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August 24, 2015
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Volume 4, Issue 34
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SERVICE EXCELLENCE
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Service Standard of the Week
Workplace Cleanliness:
We maintain a professional, clean, organized work bag and work area, whether in the patient's home or in the workplace.
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Submitted by Liz Dow regarding a graduate Michelle Rosenthal has been mentoring
I had the pleasure to co-visit on an admission on one of Michelle Rosenthal's graduates. This was the best admission I have ever seen! I cannot say enough about the visit process, OASIS walk, aseptic technique, bag technique, and respect paid to the client. Michelle is doing an awesome job out there is Southborough, and I just wanted to pass along my experience.
Please share all your notes of praise and recognition with connecter@vnacarenetwork.org
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AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES
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Contacting Mae Powers
Please be aware that Mae Powers, Referral Center Nurse, has moved to the Weymouth office. She can be reached on the Avaya phone system at 617-886-6552 (note that you cannot automatically transfer messages to Mae via the ShoreTel system or use the ext. 6552, you must dial the full 10-digit number). Mae can also be reached via email at mpowers@vnab.org.
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Welcome to Phyllis Boot
By Mary Ann O'Connor, President & CEO
| I am very pleased to announce that Phyllis Boot has accepted the position of Executive Assistant here at VNACNF.
We are very fortunate to have Phyllis joining us. She most recently has served as the Administrative Office Coordinator and Executive Assistant at Atrius Health. She is an experienced professional with exceptional organizational and office skills. She is recognized by colleagues and clients for a strong work ethic, outstanding analytical and interpersonal skills, as well as being effective at working in a fast-paced environment.
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Phyllis has owned her own business and has served in senior executive positions for several corporations. She possesses advanced executive skills in the areas of scheduling and bookkeeping, project management, supervision of administrative staff and providing training and coaching. Phyllis has a BS degree in Business Administration from Boston University. Please join me in welcoming Phyllis to our team! We are most fortunate to have her.
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Welcome to Temoy Williams
By Kelly Frew, Director of Marketing & Public Relations
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Please join me in welcoming to VNA Care Network Foundation, Temoy Williams, Marketing & Public Relations Specialist. In her new role, Temoy will be involved in media relations, website development, social media, as well as general marketing and public relations activities.
Temoy has a bachelor's degree from Boston College and brings with her years of experience in a PR agency that will certainly help to elevate the community awareness of the VNA and the services we provide. Temoy is currently based out of the Charlestown office and can be reached at twilliams@vnab.org and 617-886-6534. |
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Fond Farewell to Suzanne Dunn
After 30 years of caring for patients at the VNAB, Suzanne Dunn had decided to pursue other endeavors. She will be sadly missed by all who have had the good fortune of working with her. During her tenor, Suzanne has developed strong relationships in the community. She has been the face of VNAB and has cared for our patients with exceptional skills and compassion. Suzanne is well respected by both our internal and external customers. Referral sources and patients on several occasions requested that she manage their care. Suzanne is also a sought after mentor for new nurses. Her case management skills and experience are strongly recognized by others who request she share these skills with others. Suzanne has done this for many an employee who has expressed sincere gratitude for her time and commitment to their success.
I know I share the thoughts of many when we recognize a true loss for VNAB but wish her the best in her new job. We will be celebrating her years of commitment by getting together September 3 at Tony C's at Assembly Row at 4:00pm. All are invited to attend or just stop by to wish her good luck. For those who cannot attend but would like to share some parting words please feel free to stop by the Charlestown office and comment in the MEMORY book.
Best Wishes Suzanne!
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Atrius Health SharePlace Now Available to All VNA Staff
By now, the SharePlace icon  has been added to all staff desktops. The purpose of SharePlace is to offer a platform where information can be shared about Atrius Health and all its members, and to create a platform that will assist with cross-group collaboration and communication. Below is a screen shot of the homepage of the Atrius Health SharePlace intranet.
What is SharePlace?
SharePlace is the Atrius Health intranet. It provides a us with a central storage and collaboration space for documents, information and ideas.
Logging into SharePlace
A link to SharePlace has been placed on your desktop. You can also access SharePlace by clicking here, or entering http://shareplace.atriushealth.org into your browser's address bar. Please remember that it is an intranet, and you must be logged into the agency's network to access the site. you can also access SharePlace if logged in to the network via a VPN.
A box will pop up asking for your login credentials. Enter the username and password you use to login to your computer/device.
What kind of information can I find on SharePlace?
At the moment, there is quite a bit of information on SharePlace pertaining to Atrius Health and the medical practices. The goal is, with time, for us to use it as a central spot for sharing VNA information and updates Atrius-wide, as well as for sharing organizational information with staff and for team collaboration sites.
In the meantime, I encourage you to take a look around the site. There is a wealth of information that I'm sure you will find interesting and helpful. One of the most in-demand tools on the site is the Staff Directory, which can be found by clicking the link in the top-right area of the screen.
Here you will find a complete employee directory of all Atrius Health (including medical practices and VNA employees).
More content will continue to be added over time, so keep checking back. Let me know if you have any questions.
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Atrius Health Department of Clinical Research
By Alan Weitberg, MD, Medical Director, Atrius Health Department of Clinical Research
- New staff in our department
- Atrius Health joining the Harvard Catalyst
- How the Atrius Health Research Council reviews projects and trials, and how you can get involved
- Opportunities for pooling coordinator resources
- A new and exciting research grant from Genzyme just awarded
- Highlights from current clinical trials project ongoing in the Department of Neurology
...as well as a listing of all current and proposed clinical research projects and trials at Atrius Health.
We're especially pleased to announce that the Department of Clinical Research is now located on the Atrius Health SharePlace intranet, so that all staff can learn more about our department and how we can help with research activities. Please visit our site under the Administrative tab.
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Dr. Elizabeth Buechler Appointed as Interim OB/GYN Specialty Director
By Steven Lampert, MD, MBA, Atrius Health Chief Clinical Officer
| I am delighted to announce that Dr. Elizabeth Buechler has agreed to serve as Interim OB/GYN Specialty Director for Atrius Health following the previously announced departure of Dr. Brian Price in September. Brian is moving to Florida after 23 years with the practice to pursue an exciting new career direction.
Dr. Buechler currently practices at Harvard Vanguard Medford as an OB/GYN generalist. She is co-founder of our high-resolution anoscopy service, which is part of the special procedures unit based in the Somerville practice. She is also currently director of colposcopy and gyn laser surgery for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC).
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Dr. Buechler joined Harvard Vanguard in 1986 (then Harvard Community Health Plan) following several years in private practice. She has previously served as chief of the Medford OB/GYN practice and then as specialty director for Harvard Vanguard OB/GYN from 1992 through 2004. Dr. Buechler was a recipient of the Harvard Vanguard Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009 for her contributions to the practice and community, and her patients and colleagues. She teaches OB/GYN residents and participates in clinical quality initiatives part of the Atrius Health Quality Assurance Committee. She also works on clinical guidelines with Massachusetts Health Quality Partners (MHQP), Neighborhood Health Plan and CRICO. Dr. Buechler received her medical degree from Jefferson Medical College and completed her residency at BIDMC.
We are grateful to Liz for assuming this interim leadership role for our organization. We have appointed a search committee comprised of physician, nurse midwifery, and administrative leaders from across the practice and they will be meeting with internal and external candidates in the weeks ahead to help us select a permanent OB/GYN specialty director for Atrius Health.
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Adding SERS to iPad Citrix Tray
All VNAB iPad users have access to the SERS icon, but for many it is not currently visible in the list of available applications within Citrix Receiver.
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Letter to the Editor
Please see the letter below submitted to the Gloucester Daily times.
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The VNA Walking Warriors want to invite you to please join our team today!
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The 2015 Boston Heart Walk
Saturday September 12, 2015 @ 9:00am
DCR's Hatch Shell on the Charles River Esplanade
VNA Care Network Foundation is making a difference by participating once again in the American Heart Association's Annual Heart Walk. I need your help to make our team a success. Are you ready to build healthier lives by joining our team?
It only takes 2 easy steps!
1) Click on the link below to visit the team web page.
2) Click the "Red "Join Team" button and follow the prompts to register.
Once you've joined the team, we'll need your help to reach our team fundraising goal. Don't worry - fundraising is easier than you think. The American Heart Association provides all the tools you need, including your own personal fundraising page. Plus, I'll be here to support and encourage you along the way. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any Heart Walk questions.
Why Heart Walk? Did you know 1 in 3 Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease and that heart disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined? We can change these statistics by joining together to walk and fundraise for Heart Walk.
Help grow our team, please feel free to forward this email to anyone you think will want to walk, raise funds and make a difference in our community. All are welcome; it's the more the merrier, when it comes to our Heart Walk team!
Follow This Link to visit our team web page and help with the efforts to support American Heart Association - Boston, MA
We would like to thank you in advance for your participation!
Cyndi Anderson
HR Administrative Assistant
(508) 751-6806
Fax: (508) 373-7598
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CLINICAL SERVICES
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Clinical Services Announcements and Updates
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Safety and Security Committee Helpful Hints
By Carolyn Snedeker, Committee Member
The safety and security committee wants to share some helpful hints to staying safe while making visits in the community.
On The Street Hints
- In high-risk areas, see patients earlier in the day. "Get in and get out early."
- Learn activity in neighborhoods. Alter time of visits and set routines.
- Be aware of what's going on around you, including observing what is in windows or doorways for loiterers.
- Do not wear gold jewelry, expensive articles of clothing, or carry an expensive purse.
In Your Car Hints
- Make sure your car doors are locked at all times.
- Do not leave anything of value visible in your car - especially your purse or loose change.
- Secure items of value in your trunk before arriving at a patient's home. Do not open the trunk when you get there. This provides thieves an opportunity to break into your trunk.
Electronic Device Hints
- iPads, iPhones, and other "smart devices" remain hot theft items. When using them or any other electronic device don't make yourself an easy target for thieves.
- Don't walk and talk on your cell phone. Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
- Never leave your iPad, iPhone, or GPS device visible in your car.
If you feel unsafe, leave the area (or visit) and report incident to your manager. Your gut instinct is a powerful, intuitive tool for safety.
The VNAB Safety and Security Committee remains committed to staff safety. Please let us or your manager know of any security or safety concerns you have about our work environment.
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VNAB Best Practice Committee Update
By Joan Roth, Manager of Special Initiatives & Best Practice Committee Member
The VNAB is committed to the goal of reducing our rehospitalization rate. The agency's goal is to have all patients admitted by nursing to have their 2nd nursing visit within 48 hours of start of care. We now have a year's worth of data so I will be reporting cumulative data for a 12 month time-period.
For the time-period August 1, 2014 to July 31, 2015, the agency's rate for having the second nursing visit within 48 hours of start of care for high risk patients was 68%. This is the same as the previous timeframe.
We are also promoting two additional interventions that are best practices for keeping patient's from being rehospitalized.
- The first best practice intervention is that continuity of care with providers improves patient outcomes. To support this practice we will be reporting on the percentage of patients who received their 2nd nursing visit by the nurse case manager. The rate for the time-period of August 1, 2014 to July 31, 2015 was 48% which is higher than the rate for the previous time period.
- The second best practice intervention is that the patient have a physician follow up visit within 7-14 days after a discharge from an acute care hospital. The rate for the time-period August 1, 2014 to July 31, 2015 was 74% which is higher than the previous time period.
Thanks for your continued efforts to keep patients out of the hospital particularly during the four weeks after they first come home from the hospital. The next report will be for the time-period of September 1, 2014 to August 31, 2015. Please remember that a great way to help keep our patient's out of the hospital is to provide telemonitoring for the high risk for rehospitalization patients. We now can provide monitoring for our COPD patients in addition to our Heart Failure patients. Please see your manager with any questions.
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Mouth Shields for Rescue Breathing
By Adele Pike, Director of Education
Over the coming weeks the Agency will be working to ensure that all clinicians have an additional piece of Personal Protective Equipment in their clinical bags. Managers will be supplying AMBU rescue shields to clinicians who do not have a mouth shield currently in their bags. This will most likely be VNA Care Network clinicians. These shields have a one-way valve and can be placed over a patient's mouth or nose in the event that a clinician needs to perform rescue breathing.
Clinicians at both VNACN and VNAB are not required to be CPR certified. The Agency's policy on Unexpected Death at Home is for the clinicians to activate the EMS system. There may be times, however, when a patient has stopped breathing but continues to have a heart rate and rescue breathing may be indicated. The AMBU MOUTH SHIELDS will provide clinicians protection in such circumstances.
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Encore Patch
By Christine Day, Clinical Application Specialist
Attention Encore Laptop Users
On the afternoon of Thursday August 27, Encore laptop users should be aware that laptops will pick up a patch, Encore version 05.05.0362, during the next Communication/Synchronization. Expect a longer communication time. After a laptop communication, check the version which will be visible on the Home Page in the top left corner.
This is not a Code load. The purpose of this patch is for necessary ICD-10 preparation for the laptops.
Please be out of Encore and off the server by 7:45 pm on Wednesday August 26th for server maintenance.
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FACILITIES
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Pagers to be Turned In
By Lorraine Potter, Director of Facilities
I am asking all staff who have been given a pager prior to the iPhone deployment to send the pagers back to Lorraine Potter in the Worcester office. The pagers are costing our agency a substantial amount of money. If you have misplaced or lost your assigned pager, please email me at lpotter@vnab.org.
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FUND DEVELOPMENT
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Tickets on Sale for Cool Hot Jazz Benefit in Needham
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New Orleans comes to Needham with Cool Hot Jazz, an evening to support VNA Care Network and VNA Hospice Care, on Friday, Sept. 25, at 6 p.m. in the Needham Golf Club, 49 Green St., Needham.
Cool Hot Jazz kicks off with cocktails, heavy hors d'oeuvres and silent auction at 6 p.m. Henri Smith New Orleans Friends and Flavours will perform at 7 p.m.
Henri Smith (pictured) was born and raised in the birthplace of jazz, New Orleans. Today he thrills audiences with his sophisticated and dramatic vocal delivery of jazz, blues, Creole, and Cajun flavored music, touring extensively throughout the United States and Europe. He frequently performed and served as the emcee at The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the largest Jazz festival in the world. Hurricane Katrina took Smith's home in New Orleans, so he now lives on Cape Ann, where he shares his Creole and Cajun heritage.
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The evening also features dancing, live auction and cash bar. Tickets for the benefit are $60 per person and may be purchased at https://vnacarenetwork.ejoinme.org/needham_2015 or by calling Beth Sobezenski, development assistant, at 888-663-3688, ext. 1361.
Cool Hot Jazz is organized by VNA Care Network & Hospice's Needham Area Community Cabinet, volunteers dedicated to raising awareness of and support for the agency's nonprofit mission of caring.
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HUMAN RESOURCES
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Employee Referral Bonus up to $5,000!
Employee referrals are often the most successful way for us to find the best candidates for open positions. Demand for physical therapists and nurses continues to be issue throughout the industry and the VNA is no exception.
In order to attract and retain new RNs and PTs, we are offering an employee referral bonus of up to $5,000!!! Certain conditions apply and the bonus will be paid in equal installments to eligible employees at the new recruits three and six month anniversaries.
Please contact Cheryl Milas at cmilas@vnacarenetwork.org or Debbie Brown at dbrown@vnab.org for more information.
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Job Postings - VNA of Boston and VNA Hospice Care
To learn more about career opportunities listed in the links above, contact Debbie Brown, Human Resources Manager at dbrown@vnab.org.
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Job Postings - VNA Care Network and VNA Hospice Care
To learn more about career opportunities, contact a human resources representative:
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Employee Advisory Team Suggestions
To suggest an area of focus to the Employee Advisory Team (EAT), please email your suggestion to EATSuggestionbox@vnab.org. Suggestions can include ideas to improve current processes and procedures, remove redundancies, or even to provide feedback on something you think is/is not working. Please feel free to discuss any issues that you would like brought to EAT with the following members of the committee:
- Kim Dio
- Kelly Frew
- Mary Helen Mahoney
- Susan Marlin Procter
- Annemarie Martin
- Mary McCarthy
- Ilona O'Connor
- Mary Ann O'Connor
- Mae Powers
- Maria Rodrigues
- David Rose
- Chris Schultz
- Danny Yan
EAT is also on the lookout for new members. If you're interested in participating, or for more information on what EAT is all about, please reach out to any of the members listed above. Meetings are held monthly and alternate between the Charlestown and Braintree offices.
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QUALITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT
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Safety Event Reporting System (SERS)
As of September 1, we will be using the Atrius Health electronic Safety Event Reporting System (SERS).ALL STAFF (clinical and non-clinical)MUST ATTEND ONE TRAINING SESSION.
Please see the additional training dates that have been added below.
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DATE
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ROOM
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TIME
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August 25
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Weymouth
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Conf Room
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8a - 9a
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August 27
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Weymouth
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Conf Room
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8a - 9a
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Please contact Donna Peters at 617-886-6808 or dpeters@vnab.org with any questions.
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Q3 & Q4 OASIS Education Sessions
The following are the scheduled Q3 AND Q4 OASIS Education schedules. All clinical staff are mandated to attend 1 OASIS Education session per quarter, this includes RN (staff and contract), LPN, clinical managers , PT and PTA's, and clinical coordinators. Quarter 3 reviews Functional OA information and Quarter 4 will review miscellaneous OA education and COPS.
The QA Department has scheduled out many sessions in all offices for the final two quarters of the year to accommodate multiple offerings at multiple sites. Please work out the time that you choose to attend with your individual manager, you may attend at any site.
Staff must attend ONE education session per quarter. Our goal is to maintain our current best practice and strive for the top 20% in our reportable outcomes...remember that we are at 4 Stars for VNACN and 4.5 Stars for VNAB, with a goal of 5, we would like to keep the momentum going!!!
Looking forward to your presence at the OA education, thank you for all your hard work and attention to the care of our patients and the outcomes we obtain from our best practice.
Quarter 3 Sessions
Quarter 4 Sessions
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QI SUPPORT
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Covering Office
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Name
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Email
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Office Phone
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Position
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All VNAB
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Hughes, Kim
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kcao@vnab.org
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617-886-6501 x5419
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QI Support Coordinator
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All VNACN
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Schultz, Chris
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cschultz@vnab.org
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617-886-6501 x6527
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QI Support Coordinator
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All VNACN
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Rao, Shamala
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srao@vnacarenetwork.org
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508-756-7176 x6876
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QI Nurse
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