithville, Cushing Hospital

Tuesday, Sept. 17, 10 - 11 a.m.

SLH

Thursday, Sept. 19, 9 - 10 a.m.

SLSH 

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