The image above features the dedicated members of Inspira's recruitment and provider recruitment teams, who are true all-stars in their ability to acquire top talent, enabling us to deliver exceptional services to our community. Recruitment plays a vital role in Inspira's Organizational Advantage initiative. In 2022, we successfully filled 1,164 positions. As of May 25, 2023, we have already filled 532 positions, setting us on a trajectory to surpass last year's hiring numbers.
Lee Ann Van Houten-Sauter, D.O., was named the Atlantic Regional Osteopathic Conference (AROC) 2023 Physician of the Year. As part of our Inspira Family, she leads a private family practice – Pine Street Family Practice – in Williamstown, NJ. As a second-generation Osteopathic Family physician, Dr. Van Houten-Sauter practices family medicine taking time and listening to her patients, while also incorporating the newest technology of today.
From serving on Inspira Health Partners’ Board of Directors, to her Presidency for New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (NJAOPS), she believes in leading
At Inspira, we place the safety of our patients, the community and our employees at the center of all we do. We are proud to share that Inspira Medical Centers Elmer, Mullica Hill, and Vineland have each been nationally recognized with an ‘A’ for the Spring 2023 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. Mullica Hill is a “straight A” facility and Elmer and Vineland have earned A’s for 4 of the last 5 measurement periods. This national recognition is a testament to our organization’s commitment to providing highquality, safe and compassionate care to all. As both a highly reliable and leading health care organization in South Jersey, this distinction reinforces our ongoing commitment and serves as an inspiration to continually elevate our patient care in a safe environment. The Leapfrog Group’s grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Hospital Safety Grade results are based on more than 30 national performance measures and are updated each fall and spring.
Congratulations to all the staff at Inspira Medical Centers Elmer, Mullica Hill and Vineland on this tremendous achievement. Each of you should be proud of the part you played in earning this recognition.
by example and showcasing a passion for excellence in everything she does. Congratulations, Dr. Van HoutenSauter for being named AROC’s 2023 Physician of Year! We are thankful to have such an inspiring leader as part of our Inspira family.
We are pleased to announce that Christine Skiffington has been promoted to AVP, Marketing & Communications. Christine has been part of our Inspira family since 2017 and has continued to provide both expertise and creativity to our marketing and communications throughout the network. Christine was a driving force behind the implementation of online scheduling at Inspira, and has continually worked to improve our marketing efforts, particularly in the digital realm. She is deeply connected to the Operational Advantage Digital First Initiatives within the Patient Centric domain, serves on several committees, and is Chair of CRM Shared Governance and the Millennial Advisory Committee. In her role as AVP, Christine will continue to work alongside the leadership team to develop and lead strategic marketing and communications initiatives, with a view to implement plans that encourage long-term growth and innovation, and that align with Inspira’s mission, vision and values. She will also continue to serve as Inspira’s Public Information Officer. Congratulations to Christine on this well-deserved promotion!
In partnership with Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ), the Inspira Health Sciences Center has officially opened. This new, two-story, 27,390-square foot facility will be home to the new Respiratory
Therapy Program offered by RCSJ. Our very own Inspira team helped design the new labs to ensure a premier learning center that mimics real clinical practice. The Respiratory Therapy Program (RTP) is the first program to emerge from research and development of our partnership with RCSJ. We look forward to welcoming the Fall 2023 RTP cohort to the Inspira Health Sciences Center! View photos here.
Inspira's Foundation hosted their signature Golf Classic on May 15 at Tavistock Country Club. The event raised more than $215k toward the All Heart Cardiac Campaign. Thank you to all who attended and volunteered. View photos from the event here.
IInspira Health is committed to providing a compassionate, high-quality experience to every patient across our care continuum to improve the health of South Jersey. We are proud to honor and recognize 13 of our physicians who have been named a 2023 Top Female Doctor by SJ Magazine. These physicians serve in a wide spectrum of specialties, from medical oncology to neurology.
The annual SJ Magazine Top Female Doctors list is comprised of those who have shown their dedication to helping create a happier and healthier community in South Jersey through their patient care. Our physicians acknowledged on this list represent medicine’s best and brightest women in South Jersey. Each of our physicians being named a Top Female Doctor by SJ Magazine should also be proud of this achievement.
Their recognition is a reflection of our entire organization and the tireless work every staff member does to collectively offer South Jersey residents safe, high-quality care. Please congratulate your colleagues listed below on this wonderful achievement.
Breast Surgery and Medical Oncology
Nandini Kulkarni, M.D.
Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism
Jodi Fox Mellul, M.D.
Jenine Vecchio, M.D.
Family Practice
Suzanne Vanderwerken, M.D.
Nicole Zucconi, D.O.
Kristen Trom, D.O.
Gastroenterology
Jennifer Copare, D.O.
Neurology
Susan Lotkowski, D.O.
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Samantha DeLuca, D.O.
Pediatrics
Erin Wright, M.D.
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Kimberley Smith, M.D.
Radiation Oncology
Glenda Smith, M.D.
Vascular Surgery
Holly Graves, M.D.
This Great Catch highlights the importance of consistently Paying Attention to Detail using our High Reliability tool STAR (Stop-Think-Act-Review) to ensure medication safety.
Samantha Mastraccio, RN recently attended a department huddle where the Safety Behavior Paying Attention to Detail and Safety Tool STAR (Stop-Think-Act-Review) were reviewed.
Samantha was caring for a patient who was receiving Levofloxacin Antibiotics IV for an infection. Taking a STAR Moment (Stop-Think-Act-Review) to ensure she had the correct medication prior to administration, Samantha discovered the label had Levofloxacin written, however, the medication bag was Levetiracetam, an Anti-Convulsant. Samantha asked Jackie Rodriguez, RN for a Peer Check who confirmed the mislabeling of medication.
Samantha immediately reported her concern to her Nurse Manager Karling Lafond who advised her to contact Pharmacy and return for the correct medication. The correct medication was received and administered to the patient. Samantha placed a Safety Event Report. Karling reported the Great Catch on the Daily Safety Briefing the next morning and highlighted it during department huddles as an example of using the Safety Tool of the Month STAR (Stop-Think-Act-Review).
This Great Catch highlights the importance of consistently Paying Attention to Detail using our High Reliability tool STAR (Stop-Think-Act-Review) to ensure medication safety. We apply STAR (Stop-Think-Act-Review) in everyday situations, but especially to prevent harm in high-risk situations. Had Samantha not taken a STAR Moment to ensure she had the correct medication, the incorrect mediation would have been administered to the patient resulting in a medication error causing potential harm.
Thank you, Samantha for Paying Attention to Detail using our High Reliability tool STAR (Stop-Think-ActReview) and living our Inspira Value of Reliability.
Submitter: Tia Sheck, Clinical Manager Nursing Excellence
Inspira celebrated National Nurses Day on May 6 and Healthcare Employee Appreciation Week from May 8-12. As a token of appreciation, Inspira provided employees with an Inspira branded car trunk organizer, catered meals and treats from dessert trucks. To view photos from the celebrations, click here.
“As a nurse leader, Debi has always been super helpful whenever the staff have questions. She is enthusiastic about educating the staff, going out of her way to ensure we thoroughly understand policies/changes, and maintaining a personable attitude with a professional demeanor. On 3/2/23, I witnessed Debi share her knowledge, patience, and compassion with a patient threatening to leave against medical advice. The patient in question was admitted and being treated for TB. There had been some communication issues from the entire interdisciplinary team, which led to the patient’s distrust and fear of continuing treatment with Inspira. It took extensive effort on the part of myself, Dr. McMillian, and Debi Braida, to iron out these miscommunications and provide some service recovery. Debi was the “ray of sunshine” according to the patient’s family. She sat with the patient, explained TB in a way that they could understand, went through the diagnostic process, and answered any questions the family had for over an hour. The patient went from being very upset to laughing and joking about his lifestyle and personal experiences. Debi shared a personal experience she had, to further convey to the patient that she understood his frustration and could appreciate how things seemed to unfold from his perspective. She also reassured the patient that he was in great hands at Inspira as she talked up her colleagues. Deb Braida is truly the definition of an exceptional, nurse leader!”
Inspira hosted its first Take Your Child to Work Day on April 27, with more than 120 children in attendance! Interest in this event exceeded our expectations and we are already working to make next year’s program bigger so we can include more children. Thank you to our staff and departments who volunteered to help make this day both fun and educational! View photos of the day here.
“I had the pleasure of having my care entrusted to Kelsea. She was being precepted by a veteran nurse. As a palliative breast cancer patient with metastasis to the bone, I endure discomfort throughout the day. Kelsea was extremely aware of the necessity to keep to my regimen of medication, and she never missed it in the 12 hours she cared for me. Kelsea allowed me to relax and not worry whether my RN would be here when I called. This keeps me anxious most days when my care is taken from me and put into a nurse's hands. Even with four other patients, Kelsea never forgot about me and made sure she kept my discomfort under control. Kelsea's compassion and empathy are evident from the very first time you meet her. Even with four or five patients, she took her time when she arrived at my room and took a little extra time to get to know me and just talk with me. Not having any visitors as I was admitted from home, Kelsea understood the loneliness patients feel during their stays. I learned what makes her an outstanding individual with empathy, tenderheartedness and positivity. She understood that with my diagnosis, I am never getting better, and she had no problem discussing my eventual outcome from the cancer. Her words were chosen carefully and were so very considerate. Not many people want to discuss the inevitable, but Kelsea provided me with the ability to talk about how I was feeling knowing I will never be getting better. She did not ignore the elephant in the room, and I thank her for having the courage to breach the subject. Kelsea will be a nursing supervisor someday - she has all the traits and characteristics that make her an outstanding RN.” - Patient
“Cisco displays a pleasant, cheerful disposition, working effectively with other departments, building positive working relationships. We recently had a major ceiling leak occur within our Cardiac Rehab Department, that resulted in closing the Department for that day, Cisco was prompt with solving the problem and getting the Department operational for the next day. He is always going above and beyond, assisting with any issues from lighting fixtures, clogged sinks, and leaks. He takes pride in contributing to the organization's success!” -
CoworkerSafety and reliability go hand-in-hand. Reliability is the ability to perform to the highest standard, consistently and without failure over time. To provide our patients with a safe, compassionate experience at every step of their journey, we must practice our safety behaviors and procedures reliably day in and day out. The more we practice, the more reliable and consistent we become. We work together — within our units and across departments — to improve over time. In fact, we have a special group of internal team members who help us become more reliable in our delivery of patient safety by identifying ways to improve the care delivery model.
Our Clinical Transformation Consultants (CTCs, previously known as the Quality Improvement Team) work alongside Inspira leadership and stakeholders, using their clinical expertise and data analysis to identify safety concerns or trends that could lead to safety risks. Once an area of opportunity has been identified, the CTCs work with other teams to design and implement sustainable changes. Ultimately, their goal is to transform the experience of the patient care journey for all of those who take part in it.
A recent project the Clinical Transformation Consultants worked on was assessing antibiotic ordering practices around surgical site infections. Cody Ore, Clinical Transformation Manager shared, “We seemed to have had an increase in surgical site infections. This can be due to many factors, but we were asked to perform an assessment on the antibiotics piece. After investigating we found no consistent deviations regarding antibiotic ordering that would lead to the increase in surgical site infections. So, the ask was accomplished. But now in the interest of continuous improvement we are diving deeper into other factors such as smoking and diabetes history.”
This project was added to the New (Red) section of the Clinical Transformation Consultants department Learning Board when the project was identified and moved to the Solved (Green) section of the Learning Board when completed.
Cody Ore, Clinical Transformation Manager shared, “Continuous process improvement is not a destination, it’s a journey that requires dedication, collaboration, and a passion for doing what is right.”
On April 20, in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month, Inspira’s Forest Lakes Family Success Center hosted an outdoor family event at Meadows Edge Alpaca Ranch in Port Norris. The event, entitled “Fill Your Basket,” was an opportunity for families in the Commercial Township area to come out for fun, refreshments, and community resources. Thanks to an abundance of donations provided by Church by the Bay, there were over 30 gift raffle baskets, centered on strengthening the family unit and ranged from household necessities to family fun activities. Sue Bacon from New Jersey Child Assault Prevention (NJCAP) served as keynote speaker and highlighted NJCAP programs and delivered a family friendly message about being “Safe, Strong, and Free.” Families enjoyed a blue egg hunt, during which children found eggs filled with toys and candy. Over 20 community partners from Cumberland County provided resources for the event.
At Inspira, we recognize that the recent burden of healthcare workers may have also taken a toll on their personal health. To support Inspira employees on their own wellness journey, our Employee Health and Wellness team will be offering Wellness Days for all Inspira employees. See below for upcoming dates and locations. Additional Wellness Days will be hosted at our other locations throughout the year.
