Reading Hospital Physician, Nurse, and Multidisciplinary Cardiac Team To Receive Recognition For Patient Communication
Reading Hospital Foundation has named Dijana Vucetic, MSN, RN, CCRN and the Reading Hospital Multidisciplinary Cardiac Team, as recipients of the 2019 Russell S. Bickel Jr. Award for Excellence in Communication and Caring to Patients and their Families. The Foundation also has named D. Michael Baxter, MD, Chair, Department of Family and Community Medicine, as recipient of the Russell S. Bickel Jr. Memorial Grant for Quality Improvement. The recipients will be recognized during the Quality Patient Safety Symposium on Friday, March 15, at 7:45 a.m., at the DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton in Reading.
The award, established by Barbara Swoyer, sister to the late Russell S. Bickel, Jr., and her family, recognizes an individual who has consistently demonstrated excellence in communication and caring to patients and their families. The grant, also established by Barbara Swoyer and her family, supports a Quality Improvement project that improves patient-centered care, with a special focus on communication between patients, family, and care providers.
Ms. Vucetic will receive the award for her ability to provide excellent patient care with a focus on quality and outcomes. Demonstrating an exceptional commitment to quality as a bedside nurse, Ms. Vucetic communicates with the entire treatment team to ensure patient issues are addressed in a timely manner. She consistently advocates for patients and provides her clinical findings to the healthcare team to implement best practices for the patients she serves.
A second award will be given to the Reading Hospital Multidisciplinary Cardiac Team. This collaborative team established goals focused on improved communication between the patient, family, and care team. They developed a communication plan that involves the patient, family, and providers from the very early stages of care, preparing the patient and family for the anticipated transitions between levels of care and discharge. The multidisciplinary team established key stakeholders, which consist of the bedside RN, the rounding cardiac surgery provider, a physical therapist, a case manager, chaplaincy services, and a registered dietician. The team rounds together with patients and provides each discipline with the opportunity to discuss their role and address any needs or concerns of the patient.
Dr. Michael Baxter will receive the Quality Improvement grant for his initiative, "Resolving Ethical Conflicts and Improving Patient/Family Communication with Hospital Staff by Enhancing Ethics Committee Mediation and Values Clarification Skills." With the grant, Dr. Baxter and the Reading Hospital Ethics Committee will develop a program of training for committee members that will develop skills to strengthen their vital role in enhancing the patient/family care experience. The goal of this training will be to develop specific mediation skills and a clearer understanding of the concept of values clarification among committee members who will be better trained to assist and enhance the patient care experience.
Barbara Swoyer, MSN, FNP-BC and her daughter, Mary Swoyer, MSN, FNP-C, will attend the presentation to congratulate each recipient. Mary Jo Auman, MSN, RN, CEN, CSN, the 2018 Bickel Grant recipient, will present an update on her project, "Bereavement Resource and Support through Purposeful Communications to Patients, Families and Staff in the Emergency Department."
Reading Hospital
Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 714-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across services lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for four consecutive years and received a 5-Star Rating from CMS two years in a row. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.