November 2008
Volume 1, Issue 9
Mercy Hospital Breaks Ground on New ER
Breaking ground on Mercy Hospital’s new state-of-the-art emergency department are from left, Congressman Brian Higgins; Bishop Edward U.
Kmiec, D.D.; Sister Nancy Hoff, RSM, President, Sisters of Mercy, New York, Pennsylvania, Pacific West Community; City of Buffalo Mayor
Byron Brown; C.J. Urlaub, Mercy Hospital President and CEO; Mary Ann Kresse, President, Mercy Hospital Foundation Board; Joseph McDonald,
Catholic Health President and CEO; and Carl J. Montante, Chairman, Catholic Health Board of Directors.
In This Issue
2
•Environmental Services Recognized for Efforts
• Mary Kienzle Appointed
3
•New Library Dedicated
•Focus on Hand Hygiene
•Physician Spotlight
4•Pediatric Unit Renovated
•Volunteers Honored
•People in the News
Submit news items to:
Melanie Griffis
Public Relations Manager
mgriffis@chsbuffalo.org
W
ith a vision to create the
region’s most state-of-art
emergency facility, Mercy
Hospital has broken ground on a
$32 million construction project that
will result in a 46,000 square-foot
addition to the front of the hospital.
Over 200 people gathered at the
hospital on October 30, 2008 for a
Blessing and Groundbreaking Ceremony where Catholic Health and
Mercy Hospital officials and staff
were joined by local religious, political and business leaders to celebrate
the start of the project.
Participating in the ceremony were:
Sister Nancy Hoff, RSM, President of
the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas,
New York, Pennsylvania, Pacific
West Community, who delivered the
opening prayer and remarks; Carl J.
Montante, Chairman of the Catholic
Health Board of Directors; Joseph
McDonald, President and CEO of
Catholic Health; Congressman Brian
Higgins, (NY-27th District) U.S.
House of Representatives; and Mayor
of Buffalo Byron Brown. The Most
Reverend Bishop Edward U. Kmiec,
D.D., Bishop of Buffalo, performed
the blessing. Mercy Hospital President and CEO C.J. Urlaub served as
the Master of Ceremonies.
“Our plan to expand and enhance
emergency services at Mercy Hospital
will soon become a reality and we are
grateful to so many people who have
Continued on page 2
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Groundbreaking
Continued from page 1
Great Job, Environmental Services!
brought us to this moment,” said Joseph McDonald, CHS President and
CEO. “We especially thank the New
York State Department of Health and
the City of Buffalo for recognizing
this community need and helping
this project move forward.”
Currently operating one of the
busiest emergency departments in
Western New York, Mercy Hospital
is responding to a critical community need for expanded emergency
services. The new ER at Mercy is the
second major Emergency Department construction project and largest
undertaking of its kind for Catholic
Health. In 2005, Catholic Health
opened a new emergency department
at St. Joseph Hospital.
The entire project at Mercy, which
will not disrupt current hospital and
ER services, is expected to be completed in the spring of 2010.
“The new, world-class ER facility will
be a great community benefit for the
thousands of patients we serve each
year,” said C.J. Urlaub, President and
CEO of Mercy Hospital.
When completed, the new ER will
feature 34 private patient treatment
rooms, including three airborne isolation rooms, and two cardiac/trauma
resuscitation rooms, along with
expanded space for physician staff,
nursing and support services.
“We appreciate the hard work of
all our staff who made it possible
to begin this much needed project,”
Urlaub said. “We also want to thank
our patients and their families for
continuing to entrust Mercy Hospital with their care. In addition, we
want to assure our community that
hospital and ER services will not be
disrupted as a result of our construction project.” v
Congratulations to the Environmental Services team that significantly improved patient ratings
for “Cleanliness of the Environment.” From left (back) are staff members, J.J. Dauria, Eddie
Collins, Cherron Smith, Lamar Atwood, and Operations Manager of Environmental Services
Vincent Thompson; (front) Michelle Fields, Jennifer Sheehan, Susan Startek and Kristin Slobogin.
Patient satisfaction improvement
initiatives have recently focused on
the HCAHPS scores. HCAHPS is an
acronym for “Hospital Consumer
Assessments of Healthcare Providers
and Systems,” a patient survey
instrument developed by The Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(CMS). The Environmental Services
Department recently exceeded their
targeted goal for cleanliness of the
environment. The HCAHPS score
for Cleanliness of Environment rose
from 43.8% in July 2008 to 65.1% in
August 2008, exceeding the targeted
goal of 63%. In addition, the hospital
exceeded its targeted goal of 73%
for the Pain Management composite
score, rising from 66.1% in June 2008
to 74.6% in August 2008. v
Kienzle Named VP, Mission Integration
Mercy Hospital is pleased to
welcome Mary E. Kienzle, MSW,
LCSW, NYSCSSW, who was
recently named Vice President of
Mission Integration.
For the past sixteen months, Mary
has served as the Senior Director
of Community Benefit for Catholic
Health, developing a multi-year
strategic Community Health
Improvement and Community
Benefit Plan.
In her new position, Mary will be
responsible for the Mission, Ethics,
Spiritual Care and Community
Benefit activities and for promoting
and integrating the mission, vision
and values throughout Mercy
Hospital.
Mary is
passionate in her
commitment to
live the Gospel
of Jesus and
in building
relationships
of sharing
and giving,
so together we may lead the
transformation of heath care.
Mary earned a master’s degree in
Project Administration and Clinical
Counseling from Hunter College,
Graduate School of Social Work, and
a B.S. in Education from New York
University. She holds permanent
certification as a New York State
educator and Licensed Clinical Social
Worker (LCSW). v
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Ceremony Held for New Library
A Blessing and Re-dedication of
the new John J. O'Brien, M.D.,
Health Sciences Library was held
on October 29th. The library was
recently moved to a new location
adjacent to the physician lounge on
the hospital's third floor.
Henry Meltser, M.D.
The physician lounge and library
suite features new computers and
wireless internet access, three
new study carrels in the library,
new flooring, furniture, window
treatments, high definition flat
screen TV and food service area.
Family members of the late Dr. John J. O’Brien
who attended the ceremony are from left, (front)
Sean Wright, grandson; Barbara O’Brien, wife;
A bronze plaque with Dr. O'Brien's Beth Wright, daughter; (back) Kelly Kochel,
etched photo now graces the
granddaughter; Mike Wright; and Peter Kochel.
entrance to the new library. The
late Dr. John J. O'Brien was a
well-respected and beloved Mercy
Hospital physician who served as
Director of Medical Education from
1951 through 1985.
Funding for the renovation of
the physician lounge and library
suite was provided by the Mercy
Physician
Spotlight
Hospital Foundation and the
Mercy Medical Staff. In addition,
the hospital was awarded a $4,895
grant from The National Network
of Libraries of Medicine, Middle
Atlantic Region. This grant, which
was submitted by circuit librarian
Grace Di Virgilio, was used to
purchase five PCs for the library.
Gathering for the event were from left, Honorary Medical Staff Members, Dr. Michael
Sullivan and Dr. Joseph A. Prezio, Former Mercy Hospital Administrator Sister Sheila
Marie Walsh, Dr. Ronald Eckert, and Honorary Staff Member Dr. Joseph Mattimore. v
A Show of Hands!
Mercy Infection Control Coordinators
Angie Tavernier and Lisa McCabe
led a hospital-wide effort to remind
staff of the importance of good hand
hygiene during Infection Prevention
Week in October. In photo at left,
Angie helps Daniel Westfied, RT, of
Respiratory Services check his hand
washing skills at an information table
set up outside the cafeteria. v
Mercy Hospital
physician
Henry Meltser,
M.D., is a
board certified
vascular
physician
in general
cardiology,
interventional cardiology, and
peripheral vascular medicine. He is
the first cardiologist in the Western
New York region to achieve all three
board certifications.
With this expertise, Dr. Meltser
can evaluate and treat patients for
coronary artery disease (CAD) and
peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in
one setting—providing a “one stop
shop” for the treatment of arterial
blockages in the heart, legs, kidneys
and carotids. That unique capability
can benefit many patients since more
than 50% of patients who have CAD
also have PAD.
Dr. Meltser also started the most
comprehensive PFO closure
program in Buffalo. A PFO or Patent
Foramen Ovale is a small “hole” in
the patient’s heart, which is present
from birth. It is found in one out
of four people and in most cases
never causes problems. In a small
minority of patients, the blood
clot can travel through the PFO
and cause a stroke or mini-stroke.
Previously, in order to close such a
hole, open-heart surgery would be
required with a prolonged recovery.
However, a new minimally invasive
method introduced in Buffalo by Dr.
Meltser uses a “clam shell” closure
device, which is inserted under local
anesthesia and requires less than a
day of recovery.v
Sweet Mercy!
People In The News
Congratulations
go out to Dr. Kulwant S. Bhangoo,
M.D., who was a
major contributing expert in the
recently published book, “Be
Your Best—A Comprehensive Guide
to Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.” A
board-certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr.
Bhangoo is Chief of Plastic Surgery at
Mercy Hospital and Clinical Assistant
Professor of Plastic Surgery at the
State University of New York at Buffalo. Dr. Bhangoo is internationally
renowned and is a visiting professor
to several universities. v
Hend Habir, R.N.,
has been named
Patient Safety
Coordinator
in Mercy’s
Performance
Improvement
Department. She
previously served as a staff nurse in
the 6 McAuley West Unit for the past
four years. Hend will graduate with
a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from
Daemen College in May 2009. v
Pediatric Unit is Updated with New Look
Renovations were recently completed
to Mercy’s Pediatric Unit on the 4th
floor. The family waiting area was
modernized with new furniture and
carpeting, and three patient rooms
were freshly painted and updated
with new window treatments, chairs,
recliners and bedside cabinets. The
nurses’ station was also refurbished
as part of the project.
Staff members gathered for a brief
dedication ceremony on October 21st.
Further renovations are planned.v
Celebrating completion of renovations to the
Pediatric Unit were from left, Freda Lawn,
Dept. of Pediatrics Office Coordinator; Elaine
Keegan, RN, Nurse Manager of Maternal
Child Services; and Anthony Vetrano, M.D.,
Chairman of the Dept. of Pediatrics.
In The Spirit
Fundraisers Galore!
On Halloween day, less than 24 hours after
the Mercy ER Groundbreaking Ceremony,
Mercy Hospital President and CEO C.J.
Urlaub donned a hard hat and got to work
delivering candy to staff throughout the
hospital. Pictured above is C.J. with Human
Resources associate Karen Kalisz. v
Staff have been busy selling flowers, baked
goods, candygrams...just about everything...to
raise funds for Gerard Place and St. Vincent
de Paul Center this year. Mercy Hospital is
pleased to announce that $13,418 has been
raised to date for the charities with more sales
to go. In above photo, Carol Hammond, R.N.,
sells a bouquet to visitor Patricia Sturdy. v
Saying Thanks to our Volunteers
Theresa Amborski, RD, CNSD, Clinical
Nutrition Manager at Mercy Hospital
demonstrates some “Heart Smart” cooking
with the Diocese of Buffalo’s Daily Bread TV
Show Host Father Paul D. Seil. The show
was recently videotaped at St. Bernadette’s
Rectory in Orchard Park and is expected to be
aired in February 2009. v
The Annual Volunteer Luncheon was held at Romanello’s Restaurant on October
22nd to honor and thank our volunteers for all they do for Mercy Hospital. Newly
appointed Director of Volunteers Anne McGillicuddy was introduced to the group and
had an opportunity to meet and visit with the volunteer staff in attendance. v
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