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For internal use only. Please do not distribute.
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Weekly Newsletter for Employees of VNA Care Network Foundation
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To ensure you're seeing the Connecter in its entirety:
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CONNECTER
ARCHIVES
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Below is this week's issue of the Connecter newsletter, which is required reading for all employees. The next edition will be published on Monday, October 26, with articles due to connecter@vnacarenetwork.org by Friday, October 23. |
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KEY DATES THIS WEEK:
- Tuesday, October 20: Flu Clinic - Weymouth
- Wednesday, October 21: Flu Clinic - Needham
- Thursday, October 22: Flu Clinic - Woburn
- Sunday, October 25: Q4 OASIS Session - Worcester
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IN THIS ISSUE:
SERVICE EXCELLENCE
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES
CLINICAL APPLICATIONS
FUND DEVELOPMENT
HUMAN RESOURCES
QUALITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT
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October 19, 2015
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Volume 4, Issue 42
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Service Standard of the Week:Workplace Cleanliness
We assess and maintain a safe work environment.
Think safety first. Each employee is responsible for assessing and maintaining a safe work environment for staff and patients.
Be aware of all safety procedures, and report unsafe situations to your manager immediately.
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To Mary Ann O'Connor from contract Physical Therapist Lisa Cheney
I am finishing up my contract next week and wanted to let
Michelle Guerra know how much I enjoyed working with her.
"You are one of the reasons any one of us would consider a staff position. You are a great manager. You listen and you understand, likely because you were in the field not long ago. Being understood and feeling as though your manager will try to implement a practical solution in any situation increases loyalty and job satisfaction. You also understand Medicare, OASIS, insurance pitfalls, etc, and if you don't know, you are quick to get us the answer. I've always received a response from you within an hour (sometimes sooner!). I appreciate and respect you. Thank you!"
Submitted by Patti Darling, Office Nurse in the Charlestown Office
I would like to complement Jean McGonagle, PT. Jean called me last week about a patient that nursing had discharged who had symptoms of UTI. Jean arranged to have urine done and it turns out the patient did have a UTI. Patient also has a diagnosis of CHF. Jean asked me for a scale and is teaching patient to monitor her weight.
Jean also called me today about a patient she shares with Julie Kelly, RN. Patient had increased edema, oxygen saturation that dropped to 85% with ambulation, and increased wheezes. I was not able to send a nurse out right away so Jean called the MGH CMP case manager and arranged to have the patient seen by MD today.
Jean is a true team player and an excellent clinician.
Submitted by Liz Down, IV Clinical Services Manager
On Thursday I was working out of the Needham office to perform co-visits. When I returned to the office after 4pm, I learned that Michelle Guerra had just gone out to do some visits. This is great! I know it must have made for a very long day, but I know how committed to quality Michelle is. She is really working very hard and is a true role model and leader and we should recognize her for that. Thank you Michelle!
Submitted by Geri Spina, Clinical Services Manager in the Needham Office
Once again I have a patient taking the time to acknowledge great care!! Patient K. Clapp spoke of her physical therapist Tom Duffy this way:
"He is a wonderful therapist. Dedham Medical Associates was "blown away" on how advanced I was regarding my surgery. They also loved seeing the sheets of exercises that Tom had left with me."
As one of our primary Atrius referral sources - the acknowledge is just plain Sweet! Once again - our employees are the face of our agency!!
Note received by Mary Ann O'Connor from Liz Dow, IV Clinical Services Manager
I need to give a compliment, and in that a confession. This past week I have been at a leadership training (Fazzi) and at the Infusion Nurses Conference. At both conferences there was great difficulty with powerpoint presentations and internet access for presentations. I had several very proud moments where I was able to gain connectivity, upload and display powerpoints at these speaking moments. It was with great pride that I was able to say "this is VNA Care Network connecting the dots and getting us all on the same page."
George, I thank you for your hard work and am so happy that so many people were able to see our organization so well connected. Thanks George and Co.!
Submitted by Barbara Belony, Weekend Clinical Services Manager in the Charlestown Office
I just got a call from a patient complimenting Deb DiMaggio. His specific words were "Deb is magnificent, the level and quality of care she provides is astonishing. If I was a millionaire, I would hire her exclusively. She goes above and beyond. She makes you feel safe and for someone my age is more than I could asked for." Deb Thank you for being you!
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 Scenes from the Street
Share your pictures from the office or the field with us by sending them to connecter@vnacarenetwork.org!
Staff gathered in the Needham office to wish Linda Landers-Robinson, Clinical Services Manager, a happy retirement.
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| Melisa Mantha, RN in the Worcester office, submitted a few pics of the beautiful foliage in Oakham and Barre.
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The Charlestown and Weymouth offices celebrated the fall season with a potluck Pumpkin Fest 2015.
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Kassia Pereira, Managed Care RN, shared some of the more "unique" ICD-10 codes that she has come across.
Her submission inspired a new weekly article that we'll call "We've Got a Code for That"...because you just can't make some of this stuff up...!
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| ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES |
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Staff Flu Clinics
It is mandatory for all staff to be immunized against the flu. If you receive the vaccine at another, non-VNA location, you must show proof of receiving the vaccine to be in compliance with the VNA's policy.
Receive your flu shot this week and have your name entered into a drawing for a $100 American Express gift certificate!! Congratulations to last week's winner, Daisy Medina, Hospice RN out of the Worcester office!
Note that TB testing is available for VNACN staff at flu clinics as well as during Annette Benoit's team meetings in Worcester on 12/3 and 12/10 from 8:30-10:30am.
744 staff have received their vaccine so far. Let's keep moving towards our goal of 100%! Click the FULL ARTICLE button to read more.
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Office
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Date
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Time
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Location
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Charlestown
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11/3/2015
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8a - 10p
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Conference Room #2
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Needham
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10/21/2015
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9am to 3pm
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Wellness Area
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Needham
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11/4/2015
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9am to 3pm
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Wellness Area
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Needham
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11/18/2015
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9am to 3pm
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Wellness Area
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Needham
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12/2/2015
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9am to 3pm
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Wellness Area
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Needham
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12/9/2015
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9am to 3pm
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Wellness Area
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Quincy
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TBD
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10-22 clinic cancelled. New date TBD.
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Southborough
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11/4/2015
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10a - 1p
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Board Room
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Weymouth
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10/20/2015
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8a - 3p
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Conference Room
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Woburn
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10/22/2015
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10a - 12p
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Clinical Manager's Office
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Change in Guidelines - McKesson Home Care
By Kathy Schuft, Clinical Applications Specialist
On Wednesday, October 28, the guideline added to the visit on admission or first eval will change. This is being done to help reduce the number of runtime errors while adding goals. This problem has been reported by many clinicians that use McKesson software to document. You will now have an option to select a guideline that has the most commonly used goals for you discipline already added. Additionally, the new rehab guidelines will reflect a recent change in how the rehab staff document.
Please read about the changes for your discipline by clicking the FULL ARTICLE button below.
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Halloween Cocktail Party Gains Media Sponsor
The Worcester Telegram & Gazette signed on as the exclusive media sponsor for the third annual Halloween Cocktail Party to benefit our home health and hospice services. The event will be held on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 6 p.m. in the Beechwood Hotel, Worcester. The publication has donated print and online ads leading up to the event. For more information about the benefit, visit http://bit.ly/1LtYnDv.
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Dr. David Weissman Leads Discussion on End-of-Life Care
"What Do I Do and Say? Crafting a Partnership with a Clinician About End-of-Life Care" is an interactive discussion with David E. Weissman, MD, a leading expert on palliative care and improving care for the seriously ill, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Main Lecture Hall. This free program is hosted by our organization and the Hospice of Cambridge Development Committee. The evening is sponsored by Hammond Real Estate. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/1RiBlQH.
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Employee Referral Bonus Program Expanded
The referral bonus program has been expanded to include employee referrals for RNs, PTs, OTs and SLPs. If you would like to refer a friend, family member, or colleague, please inform the appropriate Human Resources Representative at your location prior to the applicant coming in for an interview. Please note, when two or more employees refer the same applicant, the referral bonus will be split equally amongst the employees. Referral bonuses are paid out after the referred employee's three and six month anniversary, as long as they are in a paid status at those intervals. Please contact Cheryl Milas at cmilas@vnacarenetwork.org or Debbie Brown at dbrown@vnab.org for more information.
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Job Postings - VNAB and VNAHC
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 - VNACN and VNAHC
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:
- Liz Bourne
- Linda Britt
- Kim Dio
- Kelly Frew
- Mary Helen Mahoney
- Susan Marlin Procter
- Mary McCarthy
- Ilona O'Connor
- Mary Ann O'Connor
- Mae Powers
- David Rose
- 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 in the Charlestown office.
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| QUALITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT |
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National Physical Therapy Month
October is National Physical Therapy Month! This October, the American Physical Therapy Association is focusing on the importance of healthy aging and how to "Age Well." Throughout October, helpful tips/facts regarding PT and how to "Age Well" will be published in the Connecter. You can read more at www.APTA.org and www.moveforwardPT.com.
Click the FULL ARTICLE button to learn more about the following topics:
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Q4 OASIS Schedule This is the final Q4 OASIS Education session schedule for each office. Please see your manager to register for a meeting site and time. The QI department is excited to review with staff the agency outcome scores and discuss what it means to each of us in our daily practice.
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Office
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Day/Date
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Time
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Presenter
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Charlestown
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Wed, November 4
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8 - 10am
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Elaine Gardner
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Charlestown
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Sun, November 8
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8 - 10am
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Elaine Gardner
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Charlestown
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Tues, November 10
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2 - 4pm
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Kyra Mihalik
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Charlestown
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Wed, November 18
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2 - 4pm
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Elaine Gardner
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Danvers
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Wed, November 4
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8:30 - 10:30am
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Marilyn Bowden
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Danvers
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Fri, November 6
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8:30 - 10:30am
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Marilyn Bowden
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Danvers
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Mon, November 9
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2 - 4pm
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Marilyn Bowden
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Danvers
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Tues, November 10
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8:30 - 10:30am
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Marilyn Bowden
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Leominster
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Thurs, October 29
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8:30 - 10:30am
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Maria Dunn/Surabhi Saxena
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Leominster
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Wed, November 18
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2 - 4pm
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Maria Dunn/Surabhi Saxena
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Needham
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Tues, November 3
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8:30 - 10:30am
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Maura Vitello
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Needham
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Thurs, November 5
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2 - 4pm
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Maura Vitello
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Needham
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Fri, November 13
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8:30 - 10:30am
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Maura Vitello
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Needham
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Sun, November 15
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8:30 - 10:30am
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Maura Vitello
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Quincy
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Wed, November 4
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8 - 10am
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Carol Morris
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Quincy
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Tues, November 10
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2 - 4pm
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Carol Morris
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Quincy
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Wed, November 18
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8 - 10am
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Kyra Mihalik
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Southborough
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Wed, October 28
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2 - 4pm
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Maria Dunn/Surabhi Saxena
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Southborough
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Thurs, November 5
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8:30-10:30am
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Maria Dunn/Surabhi Saxena
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Southborough
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Mon, November 9
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8:30-10:30am
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Maria Dunn/Surabhi Saxena
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Southborough
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Tues, November 17
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2 - 4pm
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Maria Dunn/Surabhi Saxena
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Weymouth
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Tues, November 17
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8:30-10:30am
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Maura Vitello
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Worcester
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Sun, October 25
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8:30-10:30am
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Christine Gill
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Worcester
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Tues, October 27
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2 - 4pm
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Christine Gill
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Worcester
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Wed, November 4
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2 - 4pm
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Christine Gill
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Worcester
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Thurs, November 19
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8:30-10:30am
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Christine Gill
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PATIENT CARE MANAGERS
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Name
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Email
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Cell
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Position
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Covering Office
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Bowden, Marilyn
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774-502-7478
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Patient Care Manager
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Danvers and
Gloucester
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Dunn, Maria
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508-688-2449
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Patient Care Program Manager
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Leominster and Southborough
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Gardner, Elaine
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617-680-1105
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Patient Care Manager
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Charlestown
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Gill, Christine
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774-502-5725
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Patient Care Manager
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Worcester
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Mihalick, Kyra
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617-913-6823
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Patient Care Manager
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VNAB Therapy
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Morris, Carol
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617-913-3006
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Patient Care Program Manager
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Quincy
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Saxena, Surabhi
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774-463-7336
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Patient Care Manager
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Leominster and Southborough
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Vitello, Maura
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774-502-7475
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Patient Care Manager
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Needham
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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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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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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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508-756-7176 x6876
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QI Nurse
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| October 19, 2015 |
The Connecter
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Volume 4, Issue 42
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Confidentiality Notice: The Connecter newsletter is an internal communication intended only for employees of VNA Care Network Foundation and Atrius Health. Information contained within this newsletter includes confidential, proprietary, and privileged content. Unauthorized forwarding, printing, copying, distribution, and/or negligent handling is strictly prohibited and could result in disciplinary action.
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