July 2008

Message from the Network Director

June was an exciting month for VA New England.  Our new Network Director, Dr. Michael Mayo-Smith was appointed and we look forward to welcoming Dr. Mayo-Smith back to New England.  Many of you may already know him from his work at Manchester VAMC and also at the Network.  His extensive experience and leadership skills will ensure that VA New England is well positioned to meet the needs of our veterans today, and in the future.  Welcome Dr. Mayo-Smith.

In addition, our network hosted Secretary Peake who recently visited Vermont and New Hampshire to meet with veterans and their families, VA staff and members of Congress.  He toured the White River Junction and Manchester VAMCs and especially enjoyed speaking with staff and patients during his visits.

In this issue of New England Connections, you will read about the upcoming IntegratedEthics employee survey and I encourage you to participate in the survey.  In addition, our emergency preparedness continues as we participated recently in the VA’s National Pandemic Flu Drill.  There were many important lessons learned at all of our facilities throughout New England.

Finally, you will also read in this issue that I am transitioning to a new role soon as well.  I have been appointed as the new Director for the Bedford VAMC and, although I have enjoyed my time as the Acting Network Director, I look forward to beginning my new duties and working with the staff at Bedford.  In closing, I would like to thank all of those who have gone above and beyond to ensure that the Network has its own “seamless transition” to a new leadership team. 

Sincerely,

Tammy A. Follensbee
Acting Network Director

Michael Mayo-Smith, MD, MPH Appointed Network Director, VISN 1

Welcome Back!

Michael Mayo-Smith, MD, MPH, returns to VA New England as Network Director effective July 6, 2008.

Prior to this appointment, Dr. Mayo-Smith served as the national chief consultant, Primary Care since 2006.  From 1999 to 2006, he served as director, Primary Care Service Line, VA New England Healthcare System.  He began his VA career in 1987 at the Manchester VA Medical Center where he held several positions of increasing responsibility including associate chief of staff for Ambulatory Care, director of the Substance Abuse Treatment Program, and medical director for the Hospital Based Home Care Program.  From 1984 to 1987, Dr. Mayo-Smith worked in private practice in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Dr. Mayo-Smith received his Bachelor's degree in Science from Amherst College, Amherst, Mass., and received his medical degree from the Hahnemann University (now Drexel University School of Medicine), Philadelphia, Pa., in 1980.  In 1986, he received his Masters in Public Health from Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Mass.  He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and Geriatrics and certified in Addiction Medicine by the American Society of Addiction Medicine. 

Tammy A. Follensbee Appointed Director, Bedford VAMC

Tammy A. Follensbee has been appointed as Director, Bedford VAMC.  She will begin her duties at Bedford VA on Aug. 4, 2008. 

Prior to this appointment, Ms. Follensbee served as the Acting Network Director for the VA New England Healthcare System since March 2008.  Ms. Follensbee was the Deputy Network Director for the VA New England Healthcare System from March 2005 to March 2008.  Ms. Follensbee was the Network Chief Information Officer from May 2001 to February 2005.  She also served as medical center chief information officer and chief of information resource management at the White River Junction VAMC.  She held several positions of increasing responsibility at the medical center and regional office, and began her VA career in 1984.

Ms. Follensbee is a graduate of the Federal Interagency Institute, the 2006 Leadership VA Program (LVA) and a member of the LVA Alumni Association.  She is also a member of the American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE), a graduate of the Harvard University School of Public Health National Preparedness Leadership Initiative, graduate of the VA Health Care Leadership Institute (HCLI) and a graduate of the VISN 1 Management Development Leadership Program.  She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Granite State College.

Secretary Peake Visits White River Junction and Manchester VAMCs

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James Peake recently visited White River Junction VAMC and Manchester VAMC to meet with employees and veterans to discuss issues related to providing medical care and services to area veterans.  Dr. Michael Mayo-Smith, network director appointee, VISN 1, also participated in the visits.     

On June 23, 2008, Secretary Peake visited White River Junction (WRJ) VAMC and was accompanied by Senator Bernie Sanders and Kate Harty, acting director, WRJ VAMC.  They visited several VA sites in Vermont, hosted public town hall meetings in White River Junction and South Burlington followed by facility tours and meetings with staff at the WRJ VAMC, VA Regional Office and the National Center for PTSD.  Dr. Peake, Senator Sanders and Fred Forehand, Burlington Vet Center team leader, also met with veterans who had recently returned from Iraq.

On June 24, Secretary Peake traveled to Manchester VAMC where he met with Senator John Sununu and then with Representative Carol Shea-Porter.  He then met with Dr. Marc Levenson, director, Manchester VAMC, and the facility leadership team for an overview of the facility followed by a tour of the medical center where he stopped frequently to speak with patients, veterans and staff members.  The Secretary later joined a small discussion group of VA employees to listen to their thoughts about the facility and the VA health care system as a whole.

Secretary Peake was complimentary about the sense of teamwork he encountered at both facilities and found the staff friendly, energetic and committed to caring for veterans.

WRJ and Manchester VAMC Staff and Veterans
 

VISN 1 Participates in 2008 VHA Exercise – Pandemic Influenza

The week of June 23-27, VA facilities throughout VA New England participated in a national exercise to test preparedness for pandemic flu in order to help improve emergency preparedness.

The 5-day national exercise was designed around an influenza pandemic affecting all parts of the U.S.  Staff across the country at the VISN level, medical centers, and VHA Central Office participated, along with other parts of VA and in some cases, other agencies.

Each day corresponded with different points in a pandemic wave and each day certain focus areas were emphasized.  The exercise “control cell” issued messages that required responses and/or actions from participating VISNs and VAMCs.  There were 17 such focus areas, such as surveillance, staffing, and supplies and services.

VA Boston Emergency Response Team

Emergency Preparedness: Are you Ready?

June 1 marked the official start of hurricane season, and for the coming months, emergency managers at all levels of government will pay particular attention to the weather patterns forming in the North Atlantic.  The Veterans Health Administration has developed practical, user-friendly hurricane preparedness and response planning tools for local facilities.  These tools are intended to aid in developing or refining each facility's all-hazards preparedness program.  

As always, the safety of patients, employees and families is VA's highest priority.  Building a culture of preparedness starts with every individual taking personal responsibility for his or her own preparedness.  All VA employees are reminded to establish a family preparedness plan that includes creating a disaster supply kit, having a place to go, securing your home and provisions for pets.

For more information on emergency planning, check out www.ready.gov.

News Around the Network

Bedford VAMC - Members of the American Legion conducted a site visit of Bedford VAMC on June 11.  The visit included a tour of the facility and visits to extended care, rehabilitation service, mental health, primary care and specialty care.  In other news...A System-wide Organizational Assessment and Review Strategy (SOARS) team conducted a site visit at Bedford VAMC from June 16 - 20.  The team reviewed environment of care issues, physician time and attendance, and infection control.

VA Boston HCS - VA System-wide Ongoing Assessment and Review Strategy (SOARS) team was onsite at VA Boston HCS on June 2-6 to assess key systems and processes that are in place to assist VA Boston with continuous readiness for external survey teams.

VA Connecticut HCS - The VA Office of the Inspector General conducted a Combined Assessment Program survey of VA Connecticut HCS June 9-13. In other news...VA Connecticut HCS hosted its second annual OEF/OIF welcome home event on June 21 at the West Haven campus.  The event included food, entertainment, children’s activities and information on VA benefits.

Manchester VAMC - Susan Burns, chief of Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy,  and Theresa Cuilla, Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders Clinic coordinator, both at Manchester VAMC, have been instrumental in a recently developed partnership with Northeast Passage.  Northeast Passage is a program of the University of New Hampshire, designed to provide one-to-one outpatient therapeutic recreation services for individuals who are physically or cognitively limited from independently accessing meaningful activity in their lives.  Northeast Passage’s program, PATH (Promoting Access, Transition, & Health), provides consultation on fitness, functional skill development, community integration, resource and network development as well as individual and family recreation options. 

Northampton VAMC - Staff from Northampton VAMC participated in OEF/OIF outreach events on June 10 at the Massachusetts National Guard Headquarters, Milford, Mass., and on June 16 at Barnes Air Reserve Base in Westfield, Mass.  A total of 390 service members participated in the two events.

Providence VAMC - On June 11, Providence VAMC conducted a Post-Deployment Health Reassessment in North Kingstown, R.I.  National Guard members and their families were briefed on readjustment issues, benefits and services available to veterans.  In other news...Ten sailors from the USS Providence based in Groton, Conn., conducted ward visitations at Providence VAMC on June 9.  The sailors visited with patients and veterans throughout the medical center.

Togus VAMC - Members of the American Legion conducted a site visit of Togus VAMC on June 10.  The visit included a tour of various clinics throughout the facilities.  In other news...On June 4, Togus VAMC opened its newest part-time access point in Houlton, Maine.  The clinic is open one day a week providing primary care services.

White River Junction VAMC - On June 11, White River Junction VAMC joined community hospitals around the state of Vermont to test their emergency plans in response to simulating a flu pandemic.  More than 100 hospital, public health and government officials participated in the simulated emergency. The drill was coordinated with the Vermont Department of Health and Vermont Emergency Management.  In other news...On June 16, White River Junction VAMC hosted the dedication ceremonies of the relocation of the Bennington Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC).  The new site is located at 186 North Street, Bennington, Vt.  Senator Bernie Sanders was the featured speaker.  

Congratulations

Virginia (Ginny) Boomhower, education specialist, VA Boston HCS, has been certified at the Fellow level as a mentor and coach by the VHA Mentor Certification and Advisory Board.

Stephanie Jardeleza, MD, Boston University resident, VA Boston HCS, was awarded the Sanford D. Hecht Research Award from the New England Ophthalmological Society.  Dr. Jardeleza’s VA Research Project was titled "Effect of trypan blue staining on the elastic modulus of diabetic and non-diabetic anterior lens capsules."

Linda A. McVey, FACHE, health systems specialist, Baldrige consultant, Northampton VAMC, recently became a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the nation’s leading professional society for healthcare leaders.

Cecilia McVey, BSN, MHA, CNA, associate director for Nursing/Patient Services, VA Boston HCS, testified to the House Veterans Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Health on May 21-22 in Washington, DC.  Ms. McVey represented Nurses Organization of VA (NOVA) and spoke on the “VA Medical Personnel Retention and Recruitment Act.”

Jennifer Moye, PhD, associate professor of Psychology, VA Boston HCS, was awarded the 2008 Dean’s Community Service Achievement Award at Harvard Medical School for her work with the Shawmut Gardens.

Lisa Najavits, PhD, research psychologist, VA Boston HCS, was recently elected to the office of President of Division 50 (Addictions) of the American Psychological Association.

Robert H. Pietrzak, a predoctoral clinical psychology intern, VA Connecticut HCS, received the 2008 Patrick DeLeon Prize from Division 55 (Pharmacotherapy) of the American Psychological Association (APA).  The DeLeon Prize honors former APA president Patrick H. DeLeon, PhD, JD, MPH.  Mr. Pietrzak was recognized for his paper “Effect of treatment with stimulant medication on visuospatial executive function and visuomotor processing speed in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.”  The prize carries a cash award of $500, which will be awarded along with a plaque at the APA Annual Convention in August 2008.

Donna Vogel, RN, MSN, CCM, director, Care Coordination and Case Management, VA Connecticut HCS, received the 2008Case Manager of the Year award at the Case Management Society of America (CMSA) conference held in Orlando, Fla., in June.  Each year, CMSA presents the award to a member whose case management career demonstrates practice that elevates, enhances individual and leadership performance, and exemplifies merit and distinction.  Mrs. Vogel has played a key role in impacting case management practice locally, in VISN l and nationally within VHA and in community practice settings. 

Carol Williams, ADPNS, nurse executive, Manchester VAMC, has been certified through the Employee Education System (EES) as a coach at the fellow level as well as a master trainer.  Ms. Williams has taught the two-day course at both the VISN and National levels to staff across disciplines.  Ms. Williams is chairperson of the Nurse Executive Mentoring Committee, Office of Nursing Services, Washington D.C.

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