Dear WVU Medicine colleagues,
I’m perpetually amazed by the ability of our staff to find creative solutions to problems, especially when it comes to patient care, where the need is often immediate and the result can greatly affect an individual’s quality of life.
It’s inspiring enough to see one patient’s life change due to a quick-thinking care team, but when a new idea sparks a shift that will ultimately help thousands of patients, it is truly a blessing.
Such was the case recently when Ian Sunyecz, DO, and Parker Tumlin, MD, two Department of Otolaryngology residents, and their care team identified a design flaw in tracheostomy tubes and worked to create a solution.
When attempting decannulation via a capping trial, a method of removing a tracheostomy tube, the doctors and other team members noticed that the tube caps were too loose and could easily be displaced when the patient coughed.
Using 3-D printing, team members identified a change in the cap’s design that would allow the cap to be easily removed by hand but would prevent it from being accidentally displaced if the patient coughed. They proposed the modification for use at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital and notified the manufacturer and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI), a device safety organization, about the design flaw.
Since discussing their concerns with the manufacturer and the FDA, there has been an urgent nationwide recall of the affected medical devices.
I’m so proud of the otolaryngology team for doing such a wonderful job identifying a patient safety issue and developing an innovative solution to reduce harm. Other team members, from the Department of Otolaryngology and the Department of Risk Management, were Monika Freiser, MD; Stacie Honaker, JD; Hassan Ramadan, MD, MSc, FACS; Joseph Smetana, CPHRM, MSHL; Justin Smith; and Lisa Weishner.
By redesigning these tracheostomy tube caps, this team has given a new dimension to the scope of the care we are bringing to the state, region, and nation!
Pictured below, from left, are Hassan Ramadan, MD, MSc, FACS; Monika Freiser, MD; Parker Tumlin, MD; Ian Sunyecz, DO; and Joseph Smetana, CPHRM, MSHL.
IN OTHER NEWS
Barcellona Named WVU Health System’s New Chief Financial Officer
Nicholas (Nick) J. Barcellona has been named senior vice president of finance and chief financial officer (CFO) for the WVU Health System. He will join the Health System on July 24, succeeding Douglas Coffman, who announced his retirement in 2022 after a distinguished career that spanned over 30 years with the Health System and WVU Medicine United Hospital Center in Bridgeport.
“I am very excited that Nick will be joining us to provide financial leadership across our network of hospitals and clinics,” Albert L. Wright, Jr., president and CEO of the WVU Health System, said. “I am also grateful to Doug for his outstanding leadership, and fully confident that Nick will build on Doug’s legacy of financial excellence and success for our Health System and its hospitals.”
Named a “Rising Star” among CFOs by the Philadelphia Business Journal, Nick currently serves as executive vice president, chief financial officer, and treasurer of Temple University Health System in Philadelphia. At Temple, Nick has provided critical leadership that has led to the overall improvement of that organization’s financial health and credit ratings.
His announcement comes after an extensive national search and at a point when the WVU Health System continues to serve as an industry benchmark and standard for financial health for hospitals and health systems. The Health System remains a top performer financially, outperforming many of its peer, academic health systems across the United States, as reflected in both its overall financial performance and continued positive bond ratings from S&P and Moody’s.
“We were all very impressed with Nick, including his outstanding leadership experience and accomplishments, as well as his passion and excitement for the mission, vision, and values of both WVU and WVU Medicine,” Thomas A. Heywood, vice chair of the WVU Health System Board of Directors, chair of its Finance Committee, and a member of the CFO Search Committee, said. “The Finance Committee members and I are excited to work with him as he further enhances our financial excellence and helps lift WVU Medicine to even greater heights.”
Before joining Temple in 2020, Nick served in several senior financial and operational leadership roles at UPMC in Pittsburgh. He holds degrees from the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State University and serves on a variety of community boards.
“I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to join the WVU Medicine team as it continues its journey of building a truly exceptional health system for the people of West Virginia and beyond,” Nick said. “The excitement, energy, and enthusiasm for WVU Medicine were all very evident when I met with the members of the Search Committee. The success of WVU Medicine is driven by the world-class culture Albert and his team have established. I am thrilled that I will be part of a team that is so dedicated to its mission and patients.”
United Hospital Center Critical Care Unit Holds Skills Fair
The Critical Care Unit (CCU) at WVU Medicine United Hospital Center (UHC) recently held its annual three-day critical care skills fair. This year’s theme embodied the popular neo-Western television drama “Yellowstone.”
Nurses competed in two group activities, which included critical care nursing questions and scenarios in conjunction with “Yellowstone” storylines. Skills stations included intra-aortic balloon pump, transvenous pacemaker, critical care airway and adjunct therapies, malignant hyperthermia, lumbar drain, intra-abdominal pressures, and more.
“Nothing can replace the energy and sense of belonging that comes with a hands-on training program,” said Ashley Farley, BSN, RN, CCRN, CCU clinical supervisor and educator. “This intense yet entertaining skills fair is just one more way that we unite to be the best!”
Attendees earned “tokens” for winning activities and answering questions correctly at each skills station. Four premium prizes were awarded at the conclusion of the fair.
Pictured below at the critical care skills fair (back row, from left) are Faith White, RN; Coty Swiger, RN; Brooklyn Atkins, RN; Erin Jones, RN; and Amanda Ice, RN. Nick Greco (left), RN, and Candice Hicks, RN, are pictured with the lassos.
Hospitals Celebrate Easter
WVU Medicine employees know how to get into the holiday spirit, and that was certainly true this past weekend as hospitals across the WVU Health System marked Easter.
The festivities included visits with the Easter Bunny, who hopped by WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital, WVU Medicine Wetzel County Hospital, and WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital, delighting patients and staff.
WVU Medicine Thomas Memorial Hospital got in on the fun with a holiday-themed photo shoot for newborn babies in the nursery. These newest “peeps” at the hospital posed with knitted bunny ears, colorful eggs, and beautiful flowers, all a perfect representation of the season.
The photos below show Easter festivities at hospitals across the WVU Health System.
WVU Medicine Children’s, WV Living to Celebrate West Virginia’s Incredible Kids
Incredible kids live in all 55 West Virginia counties – and WVU Medicine Children’s and WV Living would like to recognize these kids for their talent, uniqueness, resilience, kindness, and determination.
We want to hear about the incredible kids in your life. Nominations will be accepted through Sunday, April 23. Then, WV Living readers will vote on their favorite kids from April 24-30.
As many incredible kids as possible will be featured in the WV Living Summer magazine issue. Each child’s profile will live on the WV Living website, and incredible kids will receive a special swag bag for being so awesome.
Nominate an incredible kid and learn more >>>
Gold-Blue Game Quickly Approaching
West Virginia University’s annual Gold-Blue Spring Football Game is almost here! This year’s game, presented by Encova, will start at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at Milan Puskar Stadium.
In addition to being a fun preview of the upcoming season, a portion of the game’s proceeds will benefit WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital. It’s a partnership we’re certainly grateful for – since 1984, the Mountaineers have donated more than $790,000 to Children’s Hospital.
You can get game tickets in advance for $10 each online at WVUGAME.com or by calling 800-WVU-GAME. WVU students are admitted for free if they show a valid student ID at the stadium gates upon entry.
Additional information about the game, parking, radio broadcast, and streaming telecast will be released later this month.
Garrett Greene hands the ball off to Tony Mathis, Jr., at a WVU spring football practice in March.
This is the next in a series of articles that focus on longtime employees – those who have spent a good portion of their career working at WVU Medicine. These employees bring experience to the table, and are dedicated to our mission of improving the health of West Virginians and others in the region through excellence in patient care, research, and education. They have seen our organization grow and evolve, and have a lot of great insight to share.
Name: Linda Prescott
Title and department: Assistant Director, Surgical Services Department
Hospital: WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital
Years of service: 46
Q: Why did you choose to spend most (if not all) of your career at WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital?
A: “I came to Princeton Community Hospital when I was 19 years old. Most of my clinical training was done by the senior licensed practical nurses. I soon came to realize that I made a difference in the lives of my patients and the people I had the privilege to work beside. It’s been like a family through the years – tears and joys.”
Q: What changes have you witnessed during your time with the organization?
A: “The biggest change has been the implementation of electronic documentation. The greatest challenge is how to keep patient care the priority and the main focus of our daily work activity.”
Q: What are you most proud of and why?
A: “I’m most proud of the quality of care and the level of compassion that our staff and surgeons have provided to our patients through the years. Technology is great, but personal care at the bedside is the most important thing.”
Q: What advice would you give to someone just starting their career at WVU Medicine?
A: “Bring your best every day. Take pride in your own personal performance. Go the extra mile and be positive and kind. The work you do is important and meaningful.”
A FINAL THOUGHT…
Even the pups in the WVU Hospitals Volunteer Services’ therapy dog program like to get in the holiday spirit! Prior to the recent Easter holiday, therapy dog Max donned his very own rabbit ears during a visit to J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital on April 7. It was a visit enjoyed by “everybunny” who crossed Max’s path. 😊 Max is owned by Holly Brimm, who has another therapy dog, named Leif, that she visits the hospitals with as well.
Therapy dog Max poses with Physician Recruitment staff at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital.
