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Ways to Communicate Jupiter Medical Center Observes

at End of Life National Doctors’ Day, Honors

Pioneer Physicians as Part of Its
In many cultures
talking about death is 40th Anniversary Celebration
difficult and uncom-
fortable at any stage of
life, but talking with a
person that is termi-
nally ill may present
an even more difficult
conversation. There
are many different rea-
sons we avoid end of
life discussions, one
may be its finality.
Approaching the con- BY FRANCINE LEVY EIDELMAN AND MARCIA
versation with SOCORRO, LCSW
empathic listening
and open mindedness
breaks down cultural barriers surrounding death and can reduce anxiety. When (l-r) Dr. Thomas Gocke; Dr. Sheldon Taub; Dr. Bruce Wiita; Dr. Philip Scharfer; Lynn
a patient is on hospice there are social workers, chaplains, and bereavement Stockford, RN, director Physician Business Development & International Medicine; Dr.
counselors among other members of the hospice team who can assist in facili- Craig Prokos; Dr. Dean Mergenthaler; Dr. Peter Lawler; Dr. John Katona; Dr. Monroe
tating the conversation between the patient and their loved ones. This talk is a Benaim Photo credit: Tracey Benson Photography
key element to both the patient and their loved ones, as empathic listening gives
way to a warm compassionate and nonjudgmental atmosphere. This allows the Jupiter Medical Center observed earned the distinction of being one of the
patient to embark on a journey of mutual understanding of their final wishes National Doctors’ Day in conjunction with finest in the region, most recently becom-
regarding treatment at end of life. its 40th anniversary by hosting a physician ing the first and only hospital in Palm
Learning new ways of communication is not necessarily an easy thing to do as recognition event at Frenchman’s Reserve Beach, Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River
it is similar to learning a new language. Such is the case, when an individual in Palm Beach Gardens. As part of the fes- counties to receive a five-star ranking for
patient is nonverbal and not able to express their feelings or final wishes. This tivities, Jupiter Medical Center—which quality care. The five-star ranking is the
presents a challenge for the patient and their loved ones. This is where the hos- opened its doors on February 14, 1979— highest award offered by the Centers for
pice team can assist in educating the family on different ways to communicate also honored doctors who have been on its Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
with a nonverbal patient. Some may be able to communicate by writing, paint- medical staff throughout the hospital’s 40- Part of the U.S. federal government, CMS
ing, facial expression, or eye contact. year history. is the largest, most important health care
As the patient and their loved ones adapt to these new ways of communicat- Speakers at the event included Simie organization in the country. Its five-star
ing, they reported discovering these new methods as rewarding despite the obvi- Platt, M.D., chief of staff at Jupiter Medical ranking places Jupiter Medical Center
ous and trying challenges. Communication takes on many forms. By implement- Center, and Sheldon Taub, M.D., who is above the top 10 percent of hospitals
ing methods at end of life, we can change the whole experience for the patient among the physicians who have been on nationally. The five-star rating was award-
and their loved ones. Just one form of interaction has the power to bring hope, staff since the hospital’s inception. Dr. ed shortly after Jupiter Medical Center
peace, and dignity. Taub recalled the early days of the hospi- earned an “A” from The Leapfrog Group.
tal, when Jupiter was a sleepy community Well beyond that, Leapfrog awarded
Francine Levy Eidelman is Bereavement Coordinator, Catholic Hospice. Marcia of 6,000 people. Jupiter Medical Center the Top Hospital
Socorro, LCSW, is Social Worker Educator, Catholic Hospice. “Back then, Alternate A1A was a two- designation. Only 118 facilities across the
For more information, visit catholichospice.org. lane highway and Indiantown Road was nation—just six percent of eligible hospi-
also two lanes with flashing lights, not tals in the U.S.—hold this elite designa-
with the traffic lights we see today,” Dr. tion. Jupiter Medical Center is the only
Cover Story: Cyber Security Training Taub said. “I-95 ended at PGA Boulevard Leapfrog Top Hospital in our region.
in Palm Beach Gardens and didn’t start Reflecting on his place in the hospital’s
for Employees again until Vero Beach.” history and its current standing as a health
care leader, Dr. Taub summed up his feel-
Today, the town’s population is approxi-
mately 62,000, Alternate A1A and ings about the medical center—then and
Continued from page 1 Indiantown Road are busy four-lane thor- now.
oughfares, and I-95 extends through “What attracted me to the hospital were
guarding sensitive date and patient 4. Keep the Lines of Communication Jupiter and beyond. Likewise, Jupiter the doctors and the commitment the staff
information. Every employee needs to Open. Cybersecurity policies need to be Medical Center has grown from a commu- had to excellence in patient care, and I’m
know how to create strong passwords. communicated throughout the practice nity hospital of 44 doctors and 135 beds to still here after all these years,” Dr. Taub
This includes using a mix of characters, and training should be held on a regular a regional 327-bed medical center with said. “I’ve always considered it an honor to
numbers, and letters, and never sharing basis to keep all employees informed more than 600 doctors on its medical staff. be at Jupiter Medical Center, and I remain
passwords among employees. and up to date on all the practice In addition, Jupiter Medical Center has very proud to be part of its medical staff.”
2. Consistently Evaluate Vulner - requirements, and to ensure under-
abilities. Practice leaders need to under- standing of the practice response plan in
stand the vulnerabilities and consistent- the event of a breach or cyber event.
ly evaluate the systems and employees 5. Make Sure Practice Leaders Are
on a regular basis to recognize potential Involved. All practice leaders and man-
agement need to understand the impor-
weaknesses. tance of having a strong cyber security HEALTH & FREE
3. Implement Cybersecurity Tests.
These tests, sometimes called “live fire” training program, as they are the ones
training, provide the practice or employ- ing sure that everyone knows the impli- WELLNESS EVENT
responsible for the budget and for mak-
er the ability to determine just how edu-
cated and prepared their employees are cations a cyber event can have on a prac-
when it comes to avoiding one of the tice. SUNDAY
many cyber security issues. The most costs associated with a cyber event. FAIR APRIL 14
All medical practices should have a
popular form of this test is when the robust cyber liability policy that will
employer or contractor simulates phish- protect them from the potentially large 11AM – 5PM
ing scams to see how many employees
open attachments. barry.edu/healthfair

ARTSPARK AT YOUNG CIRCLE Sponsorships Available
Tom Murphy is a cyber, workers’ compensation, Hollywood 305.899.3298
and medical malpractice insurance specialist agent
with the firm of Danna-Gracey, Inc. in downtown
Delray Beach. He can be reached at
(561) 276-3553 or (800) 966-2120
orMurphy@dannagracey.com.

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com April 2019 15