medstar franklin square medical center 50th ......2019/12/02 · 50 years. as such, this...

1MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center

Reflecting on the Past, Looking to the Future

M E D S TA R F R A N K L I N S Q U A R E M E D I C A L C E N T E R

50th Anniversary C O M M E M O R AT I V E P U B L I C AT I O N

2 3MedStar Franklin Square Medical CenterReflecting on the Past, Looking to the Future

4 Our Evolution A Photographic Timeline

6 Behind the Bricks and Mortar The Journey to Be the Best

8 Advances in Surgery New Approaches Optimize Outcomes

11 Caring for Women and Infants Enhancing the Experience

14 Gratitude and Growth The Vital Connection

16 Our Auxilians and Volunteers Playing an Essential Role

17 Addressing the Community’s Needs Inside and Outside Our Walls

18 Setting the Gold Standard in Nursing Our Commitment to Excellence

CONTENTS

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

In 1969, MedStar Franklin Square

Medical Center opened as a

four-story, 305-bed hospital in

eastern Baltimore County. Within

the first 18 months, the new

hospital had treated more than 100,000 outpatients.

As our community has grown, so have we. Since

opening our doors, we have expanded to provide the

latest, most innovative, and comprehensive treatments

for individuals with a wide range of medical conditions.

Today, as a proud member of MedStar Health, we

offer a diverse array of specialties and advanced

technologies not traditionally found at community

hospitals and are recognized for our expertise in

medicine, surgery, oncology, cardiology, obstetrics

and gynecology, behavioral health, and ambulatory

services, to name a few.

We are now in the midst of construction on a new

two-story, 82,000-square-foot Surgical Pavilion.

Scheduled to open in the Fall of 2020, this facility

was designed by those who will work in it daily:

our dedicated team of associates. It will house 14

operating suites, preoperative and postoperative areas,

and associate support spaces allowing us to provide

advanced technology in a healing and compassionate

environment.

On the pages that follow, you’ll learn more about our

history as well as our plans for the future. While we

are proud of our accomplishments, we are even more

proud to be your community hospital. As one of the

fastest growing and most highly regarded hospitals

in the region, MedStar Franklin Square remains

committed to providing the highest-quality health

care to each and every member of our community

for many years to come.

Welcome and Dedication

It has been a significant and memorable honor to care for our community for the past

50 years. As such, this commemorative publication is dedicated to the patients and

families who have entrusted their health to MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center.

Now, at the end of our 50th year of service, we wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on our rich

history. While the faces of our leaders may have changed, the passion, commitment, and vision they

demonstrate are precisely the same as what our foundational leaders gave us in 1969. We have never

wavered from our mission of improving the health and well-being of those we are so privileged to

serve—the very purpose for which this hospital was founded.

This is also a tribute to the many physicians, associates, volunteers and Auxiliary members, donors,

and members of the community, who, day in and day out, help us serve our community by playing

a pivotal role in the exceptional care we provide. Throughout our history, we have worked together

to honor the spirit of our visionary founders. In doing so, we have set a benchmark for nationally

recognized, high-quality care that will endure for many generations to come.

To those who have gone before us, and to those who will follow, we hope you find this publication

inspirational. MedStar Franklin Square is a vision in progress. We look forward to continuing to

build for the future.

W. Daniel McLaughlinChair, Board of DirectorsMedStar Franklin Square Medical Center

Samuel E. Moskowitz, FACHEPresident, MedStar Franklin Square Medical CenterSenior Vice President, MedStar Health

MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, a member of MedStar Health, provides safe, high-quality care, excellent service and education to improve the health of those we serve. We offer a diverse array of specialties and advanced technologies not traditionally found at community hospitals, and make quality health care easy to find with more than 40 primary- and specialty-care locations throughout eastern Baltimore and Harford counties.

This publication was produced by the Public Affairs and Marketing department of MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center. The information provided in this publication is intended to educate readers about subjects pertinent to their health and is not a substitute for consultation with a personal physician. For more information, call 855-546-0972. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2019.


MedStar Franklin Square kicks off the celebration of its 50th Anniversary by breaking ground on a new $80 million surgical pavilion, scheduled to open in 2020 and designed to optimize surgical processes, safety, and patient outcomes.

1898

1969

2019

1978

2010 20121998

Eight physicians plant the seeds for Franklin Square, opening a 20-bed hospital in West Baltimore.

Our Evolution A Photographic Timeline

1961The facility is aging and is no longer the only hospital in town. The Board of Directors decides to move to eastern Baltimore County, where the community is quickly growing, but no hospital is available.

Franklin Square opens a new 356,000-square-foot Patient Tower, offering high-quality care in a modern facility with all private rooms, a more efficient Emergency department, and much more.

To meet the growing needs of the community, the hospital builds and expands its capacity to 465 beds, including a new 20-bed Inpatient Psychiatric Unit.

Always on the leading edge, Franklin Square builds out again, adding a new state-of-the-art Intensive Care Unit.

The hospital’s name is officially changed to MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center.

1901Needing more space, that hospital relocates to West Fayette Street, across from Franklin Square Park. With the move comes a name change to Franklin Square Hospital.

1991 Franklin Square becomes a member of MedStar Health, a community-based healthcare system comprised of 30 integrated businesses, including ten hospitals in the Baltimore/Washington area.

The old hospital closes its doors and the next chapter of Franklin Square Hospital begins with the opening of a new 305-bed, four-story hospital.


Behind the Bricks and Mortar The Journey to Be the Best

Those who led and supported the planning, fundraising,

recruiting, and building of MedStar Franklin Square

Medical Center had a common goal and vision …

to give their own family members, friends, and neighbors

a brand new place to turn to for the very best medical care

close to home.

But delivering on this promise took more than bricks and mortar. One of the things the hospital had going for it from the start was a dedicated team of providers who shared that goal and vision. And it’s this passion to be the best that distinguishes MedStar Franklin Square from other organizations to this day.

“This is a hospital that is never satisfied … it’s about being the best,” says Stephen Selinger, MD, chair of the Department of Medicine at MedStar Franklin Square. “The journey to be the best results in the best care for patients. It’s about continuous improvement. We talk a lot about what we can

residency program brings together the faculty and unique expertise of MedStar Health’s four Baltimore hospitals: MedStar Franklin Square, MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital, MedStar Harbor Hospital, and MedStar Union Memorial Hospital. It provides the 150 residents in the program the opportunity to spend their time in four unique settings, where they learn from the diverse and dedicated faculty at each location.

“Our residency program is integral to our hospital and our

clinicians also seeing ambulatory patients or with other clinical obligations that limited their ability to provide the level of care needed. Hospitalists are employed by the hospital and assigned to specific units, where they are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“Our hospitalist program has evolved over several decades,” Dr. Selinger explains. “It provides continuous care throughout the day. That means we have the ability to respond immediately to any acute medical issues that may arise.”

The hospitalists, highly qualified physicians specializing in internal medicine, work in a team-based setting performing patient rounds, monitoring progress, reviewing tests, and addressing treatment changes as necessary. “Our hospitalists make MedStar Franklin Square a better

place for our patients,” he adds.

As MedStar Franklin Square has grown, it has also expanded to offer the latest, most innovative, and comprehensive treatments for patients with a wide range of medical conditions. “The advances in medicine made in the past 30 years alone occurred exponentially and we were able to respond in turn,” Dr. Selinger says. “So, I expect even more

extraordinary changes in the next 30 years. But we are an agile organization and I am confident that we will continue to adapt well to changing times and changing pressures.”

Looking forward, Dr. Selinger believes that addressing the community’s needs will always be a top priority for MedStar Franklin Square. “We have been innovative in bringing care to all of our patient populations, not just those in our hospital but in the community too. Carrying on this tradition will be essential to ensuring everyone has access to the best care in the future,” he says.

Dr. Selinger relishes the 24 years he has spent so far at MedStar Franklin Square and doesn’t hesitate to say so. “The atmosphere here is very collegial. We communicate and collaborate well, and we’re all aligned in making the hospital a better place for our patients. In fact, my respect for my colleagues is such that I have my own family see them. I wouldn’t send them anyplace else.“

improve … this leads to better outcomes. And there are a lot of layers to it.”

Dr. Selinger points to MedStar Health’s internal medicine residency program as being key to this process. “Having learners on campus is one of the reasons I am here,” he says. “I believe it’s important to be able to practice medicine in an environment where your learning trajectory stays steep. Being in a teaching organization encourages everyone to learn.”

One of the largest community hospital-based programs of its type in the country, the

culture,” Dr. Selinger notes. ”It keeps us on top of our game and helps us all continue to grow as healthcare providers.”

To ensure that patients have access to the very best care at all times, MedStar Franklin Square was at the forefront in embracing the hospitalist model of care. This replaced the traditional method of caring for hospitalized patients, which was often done by

DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE


Fast forward 50 years and it’s a different world. “A focus on evidence-based medicine directed toward improving outcomes and safety has become paramount. We have learned to utilize technology to help us accomplish this goal,” says Albert Aboulafia, MD, acting chief of Surgery at MedStar Franklin Square.

“One of the most obvious changes was the shift from large incisions to small ones. The advent of laparoscopy resulted in an explosion in surgical innovation that has continued to this day,” he explains. “Minimally invasive surgery was quickly

Advances in SurgeryNew Approaches Optimize Outcomes

embraced by many surgeons, refining and expanding the potential to treat patients while minimizing the risk of complications and shortening recovery periods.”

Today, the surgeons at MedStar Franklin Square have a plethora of surgical options available, including minimally invasive and laparoscopic surgery. Many are also trained to perform numerous complex surgeries robotically, offering more precision and even quicker recoveries.

“Ongoing investments in technology have made it possible for the hospital to provide

comprehensive, technology-based surgical services for patients with a wide range of medical conditions,” Dr. Aboulafia explains. “For example, the da Vinci® Robotic Surgical System, which we acquired 10 years ago, is used by multiple specialties including bariatrics, colorectal, gynecology, urogynecology, and urologic oncology.”

“Robotics take minimally invasive procedures to the next level,” adds David Sinopoli, MD, MPH, MBA, chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at MedStar Franklin Square. “Robotic surgery allows our surgeons to see more, move better, and more effectively

target the area to be treated. The benefits include less blood loss during the procedure, minimized postoperative pain, and shorter recovery periods.”

Significant investments in technology have dramatically enhanced the hospital’s capabilities in areas such as imaging and radiology, as well, making it possible to successfully diagnose and treat many conditions that were not treatable in the past.

But it takes more than sophisticated technology to provide the very best surgical care.

“Our multidisciplinary team approach is what sets us apart,” says Dr. Sinopoli. “We are organized to serve the patient, not the other way around. Dr. Aboulafia and I focus on bringing processes together so that all disciplines work in sync. In anesthesia, this starts preadmission with patient and family education and recovery and pain management planning. The goal is to ensure that patients scheduled for surgery are optimized in a timely manner, so that they can recover more quickly.”

Dr. Sinopoli’s team employs a patient-centered, evidence-based pain management strategy that is designed to reduce the need for opioids, improve patient outcomes, and reduce costs. “We rely on a variety of

multimodal pain management techniques such as regional anesthesia, peripheral nerve blocks, non-pharmacologic approaches, and non-opioid medications to control pain, enabling patients to function better after a procedure,” he adds. “And we have specially trained staff with expertise in managing pain on site 24/7, if needed. By reducing or eliminating the need for opioids post surgery, patients are able to return to normal faster.”

THE BEST IS YET TO COME

Soon MedStar Franklin Square will be celebrating another milestone—a brand new, 82,000-square-foot Surgical Pavilion opening in the Fall of 2020. “The average age of the

existing operating suites is more than 35 years old and they have become functionally obsolete and inefficient,” says Dr. Aboulafia. “More importantly, the current structure does not provide the best environment of care for our patients and their loved ones.”

Designed with guidance and direction from the associates at MedStar Franklin Square who care for surgical patients, the new Surgical Pavilion will provide patients and their families with an experience like none other currently available here. The décor will be soothing and comforting, featuring muted tones and lots of windows to create an environment conducive to healing.

The two-story Surgical Pavilion will include a total of 12 general operating rooms (ORs),

When MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center

opened its doors in 1969, the surgical profession

was drastically different than it is today. Many of the

technologies surgeons now take for granted, such

as CT scans and MRIs, did not exist. And with limited

diagnostic testing options, opening a patient up

was often the only way to identify many conditions.

“TODAY WE OFFER PATIENTS THE TECHNOLOGY, SKILLS, INTELLECTUAL

PROWESS, AND CLINICAL RESEARCH TO ENSURE THEY RECEIVE THE

HIGHEST-QUALITY CARE WHILE PROVIDING THEM WITH THE UNIQUE FEEL

AND ADVANTAGES OF A COMMUNITY HOSPITAL.” DR. SINOPOLI

DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY


One of the most notable milestones was the opening of the hospital’s Women’s Pavilion, and the Birthplace at MedStar Franklin Square, in 1997. For many, it transformed the experience of childbirth and the process of welcoming a new baby into the world. Today, an average of more than 2,600 babies are born here, annually.

“This hospital has always been known as one of the best places in Baltimore to go for women’s care,” says Nicola London, MD, an

Caring for Women and InfantsWomen are unique. And so

are their healthcare needs. It’s

a fact that’s been embraced

at MedStar Franklin Square

Medical Center since day

one, and has driven the

development of specialized

facilities, services, programs,

and resources for women and

their families during the past

five decades.

Enhancing the Experience

obstetrician and gynecologist who has practiced medicine at MedStar Franklin Square since 1993. “Over the years, our team has facilitated and even pioneered a lot of changes, all of which are very positive and center around what is best for the women who turn to us. I think that is why so many see this hospital as the ‘go to’ place for care.”

For example, years ago, MedStar Franklin Square made a collective decision to avoid delivering babies prior to 39 weeks gestation, unless

one hybrid operating room, and one bronchoscopy operating room that is uniquely designed for the surgical treatment of our lung patients.

It will also house:

• Preadmission testing

• Perioperative administration

• Registration/check-in

• Prep/recovery rooms

• Postanesthesia care unit

In addition, to enhance the learning experiences of our surgical residents, the next generation of surgeons, the ORs will be digitally equipped to allow the viewing and video recording of surgical procedures for them to learn best practices.

“Here at MedStar Franklin Square, we have been able to bring our hybrid academic and community-based program to life. We’ve brought the best of both worlds together,” adds Dr. Sinopoli. “Today we offer patients the technology, skills, intellectual prowess, and clinical research to ensure they receive the highest-quality care while providing them with the unique feel and advantages of a community hospital.”

“I believe most people will say we were visionary when they look back at what we’ve accomplished here,” says Dr. Aboulafia. “We planned for the future, but we are not done. We want to continue growing to further enhance the quality of care. We want to be the hospital of choice … not just the hospital of convenience.”

WOMEN'S SERVICES

A beam signing ceremony was held to celebrate the topping off of the new Surgical Pavilion. After the beam was signed, those in attendance watched as it was hoisted up to the roof of the structure.

12 Reflecting on the Past, Looking to the Future

there was a medical reason to induce delivery earlier. The goal was to decrease the number of babies born prematurely, who could have higher risks for complications. That standard was eventually adopted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and endorsed by the March of Dimes.

“When the Women’s Pavilion opened, featuring private postpartum rooms for recovery and bonding, we began revamping many processes and protocols, and creating new standards for care based on what we knew was best for mom and baby,” notes Dr. London. “Once families had privacy, it became easier to encourage new moms to breastfeed, and for both parents to embrace skin-to-skin bonding, right after their baby was born. It also became possible for every aspect of the new mom and new baby’s care to happen in the postpartum room, from the time of birth until discharge.”

As a result, MedStar Franklin Square was the first hospital in Baltimore to achieve Baby- Friendly designation from Baby-Friendly USA. It’s an initiative that recognizes hospitals that practice and uphold the highest standards in newborn feeding, providing an outstanding level of encouragement and a wide range of educational and support-based resources to help new moms learn how to breastfeed.

Another major milestone occurred in 2016 with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art, Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Staffed by a team of

neonatal physicians and nurses, it provides critical, specialized care for babies born prematurely or at a low birth weight, as well as newborns with complex medical issues requiring around-the-clock monitoring and treatment.

In fact, the space was designed with input from clinicians as well as families, who offered perspective based on their experiences and needs, aiding architects as they created a unit not only spacious and welcoming, but also efficient. The NICU houses 23 beds within 19 private rooms, along with practical amenities for family members who wish to remain on the unit overnight.

“So many people envision they will have a baby and go home together, with flowers and balloons, two days later. Some instead have a baby in the NICU, who is hooked up to tubes and is having many challenges, which can be very, very stressful,” explains Fernando Mena, MD, chief of Neonatology and interim chair of Pediatrics at MedStar Franklin Square. “One of our biggest goals when we built the new NICU was to create an environment of care that would be comfortable, peaceful, private, and encouraging for families and staff, as we deliver top notch, lifesaving care to babies.”

Another point of pride at MedStar Franklin Square is the Women’s Health Center, offering a full range of both obstetrical and gynecological care for women

of all ages. In addition to routine care—annual well visits, screenings, and acute care—women also turn to the center for treatment of issues such as abnormal bleeding and complications associated with menopause. The specialists who staff the Women’s Health Center have established relationships with a wide range of clinical subspecialists, and refer patients who require complex medical care, or minimally invasive or robotic surgery, to their trusted colleagues.

“The availability of robotic technology has completely changed the way we perform hysterectomies,” says Dr. London, also an experienced gynecologic robotic surgeon. “Before, when a woman had a hysterectomy, she

stayed in the hospital for two or three nights after surgery, with complete recovery sometimes taking up to eight weeks. Now, when the surgery is performed robotically, she experiences less blood loss, comes out of it with a much smaller incision, goes home the same day, and typically has a much quicker recovery.”

Looking to the future, both Dr. London and Dr. Mena agree that enhancing the patient experience and optimizing patient outcomes will remain top priorities in caring for women at MedStar Franklin Square. The hospital’s affiliation with MedStar Georgetown University Hospital provides access to a world-renowned medical school and academic medical center,

where the latest, most advanced treatment options are researched, tested, and introduced.

“We benefit greatly from the partnerships we have with the subspecialists at MedStar Georgetown,” says Dr. Mena. “Through them, we have the means to expand the scope of care we are able to provide our patients at MedStar Franklin Square. This means that in the foreseeable future, complex patient cases that currently require a transfer to another hospital will be performed here instead. It’s all part of our continued commitment to grow our services, so that we can meet the medical needs of women in our community, right here in our community.”

"IT’S ALL PART OF OUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO GROW OUR

SERVICES, SO THAT WE CAN MEET THE MEDICAL NEEDS OF WOMEN

IN OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.” DR. MENA



with an ambitious master facility plan, was formed, calling for further investments to assure the community had access to the highest-quality care, in a safe, and community-focused environment.

“The opening of Franklin Square was a pioneering feat. Building a hospital to serve a community without one took enormous vision. Local leaders guiding the hospital saw the importance of rallying people together and motivating them to be partners in its continued growth,” says Sam Moskowitz, president of MedStar Franklin Square and senior vice president of MedStar Health. “The people in this community stepped forward to demonstrate their support and we are fortunate to have had philanthropic gifts that clearly embraced our vision.”

The value of philanthropy is apparent to anyone who places an older version of MedStar has occurred because of these

expressions of gratitude.”

When Franklin Square Hospital opened in 1969, the expectation was that 40,000 patients would be served, annually. Eighteen months later, the demand far exceeded that, with more than 100,000 receiving care. Almost from day one, it became clear the hospital would need to grow. A long-term vision for expanded services, coupled

“Gratitude matters,” says Dina Mallis Klicos, vice president of Philanthropy. “Through it, this hospital has been able to make significant investments that support our patient needs in the form of new facilities, innovative technologies, and comprehensive programs. Most importantly, it’s provided grateful patients a significant way to partner with us. It’s fascinating to look back at our rich history in eastern Baltimore County and all the change that

Gratitude and GrowthThe Vital Connection

Franklin Square’s campus map beside a new one. Among the most significant physical transformations and additions:

• The Angelos Center for Lung Diseases, a $2.5 million gift from attorney Peter Angelos, the largest donation in the hospital’s history

• A state-of-the-art Intensive Care Unit

• A Women’s Pavilion, devoted to excellence in prenatal and postnatal care

• The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Cancer Center

• A six-story Patient Tower, featuring private rooms for patients at all levels of care

• A spacious Emergency department, designed to accommodate the more than 107,000 patients who present annually for urgent care

• A comprehensive Center for Digestive Diseases

• A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that promises comfort and privacy for new families, in addition to clinical excellence for newborns who require specialized care

• A new Cardiac Catheterization Lab

• An on-campus Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Center, part of MedStar Orthopaedic Institute

• A new Inpatient Oncology Unit

“Over the years, as our campus has been transformed and modernized, we’ve created the capacity to expand the hospital’s signature programs and services and also launch new ones,” Klicos notes. “When our philanthropic investors ask how their contributions have made a difference, we ask them to simply look around. None of this existed years ago. There is a very real and meaningful connection between our growth and the gratitude that has been expressed.”

FORGING AHEAD

Today, MedStar Franklin Square’s philanthropic efforts are centered around the construction and Fall 2020 opening of a brand

EXPRESSING GRATITUDE OF YOUR OWN

Are you grateful for a care experience you or your loved one received? Want to make a philanthropic investment that will impact your family, friends, and neighbors in a meaningful way? Consider supporting your community hospital. We encourage you to contact us at 410-772-6930 or [email protected] to share your personal story and discuss the many opportunities we offer as a means of giving back to your community hospital.

new, technology and innovation-packed Surgical Pavilion. The 82,000-square-foot facility will completely revamp the process of surgical care, streamline patient safety efforts, and optimize patient outcomes. Requiring a capital investment of $80 million, the need for fundraising is critical.

“We remain extremely grateful for the generous donors who have already come forward to support us as we work toward this ambitious goal,” said Klicos. “The stories shared by patients about why they choose to express their gratitude are inspiring. They are constant reminders that our work is important and making a positive difference in the lives we touch.”

Philanthropy has long had a positive impact on the patients

and families who turn to MedStar Franklin Square Medical

Center for care. It provides a platform for people in the

community and beyond to express and share their gratitude—

be it in the form of volunteering time, making a financial

contribution, or naming the hospital in an estate plan.

PHILANTHROPY

Attorney Peter Angelos announces the largest gift in the hospital's history, a $2.5 million donation for the Angelos Center for Lung Diseases.


Addressing the Community’s Needs Inside and Outside Our Walls

Since then, members of the MedStar Franklin Square Auxiliary and volunteers from all walks of life have supported the continued growth of MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center—offering their time and talent to advocate for the hospital and solidifying the link between quality clinical care and compassionate, community-based care.

Hospital auxilians feel significant pride as they walk across MedStar Franklin Square’s campus today, knowing their work has helped make many new facilities a reality.

Serving the healthcare

needs of the community

has been a guiding

principle at MedStar

Franklin Square Medical

Center since its inception.

We know that a person’s health is dependent on many different things, including physical, social, and economic factors such as access to housing, transportation, and employment. That’s why we work to help our patients thrive, not only under our care, but outside the walls of our hospital, too.

“We recognize the important role we play in advancing health and partnering with others to facilitate community health improvement,” says Patricia Isennock, MS, BSN, RN, administrative director for Population and Community Health at MedStar Franklin Square. “As a not-for-profit hospital, we invest millions of dollars in outreach programs and services every year—directly and indirectly benefiting thousands of area residents.”

But knowing what the community needs and putting the right programs and services in place to meet them requires research. So, every three years, MedStar Franklin Square conducts a

Among the most significant:

• $500,000 gift toward construction of the White Square Professional Building

• $750,000 gift to help build the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Cancer Center

• $1 million gift in support of the new Patient Tower

• $1 million gift for construction of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

• $1 million pledge for the hospital’s new Surgical Pavilion, currently under construction

“I am among those who really needed this hospital in the early days, and continue to benefit from it today,” says Linda Hankins, president of the Auxiliary. “Our team works hard. It’s a privilege to be able to give back.”

Kim Meehan, director of Volunteer Services, agrees wholeheartedly. She works with approximately 400 active volunteers from the community, people who have a wide range of skills, interests, and

Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), which is led by a task force of community residents, faith-based leaders, hospital representatives, public health specialists, and more, who evaluate a wide range of data.

“The CHNA is a collaborative process that engages the community to identify the most pressing health issues,” Isennock says. “This helps us prioritize how to use our resources and contribute to the best solutions.”

For example, one of the issues identified in the most recent CHNA process was the increasing need for behavioral health services to help those dealing with substance use disorders. “We now screen patients coming to our Emergency department for substance use using a nationally recognized, tool,” Isennock explains. “If a person screens positive, we pair them with a peer recovery coach … someone who has walked in their shoes … who counsels them, providing links to recovery support services and treatment.” Since this program was launched at MedStar Franklin Square in 2016, more than 600 patients

reasons why they want to give back. Some received care at the hospital 30 years ago. Others were patients earlier this year.

There are volunteers who work from home, crocheting hats for cancer patients, pillows for surgery patients, or blankets for newborn babies. Many volunteer in the hospital doing administrative work, greeting patients and families, and rocking newborn babies in the NICU.

Others are part of the Junior Volunteer Program, which allows local high school students to earn the service-learning hours credits required for graduation.

“We have a variety of opportunities available and we work hard to place each person in a job they will enjoy,” notes Meehan. “Every role supports the mission and vision of the hospital, and we know our efforts make a positive difference for many people; those who work here as well as those who come here for their care.”

have been referred to treatment.

The CHNA also revealed that many area residents have needs that are even more fundamental … such as the need for housing or employment. “We offer many programs and services in partnership with other area organizations to assist residents in dealing with the disparities they face,” Isennock says. “Through events like our annual ConnectFest!, a collaboration between Southeast Network service providers and several Baltimore County government agencies, we are able to help address their basic needs.”

She adds, “We are grateful to our community partners for helping us expand our reach into the community. There is only so much we can do alone. Working together, we can make a difference.”

Playing an Essential Role

“OUR TEAM WORKS HARD. IT’S

A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO

GIVE BACK.” LINDA HANKINS

AUXILIARY AND VOLUNTEER SERVICES COMMUNITY HEALTH

16 Reflecting on the Past, Looking to the Future

Our Auxilians and Volunteers

After the decision was made to move Franklin Square Hospital to eastern Baltimore County, a group of community citizens came together and pledged to support it, offering an initial $6,000 toward building costs. Those dollars sparked great momentum for what was to come.

Members of the Auxiliary take part in the demolition of an old structure on the grounds where the new Surgical Pavilion is being built.


Setting the Gold Standard in Nursing

Thirty-two years ago,

Cathy Young accepted a

job as a unit secretary in

the Emergency department

at what was then Franklin

Square Hospital.

Inspired by the work she saw nurses doing every day, she pursued a degree at Essex Community College’s School of Nursing and upon graduation, was thrilled to be offered a full-time job at the hospital. She ultimately devoted her entire career to the organization, considering it a privilege to care for so many people from her own community over the years.

“I can’t imagine what my life would be like if I hadn’t come to work here,” says Young, a nurse in the hospital’s postanesthesia care unit. “I’ve been part of a culture that is supportive—where someone is always there to help you be your best. Being a nurse at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center has made me the person I am today.”

Young is part of a nursing team that has evolved over the years, raising the bar in terms of what nursing excellence looks like. MedStar Franklin Square’s nurses have made continuing education a top priority. They have worked to earn advanced degrees and specialty certifications, developing new clinical skills and adopting new technologies

to advance their practice. This, in turn, has created a better and safer environment of care for patients.

“We offer stellar programs here to support our nurses and encourage them to be lifelong learners,” notes Debbie Kisner, RN, vice president and chief nursing officer at MedStar Franklin Square. “Our nurse extern and new graduate residency programs were formed to provide invaluable guidance and resources as nurses make the transition from student to the bedside. Our more tenured nurses are urged to pursue new degrees and certifications, attend conferences and workshops, and take advantage

of other learning opportunities that will help them not only stay current with the latest evidence-based models of care, but also to position them well for career advancement.”

These commitments have helped MedStar Franklin Square’s nursing program earn Magnet® designation, not once, not twice, but three times. This prestigious, national designation is awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, recognizing programs

that align strategic nursing goals with patient outcome data. To earn it three times is an accomplishment that many nurse leaders can only dream of, with only three percent of hospitals across the country achieving three consecutive designations.

“I am incredibly proud of our nurses and to be seen by others

for having an exemplary nursing program,” says Kisner. “I often say MedStar Franklin Square is a community hospital with the feel of a large teaching institution, and because of that, the nurses who work here, and the patients who come here, get the best of both worlds.”

Physicians who work alongside the nursing team couldn’t agree more. Mimi Novello, MD, chief medical officer at MedStar Franklin Square, stresses the critical role that nurses play in

representing and advocating for patients. “We are fortunate to have a team of nurses who are smart, bright, energetic, and offer a unique set of skills and talents,” she says. “I believe that I am a better doctor because the quality of nursing care here is so good.”

And, compassionate nursing care extends beyond the hospital’s walls,

with many MedStar Franklin Square nurses taking part in programs that center around giving back to the community. Among the most valuable:

• An annual toiletry drive, rallying nurses together to collect and donate shampoo, toothpaste, and other essential products for the homeless

• The annual backpack drive, organized by nurses to deliver bookbags filled with school supplies to children in an underprivileged area

• The drive-thru flu shot clinic, held in partnership with the Community College of Baltimore, which gives members of the community a chance to get free immunizations, administered by nursing volunteers

“Our nurses care and it shows,” adds Kisner, leader to more than 1,000 registered nurses, licensed nurse practitioners, and technicians, today. “They are here to do more than just a job. They are passionate about what they do, and the opportunity it gives them to make a positive difference for our patients, their families, and each other. That’s why nurses who come to MedStar Franklin Square stay here. It’s a great place to work. And it always will be.”

Our Commitment to Excellence

NURSING

20 Reflecting on the Past, Looking to the Future MFS

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Celebrating 50 Years of Service … and Planning for the Next 50 to ComeMedStar Franklin Square Medical Center is celebrating our 50th year of service on our campus this year. This important milestone gives us a great opportunity to reflect back on the many ways our growth over the past 50 years has benefited the community we serve. But most importantly, it marks a time when our focus is forward.

Construction is underway, and we are preparing for the grand opening of our brand new, 82,000-square-foot Surgical Pavilionin the Fall of 2020.

• Will expand our comprehensive care and service for patients undergoing surgery

• Featuring the latest, most innovative surgical technology to optimize patient outcomes

• Designed with guidance and direction from the associates on our team who care for surgical patients

Visit MedStarFranklinSquare.org/SurgicalPavilion to learn more.

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID Baltimore, MD

Permit No. 4534

9000 Franklin Square Dr. • Baltimore, MD 21237MedStarFranklinSquare.org/50th855-546-0972

medstar franklin square medical center 50th ......2019/12/02 · 50 years. as such, this...

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