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-	Pronovost Wins "Genius Grant"
-	Hard Work Pays Off
-	Greg Schaffer Retires
-	Live United in 2008
-	A Race Against Time
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-	Reaching Out to Teach
-	Perchance to Dream
-	Halcyon Days for PAs

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Hard Work Pays Off

It’s become a Hopkins rite of fall: On the heels of Employee Recognition Week, we gather together en masse—faculty and staff from each of our entities—for the annual Celebration of Service Excellence event. Join us for a day of inspiring talks, camaraderie and workshops, including a session led by Press Ganey staff, who will explain how to interpret reports for patient satisfaction.

Share in your colleagues’ successes as we recognize Catch a Shining Star awardees and Best Practices winners, featured on this page. We want exceptional service to define Johns Hopkins along with our strong commitment to our mission: providing the highest quality patient care, conducting innovative research and offering unparalleled education.

2008 Catch a Shining Star Winners

Thomas Baker—Chaplain Volunteer, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Jeffrey Beatty—MIS Business Systems Analyst, Johns Hopkins Home Care Group
Mario Buckson—Patient Service Coordinator, Cardiology, School of Medicine
Andrea Dickinson—Critical Care Transport Tech, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Intrahospital Transport
Carol Farren—Medical Assistant, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians at Riverside
Barbara Lamartina—Assistant Nurse Manager, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Chevelle Miller—Environmental Services Worker, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Edward Meyer—Physical Therapist, Howard County General Hospital
Deborah Moats—Behavorial Health, Case Management Assistant, Johns Hopkins HealthCare
Ashley Ross—Urology Resident, School of Medicine
Charles Wallin—Protective Services Officer, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Henry Weiner—Senior Documentation Analyst, Health Information Management, Howard County General Hospital

2008 Best Practices Winners



	The Johns Hopkins Hospital – Oncology

PROBLEM: The high volume of calls and length of time it took for referral coordinators to call back new patients at the hospital’s Oncology New Patient Referral Office resulted in an intolerable number of complaints.

SOLUTION: The office implemented a host of solutions from hiring a receptionist, to training, to launching a telephone triage system.

RESULTS: Initially, in January 2006, the goal was met 86 percent of the time. In the past year, the office has met the goal 100 percent of the time.



	Johns Hopkins Home Care Group – Home Infusion

PROBLEM: In 2004, a tragic incident involving the Johns Hopkins Home Care Group’s home infusion unit forced it to take a critical look at how it delivered intravenous treatment to its customers in their homes.

SOLUTION: The unit investigated and managed complaints, encouraged self-reporting of errors prior to the delivery of medical equipment, and activated a safety hotline for anonymous reporting. In addition, it offered education and training, and standardized labeling and communication between all disciplines and staff.

RESULTS: Four years later, a safety attitude survey indicates that Infusion is sustaining a culture of safety and service. “Top box” patient satisfaction ratings have improved, errors have been reduced by almost 85 percent, and clinicians and staff are more committed than ever to patient safety.



	Johns Hopkins School of Medicine – Wilmer Eye Institute

PROBLEM: In January 2006 at Green Spring Station, the Wilmer Eye Institute was receiving as many as 12,000 calls a month. The No. 1 complaint there was that callers—patients and physicians—could not get through.

SOLUTION: A call center: They identified and equipped a small space within the clinic office, staffed it with patient service coordinators and designed a functional, efficient phone menu.

RESULTS: Call volume significantly decreased, as people no longer had to call back multiple times to get through. The hold time was reduced, and most importantly, complaints decreased.

— Janet Anderson