here - Calvary Hospital

CROSSROADS
FALL 2010
What’s Inside:
Page 2: Letter from Calvary’s President
Calvary CPE Program
Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan Celebrates Mass at Calvary Hospital
Page 3: Calvary in Brooklyn
James E. Cimino, MD
Hospital Website Update
Page 4: 2010 Advertising Spotlights
Nursing Department and
Family Care
Calvary@Home
Page 6: Employees Help Patient Return
Home to Mexico
Nurse Reunites with Father
Page 7: Meviar Smith Award
Calvary Initiates Two Awards to
Spotlight Nursing Staff Excellence
Page 8: 27th Annual Awards Gala
Richard E. Meyer
Calvary Gets Top Rankings from
TJC and Press Ganey
Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan
Did you know?
celebrated Mass at Calvary
Our web site is more user-friendly
than ever!
Hospital for the first time on
Go to www.calvaryhospital.org to:
patients, family members,
• Sign up for our e-newsletter;
employees and Hospital Board
• Check out our new bilingual
members were in the audience
virtual tour;
March 29. More than 220
on that exciting day.
• Download a copy of our latest
Annual Report and newsletters
(Calvary In Touch, Crossroads, etc.);
• See our latest TV messages
and videos;
• Learn how you can support our
Above, right: Archbishop Dolan blessing the Hospital’s
Compatior statue as Dr. Michael Brescia, Executive
Medical Director, looks on.
Right: Archbishop Dolan visits with a patient at Calvary.
mission; and
• Read our latest press releases.
Published by Calvary Hospital, the nation’s
only acute care specialty hospital devoted
exclusively to the palliative care of adult
patients in the advanced stages of cancer.
Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan marked his first
official visit to Calvary Hospital by celebrating
Mass on Monday, March 29. More than 220
patients, family members, employees, and Board
members were in attendance for the milestone
occasion. Monsignor Edward M. Barry, Pastor of
St. Barnabas (Bronx) and a member of the Board
of Directors of the Hospital, was Concelebrant.
Following the service, Hospital president Frank
A. Calamari presented the Archbishop with a
miniature copy of the Calvary Compatior. This
sculpture is the embodiment of Calvary’s tradition
of serving those who suffer the most, by relieving
the physical, emotional and spiritual pain of the
patients. His Excellency also visited a number of
patients during his visit.
Letter from Calvary’s President
cared for thousands of Calvary patients
and helped the Hospital become the
international leader in palliative care.
As Chairman of the Calvary Fund, Dick
led the largest fundraising campaign
in our history and provided outstanding
service to our patients and families for
many years.
• On March 29, we welcomed Timothy M.
Dolan, Archbishop of New York, for his first
official visit to Calvary. He celebrated Mass
here and visited with many patients and
family members. We were touched that he
came during Holy Week.
• Calvary@Home, which provides Home Care
There have been many significant developments at Calvary in the last 12 months:
• We mourn the deaths of James E. Cimino,
MD, and Richard E. Meyer. Jack was
a distinguished and beloved doctor who
and Hospice to nearly 2,000 patients a
year, continues its robust growth. We now
provide hospice care to residents in 25
nursing homes in the metro-NY area and
have started a palliative home care program,
the first of its kind.
• Nurses are one of the main reasons “Calvary
care” has earned its excellent reputation for
patient care. We are proud to be one of the
newest hospitals in the country partnering
with the DAISY Foundation, to spotlight
excellence of our nursing staff.
• Brooklyn continues to be on our priority
list. We currently offer inpatient care at our
25-bed satellite at Lutheran Medical Center,
home hospice care, and bereavement groups
for adults and children.
After more than a century of caring for
patients and their families with a philosophy
of non-abandonment and dignity in a
restraint-free environment, Calvary Hospital
and its staff remain committed to ensuring
that this care continues indefinitely.
Frank A. Calamari
President and CEO
Calvary Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Program
This year, Calvary re-launched its highly
regarded Clinical Pastoral Education Program
after a lapse of several years. We are the only
hospital-based CPE program in the country
offering students end-of-life experience.
The inaugural class included five students
of diverse ethnic, professional and religious
backgrounds. They started the 400-hour
program on June 10, for 20 consecutive
weeks. Through October 28, the students met
for 5 hours a week of faculty and didactics,
and 15 hours a week of supervised pastoral
care in the Hospital’s patient units. Chaplains
are the typical student in CPE programs.
However, Calvary has found great interest for
its program from social workers and spiritual
leaders who want to serve their clients and
congregations better.
In 2011, Calvary hopes to admit and graduate several CPE classes, and begin offering
the curricula in Spanish.
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Calvary Hospital
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Crossroads Fall 2010
Pictured above, from left to right > Back row: Dr. Rebecca Magbag; Rev. Carlos Alejandro;
Rabbi Rachmiel Rothberger > Front row: Susan Storms; Grace Culberson; Rev. Emilia Steele;
Judith Leipzig; Dorothy Matthews
Calvary in Brooklyn
James E. Cimino, MD
Since opening our first satellite – a 25-bed unit • Irina Makarevich, MD, a nine-year veteran of
Calvary, is the Medical Director of this campus.
– at Lutheran Medical Center in 2001, Calvary
Hospital has made it a priority to bring its unique She is Board-Certified in Internal Medicine
(2001) and Hospice & Palliative Care (2008),
brand of palliative care to people in Brooklyn and
and speaks English, Russian, and Ukrainian.
the surrounding communities.
• Through June 2010, our Brooklyn Campus has • To help educate more people about our services
throughout the borough, Calvary continues
cared for more than 3,500 patients and their
to work with the Circle of Hope Cancer
families. We also provide hospice care to dozens
Foundation to bring information right to your
of Brooklyn residents in their homes and those
neighborhoods.
who reside in three nursing homes.
• We serve dozens of people via our two weekly
bereavement support groups for adults in
downtown Brooklyn. Groups for children ages
6-17 will begin soon. For more information,
contact (718) 518-2125.
Calvary works closely with various community
groups to bring our unique care to people who
need it most. Calvary is committed to growing
our programs and services in Brooklyn!
On February 11, 2010, surrounded by his
beloved family, Dr. James (Jack) Cimino
passed away peacefully. In a distinguished
career at Calvary spanning nearly five
decades, Dr. Cimino provided compassionate
care for tens of thousands of advanced
cancer patients, helped the Hospital become
the international leader in palliative care
that it is today, founded the Palliative Care
Institute, and taught the Calvary model
of palliative care to hundreds of New York
area medical students each year.
The James and Dorothy Cimino
Endowment Fund at Calvary Hospital
was established prior to his death.
Dr. Cimino will be missed by the
entire Calvary family.
Calvary E-Newsletter Helps Drive Visitors to Hospital Website
The most exciting development over the past
year for Calvary’s online communications efforts
is the launch of
the e-newsletter,
Calvary Life.
This is designed
to keep Calvary’s
friends updated
on our latest
news and
community
partnerships.
To get on
the mailing
list, go to:
www.calvaryhospital.org
At the top and bottom of every page on the
site, you can sign up for the e-newsletter.
We have also revamped the virtual tour
(see home page, right). People can “visit” more
than two dozen locations at the Bronx and
Brooklyn campuses and Calvary@Home, and
learn about Calvary in Spanish or in English!
Calvary has also made the website more
accessible for Latino patients and families.
Besides the virtual tour, people may learn
about Calvary in Spanish from:
The rest of the Calvary site is full of information
on: how to make a gift, recent videos and radio
commercials, bereavement support groups and
other events, and latest newsletters. Log on today
and find out how you can support Calvary’s
unique programs and services!
• An in-depth 14-page brochure on all
Hospital Services
• “Frequently Asked Questions” for
Latino Families
Calvary Hospital
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Crossroads Fall 2010
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Calvary Spotlights Nursing Department and Family Care in 2010 Advertising
Calvary Hospital is also available in the
comfort of your home in Nassau County.
It takes a special kind of person to
the Calvary Hospital Nursing team.
For many years, Calvary’s television, radio, and print advertising
have featured testimonials from the perspective of our patients’ family
members. Their willingness to share their story has been an effective way
of explaining why Calvary care is unlike that from any other hospital.
We felt it was time to spotlight the role our Nurses and Cancer
Care Technicians play in delivering the best patient care. We also
felt that we should highlight how Calvary cares for the entire family.
Throughout this year, Calvary’s print ads in media outlets such as
the New York Times, Newsday, New York Daily News, Catholic New York,
and El Diario, have featured new ads focusing on our nursing team
and our family-centric approach to patient care.
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The Latest News from Calvary@Home
Calvary@Home brings comprehensive, compassionate Calvary care
into the home and nursing home setting. It is the umbrella for: Calvary’s
Certified Home Health Agency (CHHA), established in 1985; our home
hospice, established in 1998; and nursing home hospice, which began
in a single nursing home in 2001, and now provides hospice care to
terminally ill residents of 25 homes throughout the metropolitan area.
Our CHHA is available in the Bronx, Queens, upper Manhattan, and
lower Westchester. It is for people who need short term skilled nursing
care and other medical services in the home. Through our CHHA, we
care for people in treatment for cancer, heart & lung disease, wound care,
and other illnesses and for those who have been recently discharged from
a hospital or nursing home.
Hospice is available in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens,
Nassau, Rockland, and Westchester. Hospice and nursing home hospice
are for people with any illness, who have a life expectancy of six months
or less, as determined by a physician.
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Calvary Hospital
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Crossroads Fall 2010
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Calvary@Home has received two major grants, from the Altman
Foundation and the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, for
a new program of care, entitled “palliative home care.” This program
will be available through our CHHA.
Nancy S. D’Agostino, RN, MSN, Vice President for Community
Patient Services, is the director of the new palliative home care project.
“We developed this program because every year, we find that a number
of our CHHA patients fall through the cracks – they are not eligible
for hospice because they are receiving active, curative treatments, or they
refuse the hospice benefit for various reasons.
“Even though they are not appropriate for hospice care, these patients
could benefit from some of the types of care that are associated with
hospice. For example, they are not receiving appropriate pain and symptom
management under traditional home care practices. Moreover, they are
not receiving assistance with preparing advance directives, assigning a health
care proxy, putting their financial affairs in order, and other necessary
ways to prepare for incapacity and/or death.” These patients run the
gamut, from people with cancer, to those with lung or heart disease,
and other chronic illnesses.
The grants from Altman and Samuels will enable Calvary to train
CHHA staff in palliative care practices. “Our ultimate goal is to maximize the healthcare benefits
to which our patients are
entitled and to effectively
manage chronic illnesses
that may interfere with
quality of life or may be
life-limiting over the long
run,” Ms. D’Agostino says.
For more information on
Calvary@Home, please call 718-518-2465.
Calvary Hospital
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Crossroads Fall 2010
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Calvary Employees Help Patient Return Home to Mexico
When Hospital employees learned that 30year-old patient, Arturo Fuentes, wanted to see
his wife and young children in Mexico before
he died, they chipped in and helped raise more
than $1,000 to bring him back to his hometown outside the nation’s capital. Once Calvary
enlisted the help of the Mexican Consulate
in New York, Arturo found himself home on
March 20.
Calvary arranged for him to receive care at
Hospital Oncologia in Mexico City, the leading
cancer hospital in the country. Arturo was able
to spend precious time with his wife, mother,
12-yr-old son (Jose Gregorio), and 5-yr-old
daughter (Michelle Vanessa). Sadly, he passed
away on July 8th surrounded by his loving family.
Left: The Calvary employees who took up a
collection to help patient, Arturo, get home
to Mexico before he died.
Calvary Nurse Reunites with Long-Lost Father
Wanda Rodriguez, an assistant head nurse
and a 23-year veteran of Calvary Hospital,
was working the night of August 25, when
a male patient was admitted into the only
available bed in her unit. Little did she realize
how her life was about to change forever.
When the doctor said the patient’s name out
loud, Victor Peraza, Wanda froze. That was her
father’s name. She had not had any contact with
him since he left when she was just an infant.
While making sure the patient was comfortable, she asked him if he had children.
He quickly replied “Two grown daughters,
Gina and Wanda.” At this point, Wanda
burst into tears and left the room. When she
left the room, Victor immediately told the
Cancer Care Technician, that he knew Wanda
two daughters, met his grandchildren for the first
was his daughter.
time, and simply caught up on his daughters’ lives.
Since that miraculous day, Wanda and
Wanda no longer has to wonder what her
Victor have spent many precious moments
father looks like and whether he thought about
together. Victor has re-connected with his
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Calvary Hospital
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Crossroads Fall 2010
her. He asked for forgiveness for not being
part of her life; she easily forgave him. She
and he feel that they have closure for once
in their lives.
Calvary Honors Alma Carrington, MD with 2010 Meviar Smith Humanitarian Award
Calvary Hospital honored Alma Carrington,
MD with the 2010 Annual Meviar Smith
Humanitarian Award. The award, which
has been bestowed since 1988, was created
to honor the memory of 28-year Calvary
veteran, Meviar Smith. Until her death in
1987, Meviar was famous for her loyalty,
conscientious work ethic, and dedication
to the patients at Calvary Hospital.
Dr. Alma Carrington first joined Calvary
in 1994, as a part-time physician. She
became full-time in 2001. She previously
spent 13 years as an internist at a practice
based in New Rochelle. Dr. Carrington is
Board-certified in Internal Medicine and
Palliative and Hospice Care. She resides in
Greenwich, Connecticut.
Pictured at right, Dr. Carrington (center) with
Frank A. Calamari (left) and Dr. Michael Brescia.
Calvary Awards Spotlight Excellence on Nursing Staff
Anne Marie Mingot, a nurse at Calvary, is the
Hospital’s first DAISY Award honoree. Anne
nursing department (Nurses, Cancer Care
Technicians, secretaries, etc.).
Marie is pictured at left with her colleagues at
the Hospital. Left to right: Richard J. Kutilek,
Chief Operating Officer; Lucy Hernandez, MS,
NP, Nursing Patient Service Manager; Anne
Marie Mingot, inaugural DAISY Award honoree;
Michael E. Impollonia, RN, MSN, NE-BC, Day
Supervisor; and Sally Umbro, MS, RN, Vice
President, Patient Hospital Services.
In order to recognize the excellence on its
nursing staff, Calvary has recently launched
two programs – the DAISY Award and
the Catch A Star Award.
It has partnered with the DAISY Foundation
(www.daisyfoundation.org ) to recognize
nurses who demonstrate excellence through
clinical expertise as well as extraordinary,
compassionate care. Honorees are also
expected to go above and beyond to make
a difference, and exemplify a “healing touch”
presence with patients and their families. Any
patient, family member, visitor or hospital
employee may nominate members of the
Calvary Nursing Staff. Calvary’s homegrown award – Catch A Star – is similar to
the DAISY award but is open to the entire
Nurse Anne Marie Mingot, a 24-year
veteran of Calvary and a native of Haiti, is
the Hospital’s first DAISY Award honoree.
Her Calvary career has included being a
nurse’s aide, a Cancer Care Technician, and
a nurse. She resides in Queens.
Charlene Malone, a 27-year veteran of
Calvary, is the Hospital’s first “Catch a
Star” honoree. A long-time resident of New
Rochelle (Westchester County), Charlene
also started her career and served as a nurse’s
aide before becoming a CCT. She is currently
enrolled in school to become a nurse.
Calvary Hospital
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Crossroads Fall 2010
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27th Annual Calvary Hospital Awards Gala Raises $800,000
Richard E. Meyer
Pictured, left to right:
Al Roker, Master of
Ceremonies; Frank A.
Calamari, President &
CEO, Calvary; Alan M.
Miller (honoree); Thomas
Indoe (honoree); and
Thomas J. Fahey, Jr., MD,
Chairman of the Board,
Calvary Hospital.
On September 14, 2010, Richard E. Meyer,
77, passed away peacefully at Calvary.
A longtime Board member of the Hospital
and of the Calvary Fund, Dick will be
remembered for his outstanding profes-
The more than 400 people who attended
Calvary’s 27th Annual Awards Gala on
June 8, helped raise $800,000 to benefit
the Hospital’s programs and services for
advanced cancer patients and their families.
Al Roker of the “TODAY” Show served
as Master of Ceremonies.
Alan M. Miller, Co-Chairman of Innisfree
M&A Incorporated, received The Calvary
Medal in recognition for his distinguished
career, philanthropic leadership and outstanding
dedication to the Calvary mission. Thomas
Indoe, President and Chief Operating Officer,
accepted The Calvary Citation of Excellence on
behalf of Newman’s Own Inc. in recognition
of its unique business model to support philanthropic works that share Calvary’s mission
of service to the community.
Calvary Hospital Gets Top Rankings from
the Joint Commission and Press Ganey
By demonstrating compliance with The Joint
Commission’s (TJC) national standards
for health care quality and safety, Calvary
Hospital and Calvary@Home have earned the
Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™. TJC
conducted an unannounced, on-site evaluation
CALVARY AND CALVARY@HOME HAVE
MAINTAINED A CONSISTENT TRACK
RECORD WITH TJC SURVEYS SINCE
1966. CALVARY HOSPITAL HAS ALSO
RECEIVED THE PRESS GANEY SUMMIT
AWARD EVERY YEAR SINCE THE
AWARD WAS INAUGURATED IN 2006.
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Crossroads Fall 2010
of Calvary and its Home Care and Hospice
in November 2009. Since 1966, when the
House of Calvary was accredited as an Acute
Care Hospital, Calvary has maintained a
consistent track record with TJC surveys. The
Hospital has earned accreditation every time
since 1966. Calvary@Home, which started out
as a Home Health Agency in 1985, has also
earned accreditation each time since 1991.
Calvary also received the Press Ganey
Summit Award for a remarkable fourth consecutive year for being in the country’s top 1%
for patient satisfaction. Since 2006, when the
Summit Award was inaugurated, Calvary has
made the list every single year. It continues
to be the only hospital in New York State to be
honored in the “Inpatient Care” category.
sional accomplishments, philanthropic
interests, and his deep faith. As Chairman
of the Calvary Fund, Dick’s visionary
leadership helped us complete the largest
fundraising campaign in our history.
In recognition for years of service and
dedication to the Hospital’s patients and
families, Dick was awarded the Calvary
Medal in 2007.
Staff
Crossroads is published by the
Office of Public Affairs and
Community Relations.
Please direct inquiries to the Public
Affairs Office at 718-518-2289.
Thomas J. Fahey, Jr., MD
Chairman
Calvary Hospital Board of Directors
Frank A. Calamari
President and Chief Executive Officer
Michael J. Brescia, MD
Executive Medical Director
Vincent J. Spinelli
Executive Vice President
Calvary Fund
Barbara J. Nitzberg
Director of Public Affairs and
Community Relations