Career Pulse – October 2015

Shendell-Falik Named President of Baystate Medical Center

SPRINGFIELD — Nancy Shendell-Falik, who for the past two years has served in a dual position at Baystate Health as senior vice president/chief operating officer and chief nursing officer for Baystate Medical Center, has been promoted to president of Baystate Medical Center and senior vice president for hospital operations at Baystate Health.

“During her two years at Baystate, Nancy has propelled the organization as both a system leader and COO/CNO of Baystate Medical Center. Her new role is an important step in our journey toward becoming a fully integrated health system, ensuring that we deliver care most effectively and efficiently,” said Dr. Mark Keroack, president and CEO of Baystate Health. “As Baystate Health continues to develop a regional model of care, an important new directive for Nancy will be to help us to achieve a greater alignment between our five hospitals, physicians, and other community providers.”

Baystate Health consists of Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, Baystate Mary Lane Hospital in Ware, and its newest members, Baystate Wing Hospital in Palmer and Baystate Noble Hospital in Westfield.

In Shendell-Falik’s new role, the presidents of Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Baystate Health’s Northern Region, Baystate Noble Hospital, and Baystate Health’s Eastern Region will report to her.

Before coming to Baystate, Shendell-Falik — an experienced healthcare and nurse leader with years of success improving the quality of patient care, hospital efficiency, and patient satisfaction — served as senior vice president for Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer at Tufts Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children in Boston. During her tenure there, she demonstrated a collaborative style of leadership in championing numerous initiatives to improve clinical quality, patient safety, and patient experience. She implemented a system of performance scorecards across all departments, served as executive sponsor of Tufts’ Patient and Family Advisory Council, and sponsored a novel leadership-education program.

Prior to her work in Boston, Shendell-Falik served as senior vice president, Patient Care Services, at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in New Jersey. While at the 673-bed, regional-care teaching hospital, she led similar successful initiatives to improve quality and safety, implemented a nurse-residency program, and reduced nursing vacancy rates.

Since joining Baystate in July 2013, Shendell-Falilk has encouraged new interdisciplinary collaborations as a way to further improve patient experience, and served as the architect behind developing standard attire for various caregivers to help patients identify who is providing their care. Also, under her leadership, Baystate Medical Center was named to an elite group of High Performing Hospitals in America by U.S. News & World Report for 2015-16.

Shendell-Falik holds a master’s degree in nursing from New York University and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Rutgers College of Nursing. She was a fellow of the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Program. She holds membership in numerous professional societies and organizations, including the Mass. Organization of Nurse Executives, the Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellows Alumni Assoc., the National Assoc. for Female Executives, and the American Organization of Nurse Executives. She has published more than a dozen peer-reviewed articles in national journals on topics such as team-based care, achieving Magnet status, and implementing clinical practice guidelines.

Dr. Keroack noted that Shendell-Falik’s appointment is a milestone in the history of Baystate Health, marking both the first female president and first nurse as president of Baystate Medical Center.

“I am extremely excited about the opportunity to guide our nationally recognized hospital into the future,” she said. “I look forward to working collaboratively with staff and leaders of all Baystate facilities to deliver care that is compassionate, of the highest quality, and affordable. As I prepare to assume my new role, I am honored and humbled to be the first woman and nurse to hold this position at Baystate.”

Facial Cosmetic & Maxillofacial Surgery

Welcomes Clemow

EAST LONGMEADOW — Facial Cosmetic & Maxillofacial Surgery, P.C. announced the hiring of surgeon Justin Clemow.

Clemow earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, then attended the UConn School of Dental Medicine from 2003 to 2007, where he was awarded the Student Oral Surgery Award.

In 2007, Clemow was accepted into the oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) residency at the University of Florida Jacksonville. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Florida College of Medicine in 2011, completed an internship in general surgery at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center, and completed his OMFS training as the administrative chief resident in 2013. He was decorated with multiple awards during residency, including the Resident Advocate Award, Best Teaching Resident Award, and SICU Resident Award.

After residency, Clemow worked for two years in private practice with Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in Cleveland. He served as assistant clinical professor for the Case Western Reserve OMFS residency, provided level-1 trauma coverage at MetroHealth Medical Center, and also provided trauma and OMFS call coverage at Fairview Hospital, part of the Cleveland Clinic system.

Clemow’s specific surgical interests include facial trauma and reconstruction, general anesthesia, corrective jaw surgery, obstructive sleep apnea surgery, and complex dental implant procedures, including bone grafting. He is a fellow of the American Assoc. of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and a diplomate of the American Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons (board-certified). He maintains certification in BLS, ACLS, PALS, and ATLS.

Puchalski Joins Team at Mass General

Cancer Center at CDH

NORTHAMPTON — Losing a parent to cancer at any age is traumatic. For Becky Puchalski, the loss has shaped her life’s work.

Puchalski, who lost her mother to cancer when she was just 3 years old, grew up knowing she wanted to help people. After graduating from high school, she attended Mass Bay Community College and later earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Chamberlain College. Her nursing career began at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, where she worked in the operating room.

Wanting to specialize in oncology nursing, Puchalski left CDH for the Norris Cotton Cancer Center and later worked at the Baystate Surgical Oncology program. In July, Puchalski returned to her previous employer, Cooley Dickinson, as the nurse navigator in the Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital.

Patients and members of their families often have a lot of fear and anxiety about a diagnosis of cancer. In her new role, Puchalski helps patients manage the many twists and turns of a cancer diagnosis.

“Our focus is on caring for the person diagnosed with cancer,” she said. “It’s individualized care for whatever someone may need at any particular point in their diagnosis, treatment, and beyond, even into survivorship.”

The new Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital is expected to open this fall.

All About You, LLC Appoints DiBlasio COO

EASTHAMPTON — Marge Pietras, founder of All About You, LLC, has appointed Mary-Anne DiBlasio chief operating officer of the eight-year-old home-care company.

All About You has steadily grown since its inception. “With DiBlasio now as part of the team, we are excited to see the company expand its reach in an ever-growing market where families are keeping their loved ones at home and we, of course, are here to support them in those efforts,” Pietras said. “With her experience recruiting and marketing, we are focused on delivering the confidence of quality care to directly meet the ebb and flow of the market needs.”

DiBlasio comes with years of healthcare experience in both elder care and staffing, and Pietras said both will provide value to the company’s mission.

Linda Manor Assisted Living Names Uguccioni

Executive Director

NORTHAMPTON — Emily Uguccioni of Chicopee has joined Linda Manor Assisted Living as executive director. Uguccioni is a certified dementia practitioner and has nearly 10 years of experience in the assisted-living and long-term-care field.

Uguccioni earned her bachelor’s degree in health services administration from Springfield College in 2006 and her certification as a dementia practitioner from the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners in 2014. She most recently served as director of Operations and Services at Seabury Active Life Community in Bloomfield, Conn.

“I’m excited by the opportunities presented at Linda Manor Assisted Living,” said Uguccioni. “Berkshire Healthcare’s mission and vision, and our commitment to excellent customer service, resonate with me. Linda Manor Assisted Living and our sister facility, Linda Manor Extended Care, have a unique opportunity to serve our community by providing high-quality, person-centered care across the continuum. Our crucial integration promotes wellness and strives to maximize the quality of life for all residents, offering resident-focused care for those living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of memory loss and dementia.”

Uguccioni is a member of the Education Conference Committee of the Alzheimer’s Assoc. of Connecticut and the board of directors of the Connecticut Coalition to Improve End of Life Care.

Linda Manor offers traditional assisted-living units and memory-care units offering resident-focused care for those living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of memory loss and dementia.

Padegimas Joins Board at March of Dimes

EAST LONGMEADOW — Aaron Smith, P.C., a certified public accounting firm serving individuals and businesses in the Pioneer Valley, announced that Managing Director David Padegimas has joined the March of Dimes board of directors for a two-year term.

Originally established by President Franklin Roosevelt as a polio patient-aid program that funded research for vaccines, the March of Dimes is a collaboration of scientists, clinicians, parents, members of the business community, and other volunteers in every state. The vaccines effectively ended the polio epidemic in the U.S., and in 1958, the March of Dimes’ focus shifted to babies born premature and with birth defects.

For 77 years, the March of Dimes has worked to improve maternal and child health through activities that include funding research and field trials for the eradication of polio, promoting newborn screening, and educating medical professionals and the public about best practices for healthy pregnancy.

“The March of Dimes is an outstanding organization dedicated to giving babies a healthy start in life,” said Padegimas. In his role, Padegimas will oversee the business of the chapter and implement the March of Dimes strategic plan along with his fellow board members.

Padegimas has more than 30 years of experience in the areas of corporate, estate, and individual tax; business planning; and business-advisory services. He has been a member of Aaron Smith, P.C., since 1981. He is licensed as a certified public accountant in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York, and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants.

“The March of Dimes would not survive without the support and leadership of our volunteers,” said Stephen Sycks, division director at the March of Dimes. “There is a lot of work to be done in Massachusetts, and David will help us achieve our goals through a generous donation of his time and business acumen.”

The goals Sycks referred to are mostly focused on reducing preterm birth. Last year, Massachusetts was awarded the Virginia Apgar Prematurity Campaign Leadership Award for reducing preterm births by 8{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5}. However, Massachusetts earned a ‘B’ on the 2014 March of Dimes Preterm Birth Report Card, as 10{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5} of births were preterm, falling short of the March of Dimes’ 2020 goal of 9.6{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5}.