After nearly a year in an interim role, Anne Horbatuck has been named Vice President, Ambulatory Services. In this role she has responsibilities for ambulatory practices with both UConn Medical Group and UConn John Dempsey Hospital. In over thirty years with UConn Health, Anne has held a number of roles including as Chief Operating Officer of the Musculoskeletal Institute, Director of Signature Programs, and as a nursing director, manager and service line leader.
“Removing Anne’s interim designation is well deserved,” said Dr. Andy Agwunobi, CEO of UConn Health and EVP for Health Affairs. “She has shown passion for her work, dedication to the organization and a commitment to making UMG a top tier patient service organization.”
“I am excited to have such a significant opportunity to impact the future of UConn Health,” said Horbatuck. “I love the potential we have and look forward to working with people in all roles of ambulatory operations to create a great patient experience that contributes to the overall success of UConn Health”.
Medical assistants Doreen Smith (left) and Lori Engengrro are among the local foot care providers who regularly volunteer at the annual Our Hearts to Your Soles event at the Salvation Army shelter in New Britain. (Photo by Michael Aronow)
Medical assistant Lori Engengrro helps fit a pair of shoes at the Friendship Service Center in New Britain, part of the 2016 Our Hearts to Your Soles campaign. (Photo by Michael Aronow)
Local foot care providers, including (from right) UConn Health medical assistant Lori Engengrro, former UConn Health physician Dr. Michael Aronow, and UConn Health medical assistant Doreen Smith, continue the tradition of offering free foot exams and shoes for those in need, pictured here at the Friendship Service Center in New Britain. (Photo provided by Michael Aronow)
Medical assistant Doreen Smith is among the regular volunteers at the annual Our Hearts to Your Soles event at the Salvation Army shelter in New Britain. (Photo by Michael Aronow)
Tuesday night in New Britain, a group of local foot care providers, including medical assistants Lori Engengrro and Doreen Smith from the UConn Musculoskeletal Institute, volunteered at the Friendship Service Center and the Salvation Army shelter to offer free foot health screenings as well as new pairs of shoes (or boots) and socks. About 40 people left with new, proper-fitting footwear, and another 50 pairs were left behind for others who may be in need. The shoes and boots were provided by Red Wing Shoes.
Our Hearts to Your Soles is an annual holiday-time campaign to provide shoes and foot care at homeless shelters and other service centers across the country. Dr. Michael Aronow, formerly of UConn Health and now in private practice, began UConn Health’s involvement in 2007 and has been the local organizer each year since.
Roberta Luby and Dean Moroniti from UConn Health’s HealthONE team (Photo by Chris DeFrancesco)
In less than a year and a half, UConn Health will be using a new integrated electronic medical records system that will enable patient information to seamlessly and securely follow patients wherever they go, both within and outside of UConn Health.
Informally known as “Epic,” which is the name of the vendor, UConn Health has adopted the name “HealthONE” for this suite of applications designed to make the delivery of health care safer and more efficient.
A team of 100 specially trained employees and consultants has been working on the intricate 23-month undertaking to program HealthONE for UConn Health since May. The project is in the “adoption and build” phase, which is nearing the end of its second wave next month. Here is where a lot of the configuration takes place.
“In the scheduled Dec. 13 through 15 Adoption 2 session, we will be pulling in managers and subject matter experts from across the clinical and financial organizations to look at the dashboards that will help them manage our patient care, quality measures, and financial results,” says Roberta Luby, assistant vice president for HealthONE. “We will also discuss the reports that will be available out of the system, and determine which reports they are going to need to manage their day when we go live.”
For example, a dashboard tool could aggregate data on admitted patients that today may take several hours a day to identify and analyze. The time saved then can be spent on caring for patients, ensuring safety and improving outcomes.
“We’re going to show them what that dashboard might look like, where that information might show up, and what quality measures are available, and let them decide what kind of data they need to see, how often, and when,” Luby says.
Major milestones achieved to date include completion of the direction phase, where current and potential future workflows were reviewed, and the certification of 80 members of the HealthONE team.
Next after the adoption and building phase is the testing phase, an eight-month period starting next May that involves running thousands of scenarios to make sure the system is designed and operating as intended. During that time, a team of trainers also will be working to prepare the training materials and plan the training logistics.
The timeline calls for end-user training to start in early 2018, two-to-three-months before HealthONE goes live in April 2018.
“This system will establish one patient record whether the individual is coming to the ED, an outpatient clinic, or has an admission in the hospital,” Luby says. “It’s going to allow us to see everything that occurred on that patient and have one view into his or her allergies, medications, procedures and immunizations, allowing safe, efficient care regardless of where that patient is in our care environment.”
HealthONE also will allow the exchange of patient information with other EMR, enabling UConn Health to send and receive data from other hospitals and practices that may be using a different system.
“We’ll be able to assemble all the data needed for a patient to enable a provider to care for that patient safely,” Luby says.
Mark Koziol, maintenance employee, doing leaf clean-up in the center courtyard of the main building at UConn Health. (Photo by Janine Gelineau)
Mark Koziol, 33-years old from Plainville, works on the grounds crew in the Maintenance Dept. He’s worked at UConn Health for 13 years, he’s married and the father of an 8-month old girl. This time of year, Mark and his fellow grounds crew workers are extremely busy with – you guessed it – cleaning up leaves. It’s an extremely time-consuming job considering the size of our campus which stretches 209 acres and includes our Munson Road, 195 and 400 Farmington Avenue locations. That’s a whole lot of leaves to get rid of.
Q: Other than leaf clean-up – what are some of your other job responsibilities?
A: It really depends on the time of year. We do landscape maintenance so in the spring and summer we’re mowing, tree and hedge trimming, mulching, planting flowers, and cutting the ivy – that needs to be done several times a year.
This time of year, it’s cleaning up the leaves and cutting down the day lilies and ornamental grasses. Then when winter comes – it’s a whole another story. We have to remove the snow and spread salt on all the sidewalks, parking lots and roads here on campus and our nearby locations. We also have to clear the snow from the garages, otherwise it’s too much weight. We plow the snow and then we find a designated safe place to dump it off the garage. That takes a long time.
I typically start my day at 6 a.m. but if we get a major snow storm we come in when we’re needed and work around the clock until all the snow is cleared. We stay overnight here if it’s necessary. Our department has couches or we sleep in our trucks. Depending on the storm, we can end up being here for a few days. Last year we were lucky so this year we’ll see what happens.
And then throughout the year, we’re in charge of the litter pick-up.
Who is your favorite actor? Robert De Niro
What’s your favorite junk food? Pizza
What’s your favorite sports team? Red Sox
What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
If you could meet someone “famous” who would you most like to meet? “Big Papi” David Ortiz
Q: Is littering a big problem on campus? A: Usually it’s the patients who are messy. The employees really are not that bad.
Q: What job do you like the best?
A: Well, fall is my favorite time of year and I never seem to get tired of leaf blowing.
Q: Overall, why do you like working here?
A: I enjoy working in this field and being outside. The people are nice, too. I’ve met lots of nice people through the years.
I also like the variety. Every season brings something different. And this campus has changed tremendously since I started back in 2003. When I started, there was no MARB or Outpatient Pavilion. There was a greenhouse there. I remember the Butler buildings and Dowling North and South. The campus has really expanded for the better but then again, it also means we have a lot more work than we used to.
Terri Seelig, Betty Karas and Nancy McLellan are respiratory therapists in the pulmonary medicine clinic (Photo by Janine Gelineau)
Medical assistants Kim Bryant, Janice Doucette, Melinda Rios, Melissa Cooper, Kimberly Zienka, Linda Siros, Christina Santiago, Erica Fama, Lucyna Spears, and Annette Berube represent the Departments of Surgery, Otolaryngology, and Gasterenterology. (Photo provided by Lisa Hook)
Respiratory therapist Terri Seelig demonstrates what's known as "the body box" in the pulmonary medicine clinic. (Photo by Janine Gelineau)
Kristi Bender, Christine Delgrande and Gail Alston are medical assistants in the pulmonary medicine clinic. (Photo by Janine Gelineau)
Respiratory therapist Bettye Smith Cromwell assesses a patient for a respiratory nebulizer treatment. (Photo by Janine Gelineau)
Respiratory therapists on the 4th floor of the University Tower: (from left to right, standing) Tony Escutia, Thera Gagnon, Jacob Dorval, Rick Libman, Bettye Smith Cromwell, and Janet Annesi, and (from left to right, seated) Daniela Cardona, Kasia Juchniewicz, Tania Romero, Natasha Thomas (Photo by Janine Gelineau)
October includes weeks dedicated to the recognition of two important, albeit often overlooked, health care disciplines.
This week is Respiratory Care Week. UConn Health employs 20 respiratory therapists in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Respiratory therapy is the assessment of patients with both acute and chronic dysfunction of the cardiopulmonary system.
“Today’s respiratory therapists have demanding responsibilities related to patient care and serve as vital members of the health care team,” says respiratory therapy supervisor Janet Annesi. “Respiratory therapists must have a broad knowledge of the pathophysiology of the cardiopulmonary system and the complex procedures required to properly diagnose and treat patients, from the very young to the very old.”
Respiratory therapists are trained advanced airway management and restore pulmonary function and support life by administering medically prescribed therapy.
“Outside facilities look to our department and will send patients here,” says respiratory therapist Terri Seelig of UConn Health’s pulmonary medicine clinic, which offers complex and diagnostic and treatment options not common in community outpatient offices.
Meantime, the American Association of Medical Assistants designates the third full week in October to be Medical Assistants Recognition Week.
“Our MAs are at the core of our staffing model in the delivery of care to our patients,” says Caryl Ryan, director of inpatient nursing services at UConn John Dempsey Hospital. “They are caring, loyal, possess a strong work ethic and always perform their duties within the best interests of our patients.”
UConn Health employs 199 medical assistants in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
“Our MAs are always available to lend a hand, consistently going above and beyond to promote the delivery of the highest quality of care, all the while keeping the patient as safe as possible,” says Elizabeth Brookshire, a UConn John Dempsey Hospital nurse manager.
Says UConn Health Emergency Department nurse manager Eileen Scully, “Our ED MAs provide excellent care to our patients each and every day. They are essential to the operation of our department. We appreciate their hard work and dedication.”
And from the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center, assistant nurse manager Beth Pisarsky says, “Our MAs are compassionate and empathetic to all patients across the continuum of cancer care. They provide holistic support, not only to the patients, but to the entire interdisciplinary team. They are a valued member of our health care teams and provide exceptional and safe patient care.”
From left: Dr. Andy Agwunobi and Dr. Kikki Nissen congratulate Peter Setlow on 45 years of service at the 2016 UConn Health Employee Recognition Dinner. (Photo by Rosie Wright)
Thomas Rivera celebrates 30 years of service. (Photo by Rosie Wright)
Milestones honored at the 2016 UConn Health Employee Recognition Dinner included 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45 years of service. (Photo by Rosie Wright)
Deborah Daversa celebrates 25 years of service. (Photo by Rosie Wright)
From right: Lisa Rinaldi and Dawn McCarthy celebrate 30 years of service. (Photo by Rosie Wright)
From left: Elizabeth Lingenheld, Mary McCarthy and Norberto Mercado celebrate 30 years of service. (Photo by Rosie Wright)
A total of 108 UConn Health employees were honored for reaching significant milestones this year. (Photo by Rosie Wright)
Judith Fifield celebrates 30 years of service. (Photo by Rosie Wright)
Dr. Andy Agwunobi at the 2016 UConn Health Employee Recognition Dinner (Photo by Rosie Wright)
Milestones honored at the 2016 UConn Health Employee Recognition Dinner included 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45 years of service. (Photo by Rosie Wright)
UConn Health employees celebrating milestone years of service were honored at last night’s annual Employee Recognition Dinner at the Farmington Club.
The longest-tenured employee honored this year is Peter Setlow, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, who joined UConn Health in 1971.
“I’m alive, still productive, and still enjoying almost everything I do. And you look up, and it’s been 45 years,” Setlow says. “I’ve spent so much of my life working here, I want to see the institution be successful. As long as I’m still productive and still enjoying it, why would I stop?”
UConn Health will welcome John Peeples as Vice President of Human Resources on November 28.
Currently with Dimensions Healthcare System in Maryland, John brings over a decade of senior level human resource experience – in both healthcare and government – to his new position. He will be reporting to Dr. Andy Agwunobi, CEO of UConn Health.
“I am looking forward to working on issues that impact our people,” John said by phone, “developing what I hope will be high impact human resource and talent management programs while balancing our obligation of fiscal discipline and efficiency.”
Holding an MBA in Organizational Behavior and Management Policy and certifications from multiple major professional organizations, John is a Fellow with The American College of Healthcare Executives. John will assume leadership of the Farmington-based HR function from Chief Administrative Officer Carolle Andrews, who has served during the search as interim leader.
“John’s addition to our team brings important experience and perspective as we tackle the important work clearly illustrated in our recent engagement survey,” says Dr. Agwunobi. “Carolle and the team have done commendable work in an interim period and set a foundation for future success.”
“We had a number of qualified, diverse and enthusiastic candidates from all over the country,” adds Andrews. “John’s selection is the result of hard work by a search committee and our willingness to take as long as needed to find the right leader for our organization and our times.”
UConn nursing student Emilie Kasper (left) administers a flu shot at an Employee Health Services flu clinic at the UConn School of Medicine. (Photo by Janine Gelineau)
Employee Health Services is holding a series of flu clinics over the next several weeks, at which free flu shots will be available to staff, students, residents, volunteers and vendors.
While some clinical institutions require all employees be vaccinated against influenza every year, UConn Health does not. But UConn Health is required to report the flu vaccine status of its employees to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.
Those who attend an Employee Health flu clinic can receive a flu shot, report that they are declining it altogether, or report that they either have received or will receive it somewhere else.
Once recorded in a password-protected database, the information is reported in aggregate to CMS. It remains confidential. An employee’s flu vaccine status is protected health information and cannot be used against him or her.
Click image to view/download UConn Health Influenza Program brochure.
“Your cooperation goes a long way in helping us be in compliance,” says Cheryl Marenick, the nurse who oversees the Employee Health flu vaccine program. “Even if you don’t get a flu shot, we need you to report that to us. If you choose to get a flu shot, even better—we’re happy to do that for you. It’s the best way to protect yourself, your family, and our patients from influenza.”
Employee Health has scheduled several walk-in flu clinics, with reminders and updates to come in Lifeline and The Pulse:
Monday, Oct. 24, 12:30 to 4 p.m., Onyiuke Dining Room
Thursday, Nov. 10, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Munson Training Room
Monday, Nov. 14, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., ARB Large Conference Room
Monday, Nov. 21, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Outpatient Pavilion 7th floor large conference room
A UConn Health ID badge or employee number is required.
Individual flu shot appointments also can be made by calling Employee Health Services at x2893. Those who get the flu shot elsewhere or decline it altogether can report by email to Louisa Pickett.
We are writing to inform you that our close affiliate Connecticut Children’s Medical Center has entered into initial affiliation discussions with Yale New Haven Health System.
Knowing the leadership at both Connecticut Children’s and Yale New Haven Health System, we are confident that their goal is to enhance children’s care for the region and the state while exploring ways they can partner to improve healthcare access for children.
We expect that if a new collaborative alliance between the two pediatric medical centers moves forward it should have a positive impact on advancing pediatric healthcare in Connecticut and help create a readily available expanded network of experts and services spanning the state. Also, we expect it would not only preserve but strengthen and bolster the academic commitments and collaborations among Connecticut Children’s, UConn Health and our School of Medicine.
For many years UConn Health has enjoyed a close educational, research and clinical affiliation with Connecticut Children’s. We have been assured that these relationships will not be affected by the proposed alignment.
We will continue to work closely with Connecticut Children’s to provide excellent patient care, research and training of healthcare professionals for the region.
We wish Connecticut Children’s well in their future discussions and plans. We will keep you updated on any further developments.
Andrew Agwunobi, M.D., MBA
Chief Executive Officer, UConn Health
Executive Vice President for Health Affairs
Bruce T. Liang, M.D., F.A.C.C.
Dean, School of Medicine
For example, a dashboard tool could aggregate data on admitted patients that today may take several hours a day to identify and analyze. The time saved then can be spent on caring for patients, ensuring safety and improving outcomes.
