Elk Regional Offering Saturday Appointments for Digital Mammograms

Ladies, have you had your annual mammogram yet? If not, now is your chance! We're offering Saturday appointments for digital mammograms on Sept. 28, Oct. 12, and Oct. 26 from 8 a.m. to Noon all three days! To make your appointment, give us a call at 1-800-370-9640, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. 

Elk Regional works with Adagio Health to offer FREE breast screening services to eligible women! The mammogram voucher program is funded by the Pittsburgh affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. To see if you qualify, call the good folks at Adagio at 1-888-687-0505.

Let us help keep you safe and healthy!

Come See Elk Regional at the Bavarian Fall Fest!

We're busy getting ready for the Bavarian Fall Fest, which is happening this weekend on the Diamond in downtown St. Marys!

We'll have a large booth on the boulevard across from St. Marys Pharmacy, where we'll be selling all things pink in preparation for our breast cancer awareness events ... and it JUST SO HAPPENS that the good folks at St. Marys Pharmacy are our breast cancer awareness partners this year! How awesome is that?!

As if that weren't enough, the wonderful ladies of our Auxiliary will have a booth on Erie Avenue outside the ReSale Shop, where they'll be selling Walking Tacos!

Swing by our booths and say hi! We can't wait to see you

Elk Regional Marks Sept. 11th Anniversary

Today marks the twelfth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Twelve years later, there's so much healing still to be done. We at Elk Regional are praying hard for the families who lost loved ones as a result of that horrible day. Take a moment today to tell your family and friends how much you love and appreciate them. Be proud of your country. 

God bless us all, and God bless the United States of America.

Elk Regional Announces Flu Shot Clinics

It's flu shot season! Elk Regional Health Center and Community Nurses, Inc. have lots of clinics scheduled for your convenience!

Patients of Keystone Medical Associates on the Million Dollar Highway in St. Marys can get flu shots during these dates and times:

• Sept. 24 from 9 a.m. to Noon
• Sept. 26 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Oct. 3 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Other flu shot clinics are available at Senior Centers throughout the region. Shots obtained at these clinics can be billed to Medicare Part B, if it is your primary insurance, and some Medicare HMO's. Please bring all insurance cards! The cost for those on other insurance plans will be $30.

These clinics are available at:

• Kane Senior Center, 10-11:30 a.m., Oct. 7
• Mount Jewett Senior Center, 12:45 to 1:45 p.m., Oct. 7
• Jones Township Senior Center, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Oct. 8
• Johnsonburg Senior Center, 1 to 2:30 p.m., Oct. 8
• Eldred Senior Center, 9:30 to 11 a.m., Oct. 9
• Bradford Senior Center, 1 to 2:30 p.m., Oct. 9
• Retired Citizens Association of Ridgway, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Oct. 10
• Bennett's Valley Senior Center, 1 to 2:30 p.m., Oct. 10
• St. Marys Senior Center, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Oct. 14
• Fox Township Senior Center, 1 to 2:30 p.m., Oct. 14
• Port Allegany Senior Center, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Oct. 15
• Smethport Senior Center, 1 to 2:30 p.m., Oct. 15
• Driftwood Senior Center, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Oct. 16
• Emporium Senior Center, 1 to 2:30 p.m., Oct. 16

For more information, check out the Events tab on our Facebook page or the Events Calendar on our Web site. Let us keep you and your loved ones safe and healthy!

Elk Regional Offering Inexpensive Prostate Screening Exams

Did you know that men over the age of 40 should have a prostate exam every year? We're offering $15 blood draws and FREE follow up appointments with urologist Donald Rudick, M.D.! You can schedule your blood draw appointment at any time between Sept. 24 & Sept. 26. Follow up appointments are available on Oct. 1 or Oct. 2. Call us at (800) 370-9640 to set up your appointments!

Elk Regional Announces Jacket Giveaway

Fall is here! Are you ready? The 500th person to Like our Facebook page will win an awesome Elk Regional fall jacket! The jacket is lined and has zippered pockets, a detachable hood, adjustable wrist cuffs, and an embroidered Elk Regional logo! We've got ladies and unisex sizes in navy-and-grey and blue-and-black. Spread the word to your friends and tell them to Like our page! We'll announce the winner on Facebook!

Elk Regional Auxiliary Meets Campaign Fundraising Goal

For the second year in a row, the Elk Regional Health Center Auxiliary has met its fundraising goal toward its pledge to The Elk Regional Capital Campaign.

When the capital campaign launched in September 2010, the Auxiliary pledged $250,000, payable in installments of $50,000 per year for five years. The Auxiliary’s pledge was a significant portion of the $1.4 million pledged to the campaign by the Elk Regional family, which also included employees, volunteers, the medical staff, and a matching donation from the Elk Regional Health Center Foundation.

“I am thrilled to say that we have been able to meet our fundraising goal for the second year in a row,” said Anita Wendel, the Auxiliary President. “We are grateful to have strong support from this very generous community.”

Accepting the Auxiliary’s check for $50,000 on behalf of Elk Regional Health Center was Rose M. Campbell, RN, BSN, MBA, the Health Center’s President.

“The Auxiliary has a very long and proud history of support for Elk Regional Health Center,” Mrs. Campbell said. “Since the Auxiliary was founded in 1922, the organization has never lost sight of its ultimate goal – to help this hospital improve. The hospital has always been the very grateful recipient of the Auxiliary’s support.”

Elk Regional’s Auxiliary raises funds through the operation of the ReSale Shop on Erie Avenue, the Peppermint Stick Gift Shop in the main lobby of the Health Center, and through special events such as uniform sales, book sales, purse sales, and raffles.

Over the years, the Auxiliary has funded many important projects at Elk Regional, including significant donations toward the cost of constructing the hospital’s former and current maternity units. The Auxiliary has also funded the Health Center’s cardiac rehabilitation program; purchased equipment for the Health Center’s Women’s Imaging Center; purchased furniture for the main lobby, multipurpose room, and solariums at Pinecrest Manor; funded the construction of a large canopy over the main entrance of Pinecrest Manor; and made a strong contribution to a major equipment purchase for the Health Center’s Intensive Care Unit.

More than $4 million was pledged to The Elk Regional Capital Campaign, a $2.5 million fundraising initiative that was designed to financially support the $10.3 million expansion project at Elk Regional Health Center.

For more information about the Auxiliary, including information on how to become a member, call the Public Relations Department at (814) 788-8532 or (814) 788-8832.



PHOTO: Anita Wendell, center, the President of the Elk Regional Health Center Auxiliary, presents a check for $50,000 to Elk Regional Health Center President Rose M. Campbell, RN, BSN, MBA, marking the second year in a row that the Auxiliary has met its fundraising goal for its $250,000 pledge to the Elk Regional Capital Campaign. With Mrs. Wendell and Mrs. Campbell are, from left, Therese Skryzpek, Nancy Caskey, Andie Beveridge, Jennifer Bauer, Jolene Wolfe, Pat Bressler, and Charlotte Floravit, the Health Center’s Director of Public Relations.

Elk Regional Earns Incentive Money for Electronic Medical Records

Elk Regional Health Center has earned more than $250,000 in incentive money from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for its Electronic Medical Records program.

The EMR Incentive Program provides payments to eligible professionals and hospitals as they adopt, implement, upgrade, or demonstrate meaningful use of certified electronic medical records technology. Eligible professionals can each receive up to $44,000 over five years under the program.

Elk Regional Health Center has completed the first portion of Stage 1 Meaningful Use.

Sixteen of the Health Center’s physicians earned incentives through the program, along with nine mid-level providers that include Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners and Certified Physician Assistants. In all, Elk Regional’s care providers earned $258,000 in incentive money.

“The electronic medical record program is a great illustration of the collaborative efforts that our employees make to enhance patient care,” said Ron A. Skarka, the Chief Operating Officer at Elk Regional Health Center. “It’s a shining example of team work. Electronic medical records are fundamentally transforming the way physicians and mid-level care providers, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants, provide care. That transformation is for the better, and it’s gratifying to know that our patients will be able to reap the benefits.”

Electronic medical records allow Elk Regional’s health care providers to record patient information electronically instead of using paper records. The system is critical to the Health Center’s ability to provide patients with efficient, coordinated, safe, and high-quality care.

Using electronic medical records, multiple care providers in different locations can simultaneously view a patient’s medical record on their computers and get up-to-the-minute information on test results and physician notes and recommendations. This collaboration enables care providers to work more efficiently in determining if further consultation or testing is required. Electronic medical records also provide important information about medications, including the dosage and time for renewal, and a complete record of a patient’s immunizations and allergies.

The electronic medical record project at Elk Regional Health Center was led by a team including Jamie Yount of the Health Center’s Physician Billing Department; Joyce Fox, a physician office manager; and Jackie Housler, Melissa Shields, and Lisa Connelly of the Health Center’s Information Technology Department. The group worked closely with Lori Morton, a project coordinator with PA REACH, an organization that provides outreach, education, and technical assistance to care providers who want to implement electronic medical record.

Physicians and mid-level care providers who achieved meaningful use of electronic medical records at Elk Regional include family medicine providers Rowan Baird, M.D.; T. Murray Baker, M.D., David Caruso, M.D., Rosemaria Cienciva, M.D., Amy Kelly, D.O., Gregory Little, M.D., Dennis Parlavecchio, M.D., Tonya Aversa, CRNP, Lisa Bauer, CRNP, Crista Bennett, PA-C, Anne Briendel, PA-C, Ashley Kentoski, PA-C, Cristen Kilpeck, PA-C, Kelli Norman, PA-C, and Jodi Regulski, PA-C; internal medicine specialist Anujit Singh, D.O.; orthopaedic providers Ted Eshbach, M.D., David Johe, M.D., Naveen Singanamala, M.D., Megen Handley, CRNP, and Andrea Inzana, PA-C; pediatrician Nancy Rieder, M.D.; obstetric and gynecological specialists Steven Koch, M.D., Wu-Jan Lin, M.D., and Julie Szymanski, CNM; and pain management specialist Shanti Raju, M.D. Office managers from all of the practices also participated.

“Technology is evolving and improving at breakneck speed and Elk Regional is keeping up,” said Mary Ann Schwabenbauer, the Chief Information Officer at Elk Regional Health Center. “Our electronic medical record system is just another example of our commitment to using technology to enhance the patient experience. We are always searching for ways to produce better results for our physicians and their patients. This system will help us do that.”


PHOTO: A group of physicians, office managers, and team members who helped Elk Regional earn more than $250,000 in incentive money from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In the front row, from left, are Jamie Yount;  Jodi Regulski, PA-C; Tonya Aversa, CRNP; T. Murray Baker, M.D.; David Caruso, M.D.; Shanti Raju, M.D.; and Steven Koch, M.D. In the back row are, from left, Lori Morton, a project coordinator with PA REACH; Crista Bennett, PA-C; Anne Breindel, PA-C; Tana Sherry; Ron Skarka, Chief Operating Officer; Carol Gray; Anne Wolfe; and Anna Lewis.

Elk Regional A Major Economic Anchor

Elk Regional Health Center is an economic mainstay that contributes millions to the local and regional economies and provides nearly 1,100 people throughout the region with stable employment.

As the largest employer in Elk and Cameron counties, Elk Regional spends more than $90.5 million each year. The ripple effect of that spending means the Health Center’s total annual economic benefit is an impressive $152.6 million.

Elk Regional By The Numbers   $90.5 Million Amount Elk Regional Spends Annually   $152.6 Million Elk Regional's Total Annual Economic Impact   $43.7 Million Amount Elk Regional Spends Annually in Salaries   1,100 Number of People Elk Regional Employs   $49,469 Average Annual Salary of Our Employees   $20.6 Million Amount in Salaries Our Spending Supports Regionally   577 Jobs Number of Jobs in Our Area Supported by Our Spending

Elk Regional is one of four member hospitals of Penn Highlands Healthcare. Together, the Penn Highlands member hospitals spend about $377.1 million every year. The ripple effect of that spending means Penn Highlands Healthcare boasts an annual regional economic impact of more than $869 million.

“Without a doubt, Elk Regional and the Penn Highlands Healthcare member hospitals are the region’s most significant economic anchors,” said Ron Skarka, the Chief Operating Officer at Elk Regional Health Center. “We are proud to be a local and regional economic mainstay. Our spending supports businesses both locally and regionally, allowing them to employ people who live right here in our community. We are a major economic driver and will continue to have a positive impact on the region’s economic landscape.”

Other member hospitals of Penn Highlands Healthcare are Brookville Hospital, Clearfield Hospital, and DuBois Regional Medical Center.

Elk Regional spends about $43.7 million in salaries each year. The Health Center and its affiliate organizations employ nearly 1,100 people who enjoy an average annual salary of $49,469. As Health Center employees spend their money to purchase goods and services from local retailers, their spending supports another $20.6 million in salaries at local and regional businesses, which translates into support for about 577 full-time equivalent jobs.

The Penn Highlands Healthcare member hospitals collectively spend more than $181.8 million in salaries each year and employ more than 3,100 people who enjoy an average annual salary of $58,324. As employees spend their money to purchase goods and services from local retailers, their spending supports another $160.2 million in salaries throughout the region, which translates to 3,671 full-time equivalent jobs.

“The Penn Highlands Healthcare member hospitals all provide essential health care and stable employment,” Mr. Skarka said. “Support for your local hospital certainly translates into support for its patients. But more than that, supporting your community hospital means that you are supporting the local workforce and the local economy.”

The health sector’s influence is also significant across northwestern Pennsylvania and the state – and in spite of the nation’s sluggish economic recovery, hospitals remain one of the strongest economic contributors in the Commonwealth. In 2011, the last year for which full statistics are available, economic contributions made by Pennsylvania’s hospitals to their local communities and the state added up to nearly $98 billion.

According to the Hospital and Health System Association of Pennsylvania, hospitals are major economic engines in their communities. In 55 of the state’s 67 counties, hospitals are among the top five employers. Collectively, hospitals throughout the Commonwealth employ almost 269,000 people and spend $14 billion on salaries and wages. Across the Commonwealth, the health care industry supports one in every 10 jobs outside of the industry.

In northwest Pennsylvania alone, hospitals have a total annual economic benefit of more than $3.56 billion.

“Looking at these numbers, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that a strong, vibrant hospital is absolutely essential to the health of our region,” Mr. Skarka said. “Without Elk Regional, nearly 1,100 people would be without a job. I cannot imagine how devastating that would be to the families in our region.”

Elk Regional’s importance stretches beyond the Health Center’s economic impact. Through its affiliate organizations the Health Center provides residents in a large geographic area with easy access to a broad spectrum of essential health care services including primary care, surgery, rehabilitation, laboratory and imaging services, home health care, long-term care, emergency care, mental health services, inpatient and outpatient renal dialysis, and maternity care.

The newest report on hospital economic impact in Pennsylvania was recently released by the Hospital and Health System Association of Pennsylvania. The report, The Community & Economic Impact of Pennsylvania Hospitals, is available online here. The report updates the study released in 2011 and includes data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, and HAP member hospitals and health systems.

2013 Move & Groove Event Schedule Announced

Elk Regional Health Center officials have announced the schedule of events for the third annual Move & Groove for a Cure, a cluster of events designed to increase awareness about breast cancer and raise money to support women’s health initiatives at the Health Center.   

As it did in previous years, the Move & Groove for a Cure will include a booth the Bavarian Fall Fest as well as a 5K Run/Walk, a Zumba Fitness Party, and the Bras for a Cause event. But this year’s 5K Run/Walk will have a bit of a twist: it will be a glow-in-the-dark event.

“We’ve decided to shake things up a bit this year,” said Charlotte Floravit, the Public Relations Director at Elk Regional Health Center. “Previous Move & Groove events were absolutely unforgettable, and we know this year’s events will be memorable as well. We have been amazed by the support and enthusiasm the community has shown.”

Since Elk Regional launched the Move & Groove events in 2011, almost $20,000 has been raised in support of women’s health initiatives at Elk Regional Health Center, enabling the purchase of a wheelchair for the Women’s Imaging Center, towel warmer’s for the ultrasound unit, and privacy curtains for the Health Center’s new Maternity Unit.

Bavarian Fall Fest
Elk Regional Health Center will showcase its Move & Groove for a Cure event with a booth at the Bavarian Fall Fest, scheduled for Sept. 20-22 on the Diamond in downtown St. Marys. Those who stop by the booth will be able to purchase breast cancer awareness items. Registration forms for the 5K Run/Walk and the Zumba Fitness Party will also be available.

5K Run/Walk Event
This year’s 5K Run/Walk will kick off at 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27. The start/finish will be at the St. Marys Eagles Club on Trout Run Road in St. Marys. The deadline to pre-register is Friday, Sept. 13. Pre-registration cost is $20, which includes an event T-shirt. Same-day registration cost is $25 and does not include a t-shirt due to ordering restrictions.

Zumba Fitness Party
The Zumba Fitness Party will take place on Saturday, October 19 at St. Marys Area High School between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Pre-registration will be available online and more details will be announced in the coming weeks.

Bras for a Cause
The Second Annual Bras for a Cause event will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17 in the basement of Gunner’s, located on the Diamond in downtown St. Marys. As part of the event, adult women are encouraged to purchase a bra and decorate it for breast cancer awareness month. Then, participating women can wear their decorated bra to the event over a shirt so that it can be entered in the contest and judged. The winning bra will be the showpiece at local breast cancer awareness events until it is “dethroned” at the 2014 Bras for a Cause event.
The event is being held in conjunction with St. Marys Pharmacy and Elk Mountain Winery.

Registration Information
Online pre-registration for the Glow-in-the-Dark 5K Run/Walk is now available by clicking here. Online payment can be made through Elk Regional’s Web site using a PayPal account or a valid credit or debit card.

In addition to the online registration option, forms will soon be available in the local newspapers and in the main lobby at Elk Regional Health Center’s St. Marys campus. Forms and payment should be returned to Move & Groove for a Cure, c/o Public Relations Department, Elk Regional Health Center, 763 Johnsonburg Road, St. Marys, PA 15857. All checks should be made out to the Elk Regional Health Center.

“This is a fight that everyone can take part in,” Mrs. Floravit said. “We all know someone whose life has been changed by cancer. If we all work together, we can ensure that every woman in our area is empowered and educated to take control of her health.”

Strong Women Class Returns for Fall 2013

By 2020, half of all Americans over the age of 50 will have weak bones, creating a higher risk for fractures. One in every five people with a hip fracture ends up in a nursing home. But aging doesn't have mean a decline in physical fitness.

Elk Regional Health Center, working with the Penn State Cooperative Extension and DuBois Regional Medical Center, to bring the Strong Women Program to St. Marys and Emporium again this fall!

We will be holding two free orientation meetings in August:

• On August 13 at 4 p.m. at the St. Marys Public Library, 127 Center Street in St. Marys
  
• On August 20 at 8:30 a.m. at the Cameron County Recreation Center, 300 Chestnut Street in Emporium

Come and learn about the Strong Women program!

Classes will be held twice per week for 12 weeks.

In St. Marys, classes will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the St. Marys Public Library. The morning class will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and the afternoon class will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
In Emporium, classes will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. at the Cameron County Recreation Center. Classes in Emporium begin on Sept. 3.

Up-to-date nutrition and health information will be included in each session. Cost for participants is $80 ... but if you're registered by August 23, the cost is just $60! Online registration is available by clicking here.
For more information, call Robin Kuleck at the Penn State Cooperative Extension, at (814) 765-7878, extension 2, or email her at rkuleck@psu.edu.

About Strong Women
Developed by Dr. Miriam Nelson at Tufts University, Strong Women is a community-based strength training program that puts scientific research into practical application. Participants see dramatic improvements in age-related conditions such as osteoporosis, arthritis, and weight gain. The program was specially developed for women 40 years of age and older and is appropriate for women who are sedentary and those who are active.

Strong bones allow movement and protect the body's organs from injury. Strong bones are the result of a healthy diet and exercise. Weakened bones are more difficult to heal and strengthen. Scientific research demonstrates that exercising with weights increases strength, muscle mass, and bone density. Performed just twice per week, strength training can help reverse the physicial changes associated with growing older.

St. Marys Office of Amy Kelly, D.O. to Relocate

On Monday, August 12, 2013, the St. Marys office of Amy Kelly, D.O., will relocate to the ground floor of the Outpatient Rehabilitation Building, 757 Johnsonburg Road. The building is located behind Pinecrest Manor on the Health Center's St. Marys campus. The office’s new telephone number will be (814) 788-8580.

Community Nurses Inc. to Host Caring for Your Heart Program

Did you know that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in America? Cardiovascular diseases — which include high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and congenital cardiovascular defects — affect more than one in three American adults. By 2030, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease is estimated to rise 10 percent to more than 40 percent of American adults, or 116 million people.

Steps are being taken locally to make people aware of their risk and to keep them from becoming one of the statistics.

Our colleagues at Community Nurses, Inc. will present a program on Caring for Your Heart at three locations in the tri-county area.

• Wednesday, August 7 at 6 p.m. in the Education Center at Elk Regional Health Center, St. Marys campus
• Thursday, August 15 at 1 p.m. at the Greater Bradford Senior Center on Campus Drive
  
• Wednesday, August 28 at 6 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Emporium
  

The event will provide information for those who already have heart disease as well as those who may be at risk and not know it. Screenings and a risk assessment will help identify those at risk and an informative presentation will educate people of all ages on the types, signs, symptoms, prevention, and management of heart disease.

Caring for Your Heart is a cardiovascular disease awareness and prevention project presented by the Community Nurses and funded by a grant from the A.J. and Sigismunda Palumbo Charitable Trust. There is no fee for the program and no reservation is needed. Refreshments will be served.

Dr. Koch, Julie Szymanski Move to New Office

Did you know that the office of Steven Koch, M.D., and Julie Szymanski, a Certified Nurse Midwife, has moved to a new location? They're now located in Suite 240 on the second floor of the Medical Office Building on our St. Marys campus! The office’s telephone number is still (814) 788-8118.

Dr. Koch and Mrs. Szymanski specialize in obstetric and gynecological care for adult women of all ages. Mrs. Szymanski, the region’s only Certified Nurse Midwife, offers patients the option of water birth.

Elk Regional Earns Two Achivement Awards

Elk Regional Health Center was one of 19 hospitals in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to earn an Achievement Award from the Hospital and Health System Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) – and the only hospital to earn recognition in two categories.

This year, there were 131 entries from hospitals across the Commonwealth for HAP’s prestigious Achievement Awards, which are given in five categories including workplace, community benefit, patient safety, patient care, and operational excellence. One winner is selected to receive the Innovation Award.

Elk Regional won recognition in the operational excellence category for the culture transformation it is undergoing in an effort to improve patient satisfaction. It also won in the community benefit category for its use of a Web page and social media to increase patient engagement and to enhance the public education Elk Regional regularly conducts through more traditional channels.

“I know I speak for everyone at Elk Regional Health Center when I say that we are thrilled to have earned two of HAP’s Achievement Awards,” said Charlotte Floravit, the Public Relations Director at Elk Regional Health Center. “Everyone at Elk Regional is committed to our culture transformation, and it has been so rewarding to hear our patients and their loved ones tell us that they can see a difference at Elk Regional. We have also enjoyed the opportunity to interact on a daily basis with our patients and their loved ones online through our Web site and social media pages. These efforts have one very important thing in common – our patients.”

Culture Transformation
Elk Regional began its journey from “good” to “great” in the fall of 2012, when employees at every level of the organization were given formal customer service training by Bruce Loeffler, who developed and oversaw service excellence and showmanship training for Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Epcot Center. Mr. Loeffler’s training program is still in use at Walt Disney World today.

By creating a culture of service excellence, Elk Regional took an important step toward improving its patient satisfaction scores. Like all hospitals across America, Elk Regional’s patient satisfaction scores are measured by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) using survey results provided by patients who have been discharged. As a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, the amount of federal reimbursement money a hospital earns is determined by patient satisfaction scores. Hospitals that perform better are rewarded, while hospitals that perform poorly lose money.

The results were almost immediate. The number of patient grievances filed with hospital staff dropped significantly, while employees began reporting a higher level of engagement and increased morale.

“The challenge we put before ourselves last year was simply to do everyday work better,” Mrs. Floravit said. “An organization cannot progress without a culture of excellence and without an alignment of common purpose at every level of the organization. Staff engagement is at the heart of every single positive patient experience, and we are proud to say that our efforts have made and will continue to make a difference for our patients and their loved ones.”

Pictured above is the team that worked on the culture transformation project that earned Elk Regional an achievement award. From left are Christine Garner, RN, Director of Quality; Kathy FinGado, Corporate Compliance Officer; Charlotte Floravit, Director of Public Relations; Timothy Ohrum, Vice President of Advocacy for the Hospital & Health System Association of Pennsylvania; Curt Oberholtzer, SPHR, Chief Human Resources Officer; Seanna D’Amore, Director of Human Resources; and Karen Meholic, Director of Elk Regional Professional Group.

Community Engagement
Like most hospitals and health systems, Elk Regional has always had a very strong focus on traditional marketing and advertising outlets. While those strategies remain part of landscape in which our organization must communicate, the ways in which people consume information have changed dramatically.

In the spring of 2010, Elk Regional was preparing to launch a completely redesigned Web site. As that project was under way, the organization’s Public Relations Department made the decision to simultaneously launch a social media portfolio for the organization that included a Facebook page, a Twitter profile, a YouTube channel, and a blog.

Elk Regional now interacts daily with nearly 460 people on its Facebook page and more than 100 people via Twitter. Information videos posted on its YouTube channel have received more than 11,200 views, and the Health Center's official blog attracts several hundred visits every month. The social media pages are intended to supplement information posted on the Health Center’s official Web site, which averages nearly 20,000 page views every month.

“Studies have shown that almost 50 percent of adults in the United States use some form of social media,” Mrs. Floravit said. “We felt that communicating effectively with our patients meant offering them a way to connect with us in the digital space. Since we launched our new Web site and social media profiles, we’ve added a mobile-friendly Web site and are considering adding other social media sites, such as Instagram, to our online portfolio.”

A Notice to Patients

Last Saturday, the Elk Regional family lost one of its own when Raj K. Jolly, M.D., a well-respected ear, nose, and throat specialist who spent more than 30 years caring for patients, passed away. Our thoughts and prayers have been with his family during this difficult time. God bless.

Patients of Dr. Jolly who would like to have their medical records may contact the office of Richard Foust, Au.D. at (814) 834-7721. Dr. Foust will continue to provide audiology and hearing aid services.

Coming Soon to a Mountain Near You: Boulder Dash

We're sponsoring Boulder Dash this year -- a 20-mile run/hike through the beautiful Pennsylvania Wilds (State Game Lands 44) outside of Ridgway. You'll be faced with 4,200 feet of vertical rise as you make your way over the course. Still can't envision the trail? There's a trail video and maps to show you exactly what you're getting into -- err, the natural beauty of the course!

Boulder Dash is set for August 17! Registration will begin at 6:30 a.m. at the Ridgway carnival grounds. The run/hike kicks off at 8 a.m. from the Elk County Courthouse. The event officially ends at 5 p.m., and runners/hikers will be able to take part in the St. Leo's Summer Festival in downtown Ridgway.

For more information and online registration, click here! We'll see you there!

2013 Butterfly Release Order Forms Now Available!

The 2013 Community Nurses, Inc. Butterfly Release is fast approaching! Have you ordered your butterfly? If not, hurry: orders must be received by July 26th!

Click here to download a printable order form!

Order forms are also available:

• in the Main Lobby at Elk Regional Health Center's St. Marys and Ridgway campuses;
• at the Reception desk at Pinecrest Manor;
• at the Reception desk at Community Nurses offices in St. Marys and Bradford; and
• at pharmacies throughout the community, including St. Marys Pharmacy, Cliffee's, Johnsonburg CVS, Emporium Pharmacy, Bennett's Valley Pharmacy, and SMP Kane.

This year's Butterfly Release is set for Sunday, August 4 at 4 p.m. in The Serenity Garden on the campus of Elk Regional Health Center. The Garden is located behind the hospital near the Outpatient Rehabilitation Building.

"Whisper Your Wish to a Butterfly" is an annual event that benefits Community Nurses Hospice. The Butterfly Release includes a celebration of life service, inspirational readings and music, reading of loved ones’ names, and light refreshments. The attendees release their butterfly at the ceremony to memorialize or honor their loved one. If those who purchase a butterfly are unable to attend, a Community Nurses staff member will release their butterfly for them. All are invited to attend whether or not you are able to purchase a butterfly.

If you have questions or would like additional information, call Community Nurses at (814) 781-4729.

Elk Regional Announces Upcoming Breast Cancer Awareness Events

Happy Thursday afternoon! It's time to mark your calendars for our 2013 breast cancer awareness events: 

• Sept. 20-22 at the Bavarian Fall Fest on the Diamond; 
• Sept. 27, when we'll hold our Glow in the Dark 5K Run/Walk (yep, you read that right!); 
• Oct. 5 for the Zumba Fitness Party; and 
• Oct. 17 for the Second Annual Bras for a Cause event! 

 More details will be announced soon. We can't wait to see you!

Heat Wave Continues

The heat wave continues! For at least the rest of this week, we'll all have to contend with high temperatures and humidity. Temperatures are expected to soar into the 90s and could go even higher.

Check in on elderly neighbors and loved ones and make sure they're staying cool and drinking plenty of water. Ensure that outdoor pets have easy access to shade and fresh water. And make sure the kids take frequent breaks while playing outside to get cold drinks and rest up!

For more tips on how to avoid heat stroke and heat exhaustion, check out some tips and information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by clicking here.

Be safe out there!