Author: Live Love Delaware

Randy Gaboriault, ChristianaCare’s chief digital and information officer and senior vice president, accepts the award.

(WILMINGTON, Del) – ChristianaCare has earned the Transformational Leadership Award for excelling in its development and deployment of transformational information technology that improves the delivery of care and streamlines administrative services.

Presented by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) and the American Hospital Association, the award is jointly bestowed to Janice Nevin, M.D., MPH, ChristianaCare’s president and CEO, and Randy Gaboriault, MS, MBA, ChristianaCare’s chief digital and information officer and senior vice president.

“Their trailblazing commitment to rapid transformation has set an example for the entire industry in how to pursue a leadership vision with determination, brilliant planning and courage to overcome all challenges,” said CHIME President and CEO Russell P. Branzell.

Under the leadership of Nevin and Gaboriault, ChristianaCare has created and deployed new organizational, digital capabilities for both patient and caregiver. Using voice-enabled technology, ChristianaCare HomeHealth patients can interact with an internally developed Alexa capability to guide them through their personalized daily therapy regimens. Similarly, ChristianaCare recently launched the ability for in-house postpartum patients to use an Amazon Echo device to ask questions, request help or communicate with their care team. Taking voice and digital capabilities further, in February 2022, ChristianaCare deployed an innovative tool called Moxi, a collaborative robot – or “cobot” – that can assist in the hospital by making deliveries and performing other non-clinical tasks so that nurses and other clinical caregivers can spend more time focused on what they do best: caring for patients.

“Randy is a phenomenal leader, with a relentless focus on creating a culture of innovation for impact, solving for the most complex problems and delivering significantly improved outcomes,” Nevin said. “His work has made ChristianaCare a model for how transformative technology can help to create health so that every person can flourish.”

ChristianaCare continues to be recognized for leading innovation in the health care industry. The organization was recently recognized by CHIME’s Most Wired program with Performance Excellence Awards in its acute and ambulatory categories. That level is reserved only for organizations that are considered leaders in health care technology who “actively push the industry forward” and are “realizing meaningful outcomes, including improved quality of care, improved patient experience, reduced costs and broader patient access to healthcare services.”

“Under Dr. Nevin’s extraordinary leadership, we have made an intentional commitment to placing technology at the center of all our initiatives to enable our caregivers to best serve our patients,” Gaboriault said. “That commitment, reinforced by our organization’s core behavior to continuously look for new ways to innovate, means that we are able to introduce and leverage robotic nursing assistants in a way that drives meaningful value for both patients and providers. And because our caregivers embrace change, we are confident that we will be using our cobots to assume more tasks in the future, and enable our nurses to devote even more of their precious time to direct patient care.”

About ChristianaCare

Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, ChristianaCare is one of the country’s most dynamic health care organizations, centered on improving health outcomes, making high-quality care more accessible and lowering health care costs. ChristianaCare includes an extensive network of primary care and outpatient services, home health care, urgent care centers, three hospitals (1,430 beds), a freestanding emergency department, a Level I trauma center and a Level III neonatal intensive care unit, a comprehensive stroke center and regional centers of excellence in heart and vascular care, cancer care and women’s health. It also includes the pioneering Gene Editing Institute.

ChristianaCare is nationally recognized as a great place to work, rated by Forbes as the 2nd best health system for diversity and inclusion, and the 29th best health system to work for in the United States, and by IDG Computerworld as one of the nation’s Best Places to Work in IT. ChristianaCare is rated by Healthgrades as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals and continually ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek and other national quality ratings. ChristianaCare is a nonprofit teaching health system with more than 260 residents and fellows. With its groundbreaking Center for Virtual Health and a focus on population health and value-based care, ChristianaCare is shaping the future of health care.

LEWES – Beebe Healthcare will be hosting multiple hiring events in January.

Candidates must bring a copy of their resume and wear a mask. Please RSVP online by visiting this webpage and selecting the date: https://tinyurl.com/2p95u932. You may also call 302-645-3336 or email employment@beebehealthcare.org. Walk-ins welcome.

Beebe Healthcare is one of the largest employers throughout beautiful Sussex County, and we have exciting career opportunities available for qualified professionals. We are experiencing tremendous growth which allows us to offer more services to more people in more locations. Beebe Healthcare offers a healthy, supportive culture where you can truly flourish with an excellent patient-focused environment, and leading-edge technology. Working at Beebe provides a feeling of community and a place to call home away from home. Come join our team of heroes today!

For complete job descriptions and requirements for any of the listed positions, go to https://www.beebehealthcare.org/careers.

Environmental Services event

6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4

Beebe is conducting on-site interviews at the Specialty Surgical Hospital on the Rehoboth Health Campus at 19161 Healthy Way, Rehoboth Beach, DE, 19971. A $2,500 sign-on bonus is being offered.

Job roles include:

• Floor Techs
• Housekeeping
• Laundry Services

Beebe Medical Group event

9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 21

Beebe is conducting on-site interviews for a variety of positions at the Georgetown Health Center, 21635 Biden Ave., Georgetown, DE, 19947. A signing bonus between $2,500-$5,000 is being offered.

Job roles:

• Certified Medical Assistant
• Physician Office Nurse
• Patient Service Representative
• Patient Care Assistant
• Registered Dietitian
• Practice Manager
• Clinical Practice Manager
• Sr. Financial Analyst

Beebe Healthcare is a not-for-profit community healthcare system with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health for the people who live in, work in, and visit the communities we serve. Beebe Healthcare has three campuses: the Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus, which houses the medical center; the Rehoboth Health Campus; and the South Coastal Health Campus. Beebe Healthcare offers primary care as well as specialized services in the areas of cardiovascular, oncology, orthopaedics, general surgery, robotic surgery and women’s health. Beebe also offers walk-in care, lab, imaging and physical rehabilitation services at several locations throughout Sussex County, in addition to a home health program and a comprehensive community health program.

For more information about Beebe Healthcare, visit beebehealthcare.org.

Even after having been all over the country, Patricia Rivera finds that there’s no place to live quite like Delaware. Since the age of seven when she moved here from Bolivia, Rivera has lived across the United States. She came to Southern Delaware with a specific intention in mind, to create a lifestyle business, but upon arriving, she realized that the business community valued innovation and really looked to make a difference for people.

Because of this clear dedication to helping others within the Delaware business community, Rivera feels perfectly at home working for Hook PR & Marketing. Their focus is on assisting companies in garnering more clients and spreading the word about their services to all communities. One focus is on multicultural outreach and ensuring companies have the tools and capability to connect with people of all cultures and ethnicities. Hook PR works with companies to expand their branding to all platforms, as advertising through social media is a huge factor for success in the current digital age. Their clients consist of both for-profits and nonprofits, all of which look to create positive changes for the challenges people in their communities face.

“My name is Patricia Rivera, and I’m with Hook PR & Marketing. So I came to the United States when I was seven years old from Bolivia in South America and have lived in different places in the United States. When I came back to Delaware from Dallas, I was really looking to start a lifestyle business, but when I came here, what I found was a really vibrant business community that was innovative and deliberate. Innovative in that they were purposeful in trying to determine how they were going to make a difference in this world and how their product or service was gonna do that. And I really enjoyed that about living here in Southern Delaware.

We’ve got great tools here, and my kids love to skim and surf and paddle and kayak, and it’s just always good opportunities to be outdoors. It’s a great place to live, work and raise children.”

Rivera stayed in Delaware because of the business community, but she has come to love every aspect of the state since deciding to make a life here. The dedication she witnessed from businesses and individuals in trying to make the world a better place was what really struck Rivera as Delaware being unlike anywhere she had lived before. By situating herself within this community, Rivera has been able to do work that she believes in while also raising a family. Her family loves the outdoors, particularly the access to water that they have, as it is a great way to relax and have fun. The entire state of Delaware consists of hardworking individuals who truly commit themselves to their work because they live in such a welcoming, inspiring community. Wherever in Delaware one decides to reside, you will be able to find groups of people who truly believe in what they do and long to make a difference.

Pictured left to right: Ryan Arias, DO, Core Faculty, Tom Protack, President, Beebe Medical Foundation, Dr. David Tam, President & CEO, Beebe Healthcare, Jeffrey Hawtof, MD, FAAFP, Associate Program Director, Tanya Ray, MS, Administrative Director, Graduate Medical Education, Joyce Robert, MD, FAAFP, Program Director for the Family Medicine Residency, Cynthia Lamour, DO, General Faculty.

LEWES, Del. – Beebe Healthcare’s Family Medicine Residency at the R. Randall Rollins Center for Medical Education received its accreditation recently from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

The ACGME is the body that accredits all physician residency and fellowship programs in the United States. In order to obtain this accreditation, the medical education team completed an extensive application and a virtual site visit conducted by the ACGME.

“This is such a pivotal moment for our program,” said Joyce Robert, MD, FAAFP, Program Director. “Achieving this accreditation means we are in substantial compliance with the Family Medicine Residency requirements. We are now able to begin the interview process for our first class of four resident physicians to begin in July 2023.

“One of the goals of having this program at Beebe is to create an internal source for well-trained physicians to stay in Sussex County to care for our community.”

Dr. Robert has also been awarded a fellowship with the National Institute for Program Director Development with the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors. This nationally recognized fellowship accepts a small number of program participants each year following an application process. It is the gold standard for Family Medicine Residency Directors and will allow Dr. Robert to bring the best practices for curriculum design, program development, teaching, and standards of care in academic medicine to Beebe.

In March, Beebe will celebrate “Match Day” when four resident physicians are “matched” with the residency program. When the resident physicians come to Beebe, they will care for primary care patients under the supervision of board-certified physician faculty members.

“We cannot wait to welcome our future resident physicians to Beebe Healthcare and beautiful Sussex County,” said Jeffrey Hawtof, MD, FAAFP, Associate Program Director. “Congratulations to all involved in this long process that will create more primary care access in Delaware.”

Beebe Healthcare is a not-for-profit community healthcare system with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health for the people who live in, work in, and visit the communities we serve. Beebe Healthcare has three campuses: the Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus, which houses the medical center; the Rehoboth Health Campus; and the South Coastal Health Campus. Beebe Healthcare offers primary care as well as specialized services in the areas of cardiovascular, oncology, orthopaedics, general surgery, robotic surgery and women’s health. Beebe also offers walk-in care, lab, imaging and physical rehabilitation services at several locations throughout Sussex County, in addition to a home health program and a comprehensive community health program.

For more information about Beebe Healthcare, visit beebehealthcare.org.

LEWES, Del. – Beebe Healthcare will be hosting multiple hiring events in November.

Candidates must bring a copy of their resume and wear a mask. Please RSVP online by visiting this webpage and selecting the date: https://tinyurl.com/2p95u932. You may also call 302-645-3336 or email employment@beebehealthcare.org. Walk-ins welcome.

Working at Beebe is not just a job, it’s a lifestyle, a feeling of community, and Beebe is a wonderful place to call home. Beebe’s success is a direct result of our team members. Their care for the health and safety of their community is obvious. Attracting and retaining the best healthcare professionals is a priority. Come, join a team of heroes!

For complete job descriptions and requirements for any of the listed positions, go to https://www.beebehealthcare.org/careers.

Environmental Services Event
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, November 9

Beebe is conducting on-site interviews at the Sunshine Café on the Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus. A $1,000 sign-on bonus is being offered.

Job roles include:

• Floor Techs
• Housekeeping
• Laundry Services

Nutritional Services Event
9 a.m. to noon Saturday, November 12

Beebe is conducting on-site interviews at the Sunshine Café on the Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus. A $1,000 sign-on bonus is being offered.

Job roles:

• Nutritional Services Assistant
• Patient Care Hostess

Beebe Healthcare is a not-for-profit community healthcare system with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health for the people who live in, work in, and visit the communities we serve. Beebe Healthcare has three campuses:

• the Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus, which houses the medical center;
• the Rehoboth Health Campus; and
• the South Coastal Health Campus.

Beebe Healthcare offers primary care as well as specialized services in the areas of cardiovascular, oncology, orthopaedics, general surgery, robotic surgery and women’s health. Beebe also offers walk-in care, lab, imaging and physical rehabilitation services at several locations throughout Sussex County, in addition to a home health program and a comprehensive community health program.

For more information about Beebe Healthcare, visit beebehealthcare.org.

ChristianaCare’s Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute has received the Association of Community Cancer Center’s (ACCC) 2022 Innovator Award for its person-centered model of care which embeds a primary care provider in the cancer center for patients undergoing treatment who do not have a primary care provider.

The Graham Cancer Center located in Newark, Delaware is among the first cancer programs in the nation to offer a program of this kind to patients.

“Earning the prestigious ACCC Innovator Award for our primary care practice is an accomplishment that belongs to our entire cancer care team, which has worked long and hard to develop this unique program designed to improve our patients’ long-term health,” said Nicholas J. Petrelli, M.D., Bank of America endowed medical director of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute.

Primary Care for Cancer Patients

Patients diagnosed with cancer frequently have one or more concurrent chronic diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, COPD or diabetes.

Cancer treatment can make these chronic medical problems worse, so it is important for patients to continue to see a primary care provider during their treatment, which can also help eliminate unnecessary emergency department visits.

The new primary care practice builds on the success of the Graham Cancer Center’s Oncology Express Unit, a program that offers urgent care to cancer patients in distress during treatment.

“We conducted an informal survey that found as many as 15% of our patients did not have their own primary care provider,” said Cancer Program Clinical Director Cindy Waddington, MSN, RN, AOCN.

“Having a primary care provider onsite working closely with the entire cancer care team helps ensure that essential patient care beyond cancer treatment is not delayed,” Waddington said.

Patients are referred to the practice by their oncologists for any non-cancer health concerns. Since opening in January 2021, the program has received referrals to care for 234 patients.

“Primary care in oncology has been a long-standing challenge for cancer patients and cancer programs,” said Family Nurse Practitioner Debra Delaney, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, FNP-BC, who provides primary care services at the Graham Cancer Center.

“Thankfully, we’ve been able to solve that challenge by addressing the whole person and promoting healthy living for the long-term.”

Delaney helps patients manage their chronic medical conditions by monitoring their labs, refilling prescriptions and coordinating and communicating about any referrals they many need.

“Following their cancer treatment, we help our patients transition to another practice, so they can continue to receive care for their primary care needs,” she said.

The ACCC featured the program on its BuzzBlog.

According to the ACCC, Innovator Award winners demonstrate the ability to advance the goals of improving access, quality and value in cancer care delivery, while also providing replicable solutions for other cancer programs and practices.

Today ChristianaCare opened a new 14-bed Pediatric Care Center that provides 24/7 combined short-stay inpatient and emergency care for children and teens. The new center is located on the first floor of the Center for Women’s & Children’s Health on ChristianaCare’s Newark Campus.

“This new facility is an exciting step in our continued journey to create the absolute best care for children and families in our community,” said David Paul, M.D., chair of the Department of Pediatrics.

“The Pediatric Care Center will significantly improve access to care for children, enhance the patient experience and address the needs of families who want high-quality care in a child-friendly environment.”

• Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Kid-friendly setting designed specifically for children and teens, separate from the adult ER.
  14 patient beds providing emergency, short-stay inpatient, and observation care.
• Emergency care for children under 18.
• Caring, expert pediatric hospitalists, pediatric urgent care and pediatric emergency care physicians.
• Evaluation of children and adolescents with mental health concerns and give appropriate referral sources for follow-up care.
• X-ray, ultrasound and other diagnostics.

The 24-hour Pediatric Care Center will be able to evaluate and manage 90% of the pediatric cases currently seen in the Christiana Hospital Emergency Department. The center expects to care for an estimated 6,300 patients the first year, with volume projected to grow 5% each year.

The Pediatric Care Center also provides expert care to children and adolescents with behavioral health emergency needs and appropriate referral sources for follow-up care.

“Our new Pediatric Care Center makes it easier than ever for families and children to receive excellent care when they need it, in a special space designed just for them,” said Sharon Kurfuerst, Ed.D., OTR/L, FACHE, system chief operating officer at ChristianaCare and President, Union Hospital.

“The center will care for the special needs of pediatric patients, making it convenient for them to receive dedicated, expert resources for hospital-based, non-trauma emergency and inpatient care all in one location.”

The 8,400 square-foot facility provides 14 beds for emergency and short-stay inpatient and observation care.

“We offer 24/7 pediatric emergency care 365 days a year,” said Megan Mickley, M.D., MBA, FAAP, FACEP, medical director, who is board certified in Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency Medicine and fellowship-trained in Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Emergency Ultrasound.

“The Pediatric Care Center team is a diverse, multidisciplinary group led by pediatric physicians trained in a variety of backgrounds, including emergency medicine and hospital medicine,” she said.

“Our goals are not only to provide exceptional quality of care for children, but also to improve access to and expand pediatric care services for our neighbors. We look forward to being a trusted partner for pediatric care in our community.”

LEWES (Sept. 28, 2022) – Beebe Healthcare is excited to announce Beebe Medical Group’s next Primary Care office location conveniently located at “Bayside Corner” at the intersection of Routes 54 and 20 in Selbyville. The exterior structure is in the process of being built with a tentative opening in mid-2023.

Beebe Primary Care Selbyville is expected to have 10 exam rooms, which would allow for approximately five primary care providers. The goal is to create increased same-day sick visit access for established Beebe primary care patients and have extended hours of operation.

“Beebe Medical Group is excited to expand primary care access in our South Coastal area,” said Christina Onolaja, Director of Primary Care for Beebe Medical Group. “Our Medical Group continues to grow, and we are committed to increasing access to high quality care that’s close to home for the people of Sussex County.

More information will be available as the construction of the new primary care office is finished. If community members are looking for a primary care provider, they can call 302-645-3332 to find a Beebe provider accepting patients.

“Beebe Healthcare has developed our strategic plan that looks at how we provide comprehensive care throughout Sussex County,” said David A. Tam, MD, MBA, CPHE, FACHE, President & CEO, Beebe Healthcare. “That includes Selbyville and the South Coastal area, so we are so thrilled to bring this location to the community thanks to some great partnerships.”

“Bayside Corner” is across from the Bayside community and is being developed by the Carl M. Freeman Companies.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Beebe Healthcare to Bayside Corner,” said Nick Freeman, Vice President of Commercial and Hospitality for the Carl M. Freeman Companies. “Beebe’s commitment to serving the community aligns with our mission of creating retail spaces that best serve the area’s needs. Proximity to healthcare benefits not only our residents at Bayside, but the neighboring communities.”

Beebe Medical Group includes 20-plus specialty offices in more than 40 office locations throughout Sussex County. When patients see providers within the Beebe Medical Group, they enjoy the experience of seamless electronic medical correspondence between office visits, outpatient facilities, and the hospital.

Practices include the specialties of: Cardiothoracic Surgery, Dermatology, Endocrinology, Family Medicine, Gastroenterology, General and Bariatric Surgery, Hospital Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Travel Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatric Neurology, Pulmonary & Sleep Disorders, Surgical Oncology, Urology, and Women’s Healthcare.

Four Walk-in Care Centers serve the community in Rehoboth Beach, Georgetown, Millsboro, and Millville from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Beebe Healthcare is a not-for-profit community healthcare system with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health for the people who live in, work in, and visit the communities we serve. Beebe Healthcare has three campuses: the Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus, which houses the medical center; the Rehoboth Health Campus; and the South Coastal Health Campus. Beebe Healthcare offers primary care as well as specialized services in the areas of cardiovascular, oncology, orthopaedics, general surgery, robotic surgery, and women’s health. Beebe also offers walk-in care, lab, imaging and physical rehabilitation services at several locations throughout Sussex County, including a home health program and a comprehensive community health program.

For more information about Beebe Healthcare, visit beebehealthcare.org.

For 75 years, Carl M. Freeman Companies has created places that enrich lives through their innovative and inviting places to live, work, shop and play. The company has developed and managed more than five million square feet of commercial space for shopping center and office use, servicing more than 1.1 million square feet of retail and built award-winning beachfront and golf course communities.

LEWES, Del. – Beebe Healthcare is proud to present its first annual Pulmonary Health and Illnesses of the Lungs (PHIL) Award to Nancy Collick, a respiratory therapist who has served Sussex County for over 30 years. Collick is recognized as a valuable leader within Beebe’s respiratory and emergency departments; someone who provides clinical excellence for patients while treating everyone who surrounds her with kindness and compassion.

The PHIL Award is a nationally recognized hospital-based program that honors respiratory therapists who provide outstanding care and treatment for patients with life-threatening pulmonary illnesses. It was created in 2006 by the family of Philip C. Lamka, who was diagnosed with interstitial lung disease and courageously battled his condition for three years. Their foundation, FACES, aims to give hope to patients facing life-threatening lung diseases while celebrating the respiratory therapists who bravely care for them. The PHIL Award is presented annually to one respiratory therapist at each participating hospital who demonstrates genuine dedication to their practice, with an understanding that each breath matters. Nominations are accepted from clinical providers, hospital leadership, and patients.

“Nancy is an unsung hero who has earned a reputation as being among the ‘best of the best’ here at Beebe,” said Chris Steele, EKG, EEG, Director of Respiratory Therapy. “She is always smiling and carries a positive attitude that brightens people’s days. Her dedication shines brightly and was especially apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nancy regularly covered extra shifts and worked overtime to assure our patients in need were taken care of. She is an irreplaceable part of our team.”

As winner of the first annual PHIL Award, Collick received the FACES Foundation’s appreciation sculpture, along with paid tuition to attend a professional conference in Delaware.

“Nancy serves as an incredible role model for her colleagues in Respiratory Therapy, the Emergency Department, and for all members of the Beebe Healthcare team,” said David A. Tam, MD, MBA, CPHE, FACHE, President & CEO of Beebe Healthcare. “She is a skilled clinician with a long history of providing excellent care to every patient she encounters. She is truly deserving of this award.”

Featured Image (l-r): Dr. David Tam, President & CEO; Nancy Collick, Respiratory Therapist; Chris Steele, Respiratory Director; Tom Protack, Beebe Foundation President; Dan Mapes, Executive Director of Diagnostic and Satellite Services.