Weekly Updates: Week of Aug. 3
St. Joseph hosts town hall Aug. 10
Penn State Health St. Joseph employees are invited to attend a virtual town hall on Monday, Aug. 10, from noon to 1 p.m. Finances, human resources and the long-term COVID-19 response are among the topics for discussion.
- Zoom link: pshealth.zoom.us/j/95693085393
- Phone: 651-372-8299
- One tap mobile: +16513728299,95693085393# US (St. Paul)
- Webinar ID: 956 9308 5393
Happy (belated) anniversary!
The COVID-19 pandemic may have put our regular work anniversary columns on hold (if you haven’t noticed, they’re back every Tuesday), but our dedicated employees stayed the course.
Congratulations to all the Penn State Health staff members who celebrated a milestone work anniversary between March 17 and July 31. They put our values into action every day.
Hershey issues new guidelines for ID accessories
In an effort to increase safety and security, Hershey Medical Center has instituted badge extenders for employees who engage in direct patient care as well as those who interact with visitors in patient care areas.
The badge extenders — accessories to the photo ID badges — are designed to help patients more easily identify those who have access to their rooms and better understand their roles in their care. To avoid confusion, only badge extenders Hershey Medical Center has issued or approved may be used.
Requests for exceptions must go through department leadership and onto their respective vice president for review and approval by executive leadership.Songdej recognized for ‘Exceptional Moments in Teaching’
Dr. Natthapol Songdej, assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, at the College of Medicine, is featured for August in the “Exceptional Moments in Teaching” program.
“I found Dr. Songdej’s lectures particularly engaging, relevant and clear,” wrote a student. “He displayed excellent mastery of his area of medicine, and yet he explained topics in a way that we could all quickly understand and relate to. I really appreciated the way he personalized his presentation by telling stories about specific cases he has seen that demonstrated what we were learning about.”
Printing Services consolidates Hershey campus operations, closes St. Joseph print shop
Penn State Health Printing Services will combine operations at its 307 E. Derry Road, Hershey, location on Wednesday, Aug. 5. Its office on the College of Medicine ground floor in room CG604 will close after that date.
As part of this consolidation, Hershey Medical Center’s Department of Shipping and Receiving will handle all deliveries of orders for printed products to the Hershey campus, including those deliveries previously made by Printing Services. When placing orders, be sure to include your building name, room number and mail code to ensure efficient delivery of your product.
During the transition, deliveries may be slightly delayed, which should be taken into consideration when ordering. “Rush” orders must be picked up at the E. Derry Road location beginning Aug. 5.
When using interoffice mail to communicate with Printing Services, include the new mail code on the address:
Penn State Health Printing Services
307 E. Derry Road, Mail Code HS81
Hershey, PA 17033
The St. Joseph Print Shop closed on July 3 to provide more efficient and cost-effective printing services. All print items should now be ordered through the Printing Services’ online ordering system, the Digital Storefront, which is accessible 24/7. For questions, call 717-534-1758 or email printsrv@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.
Wellness Wednesday – resources to quit smoking
Smoking can be associated with negative progression and adverse outcomes of COVID-19, studies suggest. Penn State Health helps employees quit or reduce tobacco use through the Penn State Employee Tobacco Intervention Program.
One-on-one support helps participants create personal tobacco treatment plans. With the Penn State Health medical insurance coverage, all Food and Drug Administration-approved medications to treat tobacco use are fully covered with a prescription. For more information email Shari Hrabovsky at shrabovsky@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.
For details, visit the PRO Wellness BeWell Employee Wellness website.
Your town hall questions answered
Q: What are we doing or what is the process to integrate Holy Spirit Hospital into our health system?
A: More than 60 teams are working on the integration, which includes employees from both Penn State Health and Holy Spirit. We look at this as an opportunity for growth and advancement for our staff and our organization.
Q: Is it okay to sit on the University Physician Center bridge window ledges and eat lunch?
A: Yes, as long as you stay socially distanced (six feet apart). Practice social distancing, masking and hygiene protocols at all times.
Q: With the uncertainty around this coming school year, is Penn State Health looking for ways to assist parents in accommodating the need to help children with remote learning?
A: We understand this is a difficult time for parents. We have been asked if we could provide day care, and the short answer to that is no, but we are working on identifying other options and family support resources. Every employee should talk to their manager to see what accommodations can possibly be made for them.
If you're having trouble accessing this content, or would like it in another format, please email Penn State Health Marketing & Communications.