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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:
- PC Users: right-click on the download images button at the top of this email.
- iPad Users: hold stylus down on images button until menu appears. Select download pictures.
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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, March 28, with articles due to connecter@vnacarenetwork.org by Friday, March 25. |
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KEY DATES THIS WEEK
- Tuesday, March 22: Encore Patch
- Tuesday, March 22: OASIS Education > Worcester
- Tuesday, March 22: Mantoux Clinic > Woburn
- Tuesday, March 22: Mantoux Clinic > Worcester
- Wednesday, March 23: Mantoux Clinic > Leominster
- Wednesday, March 23: Mantoux Clinic > Woburn
- Wednesday, March 23: OASIS Education > Leominster
- Thursday, March 24: Mantoux Reads > Worcester
- Thursday, March 24: OASIS Education > Danvers
- Thursday, March 24: OASIS Education > Quincy
- Friday, March 25: Mantoux Reads > Woburn
- Friday, March 25: Mantoux Reads > Leominster
- Friday, March 25: OASIS Education > Needham
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IN THIS ISSUE:
SERVICE EXCELLENCE
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES
CLINICAL APPLICATIONS
CLINICAL SERVICES
FUND DEVELOPMENT
HUMAN RESOURCES
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
QUALITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT
VNA HOSPICE CARE
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CONNECTER QUIZ!
How often are you required to change your computer password?
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March 21, 2016
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Volume 5, Issue 12
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Service Standard of the Week:
Service Standard #2: Customer Contact
We greet our patients, customers, and colleagues with a warm smile, maintain eye contact (when culturally appropriate) and acknowledge their needs or concerns.
Here are some behaviors that demonstrate standard #2:
- Focus your attention to the individual needs of our patients, customers, and co-workers.
- Practice the Platinum Rule "Treat others the way they would like to be treated".
- We all have internal and external customers and treat everyone with the highest level of dignity and respect.
Huddle Topic Suggestions/Conversation Starters:
- Who are some of your internal customers?
- What are some behaviors you use to make sure the patient knows you are focusing all your attention on them during a visit?
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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:
- Improving patient experience
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- Town Hall Meetings
- Streamlining communication methods and tools
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- Huddle strategies
- Ongoing Service Excellence training
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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 Ellen Elliott, Clinical Documentation Analyst
I wanted to let you know what great customer service I got today from
Kerry Leo. I called her because of clashing SOC dates and interference with doing the OASIS. She had a list and was waiting to hear from managers on these conflicts. She knew it was holding up the OASIS I was doing and she put me on hold and went to the manager to get the answer to the conflict. Then she fixed the dates immediately so that I could finish the OASIS. She is so nice and competent. Every time I see her in the office she has a smile on her face and I just wanted to recognize her.
Submitted by Peg Quinlivan, Clinical Services Manager in the Worcester office I'm writing to recognize our triage and response nurse staff. We recently had a call that came in shortly after 7am. The patient was having problems and was having some pain. The response nurses were out seeing patients, and no one was close to where this patient lived. Ann Marie Clue was the triage nurse who got the initial call. After discussing the case with Maureen Thomas, Maureen felt the patient needed a visit and went out to assess the situation. In doing so, she was late for her morning commitments. We are so blessed to have such an excellent group of clinicians in both our triage and response nurses. The triage nurses cover all calls for the entire network, and do so in a professional manner. The response nurses are a dedicated group of professionals who every night go above and beyond in order to meet the needs of our patients. I think as busy as we are in our day-to-day commitments, we often forget about both our triage and response nurses, and what an important component they are to the network. Submitted by Patricia Fennell Petty, Referral Center Representative in the Worcester office I wanted to send an e-mail to you in regard to my encounter with Maria Dunn a couple weeks ago and again a week ago. I had the distinct pleasure of working with her on a couple of cases and just wanted someone to know how great she is!!!! She was so extremely helpful and pleasant - it was an absolute joy talking with her!!! She excels in "problem solving" and it was a nice experience getting to know her through our many phone calls!!! She really deserves a big pat on the back - she's a fantastic nurse and employee!!!!! Submitted by Joan Shanahan, RN in the Worcester office about Yooko Raiche, Telehealth LPN I have very much appreciated the hard work you do in telehealth and especially with my team and my patients that have kept you very busy. Thanks for all you do!
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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!
Hard at work on saint Patrick's day in needham! New hire Helen Pang, RN (right) learns how we do it from Jill Enwright, RN (left). Here is the two of them "Jellin" on St. Patties day!
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ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES
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Length of Service Award Recipients - Southborough 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!
Southborough Office |
Deidre Shea
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30 Years
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Donna Ross
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25 Years
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Janet Mancuso
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20 Years
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Nancy Mandeville
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20 Years
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Jean-Eddy Mathurin
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20 Years
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Michele Rosenthal
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20 Years
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Jo-Anne Scanlon
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20 Years
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Lisa Carlson-Melanson
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15 Years
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Geraldine Christiansen
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15 Years
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Christopher Dix
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15 Years
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Laurine Hanlon
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15 Years
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William Maher
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15 Years
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Karen Morgan
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15 Years
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Maria Ramos
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15 Years
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Nancy Ryan
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15 Years
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Linda Treantafel
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15 Years
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Brenda Vigeant
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15 Years
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Catherine Blatchley
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10 Years
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Stephanie Canby
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10 Years
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Leanne Fleming
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10 Years
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Bonnie McGaffigan
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10 Years
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Lisa Arbogast
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5 Years
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Ashley Bardsley
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5 Years
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Catherine Carroca
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5 Years
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Shawn Gaillardet
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5 Years
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Michelle Hjort
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5 Years
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Jill Kukis
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5 Years
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Kimberly McLeod
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5 Years
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Kelley O'Connell
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5 Years
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Tiny Scanner Helpful Tips
By Liz Bourne, Clinical Applications Specialist
The following article should help you with any troubles you're having with the application Tiny Scanner. With more opportunity coming our way to use the Tiny Scanner app we want to make sure that everyone is a hundred percent comfortable.
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McKesson Update for VNAB Home Care and Hospice Wednesday March 30th
By Kathy Schuft, Clinical Application Specialist
A McKesson update has been scheduled for the night of Wednesday, March 30th. It will contain quarterly regulatory changes as well as some minor enhancements. Information about the changes will be communicated to staff in a later article. These are the details regarding the upgrade:
The night of the upgrade:
- The system will be shutdown at 9pm sharp on Wednesday, March 30th
- During the shutdown the following systems will be unavailable:
- Horizon Homecare for VNAB & Hospice
- TeleHealth Interface
- WebChart
- Web Referrals
- Laptop Users:
- An ESD transfer will be necessary on or after Thursday, March 31st
- Full detail and instructions regarding the ESD transfer will be communicated in an email once full information is available.
- iPad Users and Office Staff:
- You must be signed out of the system by 8:45pm to avoid losing any documentation
- Please do not log on again before 6am the next morning
If you have any questions please contact Kathy Schuft at 617-886-6968 or kschuft@vnab.org.
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Encore Patch Scheduled for Tuesday 3/22
There will be an upgrade/Patch in Financial to version 06.00.0230 on Tuesday, 3/22. All users must be out of Encore by 8pm. An email will be sent alerting you when the placement is complete. |
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New High Alert Medication List Going into Effect
By Carol Morris and Marilyn Bowden, Patient Care Managers
There is a new Foundation policy titled "Medication Management: Orders, Administration, Assessment and Education" numbered VNACN Policy#3.1 and VNAB Policy #5.01.04. This policy was developed after an extensive review of each agencies policy related to medications. The goal is to have one integrated policy that meets the needs of the patient for safe medication use, along with the regulations/The Joint Commission standards that need to be met. Thus we have one integrated comprehensive policy for Medication management.
There were many similarities in the two policies; one major difference between the 2 agencies is the list of High Alert Medications used by each agency. The new list stated in the policy is a result of best practice taken from The Joint Commission recommendation by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP). The list was adjusted to meet the needs of the Foundation. The list is reviewed annually by the medication committee.
This comprehensive list of High Alert Medications will be introduced to staff during the March Team meetings. The effective date for use of the list at VNAB is April 1st 2016. To answer M2010 accurately and to enhance our outcomes for medication teaching this list will be used as the resource for M2010. There will need to be documentation in the clinical record that patient/caregiver was taught special precautions what problems to report, and to whom to report for any medication on the list starting April. CONTACT PCM WITH ANY QUESTIONS.
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VNAB: Follow-up Regarding use of new Patient Consent and Patient Consent Addendum
By Elaine Gardner, Patient Care Manager
This is the last of three articles in recent Connecters regarding the use of the new Patient Consent and Patient Consent Addendum earlier in March. We appreciate everyone's effort to incorporate the use of these during the SOC and 1st Evaluation visits. A brief summary and a copy of the two forms follow.
Why: The Patient Consent was changed early March & the Patient Consent Addendum added to:
- Support Patient Rights and Responsibilities
- Facilitate discussion between Patient and Clinician regarding POC
- Provide consent for digital imaging, including Wound pictures
- Improve the agency's compliance with Regulatory expectations/requirements
When & How:
- Patient Consent completed at SOC/Admission visit, then "Tiny Scanned" and sent to CSA & self.
- Patient Consent Addendum completed at 1st Eval visits by SN, PT, OT, ST, MSW, then "Tiny Scanned" and sent to CSA & self.
- The originals remain in the patient's residence, in the Patient Handbook.
Where located:
- Patient Consent in back of revised Patient Handbook
- Patient Consent Addendum is separate form in Forms Bin
If you have questions, please call/e-mail the PCM in your office.
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Focus on Fall Risk Reduction
I'd like to invite ALL clinical staff to attend one of our three Continuing Education sessions entitled Care of the Patient at Risk for Falls The next session will be held in Needham on Thursday, April 21 from 2-4pm and then in Charlestown on Thursday, May 5 from 8:30-10:30am.
Click the FULL ARTICLE button below for more information.
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Mantoux Testing in March
By Beverly Salate, Wellness Manager
BEGINNING IN 2016 ALL MANTOUX TESTING WILL BE IN FEBRUARY/ MARCH...MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! Please note that some dates have changed.
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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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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20
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21
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Woburn
8-11:30a
Worcester
1:30-4:30
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Leominster 7:30-11
Woburn
1-4
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24
Woburn reads by manager |
25
Woburn reads
7:30-11a
Leominster reads 8-11
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27
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28
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29
Woburn
7:30-11:30a
Danvers
1:30-4:30
de Rham
10-12p
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30
Needham
8-12:30
New Horizons
8-9a
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31
Woburn reads
12:30-4
de Rham reads 11-1p
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April 1
Needham reads by manager
New Horizons reads 8-9a
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New England Coffee Golf Tournament to Benefit VNA Hospice Care
New England Coffee has once again chosen VNA Hospice Care as one of two nonprofits to benefit from their annual Charity Golf Classic on Monday, May 9, at the Andover Country Club. Registration is now open at www.newenglandcoffee.com/golf. The morning begins at 7:30 am with registration, driving range, continental breakfast, and silent auction. Shotgun start is 8:30 am followed by lunch and silent auction from 1:30 to 2:30 pm. Registration is $250 per golfer and includes breakfast and lunch. This is the 24th year New England Coffee has organized the Charity Golf Classic. Rosie's Place will also benefit from the event. |
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2015 BCBS Fitness Reimbursement
In 2015 were you a member of your fitness facility or gym for four consecutive months while also being a BCBS HMO Health Plan Member?
Just a reminder that you still have time to submit for your 2015 BCBS Fitness Reimbursement of up to $150 per family. Please print the BCBS Fitness Reimbursement form and follow the directions to receive your membership reimbursement of up to $150.
THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT FOR THIS
REIMBURSEMENT IS MARCH 31, 2016!
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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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Password Updates
By Dave Hanley, Computer Operations Manager
The IT department would like to remind field clinicians to check your email frequently for notification of pending password changes, and be mindful that these are required every 90 days. Notifications are sent to every individual 14 days prior to a required password change; ample time to get it done and save yourself the aggravation of a password expiration taking place in the field or at a critical moment. IT has resources to help you by phone or otherwise if you need assistance and the following guidance may be of some value to you. Laptop users: For the smoothest experience and likelihood of success, we recommend changing your password on a visit to any of our offices. However, passwords can be changed from home assuming a solid VPN connecting is first established. At that point, the procedure is the same in the office or not: Simply press the Ctrl-Alt-Delete key combination and choose the "Change a password . . ." option. Follow the prompts from there. McKesson iPad users: To change your network password, go to the citrix.vnab.org website and type in your VNAB network username, network password and the token you were given when you first received your iPad. After you are fully logged in, tap on your name at the top of the page and then tap Change password in the popup menu. Enter your old password and then type in your new password twice and tap Ok. You will be logged off of the website and your password will be successfully changed.
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IT Department On-Call Staff for Week of 3/21/16
For Encore issues including communications, Encore laptops, WebVPN and general technology
- Through Friday, March 25, 11:59 PM - John Severin (781) 775-7982
- Beginning Saturday, March 26, 12:00 AM - Gary Weller (774) 239-6064
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, March 22, 10:00 PM - Jose' Parra (617) 913-3003
- Beginning Wednesday, March 23, 6:00 PM - Cathy Langone (617) 913-3003
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| QUALITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT |
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M0090 Date of Assessment for Unplanned Discharges
By Kyra Mihalick, PT, DPT, COS-C and Carol Morris, RN, COS-C
Important information for all clinicians who fill out Discharge OASIS assessments. There has been recent clarification related to M0090- Date of Assessment for an unplanned discharge.
OASIS GUIDANCE Q.37
Situation: There is an unplanned discharge and it is impossible to visit the patient to perform the Discharge comprehensive assessment visit (all attempts have been made to perform the visit). The last qualified clinician (SN, PT, OT, SLP) who made a visit to the patient is available to complete the Discharge comprehensive assessment paperwork. What is the M0090 date?
Answer: M0090 is not the date of the actual visit upon which the assessment is based. M0090 reports the date the agency actually completed the assessment paperwork after learning of the need to discharge. M0090 is used for compliance with the completion of the discharge assessment and data transmission requirements. Note that regulation allows for up to 2 calendar days after learning of the need to discharge for completion of the discharge assessment. M0906 Discharge/Transfer/Death Date is the day you learn of the need to discharge.
Interpretation: M0090 is the date that the clinician actually sits down and completes the discharge OASIS assessment. Therefore, the discharge OASIS assessment needs to be filled out and completed within 48 hours of M0906 Discharge Date which is the date you learned you needed to discharge the patient.
Example:
- 1/1/2016: PT discharge visit made. Nursing planning to go back in to revisit the patient.
- 1/5/16: Nursing made multiple attempts to revisit the patient (2 phone calls without a return call back as well as a drive by and patient did not answer the door). The nurse notified the doctor of the discharge. The discharge date is 1/5/16
- 1/7/16: The date the PT needs to have Discharge OASIS assessment completed by. It is very important that the nurse notifies the PT that s/he needs to complete the DC OASIS by 1/7/16.
- M0090 will be the date the clinician actually sits down and fills out the DC OASIS. If the PT does not sit down and fill it out until 1/10/16, M0090 is 1/10/16 and this is out of compliance.
- If the PT is never notified that the discharge OASIS needs to be completed and through chart review someone in the office notifies the PT at a later date (such as 2/1/16), M0090 will be when the PT fills out the DC OASIS and this is also out of compliance.
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Q1 OASIS Education
See below for the remaining Q1 OASIS Education sessions.
Please Note that the final Needham session will be held on Friday, March 25, 2016 NOT Thursday March 24,2016 as was previously posted.
Be sure you get to one of the FINAL Mandatory Education sessions. These classes are mandatory for all RN, PT, OT, and ST clinicians. If unable to attend a session, you will be given a take home test to complete and then meet with the PCM in your office to review. Sessions are optional for LPN, PTA, and COTA and it is at the discretion of the manager for these staff to attend.
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Office
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Day/Date
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Time
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Presenter
| | Charlestown | Thursday, March 31 | 2-3:30pm | Elaine/Kyra | | Danvers/Gloucester | Thursday, March 24 | 8:30-10am | Marilyn | | Danvers/Gloucester | Tuesday, March 29 | 2:30-4pm | Marilyn | | Leominster | Wednesday, March 23 | 8:30-10am | Surabhi | | Needham | Friday, March 25 | 8:30-10am | Maura | | Quincy | Thursday, March 24 | 8-9:30am | Kyra/Carol | | Weymouth | Thursday, March 31 | 2-3:30pm | Kyra/Carol | | 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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SS02 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 & SS55 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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Hospice Memorial Service Sunday, April 10
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| March 21, 2016 |
The Connecter
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Volume 5, Issue 12
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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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