February Message from Steven L. Strongwater MD, CEO

As part of the year-long strategic planning process recently completed, SBUMC identified several key areas of focus important to the communities we serve. The following speaks about the progress we have made.

Helping patients and those who care for them at the end of life is an important need. As a result, we plan to open a dedicated Palliative Care Unit. Under the guidance and direction of Lynn Hallarman, MD, the founding physician of our Survivorship and Supportive Care Program, who is board certified in internal medicine and hospice and palliative care, the new Unit will embrace and support the special needs of patients and families going through a traumatic period in their lives. We are currently assessing options with respect to physical space and evaluating staffing needs and other patient- and family-oriented considerations to finalize plans for the creation of a Palliative Care Unit.

The need to design physical space in the Hospital for patient centeredness, as we are doing with the planned Palliative Care Unit, is a commitment we have made and are incorporating throughout the Strategic Plan. Even in a large hospital, it is possible to create intimate, supportive environments. Stony Brook has done so successfully on many units including Pediatrics, Cardiac, Bone Marrow Transplant, Cancer, Surgical, and Obstetrical. The embodiment of this part of the plan is a program called Patient and Family Centered Care (PFCC), led by Chief Nursing Officer Lee Xippolitos. The PFCC program will rely on patients and families to provide input and advice to help us redesign workflow, design new spaces, hire staff, and participate in committee processes. For instance, we invited a former patient to participate in a medication safety retreat held in late December, which proved to be extremely helpful in conceptualizing best practice.

Improving systems of communication was identified as an area of need in the Strategic Plan and has become a major theme. One initiative to enhance communications that is near completion is the installation of a new SBUMC-wide antennae system, which will allow cell phone reception everywhere on campus, including on all levels and in all areas of the Health Sciences Center. We have also been working hard to make it possible for physicians and other providers on and off campus to rely on the Electronic Medical Record (EMR), enabling real- time communications among multiple providers. Embedded in the EMR are multiple safety enhancements for patient care such as an automated prompt to prevent drug interactions; a verification tool that monitors the safety of administering medications in renal failure; reminders, checklists, and more. Another communication initiative is our expanded efforts with CaringBridge®, an Internet-based program that enables HIPAA-compliant messaging between patients, their families, and friends. We have been working closely with CaringBridge since December to encourage and enhance patient and family communication. Recently, a father of one of our pediatric patients was featured in a Newsday article detailing his use of the CaringBridge Web site to communicate what his son is going through. It is a touching story titled, “Nesconset Dad writes to give his injured teen a voice.” The story recognizes the power of this important communication tool.

SBUMC is committed to bringing unique services to the people of Suffolk County. For example, through the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and the Department of Radiology, we have recruited a renowned national expert in noninvasive advanced cardiac imaging. Michael Poon, MD, helped develop the technology for CT visualization of coronary arteries. Patients with chest pain can now undergo a heart scan, much like any other CT scan, to determine the anatomy of the heart blood vessels. This diagnostic imaging exam shows with close to 100 percent accuracy when a coronary artery is clear (i.e. open), and a patient requires no further testing. This is important because many causes of chest pain come from conditions like esophageal reflux or gall bladder disease, and many patients will never need invasive treatment such as cardiac catheterization. If the image shows a vessel is clogged, it can be treated appropriately with angioplasty or surgery. Sophisticated imaging technology now available at SBUMC has made it possible to make this determination accurately. Dr. Poon’s ongoing research promises more enhancements, particularly as he partners with Brookhaven National Laboratory, a leader in developing imaging modalities. These are just some of the initiatives underway as part of the SBUMC strategic plan.

This update provides a glimpse into the ways SBUMC is enhancing programs to bring a higher level of quality, patient safety, patient satisfaction, and community outreach.

STONY BROOK PRIDE
Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) goes live. After five years of preparation, the final component of the EMR (electronic medical record), CPOE, has been activated! This allows for orders to be automatically checked for safety–a major advance in patient safety. In the HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) EMR Adoption Model, we have moved from Stage 3 to Stage 4 based on third-quarter 2008 data. HIMSS Analytics is the authoritative source on EMR Adoption trends that devised the EMRAM to track EMR progress at hospitals and health systems. The EMRAM scores hospitals in the HIMSS Analytics Database on their progress in completing the eight stages to creating a paperless patient record environment. Only about 2 percent of hospitals in the HIMSS database of 5,050 have achieved this stage. Our thanks to all who participated in this process. A major achievement for SBUMC!

SBUMC’s Endoscopy Unit earns distinction. Under the leadership of Jonathan M. Buscaglia, MD, Stony Brook’s Endoscopy Unit has been designated a “Recognized Endoscopy Unit” by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) for a period of three years. This designation recognizes the Unit’s excellence in quality and patient safety. Dr. Buscaglia applied the tenets of quality-related ASGE and CDC guidelines. Congratulations to Dr. Buscaglia and the endoscopy staff, particularly Mary Catalano, Administrative Director of Perioperative Services.

First use of robot on Long Island to treat electrical heart arrhythmias! SBUMC has acquired the Sensei® Robotic Catheter System made by Hansen Medical, Inc., to treat electrical heart arrhythmias. On January 27, Dr. Eric Rashba and colleagues in the electrophysiology laboratory performed the first robotic atrial fibrillation ablation procedure on Long Island using the newly acquired Hansen robotic catheter. According to Dr. David Brown, Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine and Co-Director of the Stony Brook University Heart Center, atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia, occurring in over two million Americans. It is associated with very bothersome symptoms including palpitations and exercise intolerance. More significantly, patients with atrial fibrillation are at as much as a seven-fold increased risk of stroke compared to the general population. Anti-arrhythmic medications are effective only about 50 to 60 percent of the time and are associated with potentially dangerous side effects. Ablation therapy holds great promise for the cure of atrial fibrillation in appropriate patients. The Hansen robotic catheter gives our electrophysiologists more accurate and stable control of catheter movement during these
complex and delicate procedures.

SBUMC Pediatric Echocardiography Laboratory secures ICAEL accreditation. SBUMC’s Pediatric Echocardiography Laboratory has been accredited for Pediatric Transthoracic and Fetal Echocardiography by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories (ICAEL). SBUMC is one of only a handful of medical centers across New York State to receive this designation, which recognizes our commitment to quality testing for the diagnosis of heart disease in children. The accreditation, in effect through December 2011, was issued after independent review of the Echo Labs in the Pediatric Cardiac Clinic on Level 5 of the Hospital. Congratulations to Dr. Thomas Biancaniello, Chief of Pediatric Cardiology, Dr. Peter Morelli, Pediatric Cardiologist and Director of Noninvasive Cardiology, and the entire staff on obtaining this accreditation.

On the road to Magnet. On January 15, Chief Nursing Officer Lee Xippolitos and I opened the third Nursing Magnet Ambassador meeting by recognizing the dedication of our nursing professionals at SBUMC. The meeting gathered SBUMC Magnet Ambassadors, Nursing Quality Fellows, and nurses representing their units of service, as they presented the contributions and achievements their teams have made in moving SBUMC forward on our journey to excellence. Nurses have applied for the coveted American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing, the highest award bestowed to hospitals where nurses excel in the areas of Transformational Leadership; Structural Empowerment; Exemplary Professional Practice; and New Knowledge, Innovations and Improvements, as measured by outcome data that exceed national averages. Before recognition, our nurses must complete an extensive documentation period, followed by a site visit from ANCC appraisers. SBUMC nurses have embarked on a journey towards excellence that will provide the ultimate benchmark for patients choosing SBUMC, and for SBUMC being a great place to work!

Kidney Transplant Program thriving. The Kidney Transplant Program, which recently celebrated its milestone 1,000th transplant, reports a total of 79 transplants in 2008—an overall increase of approximately nine percent. Dave Bekofsky, Program Administrator, also notes that deceased donor kidneys increased by more than 30 percent over last year.

Pediatric Hospitalist Team expands. The Department of Pediatrics is pleased to announce the appointment of Rosa Cataldo, DO, as a Clinical Instructor. Dr. Cataldo is board certified in pediatrics and joins her colleagues Drs. Boykan, Chitkara, Daniel, and Milana in the Department of Pediatrics Hospitalist Program. Dr. Cataldo completed residency training in pediatrics at Stony Brook University Medical Center, where she served as the Chief Resident in her last year. She is the 2007 recipient of the SBUMC Citizenship and Collegiality Award and received the department’s teaching award for teaching pediatric residents in 2004 and again in 2007.

Grateful patient donates $55,000 to the Department of Neurosurgery. The Department of Neurosurgery received an initial $5,000 gift last year, followed by an additional $50,000 gift in honor of Dr. Raphael Davis. These gifts were made by a grateful patient who wanted to give back as a result of the excellent care received from Dr. Davis and SBUMC. Congratulations to Dr. Davis and the Department of Neurosurgery.

Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) donates $50,000. As part of a long-term commitment to support breast and prostate cancer research, The Ward Melville Heritage Organization and SBUMC support the annual Walk for Beauty. As a result of this year’s walk, SBUMC was presented a check for $50,000 by Gloria Rocchio, president of WMHO. We thank the community and WMHO for supporting this important research. A special thanks to Yvonne Spreckels and Mike McClain for helping to organize this event.

Decision Support Services to present at prestigious MIT symposium. The Decision Support Services Department will present a poster titled, “Assuring Data Integrity for Healthcare Public Reporting and Using Results to Evaluate Patient Care Quality,” which was accepted for presentation at the MIT Information Quality Industry Symposium, an international, multi-industry conference scheduled for July 2009. This presentation will lay out the steps taken at Stony Brook University Medical Center to assure the quality of our databases used for reporting and performance improvement. Decision Support Services had validation rates between 95 and 97 percent in 2008 in CMS chart audits. Well done and congratulations!

PICU’s Family Advocacy Board presents to National Conference. The PICU Family Advisory Board’s poster was accepted for presentation at the 8th Annual Quality Improvement Forum of the National Institute for Children’s Healthcare Quality (NICHQ). NICHQ is an action-oriented organization dedicated solely to improving the quality of healthcare provided to children. The poster titled, “A Guide to Developing a Unit-Based Advocacy Board,” will be displayed at the NICHQ meeting in March. This poster received one of three Quality Awards from the Permanente Group at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Quality Forum in Nashville. Members were asked to translate their award-winning poster into an article for the fall 2009 issue of Permanente Journal, a peer-reviewed journal of medical science, social science in medicine, and medical humanities. Congratulations!

Cost-saving idea rewarded. Arthur (Artie) Amman, Director of Hospital Purchasing, was recognized by the New York State Civil Service Commission for insights that led to improved State operations concerning vendor payments. Artie was recognized at the January Department Head Meeting, where he received a Certificate of Merit issued by the Civil Service Commission. He generously donated the $500 cash award to the SBUMC Sunrise Fund, which benefits children with cancer. Artie will head up a new initiative to save Hospital and Campus expenses by establishing an internal vendor recovery program.

Gary Dasaro named Hospital Director of Purchasing. With Artie’s new focus, Chief Financial Officer Dennis W. Mitchell announced that Gary Dasaro has been named Director of Purchasing. Gary has done a great job negotiating key contracts, many related to the Major Modernization Project. He will continue to make modifications to transform Purchasing for the future and assist Hospital departments in accessing quality and cost-effective supplies and services. Congratulations Gary!

PATIENT SAFETY
Annual presentation of performance improvement made to Governing Body Committee. Carol Gomes summarized the many safety and quality achievements and plans for the 2009 fiscal year in a presentation to President Kenny and the Governing Body Committee on January 23. The scope of work performed, and regional and national recognition was impressive! Thank you all for your commitment to a culture of safety.

SBUMC observes National Patient Safety Awareness Week. As a member of the National Patient Safety Foundation, SBUMC is supporting the national education and awareness campaign for improving patient safety. During the week of March 8 to 14, SBUMC will host activities throughout the Hospital to promote processes to improve patient safety. On Wednesday, March 11, a “Patient Safety Fair” will be held in the Hospital Lobby, where the community is invited to join us and learn about how to partner with their healthcare providers to enhance safety. Free blood pressure screenings and educational materials and resources will be offered. This year’s slogan is “A Prescription for Patient Safety: One Partnership, One Team.” We urge you to join our team and partner for your health.

Joint Commission Report favorable for SBUMC. A recent Joint Commission S3 Report—“Strategic Surveillance System Report”—ranked our current performance (through the fourth quarter of 2008) better than state, national, and UHC averages. The S3 Report is a document that assesses our performance and compares it to the average of various other groups. The point total is calculated by summing up individual issues that include information obtained from previous Joint Commission surveys, complaint data, sentinel events, MedPar (Medicare) data, and ORYX data (similar to core measures for acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and community-acquired pneumonia plus obstetric indicators). Although we can all be proud of our performance scores, there is room for improvement, especially with our goals of attaining Magnet status and ranking in the top 10 percent of hospitals nationwide.

SBUMC implements major Electronic Patient Record (EPR) initiative. On January 28, Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) and Electronic Medication Administration Record (eMAR) were implemented on the pilot inpatient units of 15 North and 15 South. Beginning February 2, and continuing for the next week, CPOE and eMAR will be rolled out to the remainder of the inpatient units and the Emergency Department. These new additions to the EPR will further improve patient safety and quality of care. Physicians will be able to enter orders directly into the computer and receive feedback on safe prescribing practices and best standards of care. Legibility issues will be rendered obsolete. Nurses will be able to electronically view the physician orders and chart them on eMAR. Hundreds of individuals from the Medical Staff, Nursing, and Information Technology have collaborated during the past several years on this project, including key individuals; namely, Dr. Thomas Biancaniello, CMO and Executive Sponsor of the EPR Project; Linda Shanley, CIO; Kathy Holzmacher, Director of Clinical Informatics; and Dr. Richard Barnett, Chief Medical Information Officer. Additionally, thousands (yes, thousands!) of doctors, nurses, and other Hospital personnel have been trained to effectively utilize these new applications in their workflow. With this addition to the electronic database, we will dramatically improve our ability to report some of the astonishing new advancements in care, which have been associated with our Medical Center.

Raising awareness of deep vein thrombosis. Proactive prevention is key to avoiding deep vein thrombosis (DVT), blood clots occurring primarily in the veins of your legs, and the possibility of a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. Vascular surgeon Antonios Gasparis, MD, is leading the newly established DVT Team, which is working closely with our Nursing Department in efforts to raise awareness of the risks for developing DVT. F. Barry Florence, MD, Director of Ambulatory Surgery, was instrumental in the creation of the DVT Team, as was Mary Schroeter of Continuous Quality Improvement. Doreen Elitharp, the Team’s dedicated nurse practitioner, is working to ensure compliance with national standards. The DVT Team will develop ways to advance education, research, and treatment. Progress to date includes a DVT assessment and order form introduced hospital wide, Internet and Intranet connections for DVT information, and the creation of a patient education brochure. The DVT Team will be involved in ongoing efforts concerning this very important health initiative. In observance of DVT awareness month in March, Anthony Comerota, MD, a world-renowned expert on venous thromboembolism, will present multiple lectures during Hospital Grand Rounds on March 25 and 26.

Nationally renowned crew resource management (CRM) expert visits SBUMC. Rhea Seddon, MD, a surgeon and NASA astronaut currently affiliated with Vanderbilt Medical Group, will visit on February 10 and 11 to meet with key stakeholders who will pilot the use of CRM techniques to improve communication and enhance patient safety efforts. A good example of CRM is the incident involving the recent emergency aircraft landing on the Hudson River. Many lives were saved, which we have to believe was the result of a tightly organized and practiced communication process among the captain and crew. Healthcare is no different. Physicians, nurses, staff members, patients, and family members can improve communication processes leading to better outcomes. On February 10, Dr. Seddon will meet with the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Clinical Service Group and the Clinical Chairs. On February 11, a training session is scheduled for key stakeholders from the ICUs, Emergency Department, Operating Room, and Obstetrics and Gynecology to learn CRM techniques to be applied to Hospital communication processes. At noon on February 11, please join us for Administrative Grand Rounds as Dr. Seddon demonstrates how CRM can save lives. We look forward to learning more and hearing about the positive impact and outcomes relating to the CRM pilot.

Management Engineering partners with healthcare team to study SBUH processes. As SBUH goes live with Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE), the Management Engineering Department is assisting Pharmacy to review the medication process turnaround time from physician order to delivery of first dose. This is a recurring review coinciding with implementation of the Electronic Patient Record and process changes in Pharmacy. Previous studies reviewed the impact of the implementation of PharmNet and Pyxis Connect. This study will provide baseline data for CPOE. In addition, Management Engineering is conducting a study with nursing leadership at the Cancer Center to evaluate the Nurse Navigator program by collecting and analyzing workload data. The study is an invaluable step in improving the utilization and effectiveness of this important patient care resource, and the development of a staffing model consistent with the strategic goals of the Cancer Center.

Continuous Quality Improvement Team seeks to improve pneumonia core measures. One of our performance improvement priorities is to achieve 95 percent compliance with the composite score for pneumonia core measures. This means that every indicator in the core measure set must hit a minimum of 95 percent compliance, which includes timing of the antibiotic, blood cultures collected prior to antibiotic administration, oxygenation assessment, and pneumococcal/influenza administration. To achieve these goals, we must work together to systematically deploy best practices. Key stakeholders from Medicine and the ED will be working with Karen Chase, a CQI facilitator, to improve pneumonia core measure outcomes. Part of the effort will involve planning to collect real-time data to more readily impact timely change. The team’s goal is to achieve and maintain a 95 percent pneumonia composite score by June 2009.

Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) focuses on “Triple Aim” in 2009. At the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s annual conference in December, Dr. Donald Berwick, CEO and founder of IHI, unveiled its approach to continuing to save lives in healthcare. The “Triple Aim” will focus on implementing the World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist; preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infections; and linking quality and financial management. The WHO Surgical Safety Checklist is a tool created by leaders in surgery, anesthesia, nursing, and quality management to decrease the number of errors and complications resulting from surgery. With respect to the prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infections, pilots are already in place and modifications to bundles will be tweaked to use suggested best practices offered by the IHI. Finally, quality management is working collaboratively with many services to focus on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) “Never Events” (preventable hospital conditions) to reduce risk to patients, improve outcomes, and ensure proper reimbursement. Several of these initiatives are already in progress and status reports will be provided as we strive to achieve goals.

PATIENT SATISFACTION
SBUMC to participate in the Urgent Matters Learning Network II. Urgent Matters is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation program in collaboration with the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. SBUMC’s selection recognizes our commitment to increasing access to high quality healthcare by improving hospital and Emergency Department patient flow. Over the next 18 months, the Urgent Matters Team will work closely with Eileen Dowdy, RN, Eric Niegelberg, Administrative Director for Emergency Services, and other Medical Center staff on this important project, the success of which will result in numerous benefits, among them better patient outcomes, and increased patient, physician, and staff satisfaction.

Baldrige retreat planned in February. The Senior Executive Group, Baldrige Workgroup Leaders, and Baldrige Liaisons will meet on February 9 to discuss prioritizing action plans and working toward finalizing application content. These groups have been working diligently to conduct gap analyses, develop action plans, and write application content as we move toward the goal of applying for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in May 2009.

Cancer Center forms clinical service group. A Cancer Quality Service Group was formed by Cancer Service Leadership and Quality Management to improve patient care, satisfaction, and clinical outcomes, as well as increase enrollment in clinical research trials. The group is examining evidence-based literature to develop clinical guidelines and clinical care pathways to support changes in practice. Disease management team leaders and Tumor Boards have been asked to review the current specialty guidelines and work in conjunction with those involved in research and clinical trials to identify practice goals. These recommendations will eventually translate into metrics for the service’s dashboard.

Patient satisfaction drives much of what we do at SBUMC. We are continually looking at ways to enhance the experience of patients and their families, in addition to participating in assessment and evaluations about our performance so that we can respond to areas that may need our attention.

Enhancing the patient experience.

• There are times when patients must be admitted to an inpatient unit from our busy ED, without having a room assignment. While waiting for a room, patients are cared for on the unit in specially designated alcoves, where they are made as comfortable as possible. Beginning in January, the Linen Service began providing these patients with robes, affording them more privacy while waiting for a room assignment.
•  Reducing noise on patient units is everyone’s job. To reduce noise levels, the Housekeeping Department replaced all wheels on rolling equipment used by housekeepers with wide rubber wheels that are much quieter than the standard wheels most equipment is fitted with.
• In December, a major portion of the new ED was opened. In addition to new surroundings that make treating emergency patients more efficient, ED patients and their families will also get the attention of a new team of volunteers who are being trained and dispatched to the ED to act as liaisons between patients and staff. Clinical Assistant Laura Schuster, Patient Representative Kelly McGovern, and Assistant Director of Volunteer Services Kathy Kress designed a volunteer assignment that enriches the volunteer experience and provides individualized attention to the patient. ED volunteers will offer patients blankets, pillows, and slipper socks; help with adjusting televisions and making telephone calls; and provide other assistance.
• To better respond to calls for repairs to the physical plant, Facilities and Plant Operations has opened a Customer Service Center. The Center is open weekdays from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, and provides help processing work orders, gives status updates, provides technical information, and addresses various concerns. The Center also wants your suggestions. To reach the Customer Service Center, call extension 5-1001.
• Everyone can enjoy the many new offerings at the Hospital’s new Gift Shop. In addition to carrying the popular items patrons have come to rely on, the shop now offers a wider variety of snacks and beverages, and sells tickets for instant lottery games. Soon, the Honora line of fine jewelry will be sold at the Gift Shop. Shop hours have expanded to 8:00 am to 8:00 pm on weekdays, and 10:00 am to 8:00 pm on weekends and holidays.

Satisfaction measurements.

• An important measure of patient satisfaction and loyalty is the willingness of our patients to recommend our Hospital. Our latest Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores indicate that patients are more willing to recommend SBUMC today than they were just a couple of years ago. The percentage of patients who say they would definitely recommend Stony Brook has steadily improved since we began asking the question in the fall of 2006. Compared to other LI hospitals, Stony Brook scores at or near average on most survey items. 
• Press Ganey scores for the last quarter of 2008 are due out soon. The scores are expected to show that 17N scored highest in overall patient satisfaction, and that compared to the third quarter, patient satisfaction improved the most on 13N.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
SBUMC shares ideas with new administration. When Chief Information Officer Linda Shanley received an invitation from then President-elect Barack Obama and Health and Human Services Secretary-designate via HIMSS to host a health IT discussion for the incoming administration about how to reform the national healthcare system, she responded enthusiastically. SBUMC was one of only two Long Island groups to respond to the nationwide call for discussion and ideas. (The other was a group assembled by the Nassau County Comptroller.) On December 30, 34 people answered Linda’s email invitation sent to the hospital community, and attended a meeting that included doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, translators, social workers, and information technology specialists. The group discussed a variety of topics, with one of its main concerns being the compatibility of electronic patient records, and the call for a centralized database for hospitals, medical offices, and patients. The Stony Brook group also proposed universal health insurance and the possibility of a central healthcare system run by either a private organization or the government. SBUMC received a note of acknowledgement thanking us for our contribution.

NYS Health Commissioner visits SBUMC. On January 15, State Health Commissioner, Dr. Richard Daines, visited the Department of Family Medicine to recognize its work in encouraging health-promoting nutrition practices and policies. In 2007, the Department of Family Medicine received a five-year $1.33 million grant from the New York State Department of Health to create a Center for Best Practices to Prevent and Reduce Childhood Obesity. As a result, the Long Island Center for Pediatric Obesity Prevention Best Practices was established, administered through SBUMC and managed by the Department of Family Medicine. As director of the Center, Josephine Connolly Schoonen, PhD, RD, received special recognition for her efforts. The Center for Best Practices focuses on screening, prevention, and treatment of obesity, particularly with respect to women who are pregnant and infants. Dr. Daines also promoted the Governor’s proposed tax on soda as a strategy to help reduce obesity. These are important public health initiatives designed to improve the health of the people on Long Island, as well as reducing healthcare costs.

Organ Donation Program thrives. The results of the Stony Brook University Medical Center Organ Donation program for 2008 are the best they have been for at least ten years. The 79 percent annual consent rate puts us above the national target of 75 percent and well above the statewide average of 57 percent. Seven donors from Stony Brook resulted in 31 life-saving organ transplants. During the past year, the New York State Organ Donor Network and our Organ Donor Council have collaborated to introduce world-class processes for approaching families for donation. Beginning early in 2009, the Organ Donor Network will focus even more resources on Stony Brook with a designated coordinator, Erika Sininsky, assigned to work with potential donor families at Stony Brook, and Dennise Schulman, a New York Organ Donor Network Transplant Coordinator, facilitating all education related to organ donation.

SBUMC participates in community forum. On January 22, I participated in a community forum hosted by the Three-Village Chamber of Commerce. The second in a three-part series, the public forum was held to discuss the impact of the current economic crisis and how it affects the local community. Joining me at the forum was Lee Koppelman, PhD, Professor, Stony Brook University Department of Political Science, and former Chief of Suffolk County’s Planning Department, and Executive Director of the Long Island Regional Planning Board; and Three-Village Schools Superintendent, Ralph P. Ferrie, EdD. Yvonne Spreckels, SBUMC Director of Community Relations, also attended. Part of the discussion, which included questions from the audience, concerned Stony Brook University Hospital and its role with respect to generating substantial revenue that benefits the local community. I highlighted the potential impact of the Governor’s proposed budget and asked for the support of the community to avoid cuts. I also shared the news that we were approved to increase bed capacity from 504 to 546 (an increase that translates into seven additional jobs per bed). In addition, the Department of Health has approved a temporary increase of 25 more inpatient beds.

SBUMC celebrates American Heart Month. As a leader in cardiac care, SBUMC has planned events to bring attention to the importance of heart health. Hospital staff members will be showing their support for raising awareness about women’s heart disease by wearing red on February 6 for National Wear Red Day. On February 12, the Heart Center will host a reunion celebration for patients who were treated at the Center during 2008. On February 25, Anne Marie Berggren, RD, is presenting, “Heart Healthy Nutrition” at the Mall Walkers meeting held at the Smith Haven Mall. A variety of lectures will also be taking place throughout the month at the Medical Center. Look for flyers and posters announcing the events.

Urgent call for blood donations. Frederick Luebke, RN, Coordinator for NYBC/SBUMC Blood Drives, advises that the New York Blood Center (NYBC) has declared a regional blood shortage. SBUMC uses over 50 blood products a day, much of which is supplied by NYBC. To support our patients and the communities where we live, SBUMC and the Health Sciences, along with the NYBC will be hosting a Winter Blood Drive on February 20. For information, speak with your department’s Blood Drive Captain, or call Fred at 444-2748.

Congratulations to Caroline Levine, new president of SBUH Auxiliary. After several years of serving as an active board member on the SBUH Auxiliary, Caroline Levine has accepted the position as president. She succeeds Barbara Delfyett, who has made innumerable contributions to SBUH and the Auxiliary. We celebrate the appointment and thank the Auxiliary for their critical support. We encourage other community members to join this group. For information about joining or becoming more active with the Auxiliary, please call 444-2699.

MY LAST TOUCH
Pride is a part of the quintessential human condition. You must accept on faith that it exists, as it is among those things that cannot be touched or seen, but that we believe in (like love or hope). Pride comes from the word prodesse, “to be useful.” Is pride important?

It is interesting that some religions consider pride as one of the seven deadly sins. That’s because there are really two types of pride: Having a duly high opinion of oneself (negative) and having satisfaction in achievement. I prefer to focus on the positive—celebrating achievement. When I think of pride it is motivating. In many circumstances it speaks to being a part of a larger team in the best sense of the word. Like having pride in your local sports teams—whether you are a Red Sox, Yankee, Mets, or Seawolves fan!

Pride conjures up a very high standard, as in something worth being proud of, like bowling a perfect game, or the accomplishments of your children when they do something special such as breaking a personal record at a track meet or getting the highest score on a math test. On the other hand, too much pride creates over confidence and entices people to take on tasks beyond their skills, something that unfortunately happens to a lot to teenagers because of their brain development. Pride needs to be balanced by humility, a lesson many try to teach their children.

Nonetheless, pride has to be part of the self-confidence formula: an awareness of what one can accomplish, reliably and predictably. Predictability is most important. Without it, you cannot have trust. Think about whom you would trust when confronted with a dilemma. Would it be someone you could rely upon or someone who is erratic? When given time and opportunity, most go with predictability. Almost all of our conscious choices are governed by predictability, reliability, and trust—the very elements of pride. Loss of any of these components leads to a loss of pride.

For almost two years, I have been writing about Stony Brook Pride. So what is Stony Brook Pride? It is bigger than any one person. It is about being part of a larger team that acts in a predictable, reliable, and trustworthy manner. It is a social contract between the people of Suffolk County and our staff to deliver on its promise. It is about setting a consistently high standard for ourselves and not allowing each other to fall short. It is about helping each other maintain a consistently high standard, refusing to accept mediocrity. It is about creating a highly reliable organization where we are proud to work.

Life is never easy for those who dream.—Robert James Waller

Pride is, depending upon context, either a high sense of the worth of one's self and one's own, or a pleasure taken in the contemplation of these things.—Wikipedia

The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.—Vince Lombardi

Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need.—Kahlil Gibran

Thank you for helping to create Stony Brook Pride! Enjoy the journey to high reliability.

Steven L. Strongwater, MD
Chief Executive Officer
Stony Brook University Hospital

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