Barcode medication administration assures the “six rights” are confirmed

Amy Sheely, RN, on 6 South at WellSpan York Hospital, uses barcode technology to match patient Joe Sciarrabba with the right medication.

Beginning April 1 with WellSpan York Hospital, WellSpan’s three hospitals will begin to implement Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA).

This creates a closed- loop process that improves patient safety by matching the right patient with the right medication. BCMA enables nurses to scan patients’ arm bands along with their medication to ensure accuracy in dosage, delivery and timing.

The use of barcodes provides a valuable verification of medication administration by assuring that the “six rights” are confirmed — right patient, right medication, right dose, right time, right route and right documentation of administration.

Now, nurses can scan a patient’s armband and then the medication to validate it is the correct product.

According to the Institute of Medicine, the use of this technology has shown it dramatically reduces medication administration errors. When used properly BCMA is an effective means to prevent medication administration errors.

The addition of barcode verification at the point-of-care has the potential to significantly increase patient safety for hospital patients.

“We are always looking for ways to utilize technology to improve patient safety,” said Kris O’Shea, vice president, clinical transformation and patient care services, WellSpan.

“Although barcode technology has been present in our hospitals for some time now in support of positive patient identification during the medication administration process, the implementation of barcode medication administration enhances the sophistication of this process by coupling the positive identification of the patient to the correct medication order and product. The end result is a medication use process that is confidence-inspiring for nurses and patients alike.”

Administering medication can be cumbersome

Traditionally, administering medication to patients can be a cumbersome process that entails transcribing information by hand, comparing this information against the patient chart, visually checking to confirm patient identity, and transcribing patient information back into the patient record. By its nature, it’s a process that takes caregivers away from their patients in order to perform administrative processes.

The traditional medication administration system is also prone to human error, which occasionally results in misidentification of patients and delivery of incorrect medications and/or dosage.

BCMA will help clinicians by improving workflow and eliminating workarounds that can lead to documentation errors and to potential adverse medication errors. Two WellSpan York Hospital units, 5 South and 6 South, recently completed a successful two-month BCMA pilot.

“It’s really been easy to learn the system and become comfortable using it,” said Amy Sheely, RN, 6 South at WellSpan York Hospital.

“There are times when the technology actually catches you to make sure that your dosage and other vital information are correct.”

Dawn Wise, RN, 6 South at WellSpan York Hospital, added, “The thing I really like about the new system is that we are ensuring the right patient, right medication, right time and right dose by not only visually checking arm bands and medication. Because we have to scan the patient and medication, we are getting the extra safety insurance for our patients.”

WellSpan York Hospital’s implementation will be followed by the WellSpan Surgery & Rehabilitation Hospital on May 6 and by WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital on May 28.

Chaz White has lost 135 pounds and improved other health measures

WellSpan Rehabilitation athletic trainer Joe Koncewicz discusses a workout routine with Chaz White. “My success wouldn’t be possible without everyone at WellSpan caring about me,” said White.

Chaz White had more or less given up. In his early 20s, his weight exceeded 500 pounds and his daily activities were extremely limited. He figured he would be relegated to an unfulfilling life and probably die at an early age.

But, he decided one day that he wanted to change that bleak future. He made an appointment to see Dr. Chris Echterling at the York Hospital Community Health Center. He had been treated by Echterling in the past, but had not seen him for several years.

“I didn’t want to accept my life as it was, and I didn’t want to die early,” said White, who realized he had a long way to go to reach his goals.

“I wanted to get to a weight where I could get around easier and do more things. I wanted to eat healthier and feel better about myself.”

In addition to being morbidly obese, White had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes with nephropathy and severe swelling in his legs.

Echterling realized that 20-minute office visits and White’s family resources weren’t going to be enough to make a difference. It would take “working as one” to truly make a difference in White’s life.

In April 2010, he took the unusual step of sending an email to various staff members throughout WellSpan asking for ideas to help save a life. White had mentioned that he felt that if he had a “life coach” or mentor, it would help him be successful.

“Staff members who care for trauma patients or patients in the emergency department or intensive care often get the feeling that they saved a life,” said Echterling. “You don’t often get that feeling treating outpatients. But, I thought this was an example of how working as one we could help save a life.”

Many people willing to help

Echterling received a strong response to his email. Behavioral health counselors from Edgar Street, nursing students at York College, a nutritionist, VNA physical therapists and athletic trainers and an occupational therapist from WellSpan Rehabilitation all offered their assistance. Everyone involved in White’s care provided feedback and communicated on a regular basis, providing a good overall picture of what was happening.

One of the first steps was to purchase a sweat suit for White that he could wear to exercise. Not having a sweat suit was a barrier because White didn’t feel comfortable exercising in his regular clothes and he couldn’t afford a sweat suit.

A WellSpan Rehabilitation athletic trainer was assigned to work with White. The plan was for him to go to the Bannister Street location three or four times a week to work out. In the past three years, White has lost 135 pounds, lowered his blood pressure and eliminated his symptoms of diabetes.

Besides the physical changes, White has a much more positive attitude.

“So many people at WellSpan have been helpful and supportive to me,” said White. “They give me motivation, and they remind me when I’m slacking off.

“I feel like I’m on the right track. I’m encouraged by my progress. If you care about your life, you have to be willing to put the work in.”

White added that he has more energy; he is much more comfortable interacting with people and his confidence has increased. One of White’s new goals is to help inspire others to improve their health.

“I owe a lot of credit to Dr. Echterling because he motivated me, and he never gave up on me. I gave up countless times. My success wouldn’t be possible without everyone at WellSpan caring about me.”

Here are some injury prevention tips from WellSpan Sports Medicine’s Justin Zabrosky, the athletic trainer with the York Revolution. These tips can help keep everyone from Little Leaguers and high school baseball players to weekend warriors injuryfree during pre-season and beyond.

Tip 1: Warm up and stretch!
Baseball is a game that involves a lot of twisting, jumping, lateral and forward-to-backward movements. Static stretching (stretching that is held for 10 or more seconds) does not reduce the risk of injury.

Instead athletes should be doing dynamic stretches that facilitate movements similar to those during play and targets muscle groups as they relate to specific sport movements. For baseball players, this means sprints, forward bends, rotations, knee lift, squats, lunges, arm circles and arm crosses.

In addition to raising muscular tissue temperature in the body and increasing blood flow, dynamic stretching activates the nervous system, preparing the body for movements performed during play.

Tip 2: Use proper equipment!
The amount of equipment required for baseball isn’t on par with football or hockey, but the right gear can go a long way toward preventing injuries. Athletic equipment consists of a batting helmet, proper footwear, athletic cup, shin guards and mouth piece. Coaches need to check athletes to make sure their equipment fits properly. Parents need to observe the equipment their athletes are wearing.

Tip 3: Overuse injuries are preventable!
Because many young athletes are focusing on just one sport and are training year-round, doctors are seeing an increase in overuse injuries. Specific tips to prevent overuse injuries in baseball include:

• Limit the number of teams in which your child is playing on in one season. Kids who play on more than one team are especially at risk for overuse injuries.
• Do not allow your child to play one sport year-round — taking regular breaks and playing other sports is essential to skill development and injury prevention.
• Do not allow your child to pitch on consecutive days and avoid pitching on multiple teams with overlapping seasons.

Tips 4: Inspect the field!
This tip is specifically for the coaches. To ensure the safety of your players, it is important to inspect the playing field for uneven terrain (holes, divots), glass and other debris.

In addition, use a field with breakaway bases. Many injuries occur while sliding into bases. In addition, assess weather conditions and be prepared to delay/cancel the game, especially in cases of particularly hot weather or thunderstorms with lightning.

Tip 5: Proper nutrition is key!
Baseball is a combination of balance, agility and concentration with bursts of physical activity. Food choices, adequate fluid intake, frequency of meals and timing of meals to activity can provide the edge in practice, games and recovery. The proper fuel mix contains 55-60% carbohydrates, 15-20% protein and 20-25% fat.

Tip 6: Drink water!
As an athlete trains or competes, fluid is lost through the skin through sweat and through the lungs while breathing. If this fluid is not replaced at regular intervals during practice or competition, it can lead to dehydration.

The best way to prevent dehydration is to maintain body fluid levels by consuming plenty of fluids before, during, and after a workout or competition.

Many times athletes wait to drink until they are thirsty. Thirst is not an accurate indicator of how much fluid an athlete has lost. Athletes who wait to replenish body fluids until feeling thirsty are already dehydrated.

Tip 7: Follow proper technique when sliding!
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends the following tips for those individuals sliding into, as well as protecting, the bases while playing baseball and softball:

• Players under age 10 should not be taught to slide.
• Proper instruction in sliding technique must be taught and practiced before using any bag, including the breakaway bases. Practice should first be with a sliding bag.
• The “obstruction” rule must be taught and observed. Getting in the way of the runner or blocking the base without possession of the ball is dangerous to both the runner and fielder.
• When coming into home plate, it is important that the runner attempt to slide to avoid a collision.

To prevent ankle and foot injuries between the runner and fielder at first base, a “double bag” — a separate bag for both the runner and first baseman — should be used.

Overuse, overload and overexertion

Dr. John Deitch

Injuries in young athletes are on the rise, but elbow and shoulder injuries in youth are on the verge of becoming an epidemic. Thousands of young athletes are seen each year complaining of elbow and shoulder pain.

There are nearly three million Little League, adolescent and high school-aged baseball players in the United States.

Between 2005 and 2007, there were more than 22,000 high school baseball-related shoulder injuries alone. Pitching was the most common mechanism causing shoulder and elbow injury.

These statistics validate the importance of these injuries and indicate that all coaches, parents and athletes should be aware of the most up-to-date recommendations for injury prevention in this population.

“A team approach is required for injury prevention,” said WellSpan orthopedic surgeon John Deitch, M.D., a fellowship-trained sports medicine specialist and director of WellSpan Sports Medicine. “Parents, coaches, trainers/therapists and physicians need to work with the throwing athlete. Everyone plays a role in helping to minimize injuries.”

While factors such as weather conditions and hazardous playing fields contribute to some sports injuries, playing injured or overtired, conditioning and training errors and improper techniques are the biggest culprits we have control over.

“It’s important to build a solid foundation,” said Deitch. “If a child is ready for organized sports, he or she is ready for strength training.

“It’s important to gain athleticism before skills,” he said. “Without basic elements of athleticism, most players are unable to master baseball specific skills.”

Athletes who are required to pitch or throw several hundred times during a practice or a game put a large amount of stress on their shoulders and elbows. Deitch said “the three O’s—Overuse, Overload and Overexertion” contribute to many throwing injuries.

Overuse comes from too many pitches, while overload is the result of inadequate rest and recovery. Overexertion comes from overthrowing.

Athletes with throwing injuries may experience:

• Progressive pain
• Pain on the inner area of the elbow
• Shoulder pain when throwing
• Pain and soreness that persists after throwing for two or three days
• Significant loss in throwing speed
• Loss of control during pitching
• Swelling or tenderness around the upper arm

Some tips to prevent overuse throwing injuries:

• Warm up properly by stretching, running and easy, gradual throwing
• Avoid pitching on multiple teams with overlapping seasons
• Don’t pitch with elbow or shoulder pain. If the pain persists for more than four days, see a doctor
• Don’t pitch on consecutive days
• Don’t play year-round
• Communicate regularly about how your arm is feeling and if there is pain
• Emphasize control, accuracy and good mechanics

Contact WellSpan Sports Medicine at 1-877-482-5420 if you have any concerns about injury or are interested in injury-prevention strategy.

Having a baby is a time of celebration. It also can be an enormous time of fatigue and overwhelming demands. The staff of T4 at WellSpan York Hospital wants its patients to share their exciting time with their family and friends, but while maintaining safety.

Effective Monday, April 29, visitors to T4 will be limited to four at a time. All visitors will need to sign in/out at the security desk and provide some sort of identification.

Visiting hours for the Mother/Infant Center are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Hospital staff members wanting to visit family or friends will be asked to abide by the visiting hours and enter through the Tower elevators. Patients from other units will not be permitted to access T4 for infection reasons.

Visitors are asked to be mindful of the need for privacy during breastfeeding as interruption of feedings can have an impact on breastfeeding success.

Visitors are asked to limit their visits to 30 minutes to ensure the new family gets the rest and education they need.

Award established by the York Hospital Auxilary to honor Linder’s service

WellSpan York Hospital volunteers Linda Klingensmith, left, and Deb Taylor, right, pamper Carroll “Junie” Zentz with a foot and hand massage. In bottom photo,

Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart. ~Elizabeth Andrew

Those who can, do. Those who can do more, volunteer. ~Author Unknown

The broadest, and maybe the most meaningful definition of volunteering: Doing more than you have to because you want to, in a cause you consider good. ~Ivan Scheier

* * * * * *

As part of National Volunteer Recognition Week, WellSpan Volunteer Services presented the first Barbara Linder Honorary Volunteer Awards on Saturday, April 20, at its annual Volunteer Recognition luncheon.

The recipients, total volunteer hours and years of service are: Thelma Alcorn (3,606, 1992-2012); Harry Baer (4,356, 1992-2012); Bernice Berkheimer (13,788, 1965-2012); Johanna Chisholm (4,745, 1990-2012); Violet Grimm (6,058, 1968-2012); Mary Henry (3,226, 1995-2012); Dean Hildebrand (12,008, 1987-2012); Lois McWilliams (5,623, 1996-2012); Millie Myers (8,073, 1984-2012); Jay Seidenstricker (8,563, 1991-2012); Mary Ann Snyder (3,959, 1983-2012); Don Swartz (4,960, 1992-2012); and Jean Thomas (4,895, 1989-2012).

WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital volunteer Marty McCullen delivers interoffice mail to Imaging unit secretary Beverly Williams.

"Recipients of The Barbara Linder Honorary Volunteer Award are retired volunteers who exemplify dedication, commitment and caring," said Christi Brown, director of volunteer services. "This is a very impressive first class."

The award was established by the York Hospital Auxiliary to honor Barbara Linder's long-time commitment to WellSpan.

“This is an appropriate way to honor Barb,” said Brown. “She has been very involved with WellSpan for many years.”

These award winners set the example for many other volunteers. WellSpan has approximately 1,400 volunteers in York and Adams counties. In fiscal year 2012, volunteers contributed 139,000 hours, the equivalent of $3.1 million in service.

“Volunteers are an integral part of WellSpan,” said Brown. “You will see them throughout the organization. As patient satisfaction scores become more important, so does the role of volunteers.

Brown said volunteer roles have expanded beyond the traditional administrative duties, flower delivery and manning the information desk.

Hospitals, health systems and organ procurement organizations such as Gift of Life celebrated National Donate Life Month in April.

This annual initiative highlights the successes of transplantation while drawing attention to the critical need for more organ and tissue donors in our country.

More than 6,500 men, women and children in our region, and more than 117,000 in the United States, are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. Sadly, 18 people die each day due to the lack of available organs for transplantation.

One organ and tissue donor can save or enhance the lives of more than 50 people.

“Gift of Life works closely with our hospital partners to help create the opportunity for meaningful donation, out of what is often a difficult, stressful situation for our donor families,” said Howard Nathan, president and CEO of Gift of Life.

“Knowing the importance of these gifts helps our health care partners to be dual advocates for both our donor families and transplant recipients.”

You can provide hope to the thousands of people waiting for the gift of life by registering online to be an organ and tissue donor.

It’s fast and easy. It takes only 30 seconds to register at www.donors1.org. Gift of Life has coordinated more than 34,000 organ transplants, along with more than an estimated 500,000 tissue transplants.

For more information, please call Gift of Life at 1-800-DONORS-1 or visit www.donors1.org.

In June, 57 medical and dental school graduates will come from all over the United States and the world to WellSpan York Hospital to start their residencies.

They will come from schools such as The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, University of Maryland, Drexel University College of Medicine and others.

The incoming residents are part of 15,000-plus medical students who participated in the National Resident Matching Program earlier this month.

“We had a very successful year,” said Richard Sloan, MD, director of medical education. “Everyone involved deserves congratulations for a job well done.

“We will welcome a record number of students in our residency programs this summer,” he added. “The number is higher because of our new orthopedic residency program.”

Sloan said there are more applicants for residency positions, which have remained fairly stable the past decade or so.

Of the 57 students, 19 are D.O.s and 10 are United States citizens who have graduated from a Caribbean-based medical school.

The Match Day program matches medical school seniors with residency programs. Students rank residency programs in order of their preference while the residency programs identify students they would admit.

When the two coincide, a “match” is made. Sloan said students are attracted to WellSpan York Hospital for numerous reasons. Residents can receive excellent training from a talented group of attending physicians who enjoy teaching while treating a wide variety of patients.

Other attractive features include strong ancillary services, an outstanding medical library, a medical simulation center as well as good pay and benefits. Sloan stressed that it’s important to attract high-quality medical school graduates to residency programs.

WellSpan York Hospital has residency programs in Dentistry, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Ob/Gyn, Surgery and Orthopedics.

MRI-guided prostate biopsy is not available anywhere else in the region

Last summer, WellSpan Imaging Services began offering MRI-guided prostate biopsy, an important new tool for detecting prostate cancer. Presently, it is available nowhere else in south central Pennsylvania.

“Very few sites on the East Coast are currently doing MRI-guided prostate biopsy,” said Joanne Trapeni, D.O., division chief for women's and interventional imaging, “It’s a bit more common on the West Coast.”

Trapeni began investigating the technology two years ago, finding it added a new level of precision to the often murky world of prostate-cancer detection.

Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed form of noncutaneous cancer in men, and the second leading cause of cancer death in men. Its elusiveness stems from an unusually slow growth process that is typically symptom-free, although it does become aggressive in one-third of cases.

Trapeni notes that MRI-guided biopsy is intended for men with the potential warning signs of prostate cancer—namely an abnormal prostate or an elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level—but whose trans-rectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided biopsy is negative.

TRUS biopsies are common; more than a million are performed in the United States every year. With TRUS, an ultrasound probe with a biopsy instrument is passed into the rectum to obtain a dozen core tissue samples from the prostate.

“TRUS is a good first line of defense because it’s inexpensive and can be done in the urologist’s office,” Trapeni said. “The problem is that on ultrasound a lot of cancers can match the surrounding tissue and not be readily delineated.”

In as many as 62 percent of cases, ultrasound fails to identify a prostate cancer requiring treatment. This likelihood of a false-negative causes many men to undergo multiple TRUS procedures, typically at six-month intervals.

MRI can hone in on suspicious nodules

With MRI-guided biopsy, however, the likelihood of a false-negative drops to just 20 percent. The difference comes from the precision of MRI, which can hone in on suspicious nodules as small as five or six millimeters in diameter.

“If an MRI-guided biopsy is negative, the patient’s confidence level can be that much higher,” said Trapeni. “It is a directed, localized biopsy of the abnormality.”

She added that TRUS focuses only on the prostate, while MRI also offers views of the bladder, lymph nodes and bones.

An MRI-guided biopsy requires two outpatient visits, each lasting less than an hour. The first is for a diagnostic study to identify lesions to target during the biopsy. A few days later, the patient returns for the procedure itself.

“We have a very sophisticated computer program that overlays a blood map, lining up everything in the diagnostic study with the new study,” Trapeni explains.

Unlike TRUS, which requires the insertion of an ultrasound probe, MRI-guided biopsy uses only a small diameter biopsy device. And instead of taking a dozen tissue samples, it needs only two.

These differences can mean less discomfort and bleeding. The studies are performed in a closed MRI unit.

Preparation and potential risks are the same as for TRUS biopsy. The patient will be prescribed antibiotics to reduce the chance of infection, and will require an enema one to two hours before the procedure. Lidocaine gel is used for needle-guide insertion.

Prior to leaving the facility the patient will be asked to void, ensuring that urinary retention is not a problem. Trace amounts of blood in the urine and semen are common for a few days afterward.

Approximately one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. Early detection is essential to effective treatment. MRI-guided biopsy can help eliminate the doubt left behind by a negative TRUS biopsy.

Calm and quiet environment aids in positive clinical outcomes

Libraries, movie theaters and dance recitals are places where you expect it to be quiet. WellSpan hopes to add its hospitals to the list.

“WellSpan hospitals strive to achieve positive clinical outcomes by providing a calm and healing care experience for all of our patients,” said Chris Foore, director of customer relations.

The WellSpan quiet campaign was launched last year to emphasize the importance of maintaining low noise levels and to help improve the level of quiet patients experience and report through HCAHPS satisfaction indicators.

Signage at entrances, elevators and on nursing units reminds staff members as well as visitors to be quiet. Information also is posted on www.wellspan.org and on screensavers. Flyers emphasizing the importance of quiet will also soon be available to patients and visitors.

One of the questions on the HCAHPS patient satisfaction survey is, “During your stay, how often was the area around your room kept quiet at night?”

The goal is to increase the “always” response to greater than 57.5 percent, which is the national average. The top 25 percent of hospitals score 73.4 percent or higher.

The quiet campaign seeks to achieve a daily average decibel reading of 45 with a maximum of 60. Forty-five decibels is equivalent to sound levels in the average home, while 60 decibels is equal to sound levels in normal conversation. WellSpan hospitals measure decibel levels by using a Sound Ear, which is posted on the nursing unit.

Quiet interventions

At WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital, the Outpatient Services Unit has taken a number of quiet interventions.

The department reserves the front nurses’ station desk for patients and families. Staff members are politely reminded by the unit secretary to go behind the desk to talk as sound travels up the hallway.

Additionally, when there is construction, work in the hallway or other noise in the hallway, patients’ doors are closed, if their condition allows.

“We dim the lights in the front part of our hallway to help create a calm and healing environment,” said Marlene Crouse, nurse manager.

“We also try to use our library voices, and we hold ourselves and each other accountable.”

At WellSpan York Hospital, Karen Fanus, nurse manager of 7 South, said sleep masks and ear plugs are available to patients.

Patients are offered warm blankets to help them sleep; lights are turned off in the hallway at night; patient doors are closed upon request and the computers on wheels have a light in the keyboard to decrease distraction.

“We also try to bundle our services to decrease the distractions to patients,” said Fanus. “Our nurses ask patients about their sleep patterns, how they slept and what they need to sleep better.”

The hospital nursing units are also working closely with various support services to troubleshoot and fix causes of extra noise.

Recent efforts include replacing squeaking cart wheels and modifying cleaning and maintenance practices. This teamwork approach to reducing noise is making an impact at each hospital.

“We have made strides in decreasing the noise levels at WellSpan hospitals,” offered Foore. “Our goal, however, is to keep improving.”

The Board of Directors of WellSpan Health has announced the appointment of Kevin H. Mosser, M.D., as the next president and chief executive officer of the community-based, non-profit health care organization, effective October 1, 2013. 

He will succeed Bruce M. Bartels, who will retire following 25 years of service.
Dr. Mosser will become the first physician to serve as president of the health system, which provides care through a multispecialty medical group of more than 500 providers, three hospitals, a home health division and 50 outpatient locations.

“As the American health care system and our communities transform to meet the needs of an aging population and other challenges, Dr. Mosser is prepared to lead WellSpan into a bright future,” said Janice E. Herrold, chair of the WellSpan Health Board of Directors. 

“Based on his contributions to the organization’s culture of collaboration and its long-range strategic plan, we believe that he will continue the tradition of outstanding local leadership, excellent clinical care and community partnerships established by Bruce Bartels and those who served before him.”

Herrold adds that Bartels will continue to serve as president and CEO until October 2013 and work closely with Dr. Mosser to ensure a seamless transition of leadership.

A board-certified family physician and native of Jim Thorpe, Pa., Dr. Mosser came to York in 1979 as a family practice resident at York Hospital.  Since then, he has served the community as a practitioner and in leadership roles that span the entire health system, including WellSpan’s medical group, hospitals, medical education programs and preferred provider organization.

As executive vice president and chief operating officer, Dr. Mosser has provided senior executive oversight to WellSpan York Hospital, WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital, the WellSpan Medical Group, WellSpan Specialty Services and system-wide clinical programs.  He has focused on performance improvement and enhancing integration and care coordination across WellSpan's continuum of care.

Prior to that time, Dr. Mosser led WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital through significant improvements in service, quality and efficiency and positioned the hospital as a “Top 100 Performance Leader,” as recognized by Thomson Healthcare.  He also played an important role in the development of WellSpan’s Adams County system of care, which now includes an outpatient surgery center, an outpatient cancer center, several ambulatory facilities and primary and subspecialty physician offices. 

An active leader within the local health care profession and the communities of York and Adams counties, Dr. Mosser currently serves as chair of the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation Board and the Community Advisory Board of Penn State Mont-Alto.  He previously served on the executive committee of the Hospital and Health System Association of Pennsylvania’s Small Hospital Council and on the board of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of York and Adams counties. 

Dr. Mosser holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Pennsylvania and a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Dr. Kevin Mosser’s Career at WellSpan:  An Overview

Providing quality health care stimulates the economy and enhances quality of life

National Hospital and Health System Week (May 12-18) is an appropriate time to look at the impact health care and WellSpan have on the state and the region.

A recent report showed that Pennsylvania hospitals contributed more than 585,000 hospital and hospital service-related jobs to the commonwealth’s workforce and $98.9 billion to the state’s economy. In 55 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, hospitals and health systems are among the top five employers.

Locally, WellSpan provides nearly 9,000 jobs and contributes approximately $445 million a year through payroll to the community.

WellSpan cares for more than 14,100 patients a week at WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital, WellSpan York Hospital, WellSpan Surgery and Rehabilitation Hospital and its various locations throughout Adams and York counties and northern Maryland.

In one way or another, WellSpan touches the majority of residents in the area.

WellSpan has $2 billion economic impact

Darrell Auterson of the York County Economic Alliance said that in addition to WellSpan’s nearly 9,000 employees, it generates an additional 7,000 jobs because of its economic impact.

“That figures out to an economic impact of slightly more than two billion dollars,” he said. “WellSpan is definitely an economic stimulant for our area.”

Auterson added that the health services industry has had a ripple effect on the area’s economy, enhancing growth in other areas. More than 50 different companies in York County are involved in manufacturing medical devices.

“Without strong health services, our area wouldn’t have grown as much as it has,” he stressed.

“Providing first-class health care is also a tremendous attribute to the area’s appeal when it comes to attracting new businesses and residents.”

Deb Geesey, executive director of the Gettysburg YWCA, said, “WellSpan is a long-time partner, and they have been wonderful to work with. We have an outstanding relationship with WellSpan.”

Geesey cited WellSpan’s numerous community programs and its sponsorship of many YWCA events, including the Spirit of Gettysburg 5K and being a Hallmark sponsor since 2008.

“I have a personal love for WellSpan,” added Geesey, a breast cancer survivor. “They have had a tremendous impact on women in Adams County. I’m so thankful for the services WellSpan provides for cancer patients in the area.”

WellSpan involved in the community

Bob Woods, executive director of the United Way of York County, pointed out that WellSpan employees are the No. 1 contributor to the United Way.

“WellSpan employees are also very involved as volunteers,” said Woods. “They serve on community boards and lend their expertise in so many areas. They have assisted United Way with its strategic planning and our allocation process.”

He added, “WellSpan works with the United Way to build a stronger, healthier community. WellSpan supports projects such as YorkCounts, Healthy York Network, Healthy Community Pharmacy and many other community initiatives.”

Robin Fitzpatrick of Adams County Economic Development said quality of life is an important factor for businesses considering relocating to Adams County.

“Quality health care is one of the top three issues,” she said. Fitzpatrick said many people looking to retire to Gettysburg and Adams County are pleasantly surprised to find that the area offers outstanding health care.

“They don’t expect to find specialists and the range of services WellSpan offers in a small town. They’re surprised to find out they don’t have to travel to Hershey or Johns Hopkins for services.”

The entrance to the Apple Hill Health Center, closest to Grantley Road will be closed beginning Thursday, May 16. 

It will remain closed for approximately 45 days.  A fence line will be erected and in place while the entrance is closed.  Signage will direct traffic around the area.

Effective Monday, May 20, 2013, the Rabbit shuttle stop will be relocated temporarily from Entrance A to Entrance E.

MyWellSpan reached 35,000 enrollees in mid-May.

MyWellSpan helps make managing your health care as easy as possible.

The online patient portal gives you access to your personal health care information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It makes it easier than ever to communicate with your health care provider and become more involved in your care.

WellSpan is working to provide more enhancements and new features in the future to improve this already valuable tool.

To learn more about MyWellSpan or for a list of participating locations, go to www.wellspan.org. Or you can call MyWellSpan Customer Service at 1-866-638-1842 with any questions. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Current MyWellSpan features the ability to view general lab results, medication instructions, immunizations, conditions and allergies.

It also allows you to ask non-urgent questions and/or request non-urgent appointments with participating WellSpan Medical Group practices.

MyWellSpan also allows you to request prescription refills at a WellSpan pharmacy and submit a pre-registration for an upcoming test, procedure or inpatient stay.

WellSpan recently received a $125,000 grant from the Highmark Foundation to form a regional learning collaborative around “super utilizers” of health care.

Super utilizers are people who are medically sick, but for many other reasons, use a very high rate of medical services. WellSpan will work with physicians throughout the region on the project.

“Many patients have challenges in addition to their illness,” said Chris Echterling, MD, associate medical director for quality and innovation, WellSpan Medical Group.

“It could be poverty, mental health issues or, for example, they may have transportation issues or challenges in their home environment. We also need to collectively do a better job when patients go from one part of the health system to another.”

Echterling said the term “super utilizers” gives the sense that it’s a patient problem, but it isn’t. Instead the problem stems from a series of complicated issues that are often outside the patient’s control.

Many times the problem is a system problem.

About half of health care costs are produced by just five percent of the population, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Echterling said that figure is shocking, even for physicians. In fact, he said the first time he heard it, he didn't think it was correct. But it is.

There is interest in sharing best practices and in devising solutions to common challenges such as data mining, data analysis and medication adherence.

“We decided to fund this, in part, because of the collaborative nature of the project,” said Rosemary Browne, program officer, Highmark Foundation.

“Ultimately, with health systems working together and sharing best practices, there is a much greater chance for success.”

The overall objectives of the project, which will occur under the regional efforts of Aligning Forces for Quality, include improving the patient experience and care for the patient, while lowering overall health care costs.

“We think this project can make a difference because a number of health systems are involved,” said Echterling.

“We need to communicate more often and more effectively so when patients are transitioning between systems there is more coordination.”

Echterling and his colleagues will be working closely with the Highmark Foundation to share the results of the collaborative during the next several years.

Serves as a role model for his students and colleagues

Gordon Zubrod, MD, assistant residency program director for the WellSpan York Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program, has been named “Exemplary Teacher of the Year” by the Pennsylvania Association of Family Physicians (PAFP).

“I didn’t have any idea that I had been nominated for the award, so I was shocked when I found out I had won. It was a very humbling experience,” said Zubrod.

“I love teaching. I learn a lot, and I enjoy developing relationships with the residents and watching them grow,” he said.  “Combining medicine and teaching is the most enjoyable work I could ever do.

“We have a great faculty here, and they have been so helpful to me.”

Andre Lijoi, MD, associate residency program director for Family Practice and 2008 Family Physician of the Year, said, “Dr. Zubrod serves as a role model for his students and his colleagues.

“He is an expert at what he does. He has deep compassion for his patients. He is able to meet them at the root of their humanity with self-effacement and self-donation. His integrity is impeccable and his enthusiasm to serve those overlooked by others virtuous.”

Robert Fawcett, MD, associate residency program director for Family Practice and the 2012 Physician of the Year, said, “Dr. Zubrod is a bright, motivated and innovative educator who has been a leader for our residents in his assigned areas of curricular development, which have flourished through his nuture.

“More than that, he has gained the trust and affection of his learners for this quiet style, his steadfast faith and his rigorous knowledge, unselfishly imparted.”

Andrew Farabaugh, MD, outgoing chair of the PAFP’s Resident Assembly, added, “Whether we are in the office, rounding in the hospital or seeing patients in the nursing home, Dr. Zubrod continually finds ways to encourage us to become better physicians.

“His patience with learners is unparalleled. He is so good at guiding us through deliveries without ever making us feel rushed or insecure in our abilities.”

Members of the WellSpan York Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program praise Zubrod’s calming demeanor and welcoming presence. He is always willing to make himself available to residents and provides guidance to them not only in medicine, but in life.

Zubrod graduated from Penn State University and attended medical school at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, where he served as community service coordinator for the Family Practice Interest Group. He interned at the Naval Hospital at Camp Pendleton, where he won the Pediatric Humanitarian Award.

He has extensive international medicine experience, having traveled to Uganda, East Africa, for a medical mission and research; Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan for community medicine rotations; Philippines, Mexico and Haiti for medical relief projects; Kurdistan for an academic teaching trip; and Mexico for international medicine leadership training.

Aligning Forces for Quality—South Central PA (AF4Q-SCPA) has been awarded a grant of $1 million over the next two years for the final phase of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Aligning Forces for Quality initiative, a national effort to lift the quality and value of health care in communities across America.

AF4Q-SCPA is one of 16 organizations across the country designated as an AF4Q community. It has been participating since 2007.

The Aligning Forces for Quality program was originally launched by the Foundation in 2006. It remains the largest effort of its kind ever undertaken by a United States philanthropy.

Through the program, AF4Q-SCPA works to improve health care in Adams and York counties by engaging patients in their care, publicly reporting on the quality of care provided by local physicians and hospitals, implementing quality improvement programs in doctors’ offices and hospitals and exploring new payment methods to promote high-quality care.

In the fourth and final phase of the program, AF4Q-SCPA will accelerate its work, leveraging processes in these focus areas and striving for sustainable progress in meeting the goals of a reformed health care system: better value, greater transparency and improved care coordination.

Grant allows collaboration to continue

“This grant allows us to continue to collaborate with community leaders, patients, doctors, nurses, employers and insurers so everyone in Adams and York counties can receive the right care at the right time,” said Chris Amy, project director of AF4Q-SCPA. “We are committed to finding new ways to improve our health care system so we can have a healthier community.”

In the next two years, AF4Q-SCPA will expand on the cutting-edge changes already underway to achieve sustainable improvements in the quality of health care that local hospitals, practices and doctors deliver, while continuing to focus on developing and testing models that encourage highquality care and use dollars more wisely.

“The final phase of this program is not so much an end as a beginning,” said Anne F. Weiss, MPP, team director and senior program officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

“Our goal is not just lasting change in these 16 communities, but also to provide models of reform for the rest of the country to follow.”

In the past year, AF4Q-SCPA has continued to achieve great results through its patient-centered community initiatives.

Its Patient Partner program has enrolled 56 patients who have provided insightful feedback regarding provider communication, how patients think and ways to teach patients to self-manage their care.

Additionally, AF4Q-SCPA’s I Can! Challenge program, a 12-week series focusing on improving the health of residents with chronic diseases through healthy eating, exercise and stress management, has graduated more than 100 participants since 2009. Participants have achieved significant weight loss, medication reduction and lower A1C levels.

For more information about AF4Q-SCPA and its work, visit www.aligning4healthpa.org.

Variety of workshops available to attendees

Gina Calhoun will be the keynote speaker at this year's Adams County Community Health Summit.

From recognizing the signs of depression experienced by today’s youth to understanding post traumatic stress disorders, the upcoming sixth annual Adams County Community Health Summit will focus on addressing key mental health issues facing people of all ages in our local communities.

This year’s summit will be held 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18 at Harrisburg Area Community College-Gettysburg Campus (HACC). Co-sponsored by Healthy Adams County, WellSpan Health, Gettysburg Hospital Auxiliary and HACC, the free, daylong event is designed to give participants the chance to learn about local health issues.

“We’re looking forward to a day of sharing valuable mental health information specific to issues people are facing in Adams County,” said Kathy Gaskin, executive director, Healthy Adams County.

“We have an outstanding keynote speaker lined up who will really engage the audience followed by workshop sessions that address key topics that will educate as well as show efforts underway to address these issues.”

This summit’s keynote speaker will be Gina Calhoun, national director of wellness and recovery education, Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery in Brattleboro, Vermont (www.copelandcenter.com).

Calhoun’s address will focus on her personal story and journey of recovery from mental illness as it relates to hope-inspiring relationships, housing and employment. The goal of her presentation is to offer the facts that given the right environment mental health recovery is not only possible, it is probable.

In addition to the keynote address, summit attendees will have the opportunity to choose from workshop sessions scheduled throughout the day.

This year’s summit workshop topics include:

• WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Planning) – a selfhelp tool for people moving toward a healthier lifestyle.
• Community Crisis Intervention – understanding crisis intervention and how crisis intervention has changed in the past 20 years.
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – highlighting what trauma and stress are as well as their impact in people’s lives.
• Youth and Depression – how to recognize signs of depression among youth and treatment for it.
• The Crisis Intervention Team Model – understand how collaborations between law enforcement, mental health and advocacy groups can benefit the community.
• Integrated Behavioral Health in Primary Care – a look at the relationship between mental health and primary care.
• Treating Anxiety and Mood Disorders – an examination of the various medications used to treat mood and anxiety disorders.
• Practices to Reduce Chronic Stress – an introduction to the use of mind/body connection to reduce suffering from chronic stress.
• Exploring Anxiety Disorders – a look at how anxiety interferes with our lives and descriptions of the treatment techniques for different anxiety disorders.
• How the Brain Processes Traumatic Stress: Working with Children & Families within the Child Welfare System – provides professionals working with children within the child welfare system with a foundational understanding of trauma’s impact upon child development and behavior.

A continental breakfast and a buffet lunch will be provided to attendees. The summit is aimed at health and human service professionals, community leaders as well as anyone interested in learning more about these important issues.

To register or obtain additional information on the event, call Healthy Adams County at 337-4137.