F O R T H E E M P L O Y E E S O F C I N C I N N AT I C H I L D R E N ’ S
WINTER 2014
WORK AS A TEAM
WHAT’S INSIDE
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Building Smarter, Better Future Through Collaboration
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Thoughtful Planning Strengthens Connections
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Vascular Access Team: Willing to Ask Tough Questions
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Behind the Visit: Joint Effort Leads to Successful Survey
WORK AS A TEAM. In this issue, we explore the fourth and last of our Core Values—Work as a Team. If there is one characteristic that distinguishes Cincinnati Children’s as a leader, this is it. Time after time, I’ve heard people, newly arrived from other organizations, say that what brought them here was the spirit of collaboration and support that is so evident in everything we do. Improving the lives of sick children is a cause people naturally rally around, and those of us who answer that call feel passionate about it. Even if we’re in a non-clinical role, we feel connected. That’s why, although we’re more than 14,000 strong and growing, we still reach across departments and divisions to do what’s best for our patients and families. The stories within these pages shed just a little light on our efforts to work as a team. There are many more examples, some of which we’ll be sharing on CenterLink. I hope that, as you read them, you recognize how important your contributions are to the achievement of our goals and know that we couldn’t be successful without you.
Cindy Duesing, editor
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theknow H A N D H YG I E N E T I E D TO E M PLOY E E BONUS PL AN
Cincinnati Children’s is again offering its Employee Drive for Safety and Financial Strength Plan, which pays eligible employees up to $500 if we meet certain safety and financial goals. The FY14 plan goals call for us to achieve our targeted operating margin of 70 percent of budget and reduce FY14 budgeted operating expenditures by at least $20 million. It also requires that we increase the total number of patient and employee safety reports by 20 percent over FY13. New to the plan is the goal to achieve 95 percent house-wide compliance for hand washing. This goal is a recommendation from the Joint Commission. Good hand hygiene is a must when caring for patients or working in the laboratory, but it is also important to reduce the transfer of germs among the general employee population— especially during the flu and respiratory season. It’s basic stuff, but if we all resolve to be more mindful, we can create a healthier environment for patients, families and staff.
as photography, sculpture, painting, pottery, textiles and more. Watch the Opportunities for Giving box on the CenterLink home page for a list of events, as well as an ePledge link where you can donate to support the arts in Greater Cincinnati.
CH A NG ES COMING TO CE NTER LINK , PEOPLESOF T
You spoke, and we listened. The CenterLink homepage is getting a makeover, based on your feedback. The new design, set to debut this spring, will make it easier to find what you need, with fewer clicks required to get to the pages you visit most frequently. You’ll have a chance to preview the new design and get comfortable with it before we make the switch. Familiar features will still be there. You will also have access to the old homepage for a while after the new one launches. You’ll also want to stay tuned for the launch of My Hub in the spring. This is a single location for your many PeopleSoft needs. Go to My Hub to update your personal information, launch Safety College, complete Per formance Management, submit an expense report and more with just one login. Managers can keep track of tasks, like approving employee paid time off or using the auto-populated to-do list. Look for more information on CenterLink about how My Hub can streamline many of your work processes.
C H I L D R E N ’ S H O S P I TA L S C E L E B R AT E N AT I O N A L P E D I AT R I C R E S E A R C H N E T W O R K A C T
President Obama has signed into law legislation authorizing the National Institutes of Health to establish the National Pediatric Research Network to strengthen and enhance the nation’s commitment to pediatric biomedical research.
A R T S WAV E CA M PA I G N L AU N C H E S I N F E B R UA RY
You can always count on the annual CCHMC ArtsWave campaign to brighten dreary winter days. This year’s campaign runs from Feb. 3 to Feb. 28 and will feature a variety of arts activities to tickle your creative fancy. This includes the CCHMC Choir Games on Feb. 14, where seven teams will compete for the championship and the chance to represent Cincinnati Children’s at the Cincy Sing Off (an event that showcases choirs from other local companies). Also back by popular demand is the Visual Arts Gallery—a display of employees’ work in media such
The Coalition for Pediatric Medical Research, a group of about 25 of the nation’s leading children’s hospitals, including Cincinnati Children’s, has been the leading advocate behind the network for years. “The President’s action is a major victory for our nation’s children who stand to benefit from the network because it will help better fund and better coordinate pediatric medical research to accelerate scientific discovery and, ultimately, the development of new therapies and treatments for children,” said Arnold Strauss, MD, chair of Pediatrics and director, Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation.
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Building Smarter, Better Future
T H RO U G H C O LL A B O R AT I O N Location T—it’s not the most imaginative name for a building, but if T stands for “teamwork,” it fits. The concrete, steel and glass structure going up next to Location S is a stunning piece of architecture. When completed, this clinical research facility will stand 14 stories high with 446,500 square feet of open space, designed to encourage collaboration among its occupants. In fact, collaboration has been at the heart of this project from day one. Tom Kinman, vice president, Facilities Management, and Mike Browning, assistant vice president, Planning and Construction, are especially excited about the innovative methods their team is using to take Location T from concept to reality. “We’ve adopted a new process called integrated project delivery (IPD), which brings all the major contractors for the building face-to-face in one room,” says Kinman. “The point is to get everyone involved in the conversation at the outset so we can plan efficiently and avoid a tremendous amount of waste.”
The idea of IPD began in Sacramento, CA, where Sutter Health used it for a building they completed in 2008. Cincinnati Children’s is one of the first to use it here. HOW IT WORKS
There are eight major contractors working on Location T. Messer Construction leads the IPD team as the designer and builder. The other seven are in charge of mechanical and electrical engineering, electric systems, HVAC, plumbing, glass and glazing, structural engineering and architectural leadership. In an IPD arrangement, each of the contractors signs an agreement in which they agree to share risk, accountability and even equipment. They are contractually obligated to keep the project as their central focus, and they waive all claims against each other. If one contractor makes a costly error on the project, the others’ budgets are negatively affected too. If one contractor finds a way to complete a task more efficiently, the others also benefit. “The IPD provides an incentive to save money,” says Kinman. “Everyone has skin in the game.” For the first time, engineers are using Building Integrated Modeling (BIM) software to design and manage the project. The software, called
(L-r) Mike Browning, assistant vice president, Planning and Construction; Greg Goertemoeller, building systems project manager for Messer Construction, Inc.; and Tom Kinman, vice president, Facilities Management, look over the mechanical plans for Location T.
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NavisWorks, maps out every detail of the building for the team to see ahead of time. In a traditional project, the architect designs the building, and the engineer draws it up. Then the project is put out for bid. The winning contractor takes the engineer’s drawings and immediately redraws everything in their own computer program. The BIM software makes redrawing unnecessary. “Before we start building, we get agreement from the team on the model for the entire mechanical system. It’s then loaded into the surveying software, which uses GPS to place it all on the site, so we know where every plumbing line, every air vent is going to be,” says Browning. “The team reviews and validates it in the field to make sure it’s accurate. Then we install it.” This process alerts the team to possible clashes. For example, if the electrician has a light fixture planned for a spot where the HVAC contractor has decided to run a heating duct, they can catch that and rework the design. Working from one central design provides other opportunities for improved quality and efficiency. For example, if the designer calls for a certain size pipe valve, the plumbing contractor might suggest using a standard unit that’s readily available and more economical. “The original design of Location T called for much larger panes of glass on the building’s surface,” says Kinman.
“The glazier pointed out that using smaller panes would be less expensive to manufacture and much easier to install. As a result, we’re still using the same amount of glass, but it’s cut differently. This one change will save us roughly $200,000.” The glazier also collaborated with the HVAC contractor to determine the amount of tint on the glass. “The tint on the glass changes the heat load, which affects the size of the chiller we install,” says Kinman. “We wouldn’t have thought these details out so well before, but having everyone in the room working from the same design allows us to capitalize on each other’s expertise.” IMPROVED QUALIT Y AND SAFET Y
Using the BIM software has paid off in other ways, as well, by allowing a significant portion of the building’s systems to be prefabricated offsite and brought in. “When we did all of the concrete pours, the sleeves and anchors were placed in a concrete frame,” says Browning. “This eliminated the need to drill holes afterward. Because the anchors were easier to place, we were able to use more of them.” Adds Kinman, “We did something similar with the chilled water pipe. Normally, the installation would have been more difficult, with workers on ladders reaching up to get to it. Instead, it was manufactured offsite at eye level, where it was easier to reach. As a result, we had a pipe with fewer fail points, which was then brought to the site and
Construction workers attach the outer skin to what will be a blue wall running up the east side of the building.
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installed as one big piece. The ability to prefabricate systems makes for a less complex job site, increased safety and better quality materials.” In yet another example, the structural engineers worked with the mechanical contractor to design the penthouse so it would be easier to get the air handling units up on the roof. Again, using prefabricated parts, an installation that would normally take six weeks was completed in two days. Says Kinman, “It’s hard to say how much money using IPD and BIM software will save us in the construction of Location T, but since we started building the core and shell, there have been no requests for information or change order requests. On previous jobs, the RFIs would number in the hundreds by now. The building topped out in November and will be completely enclosed within three months. It should have taken nine to 10 months. Having the subcontractors in the same room using BIM software has shaved 18 to 24 months off the schedule.” It has also enabled Kinman and his team to get LEED Silver certification for the project (the premier mark of achievement in green building). “The time and effort required to get certification is very costly,” says Kinman, “and frankly, I’d rather channel those resources into making a better building. But we’ve been able to manage this project so efficiently that the cost to apply for certification wasn’t as prohibitive.” At the topping out luncheon held on Nov. 8, Arnie Strauss, MD, chair of the Department of Pediatrics, and director, Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation, thanked the crew for their hard work. He linked their efforts directly to the research that will be conducted at the site and said each of them is a part of saving children’s lives. “These are concrete and steel guys, so they’re pretty tough,” says Browning. “But they were riveted to every word he said.” When it’s completed in June 2015, Location T will dominate the Cincinnati Children’s skyline—a fitting representation of the role clinical research will continue to have at the medical center. Says Browning, “When we add the finishing touches to the landscaping, it’s going to be spectacular.”
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Thought ful
PL ANNING STRENGTHENS CONNECTIONS
Kris Justus, PhD, vice president for Research Operations and assistant director of the Research Foundation, keeps a watchful eye on Location T construction from her office on the 10th floor of Location S. The building has been a significant focus of her life since she started working here 2½ years ago. She is well-versed in how the nuts and bolts are coming together, but she is also concentrating on who will occupy the facility once it’s completed.
Says Justus, “Think about each division as a block. If block A touches block B and B touches C, but A and C don’t touch at all, is that the best placement? Or should C be in the middle? Do you want all the As on each floor to stack up vertically or do we mix them like a mosaic? We have data from focus groups and surveys to help us decide. It’s like putting a 3-D puzzle together.”
All 14 floors of the building will be fitted out. The first three floors will be accessible to the public and dedicated to clinical research groups who need to see human study participants. The rest of the floors will be split between wet and dry labs.
The “blocks” are not physical structures on each floor, however. According to Tom Kinman, the design of the labs is a major departure from traditional design, with long sets of benches in open areas called “neighborhoods.” Some departments will have an entire floor to themselves, but on other floors, different departments will work right next to each other.
T R A N S PA R E N T D E S I G N
Three working groups, three steering groups and one executive group have logged more than 100 hours in planning meetings, in addition to hundreds of hours of design team and user meetings, to determine the workspace layouts and configurations. They have thought through details, like the placement of safety showers and sinks, maximizing space for freezers, and whether pneumatic tubes in the clinic are necessary. “Location T has been purposefully designed with a lot of input and thought behind every detail and nuance as to the most functional way to fill out the space,” says Justus. “It will be beautiful, but ultimately, it has to serve its purpose.” Its purpose is to foster collaboration among researchers and enhance the flow of research from bench to bedside. To achieve that, Justus and the design team have spent months speaking with researchers in different divisions to see who collaborates with whom and what tools they use. To illustrate, she pulls up a Powerpoint slide showing a diagram of departmental relationships that resembles a yarn ball. “This shows divisions that stated they have working connections with other divisions,” she explains. She clicks on a second, less daunting diagram. “These are just the two-way connections in which division connections were reciprocally stated, which we especially want to keep intact,” she says. “We’re also looking at who isn’t collaborating with other groups, including some of the newer or smaller divisions. We’re trying to place them near potential collaborators where a stronger relationship could be mutually beneficial.” The information on the diagram translates to a layout of where divisions will be located on the floors—adjacent to each other horizontally or above and below each other vertically.
In addition, the wet labs have full height glass between the lab and the office areas. “You will be able to see through the building from one side to the other,” he explains. “The message is that our research is transparent.” Configuring collaborative workspaces won’t be contained to Location T. “To really get this right, we need to look at all of our research space in Locations R, S and T and how these groups might best work together,” says Justus. “Having the new building will give us the swing space to make it happen.” The effort to strengthen collaborations among research divisions dovetails with everything we’re trying to do as a campus, Justus adds. “For example, Cincinnati Children’s leadership is trying to build in as much support for research as possible. We’re looking at ways to make the best use of internal grants and to share research instrumentation. This is especially important with the cuts in federal grant funding. The hospital just provided ‘top-up’ funds when we started facing cuts from the recent ‘sequester.’ In addition, Tracy Glauser, associate director of the Research Foundation, is promoting multicenter studies and partnerships across institutions. “The goal is to support our researchers so that they can do more than anyone else, better than anyone else. It’s teamwork as an institution, across business units and divisions, which you don’t see everywhere else. Location T is a symbol of those collaborative efforts to change the outcome in kids’ health. That’s the exciting part for me.”
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Va scular Access Team W I L L I N G TO A S K TOUGH QUESTIONS
You want in on a secret? The Vascular Access Team disagrees. A lot. And that’s a good thing. Rather than those disputes breaking them apart, the team uses them to their advantage. In fact, they say disagreements help lead to the best outcomes for their patients. “Good teams should have a certain amount of disagreement. That’s how you get cooperation, as long as it is done with mutual respect,” says Neil Johnson, MD, medical director of the Vascular Access Team. “We challenge each other and force some very hard issues. Teamwork isn’t easy.”
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Sylvia Rineair, RN, is the clinical director of this team. She and Johnson emphasize that their shared leadership is another key factor that helps their employees function so well together. “We encourage everyone to speak up and challenge one another. Our team feels comfortable raising tough questions and pushing each other to get to the best answer,” Rineair says. Rineair reports to Barb Tofani, RN, assistant vice president, Perioperative Services, a valuable team leader who quietly but effectively challenges individuals and facilitates the team’s work by removing significant obstacles to progress.
(L-r) Adam Neu, RN, registered nurse II; Blake Gustafson, RN, PICC nurse; and Sarah Denk, patient care assistant, Vascular Access Team, prepare to insert a PICC line into a patient’s arm. Running a PICC line involves collaboration between members of the Vascular Access Team, Anesthesia and Interventional Radiology.
RAISING CONCERNS
I N V O LV I N G FA M I L I E S
The Vascular Access Team is made up of 52 employees, including nurses, interventional radiologists, radiology technicians, patient care assistants and child life specialists. They provide vascular access care for patients needing central venous catheters (CVCs), peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC lines), and peripheral intravenous insertions (PIVs). These catheters are used in patients who need short- and long-term access to intravenous (IV) fluids, nutrition, medications, or blood products.
Not only does this team work with one another to improve outcomes and performance, but they also involve families. Rineair cites the TLC poster as one such example. TLC stands for Touch, Look, and Compare, a practice developed in response to the need for regular checks of patients’ IV sites to ensure IV safety. The team created the easy-to-remember acronym, which instructs caregivers to touch, look at, and compare a patient’s IV site every 60 minutes. A poster developed to go along with the practice now reminds parents and nurses alike about the standard protocol for checking IVs hospital-wide.
One of many examples pointing to their solid teamwork is a two-year project involving PIV extravasations, incidents where a PIV catheter becomes dislodged and the fluid intended to flow into the child’s vein instead flows out of the vein into the tissue. That can cause local soft tissue injury, which in the past was sometimes severe, requiring skin grafts or other surgery. According to Johnson, the national standard for grading extravasations didn’t make sense to him, even though it is widely used in the United States. He brought up his concerns with the team. After some resistance to change, they began to see that the system they had previously believed in was flawed. PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSIONS
“I challenged the group to make it better,” Johnson says. “We kept talking amicably and eventually trashed the old system and created our own.” The team got some strong reactions when they announced they were going to change what had formerly been considered the bible for grading extravasations. But the new system has proved essential in reducing extravasation risks, so much so that they have had no serious safety injuries from extravasations for 3½ years straight. Furthermore, the new system is being adopted by an increasing number of other pediatric hospitals. “We had to combine the skills of everyone to make that successful. The nurses challenged me, asked questions, and taught me how to implement this with over 2,000 nurses throughout the hospital,” Johnson says. “They taught me the complexity and hard work of educating the entire hospital. We could never have pulled it off without everyone pulling together.”
“Patients, families, and staff were all involved in creating the TLC poster,” Rineair says. “We wanted to engage the families in the child’s care. Since they’re the ones who spend the most time with that child, they may be able to help us know if something is wrong with the IV.” This project has led to earlier identification of PIV extravasations and increased compliance with full IV site assessment. P AT I E N T S F I R S T
The group effort doesn’t stop there. The Vascular Access Team recently addressed an issue to decrease multiple re-dressings of CVC sites that came to their attention from Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) and unit nurses. They’re also working on reducing the need for sedation while inserting PICC lines by engaging their child life specialists who provide distraction for patients during the procedure. And they’ve partnered with IS to create an Epic-based CVC database containing patients’ vascular access history. This information could spare a child from having multiple unnecessary needle sticks. Johnson and Rineair say none of this could have happened without close-knit, respectful collaboration, in addition to always focusing on the patient and family’s experience. “What motivates our team the most is being able to do the best thing for the patient,” Rineair says. Johnson agrees wholeheartedly. “What it comes down to is our shared goal of the overall individual human patient experience,” he says. “We ask the question, ‘Is this what we would want for our own children?’ If we can confidently answer yes, then we’ve done our job.”
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B E H I N D T H E V I S I T:
Joi nt Ef fo r t L ea d s to S u cc e s s f ul S u r ve y Every three years, it happens. Representatives from the Joint Commission show up to survey the hospital, Behavioral Health and Home Care. They come to make sure we’re in compliance with the Conditions of Participation set forth by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and the Joint Commission standards. We’re talking foundational issues like infection control, fire safety and medication management—all the stuff that’s crucial to providing patients with the safest care possible. Their visit is unannounced. Once we pass the 18-month mark after our previous survey, the window opens to the possibility of another survey—unless someone registers a complaint, which can trigger a Joint Commission visit anytime. As the weeks and months slip away, bringing us closer to that three-year anniversary, the anticipation becomes palpable. Beginning in January 2013, Mary Anne Morris, RN, senior director, Accreditation Services; Judy Walsh, RN, director, Regulatory and Safety Compliance, and members of the Accreditation Services team, took turns waiting in the Burnet Campus cafeteria every Monday morning, monitoring our Joint Commission secure extranet site in case the surveyors arrived. (If a survey is scheduled to begin that week, it will be posted by 7:30 am.) On Monday, Sept. 30, they finally showed up. O N Y O U R M A R K , G E T S E T, G O !
In an organization the size of Cincinnati Children’s, it takes a lot of work to coordinate a successful survey.
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Fortunately, Morris, Walsh and their respective teams have it down to a science. The arrival of the surveyors set a well-choreographed dance in motion. Morris was in the Location D Business Center, checking the Joint Commission site, when she saw the notification. They were coming. She called Tom Kinman, vice president, Facilities Management; paged the Managers of Patient Services and emailed all key players, including Bob Baer, senior director, Parking and Transportation, who dispatched drivers and vehicles to take the surveyors to various CCHMC locations, e.g., College Hill, Liberty Campus, etc. Then she headed to the Location B Welcome Center, where one surveyor was already waiting. Specially trained escorts from Patient Services were on point to accompany the 11 surveyors who ultimately showed up. “Finding the right person to act as an escort is very important,” says Morris. “It has to be someone who knows the institution, who is comfortable with the surveyors and has a sense of discretion.” Discretion is key when answering surveyors’ questions. “We must always tell the truth,” says Morris, “but we don’t want to volunteer information they didn’t ask for.” Information Services and Health Information Management were called in to print out medical records and navigate Epic for the surveyors. Human Resources stood by to pull any employee records the surveyors requested.
The Accreditation Services team check their calendars during a staff meeting; (l-r) Kathy Aponte, RN, associate; Dawn Schubert, RN, associate; Mar y Anne Morris, RN, senior director; and Cindy Weygandt, RN, associate.
Rolling black file boxes were filled ahead of time with pertinent documents and given to the surveyors at the door. And because the Joint Commission is very scripted in how they survey, Morris had already sent templates to appropriate departments so they could prepare for their sessions with surveyors. Additionally, she sent folders to a select group of executives to let them know what sessions they were expected to attend. Bill Kent, senior vice president, Infrastructure and Operations, is ultimately responsible for the survey and following up on action plans that might arise from any recommendations for improvement the surveyors give. He is in charge of the daily debrief sessions at the end of each day. During these meetings, the escorts report on where the surveyors went and what they observed that could become an issue. He also facilitates the daily morning briefs where the surveyors themselves talk about their experience and where they intend to go for the day. Says Walsh, “Using technology was a huge help to us this time. The escorts would text us about what documents or policies the surveyors wanted to see. When they returned, we had them available.” Adds Morris, “We also used our smart phones to track the surveyors’ whereabouts and alert units that they were next in line for a visit. And we posted summaries of the debriefs immediately afterward on CenterLink to let staff know how the survey was going and what our vulnerabilities might be.” C O N S TA N T P R E P A R AT I O N
Our 2013 Joint Commission survey resulted in 15 recommendations for improvement (down from the initial 22 and two condition-level findings that were removed). The surveyors were very impressed with the skill and compassion of our staff and pointed to several of our protocols as best practices.
findings, Morris’ and Walsh’s teams must be on top of changes to the Conditions of Participation and the Joint Commission standards and communicate those changes across the organization. They conduct mock surveys, ensure we’re following our own policies and look for risk areas where we might be falling out of compliance. And they beat the drum of why practices like good hand hygiene, thorough documentation and keeping the hallways uncluttered are so important. How do they handle the pressure? “The Joint Commission survey is an event that has a beginning and an end,” says Morris. “It requires a single focus. There can be no crisis here or in your personal life for those five days. No matter how important it is, you leave it and concentrate on the survey. We all have competing deadlines, but this takes priority. I just prepare to make a lot of apologies for being late with whatever someone needed from me during that week.” Says Walsh, “We’re constantly refining how we can make the survey process easier. No matter how much we do, though, I’ve never felt we were over-prepared, because there’s always something we think of at the last minute.” As Cincinnati Children’s expands its programs and physical footprint, the Joint Commission survey will become an even bigger undertaking. Good teamwork will be critical. “Everyone plays a part in keeping us survey-ready,” says Morris. “During this last visit, one of our most stellar performances came from an Environmental Services employee who knew ever ything about cleaning an isolation room and fit testing. She was new, but she said all the right things.” Adds Walsh, “The secret to survey readiness is making sure we’re meeting our standards every day. If we’re doing that, then the Joint Commission can walk in any time, and we’re good to go.”
But the work is never finished. In addition to developing and implementing action plans in response to survey
(L-r) Lynn Daum, RN, decision support analyst; Ali Morin, RN, senior decision support analyst; Judy Walsh, RN, director; James Healy, senior decision support analyst; Pat Schaffer, RN, clinical program manager; Kimbaird Avant, clinical program manager; Mary Ann Weingartner, RN, clinical program manager; and Justin Rozniak, application specialist II, are members of the Regulatory and Safety Compliance team.
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While the examples here can only scratch the surface, they demonstrate how working as a team improves our organizational performance. In your job, you may be part of a core team and also may participate on cross-divisional or multidisciplinary teams. Bigger picture: we’re all part of the whole team, responsible together for the overall success of Cincinnati Children’s. This edition of 360o is the last in a series of four issues that have focused on how we apply our core values in our daily work. Employees spoke honestly about their difficulties and successes bringing the values to life. I’ve been impressed and inspired by their stories. A year ago, in my Town Hall meetings, I began a conversation with employees about our core values because I believe these guiding principles are even more important today than they were when the values statement was adopted in 2007. Since then, we’ve grown larger and more complex. The environment in which we operate has become more challenging. Faced with these changes, our core values are touch points for excellence and professionalism in our interactions with patients and families, each other, our community and our many external partners.
A word from our
HEAD COACH
If you’re a sports fan like me, the first image that comes to mind when you think of teamwork is probably of a sports team. On the football field or basketball court, teamwork— or the lack of it—is visible for all to see in each game and over the course of a season.
While our four core values are foundational principles of our culture, our understanding of them is evolving. Over the past year, the senior leadership team listened to employees and has done a lot of thinking about how to improve respect and professionalism at Cincinnati Children’s. Focus groups and brainstorming sessions captured employee input on how to update the definition and behaviors associated with each core value to increase its relevance to today’s and tomorrow’s work environment. It’s healthy to have these continuous, honest conversations about our values. It’s even more important to live them and encourage each other to do the same. For now, I invite you to enjoy this issue of 360 o. Look for related articles about great teamwork on CenterNews. Thanks for all you do as part of our team.
Teamwork may be more subtle at Cincinnati Children’s, but it’s even more important, because for us, outstanding performance is not about winning a game but about being the leader in improving child health. And none of us can do it alone, which is why “work as a team” is one of our four core values, and the subject of this issue of 360o. Michael Fisher, President and CEO
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snapshots
Department Radiology Role Special imaging technologist What I love most about what I do is having any sort of positive impact, although brief, in children’s lives. When I’m not here, you can usually find me at home hanging out with my husband and two kids. A phrase that describes me Calm, generous, easygoing, dedicated and enthusiastic What I love about CCHMC is being a part of a pediatric medical environment. I was born to be a caregiver. The guiding principle of my life is Always plan for the worst and hope for the best. Person I admire most My husband. He’s so hardworking, honest and levelheaded. He brings me back to reality and reminds me of what’s really important in life. People would never guess that I would love to be a photographer one day. What’s on my bucket list I want to go sk ydiving. That would be the ultimate way to overcome my horrible fear of heights.
Department Adolescent and Transition Medicine Role Nurse What I love most about what I do is working with the kids. I love encouraging them to do and be their best. When I’m not here, you can usually find me at the library or the movies. A phrase that describes me Optimistic What I love about CCHMC is the opportunity for constant learning and growth. I was born to shop. The guiding principle of my life is Take nothing for granted. Person I admire most My mom. She worked hard her whole life to give to her children. I really respect that. People would never guess that I can’t ride a bike. What’s on my bucket list I want to learn Spanish.
Department Pediatric Surgery Role Research assistant IV What I love most about what I do is being in a research lab. It is exciting. Every day there is something new. When I’m not here, you can usually find me spending time with my family. A phrase that describes me Always cheerful What I love about CCHMC is working with so many people from different cultures and backgrounds. I was born in India. The guiding principle of my life is I try to help others in any small way I can. Person I admire most is Mahatma Gandhi for proving that non-violent struggles can win too. People would never guess that I am very interested in history. What’s on my bucket list I’d like to visit places of historical significance in India, Egypt and Europe.
Department Neurosurgery and Plastic Surgery Role Business director What I love most about what I do is that I make a difference, whether it’s picking a piece of paper off the floor, providing data or a different lens to look at something. When I’m not here, you can usually find me teaching exercise classes or working with the youth ministries at my church. A phrase that describes me “Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own.” What I love about CCHMC are the astonishing individuals I get to work with every day. I was born to give back and to make small positive ripples. The guiding principle of my life is Love God, love yourself and be happy. Person I admire most is JohnnyMae Wright, my maternal grandmother. People would never guess that I am a twin. What’s on my bucket list I want to go to Paris with my daughter when she graduates from high school.
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thebuzz “Teams that share and prioritize a clear vision are, by far, the most likely to excel.” Marshall Ashby, consultant, Quality Improvement Systems
“A great team fosters open communication, works
WHAT’S THE
toward a well-defined goal,
HALLMARK
and has mutual respect and equal contribution among
OF A GREAT TEAM? “A great team shares
its members.”
knowledge willingly to
Tricia Purcell, senior
achieve the desired goals
coordinator-implementation,
and outcomes, which benefit
Information Services
everyone on the team and not just oneself.” Flo Higgins, RN, specialist, Employee Health
“The hallmark of a great team is individual strengths that work together and drive for a common goal.”
“Knowing the strengths and weakness of each team
Elizabeth LaTulippe, RN III, A4 South
member is so important and helps create a team approach to handle questions and issues within “Great teams are
a department.”
energizing—people know and capitalize on each other’s strengths while offering each other opportunities for growth.” Mina Busch, consultant, Office of Research Compliance and Regulatory Affairs
360°
Will Sorrell, analyst, Revenue Cycle Compliance
“The ability to support, trust, and rely on one another is fundamental to team success.” Kelly Glaser, associate, Guest Services
milestones
Congratulations to the following employees who celebrate milestone ser vice anniversaries in J A N U A R Y, F E B R U A R Y and M A R C H !
40 Bev Dullaghan, RN, Same Day Surgery
Alesia Mattar Flynn, Diabetes/Endocrinology/Clinical Translational Research Center Maria Geiser, RN, Patient Safety Sylvia Giese, Accounting-Cashiers
35
Catherine Gouldin, MD, Emergency Medicine Philip Khour y, Biostatistics and Epidemiology Heidi Malott, Social Services
Laverne Clark, Orthopaedics
Barbara Matthews, Outpatient Services Administration
Michelle Cobble, RN, Care Management
Richard Meyers, RRT, Respiratory Care
Candy Daulton, RPh, Pharmacy
Donna Minor, RN, Radiology
Jennifer Jeffries, RN, Pulmonary Medicine
Laura Schroer, RN, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Cheryl Mattingly, RN, Otolaryngology
Roger Sloan, Epic
Judith Tekulve, Billing and Coding
Hazel Willie, Customer Service
Louise Watts, RN-CNP, Adolescent Medicine
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20 Tammy Casper, RN, Patient Services
Gayle Bowling, Radiology
Mar y Ciavarella, Transplant Administration
Kelly Crawford, Pediatric Surgery
Ruth Duvall, Access Services
Valerie Evans, Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute
Deborah Fieglein, RN, B5/Critical Care
Lynn Hanrahan, Adolescent Medicine
Julie Fugazzi, RN, B6/Heart Institute
Nancy Heim, Pharmacy
Lisa Hilber t, Audiology
David Mayhaus, PharmD, Patient Services
Melissa Hoffman, Protective Services
Mar y Parker, RN, B4/Newborn Intensive Care Unit
Douglas Ir vine, RPh, Home Care Pharmacy
Theresa Pollard, Dentistry
Kathleen Jaeger, RN, Allergy and Immunology
Terri Rehn-Debruler, RN, Fairfield Primary Care
Alisa Kinkade, A4 South
Cynthia Cummins Reis, RN, Liberty Campus/Surgery
Joseph Kitzmiller, Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology
Sylvia Waldon, Customer Service
Kathleen Kolegraff, Clinical Laboratory
Susan Wir tz, RN, Diabetes/Endocrinology/Clinical Translational Research Center
Eileen Kruer, Microbiology Jennifer Lutz, RN, Post Anesthesia Care Unit Susan Mar tin, Transgenic Core Christa Mills, RN, Burnet Urgent Care Debra Ocho, A4 North
25
Tracy Pence, Radiology Kathleen Rosen, Pharmacy Mar yann Smith, Clinical Laboratory
Rita Bauer, Clinical Translational Research Center
Lori Wantlin, Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation
Tami Bishop, RN, Post Anesthesia Care Unit
Constance West, MD, Ophthalmology
Catherine Boyce, RN, Infectious Diseases Karen Burkett, RN-CNP, Advanced Practice Nurses Rober t Clore, Building Maintenance Cynthia Fehring, Access Services
See a complete list of milestone service anniversaries online in this week’s edition of CenterNews.
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3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 9012 Cincinnati, OH 45229-3026
Why am I here?
Samantha L. Sauntry
I came to Cincinnati Children’s because someone looked at my application and gave me the opportunity of a lifetime. I wanted to be here because I know that this is the best hospital. I became a nurse in 2010 after years of helping care for my father, who has been in a long-term care facility since the 1980s. That horrible tragedy helped form my opinion of the career of nursing and made me realize the power a nurse’s care truly holds for patients and their worried families.
the way care is delivered across the nation (specifically in the area of quality and productivity improvement) and I knew that Cincinnati Children’s would be full of opportunity, hope and positive energy. I am here today to learn as much as I can about the science behind improving the health of children and to find my calling. I hope to one day be a leader working within Patient Services or the business/development area of the medical center. Until then, I will strive to be the best nurse I can be and provide the most value to my department and the hospital overall. —Samantha L. Sauntry, MSN, BS, RN, Drug and Poison Information Center
I followed my dream of becoming a nurse because I wanted to be a change agent for
a moment in history Dr. A . Ashley Weech, seated center, is surrounded by his “dream team” of directors in the 1950s. Seated are Josef Warkany (left), Human Genetics, and Albert Sabin, Virology. Standing from left to right are Frederic Silverman, Radiology; Robert Lyon, Community Pediatrics; Clark West, Nephrology; Benjamin Landing, Pathology; and Eugene Lahey, Hematology/Oncology. Faculty not pictured are Samuel Kaplan, Cardiology; Merlin Cooper, Bacteriology; and George Guest, director of the Children’s Hospital Research Foundation.
1950s