News About Kindred People and Places
Here are some current happenings at Kindred facilities across the country.
Kindred Warrior Returns Home After 20 Months
Henry Powell was assigned to the United States Central Command (US CENTCOM) Headquarters in Tampa, FL, at MacDill Air Force Base in October 2001. He returned home in June to Louisville and his job at Kindred corporate as Director of Revenue and Accounts Receivable for the Hospital Division. Friends and co-workers are thrilled to have him back. We asked Henry to tell us about his experiences over the past 20 months, including his travels to the Middle East. He was gracious enough to provide us with the following:
" In the course of my assignment, I traveled to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar. That trip was about this time last year between the Afghanistan situation and the build-up to Iraq.
" My assignment was the senior military representative for Finance, Architecture and Manpower within the Intelligence Directorate. The Director of Intelligence was Major General Jeff Kimmons. He worked directly for General Tommy Franks. As Commander, US CENTCOM, General Franks was responsible for military operations in 27 countries including Iraq, Iran, Saudia Arabia, Afghanistan, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and other countries abutting the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.
" My job there was quite similar to what I do here for Kindred. There were financial statements showing our money, our spending plans, and how well we were executing those plans. Normal military spending plans are done annually and a year in advance, and do not include global wars on terrorism. Unplanned events such as that are funded through supplemental funds. The President requests supplemental budget authority and Congress funds it. Our first mission was to figure out how to survive on the money we had until the supplemental money arrived. We were able to delay certain projects and delay some hiring actions to free up cash in the early stages of the war. Figuring out how to prioritize, contract and implement significant increases in the services, systems and manpower aspects of intelligence production consumed the majority of my time during the early months. While the staff was very knowledgeable about normal military budgetary processes, they had no experience with supplemental funding and very little experience in prioritization and results reporting. My project management experience, as well as experience in financial reporting and cost/benefit analysis, were tested in managing the increased funds and the increased tempo associated with them. My group was quickly chairing a weekly prioritization process and providing monthly financial reports. Those contributions are now documented and part of the financial management practices of the command.
" The architecture aspect of the job also drew on my Kindred experience. We were challenged to provide real-time intelligence to a variety of new sites in the Middle East. Computers, communications, and facilities were the easy part. Getting the right set of people there to support the new data centers was a bit more complicated. And getting the various contracts through contract review and in place in time to test the installations and put them into production was the acid test.
" Kindred was fantastic throughout my absence. Those things that were supposed to continue did so smoothly and where military programs took over, the transition was smooth. Senior Administrative Assistant (Hospital Division) Patti Schneider went out of her way to ensure that things were handled. My co-workers stepped in to handle the details of my job without missing a step. I was able to keep up my situational awareness of the healthcare industry. I am amazed at how much our hospital business has changed. I'm reading more, finding more training, and having more discussions trying to get up to speed on the opportunities coming toward us over the next few months. The teamwork of old and new staff, regions and hospitals to prepare for PPS is really encouraging.
" I am fortunate to work with some great folks at Kindred throughout our facilities, regions and corporate office. With their coaching and teaching, I should be through this summer training in time for the PPS season to begin in September.
" Thanks everyone for your prayers, thoughts and kind words of encouragement while I was gone. They made my path easier, and my yearning for home stronger. It's great to be home and back to work."
Kim Aguado
Rehabilitation Aide
Kindred Hospital Sycamore
Sycamore, IL
By Amy Voigt
Administrative Assistant
When we decided to start honoring one employee every month instead
of one only every quarter, Kim was the first person we chose. Of her
nominations,
half were from grateful family members and patients.
"
Kim is always there for me," said one patient. "She refused
to quit on me and wouldn't allow me to quit on myself. I wouldn't have
made half the progress that I have without her."
"
I missed a day of rehab, and Kim made a point to come and see if I was
OK," said another patient. "She does many other nice things
for me. She is a very pleasant person."
Kim received a plaque, a corsage, and a monetary award amid cheers and
tears.
Winship Green Participates in Annual Parade
By Suzanne Plourde
Bath, ME --- The staff from Winship Green Nursing Center recently participated
in the annual Heritage Days Parade in Bath.
Bath is a very scenic, historical city with a rich maritime history.
The Heritage Days event brings hundreds of tourists to the area.
Under the leadership of Activities Coordinator Shirley Carter, the staff
spent many hours planning and gathering materials for the float. The
theme of the parade this year was, "Come Walk with Me, Stars and
Stripes Forever."
The parade committee decided to use the concept of Betsy Ross handcrafting
the first flag. The staff met weekly to review the progress being made
and to divide the work among enthusiastic helpers. On the morning of
the parade Social Services Director Katrina Worden played the part of
Betsy. She was supported by many staff members who gave their time and
energy to bring the theme of the float to life; specifically, Todd Betty,
Diane Chasse, Ann Thompson, Ruth Nawrocki, Charlene Cripps, Gordon Strube,
Matthew Frechette and Taylor Cole.
A special thanks Administrator Jill Bosa who was very supportive of the
staff and event.
