maximal doses of medications andmay have undergone coronary bypassor valve operations. The LVAD canrepresent a bridge to heart transplan-tation for some patients but can alsorepresent their last opportunity for animproved quality of life without atransplant.

The current generation of LVADpumps have only one moving partand are designed to work for manyyears.

Inside

Same-Day Cardiology Clinic prevents loss of life 3

AHA Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award - Stroke 4

A new dawn at Wilmingtoncampus 6

VNA’s new mental health program 8

Medical-Dental Staff event draws record attendance 10

Publishing, presentations,appointments, awards 12

Caring for Yourself 16

Preventing diabetes starts with awareness 20

VOLUME 22, NUMBER 14

A publication from

Christiana Care Health System

External Affairs

P.O. Box 1668

Wilmington, DE 19899-1668

www.christianacare.org

F O C U SFocusing on the people and initiatives that distinguish Christiana Care Health System

In early September, JamesLandsness’ end-stage heart failure

made him unable to complete the 60-foot walk to his mailbox.

Today, Landsness does 27 daily laps tohis mailbox for exercise, feelingstronger every day.

On Sept. 13, he became the firstpatient to receive a left ventricularassist device (LVAD) at ChristianaCare, thanks in large part to thegenerosity of the Crystal Trust, whichprovided major funding for thisadvanced technology at the Center forHeart & Vascular Health.

“It’s like someone walking up to youand saying, ‘Here’s your life back.’ Itreally was amazing for me. I didn’tthink something like that waspossible,” Landsness says.

Patient is ‘fearless’ about technology“I’ve taken care of Jim for manyyears,” says Henry L. Weiner, M.D.,Landsness’ cardiologist. “He hasalways refused to constrain his lifeand work because of his heart disease.He’s fearless about medical technolo-gy. He embraced ICD therapy for ven-tricular tachycardia when it was newand ‘cutting edge,’ because he under-stood that it would be safer and allowhim to be more active than traditionaldrug therapy.

“I think he's had a similar attitudetoward LVAD therapy,” says Dr.Weiner. “He sees the glass half full.It's just how Jim is.”

Heart failure affects nearly 5 millionAmericans. Patients with advancedheart failure have often reached their

Heart failure assist device brings hopefor patients with end-stage heart failure

C O N T I N U E D , P. 2

James Landsness shows his new-foundstrength while walking with NoelleRogers, PT on 5E at the Center for Heart& Vascular Health after receiving a leftventricular assist device for heart failure.

disciplinary approach gives patientsaccess to a full spectrum of providers,from cardiologists, surgeons and nurs-es, to therapists, pharmacists andbehavioral health specialists, as thepatient undergoes this complex proce-dure,” Dr. Saltzberg says.

“Many patients may not even be awareof this treatment option, or realize thatthey do not have to be critically ill toqualify for the procedure,” he says.“We’re very proud of the enthusiasmand support of Christiana Care HealthSystem as we embark on this new pro-gram. This is truly a life-changingpump.

“At the end of the day, we want toprovide outstanding care to thepatients in our Heart Failure Program.”

“Everyone at Christiana Care is justfantastic,” Landsness says. “That goesfor my cardiologist, the Heart Failureprogram staff, the OR nurses and thenurses on the floor. Even the cleaningstaff. Everyone was just amazing.”

At the time of surgery, an LVAD isattached to the patients’ heart andaorta, and the pump is placed in thepatient’s chest/upper abdomen. Acontroller connects the device via adriveline, which exits the from theright upper abdomen. The patientwears the controller on a belt. Batteriesweighing about a pound power thesystem.

Heart failure patients like Landsnesswho need the newest generation ofLVADs now can stay home inDelaware for treatment, avoidingstressful and costly trips to Baltimore,Philadelphia and New York for theprocedure. Christiana Care’s Centerfor Heart & Vascular Health is theonly center in Delaware to implant thelife-saving heart pumps.

“It’s an exciting opportunity to bringmore advanced therapies for heartfailure patients in our community”says Mitchell T. Saltzberg, M.D., med-ical director of Christiana Care’s HeartFailure Program. “Patients in theregion can stay at Christiana Care for

C E N T E R F O R H E A R T & V A S C U L A R H E A L T H

the procedure andmaintain relation-ships with theirlocal physicians.”

Ray Blackwell,M.D., and HarshJain, M.D.,members of the car-diac surgery teamwho performedLandsness’ surgery,say the programwill benefitDelaware patientsand their families.

“This is a majoropportuni-ty forpatients inDelaware

with end-stage heart failure,”Dr. Blackwell says. “Short oftransplant, the LVAD repre-sents the most advanced tech-nology for the treatment of heart fail-ure.”

“It supplements medications andother heart failure-related devices,”adds Dr. Jain.

The average hospital stay for patientswho receive LVADs is 16 days.

“The Heart Failure Program’s multi-

C O V E R S T O R Y, C O N T I N U E D

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Co-directors of the ventricular assist device program (fromleft) cardiovascular surgeon Ray Blackwell, M.D., cardiologistMitchell Saltzberg, M.D., and cardiovascular surgeon HarshJain, M.D., meet with James Landsness.

Life-saving device is available closer to home

Exercise Fitness TechMatt Collins ofCardiac Rehabchecks JamesLandsness’ bloodpressure during afollow-up visit.Landsness, the firstChristiana Carepatient to receive anLVAD at the Centerfor Heart & VascularHealth, lives northof Philadelphia.

“It’s like someone walking up to youand saying, ‘Here’s your life back.’ Ididn’t think something like that waspossible.”

James Landsness

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C E N T E R F O R H E A R T & V A S C U L A R H E A L T H

It’s not uncommon for cardiologypatients to fall into a diagnostic “grayzone,” where physicians need to per-form a number of tests quickly todetermine whether hospital admissionis necessary, says Roger Kerzner, M.D.,FACC.

“The same-day clinic is a good placeto sort that out,” he says. “And ifsomeone needs to go into the hospital,it’s an easy process.”

The clinic, located on the campus ofChristiana Hospital, allows for quickaccess to advanced cardiac evaluationswithout having to wait for an appoint-ment in a doctor’s office or having to

Same-day cardiology clinic saves farmer from ‘widow maker’

It was a Friday afternoon whenRalph Tighe went to Dr. Kevin

Roberts’ office asking for something torelieve indigestion. By Friday evening,Tighe had undergone an emergencyangioplasty at Christiana Care’s newCardiology Consultants’ same-dayclinic and was resting comfortably.

Tighe thought his discomfort wasnothing more than bad indigestionwhen he went to see his family doctorat Christiana Care Family Medicine atWoodstown Center in Woodstown,N.J. But Kevin Roberts, M.D., recog-nized warning signs of a potentiallydangerous cardiac problem andordered Mr. Tighe to Delaware forfurther tests. Even so, Tighe resisted.

“I thought it was indigestion, so Itried to talk him out of it,” Tigherecalls with a chuckle.

Cardiologist Andrew J. Doorey, M.D.,FACC, was nearing the end of his firstday at the Same-Day Clinic whenTighe came in for an exam that after-noon.

“He’s a salt-of-the-earth farmer,” Dr.Doorey recalls fondly. “He’s 73-years-old and, the day before, he had beenout repairing a tractor.”

EKG was only minimally abnormalAlthough Tighe’s EKG results wereonly minimally abnormal, Dr. Dooreyhad a gut feeling that the stoicfarmer’s symptoms were a red flag.He convinced Tighe to undergo aheart catheterization, which revealed apotentially deadly blockage.

“He had what is called a widowmaker — a very tight blockage in themost important artery,” Dr. Dooreysays. “Afterward, blood tests showedthat he was already having a heartattack when I first saw him, andprobably had been having it all day.”

Carol B. Tighe of Woodstown, N.J., still has her husband Ralph to cherishthis Thanksgiving, thanks to a quick decision by their Christiana CareFamily Medicine doctor to expedite Ralph’s cardiology work-up at theSame-Day Cardiology Clinic.

go to the Emergency Department.

Tighe’s reluctance to go to an emer-gency room and his tendency to sol-dier through discomfort combinedwith the seriousness of his conditionmeans that going to CardiologyConsultants’ Same-Day Clinic proba-bly saved his life, Dr. Doorey says.

“I’m really lucky Doc Roberts sent meto Christiana,” Tighe says. “I got verygood treatment from all the doctors Isaw.”

Physicians may call 302-366-1929(prompt 1) to refer a patient to the Same-Day Clinic.

and follow their healthcareprofessionals’ guidance. Studiesdemonstrate that patients taught howto manage their risk factors while stillin the hospital reduce their risk of asecond heart attack or stroke.

Through Get With The GuidelinesStroke, customized patient educationmaterials are made available at thepoint of discharge, based on patients’individual risk profiles. The take-away materials, written in an easy-to-understand format, are available inEnglish and Spanish. In addition, theGet With The Guidelines PatientManagement Tool gives health careproviders access to up-to-date cardio-vascular and stroke science at thepoint of care.

According to the American HeartAssociation/American StrokeAssociation, stroke is one of the lead-ing causes of death and serious, long-term disability in the United States.On average, someone suffers a strokeevery 40 seconds; someone dies of astroke every four minutes; and 795,000

people suffer a new orrecurrent stroke each year.

Christiana Care’s Center forHeart & Vascular Health isone of the most technologi-cally advanced cardiovascu-lar care centers in theUnited States. In 2010 itearned The JointCommission’s Gold Seal ofApproval™ for its treat-

ment of stroke and a three-star ratingfor heart surgery, the highest available,from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.It recently received the AHA’s GetWith The Guidelines – Heart FailureGold Quality Achievement Award.

Christiana Care Health System’sCenter for Heart & Vascular

Health has received the AmericanHeart Association/American StrokeAssociation’s Get With TheGuidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus QualityAchievement Award.

The award recognizes ChristianaCare’s commitment and success inimplementing excellent care for strokepatients, according to evidence-basedguidelines.

85% adherence to meeting all guidelines To receive the award, Christiana Careachieved 85 percent or higher adher-ence to all Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Quality Achievement indicatorsfor two or more consecutive 12-monthintervals and achieved 75 percent orhigher compliance with six of 10 GetWith The Guidelines-Stroke QualityMeasures, which are reporting initia-tives to measure quality of care.These measures include aggressive useof medications, such as tPA,antithrombotics, anticoagulation thera-py, DVT prophylaxis, cholesterolreducing drugs and smok-ing cessation, all aimed atreducing death and disabili-ty and improving the livesof stroke patients.

The award also lauds para-medics’ early recognition ofstroke so they can notify theEmergency Department toprepare the stroke alert teamfor a patient’s arrival.Prompt calling of 911 for emergencyassistance when stroke is suspectedcan save heart or brain tissue.

“With a stroke, time lost is brain lost,and the Get With TheGuidelines–Stroke Gold Plus QualityAchievement Award demonstratesChristiana Care’s commitment to

being one of the top hospitals in thecountry for providing aggressive,proven stroke care,” said Timothy J.Gardner, M.D., medical director ofChristiana Care’s Center for Heart &Vascular Health and past nationalpresident of the American HeartAssociation.

“We will continue with our focus onproviding care that has been shown in

the scientific literature to quickly andefficiently treat stroke patients withevidence-based protocols.”

Taking advantage of ‘teachable moment’ Get With The Guidelines–Stroke usesthe “teachable moment,” the timesoon after a patient has had a stroke,when they are most likely to listen to

Get With The Guidelines award signifies outstanding stroke care

C E N T E R F O R H E A R T & V A S C U L A R H E A L T H

“We will continue with our focus on providing care that has been shown in thescientific literature to quickly and efficientlytreat stroke patients with evidence-basedprotocols.”

Timothy J. Gardner, M.D., medical directorCenter for Heart & Vascular Health

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S A F E T Y F I R S T

Campaign to maximize employee flu vaccinations going well

N o v. 1 8 , 2 0 11 F O C U S ● 5

Christiana Care’s first-ever Flu Shot stations have proven success-ful. A wide number of employees and volunteers contributed to

the well-choreographed process introduced this year, helping us getvaccinated in record numbers to the benefit of our community.

Eighty-two percent of Christiana Care employees have beenvaccinated for flu to date. That places us above the target threshold of75 percent in the 2012 Transformation Rewards Program, with anadded incentive to increase the payout if we increase the totalvaccinated to 85 percent.

Employees must receive a flu vaccine or submit an exemption or dec-lination form by Nov. 30, or be reviewed for discipline in accordancewith Christiana Care’s policy.

Employees vaccinated outside of Christiana Care should still completethe consent form, so that their vaccinations will count toward our fluvaccination rate. Employees may obtain a flu vaccine from EmployeeHealth Services during regular business hours.

T R A N S F O R M A T I O N

A new day dawns at Wilmington Hospital

6 ● F O C U S N o v 1 8 , 2 0 1 1

Christiana Care’s expansion and renovation of itsWilmington Hospital campus — a $210 million

investment that helps us continue building a healthycommunity for our neighbors in the city ofWilmington — is continuing on schedule thanks to thehard work of many.

Soon, a different type of construction milestone will takeplace, inside the walls of the hospital. As part of ourtransformation, the naming conventions on unit floorswill be changing on Tuesday, Dec. 13. The chart abovedepicts the fundamental logic to the renaming … forexample, the north units align with the north end of thefacility (closest to the Brandywine River).

Room numbers will also be changing, and the ITdepartment is hard at work to ensure a smoothtransition. Telephone numbers will not be changing.

Transformation layout

Existing layout

The sun begins to climb from the east behind the massivetransformation project at Christiana Care’s Wilmington

campus on a recent November morning.

Room numbering will relyon the compass’ true north

Watch for more information onthe renumbering project in

coming weeks. Visithttp://news.christianacare.org/

important for our young people, andso is providing them with positivemale role models,” says ColeenO’Connor, First State School pro-gram director.

Afinancial auditor, an operationsmanager, a General Motors

retiree, a pastor.

What do these people have in com-mon? They’re all men, and they allvisited Wilmington public schoolsNov. 3 to read to primary-schoolchildren.

It’s all part of the 100 Men ReadingDay organized by Christiana Care’sLearning Institute, the United Way ofDelaware, Brandywine Valley Friendsand the national organization ReadingIs Fundamental. Christiana Care host-ed a kick-off breakfast for the initiativethat day.

Stacey Henry, president ofBrandywine Valley Friends, with her10-year-old daughter, Imani, con-ceived of the event.

“When I was in second grade I hadtrouble reading,” says Imani. “Thenmy mom took me to Reading ASSIST.I had the best tutor in the wholeworld. Now I can read just about any-thing.” She wants other children toshare her passion for reading.

“The school visits don’t just promoteliteracy. They also encourage men toget involved as positive role modelsfor children in the community,” saysRosa Colon-Kolacko, Ph.D., MBA,Christiana Care’s senior vice presidentof System Learning and chief diversityofficer. Studies indicate many childrenlack a male role model in their lives.

Christiana Care’s First State School forchronically ill children, a collaborationwith the Delaware Department ofEducation through the Red ClayConsolidated School District, welcomed a reader that day.

“This special reading program isimportant because literacy is so

100 Men Reading Day promotes literacy and male role models for primary school children

N o v. 1 8 , 2 0 11 F O C U S ● 7

Volunteers fanned out across Wilmington public schools Nov. 3 for 100 MenReading Day, an event organized by Christiana Care’s Learning Institute, the UnitedWay of Delaware, Brandywine Valley Friends and the national organization ReadingIs Fundamental.

Terrence Townsend, operations manager inEnvironmental Services at Christiana Hospital, left,read to kindergarten students at Thomas EdisonCharter School. “It was great to have an opportunityto volunteer to encourage kids to read,” he said.Ryan Siddon, a financial auditor in Christiana Care’sInternal Audit Department (above), read to firstgraders at the Kuumba Academy Charter School. “If Ihave the opportunity, I will do it again,” Siddon says.

I N T H E C O M M U N I T Y

T R A N S F O R M A T I O N

The Christiana Care Visiting NurseAssociation now provides in New

Castle County psychiatric care, focus-ing first on homebound geriatricpatients to who are experiencing clini-cal depression and/or anxiety.

According to Connie McKelvey, MSN,RN, clinical nurse specialist for theBehavioral Health Program, depres-sion and anxiety are the most preva-lent disorders, affecting the elderlyand those with chronic illness.“Studies indicate almost 25 percent ofpatients in general medical practicesexhibit depressive symptoms,”McKelvey says. “Almost 50 percent ofpatients with chronic illness are expe-riencing depression.”

Elderly patients at high risk“The elderly are more vulnerable todepression because of things such associal isolation, loss of loved ones,acute and chronic illness, and limited

New VNA mental health programaddresses elderly in community

Christiana Care’s Compliance Hotlinecan be used to report a violation of anyregulation, law or legal requirement as it

relates to billing or documentation, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

All reports go directly to ComplianceOfficer Ronald B. Sherman.

Callers may remain anonymous.

The toll-free number is:877-REPORT-0 (877-737-6780).

at 302-623-2873.

access to medical care,” she says.

Chronic diseases and depression feedoff one another, such that diabetes,heart failure, rheumatoid arthritis,hypertension, COPD, dementia, andParkinson’s disease and other chronichealth issues worsen because ofdepressive disorders and vice versa, ata cost of tens of billions of dollarsannually.

“In addition the elderly populationhas the highest risk for successful sui-cide.”

McKelvey says the new program aimsto improve medication adherence,increase quality of life, return thepatient to the community, decreasehospitalizations and, at the end of theday, lower levels of depression andanxiety. “We will remove the barriersfor homebound patients to receivepsychiatric care and provide a bridgeto available services,” she says.

The program’s first patients willprobably enter through ChristianaCare’s geriatric practices and theAcute Care for the Elderly hospital-based programs. Psychiatric nursesand consulting psychiatrists will pro-vide a “best practice and evidence-based” set of interventions, includingevaluation and assessment, cognitive-behavioral/interpersonal therapy, fam-ily and patient education, medicationmanagement, crisis intervention,relapse prevention techniques, andrecommendations for further treat-ment.

The VNA expects to first focus on theelderly community and later expandin coming months to include treatmentto other age groups and illnesses suchas dementia, bipolar disorder andschizophrenia.

Connie McKelvey, MSN, RN, clinicalnurse specialist for the VNA BehavioralHealth Program.

8 ● F O C U S N o v 1 8 , 2 0 1 1

Alcohol treatment guidelinesgain national attention

The Agency for Healthcare Researchand Quality Innovations Exchange

website highlights Alcohol WithdrawalRisk Evaluation and Treatment guide-lines developed at Christiana Care forall patients admitted to medical andsurgical inpatient units.

Christiana Care’s Alcohol WithdrawalWorkgroup developed the guidelinesunder the leadership of Terry Horton,M.D., chief of the Division ofAddiction Medicine in the Departmentof Medicine, Ruth Mooney, Ph.D., andJo Melson, NP.

AHRQ is the research arm of the U.S.Department of Health and HumanServices focusing on health care quali-ty, costs, outcomes and patient safety.The agency’s research complementsthe biomedical research mission of itssister agency, the National Institutes ofHealth.

Anumber of Christiana Care’s Internal Medicineresidents launched a project in concert with

Christiana Care Social Work and other staff atConnectons, Homeless Cafe, 500 W. 8th St.,Wilmington, Oct. 27.

Some residents staffed “Ask the Doctor” tables andgave flu shots (courtesy of Christiana Care PharmacyServices) while others provided blood sugar, bloodpressure, body mass index and cardiovascular healthscreenings. Social Work staff provided information onhealth care access and resources.

More than 100 people attended, which led to 10 newpatient appointments scheduled that evening at theAdult Medicine Office.

The event was sponsored by the American College ofPhysicians, Delaware Chapter, Connections, andChristiana Care Social Work and Community HealthOutreach & Education departments.

C O M M U N I T Y B E N E F I T

(Clockwise from top left) J. Daniel Hess, M.D., takes amedical history from a man at Connections’ “Homeless Cafe”in Wilmington; Med-Peds resident Himani R. Divatia, D.O.,gives a patient some instructions; Clinical PharmacySpecialist Pooja Dogra gives a flu shot; Charlene Marinelli,RN, completes a cardiovascular screening form.

N o v. 1 8 , 2 0 11 F O C U S ● 9

Internal Medicine residents’ project takescare to Connections’ ‘Homeless Cafe’

Medical-Dental Staff event draws record attendance

M E D I C A L - D E N T A L S T A F F

Commendation for ExcellenceDene T. Walters, M.D. (left), received the 2011 Christiana CareMedical-Dental Staff annual Commendation for Excellence.Family and Community Medicine Vice Chair, Clinical Quality,David Bercaw, presented the honor to his long-time friend andmentor. The Commendation show above includes a portrait inoil of Dr. Walters, which still hangs in Wilmington Hospital.

1 0 ● F O C U S N o v 1 8 , 2 0 1 1

Rising Star (riz ing star) n. An annualaward presented to an individual clinicianand leader by the Christiana CareMedical-Dental Staff, approved by theclinical department chair or service-linedirector, to acknowledge the individuals’sexceptional contributions to theirdepartment and community.

–

Allen Friedland,M.D.

Drew Brady,M.D.

Reynold Agard, M.D.

SandeepGupta, M.D.

Daniel Meara, M.D., D.M.D.

Medicine Orthopaedics Pediatrics

Surgery Psychiatry OB/GYN

OMS Family Medicine Emergency Medicine

Eric T. Johnson, M.D., installed as new M-D Staff president

M E D I C A L - D E N T A L S T A F F

Eric T. Johnson, M.D.

The annual Medical-Dental Staff gather-ing Nov. 4 drew more positive RSVPs

than any M-D Staff meeting in history.

Nearly 400 doctors, spouses, health systemleaders and staff came to see friends (oldand new), meet new officers, recognize highachievements among colleagues, view thelatest art on exhibit, network with one ofthe mid-Atlantic regions best Medical-Dental Staffs and enjoy a sumptuous buffetmeal.

In addition to the Commendation forExcellence and Rising Star awards, newPresident Eric T. Johnson, M.D., acknowl-edged six doctors for outstanding perform-ance as teachers, including:

n Christine Emery, M.D., Radiology.

n Jenna Fredette, M.D., EmergencyMedicine.

n Seyedmehdi Jadali, M.D., Surgery.

n Vanita Jain M.D., OB/GYN.

n Daniel Meara, M.D., D.M.D., OralMaxillofacial Surgery & Hospital Dentistry.

n Ehsanur Rahman, M.D., FACC, Medicine.

Dr. Johnson also acknowleged those whoreceived national awards in 2011, including:

n Patricia Curtin M.D., FACP, CMD, Healthcare Hero Spirit of Women Award

n Mark Borowsky, M.D., National FacultyAward for Excellence in Medicine ResidentEducation Council on Resident Education inObstetrics & Gynecology.n Matthew Burday, D.O., FACP, AmericanCollege of Physicians’ Herbert S. WaxmanAward for Outstanding Medical StudentEducator.

Eric T. Johnson, M.D., begana two-year term as

Christiana Care Medical-DentalPresident Nov. 4.

Dr. Johnson echoed praise forthe history of collaboration andexcellence in patient carebetween Christiana Care HealthSystem and its Medical-DentalStaff as stated in welcomingremarks by Christiana CarePresident and CEO Robert J.Laskowski, M.D., MBA andimmediate past M-D StaffPresident Anand P. Panwalker,M.D.

Dr. Johnson said that as presi-dent he is committed to contin-uing the collaboration for thebenefit of both organizationsand the communities theymutually serve.

Dr. Johnson has been ChristianaCare’s Orthopaedic Trauma Servicedirector since 2002 and associatechief of the section of OrthopaedicSurgery, and the unit-based medicaldirector, orthopaedic unit, since2005.

He is a 1990 graduate of the Collegeof Medicine, The Pennsylvania StateUniversity. He completed residencyin orthopaedic surgery at the MiltonS. Hershey Medical Center and afellowship in Orthopaedic TraumaSurgery at Cooper Hospital, RobertWood Johnson Medical School.

He is a 1990 diplomate of the

Doctors gather toreconnect, meetnew colleagues,honor excellence

National Board of MedicalExaminers, and a 1999 and 2008diplomate of the American Board ofOrthopaedic Surgery.

He is also on clinical faculty atWilmington Hospital and St. FrancisHospital, and he is an adjunct pro-fessor within the University ofDelaware’s Physical Therapy pro-gram.

Dr. Johnson was named one ofDelaware Today Magazine’s TopDocs for orthopaedic surgery in2005, 2006 and 2007.

N o v. 1 8 , 2 0 11 F O C U S ● 1 1

Publishing, presentations, appointments, awards

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N o v. 1 8 , 2 0 11 F O C U S ● 1 3

S A F E T Y F I R S T

Human ResourcesFrequently called numbers

organization for all they do for ourheart patients.

Mended Hearts members visitpatients and their families who haveopen-heart surgery and undergostent placements at the ChristianaCare Center for Heart & VascularHealth — more than 20,000 patientsand 50,000 visits since 1986.

Founded with 25 members 25 yearsago, Mended Hearts of Delaware hasgrown to approximately 100 mem-bers, of which 18 volunteer atChristiana Care.

On Oct. 20, more than 75 MendedHearts members, their spouses

and health care professionals gath-ered for a 25th anniversary celebra-tion in the Center for Heart &Vascular Health lobby at ChristianaHospital.

Center for Heart & Vascular HealthMedical director Timothy Gardner,M.D., and W. Samuel Carpenter IIIDistinguished Chair ofCardiovascular Surgery MichaelBanbury, and CardiovascularSurgeon Ray Blackwell, M.D.,thanked the members of the

Mended Hearts group marks 25 years

Mended Hearts 25th anniversary celebration in October marked the club’sfounding shortly after the first open heart surgery procedures at Christiana Care. Theevent drew many former open heart surgery patients, heart surgeons, spouses andothers to the Center for Heart & Vascular Health main lobby.

1 4 ● F O C U S N o v 1 8 , 2 0 1 1

Christiana Care’s safe patient han-dling team, known as “PEEPS”,

chose the workshop on “Safe PatientHandling Considerations for theBariatric Patient” in October as thetime and place to present annualawards for leadership and support ofthe program. Senior Vice Presidentand Chief Nursing Officer DianeTalarek (fifth from left in photo) pre-sented the annual award forLeadership in Supporting the “PEEPS”Program to 4D Nurse Manager KarenMcCloud. Three more individuals andthree teams also received awards rec-ognizing their outstanding contribu-tions in supporting the PEEPS pro-gram and the safety of themselves andothers.

Chief Nursing Officer Diane Talarek, RN,(fourth from right), presented the annualPEEPS awards. Accepting the awards, fromleft, were PCT IIs Roberta Taylor andFrances Smith of 2E; Kristen Foulk of 4D;Amy Spencer of 4D/5D; Barbara Feeny of6E/7E, Angela Allen, from TSU; and JeanDorsey of Wilmington ED.

PEEPs awards recognize staff forsupporting safepatient handling

Did you know that the annualFocus on Excellence awards

submissions are available to review onthe portals?

Select Focus on Excellence 2011Projects to review the 77 entries anddon’t forget to cast your vote for thePeople’s Choice Award.

This year’s Focus on ExcellenceAwards Ceremony takes place onThusday, Dec. 1.

Guest speaker is patient safety expertMichael Leonard, M.D., principal atPascal Metrics.

In keeping with our mission and ourcommitment to our employees,

Christiana Care’s disability accommo-dation policy ensures that qualifiedindividuals with disabilities have fullaccess to all benefits of employment.The policy outlines the updates fromthe American with DisabilitiesAmendment Act (ADAAA) and out-lines the process for employees whorequire a reasonable accommodationto enable them to perform the essen-tial job functions of their position.

Disability accommodations will beaddressed on a case-by-case basis. Formore detailed information, please visitthe portal.

Still time to vote forFocus on Excellence ‘People’s Choice’

Adolescent Medicine; and Seth D.Torregiani, D.O., Internal Medicineand Pediatrics, Agada Center.

The program includes performance ofOMT on patients by the studentsunder the direct supervision of Dr.Kalina and the participating faculty.The OMT rounds will be open to allstudents, nurses, and hospital staff.

For the first time atChristiana Care, a

new training programfor osteopathic med-ical students rotatingin surgery includesinstruction in the per-formance of osteo-pathic manipulativetreatment (OMT).

Michael Kalina, D.O.,FACOS, associatemedical director ofTrauma and medicaldirector of the SurgicalStudent Clerkship,believes the rotation inosteopathic manipula-tive treatment canimprove patient careand satisfaction aswell as promote theeducation of hospitaland medical staff.

“Implementing thisprogram enables thestudents to learn a widely acceptedmedical intervention which had previ-ously not been a component of theircurriculum and professional training,”says Dr. Kalina.

OMT involves hands-on evaluation,treatment and prevention throughstretching, gentle pressure and resist-ance. The program curriculumincludes:

n Osteopathic history and physicalexamination.

n Pre-intervention discussion.

n Osteopathic manipulative treat-ment.

n Post-intervention discussion.

Faculty participating in the new train-ing program include Margot L. Waitz,D.O., director Osteopathic EducationWilmington Hospital, Family and

Osteopathic med students to receiveenhanced training during surgical rotation

N o v. 1 8 , 2 0 11 F O C U S ● 1 5

Top photo, Michael Kalina, D.O., FACOS,associate medical director of Trauma andmedical director of the Surgical StudentClerkship, (right) observes osteopathic med-ical students Jessica Westerberg Schleusner(left) and Sarah Uddinlearn learning OMTprocedure on a patient. Above, from left,Dr. Kalina welcomes medical studentsJeffrey Mufson, Erin Paulsen, Sarah Uddin,and Staci Hallenbeck, to the new OMTportion of their surgical rotation.

S Y S T E M L E A R N I N G

DisabilityAccommodation Policy

Briefly noted

Christiana Care.

Strusowski found it doesn’ttake much time to start theday with a healthy breakfast.A hard-boiled egg or Greekyogurt are both high in pro-tein, which helps to keephunger at bay. Fruit providesvitamins and fiber.

On work days, she packs asatisfying, low-calorie lunchthat combines leafy greenswith protein, such aschopped veggie burgers,plus fruit for snacks.

“I have a large appetite, so Imake lots of big salads,” shesays. “Nobody gets fat eat-ing fresh vegetables.”

Now identifies snack triggersShe also learned to identifythe triggers that set offevening snack attacks so shecould develop a coping

strategy.

“I tended to snack while I was makingdinner,” she says. “Now, I alwayshave celery sticks to nibble on whileI’m cooking.”

Learning what to buy at the grocerystore — and what to avoid buying —set Strusowski up for success.

“No high-fat foods in the pantrymeans no temptation to eat them,” shesays. “We don’t keep chips in thehouse. Instead we have 94-percent fat-free popcorn.”

She also learned it is easier to dine outif you are prepared to make choices.

“You can go online and research themenu,” she says. “Don’t be shy aboutasking the server if you can switch outthe french fries for veggies.”

Tricia Struswoski, RN, MS, is amorning person. She used to be so

eager to start each day at the Helen F.Graham Cancer Center that sheseldom ate breakfast.

She didn’t think about her ownwellness needs until she paused tocontemplate two life events.

“I had lost a very dear friend tocancer, and my birthday was comingaround,” says Strusowski, clinicaldirector of cancer programs. “I startedthinking about ways I could take bet-ter care of myself.”

At the top of her list was losingweight and learning to maintain ahealthy diet. She enrolled in on-siteWeight Watchers meetings at

Tricia Strusowski’s weight loss plan: ‘take better care of myself’

After she started losing weight,Strusowski noticed what she calls “thejigglies.” The weight was off, but herskin tone needed firming. To tone up,she turned to the employee fitnesscenter, where she gives her arms andlegs a work out with light weights. Atleast three times a week, she takes athree-mile power walk after work.

Eight months after she began herlifestyle shift, Strusowski is 32 poundslighter. Her heartburn is gone, and thedosage for her blood pressure medshas been reduced. Her bone densityand resting heart rate are good.

An added bonus: her family is morenutrition conscious. Her teenagedaughter now reads labels on foodsbefore making a choice.

“I’m grateful that Christiana Careencourages employees to be healthyby having Weight Watchers and a fit-ness center at work,” Strusowski says.“It’s much easier to take advantage ofthose resources when they areconvenient.”

After all her hard work, she figuresshe deserves a treat.

“But I don’t reward myself withfood,” she says. “Instead, it’s a newoutfit or a nice pair of sneakers.”

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C A R I N G F O R Y O U R S E L F

Tricia Struswoski, RN, MS

Ralph Benson gets back on track

In high school, Ralph Benson rancross country, a course that kept

him fit and trim.

But by his early 20s, he was on thefast track to weight problems. Hewas no longer exercising. He wasn’teating healthy foods.

“Meatball subs and doughnuts forlate-night meals,” recalls Benson, 42,an OR nurse assistant atChristiana Hospital.

Over the years, thepounds began to creepon. But the change in hisphysique didn’t hit homeuntil 1999, when Bensonwas a groomsman in awedding. He looked athimself in the photographs, alldressed up in a tuxedo.

He didn’t like what he saw.

“I looked like I had a mouthful offood — except I didn’t,” he says.

Benson weighed 240 pounds, 75pounds more than when he was inhigh school.

“The very next day, I started run-ning,” he recalls.

Within a year, he had droppedalmost 40 pounds. But exercise alonewasn’t enough to get Benson to hisoptimum weight.

“I had to change my diet,” he says.“No white bread, no white rice, nored meats.”

Instead of soda, Benson drinks lots ofwater. He sticks to lean meats, suchas turkey breast, tuna and salmon,with generous servings of fruits andveggies.

Today, he weighs 160 pounds — fivepounds less than when he was a high

C A R I N G F O R Y O U R S E L F

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school athlete. He also has regainedhis youthful energy.

“I have more pep,” he says. “I jumpout of bed in the morning.”

Benson has now completed eighthalf-marathons. This fall, he will runhis first marathon.

He works out regularly at theemployee fitness center, where he

lifts light weights and does calisthen-ics. He also enjoys yoga and exercisesthat incorporate boxing moves.

Alisa Carrozza, employee wellnessprogram coordinator, says Benson isalways willing to help others, slow-ing his pace to run with colleagueswho want to get on the fitness track.

“Having someone to run with helpsyou to go further faster,” he says. “Iremember that I couldn’t run as fastas I can now when I was just startingout.”

As a Wellness Champion, Bensonvolunteers each May at the DelawareMarathon, where Christiana Care is asponsor. He is constantly reading tolearn more about fitness.

“Ralph searches for relevantresources, tracks his progress andchanges up his exercises in order tosupport whatever fitness goal he isworking on at the time,” Carrozzasays.

She notes that other employees at thefitness center are inspired by Benson’ssuccess and willingness to share.

“I don’t preach,” he says. “But if youask me for advice, I will talk to you allday.”

“I have more pep. I jump outof bed in the morning.”

Ralph Benson

At Christiana Care,

employees have 24/7

access to fitness facilities. At

Christiana Hospital, e-mail

acarrozza@christianacare.org

or contact Joe Novack at

Wilmington Hospital at

jnovack@christianacare.org

to learn more.

Ralph Benson

Christiana Care hosted anInternational Respiratory Fellow,

Karel Roubik, Ph.D., from the CzechRepublic. Dr. Roubik developed the

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L E A R N I N G

From left, Karel Roubik Ph.D., Critical Care Coordinator John Emberger BS,RRT, FAARC and Tiffany Bollman BS, RRT discuss mechanical ventilation.

Czech professor learns from Christiana Care Respiratory team

Richard J. Derman, M.D., MPH

mon to both countries. The two-daymeeting features distinguishedresearchers from the U.S. and theRussian Federation to discuss humandevelopment and health outcomes,the effects of lifestyles on health, newtechnology in cancer, advances inendocrinology and a panel address-ing the challenges of rare diseases.

The U.S.-Russia Scientific Forum is apublic-private partnership of theFoundation for the National Institutesof Health and was created as a resultof the 2009 U.S.-Russia Bi-LateralPresidential Commission to encour-age broader U.S.-Russia research col-laboration in biomedical and behav-ioral research.

Richard J. Derman, M.D., MPH, chair,Department of Obstetrics &

Gynecology at Christiana Care, is speak-ing at this week’s U.S.-Russia ScientificForum on human development, heldNov. 16-17 at the Russian Institute ofScience in Moscow.

Dr. Derman addresses the leading causesof maternal and neonatal mortality andimpact of his teams’ research to affectMillenium Development Goals. TheNational Institutes of Health and U.S.State Department invited Dr. Derman tospeak.

The conference brings scientific leaders ofgovernment, academic institutions andindustry together to tackle themes com-

Richard Derman, M.D., speaks at Moscow scientific forum

first respiratory care program in hiscountry where the first class of respi-ratory therapists in the CzechRepublic soon will graduate.

The American RespiratoryCare Foundation and the AmericanAssociation for Respiratory Careestablished the program that enabledDr. Roubik to visit. The programpromotes the exchange and develop-ment of the art and science of respira-tory care and provides assistance tocountries that want to establish therespiratory care profession, saysChristiana Care’s John Emberger, BS,RRT, FAARC, host city coordinator.

Dr. Roubik spent a week at ChristianaCare observing respiratory care inmany different environments, includ-ing critical, general, long-term, pedi-atric, neonatal and home care. He alsolearned about education respiratorystudents with DelTech and Millersvillerespiratory programs, and spent aweek in Joplin, Mo., before attendingthe International RespiratoryConference in Tampa, Fla.

tion to the tinnitus perception. Thelow-level sound creates sound enrich-ment and allows the brain to de-emphasize the tinnitus.

Sound generators look like a hearingaid and emit a pleasant sound similarto that of a shower. Combination hear-ing aid and sound generator devicesmay be recommended when hearingloss is present. Combination instru-ments provide noise for the tinnitusand amplification for communicationneeds.

If you suspect that you might havetinnitus, avoid silence, and enrichyour daily life with enjoyable soundsthat keep you from focusing on thetinnitus. If tinnitus, hypersensitivity orboth conditions are impacting yourlife, you should be evaluated by anaudiologist with specialty training intinnitus and hypersensitivity.

To schedule a consultation or torequest more information, call 623-4050.

among returning military personnel.Among the general population, 17percent (44 million Americans) expe-rience symptoms of tinnitus. Mostare able to ignore the symptoms, butsome 8 million have a significantproblem and 2 million have a debili-tating problem that can impact theirsleep cycle and lead to depression,more noticeable symptoms and aneed for professional help.

Noise exposure is the most commoncause of tinnitus, but the condition isfrequently associated with Meniere’sdisease, hearing loss, otosclerosis,sinus/ear infections, head injury,tumors, diabetes, thyroid disorders,jaw muscle malfunctions, and morethan 200 prescription and non-pre-scription drugs.

Tinnitus retraining therapy uses acombination of directive counselingand low-level auditory sound thera-py to initiate and facilitate habitua-

Help available for tinnitus and hypersensitivity to sound

Do you experience bothersomeear noises (tinnitus) or hyper-

sensitivity to sound (hyperacusis)?

The Christiana Care AudiologyDepartment, in MAP 2 Suite 1205,offers retraining therapy for bothconditions to relieve symptoms andreduce the impact of phantom audi-tory perception in the ears or headthat are frequently described as ring-ing, buzzing, humming or hissing.

Tinnitus is a conscious experience ofa sound that originates in the mind— a perceived sound that is internaland cannot be heard by others.

Hyperacusis is a hearing disorder inwhich a person reflects abnormallystrong reactions resulting from expo-sure to a sound. A person may expe-rience physical discomfort as a resultof exposure to quiet, medium, orloud sounds.

The prevalence of tinnitus in ourpopulation is increasing, especially

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Anesthesiology team helps Delaware Health Information Network

When the Delaware Health InformationNetwork (DHIN) needed technical advice on

keeping health information fluid, DHIN’s board sec-retary, Bettina Rivera, turned to Christiana Care’sAnesthesiology team. Anesthesiologist MarkSchneider, M.D., began advising DHIN severalmonths ago. Rivera, came visiting on Nov. 15.

The board chair of DHIN is Chrisitana Care VicePresident, Information Technology RandyGaboriault, who has participated in some of thediscussions.

Bettina Riveros, secretary of the board of the DelawareHealth Information Network, (front/left) questions MarkSchneider, M.D., during a visit Nov. 15 to ChristianaHospital’s Perioperative Services Perioperative Services.In the background are Christiana Care Chief MedicalOfficer Janice Nevin, M.D., MPH, and Chair ofAnesthesiology Kenneth Silverstein, M.D.

five days a week reduced the incidenceof diabetes by an impressive 58 per-cent.

The ADA recommends testing for pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes for adultswho are overweight and have at leastone other risk factor, such as a familyhistory of the disease, diabetes duringpregnancy or high blood pressure.Adults who don’t have risk factorsshould have a glucose test every threeyears, starting at age 45.

Warning signs include frequent urina-tion, excessive thirst, unexplainedweight loss and extreme hunger.People also might experience fatigue,sudden changes in vision and tinglingor numbness in hands or feet. Theirskin might get dry and sores take along time to heal.

Employees with diabetes who carrymedical insurance through Christiana Careare eligible for free diabetes education andnutrition counseling through PMRI. Toschedule an appointment, call 302-661-3000.

November is American DiabetesMonth, a time to raise awareness

of the dangers of the disease and waysto prevent it.

Diabetes is growing all year, with anew diagnosis every 17 seconds. Lastyear, 1.9 million Americans 20 andolder were diagnosed, according tothe American Diabetes Association(ADA). At that rate, one in threeadults will have the disease by 2050,according to the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention.

Type 1 diabetes results when the bodydoesn’t produce insulin and is usuallyfound in children and young adults.Type 2, which accounts for more than90 percent of diabetes, occurs whenthe body has a shortage of insulin, adecreased ability to use insulin, orboth.

Insulin is the hormone that allows glu-cose, or sugar, to enter our cells and beconverted to energy. Without insulin,glucose and fats stay in the blood and

Don’t be another statistic in the rise of diabetesharm vital organs.

Diabetes can lead to serious condi-tions, including kidney failure, blind-ness and amputation of the lowerextremities, usually starting with thetoes. People with diabetes also are farmore likely to suffer stroke or heartdisease.

In addition to its toll on individualsand their loved ones, diabetes is adrain on society. On average, peoplewith diabetes require twice as much inhealth care costs as people who don’thave the disease.

So what can we do? Lots! Individualshave a significant say in whether theydevelop diabetes or not.

The Diabetes Prevention Program, agovernment-funded study of people athigh risk for diabetes, showed thatpeople can delay and — and possiblyprevent — diabetes through diet andexercise. In fact, losing as little as 7percent of body weight, eating healthyand exercising 30 minutes a day for

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P R E V E N T I N G D I A B E T E S

Learn more from an expert. Join JamesLenhard, M.D., (above) inpatient medicaldirector of Christiana Care’s DiabetesProgram, for his lecture ''What You Needto Know to Stay Healthy and PreventDiabetes'' on Monday, from 9-10 a.m. onNov. 21 in the John H. Ammon MedicalEducation Center Rooms 2 and 3.Register now via the Education Center.

Christiana Care’s Women’sHealth Services team

partnered with NeighborhoodHouse, Inc., People’sSettlement Association andKingswood CommunityCenter, Inc. to conductPhotovoice, a local research projectusing photography by teens to helpidentify and understand the barriers,facilitators and social norms of youthsin Wilmington.

Compared to other cities across thestate, Wilmington has a compartivelyhigher teen pregnancy rate and fewer

kids staying in school.

On Sept. 27 at theDelaware Center forContemporary Arts,Wilmington teens unveiledtheir Photovoice images toan enthusiastic audience of

parents, community leaders and localpolicy makers.

The project received funding fromfrom Delaware’s Division of PublicHealth and the T.D. CharitableFoundation.

Visit Christiana Care’s Flickr photo-stream for complete details.

Photovoice project engages, empowers Wilmington teens

state occurring approximately two daysafter initiation of therapy. Therefore, therecommended timing of a blood sampleshould be drawn 4 to 6 hours after the 3rddose. The recommended therapeutic rangefor treatment doses of twice daily dosing is0.5 to 1.0 U/mL and for once daily dosingis 0.7 to 1.5 U/mL. Monitoring prophylac-tic doses of LMWHs is not routinely per-formed, thus guidelines for target peakanti-Xa levels for prophylactic regimensare not available.

The Pharmacy and TherapeuticsFunctional Improvement Committee (P&T)has authorized pharmacists to order anti-Xa levels in patients meeting certain crite-ria. The criteria includes patients with oneof the following: (1) renal dysfunction(CrCl < 40 ml/min), (2) fluctuating renalfunction, (3) weight greater than 160 kg,and (4) pregnant women who are receivingtreatment doses. The policy states that thefrequency of monitoring will not exceedone level per every 48 hours. This policywas developed to establish a standard toincrease safety for patients receiving anti-coagulant therapy and reduce patientharm in accordance with the NationalPatient Safety Goal #3 (NPSG3) as identi-fied by the Joint Commission.

Anti-Xa levels are used for monitoringanticoagulation with low-molecular-

weight heparins (LMWHs). Theantithrombotic effect of enoxaparin anddalteparin is well-correlated to the inhibi-tion of factor Xa.

Similar to unfractionated heparin (UFH),LMWHs are generally used for two pur-poses:

n Prophylaxis against venous thromboem-bolism disease

n Treatment of thrombotic or thromboem-bolic disease

Formulary LMWH treatment regimens areweight based and rounded to the appro-priate dose. These regimens include:

n Enoxaparin 1 mg/kg SQ Q 12.

n Enoxaparin 1 mg/kg SQ daily (renaldysfunction).

n Enoxaparin 1.5 mg/kg SQ daily.

n Dalteparin 200 IU/kg SQ daily.

n Dalteparin 150 IU/KG SQ daily.

Therapeutic notesMonitoring of low-molecular weight heparinsBy Suhani S. Shah, Pharm.D.

Formulary update - October 2011

PH A R M A C Y & TH E R A P E U T I C S

Although not routinely required for allpatients, specific patient populations maybenefit from the monitoring of anti Xa lev-els. This will help ensure standard dosingregimens of enoxaparin or dalteparin areappropriate.

n Renal impairment (CrCl<30ml/min):Due to the renal elimination of LMWHs,these patients can experience drug accu-mulation resulting in an increase of bleed-ing complications.

n Obesity (>160 kg): In the obese patientpopulation (BMI 30-48 kg/m2), data is lim-ited as dosing guidelines have not beenwell established in clinical trials.

n Pregnancy: Pregnant women receivingenoxaparin should also be carefully moni-tored for evidence of bleeding or excessiveanticoagulation because hemorrhage canoccur at any site and may lead to death ofmother and/or fetus. In pregnant womenthe requirements for the dose of enoxa-parin can vary as the pregnancy progressesthrough each trimester.

In the above situations, anti-Xa levels atsteady state may be used to guide dose-reduction to avoid exceeding recommend-ed peak levels. Peak plasma anti-factor Xalevels typically occur 4 to 6 hours aftersubcutaneous administration, with steady

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The “Battle for the Cure” volleyball event held by highschool athletes from Archmere Academy in Claymont

and St. Elizabeth’s High School in Wilmington brought in$10,400 to benefit the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center.

The game, during National Breast Cancer AwarenessMonth in October, doubles as a fundraiser. The venuealternates between St. Elizabeth’s and Archmere gyms andthis year took place Oct. 11 at Archmere.

Total fundraising for the Graham Cancer Center since the

event started in 2007 now stands at $48,437.

While the annual game is the main focus, students are alsothe main engine for garnering financial support, throughsales of T-shirts, student-made bracelets, homemade bakedgoods, raffles and other efforts. This year, a beautiful hand-made quilt depicting breast cancer awareness, sold at anauction on game day for $650.

To learn more about the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center atChristiana Care, visit www.christianacare.org/Cancer.

‘Battle for a Cure’ benefits Helen F. Graham Cancer Center

Sydney Lysinger, 15, center, an Archmere Academy student who was diagnosed and benefitted from cancer treatment at theHelen F. Graham Cancer Center, presents a check for $10,400 on behalf of the annual “Battle for the Cure,” to Patrick A.Grusenmeyer, Sc.D., FACHE, president, Christiana Care Health Initiatives and senior vice president, Cancer and ImagingServices. Members and friends of the Archmere and St. Elizabeth’s volleyball teams fill the stands in the background.

I N T H E C O M M U N I T Y

SNAPSHOT: American Heart Association Annual Heart Walk, Sept. 11, 2011

The annual AHA Heart Walk at the Wilmington Riverfront drew a record number of walkers on its 20th anniversary, includinghundreds of Christiana Care employees. The major community event promotes awareness while raising funds to fight heart diseaseand stroke. Seated above front and center are William Weintraub, M.D., the John H. Ammon Chair of Cardiology at Christiana Careand Mitchell Saltzberg, M.D., medical director of the Heart Failure Program.

I N T H E C O M M U N I T Y

More than 20 employees fromnine Christiana Care Health

System departments screened andeducated 1,000 people at the two-dayKennett Square Mushroom Festival.

Teams from Christiana CareCardiology of Southern ChesterCounty and the Center for Heart &Vascular Health provided blood-pres-sure screenings for 110 people. TheChristiana Care Nuclear Medicineteam screened 20 women for osteo-porosis, and Christiana Care ExerciseServices provided body-mass index(BMI) screenings for 110 people.Surgeons from the Center forAdvanced Joint Replacement atChristiana Care spoke with more than100 people about healthy bones andjoints, and about options for treatingarthritis pain and other hip and kneeproblems.

Christiana Care was a first-time spon-sor this year. Proceeds from the festi-val go to 31 area non-profits.

Nine departmentsscreen, educate1,000 people atMushroom Festival

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Heart failure, orthopaedicshold major education events

The Fourth Annual Heart Failure Summit, Oct. 21 at the University of Delaware,led by Mitchell Saltzberg, M.D., ACC, FAHA and Carolyn Moffa, MSN, FNP-C,CHFN, (above) featured presentations from members of the Christiana Care Centerfor Heart & Vascular Health and Heart Failure Program. Topics included leftventricular assist devices, management of the heart failure patient in theEmergency Department, assessment of cardiac hemodynamics, a heart failure casepresentation, Joint Commission heart failure core measures, self-care strategies inheart failure and optimizing ICDs and other device therapies in heart failure care.

Christiana Care’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery hosted the Fourth AnnualDelaware Orthopaedic Symposium Oct. 29, at the John H. Ammon MedicalEducation Center at Christiana Hospital. The sold-out symposium included threelearning tracks: orthopaedic surgery, primary care orthopaedic medicine andorthopaedic nursing. U.S. Rep. John Carney, this year’s keynote speaker, talkedabout the role of health care in adding pressures on the federal budget. The techni-cal sections included a live dissection of a knee broadcast from the morgue to theAmmon Center by Steven Dellose, M.D., and Eric Johnson, M.D.

Orthopaedic surgeon Leo W. Raisis, M.D.,explains how a replacement joint can helppatients live more active, healthier lives.

Unwanted or expired medicationscause thousands of accidental

poisonings each year and show up inmunicipal water supplies.

Christiana Care sponsored anotherMedication Cabinet Clean-Out DayOct. 29, collecting 1,000 pounds ofexpired prescriptions and otherunneeded drugs and medicalmaterials.

Last held April 30, the eventencouraged neighbors once again tobring in pharmaceuticals, inhalers,over-the-counter pills, vitamins, petmedicines and liquid medications. Thecollectors’ only request was that itemsbe kept in their original containers.

Other sponsors are Drug EnforcementAdministration and the DelawareState Police.

PRSRT STD

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

WILMINGTON DE

PERMIT NO. 357

External Affairs

P.O. Box 1668

Wilmington, DE 19899-1668

www.christianacare.org

P R I N T E D O N

R E C Y C L E D P A P E R

Medicine Cabinet Clean Out Day nets a half ton of materials

Scott Samples, MBA, Pharm.D, director, Inpatient Pharmacy Operations,Christiana Hospital, accepts a bag of unwanted medications from aconscientious neighbor who took advantage of Christiana Care’s offer tosafely dispose of the community’s unwanted medicine cabinet materials.