Mike Kellenberger Named ProMed Director of Sales Training, Customer and Employee Relations

Mike Kellenberger has been named Professional Medical's Director of Sales Training, Customer and Employee Relations, CEO Matt Barnes announced.

"Mike works hard and truly cares about everyone's well-being," Barnes said. "He literally started performing much of his new role months before I assigned him the responsibility. I love his initiative and consider Mike a great friend."

According to Al Wiggs, ProMed's VP of Strategic Sales and Marketing, Kellenberger's value to Team ProMed can be summed up in one phrase: "If you want to get something done right, give it to Mike!"

"These are words that exemplify why Mike Kellenberger has continued to succeed at ProMed," Wiggs continued. "He takes an issue and owns it in a way that is rare. When the training department was growing and in need of fresh ideas and muscle, Mike stepped in and revamped the whole process. Mike turned a loose schedule that changed frequently into a process that can be counted on for terrific results. Now when new recruits ask about our training program, they are never disappointed in Mike's vision of how each guy will be groomed for success.

"When the twin needs for customer and employee retention needed to be addressed, Mike was the obvious choice," Wiggs added. "Customers love him; he trained most of the sales force. Who better to start the process of making sure we keep our good customers and our good employees? Mike is selfless and truly cares about ProMed and each of our customers and employees. He is hard-working and is not afraid to tackle the tough problems. He continuously shows initiative, which is the creative fuel of business. These are the reasons Mike is being asked to give of himself once again, and these are the reasons Mike's future continues to be very bright."

Here's what Mike's colleagues had to say about him:
"Mike is a friend who has discovered his passion in training and educating our new hires. He continues to refine and enhance this program for Team ProMed. His contribution to ProMed is essential to our success as we continue to expand our corporate footprint across the USA. Mike is loving father to his daughters and enjoys spending as much time as he can with them."
- Rocky Howard, President of Sales

"I want the world to know that Mike Kellenberger is a genuine, good-hearted individual. His talents extend beyond his good nature into the realm of amazing. What he has done with Professional Medical's training is just short of a miracle. And in such a short time! When I began with ProMed, my training consisted of three days with Al Wiggs at a card table in the room that is now where the marketing printer stands. Mike has done a tremendous job with this program. I commend his efforts and respect him as a person."
- Keith Kennedy, National Sales Manager

"Mike's kids' well-being and care is his first concern. He gets the Best Father Award from me!"
- Pam West, VP of Clinical and Regulatory Compliance

"Mike is definitely in the right position. As an experienced businessperson with a lot of managerial experience, Mike exemplifies what we want in a manager and trainer. He is positive, thorough, helpful and likes to turn negative events into positives. People trust that Mike will always do the right thing."
- Jim Antonich, Sales Ambassador

"Mike routinely passes up social opportunities to get home and see his kids."
- Jeff Sacco, Territory Manager

Keith Kennedy Named ProMed National Accounts Manager

Ohio’s very own Keith Kennedy has been named National Accounts Manager of Professional Medical, Inc., CEO Matt Barnes announced today.

“Keith Kennedy has inspired me in many ways,” Barnes said. “I am thrilled to have him as a part of the ProMed family and consider him to be a dear friend.”

“The thing that totally qualified Keith to be our National Sales Manager is that he has proven that he can do it in a way that nobody has ever been able to do it before at Professional Medical,” said VP of Strategic Sales and Marketing Al Wiggs. “He develops friendships at the top and the only thing he asks in return for those friendships is that they introduce him to more new friends. By doing this consistently, he’s been able to meet with over half the major groups located within the borders of Ohio in just 20 short months.”

Wiggs recalls being floored from the beginning by Kennedy’s drive and outgoing personality. “The very first time I ever worked with Keith, I knew he was something special,” he said. “In September of 2008, I went out to travel with him when he was a brand-new rep, thinking I was going to teach him everything there was to learn about selling medical supplies. Little did I know I was going to learn as much as I taught. First and foremost, I have never made so many calls in a single day in my life. While a normal human being might try to pack four, six or eight calls into a day, working with Keith Kennedy, you would visit no less than a dozen buildings, if possible.

“On one day, we visited six homes that were all part of one group,” Wiggs continued. “Each and every one of the six homes fell in love with Keith and our blood glucometer and agreed to call their corporate office and come as close to demanding the product as they could without losing their jobs. The next day, the clinical director from their corporate office called Keith, furious, asking him what right he had to go out and show product to the nurses and have them call in and bother her. She said ‘Why would you do that?’ Keith’s answer was, with a smile on his face and a laugh in his heart, ‘Well, you called me back, didn’t you?’ That’s the way it is with Keith – he might make you mad for a minute, but he makes you laugh and you love him in the end.”

Wiggs summed up how Kennedy’s drive has allowed him to blaze his own trail. “At ProMed, we believe that if you want a new job, you just go out and take it,” he said. “No one ever went out and took the job better than Keith Kennedy.”

Here’s what Keith’s colleagues had to say about him:
“Keith is consummate professional who has overcome some physical challenges recently and is dedicated to serving the LTC industry.”
– Rocky Howard, President of Sales

“Keith is an amazing relationship builder. He has the ability to walk into any room and make friends with just about anyone.”
– Joe Green, Director of Distribution Sales and Regional Manager

“Keith Kennedy is a great sales talent, a great manager and an even better person.”
– Ted Walsh, Territory Manager

“He does a very good job and is there when you need the help – but at the same time, he lets you go into the deep end of the pool on your own and figure things out. I think the numbers speak for themselves on the great job he’s done in Ohio.”
– Scott Stachowiak, Territory Manager

Obama Signs Medicare Doc Pay Fix Into Law

On Friday, June 25, President Obama signed a law that that canceled the dreaded 21.3 percent pay cut for Medicare physicians and replaced it with a 2.2 percent pay increase.

The Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act is retroactive to June 1. CMS expects to start processing claims at the new rate no later than July 1.

To learn more, click here.

Turn Your Facility Into a Lean, Mean Caregiving Machine

The CDC has launched LEAN Works!, a Web-based resource for workplace obesity prevention and control. "LEAN" is an acronym for "Leading Employees to Activities and Nutrition."

According to the CDC, the annual healthcare cost of obesity in the United States is as high as $147 billion a year. Medical expenses for obese employees are approximately 42 percent higher than for a person with a healthy weight.

The site features an obesity cost calculator to help you figure out how much obesity costs your facility as well as how much money you could save by implementing an obesity prevention program. It also has tools to help you plan, build, promote and assess your program.

Learn more about LEAN Works! by clicking here.

CMS Releases Revised MDS 3.0 Training Materials

This morning, CMS posted revised training materials on their MDS 3.0 Training Materials site. The MDS 3.0 RAI Manual now includes new revisions to Chapter 1, the Chapter 3 Introduction and Appendix E.

CMS is working to provide further updates to the MDS 3.0 RAI Manual as well as the Training Slides and Instructor Guides. They anticipate posting additional updated materials on the site on Friday, June 25.

Click here to learn more.

CDC: Revised Seasonal, H1N1 Flu Guidance in the Pipeline

On Tuesday, the CDC issued proposed guidance that would update and replace the existing infection control guidance for seasonal and H1N1 flu, Interim Guidance on Infection Control Measures for 2009 H1N1 Influenza in Healthcare Settings.

The updated guidance focuses on a prevention strategy that could be applied across the entire spectrum of healthcare settings, such as hospitals, nursing homes, physicians' offices, urgent care centers and home health care. Special attention is being paid to vaccination and steps to minimize the potential for exposure to seasonal and H1N1 flu.

The agency is currently seeking public comment on the guidance. Written comments must be received on or before July 22, 2010. Click here to learn more.

Help Ward Off Heatstroke at Your Facility

Did you know that about 80 percent of heatstroke deaths occur in people over 50 years old? Part of the reason for this is that the physical changes of aging make elderly people more likely to suffer from heat-related problems.

As people age, sweating becomes less effective at cooling the body. Sweat glands can become scar-like, and the surrounding tissue becomes less vascular. Elderly people start sweating at a higher temperature and have less sweat output per gland, which puts them at a higher risk for developing heatstroke.

Other factors and medical conditions can put the elderly at risk for heatstroke, including lower socioeconomic status, impaired self-care ability, lack of air conditioning, mental illness, alcoholism, infection, dehydration, cardiopulmonary disease, cerebrovascular disease, kidney disease and COPD. Certain medications can also put residents at a higher risk for heat-related complications, including anticholinergics, antihistamines, antiparkinsonians and antipsychotics. Residents on diuretics should also be monitored closely since these drugs can cause a diminished volume of blood, which can lead to heatstroke.

The following tips can help prevent heatstroke at your facility:

• Encourage residents to drink plenty of fluids.
• Don't serve fluids with caffeine, alcohol or large amounts of sugar. All of these can cause a person to lose more body fluid. Water or fruit or vegetable juice are better choices.
• During heat waves, keep residents indoors in the air conditioning.
• Keep sunlight from entering rooms by closing the blinds or curtains.
• If residents are outside, encourage them to stay in cool, shady spots, preferably in the early morning or evening.
• Have residents wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
• Be aware of the outdoor heat index (which measures what hot weather "feels like"). Full exposure to sun can cause the heat index to rise by up to 15 degrees Fahrenheit.

Congratulations, Billy Hall!

Congratulations to Billy Hall, son of ProMed employee Bill Hall. Billy won the gold medal in the softball throw at the Illinois State Special Olympics! Pictured are Coach Ken Price, Mr. Forrester, Billy Hall and Bill Hall.

CMS Hosting Wednesday Conference Call on MDS 3.0, RUG-IV

This Wednesday, June 23, CMS will be hosting a conference call to discuss MDS 3.0 and RUG-IV. The call is open to providers across the nation and will begin at 1:30 p.m. EDT.

According to CMS, the call will cover the following:

• Key aspects of RUG-IV (which is being implemented on an interim basis on October 1, 2010)
• Coding procedures, with an emphasis on the appropriate "look-back" periods that need to be used when coding MDS 3.0
• How staff should separately report individual, concurrent and group therapy for accurate payment
• How changes to the ADL coding requirements will impact the assignment of MDS 3.0 records to a RUG-IV group

To learn more and register for the conference call, click here. If you are unable to dial in to the call, two additional provider calls are being scheduled for August 2010.

Father's Day Turns 100!

2010 marks the 100th anniversary of Father's Day! Did you know that the holiday's founder, Sonora Smart Dodd, established Father's Day because she was upset that popular culture was portraying fathers as being lazy, sleazy and drunk?

Many long-term care facilities have special celebrations on Father's Day to honor their residents. How is YOUR facility celebrating?

Time to Get Grandma on Skype

Even if Grandma can't join you around the dinner table, videoconferencing can help her feel like she's still part of the family.

A new study out of Taiwan found that nursing home residents rated communicating via videoconference second only to an actual visit from their family members.

During the study, 18 women and 16 men videoconferenced with their family members. Each resident used the technology differently - some videoconferenced daily, some only monthly or occasionally. On average, chats lasted for 12 minutes. At the end of the study, all 34 residents reported that the experience enriched their lives.

To learn more, click here.

Keep Diabetic Feet Happy This Summer

While many people enjoy shedding their shoes and feeling the grass beneath their feet during the summer, it's important that diabetics remember they're more prone to complications and continue to take measures to prevent them.

Here are four tips to help diabetics be "sole survivors" this summer!

1. Forget the flip-flops. While flip-flops and other sandals allow feet to feel cooler, they're not supportive. Instead, consider a breathable, well-fitted athletic shoe that offers both support and comfort.
2. Don't overlook small cuts and scrapes. Many diabetics underestimate the havoc that can be wrought by a scrape, open blister or superficial cut. Diabetes lowers the body's natural defense against bacteria, thereby opening the door for cellulitis to set in. This infection can quickly spread into the bloodstream from a seemingly small wound on a foot or leg. Diabetics are a higher risk for cellulitis than non-diabetics.
3. Keep skin clean and dry. Fun at the pool and beach or any activity that results in sweating can result in extra skin moisture, which in turn can lead to an overgrowth of skin fungus and potentially an athlete's foot infection. If the infection makes its way into the foot skin through cracks and fissures, cellulitis can result.
4. Control blood sugar. When blood sugar is normal, the potential for foot complications is significantly lower. In the summer, this might mean saying no to the barbeque, pie, ice cream and other warm-weather goodies that pop up at celebrations.

Click here to learn more.

Could Two Cups of Apple Juice a Day Help Keep Alzheimer's at Bay?

A new study published in the American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias (AJADD) found that apple juice can help soften the anxiety, agitation and delusions common among people with moderate to advanced Alzheimer's disease.

During the study, institutionalized Alzheimer's patients were given four ounces of apple juice twice a day for a month. After 30 days, caregivers didn't notice any improvement in the patients' dementia symptoms, but they did see improved behavioral and psychotic symptoms. Specifically, there was 27% improvement, mainly in the areas of anxiety, agitation and delusions.

The study's authors say that their results support the use of nutritional-based approaches to help delay the onset of Alzheimer's as well as other dementias.

To view the full study (it's available as a free download for a limited time only) click here.

Happy National Nursing Assistants Week!

2010's National Nursing Assistant Week kicked off on June 10 and will run through June 17. The theme of this year's celebration is "Nursing Assistants Handle with Care."

According to the National Network of Career Nursing Assistants, the focus of National Nursing Assistant Week 2010 is safe lifting. Nursing assistants and other direct care providers are seven times more likely to be injured on the job than other healthcare workers. This week, nursing assistants are encouraged to foster better understanding of the need for safer lifting practices that can prevent injuries to CNAs and residents alike.

To learn more, click here.

Chew On This: The FDA Food Safety Program Could Actually Put Public Health at Risk

A new report released by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) alleges that the FDA isn't properly protecting the nation's food supply and that outbreaks of foodborne illness will continue unless the FDA makes significant changes.

There are about 76 million cases of foodborne illness in the U.S. every year. Of those cases, more than 300,000 people are hospitalized and 5,000 die.

The report suggests that the FDA move away from a "reactive" style of management that works on a case-by-case basis to one that includes strategic planning, ranking hazard risks, performing targeted surveillance and designing an intervention plan. In theory, the new style of management would allow the FDA to catch problems before they become outbreaks.

Other report recommendations included calling upon the FDA to create review standards and asking federal officials to create a separate food safety data agency. This agency would be responsible for collecting information and assessing risks to determine the best action to take.

Food safety regulation is a nebulous area and is actually overseen by several different agencies. The FDA oversees about 80 percent of the food supply, including produce, seafood and dairy. It's also responsible for more than one million restaurants and food establishments, 150,000+ food facilities, upwards of two million farms and millions of tons of imported food. The Department of Agriculture is responsible for meat, poultry and egg products. State and local agencies typically handle inspecting food production facilities and handle surveillance and investigating illness outbreaks.

The report was the result of Congress asking the Institute of Medicine to take a look at problems and work with the FDA to improve food safety.

To learn more, click here.

Blackhawks Win!

As you can see, the ProMed office is jumping for joy over the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup win! Go Hawks!

Even if you're not a hockey fan, why not ask your residents to recall their favorite sporting event memory? Maybe they attended a Super Bowl game or remember where they celebrated when their favorite team clinched the World Series. Ask them to share their memories with you and discuss how the sporting world has changed over the years.

To Get Happier, Just Get Older!

Finally, there's a reason that aging should bring a smile to your face - according to a new study, people get happier as they get older.

The study was based on a Gallup poll that asked 340,000 people nationwide to rank their overall life satisfaction on a scale of one to 10. The results found that people start feeling pretty good about themselves around age 18. Then life throws them for a loop, and they feel worse and worse until they hit 50. From that point on, they do a 180 and keep getting happier. Around age 85, people are about as happy as they were when they were 18.

Other study results included:

• Stress declines from age 22 onward, reaching its lowest point at 85
• Worry stays pretty steady until age 50, then sharply drops off
• Anger decreases steadily from age 18 on
• Sadness peaks at age 50, declines until age 73 and then rises again until age 85

To view the study's abstract, click here. The online version of The New York Times also has a great article on the study. You can view it here.

CMS Provides More "Extra Help"

Almost two million seniors could soon be getting some "Extra Help" from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The "Extra Help" program will subsidize the cost of Part D prescription drugs for many low-income Medicare beneficiaries. Eligible seniors will be able to pay $2.50 for generic drugs and $6.30 for brand-name drugs.

According to http://www.socialsecurity.gov/, the program is worth an average of $3,900 per year. To qualify, Medicare beneficiaries must have limited income and resources and reside in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia.

It's estimated that 1.8 million seniors are eligible for the program but not yet enrolled. To learn more and enroll, click here.

Our Thoughts Go Out to the Tornado-Ravaged Midwest

On Saturday, tornadoes tore through Illinois and Ohio, including areas in which ProMed has customers. We're relieved to learn that none of our customers' facilities were harmed by these storms, and we send our thoughts and wishes for a quick recovery to the people who were affected.

Congratulations to Donna Schroeder, ProMed's First Employee Spotlight Award Winner!

Congratulations to Donna Schroeder, the first-ever recipient of ProMed’s Employee Spotlight Award!

Donna has worked in the Purchasing department of ProMed for the past seven years. Her manager, Jim Arnold, shared what makes Donna such a valuable employee:

“She has never complained once and has never missed a day unexcused since she started. She is one of the nicest people I have ever met in my life. She makes my job easier. She is my lifesaver. I am so happy that ProMed picked her as the first winner. Do you know she bakes every Thursday for the warehouse crew?”

According to Donna, working with Jim is the best part of her job. “Jim makes the job fun and is always there for you,” she said. She’s also proud to be a member of Team ProMed, adding that “Everybody here is very friendly and easy to get along with.”

As the Employee Spotlight Award winner, Donna will be able to proudly display the Torch of Excellence at her desk for the month of June. She was also given a $100 cash award.

Congratulations, Donna!

Let's Go Blackhawks!

Don't forget to turn your facility's TVs to Game Four of the Stanley Cup finals tonight! The Blackhawks will be taking on the Flyers in Philadelphia at 7 p.m. CST. Since ProMed is headquartered in Chicagoland, you should have no trouble guessing which team we're rooting for!

Do you have any hockey fans at your facility? Which team are they rooting for?

AAHSA Applauds Improving Quality of Care in Nursing Homes Act

The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) is throwing their support behind Sen. Russ Feingold's introduction of the Improving Quality of Care in Nursing Homes Act.

The legislation, if passed, would call on researchers at the Institutes of Medicine (IOM) to study the care currently delivered at American nursing homes as well as the federal and state oversight system. Special emphasis will be paid to issues in nursing home oversight and quality standards enforcement. The researchers would then provide recommendations for improvement.

To learn more, click here.

To Reduce Falls, Check Your "Specs"

According to an article in the online version of McKnight's Long-Term Care News, seniors who wear multifocal prescription glasses can reduce their risk of falling by switching to single-focus lenses while walking outdoors.

During the study, when seniors who normally wear bifocal or multifocal glasses were given single-focus prescription lenses to wear outside, falls were reduced by 8%. There was a 40% fall reduction among seniors who were used to walking around outside, but seniors who typically spent time indoors actually saw an increased risk of falling, which suggests that single-focus lenses might not be a good solution for that group.

To learn more, click here.

Congratulations, Thad Perkins!

Congrats to ProMed Web Designer Thad Perkins, who welcomed a new addition to his family on May 29! Say hello to Rhys Thaddeus!

Expert Panel Releases Nurse Competencies for Nursing Home Culture Change

In 2008, an interdisciplinary expert panel was assembled by the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing, the Coalition of Geriatric Nursing Organizations and the Pioneer Network. The panel was tasked with addressing culture change in nursing homes and making recommendations on how nurses could contribute to said change.

On May 27, the panel released a set of 10 nurse competencies to help promote and facilitate person-directed care and culture change in long-term care facilities. The competencies don't specify nurses' roles or the necessary level of educaiton for the licensed nurse. Some of them might apply more to nurses in administrative positions, while others are appropriate for nurses at all levels.

The 10 competencies are:

1. Models, teaches and utilized effective communication skills such as active listening, giving meaningful feedback, communicating ideas clearly, addressing emotional behaviors, resolving conflict and understanding the rold of diversity in communication.
2. Creates systems and adapts daily routines and "person-directed" care practices to accommodate resident preferences.
3. Views self as part of team, not always as the leader.
4. Evaluates the degree to which person-directed care practices exist in the care team and identifies and addresses barriers to person-directed care.
5. Views the care setting as the residents' home and works to create attributes of home.
6. Creates a system to maintain consistency of caregivers for residents.
7. Exhibits leadership characteristics/abilities to promote person-directed care.
8. Role models person-directed care.
9. Problem solves complex medical/psychosocial situations related to resident choice and risk.
10. Facilitates team members, including residents and families, in shared problem-solving, decision-making and planning.

To learn more, click here.