Sensory and Behavior Strategies In-Service

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Therapy Times
October, 2014 / Volume 2, Number 10
In This Issue
·  October Updates
·  President's Update
·  Welcome New HR Director
·  Flu Vaccination Required
·  Sensory & Behavior Therapy In-Service Success
·  PPHC Welcome Home
·  PPHC Tips & Tricks
·  Patient Referral Process
·  Enterovirus D68
·  Human Resource Update
·  PPHC Clients Available
Resource Links
www.achc.org
www.sensory-processingdisorder.com
a4cwsn.com
theratogs.com
friendswhostutter.org
www.colorado.gov/dora
Company Website
www.pediatrichomecare. com
Contact Us!
Jennifer Rahrer, Director of Therapy
303-747-4021
jrahrerpediatrichomecare.com
Barb Lohr, Intake Coordinator
720-414-5420

Victoria Manley, Med Records Specialist
303-747-6203

Elaine Szarmach, Therapy Coordinator
720-414-2215

Ann Martin, Administrator
303-747-4018

Chelsea Preiss, HR Generalist
720-924-3558
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October Updates

ü  Important Reminders : 1)Call the Family within 24hours of taking the referral from Elaine 2) Call Elaine and tell her your SOC date so we can send an SOC order 3) Call Elaine and let her know if your SOC date changes(even by just 1or 2 days)
ü  We Are Always Adding New Clients - Make Sure You Check On-Line for the Latest Update
ü  Watch for EMR Online Training Opportunities
ü  Flu Vaccine Required by ALL Direct Care Providers by 12/31/14
ü  Welcome Valorie Waldon, HR Director
ü  Welcome Jessica Keester, Director of Accountable Care
ü  Welcome Elaine Szarmach, Therapy Coordinator. You can reach Elaine 720-414-2215 or .

Mark Bruning, President & CEO

Dear Colleagues;
It is fall in Colorado and one of the most beautiful times of the year. Those of us who are avid skiers/riders, it is the time to start dreaming of fresh powder in the mountains (but clear roads down here). Whatever you love or do for fun, I hope you find some time to enjoy yourself amidst the busy lives we all have!
Speaking of busy, we are just a few weeks away from our pending move around the corner to 304 Inverness Way South, which will provide us with the additional room and training/meeting space we desperately need. We will keep everyone informed of the move (first day in the new offices will be Monday, November 10) and keep a look out for more information on upcoming open house and trainings after we get settled in.
As you all know, we are also moving down the path together, field caregivers and administrative/support staff, on training and implementation of our new electronic medical record (EMR) platform with deVero. Change of this magnitude is never easy and we will learn the new system together while identifying opportunities to fix flaws and/or enhance flow and capability. The reality is that there are too many longer term advantages of an EMR system today and it is no longer an enhancement but a basic requirement.
Some of the clear advantages include;
ü  Providingaccurate, up-to-date, and complete information about patientsat the point of care
ü  Enabling quick access to patient records for morecoordinated, efficient care
ü  Securelysharing electronic informationwith patients and other clinicians
ü  Helping providers more effectivelydiagnose patients, reduce medical errors, and provide safer care
ü  Helping promotelegible, complete documentationand accurate, streamlined coding and billing
ü  Enhancingprivacy and securityof patient data
ü  Reducing overall coststhrough decreased paperwork, improved safety, reduced duplication of testing, and improved health
Despite many of the advantages and the requisite need to have an EMR as a professional medical provider, it still does not make the learning curve any shorter or easier. For those of you that use or have used EMR systems elsewhere and in my own experience with them, like everything else we get better as time goes on and we learn/adapt to the new norm. So please do your best, give us honest and objective feedback and together we will come out on the other side a better organization and provider.
I want to thank all of you that have taken the time to complete our recent caregiver/employee satisfaction survey. For those of you who have not, I believe the deadline is Wednesday, October 19, so please try and give us your feedback if you have an opportunity. After the feedback is gathered and the information processed, I will share with you our findings and then more importantly, a plan and process to look at ways to prioritize and improve upon the feedback you have provided.
Lastly, I just want to thank everyone for their continued hard work and in providing excellent care, whether it be nursing or therapy (or supporting that effort), to our patients and families. While we have lots of exciting plans for the organization/people and different ways that we think we can further improve upon our clinical care, caregiver satisfaction and operational abilities, it all starts and ends with you taking care of your patients to the best of your ability.
As always, be safe above all and please let me know if I can help you in any way. I will leave you with a few lines from an old (circa 1998) favorite song of mine from a group called The Young Radicals, which goes;
You’ve got a reason to live
Can’t forget we only get what we give
For those of us who still have the “dreamer’s disease”, thanks for all you do to help others.
Best,
Mark

Sensory and Behavior Strategies In-Service

PPHC and Therapy South Zone hosted a Sensory and Behavior Strategies In-Service with Tracy Stackhouse, Colorado native, president and co-founder of Developmental FX on October 6th.
The therapist in attendance felt the information was extremely beneficial and have requested PPHC hire Tracy in the next quarter for another in-service. Watch for details at the beginning of 2015.

Welcome Valorie Waldon, PPHC HR Director

Professional Pediatric Home Care is pleased to announce that Ms. Valorie Waldon will be joining the Company as the Senior Director of Human Resources. Valorie hasmore than 30 years of human resources experience, and has served innumerous HR leadership positions in both the public and private sector. In her new role, Valorie will lead the human resources function within PPHC and will have direct oversight of and accountability foroverall provision of human resources services, policies and programs. Reporting directly to the President,shewill work closely with PPHC leadership, employees and clinicians. Ms. Waldon comes to PPHC from running her own HR consulting practice and serving as an HR consultant for Mountain States Employers Council in Denver. Prior to her time there, she served as Senior Director of Human Resources for The Tucker Advisory Group, was the Associate Vice-President of Human Resources for Rocky Vista University; and spent twelve years overseeing a number of functions as Administrative Services Director/Director of Human Resources for the City of Greenwood Village, a municipality with over 267 employees and an operating budget of $30 Million.
Ms. Waldon is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder and her other experience includes positions with the Cities of Commerce City and Lakewood.Ms. Waldon holds numerous professional certifications, including Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).
On a personal note, Valorie is married, has 3 adult children and one granddaughter who will be 3 years old this November. Although she has never seen Star Wars, she loves Star Trek (all versions) and is a sucker for American Idol type shows, especially The Voice!! When she’s not working she enjoys shopping for almost anything and, rumor has it, she makes a mean pot of chili!!
Please join me in welcoming Valorie, who will begin her new position on November 17, 2014.

Welcome Jessica Keester, Director of Accountable Care

Please welcome Jessica Keester, RN, CPNC-PC as our Director of Accountable Care. Jessica comes to us from University of Colorado where she was a Clinical Health Assessment Instructor for undergraduate nurses. She also worked part-time as a school nurse with Cherry Creek School District. Jessica is very passionate about pediatrics, has worked in 2 Children’s Hospitals in Oklahoma (St Francis Children's Hospital, Moore OK and Oklahoma Children’s) and is very comfortable with high acuity kids. Jessica loves teaching and is looking forward to meeting our kids, families and field staff! We are looking forward to helping us with on-boarding of new nurses, on-going clinical education and quality improvement activities!

Flu Vaccination Season is Here

The Colorado Dept of Health now requires all direct care providers to have a flu vaccination. By 12/31/14 all hospitals/nursing homes/home health agencies are required to show a vaccination rate of 90% of direct care providers. Please send us your 2014-15 vaccination documentation before 12/31/14. Thanks, I know this creates a dilemma for some, I'm just enforcing the requirement. If you have strong feelings about the requirement, please contact CDPHE and/or your State Representative and let them know. There is a plethora of peer reviewed data that you may review on line as well. We just need to show CDPHE a 90% rate by the end of 2014. Please keep our kids safe and get your flu vaccination! If you choose not to be vaccinated, we will be making random phone calls to your families to be sure you are wearing a MASK at all times during patient interactions.

PPHC Welcome Home!

PPHC is excited to welcome home these new faces! We look forward to working with our nurses and therapists to give them and their families their BEST life!

Therapy Patient Referral Process

Please remember to give one week notice to Barb Lohr prior to start of care date.
Also, make sure to include the following information for ALL patient referrals:
ü  Name of Child
ü  Date of Birth
ü  Address
ü  Parent/Guardian Name & Phone Number
ü  DX
ü  PCP - include number & fax number
ü  Insurance or Medicaid
ü  What Therapies
ü  Name of Person Making Referral & Phone Number
If you have any questions, please contact Barb at .

Like Us On FaceBook & Twitter

Please like us on FaceBook at:
https://www.facebook.com/PediatricHomeCareColorado
And follow Us on Twitter @PediatricCareCO.
We are excited to share resources, industry updates, educational opportunities, upcoming events and family successes! Make sure to encourage your families to post pictures and follow us too!

PPHC Tips & Tricks

Do you struggle with clogged g- tubes? Here are some ways to make your g-tube clean as brand new.
1)  Clamp the top of the extension set with the clamp squeeze tubing with fingers all the way down following through till end of extension set is reached. Repeat if needed and use water to also help loosen any particles that may be stuck.
2)  WHILE YOU ARE RUNNING WATER THROUGH THE TUBE, hold the tube between your thumb and the dull side of a table knife (butter knife), and act as if you were curling a ribbon on a birthday present. Press the tube hard between your thumb and the knife and run the knife/thumb the full length of the tube, in the direction that the water is flowing. The pressure of the "ribbon curling" action will loosen all the gunk, and the water carries it away. It takes 10 seconds, and it works on all tubes, even tubes too small for a pipe cleaner. This method also unblocks plugged tubes.
Do you have some great tricks or tips to share with PPHC providers and/or families? Please email them to for our newsletters and upcoming Tips & Tricks section on our website!

Gallaudet Research Opportunity

Please share with your families if they have a child with a hearing loss and additional special needs:
You are invited to participate in a Gallaudet research project on Social Skills!
If your child has a hearing loss with an additional diagnosis and is 5 to 10 years old, please contact us to participate:
You will be asked to complete a series of questionnaires about you, your child, and family. Completing the surveys take a total of about 1-2 hours. We will reimburse you $20 for your time. This project has been approved by Gallaudet Institutional Review Board. The principal investigator is Angela Turner of Gallaudet University’s Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology.

Human Resource Updates

By Chelsea Preiss, HR Assistant
To Breast Cancer: Raise Your Breast Cancer Awareness
Learn about the risks for breast cancer and the tests used to find breast cancer early.
Simply being a woman and getting older puts you at an increased risk for breast cancer. Experts estimate that 1 in 8 women alive today will get breast cancer. That’s a scary figure, but it shouldn’t leave you
feeling helpless. Instead, take time to learn more about breast cancer and the steps you can take to protect yourself.
What is the average risk?
Age is the most important risk factor for breast cancer. Simply, the older you get, the greater your chance of getting breast cancer.
• By age 40, the risk is 1 in 233.
• By age 50, the risk is 1 in 69.
• By age 60, the risk is 1 in 38.
• By age 70, the risk is 1 in 27.
So where did that scary 1-in-8 figure come from? That’s what is called a lifetime risk, and it’s based
on a 90-year lifespan. There are two ways to look at this:
• If a woman lives to be 90 years old, the chance that she will get breast cancer at some point in
her life is about 1 in 8 (or 13 percent).
• Across the same long lifespan, the chance that a woman will never get breast cancer is about 7 in 8 (or
87 percent). In other words, there’s a much greater chance that a woman won’t get breast cancer than that she will. Still, every woman should do what she can to lower her risk and protect her breast health.
What raises the risk?
In addition to aging, other factors are known to put a woman at higher-than-average risk for breast cancer. You may be at higher risk if you have any of the following risk factors:
• A personal history of breast cancer. If you’ve had breast cancer once, you’re more likely to get it again than someone who’s never had it.
• A family history of breast cancer, especially in a mother, sister, or daughter.
• Certain benign breast conditions, such as atypical hyperplasia.
• Changes in certain genes (BRCA1 or BRCA2), which can be found with genetic testing.
• No full-term pregnancies or first full-term pregnancy after age 30.
• Starting your period before age 12.
• Going through menopause after age 55.
• Taking hormones after menopause.
• Being white. White women are at higher risk than Asian, Latina, or African-American women.
• Radiation therapy to the chest before age 30.
• Having dense breasts.
• Having taken DES (diethylstilbestrol). This drug was prescribed in the 1940s through 1960s to help prevent miscarriage. Women whose mothers took this drug may also be at higher risk of breast cancer.
• Being overweight after menopause.
• Not being physically active.
• Drinking alcohol. The more you drink, the higher your risk.
If you have any of these risk factors, discuss them with your doctor.
If you don’t have any risk factors, it doesn’t mean you won’t get breast cancer. It just means you are at average risk. Most women who get breast cancer don’t have any known risk factors.
What can a woman do?
Getting screened for breast cancer is one of the best things you can do for your health. The best way to find cancer is with a mammogram. Other screening tests include a clinical breast exam and self-exam.
• Mammogram. A mammogram is a special x-ray of your breasts, and it’s the best way to detect breast
cancer early. A mammogram can find breast cancer years before a lump can be felt.
• A clinical breast exam is done by a doctor or nurse. The breast exam gives women a chance to talk with their doctor about any changes in their breasts and their risk factors.
• Self exam. If you notice any changes in your breasts during a self-exam, talk to your doctor right away.
Changes may include:
– A lump or thick area in or near the breast or underarm
– Nipple pain or tenderness
– Nipple that turns in (retracts)
– Red or scaly skin on the breast or nipple (may have ridges or pits like an orange peel)
– Fluid (other than milk) leaking from a nipple
They may not mean cancer, but it’s best to find out right away.
Ask your doctor what tests are right for you and at what age you should begin testing
SOURCES:
• National Cancer Institute. What you need to know about breast cancer.
Accessed: 04/26/2011
• National Cancer Institute. Probability of breast cancer in American women. Accessed: 04/26/2011
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Breast cancer statistics.
Accessed: 04/26/2011
• BreastCancer.org. Breast cancer risk factors. Accessed: 04/26/2011
NOVEMBER Birthdays
11/5 Kellee Brudos 11/18 Erin Marshall
11/5 Connie Lindsey 11/23 Deepa Mathew
11/10 Megan Ruder 11/23 Candice Cartiaux
11/13 Julie Blackburn 11/26 Rebecca Neville
11/16 Barbara Breslin 11/29 Paul Salyers
11/17 Jane Korenstra

PPHC Therapy Available Clients (10-20-14)