SPRING 2013

www.BonSecoursBaltimoreFoundation.orgBON SECOURS BALTIMORE HEALTH SYSTEM FOUNDATION®

GETS NOTICED

WOMEN’S RESOURCE

CENTER

Meeting Women Where They Are:

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W hen Sister Pat Dowling, CBS, had a vision

15 years ago to open a drop-in resource center

for women in the community, she knew God

had sent her a calling.

She opened the Women’s Resource Center of Bon Secours

in 1997 primarily to provide women a place of hospitality

in a supportive and environment. This simple vision

translated into helping women struggling with substance

abuse, domestic violence, homelessness, depression and

other issues. To provide a safe place for them to go to wash

their clothes, have a shower, get a hot meal and find peace.

To do God’s work.

But Sr. Pat never expected to attract media attention for thework that goes on at the Women’sResource Center every day of theweek.

“It’s not something you’d expectanybody is going to take note of,or that you even hope for,” Sr. Patsays.

But when you do good work, people do take notice. And so it’sno surprise that a journalist taskedwith uncovering the stories of Sisters doing extraordinary thingsto help the poor would find herway to Sr. Pat.

Taking Notice of Women’s Center:Meeting Women Where They Are

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“How do you help another persontransform her life? Patience, trustand something Sister Pat Dowlingcalls ‘accompaniment,’” the articlebegins.

The article, by Aryanna Garber, appeared in the December issue ofthe Women in the World Foundation online newsletter,which has as a tagline, “Where Solutions Meet the Spotlight.”

The Women in the World Foundation is an initiative thatstrives to find solutions that advance women and girls. TheFoundation was born out ofNewsweekmagazine’s annualWomen in the World Summit, inpartnership with The Daily Beast.

The goals of the Foundation andthe online newsletter merge wellwith Sr. Pat’s vision for what theWomen’s Resource Center of BonSecours will do for women in WestBaltimore. And much of that doeshave to do with “accompaniment,”as the article’s author states.

“The basic tenet of the Center hasalways been ‘Work with thewoman wherever she is,’” Sr. Patsays. “Change can only occur whensomebody’s ready. Many of thewomen who come to us give theimpression of being very strongwomen and they are in many ways.Yet underneath the exterior, thereare all sorts of emotions, and a different sense of self. So you justhave to be there for them. That’swhat accompaniment is about. It’swalking with them.”

Along with hospitality, social andeducational services, The Women’sResource Center of Bon Secoursputs women in touch with essential health care services eitherthrough Bon Secours Hospital orother agencies. Some days, up to 40women have come to the centerjust to be, or for breakfast, ashower or other basic amenities.

The Center gains its clients byword-of-mouth. Women comethrough the doors, are blessed by

the services, and tell other womenin need.

“This was always God’s vision—tomeet a need of women in the community for a safe place wherethey can come and be listened to,”Sr. Pat says. “On the day we openedthe door of the Center, we had notadvertised, and we didn’t evenhave our name on the door, but awoman showed up. She knockedon the door and said, ‘I don’t haveany place to stay. Can you helpme?’ She was homeless. It was afew minutes before 5 p.m. on December 17th and it was cold andrainy. How on Earth she knew wewere there, I’ll never know. Butafter a few calls I thankfully foundan overnight shelter for her. ”

Now, because of the Women in theWorld article, even more womenin need might know.

“My hope is that perhaps some-body will see the article and takenote,” Sr. Pat says. “Like most smallnon-profits, it’s a struggle to findfunding, but community needs areso great today. It would be a realgift if somebody did see it and said‘Wow, I’d love to help support thiscenter to continue to be good helpto the women in Baltimore, to beable to accompany women inneed.’” �

READ THE ARTICLE HERE:

http://womenintheworld.org/stories/entry/what-i-learned-from-working-with-the-poor-words-of-wisdom-from-nuns-on-the

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On the flat panel monitor, thetissue sample looks like artwork, beautiful in purples

and pale pinks.

Dr. Usha Jain, Director of the Department of Pathology, thinks itis beautiful too. Because now herstudents, lab technicians and otherdoctors can actually see just whatshe sees on the slide a few feetaway.

“This has been so helpful,” Dr. Jainsays. “Just the other day, I calledfour or five people in my office tosee something on the microscope.They looked on the screen and allof them could see exactly what Iwas seeing.”

The remote monitor is an essentialpart of a new, state-of-the-art microscope Dr. Jain is using in her

Now she can show an entire team—on a screen attached to the micro-scope or on the remote monitorseveral feet away.

In addition, the microscope has ahigher-powered lens and offershigher resolution so observationsare more accurate. When it comesto tissue diagnoses, biopsies andclear understanding of cells, bloodand bone marrow, accuracy is key,Dr. Jain says.

For example, in one patient’s bloodsample, Dr. Jain pointed out the necessity of high-resolution, andviewing on a larger screen. Lookingat the monitor, Dr. Jain inspectedcarefully for a high white blood cellcount, which generally is indicativeof infection or leukemia. The newmicroscope’s higher optic qualitycrisply showed the size, number and maturity of the white blood cells.Armed with this information, Dr.Jain says she was able to arrive at afaster and more accurate diagnosisso attending physicians can starttreatment more quickly and reducethe length of stay for the patient.

“This offers better communicationfor the physicians, so they under-stand exactly what I’m saying,” Dr.Jain says. “Better resolution helps tobetter pinpoint what’s wrong, so wecan all give better patient service.”

In addition, Dr. Jain can now takephotos of what appears on thescreens and share them with othersby email or in a printout. She alsocan turn the slides into a PowerPointpresentation, which is extremelyhelpful when teaching laboratorystaff.

“It is very exciting and gratifying,”Dr. Jain says, looking around at hernew high-tech equipment. “I love toteach lab staff about pathology. Ilove to look at cells. It’s like detective work.” �

New Microscope Brings New Perspective on Pathology,

Patient Careoffice, which replaced an oldermodel microscope and makes Dr.Jain’s work infinitely easier.

“Keeping up with technology isvery important in this depart-ment,” Dr. Jain says. “Our lab wasalready pretty up-to-date. We haveinstrumentation that they have inother places. And this microscopeis the top of the line.”

The old microscope worked well,but it had a dual viewer feature,which meant only two peoplecould peer into the lens and seesamples of tissue, blood or cells ona slide. So when Dr. Jain needed touse a sample to explain a diagnosisto a team of doctors, or educatelaboratory staff about the latest intissue pathology, she could only dolessons one-on-one.

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CEO, Bon Secours Baltimore Health System

A WORD FROM SAMUEL ROSS, MD, MS

I have exciting news to shareabout two partnership effortsthat are yielding results for Bon

Secours and our community.

The first is the West Baltimore Primary Care Access Collaborative(WBPCAC), which formed afternearly three years of foundation-laying work, starting with a 2010Health Summit convened by Senator Verna Jones-Rodwell. TheSummit was a first of its kind effortto explore the health-related challenges –as well as opportunities—in West Baltimore’s health delivery system.

Bon Secours Baltimore Health System is operating as the coordinating organization for thegroup, which includes 16 health,wellness, educational and community-based organizations.

As a result of the hard work and unprecedented cooperation ofthese groups, the State of Marylandrecently recognized West Baltimoreas one of five Health EnterpriseZones (HEZ).

The zones are designed to reducehealth disparities among Maryland’sracial and ethnic groups and between geographic areas, improvehealth care access and health outcomes, and reduce health carecosts.

This designation as an HEZ comeswith significant funding to help usbetter serve the needs of our patients and community. As a result of our proposal, the state hasawarded the WBPCAC a four-year-grant of $1.25 million annually.Pending yearly approval by theGeneral Assembly, the $5 million intotal grant funding will be used

specifically to improve aspects ofhealth care delivery and access infour zip codes: 21216, 21217, 21223and 21229 – which exhibit some ofthe highest disease burden and theworst indicators of social determinants of health throughoutMaryland.

Never before has such a partnershipexisted in West Baltimore. I am ex-tremely proud of the individualsand groups who have committed tothis important work.

Working together, we envision theHealth Enterprise Zone—and all ofWest Baltimore—becoming a vital,healthy community where residents are empowered to takeownership of their health and canexpect to live full, healthy lives.Even beyond the course of thisgrant period, the WBPCAC will lookto design, develop and implementshort- and long-term strategies tocreate optimal, innovative care coordination, chronic disease management and community engagement. The HEZ grant gets usstarted in a major way.

In addition, Bon Secours Hospitalhas joined forces with four other organizations to take part in a boldnew approach to caring for the patients we discharge from the hospital.

As a member of the West BaltimoreReadmissions Reduction Collaborative (WBRRC)—a joint effort between Bon Secours, theUniversity of Maryland MedicalCenter (UMMC), Maryland General Hospital, the Baltimore City Agingand Disability Resource Center, andThe Coordinating Center, a community-based non-profit thatserves individuals with complex

medical needs and disabilities—wewill be taking part in a federally-designated Community Based CareTransition (CCTP) Program.

The program, GET WELL, is designed to help hospitals withhigh readmission rates partner witha community-based organization toprovide services that improve a patient’s transition from the hospital to other care settings, and ultimately reduce hospital readmissions. Under GET WELL,Bon Secours and other participatinghospitals will refer high-riskMedicare patients to HealthCoaches, who will review currentmedicines, provide personal healthrecords and help them recognize“red flags” related to their condition. The coaches will beginworking with patients at the hospital and will maintain contact,including home visits, for 30 dayspost-discharge.

The process of collaborating withothers to bring about a healthierWest Baltimore has been incrediblyexciting. I look forward to keepingyou updated as we move ahead.

Sincerely,

Samuel L. Ross, MD, MSChief Executive Officer

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Among the personalized perks of participation are the daily phonecalls from Bon Secours’ staff to helpencourage a close relationship andpartnership that leads to the bestpossible healthy heart care manage-ment. The program also providesvan transportation to 3 monthlyhealth education classes at different community locations.

“We’re working hard towards maintaining a healthy, educated,community, with knowledge of disease management, nutrition andoutcomes being reducing readmissions,”says Joe AnnMurphy, RN andclinical manager,who overseesthe Bon SecoursTele-Heart Program andCommunityFaith Nurse Ministry Alliance.

In addition to those enrolled in theTele-Heart Program, nearly 12,000people annually visit with Murphyand her staff at events throughoutthe community in various settingssuch as blood pressure screeningsand presentations at senior buildings, churches and health fairs.

“This program is a caring presence inthe community. It may be a secret inWest Baltimore, but it’s not a secretto the community,” Murphy says.

In the years since it launched, Murphy has taken the program wellbeyond the walls of the hospital, offering three monthly patient education classes at two dozen

Tele-Heart Program Spreads the Gospelof Living a Heart-Healthy Life

It has since blossomed into a disease management and health education program that empowersWest and Southwest Baltimore residents with congestive heart failure and many other chronic diseases.

About 600 participants are enrolledin the Tele-Heart Program, which isfree and includes home visitations,patient and family teaching, and education tools such as hearthealthy reading materials and adaily weight reminder magnet tohelp patients manage their hearthealth. The program also includesindividualized post-discharge education and home assessments.During a home assessment, a nursewill check to see what kinds of

foods, for example, are kept in thehome and offer advice about cooking heart-healthy foods.

On average, the Tele-Heart Programhosts about 230 disease managementclasses annually, conducts more than14,000 follow-up contacts each year,and nearly 150 home assessments annually.

Joe Ann Murphy, RN

W hen the Bon Secours Tele-Heart Program began

more than a decade ago, it was envisioned as

way to help congestive heart failure patients

manage their conditions at home with resources and health

information to help them lead healthier, longer, more

active lives.

churches, senior clubs, communitycenters and Bon Secours’ senior living buildings.

Murphy calls it “hands-on outreach.”

“It’s all about helping them figureout ways to manage their personalhealth issues,” she says.

For those interested in financiallysupporting the Tele-Heart Program,it’s worth noting that the programnow qualifies donors for the Community Investment Tax CreditProgram. According to Developmentand Fundraising Manager Almarie I.Wood, Bon Secours received $20,000worth of tax credits from the Maryland Department of Housingand Community Development.

To qualify for the credit, donorsmust give at least $500 and designate their gift to the Tele-HeartProgram. Eligible contributionsmade prior to December 31, 2013 willallow the donor to reduce his or herstate tax liability by fifty percent ofthe value of their donation. �

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Produce Market offers healthyoptions at deep discounts

When the Bon SecoursProduce Market heldits first two-day

opening in November, it soldmore than 3,500 pounds of produce— everything from kaleto collard greens to pineapplesto bok choy to leafy greens andplantains.

The goal is to provide greater access to fresh produce at a fraction of the cost they wouldpay at a typical grocery store.For instance, peppers that mightnormally sell for $2 to $3 in agrocery store are sold for 50-cents to $1 at the Bon SecoursProduce Market.

“These are high-quality foods,”says Vice President of MissionCurtis Clark. “People are able towalk out with big, full bags ofhealthy produce. In a communitythat is a food desert, this is animportant resource that lines upwith Bon Secours’ commitmentto healthy living.”

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For information about the Community Investment Tax Credit,please contact:

Almarie I. WoodDevelopment and Fundraising ManagerBon Secours Baltimore Health SystemFoundation, Inc.2000 W. Baltimore StreetBaltimore, MD 21223(410) 362-3204 officealmarie_wood@bshsi.org

For information about the Tele-Heart Program and the Community Faith Nurse Ministry Alliance, please contact

Joe Ann Murphy, RN Clinical Manager410-362-3454

Lennox Bennett, nutrition and foodservice director from MorrisonHealthcare Foodservice—the hospital’s food vendor—launchedthe produce market initiative at thehospital last fall. Once or twice amonth, Bennett orders extra produce to sell at cost to the hospital’s patients, staff as well asthe neighboring community.

Hospital management volunteersto help Bennett prepare the produce market space and stockthe fruits and vegetables for sale.Hospital dietitians have also begunoffering recipes to give peopleideas of healthy and interestingmeals to make with the availableproduce.

The Produce Market is held once ortwice a month—depending on theavailability of produce—in one ofthe hospital’s dining rooms. It runsfrom 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. to reach allthree work shifts. Plans are to holdthe produce market every monththroughout the year. �

In this first issue of In Touch for2013, it’s worth noting that theyear ahead promises to be an

extraordinary one for Bon Secours.I started here two decades ago, andI am as encouraged as ever!

Our mission continues to drive usto bring compassion to health careand to be of Good Help to Those inNeed.®We strive daily to build acommunity that thrives withhealthy people, a healthy economyand a healthy environment.

Our goal is to empower our neighbors with the health andwellness education necessary totake the best care possible ofthemselves and their families, aswell as offer the medical servicesthey need.

With the recent departure of ChrisWalker as Director of the Bon Secours Baltimore Health SystemFoundation, I am extending myheartfelt appreciation for the invaluable contributions she made

GREETINGS FROM BROTHER ART CALIMAN, CFX

during her five years here. As aleader, Chris’ commitment to theBon Secours mission was evidentin her tireless and inspiring effortsto promote the significant successes we’ve had in communityoutreach and community development programs and securekey funding to make it all happen.

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Chris laid a solid foundation onwhich to build, and that work continues without pause. In thisissue of In Touch, you have readabout many of the successes wehave experienced in recentmonths. These and other promising endeavors are designedto leverage resources to enable allof West Baltimore to become avital, healthy community whereresidents are empowered to takeownership of their health and canexpect to live full, healthy lives.

While all of this work continues,we have launched a nationalsearch for our next Foundationleader. That search is designed tobring a talented, ambitious Director who embraces Bon Secours’ mission, vision and values. This person will help uschart the course for a future thatwill enable us to scale even higherheights.

I want to thank you, also, for yourcommitment to a strong Bon Secours that is truly a neighbor-hood resource where we can provide health care and health education that is as good—andsometimes better—than care anywhere else in the city. Withyour support, we can achieve a tremendous transformation ofhealth care for West Baltimore.

Thank you, as always, for your confidence in our mission and vision, and for your continued support.

Bro. Art Caliman, CFXPresident, Board of Directors

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Special thanks to the volunteermembers of the Employee Campaign Committee for their tireless efforts in raising money fora variety of needs around Bon Secours Baltimore.

Susan Leon and Sheila Matthews: Co Chairs

Rebekah Baird

Barbara Berkman

Judy Carmichael

Elaine Clark

Toriano Fisher

Clintonette Garrison

Carolyn Greene

Bonnie Harry

Kathryn Lovejoy

Samantha Miller

Jeannette Washington

Joanne Williams

Bon Secours’ Employees Give From the Heart

dancingstars

WITH OUR

This year’s Employee GivingCampaign raised over$83,000! THANK YOU to all of

our employees who participated,you are Good Help to Those inNeed®

The support of our employees forthe mission of Bon Secours allowsus to make a tremendous impacton the lives of our patients, neighbors, and employees in need.It is essential to ensuring our longtradition of providing compassion-ate health care to all residents ofWest Baltimore. In these tryingeconomic times, we understandthat giving requires personal sacrifice. We are blessed to countour employees as cherished friendsand partners in our mission.

Amount raised for each fund:

1. Sr. Theophane Fund $23,000

2. Iris Fund $3,000

3. Community Care Fund $28,000

4. Patient Care Fund $29,000

“As a co-worker committed tothe mission of Bon Secours—being here for those most inneed—I feel it’s important tosupport the health system onmany levels by giving of mytime, my talent and my treasure!”

Karen M. Fitzpatrick, BCC Staff Chaplain, Pastoral Care

�

“Participating in the employeegiving campaign gives me apersonal opportunity to liveout our mission to be of goodhelp and practice our core values. Plus, it just feels good.”

Laura Dillman Physician Billing Coordinator

�

“Donating to the giving campaign allows me to experience genuine joy inknowing that I am followingGod’s perfect plan. Matthew25:40 says “I tell you the truth,anything you did for even theleast of my people, you alsodid for me.” God blesses us, sothat we can be a blessing toothers.”

Sondra Gamble Collections Coordinator, Patient Accounts

WHY I GIVE

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Family and Women Services

Bon Secours Family Support Centerprovides important resources foryoung, low-income families withchildren up to age four. TheWomen’s Resource Center is a placeof support, counseling and servicereferrals for women facing homelessness and basic needs crisis. These services give women astable foundation on which tobuild strong families and be economically self-sufficient. Combined, these programs seek$870,000 annually.

Economic Development and Financial Education

Bon Secours manages numerousprograms to tackle the educationand employment disparities ofcommunity residents. The CareerDevelopment program providesmany services including GEDpreparation, mentoring and equipment support services, whichenable participants to gain employment or advance a careergoal. Our Money Place is a vital andunique program providing financialliteracy, individual financial counseling, and free or low-cost taxpreparation to families seeking economic self- sufficiency. Theseprograms seek $265,000 annually.

Services for Seniors

Recognizing the need for safe, affordable housing, Bon Secourshas built six senior residentbuildings in West Baltimore providing 530 units of affordablehousing for low- income seniorsand people with disabilities,thus enabling these seniors toage in place. In addition, BonSecours provides wrap-aroundservices through service coordi-nators that arrange for healthand wellness appointments,health and nutrition classes andaccessibility to prescriptiondrugs and transportationarrangements. The cost to provide these services is$220,017 annually.

Teleheart

The Teleheart program treats individuals living with chronicdiseases such as diabetes andheart failure. These patients, themajority of whom are low income seniors, meet with aclinical nurse manager who provides in-patient counselingand conducts follow-up homevisits. Teleheart also providesfree classes on health topics andhas a proven record of reducingEmergency Room visits, lengthof in-patient stays and hospitalreadmission rates. Funding of$110,000 annually allows thisfoundational program to continue.

Sister Theophane Fund

The Sister Theophane Fund provides a patient-centeredsafety net of financial support tothose in need of medical care,prescription drugs and medicalsupplies, or those facing a basicneeds crisis. The fund extendsthis same assistance to employees of Bon Secours whenin need. This vital emergencyfund seeks to raise $100,000

annually.

IN 2013

HOWYOUHELPCAN

WAYS TO GIVE

$10helps provide a hot, nutritiousmeal to women experiencing

homelessness

$30helps enable one student to receive a full week of GED

prep classes

$50helps cover transportationcosts so that seniors can attend a group event

$100helps provide transportationfor GED parents and children

for one month

$175helps cover development

child-care for one child for oneweek

$500helps in-school youth buildentrepreneurial skills and

business acumen

$750helps cover the entire cost forGED classes for 25 participants

for one week

YourGift of:

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Q. Why Bon Secours? What inspires you about what this organization is doing?

A. I was born and raised in Baltimore City and appreciate howBon Secours is serving West Baltimore, a community that’s nearand dear to me and is severely underserved. When asked to joinforces and become part of the solution, it was an opportunity Igladly accepted.

Q. How do you see your role as aboard member?

A.My role is to assist with furthering the mission of theboard. It will involve everythingfrom exposing the issues that arenegatively impacting lives to raising awareness about what theFoundation and Health Systemseek to achieve and have alreadyachieved in the community. It isalso serving an underserved community and bringing them theresources that can enrich theirlives with inspiration and hope.

Q. What motivates you to giveback to this community and thisorganization?

A.When I look around I think tomyself, “Those people look likeme. I’ve walked the same streetsthat they’re walking.” I rememberfrequent visits as a child with my

grandfather to this side of town tovisit the crab houses. However,even though we may dwell in thesame city, everyone is not giventhe same opportunities. There arechallenges that prevent and hindersome of us from realizing our potential. Knowing that I wasgiven consideration compels me todo the same. It’s what everyonewill need at some point in life.

Q. What is your vision for thiscommunity?

A. I believe that the communitycan be as much of a thriving community as the Bolton Hill, Federal Hill, Fells Point and RolandPark communities. I want to reduce the disparities among residents of different communitiesas it is disturbing. I desire to seethe people in this community havethe same opportunities to livewell, be well and thrive! �

Phil Toohey

For his 20-plus years of service to this organization, the Bon Secours Baltimore HealthSystem Foundation would like to thank

outgoing Board Member Phil Toohey, who steppeddown from his position in December.

It is difficult to overstate Phil’s contribution to BonSecours. Over the course of two decades, Phil servedin many roles, including as Chairman of the Board ofthe Bon Secours of Maryland Foundation and of the

Bon Secours Baltimore Health System. He volunteered at the Family Support Center and gave tirelessly to the board, the organization and the community.

A member of a family with three generations of involvement with BonSecours, Phil succeeded his father who served on the Board of Directors inthe  1970s. His grandmother was a volunteer in the 1930s and 1940s.And Phil has relatives who are Bon Secours-trained nurses.

We thank Phil for his service and wish him well in his future endeavors. �

Conversation with Our New Board Member: Giving Back to West Baltimore

The Bon Secours Baltimore Foundation is pleased to welcome its newest

board member: Financial Advisor Denika Palmer,MBA, CFP®, CRPC®

Ms. Palmer works in the Global Wealth Development division at Merrill

Lynch. A Baltimore native, Ms. Palmer received her Masters of Business

Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of

Baltimore Merrick School of Business. She is also an inducted member of the

Sigma Beta Delta International Honor Society. Ms. Palmer also is a graduate

of the Greater Baltimore Committee Leadership Class of 2010. In addition to

her service to Bon Secours, Ms. Palmer participates in various civic and non-

profit community endeavors.

We are honored to have her on our board.

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage

PAIDBaltimore, MD

Permit No. 74

BON SECOURS BALTIMOREHEALTH SYSTEM FOUNDATION

®

is to bring compassion to health care and to be

Good Help to Those in Need.® As a system of

caregivers, we commit ourselves to help bring

people and communities to health and

wholeness as part of the healing ministry of

Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church.

2000 West Baltimore StreetBaltimore, MD 21223

THE MISSION

OF BON SECOURS BALTIMORE HEALTH SYSTEM

A PUBLICATION OF Bon Secours Baltimore Health System Foundation, Inc.2000 West Baltimore StreetBaltimore, MD 21223

For more information, please contact

Almarie I. WoodDevelopment and Fundraising Manager(410) 362-3204 officealmarie_wood@bshsi.org

Anita CrockettDevelopment Operations Manager410-362-3518anita_crockett@bshsi.org

Mitzi FrancisGrants Manager(410) 960-6263Kay_Martinez@bshsi.org

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