Hospital Seeking Adult Volunteers!

Franciscan Physicians Hospital, located at 701 Superior Ave., Munster, is seeking adult volunteers for its newly formed Volunteer Team.

The program, led by Mary Higgins, director of mission services, will give community members an additional outlet to join the hospital's mission and commitment to provide great patient care.

Barb Greene, president of Franciscan Physicians Hospital, states "We're so happy to have Mary Higgins on board with our leadership team. Mary comes to us with over 19 years of experience in overseeing the mission and volunteer programs at Franciscan St. Margaret Health."

Volunteers will be assisting with many of the services that contribute to the care and comfort of patients, among them escorting, greeting and other non-clinical tasks.

"I'm excited to invite volunteers into our facility," states Greene. "As we grow, it is imperative that we resume our mission programs, ensuring all who visit our facility see the rich culture of the Sisters of St. Francis."

Those interested in volunteering should contact Mary Higgins at (219) 922-5897, or by email at mary.higgins@franciscanalliance.org.

Franciscan Physicians Receives Community Safety Award!

On November 17, Franciscan Physicians Hospital received one of three Community Safety Awards for their work in emergency preparedness.

The awards were given by the Lake County Local Emergency Planning Committee, which serves as the liaison between industry and the local community and is accountable to the State of Indiana’s Emergency Response Commission.

A plaque of recognition, given by the LEPC, is located in the hospital’s west lobby.

The District 1 Hospital disaster drills took place on September 24, 2011. The full-scale exercise is designed to test the operational capability of multiple response functions, such as resource coordination, mental health, continuity of operations and risk communication.

Franciscan Physicians Hospital utilized volunteer participants, staged as patients, to simulate a variety of medical conditions relevant to the specific mocked disaster. The September drill scenario involved the detonation of a dirty bomb in three geographic locations in Northwest Indiana.

“We worked hard to ensure that our staff and physicians were prepared for a real life disaster, which was displayed during the scenario played out on September 24,” says Lori Postma, RN and medical care branch director at Franciscan Physicians Hospital.

Barb Greene, hospital president, states, “I’m very proud of our team for executing the plan in full detail as they’ve been trained to do. I am confident that in the face of a real disaster, their expertise and organization would prove successful in protecting our patients and staff to the fullest of their capabilities.”

Kevin Doolin, LEPC president, presents Lori Postma with the hospital's Community Safety Award.