Friday, March 15, 2024

Understanding How Each of Us Are "Wired": Week of March 15, 2024

 

Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Good morning on another spring-like day in our region! It’s been a busy week on campus, hosting consultants who are helping us prepare for an upcoming Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association accreditation visit next month. Special thanks to Bob Serianni and his staff for their wonderful preparation for this visit. We were also delighted to welcome Don Mueller, CEO of St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children; and our third year PCO students completed final preparations for Part 1 of their national boards.

In addition to all of this, here are some other things I hope you find of interest:

BOT RETIREMENT: Keith Ignotz has been a member of the Salus Board of Trustees for 32 years. In that time, he has seen PCO develop new programs and establish Salus University, an institution with multiple colleges and programs, continued growth and financial stability. Now Keith, along with Jo Surpin and Derrick Artis, OD ‘89, MBA, have retired from the board. Read more about Keith’s tenure here, and look for a future story about the contributions of Jo and Derrick.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Alyson McFadden, MSOT ‘22, was a competitive swimmer as an undergraduate student at California University of Pennsylvania who experienced a significant shoulder injury. The mother of a teammate was an occupational therapist who worked with McFadden and helped her to the point where she was able to continue to swim for the duration of her college career. That was the impetus that inspired McFadden to pursue a career in Occupational Therapy (OT) at Salus University. Click here to read more.

FASHION FRIDAY, AUDIOLOGY: A dog, hearing aid, drag queen, love sign, and CrossFit. Although topics seemingly unrelated, these items make up Rebecca Blaha’s, AuD, interest and personality. These items are incorporated into her attire as pins on her Salus University lanyard, which she wears daily while providing patient care at the Pennsylvania Ear Institute (PEI). Click here to read more about the latest installment of Fashion Friday, Audiology faculty edition.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This week, Salus University Vice President of Human Resources Maura Keenan and Human Resources Coordinator Kathleen McMullen kicked off another round of small group sessions to help faculty and staff review Drexel’s benefit options ahead of selection later this semester. Additional sessions are forthcoming, and you can also reach out directly to Maura and Kathleen to meet one-on-one if you have specific questions.

Feedback from our first two sessions suggests that many are finding the review process very helpful. And it is prompting additional questions, which is understandable. For many, this is the first time our transition to Drexel is “hitting home,” as we consider firsthand what choices to make among Drexel’s benefits. Each of us is “wired” a bit differently, and we each address change differently as well.

I’ve been discussing our transition with a friend who recommended I read a book by Thomas Erikson on the DiSC behavioral model. The book describes four types of human behaviors—dominance, influence, steadiness and compliance, broken down by colors – red, yellow, green and blue. It details how they interact with each other, as well as their communication and coping traits. The author points out that, “communication happens on the listener’s terms.” People hear what they want to or expect to hear, no matter who or what is being said, because the message is ”filtered through whatever their frame of reference might be.”

As we discuss our upcoming merger with Drexel, I see various DiSC profiles among the range of perspectives we are encountering. Some of us are wired for change – and embrace it – while others, primarily tend to prefer the status quo. One is not better than the other, but it does present some challenges when communicating change.

While, instinctively, we might all be aware of this, it’s a nice reminder that we are all a little different and will respond to change differently. That’s okay as long as we respectfully recognize those differences, and work to try and understand each other’s points of view. That said, change is coming and it’s exciting. To those in our group who may be having a difficult time with the change, we will do everything we can to make the transition to Drexel as seamless and comfortable as possible, understanding that some might have to adapt more than others.

Next week, several of our senior staff, deans and program directors will participate in a DiSC leadership training to learn how different behavior profiles navigate change, as we work to support our collective transition to Drexel. If you have taken a DiSC assessment, what have you learned about how you approach change? I would love to hear from you.

As you prepare for this weekend, please try to get out and enjoy the nice weather. Next week, although it may be a bit cooler than this week was, we’ll celebrate Spring, and prepare for our Spring Break, right around the corner. If you are so inclined, try to learn a bit more about DiSC analysis – I found it very enlightening.

On a much lighter note, check out the picture of the unusual looking vehicle we encountered when walking around the Drexel campus earlier this week. I thought it looked like a lime-green shoe!

Have a great weekend – best of luck to our PCO students taking boards. Be safe, continue to look out for one another and come back SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Dr. Mittelman standing next to a green car


Friday, March 8, 2024

Salus Weekly Update: March 8, 2024

 

Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Greetings from our Elkins Park campus on this crisp Friday morning! We end this week with the news of yet another shooting injuring youth in Philadelphia. Several of us were at a meeting with Mayor Cherelle Parker, last evening, who had just come from the shooting scene. She was visibly shaken by the event and shared her concerns about the wellbeing and safety of everyone involved in the shootings, as well as her determination to stop these horrible events. Please keep those who were wounded and injured as a result of this mass shooting in your thoughts and prayers. On a more uplifting note, our geese are back and are staking out their territory. Check out the photo below. Here are some other items I hope you will find interesting:

WHY SALUS OT: The Salus University approach to Occupational Therapy (OT) education is to provide a distinctive and innovative program for the academic and clinical preparation of a master’s degree, advanced specialty certificate, and doctoral degree. We recently surveyed current OT students and asked why they chose Salus to further their education and prepare themselves for their careers. Click here to read what they had to say.

SAG DEADLINE EXTENDED: The nomination deadline for the Salus Awards Gala (SAG) has been extended to April 1. Please take the time to make your nominations and recognize those who have made your experience at Salus memorable! If you have already made your nominations, please encourage your classmates and faculty members to do the same. Nominate Faculty here! Nominate Classmates and Student Organizations here. There are also QR codes around campus that will lead you to the nomination forms.

COMPUTER HISTORY: In the early 1980s, Drexel became the first university in the country to require all students to have a personal computer, a mandate made possible through a first-of-its kind partnership with Apple Inc. It was a first within higher education that earned Drexel a national reputation as a bold and technologically advanced institution. Click here to read more.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This week we held one of many Salus community meetings to keep everyone apprised of recent developments relating to our upcoming merger with Drexel University. To say that I’m excited about this partnership of two great institutions is an understatement. In my opinion, the opportunities that will be afforded our students, faculty, staff and alumni are unlimited. While I see all of the positives in this, I also recognize and understand the uncertainty and fear that our faculty and staff may be feeling as this major change affects you and your families.

As promised and to support your consideration of Drexel’s healthcare plans, Human Resources has arranged multiple sessions beginning Tuesday to review your current healthcare benefits and the wide array of options at Drexel. We will host as many sessions as needed to ensure you have an opportunity to compare plans ahead of benefit selection in May.

As we have said in multiple meetings, not everything will be the same. We strongly encourage you to explore what’s available on Drexel’s Benefits webpage. In addition, we have shared on our ADP portal two integration updates addressing dozens of questions received from faculty and staff. We also continue to work with Drexel’s HR team to provide as much information to you as possible as soon as it is available. You can keep abreast of updates on the integration website. This site will be updated regularly.

Very few people like change, but in today’s higher education ecosystem and post-pandemic environment, academic institutions that do not actively embrace change are doomed to mediocrity, and at worse, failure.

As I have shared with you previously, there is abundant wisdom in the teachings of the great Roman Stoics, especially as they discuss embracing change. In their teachings, they note that “change is unavoidable.” Marcus Aurelius wrote that “Change is nature’s delight”. He further states, “Frightened of change? But what can exist without it? Can any vital process take place without something being changed?”

As we look to the future, the changes we are embarking on are essential to enhance and expand the Salus student experience and to ensure the sustainability of all our world-class programs through perpetuity. I’m not suggesting it’s going to be easy – it’s not – but I can guarantee, if embraced in a positive way, it will be exciting and fruitful. We are working to make the transition as seamless as possible for everyone involved.

For our faculty and staff, as you prepare for the weekend, try and review your current benefits on the ADP website so you can have a productive discussion when you participate in the HR sessions scheduled in the upcoming days and weeks.

For our students, please know that the Office of the Provost, along with our deans, program directors and faculty are actively exploring with Drexel colleagues all available opportunities to enhance the educational experiences of current and future students. This is a major driver of the “why” for our merger. For students preparing for boards, I wish you productive studying and the very best of luck (which you won’t need, since you know your stuff)!

Don’t forget: this Sunday our clocks “spring forward” with the change with daylight savings time at 2 am. If possible, adjust your activities to compensate for the lost hour of sleep. As always, please continue to look out for one another, try to get outside, enjoy some fresh air, and come back Monday SALUS STRONG!

- Mike

Friday, March 1, 2024

Practicing Good Sleep Hygiene: Week of March 1, 2024

 

Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Greetings on this first day of March! It’s been another busy week on campus as well as down in Atlanta where many of our optometry faculty, residents and some students have been participating in the Southern Educational Council of Optometry meeting. I wanted to extend my thanks to Megan Weyler and the Drexel Human Resources team for taking the time on Monday to provide an overview of Drexel Human Resources to Salus faculty and staff. We know that many questions are still unanswered, but this was a great first step in helping everyone to understand some of the tools that will be available us as we continue to navigate through the merger. Much more granular, individualized information will be available to all of us in early Spring, after our teams have had the opportunity to complete a line-by-line comparison of all of our benefits. In the interim, I encourage all faculty and staff to visit the Drexel HR website to learn more about what’s offered to us. Here are some things I hope you will find of interest: 

SALUS FASHION, TAKE ONE: As Salus University’s general counsel and compliance officer, Brian Zuckerman, JD, thinks his workday attire can feel a bit repetitive. For him, socks are an opportunity to show a little bit of individualism. Socks that make a statement are something I know a little about as well. Click here to check out the first of three stories about fashion at Salus.

AUDIOLOGY AWARD: Aaron Roman, AuD, CCC-A, FAAA, an assistant professor in the University’s Osborne College of Audiology (OCA), has been named an Early-Career Audiologist Award winner by the American Academy of Audiology (AAA). Dr. Roman is in his second year at the University, where he teaches courses in the residential Doctor of Audiology (AuD) program and serves as a clinical audiologist providing comprehensive care at the on-campus clinical facility, the Pennsylvania Ear Institute. He also serves as a clinical preceptor for AuD students and works with pediatric and adult populations. To read more, click here.

WHY SALUS: Hear directly from Salus University’s Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) students on why they chose our SLP program. Click here for details.

A CLOSER LOOK AT DREXEL: As we continue the integration process with Drexel University, we wanted to take a deep dive into Drexel’s academics and student life. Click here to learn more.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Over the past few weeks, I’ve touched upon several subjects that are associated with the stressors we see in our lives to include loneliness, bullying, and gun violence. Today, after having to get up at 3 AM to catch an early morning flight I thought I’d address another stressor, one that many of us deal with routinely. That is sleep deprivation. While attending the continuing education meeting of the Association of Armed Forces and Federal Optometric Services (AFOS) in Atlanta this past week I had the opportunity to attend a very insightful lecture on this very topic, which prompted me to do some additional research. I’d like to share some of my take-aways from the lecture and what I found in the literature that I’m certain is applicable to everyone reading this update.

According to the Sleep Foundation, as we sleep, we cycle through four stages of sleep. The first stage can last between one and seven minutes. You are probably not dreaming but just starting to relax. During the second stage of sleep, we are more relaxed. Our breathing, heart rates slow and brain activity slows. This stage lasts between ten to twenty-five minutes. During the third phase of sleep, also called “slow or delta wave” sleep we are in much deeper state, more relaxed, and much harder to wake. Sleep experts believe this is the restorative phase of our sleep cycles where the brain has a chance to rest and even assists with memory and creativity. It may also bolster the immune system and other key bodily processes. This phase can last from twenty to forty minutes. The fourth phase of sleep is REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, where our brain becomes more active. While we can dream in any of the sleep phases, the dreams we have during the REM stage tend to be more vivid. Most people will not enter REM sleep until they have been sleeping for up to ninety minutes. REM sleep is believed to be essential for cognitive functions such as memory, creativity and learning. We cycle through these phases several times during the night (or when we sleep) – see diagram below

Just like doing exercise to ensure we maintain a healthy cardiovascular system and shower every day to ensure we have good general hygiene, paying attention to our sleep hygiene is also an important habit to get into. It’s important to develop a consistent sleep schedule. To obtain this you should have routine exposure to nature daylight, avoid screen time and alcohol a couple of hours prior to bedtime as well eliminating noise and ambient light from your sleep environment. This will also help to properly adjust your circadian rhythm, the twenty-four internal clock in our brain that regulates cycles of alertness and sleepiness by responding to changes in our exposure to natural light in our environment. While this may seem like common sense, many of us have a difficult time practicing good sleep hygiene on a regular basis.

As we try to address stressors in our lives, getting enough good sleep on a regular basis can play a key role in how we are able to navigate through the many things confronting us daily. As you prepare for the weekend, and many of you, national boards, try to work on improving your sleep hygiene as I believe it will pay dividends in overall performance academically and personally.

Be safe, get some rest, look out for one another, and remain SALUS STRONG!

- Mike

Sleep cycle graph


Friday, February 23, 2024

Addressing Gun Violence in Our Country; Week of February 23, 2024

 

Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Good morning from our Elkins Park campus where Mother Nature cannot decide if it’s winter or spring! This week we hosted our Drexel colleagues for our monthly Salus-Drexel Integration Council meeting. It was great to hear progress reports from our “Thread Leads” on the substantial work undertaken to ensure seamless integration. I know President John Fry joins me in thanking our DEIB/student Life, finance, IT, MARCOM, legal and risk management leads for the work they’re doing with each of the seven verticals. It was also great to welcome Drexel Provost Paul Jensen to provide for faculty a comprehensive overview of Drexel’s strategic plan to faculty. We look forward to inviting Drexel colleagues to a future university wide meeting to share strategic priorities with our faculty and staff. The more we communicate and interact, the more comfortable everyone will feel as we merge our two institutions. Here are some other items I hope you will find of interest:

POWERFUL PARTNERSHIPS: When you get a chance, check out the 2023 President’s Report titled “Powerful Partnerships” by Drexel President John Fry. In addition to reviewing some key milestones and achievements at Drexel from 2023, President Fry addresses the formalized merger agreement between Drexel and Salus and the benefits of such a merger. To read the report, click here.

CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR: On top of her busy schedule as a second-year student in the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University, Edesthele Decius ‘26OD released a children’s book titled, “Grandma, Can You See?” on Feb. 6, 2024. The concept of a children’s book came about from her passion for working with/for children. Click here to read more.

SAG NOMINATIONS: If you haven't already done so, please take the time to make your Salus Awards Gala (SAG) nominations and recognize those who have made your experience at Salus great. If you have already made your nominations, please encourage your classmates and faculty members to do the same. Eligible nominations must include a thoughtful description. Nominations will close Friday, March 1, 2024. Nominate Faculty here! Nominate Classmates and Student Organizations here. There are also QR codes around campus that will lead you to the nomination forms.

FINAL THOUGHTS: It’s been a while since I’ve talked about the issue of gun violence in our country, but last week’s mass shooting in Kansas City and this week’s tragic death of a firefighter, police officer and paramedic due to gun violence has once again raised the issue to the forefront of my thoughts. Along with the opioid epidemic, gun violence is a key public health issue uniquely facing our country and more so than any other developed country in the world. Compounding the issue is that of the 50,000 annual deaths by suicide in the U.S. with over fifty percent involving the use of firearms. There has been a 35% increase in deaths by suicide over the past twenty years in the U.S. which is antithetical to what is occurring globally, with deaths by suicide rates decreasing.

It’s not surprising that people who attempt suicide with a firearm are 90% successful as opposed to those who attempt suicide by overdose. Studies suggest that many suicide attempts are likely to have been, “hastily decided upon and to involve little or no planning.”. Following a failed suicide attempt, many go on to live normal lives with only about 7% actually succeeding in committing suicide later in life.

With over 400 million guns circulating in the U.S., it’s fairly easy for many to acquire a firearm. Red Flag laws in some states have proven effective but until these laws are passed more uniformly across the nation, access to firearms by people who should not have one will likely remain easy. In addition to controlling access to firearms, we need to do a much better job in assuring access to mental health assets within communities. Both of these issues will require proactive leadership at all levels of government and civic involvement.

From a public health perspective, it is hard to reconcile why the U.S. has not been more proactive in restricting firearms to those who should not have them and providing mental health support to those in need. As health care providers we have a responsibility to educate our law and policy makers so they can make informed decisions about this often-contentious issue.

As you prepare for this weekend, please check out the references in my update and reflect on how you can help to address this important public health issue. Stay safe, continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Friday, February 16, 2024

Addressing Our Spiritual Health: Week of February 16, 2024

 

Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Good morning on this bright, crisp, windy morning in Elkins Park. I just returned from attending the annual meeting of the Society of Federal Healthcare Professionals in Maryland where I had the opportunity to listen and participate in discussions with our nation’s federal healthcare leaders. I took the liberty of discussing one presentation, in particular, from Dr. Vivek Murthy, the Surgeon General of the United States, in my Final Thoughts section that I thought we would all benefit from. While I was gone our campus has remained busy and vital between classes, labs and clinical activity. One distressing piece of news to note is the mass shooting in Kansas City, which has put a bit of a damper on things as we mourn the loss of a young lady and all those people, mostly adolescents, who were wounded during this senseless act of gun violence. It needs to stop!

Here are some other, certainly more uplifting things, I hope you will find of interest:

SALUS LOVE STORY: It started off with a toque and ended up with Akirta Sran, OD ‘20, and Brendan Connors, OD ‘20, getting married backwards and without a ring. And along the way, four attempted marriage proposals got delayed on account of rain, just to add another level of uniqueness to a love story that started at Salus University. Read more about this unique wedding tale by clicking here.

SLP CAREER OFF TO A GOOD START: In only seven months since graduating from Salus University’s Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program, Sultana Abdur-Raheem, MS ‘23, has begun to form a budding career as a speech-language pathologist. Click here to read more about how her career is progressing.

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT — O&P: An aspect unique to the Salus University Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) program is the integrated 18-month clinical residency, where students are immersed in O&P clinical practice and research. Not all graduate O&P programs include an integrated residency, which sets the Salus program apart. Read more here.

PTE CHAPTER RECOGNIZED: This past January, the University’s Delta Mu chapter of Phi Theta Epsilon (PTE), the national honor society for occupational therapy (OT) education, was recognized in the national PTE “Scroll & Pen” newsletter for scholarly work. Click here for details.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Earlier this week, while attending the annual meeting of the Society of Federal Health Professionals, I had the opportunity to hear US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy discuss the importance of spirituality. In addition to physical and mental health, he suggests it is equally -- or some would suggest, more important to pay attention to our spiritual health. Dr. Murthy breaks down spiritual health into four areas: belonging, purpose, awe and inspiration, and service.

We are in the middle of a loneliness epidemic. Across multiple college visits, Dr. Murthy has found a very high percentage of today’s college students who report being lonely most of the time. While people congregate together, very few feel a sense of belonging, which he attributes to excessive social media, smartphone and other technologies that can isolate people, even when they are physically around others. Belonging to groups, clubs, or other ways of doing things in groups helps to mitigate some of the situations that can cause loneliness.

Closely connected to this is feeling a sense of purpose in life. It can be as simple as routinely participating at a soup kitchen to working to solve civic issues in one’s community. The third aspect of spirituality is awe and inspiration. This can be elicited by walking in nature taking in the beauty of the surrounding landscape. The fourth, and possibly one of the most important facets of spirituality, is that of service, doing something for others. Volunteering to help with setting up a party, assisting friends or siblings through hard times are examples of acts of service. Service can be closely related to purpose, which is defined by The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley as “an abiding intention to achieve a long-term goal that is both personally meaningful and makes a positive mark on the world.” Serving as a healthcare provider certainly would check both boxes, as would many other professional and social endeavors that enable us to actively participate in causes larger than ourselves.

Whether we realize it or not, feelings of tiredness, stress and even occasional hopelessness and despair are understandable due to classes, schedules, exams, family challenges, our merger and conflicts happening around the world. By paying attention to and nurturing spirituality, we can better manage our feelings and concentrate on what’s most important to each of us individually.

If you want to learn more about the importance of spirituality, I encourage you to check out Dr. Murthy’s recent “House Calls” where he discusses this in-depth with Dr. Lisa Miller, a psychologist who has worked on this for many years.

As you prepare for this weekend, I encourage you to think about Dr. Murthy’s advice and how you might begin to incorporate some of his ideas into your daily routines. Be safe, continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

- Mike

Friday, February 9, 2024

Remembering Black History Month: Week of February 9, 2024

 

Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Greetings on this beautiful February morning from our Elkins Park campus. It’s been another busy week -- welcoming our Drexel colleagues to our beautiful facilities to show them our programs and to mix, mingle and talk about our combined future. Special thanks to our deans and program directors, admissions, student life and student ambassadors, Kristen Dittrich and Jennifer Brown in Academic Affairs, TLS, LRC, facilities, security, housekeeping, and dining services staff for organizing and supporting this event. Here are some other items that I hope you will find interest in:

ALL THINGS SLP: In our latest podcast, we discuss all things clinical for the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program at Salus University with Taylor Evans, office manager for the Speech-Language Institute, Robert Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, chair and program director of the SLP department, and Kara Maharay, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, director of clinical education for the SLP department. Click here for details.

YOUNG AUD ALUMNI: Make sure to check out this interesting and informative question and answer session with one of our young alumni from the Doctor of Audiology program, Payton Burke, AuD ‘21. For more, click here.

STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD: Raman Badh ‘26OD, a second-year student at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University, is one of 18 current optometry students from across the country named to the Women in Optometry student advisory board. She has been enthusiastic about immersing herself in clinical experiences this semester to further develop her skills in delivering quality eye care. Women In Optometry (WO) is an online publication that targets the fast-growing female OD segment. It caters to women ODs’ professional informational needs with one key distinction: articles are written from the uniquely female perspective.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Since 1976, February has been designated Black History Month, providing an opportunity to learn, reflect and acknowledge the accomplishments of Black Americans. While there is much rich history to explore, I am always drawn to the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen. This group of highly talented and motivated Black pilots, who trained at several, segregated, Black only, Tuskegee, Alabama airfields, was assigned to multiple escort and bomber squadrons throughout World War II. Eventually, they combined into a single squadron, the 332nd Fighter Group in Europe. Their primary mission was to escort bombing missions over Germany and other occupied territory in Europe and Africa. They earned the reputation of being among the best fighter pilots the Army Air Corps (predecessor to the U.S. Air Force) had with multiple commendation awards along the way.

It wasn’t until 1947, under President Truman, that the Army Air Corps and later the entire U.S. military was integrated. We’ve come a long way since then. In 1940 Benjamin Oliver Davis Sr, a former Tuskegee Airman, became the first Black American general officer in the U.S. Army and later served in the U.S. Air Force. Since then, there have been many others. Colin Powell became the first Black Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1989 and Secretary of State for President George W. Bush in 2001. General Lloyd Austin became the first Black Secretary of Defense in 2021. Vice Admiral Samuel Gravely was selected as the first Black Navy Admiral in 1971. He retired as a Vice-Admiral several years later. In 2022, Gen. Michael E. Langley became the first Black four-star in Marine history. Most are unaware that the Tuskegee Airmen have a presence in Philadelphia, with an office at Enon Tabernacle East (2800 Cheltenham Ave.). You may visit this link to find out more about the local chapter and visiting the office.

As you prepare for the weekend, please take time to reflect on the contributions and accomplishments of Black soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines throughout history. They all have played a role in preserving the freedoms we all enjoy today. Be safe, continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

- Mike

Friday, February 2, 2024

Placing Quality and Safety Above Profitability: Week of February 2, 2024

 

Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Good morning on this first Friday in February, Groundhog Day! It appears that Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow so we should have an early Spring! We’ll see!

It’s been an extremely busy week on campus as we hosted our all-volunteer Board of Trustees for their annual and quarterly meetings, held a Community Meeting to discuss what we’ve learned about the merger with Drexel to date with faculty and staff and shared similar information with our student leaders. In addition to all that, our classes, clinics and labs have remained busy and productive. Here are some additional items I hope you will find of interest:

MYTH BUSTERS: Hear from Salus University faculty across academic programs as they bust common, program-specific healthcare myths. Read about these common healthcare myths here.

BLVS PODCAST: Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) alumni Katelyn (Kate) Maffei, MEd ‘21, TVI, VRT, and Kinshasa Coghill, MS ‘02, CLVT, CVRT, OMS, and current student Carolyn Pijanowski, '24VRT, '24O&M, share what a day in the life of a BLVS professional looks like, in addition to giving a sneak peak into Salus University’s programs. Check out the podcast here.

DAY IN THE LIFE: Follow second-year Occupational Therapy student Madison DeLong ‘24OT through a day in her life on her level 2 fieldwork rotation. Read more about Madison’s day here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I recently read an article in the New York Times that discussed how the change in corporate culture at Boeing from one of quality, safety and superior aircraft design to attaining maximum profitability has had a significant impact on what was their stellar reputation for safety. It prompted me to reflect on the American healthcare system, which has been leaning in this direction for many years.

As healthcare institutions across the country placed more emphasis on productivity by counting Relative Value Units (RVUs) and Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs), the focus on quality declined as cost and productivity became key drivers. Unquestionably, both cost and productivity are important factors in any business, but just like Boeing, the healthcare industry has a sacred responsibility to those in our care to ensure that quality and safety are the primary measures of success.

As students preparing to enter the American (and in some cases Canadian) healthcare systems, you have an opportunity to help introduce a change in culture. Our Oath to Professionalism states that, “I will uphold and honorably promote by example and action the highest standards, ethics and ideals of my chosen profession.” Providing high quality and safe care clearly falls within that charge.

Healthcare should be value based – meaning our patients and clients should always expect high quality, safe care at a reasonable price. Outcomes should drive ultimate costs. While significant discussion has surrounded this method of remuneration, there is little to show in execution. If quality and safety are first, improved health outcomes should follow. Providing healthcare with a profit-only focus leads to reduced health outcomes, dissatisfied patients, clients and providers.

As you prepare for this weekend, please think about how you will influence our healthcare systems to return to a quality, safety and value-based system. Today’s disjointed, expensive and embarrassingly ineffective system is not sustainable. 

Be safe, continue to look out for one another and come back SALUS STRONG next week!

- Mike