Inside Inspira Newsletter - January 2023

Salem Medical Center is Now Part of the Inspira Family Read more on page 4

Leadership Announcements

Lydia Stockman Appointed

Senior

Vice President

and

Chief

Administrative Officer for Inspira Medical Center

Our work every day is in service to our patients. We show up to achieve our mission of delivering clinical excellence; placing safety at the center of all we do; and creating a positive patient experience rooted in quality care. With the forthcoming retirement of Betty Sheridan, we want to ensure a laserfocused approach to patient care across our system and as such, are re-examining networklevel operations for the future.

As part of this approach, we are establishing a newly created position – senior vice president and chief administrative officer for Inspira Medical Center – and have appointed Lydia Stockman to this new role, effective in January, to oversee all acute care services across our health system. In anticipation of her retirement, Betty will partner with Lydia to strategize the forthcoming reorganization of acute services. Her decades-long service to Inspira – and subsequently,

Ruth Bash Appointed System Vice President of Strategic Partnerships

We are pleased to welcome a new leader to our organization, Ruth K. Bash, FACHE, who joined Inspira on December 12th as our new system vice president of Strategic Partnerships. Under Ruth’s purview, the team will focus on building strong relationships and facilitating growth with our partners, including Bayada, DaVita, Nemours and more to meet the needs of Inspira’s patients, physicians, staff and the greater community. Additionally, Operations Consulting will shift under Ruth’s purview, as the team services as strategic partners to Inspira’s leadership team in support of operational excellence and continuous improvement. She will also serve as executive sponsor for initiatives such as diversity, equity and inclusion, and Schwartz Center Rounds, where team members review cases and openly discuss compassionate care and the social, and emotional issues in their daily work.

to our patients – offers meaningful insights that can inspire and elevate this future operational structure. Their collaboration over the next several months will set the vision for acute care services and further advance our patient experience across the system – helping us to achieve our mission in pursuit of healthier communities.

We welcomed Lydia to our Inspira Health family earlier this year and since then, she has played an instrumental role in overseeing overall operations for our Mullica Hill and Woodbury campuses. As SVP and CAO for Inspira Medical Center, Lydia will partner with both clinical and non-clinical leadership to strengthen acute care operations – fueling growth, physician and patient satisfaction, clinical quality and performance to propel our work as a Highly Reliable Organization.

Ruth brings more than 25 years of health care and nonprofit managerial experience to this role, most recently as vice president and chief human resources officer at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center.

She also serves on the Board of Trustees of Ronald McDonald House of Central & Northern New Jersey, and the Advisory Board of the Rutgers Institute for Women in Leadership. Ruth received her Bachelor of Arts in psychology and economics from Brown University, and her Master of Public Administration, with a concentration in health policy and management, from New York University.

Jason Copare Appointed

Assistant Vice President, Operations and Integration

Jason Copare has been promoted to assistant vice president, Operations and Integration. Jason has been part of the Inspira family since 2019, most recently serving as director of Operations Consulting Group (OCG). He has truly excelled at finding ways to improve processes and procedures, having led numerous major operations improvement projects across the organization over the last several years.

In his new role, Jason will continue driving operational excellence by developing and implementing innovative best practices, while establishing and maintaining the critical relationships with physicians, leadership

and staff that help Inspira succeed. In developing this kind of collaboration

across all levels of the organization, and by utilizing Operational Advantage as a framework, his work will help us achieve both our short- and long-term strategic plan goals.

Save the Date

2023 Employee Town Hall Meetings

Join us in person:

Elmer Community Room

• January 24th 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

• February 9th 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

Vineland Education Classrooms

• February 7th 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

• February 8th 1 -2 p.m.

Mullica Hill Education Classrooms

• January 25th 11 a.m. – Noon

• February 8th 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

Woodbury Dining Rooms A/B/C

• January 26th 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

Bridgeton 1st Floor Conference Rooms

• January 27th 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

*Additional in-person Town Hall meetings will be scheduled for later in 2023 and will be communicated as those dates get closer.

Join us virtually:

• January 12th

• March 2nd

• April 6th

• May 4th

• June 1st

• July 6th

• August 3rd

• October 5th

• November 2nd

• December 7th

*Virtual Town Hall meeting calendar invites will be sent out the month prior and include a link to access the Teams meeting.

Salem Medical Center, an Affiliate of Inspira Health

SMC Now Part of the Inspira Family

Over the past few years, the health care landscape has significantly changed in South Jersey, including the ways in which patients need and seek care. At Inspira Health, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to providing a safe and compassionate care experience that improves the health and wellbeing of our community. As such, we are pleased to announce that Inspira Health has added Salem Medical Center (SMC) to its organization, as of December 15, 2022. It has taken a number of months to reach this point, which included ongoing discussions with the New Jersey Department of Health, the Attorney General and Superior Court, as well as public hearings that took place over the summer.

Our organization has been building the foundation for cultural transformation across the health system, and each employee plays a critical role in supporting this new addition as one collective team. As Salem Medical Center, an affiliate of Inspira Health, joins our Inspira family, our number one priority is you – the dedicated employees of this organization. Please rest assured that this transition does not have any direct implications for the day-to-day operations of current Inspira Health employees.

Salem Medical Center, an affiliate of Inspira Health, shares our organization’s goal of empowering healthier communities, and through the collective strength of this partnership we will propel access to high-quality care teams, innovative offerings and best-in-class resources to more people within the Salem community. Inspira has been providing innovative and safe care to Salem County for more than 70 years, and this addition is just one of the many steps in redefining the health care infrastructure in Salem.

Dave Yhlen Appointed

Chief Operating Officer, Salem Medical Center, an Affiliate of Inspira Health

Dave Yhlen has been promoted and now oversees the Salem Medical Center, an affiliate of Inspira Health, as its vice president and chief operating officer. In this new role, Dave is responsible for all operations of SMC and its facilities, and will report to Lydia Stockman, senior vice president and chief administrative officer, Inspira Medical Center. He will manage and coordinate hospital activities and the integration of SMC’s departments throughout Inspira, and will represent SMC and Inspira as a leader of our HRO values and goals.

Dave’s leadership and focus on fostering a culture of safety will be a tremendous asset to both patients and employees of Salem Medical Center, an affiliate of Inspira Health. He has been a vital part of Inspira for a decade, serving

in roles at every Inspira campus over that time period. Through this role, he will be able to strengthen and expand Inspira’s reach in South Jersey, making highquality health care an accessible reality for a greater part of our community.

Inspira leaders hosted several meet and greet events to welcome the staff at SMC during the week of December 19th.

Inspira Elmer Recognized with Women’s Choice Awards

At Inspira, we strive to inspire and empower healthier communities by creating the highest quality and most desirable patient experience in the region. We are excited to share that Inspira Medical Center Elmer has earned national recognition by Women’s Choice Award®, America’s trusted referral source for the best in health care.

Inspira Medical Center Elmer was awarded the 2023 Women’s Choice Award for Best Hospitals for Obstetrics, and is in the top 10% of 4,729 U.S. hospitals offering obstetrics services. Inspira Elmer is one of the 429 award recipients representing the hospitals that have met the highest standards for obstetrics across the U.S.

Additionally, this year marks the fifth consecutive year that Inspira Elmer has been recognized by Women’s Choice for orthopedic care. The orthopedic award signifies that Inspira Medical Center Elmer is in the top 7% of 4,729 U.S. hospitals offering orthopedic services, and is one of 341 award recipients with the highest standards for orthopedics across the U.S.

The Women’s Choice Award for Best Hospitals aims to identify the nation’s best medical centers based on robust criteria, including clinical performance, patient satisfaction and numerous accreditations. This national recognition is a testament to our team’s exceptional dedication to providing the highest level of care to our patients, and an inspiration for all of us to continue striving to be a trusted health care partner in the South Jersey community.

Congratulations to both the obstetrics and orthopedics teams at Inspira Medical Center Elmer on this outstanding recognition!

Inspira Spirit of Women Hosts “Together Time” Event

On the evening of Thursday, December 8th, more than 60 Spirit of Women members spent time together at Botto's Italian Line Restaurant in Swedesboro to wrap up the year with some joyous fun and laughter. Both cardiac care and primary care providers attended to host a 'Dessert with the Docs' session where they brought a tray of desserts to each table to further connect with the community.

Click here to see more photos from this event.

DAIS Y Award Winner

Tiffany Palmer, R.N.

3 West, Mullica Hill

“My nurse Tiffany has been outstanding. All our interactions have demonstrated she is caring, compassionate, knowledgeable, effective, and efficient. Tiffany is very active and visible, and it is clear she cares very much about doing her job well. She takes all the time needed to help or explain a situation. I could share many stories of exemplary behavior, but it appears to be the norm in all my interactions with Tiffany.

I am grateful to her for our initial encounters. I had just received a somewhat life changing diagnosis quite abruptly and by someone with a negative bedside manner that could use improvement. Before the diagnosis and treatment were fully explained to me, the transporter had come in to wheel me to a room upstairs. Upon arriving upstairs, Tiffany could see my wife and I were shaken and took time to help clarify the further testing, medications, and expectations moving forward.

Her compassion, empathy, and personality helped put our heads and hearts back in a good place. It really wasn't just a single act. It was doing her job in a compassionate and exemplary manner. Inspira is fortunate to have her at their facility. I am very grateful for her.” – Patient

Sheila Bennett, R.N.

“Sheila made a very good impression right from the start. She accompanied the night nurse on rounds around 7:15am. She brought a pad to take notes on each patient. During the day, she even got better. She listened and whatever she promised to check on or do was done. She had a pleasant demeanor. She was thorough, reliable and easy to talk to. She dealt with issues quickly and never forgot a request.

She has been a nurse for over 20 years and couldn’t have been more efficient or caring. Sheila answered a call quickly and responded as needed. She kept me informed of doctor visits and what to expect after going home. I was very impressed with my stay at Inspira Elmer.” - Patient

2 South, Elmer

Performing Exceptional Tasks & Affirming Lives

Leah Scapellato

scrub technician

Labor & Delivery, Elmer

“We recently had a patient that was pushing for an extended period of time. Despite it not being part of Leah’s duties, she went in and encouraged the patient for an extended amount of time. The patient later stated that they weren’t sure if they could have done it without Leah’s support. Leah maintains a positive attitude despite the circumstances and is an asset to Inspira.” - Coworker

Matthew Mazo

clinical technician

Adult Mental Health Unit, Bridgeton

“Matt has been working in Behavioral Health with me for many years. Matt goes the extra mile for our patients. He will stay with a patient and talk with them until they are able to work through their anxiety, fears or agitation. If something needs to be done, he will do it without hesitation. I feel safe when he is working with me.” - Coworker

Marie LaGrotta

patient care technician

1 West, Vineland

“Marie has a sixth sense for when a patient’s condition is changing or declining. She notices small details that allow us to treat the patient sooner and offer the patient a chance at the best possible outcomes. Marie noticed that a patient was complaining of dizziness, and rapidly let me know instead of finishing her vitals. The patient began having a petit mal seizure within 10 minutes and was transferred up to step-down. The patient’s heart rate remained stable the whole time, so likely the seizure would not have been witnessed, let alone noticed so quickly, without Marie’s rapid action. She noticed that the patient was becoming more confused, and that the urine was cloudy and foul, and recommended she get tested for a UTI. She takes excellent care of her patients, is a team player, and always looking to learn and help. She is a valuable asset to 1 West and Inspira.” - Coworker

LearningBoards

Cardiac Progressive Care Unit, Vineland

A recent item that landed in the Solved (green) section of the Learning Board on the Cardiac Progressive Care Unit at Inspira Medical Center Vineland was a stickie note that was titled “Staff Burnout - Mindfulness Bathroom”.

Karling Lafond, nurse manager, shared, “The Mindfulness Bathroom was created to help in eliminating staff burnout. When I took on my new role as manager, I asked the team what projects they needed help in moving forward. They asked that the employee bathroom be the first project, as one staff member described it as having the look of an institution. It was immediately placed as a task on the department Learning Board in the New (red) section. With the department having such great success with the mindfulness room to help with staff burnout during our initial response to COVID-19, I thought it might be great to mimic that same environment. My thought was that when the day is too stressful, the mindfulness room can pose to be a challenge to convince staff to take that break. During those stressful days, all we have time for might just be a bathroom break. Data has shown that only three minutes in the mindfulness room helps staff feel refreshed and allows them to regroup during stressful days. The same concept was the idea for the bathroom. If all we have time for is a bathroom break, being in a calming environment would result in the same stress relief. This idea was shared with Executive Leadership during Executive Patient Safety Rounds, who suggested applying for a grant

Pictured: The Mindfulness Bathroom on the Cardiac Progressive Care Unit at Inspira Medical Center Vineland.

through the Inspira Foundation. I discussed this with the staff during our huddles to receive their approval and applied. The item moved into our Working (yellow) section of the Learning Board once it was approved by the Inspira Foundation. It was moved into the Solved (green) section of the Learning Board once the remodel was completed. The staff stated how nice it is to use the bathroom now that it’s aesthetically pleasing and calming. They often comment on how serene they find the environment. The communication board in the bathroom includes all positive mindfulness messages, quotes of the week, resources for Carebridge and workplace violence. One of our case managers shared that since the renovations to the bathroom, she has noticed that people are taking more bathroom breaks than before and physicians have stopped by and commented that they weren’t sure what our concept was behind the bathroom makeover, but once they stopped to take a bathroom break here it helped to calm them.”

Workplace Violence Program

Melissa Jones, director of Workplace Violence shared, “We heard clearly from those at the sharp end that many were not comfortable Speaking Up for Safety, and in some cases, many felt that when they did speak up it was met with either no feedback or a punitive response. Looking back on the eight core Culture of Safety questions, we heard concerns and made significant improvements in how we support our Safety Culture. One of those improvements was the implementation of The Strongline Staff Safety System. Inspira has made protecting our staff a top priority as violence against health care workers continues to grow across the country. Once decided to

implement Strongline, our Workplace Violence Team placed this as a sticky note in the New (red) section of the Learning Board, and we are excited to have placed it in the Solved (green) section of the Learning Board.”

The Strongline Staff Safety System is an easy and discreet way for staff to instantly summon help if they feel threatened in an event of Workplace Violence. Every staff member will be receiving a Strongline panic button/badge. Staff will simply press the button on the wearable Strongline badge, which sends a silent distress alert with their name and real-time location to security personnel, nearby colleagues and designated responders.

Along with the badges, Strongline utilizes a network of gateways to receive the signal if a staff member alerts for assistance. Strongline is currently active in Bridgeton and Woodbury and is slated to go live in Elmer, Vineland and Mullica Hill in the first quarter of 2023 and throughout the organization by the end of 2023.

If you have any questions regarding the Strongline Staff Safety System, please email Melissa Jones, director of Workplace Violence.

Reliability

Speak Up for Safety Great Catch of the Month

Rod Lopez, transporter, Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill

Rod Lopez, transporter at Inspira Mullica Hill, arrived to pick up a patient for an ultrasound. Rod, utilizing our Inspira Red Rules, used two patient identifiers (name and date of birth) to verbally verify the patient’s name and date of birth matched the patient’s ID bracelet. Receiving a different date of birth than what was on the patient’s ID bracelet, Rod, Applying a Questioning Attitude using our High Reliability Tool Validate and Verify, verbally verified the patient’s name and date of birth a second time as to match the patient ID bracelet. Rod again received a different date of birth from the patient than what was on their ID bracelet. Using ARCC, Rod escalated his concern to the patient’s nurse, who identified the incorrect date of birth was documented during admission. The nurse contacted Patient Registration who immediately created a new FIN number with the correct date of birth, and the patient received an updated ID bracelet. Rod contacted the Ultrasound team to report a potential delay and confirmed the patient would be to ultrasound to receive the scheduled study.

Rod’s prioritization of safety and the use of his safety behaviors resolved a situation that posed an opportunity for patient harm. Thank you Rod for prioritizing safety and exemplifying our Inspira Values of I.C.R.E.A.T.E: Innovation, Compassion, Reliability, Empathy, Access, Teamwork, and Empowerment.

New Jersey Monthly Magazine Top Doctors

At Inspira, our mission is to provide a safe and compassionate experience to patients and improve the health and well-being of the community. We are proud to recognize and congratulate our physicians who were recently named a Top Doctor by New Jersey Monthly Magazine. All 28 physicians serve a wide spectrum of patients across each of our hospitals, including Inspira Medical Centers Elmer, Mullica Hill, and Vineland, and range in specialties from urology to neurological surgery.

As the premier health care organization of South Jersey, we take pride in providing the highest quality of care to the communities we serve, and it’s a tremendous honor for our team to be recognized as a trusted leader. These exemplary physicians continuously strive to provide exceptional care to our patients each and every day. The 2022 Top Doctors list is comprised of more than 1,000 doctors in the state of New Jersey across 73 different medical specialties.

Each of our physicians being honored by New Jersey Monthly Magazine should be proud of this recognition and their lasting impact on the community. Please click here to see the full list of honorees and congratulate your fellow colleagues on this tremendous achievement.