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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, February 15, with articles due to connecter@vnacarenetwork.org by Friday, February 12. |
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IN THIS ISSUE:
SERVICE EXCELLENCE
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES
CLINICAL APPLICATIONS
CLINICAL SERVICES
FACILITIES
HUMAN RESOURCES
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
QUALITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT
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February 8, 2016
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Volume 5, Issue 6
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Service Standard of the Week:
Service Standard #6: Employee Empowerment
We are all a part of the customer experience. We are empowered to use resources and training to enhance our customer's experience as well as our own professional goals and growth.
Here are some behaviors that demonstrate standard #6:
- Each employee is empowered. For example, when a patient/customer has a problem or needs something special you should break away from your regular duties, address and resolve the issue.
- You are empowered and accountable for your professional growth, use your internal resources and training to enhance the patient experience.
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Service Excellence Champion Group
The Service Excellence Champion group meets monthly to discuss ways to further our organization's commitment to exceptional service excellence.
Key Initiatives Being Worked On:
- Streamlining communication methods and tools
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- Town Hall Meetings
- Service Excellence training for new employees
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- Improving patient experience
- Huddle strategies
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Please contact the Champions listed below if you would like to have an initiative or issue reviewed at the next meeting. Thank you!
- Ann Bohac
- Debbie Brown
- Katie Callahan
- Jen Casper
- Simone Charpentier
- Lori DeRosa
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- Wendy Drake
- Jill Enwright
- Kelly Frew
- Dave Hanley
- Brielle MacDonald
- Cheryl Milas
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- Mary Ann O'Connor
- Adele Pike
- Lorraine Potter
- Dave Rose
- Geri Spina
- Charlvic Williams
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Submitted by Theresa Quinn, Resident Service Director Recently, Cheryl Hopkin, VNA Care Advantage's Wrap Around Nurse, was juggling several resident emergencies at the same time, so I started an assessment/wellness visit on another resident. Cheryl came to assist as soon as other emergency visits were taken care of. She demonstrated calm and professionalism and excellent assessment skills.
Submitted by Michelle Guerra, Clinical Services Manager
Last week I came upon a tricky situation and needed some clarification on palliative care versus hospice care, so I reached out to Robin Wilson, Palliative Care Program Manager. She was not only able to answer my question (and then some) she went out of her way to help me set up services for a patient in need. She is the best!
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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!
| The Danvers office went red last Friday for National Wear Red Day in support of the fight against heart disease! | |
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Two employees shared how their VNA supplied shovels got them out of some tricky situations with our recent snow storms.
Mary Laramie, Receptionist
I want to send a huge THANK YOU to the VNA for the SHOVEL. When I left the office on Friday the PLOW PEOPLE left a mound of snow in back of my car that was up to my bumper. The thing that really got me was there wasn't any cars on either side of my car. If it wasn't for the shovel I would had to call for a ride and leave my car. THANK YOU IT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED
Liz Dow, IV Clinical Services Manager
Thanks guys I just used my shovel and I got me outs of a slippery spot thank you so much!
And, because the snow can sometimes be pretty, Kathleen Traylor, Physical Therapist out of the Leominster office shared the photo below from her recent travels through Harvard to remind us.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES
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Length of Service Award Recipients - Gloucester Office
Our employees are our greatest asset and best indicator of our success...and based on our HomeCare Elite status and 4-4.5 CMS Star ratings, we have an exceptional team! We are lucky to have so many dedicated employees who commit themselves to our organization and the patients we serve.
Over the next several weeks we will go office by office and recognize all those who have reached milestone anniversaries. Congratulations!
Gloucester Office
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Kathleen O'Leary
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15 Years
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Rosalie Imbrunone
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15 Years
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Michele Humphrey
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15 Years
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Diane Crudden
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10 Years
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Catherine Buckley
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10 Years
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Louise Sarofeen
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5 Years
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New CMS Reports Puts us at the Top!
CMS has mandated that home health agencies meet a benchmark of timely OASIS submissions of 70% in the reporting period of 2015-2016. Both VNA Care Network and VNA of Boston far exceeded that requirement with 96.2% and 94.9% respectively! Excellent work!! |
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Clinician Help Files for McKesson Moving
By Christine Day, Clinical Application Specialist and Brielle MacDonald, Education Program Coordinator
(This change does not affect hospice, only VNAB Certified and Behavioral Health)
How to Access:
The Clinician Help Files have been placed on the Education Portal that is located at www.homehealthandhospice.com or via the Staff Portal on www.bostonvna.org. On March 1 they will be removed from Public Folders in Outlook. Both the Clinical Education files and the POC files have been placed in the "Training Library" section.
Here is how to access the files.
VNAB Managers, if you have a file that needs to be added or removed or updated, first send to cday2@vnab.org for discussion of location/category/title. The file will then be placed by Brielle MacDonald in the Education Department.
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Behavioral Health Update
By Molly Lukason, Behavioral Health Program Manager
We wanted to share some feedback from patients who have completed the behavioral health program over the past year:
"My family tells me I am a new person....I am socializing more...more confident."
"I am using the skills, especially the breathing as it helps me to calm myself."
"I really liked the program but I wish it was longer than 8 weeks."
"I have not been back to the hospital since I ended the sessions; I have not needed to....less anxiety about things."
"I wish you would offer a monthly group session to help us continue with this...I want to keep up with this."
We are reaching more and more patients both within the VNA and from outside sources. Patients are more apt to agree to behavioral health when they feel that their medical concerns have decreased and they can now concentrate on the emotions that come with decision making, self-esteem and confidence building. So, if a patient will benefit from behavioral health but medical concerns are still being resolved, the behavioral health clinician will call the patient on a weekly basis to maintain a connection until medical nursing is ready to transfer the case to behavioral health.
Studies have shown that having behavioral health work with a patient alongside occupational and/or physical therapy greatly improves the emotional and functional well-being of a patient. Thus, for any PT'S or OT's that are working with patients and who would benefit from behavioral health, please let Molly know immediately. The behavioral health clinician will coordinate and partner with these clinicians to work with the patient together. Behavioral health clinicians will also be referring to PT's and OT's as well.
Thank you to all the VNA clinicians for helping this program reach so many patients in need. If you have any questions, referrals, or concerns, please call Molly at 774-502-5545 or email Molly at mlukason@vnacarenetwork.org.
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Preventing Re-hospitalization
We all know that it's our priority to keep our patients home and OUT of the hospital.
We know that the clinicians who are with patients each day have the skills and expertise to assess the patients, create, communicate and adapt interventions to get this accomplished.
We would like to hear from you, the clinicians, about how you do it.
What are some of your best practices, tips you can share with the rest of the treatment team?
Maybe it's how you word that phone call to the physician. Is it what you say to your patients when you review the ERP? Is it how you connect with your teammates?
Share your tips and best practice ideas for KEEPING OUR PATIENTS OUT OF THE HOSPITAL for a chance to win a $25 gift card.
We'll share a list of tips, someone will win a gift card, and we'll have more strategies to keep our patients home.
WIN-WIN-WIN!!
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Inservice: Safety Issues For Home Health Care Providers
We are pleased to announce that Safety Education in-services, presented by our Security Consultant, Clare M. Schroeder, are now being offered organizational-wide and open to all staff. Below are additional scheduled sessions being offered. Title: Safety Issues For Home Health Care Providers. Leominster Office | Tuesday, March 8 | 8:30-9:30am
Southborough Office | Wednesday, March 9 | 8:30-9:30am
Danvers Office | Wednesday, March 16 | 8:30-9:30am
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Mantoux Testing in February/March
By Beverly Salate, Wellness Manager
BEGINNING IN 2016 ALL MANTOUX TESTING WILL BE IN FEBRUARY/ MARCH...MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!
Wellness will be doing Mantoux testing for all licensed clinicians around the first quarter OASIS education sessions. This is a change for both VNAB and VNACN. We will be in each office 1-hour before the session starts and will stop 5 minutes before the program begins. We will also be available 1-hour after the program to administer Mantoux. We cannot plant a Mantoux on a Thursday, as staff would have to come in on the weekend to have it read, so I have added additional sessions in a few of the offices that are not around OASIS sessions. Wellness will also be available 2 days after the Mantoux is planted to read the results All licensed clinicians are required to have a yearly Mantoux (or complete a positive reactor's form). Mantoux can be safely given 7 days apart and it is recommended that pregnant women be tested as well. Questions? Contact Beverly Salate at 888-663-3688 ext. 5603 or bsalate@vnacarenetwork.org.
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February 2016
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Sun
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Mon
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Tue
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Wed
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Thu
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Fri
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21
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22
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Worcester 1:30-4:30
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24
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25
Worcester reads 8-11
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26
Southborough reads 8-11
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28
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29
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March 2016
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Sun
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Mon
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Tue
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Wed
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Thu
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Fri
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1
Southborough 7:30-11
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2
Danvers
7:30-11 reads and admin
Needham 7:30-11
Charlestown 1-4
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3
Southborough 8-11 reads
Leominster 12:30-4 reads
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4
Danvers
8-4 reads
Needham
8:30-1:30 reads
Charlestown 12-4 reads
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6
Charlestown 7-10:30
Worcester 7:30-11
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7
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8
Needham
7:30-11
Worcester
8-11 reads
Charlestown 12-3 reads
Quincy
1-4
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9
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10
Quincy
8:30-10 reads
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11
Worcester 7:30-11
Quincy reads TBD
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13
Needham 7:30-11
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14
Needham 7:30-11
Worcester
8-11 reads
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15
Charlestown 7:30-11
Worcester
7:30-11
Danvers
7:30-11
Needham
8:30-3 reads
Southborough 2:30-4:30
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16
Weymouth 7:30-11
Needham
1:30-3 reads
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17
Worcester
8-11 reads
Charlestown 8:30-10 reads
Southborough 12:30-4 reads
Danvers
1-4 reads
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18
Weymouth 8:30-10 reads
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20
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21
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22
Worcester
1:30-4:30
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23
Leominster 7:30-11
Woburn
1-4
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24
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25
Woburn
7:30-11a reads
Leominster
8-11 reads
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27
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28
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29
Woburn
7:30-1:30
Danvers
1:30-4:30
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30
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31
Woburn
12:30-4 reads
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New HVAC System in Worcester
The Worcester office is installing an upgraded heating and A/C system over the coming months.We will need to relocate staff and Facilities and IT are working to get everyone accommodated in temporary locations while their area is being worked on.
The schedule is as follows:
- 3 South (Senior Team Offices) - 2/1 to 2/12 from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- 3 North (HR, IT, Facilities) - 2/15 to 2/26 from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- 1 North (daycare/reception) - 2/29 to 3/11 after hours to accommodate daycare
- 1 South (daycare/reception) - 3/14 to 3/18 after hours to accommodate daycare
- 2 South (referral center) 3/21 to 4/1 (Time TBD after meeting)
- 2 North (clinical area) 4/4 to 4/15 (Time TBD after meeting)
- Boilers and other prep work 4/15 to 4/29
- Start up 4/29 to 5/20 (Pending on Weather)
Please contact Lorraine Potter, Director of Facilities, with any questions at LPotter@vnab.org.
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Employee New Hire Referral Bonus Program
The new hire referral bonus program includes employee referrals for RNs, LPNs, PTs, PTAs, OTs, COTAs, 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
- Ray Brackett
- Linda Britt
- Kim Dio
- Kelly Frew
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- Mary Helen Mahoney
- Susan Marlin Procter
- Mary McCarthy
- Ilona O'Connor
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- Mary Ann O'Connor
- Mae Powers
- David Rose
- Danny Yang
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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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IT Department On-Call Staff for Week of 2/8/16
For Encore issues including communications, Encore laptops, WebVPN and general technology
- Through Friday, February 12, 11:59 PM - Eric Bromberg (774) 463-7320
- Beginning Saturday, February 13, 12:00 AM - Sean Carroll (508) 868-0615
For McKesson issues including iPads and laptops and general technology (support is provided weekdays 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, weekends and holidays 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM)
- Through Tuesday, February 9, 10:00 PM - John Williams (617) 913-3003
- Beginning Wednesday, February 10, 6:00 PM - Carol McDonald (617) 913-3003
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| QUALITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT |
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Performing a Complete Skin Assessment
By Patient Care Managers Surabhi Saxena, PT, DPT and Kyra Mihalick, PT, DPT, COS-C
Every patient who is admitted to our agency for home health care requires a comprehensive assessment, per CMS Conditions of Participation (CoPs). To be in compliance with CoPs and agency expectations, this includes a complete assessment of skin integrity by the admitting clinician, regardless of the admitting clinician's discipline (nursing or rehab). In addition, for any patient that is at risk for developing pressure ulcers, best practice is for all clinicians to perform a skin assessment at every visit, even if the case is multidisciplinary. Why is this so important? A stage 1 pressure ulcer can develop quickly, within a few hours to a day!
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Encore Documentation Reduction Committee
Change #5: RISK/ADS Tab - "Functional Items"
By Maria Dunn, Patient Care Program Manager
The Documentation Reduction Committee (DRC), consisting of a group of multidisciplinary clinicians and managers consulting with their peers, was charged with reviewing Encore Documentation standards and developing solutions to meet committee goals of:
- Simplifying Encore Documentation
- Removing Redundant Encore Documentation where possible
- Streamlining Encore Documentation and processes wherever possible
Per the input of the DRC, we've been able to implement the following documentation improvement effective immediately:
- The Risk/ADS Tab "Functional Items" button no longer needs to be filled out.
- The "Safety" tab in the "Safety Measures" item contains a few new options to choose from in the F2 lookup. Choosing the appropriate items during your assessment will support your OASIS functional answers without having to fill out the "old" "Functional Items" button.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank those on the DRC who participated in the committee: Catherine Buckley, Martha Cieszynski, Angela Demake, Pia DesRochers, Catherine Frasco, Christine Gill, Michelle Guerra, Donna Peters, Michelle Guerra, Wendy Kokernak, Shannon McInnis, Shamala Rao, Chris Schultz, and Nancy Stiller.
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Q1 OASIS Education
The QA Department is committed to providing continuing quarterly education sessions for OASIS guidance and accuracy into 2016. As we move into Value Based Purchasing, our care and the measurement of our outcomes is key to the future. Please see following Q1 schedule for the office dates and times. The sessions are 90 minutes and mandatory. As always, you may go to an office of your choosing to complete the education. Please coordinate with your manager. We look forward to seeing you at the sessions.
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Office
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Day/Date
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Time
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Presenter
| | Charlestown | Sunday, March 6 | 8-9:30am | Elaine/Kyra | | Charlestown | Wednesday, March 2 | 2-3:30pm | Elaine/Kyra | | Charlestown | Tuesday, March 15 | 8:30-10am | Elaine/Kyra | | Charlestown | Thursday, March 31 | 2-3:30pm | Elaine/Kyra | | Danvers/Gloucester | Wednesday, March 2 | 8:30-10am | Marilyn | | Danvers/Gloucester | Tuesday, March 15 | 8:30-10am | Marilyn | | Danvers/Gloucester | Thursday, March 24 | 8:30-10am | Marilyn | | Danvers/Gloucester | Tuesday, March 29 | 2:30-4pm | Marilyn | | Leominster | Thursday, March 10 | 2:30-4pm | Surabhi | | Leominster | Wednesday, March 23 | 8:30-10am | Surabhi | | Needham | Wednesday, March 2 | 8:30-10am | Maura | | Needham | Tuesday, March 8 | 8:30-10am | Maura | | Needham | Sunday, March 13 | 8:30-10am | Maura | | Needham | Monday , March 14 | 8:30-10am | Maura | | Needham | Thursday, March 24 | 8:30-10am | Maura | | Quincy | Tuesday, March 8 | 2-3:30pm | Kyra/Carol | | Quincy | Thursday, March 24 | 8-9:30am | Kyra/Carol | | Southborough | Thursday, February 25
| 2:30-4pm | Maria/Surabhi | | Southborough | Tuesday, March 1 | 8:30-10am | Maria/Surabhi | | Southborough | Thursday, March 3 | 2:30-4pm | Maria/Surabhi | | Southborough | Tuesday, March 15 | 2:30-4pm | Maria/Surabhi | | Weymouth | Wednesday, March 16 | 8:30-10am | Kyra/Carol | | Weymouth | Thursday, March 31 | 2-3:30pm | Kyra/Carol | | Worcester | Tuesday, February 23 | 2:30-4pm | Chris | | Worcester | Thursday, March 3 | 2:30-4pm | Chris | | Worcester | Sunday, March 6 | 8:30-10am | Chris | | Worcester | Friday, March 11 | 8:30-10am | Chris | | Worcester | Tuesday, March 15 | 8:30-10am | Chris | | Worcester | Tuesday, March 22 | 2:30-4pm | Chris |
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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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| February 8, 2016 |
The Connecter
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Volume 5, Issue 6
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FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
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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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