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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, April 4, with articles due to connecter@vnacarenetwork.org by Friday, April 1. |
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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!
Congratulations to Jerilyn Spokis, OT in the Southborough office for winning last week's Connecter Quiz!!
Q: How often are you required to change your computer password?
A: Every 90 days (see full article below)
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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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March 28, 2016
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Volume 5, Issue 13
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Service Standard of the Week:
Service Standard #3: Professional Image
We are service professionals who uphold the reputation of our company by demonstrating a professional appearance.
Here are some behaviors that demonstrate standard #3:
- Take pride in and care of your personal appearance. Everyone is responsible for conveying a professional image at all times, in all places.
- Wear your ID badge and adhere to our dress code standards.
Huddle Topic Suggestions/Conversation Starters:
- Why is it important to always wear your ID badge, whether you are in the office or in the field?
- Provide an example of how a clinician's appearance can affect how a patient perceives the care they are receiving?
- Why is it important for each employee to dress in a professional manner?
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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 a clinician for Ellen Elliot, Clinical Documentation Analyst
I like the way you did the doc com, it was easy for me to read them and understand. Thank you Ellen, you do a wonderful job!
Clinician Alison Magerowski, RN recently thanked Pia DesRochers, Clinical Documentation Analyst
Thank you Pia for your positive feedback. It means so much to me!!
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Scenes from the Street
Dr. James Baker, our hospice medical director, had the opportunity to recently host his daughter, Adrianne "Cuff" Baker, a 4th year medical student at UMass Medical School, for her Palliative Care Rounds at the Rose Monahan Hospice Home. She was able to experience an almost full house at Rose Monahan, and was even able to participate in a case where our patient was discharged back to home. See, you can graduate from hospice!
Adrianne Baker, a 4th year medical student at UMass Medical School, pictured with her father and preceptor for the day, Dr. James Baker, hospice medical director.
Adrienne Baker, Dr. James Baker, and patient M.W. discuss her discharge from Rose Monahan.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES
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Length of Service Award Recipients - Tippett Home
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!
Stanley R. Tippett Hospice Home
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Helen Nicotera
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15 Years
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Fritz Dominique
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15 Years
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Jeanne O'Connor
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5 Years
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Baker Appointed to Faculty at UMass
Congratulations to Dr. James Baker, our hospice Medical Director, who has recently been appointed to the faculty of UMass Medical School, a huge accomplishment. Dr. Baker's goal with his appointment is to develop a higher level of collaboration between our agency and the School of Medicine so as to enhance communication, cooperation, and continuously improving patient care. We are lucky to have Dr. Baker on our team and UMass is equally lucky to benefit from his distinguished experience and dedication to continuous improvement of patient care.
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Fitzpatrick Interviewed for Medication News Article
Joan Fitzpatrick, Manager of the Women's Health Program, was recently interviewed by Wicked Local for an article titled, 'How tri-town seniors can get help managing medications'. Check it out here.
URL: http://boxford.wickedlocal.com/article/20160318/NEWS/160315957 |
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REMINDER: McKesson Update for VNAB Home Care and Hospice Wednesday Night March 30
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. For home care changes please see separate article in this Connecter. Hospice changes will be communicated separately. Here is what you need to know about the update:
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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McKesson Changes after Update for Home Care
By Kathy Schuft, Clinical Application Specialist
McKesson has made a few changes/fixes that will affect clinicians. Here they are:
- The lingering transfer problems should be resolved:
- Partial documentation missing from chart after transfer
- Patient name missing after transfer
- Inability to remove charts from laptop without changing filters
- Medications will check the allergy list to make sure you are not adding a medication for whom the patient is allergic. There will be a pop-up message with a warning. See below. If you answer Yes you will be able to add the medication. If you answer No you will then need to cancel the medication.
PLEASE NOTE: The software will only compare exact match to exact match. Meaning that if the patient has Cipro on the allergy list and you add Ciprofloxacin the software will not see it as a match and will not warn you. Please be sure to continue to check the allergy list when you are adding medications. - The pop-up that McKesson users have been receiving stating that you have Follow-up Notes past 7 days and would you like to complete them all at once will be turned off.
- When adding a Contact (Related Party) you will no longer get a pop-up warning regarding Social Security Number (SSN).
If you have any questions contact Kathy at kschuft@vnab.org or 617-886-6968 or call the Clinical Application Help line at 617-886-6730.
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For Encore Users: Code Load Needed (Software Upgrade)
By Christine Day, Clinical Applications Specialist
On Tuesday, April 12, 2016 Encore will be upgraded via a "code load." This upgrade is primarily for Financial purposes, and there are a few Clinical changes that will be in the next Connecter.
Please read these instructions carefully. Further instructions will be distributed next week.
Here's what to do:
- Clear all work Saved in Progress
- Ask for help right away if work is stuck in Saved in Progress, Clear all (H) Held Email
- By Tuesday March 29th you will start seeing a Revision File when you communicate your laptop.
- Bring a Revision file onto your laptop right away, (definitely by Thursday April 7th).
- Weekend Staff please pull over your revision files on the weekend of April 2nd and April 9th.
See directions below. This file will sit dormant on your laptop until activated on all laptops simultaneously on Tuesday April 12th at approximately 7 am.
Instructions for communicating the file to your laptop:
- Do your routine overnight communication
- Notice a new 3rd option on the communication menu
- We strongly encourage you to do this one time communication in the office but it may be done at home on the VPN.
- Ensure that your wireless is on.
- Select Revision Update
- Select Direct Connect. F8. The communication will be done within 5 minutes.
- The 3rd communication option should be gone, but please do another laptop communication. Then, use your laptop normally
Please contact Christine Day at 617-886-6453 or cday2@vnab.org with any questions.
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Annual Competencies Deadline: March 31
If you haven't logged in yet to complete the following annual competencies on the Education Portal, you still have time! Quarter 1 Annual Competencies:
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Competency
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Employees who need to complete
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Deadline for Completion
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HIPAA
(20 minutes)
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Every Employee
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March 31
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Corporate Compliance
(20 minutes)
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Every Employee except home visiting clinicians on the certified side
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March 31
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Additional CE Offering: Medication Management with the Patient with Parkinson's Disease
By Mary Meade Ambrefe Pharm D., CGP, Clinical Pharmacist
The Education Department is pleased to announce an addition to the CE offerings already posted and available. On Tuesday, May 17th in the Needham office from 8:30-10 and Wednesday, May 18th in the Worcester office from 8:30-10, Mary Ambrefe, Pharm.D., CGP, will offer a program on Medication Management in the setting of Parkinson's Disease.
Employees will be able to use their Agency Education Hours for these courses; the process for requesting to use Education Hours applies. Requests to use Education Hours for these courses must be submitted to your manager at least 30 days before you plan to take the course using the Education Day Application form. In addition, please call Brielle MacDonald at 508-786-0693 ext. 5633 or email at barsenault@vnacarenetwork.org.
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Medical Monofilaments on the March in April!
By Adele Pike, Director of Education One of the well-established Best Practices in caring for a patient with Diabetes is to assess the patient's feet for protective sensation. Diabetic neuropathy often leaves patients with poor or no sensation in their feet, predisposing them to falls and diabetic foot wounds. To help ALL clinicians perform foot assessments with patients with Diabetes, MEDICAL MONOFILAMENTS will be available in every office certified-side office starting the week of April 4th. There is 20 minute mandatory clinical competency on the Ed Portal that reviews how to use the Medical Monofilament and other aspects of foot care. This module also highlights other Best Practices in Care of the Patient with Diabetes, including HgbA1c and information about the new highly concentrated insulins. This module, THREE ELEMENTS OF DIABETES CARE, is required for all certified clinicians (PTs, OTs, RNs, LPNs, COTAs, PTAs, and SLTs) in the second quarter.
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High Risk/High Alert Medication List
Countdown to April 1st and this is no joke! The new high risk/high alert medication list goes into effect. VNACN clinicians: download is optional or continue to use the F1 Help Key in the Medication List to view the list.
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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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Last Week of Mantoux Testing
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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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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Walk Supports Cape Ann Nonprofits
VNA Care Network will be among the nonprofits to benefit from the 29th annual Gloucester Pride Stride on Sunday, April 24. The walk begins and ends at Stage Fort Park. Registration starts at 10 a.m., and the walk starts at noon.
Participants can join the post-walk celebration, which includes a free cookout, live music, inflatable playground, and games. Non-walkers can join the festivities for a $5 donation. For more information and a pledge form, visit www.gloucesterpridestride.com.
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Rose LaPierre holds her wedding photo
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Hostess factory retiree saves for over two decades to make gift to hospice
By Deborah Corkum, Manager of Grants and Donor Communications
Being with family means everything to 94-year-old Rose LaPierre.
She was one of 13 children, and her husband, Joseph, had five siblings. Their families were poor, but Rose has wonderful memories of growing up in Somerville.
Rose and her mother would "scrounge up dimes" and take turns going to the movies. There were drives to the Medford woods for blueberry picking. Rose would bake blueberry pies that always disappeared as soon as she took them out of the oven.
Then there was March 29, 1943, Rose's first date with her future husband. They walked to Boston to save the nickel train fare for ice cream.
"My Joe was so kind, so good. My whole family loved him," Rose said.
World War II was underway, and Joe was soon drafted. The two married when Joe was home for a few days on leave, and the young couple eventually settled in Somerville near their families.
Joe was an artist and sign painter. Rose worked the overnight shift at the Hostess factory for 37 years making Twinkies and cupcakes. Although they never had children, Rose and Joe loved spending time with their more than 40 nieces and nephews.
During their retirement, Joe was diagnosed with cancer. Rose remembered the doctor saying, "They can't do much for him in the hospital. I'm going to send you home and call hospice."
The doctor arranged for VNA Hospice Care to begin visiting the LaPierres at their apartment. Staff brought everything Joe needed, including a hospital bed that would allow Joe to be more comfortable. A volunteer would sit with Joe so Rose had time to take care of herself. VNA Hospice Care's pain and symptom management and other physical, emotional, social, and practical care and support enabled Joe to remain at home near family and friends. He passed away in October 1992.
"VNA Hospice Care was marvelous to him, and they were marvelous to me," shared Rose.
The care meant so much to Rose that she began setting aside a little money whenever she could to make a donation to VNA Hospice Care in memory of Joe. After more than 20 years of saving, Rose's nieces and nephews convinced her it was time to make the gift. Rose sent her niece, Marie Bell, to VNA Hospice Care's Woburn office with a check for just over $15,000.
Memorial donations of all amounts help VNA Hospice Care provide compassionate care to those facing a terminal illness while also honoring a loved one. Joe's memory lives on in his art and the many lives he touched. And, Rose added, "Joe is always in my heart."
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BCBS PPO Deductible Information
Click here for important information related to the VNA funded portion of your deductible under the BCBS PPO plan for 2016.
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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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IT Department On-Call Staff for Week of 3/28/16
For Encore issues including communications, Encore laptops, WebVPN and general technology
- Through Friday, April 1, 11:59 PM - Gary Weller (774) 239-6064
- Beginning Saturday, April 2, 12:00 AM - Eric Bromberg (774) 463-7320
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 29, 10:00 PM - Cathy Langone (617) 913-3003
- Beginning Wednesday, March 30, 6:00 PM - John Williams (617) 913-3003
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| QUALITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT |
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Q1 OASIS Education: Three Session Remaining!
See below for the last three remaining Q1 OASIS Education sessions.
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 | Tuesday, March 29 | 2:30-4pm | Marilyn | | Weymouth | Thursday, March 31 | 2-3:30pm | Kyra/Carol |
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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 28, 2016 |
The Connecter
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Volume 5, Issue 13
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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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