June 23, 2020
Hi Team –
Last week, we walked through one of the toughest weeks in TriHealth’s history together, as we shared our “COVID-19 Financial Recovery Plan” and began the necessary, but difficult, work of adapting our system’s cost structure to the new reality of lower volume and revenue resulting from the pandemic. Now eight weeks into our “reopening,” unresolved consumer fears coupled with the real and looming risk of new outbreaks are dampening demand for healthcare services, requiring us to act now to return TriHealth to financial health – ready and able to face a predicted second surge in the fall both clinically and financially. These necessary cost reductions will, unfortunately, impact every part of our system and require shared sacrifice on the part of all of us to continue to achieve our shared destiny of getting healthcare right for our community by delivering better care, better health, and better value.
While we’ve done everything possible to minimize the impact on our people, sadly, some of our TriHealth family will be affected, and this week, we begin the very difficult process of notifying those team members. Every individual impacted will be assigned a Team Member Resource Center Coach and will receive a full range of support and assistance to transition to a new opportunity – preferably within TriHealth, or outside the system, if desired. We recognize this will not be an easy time for the nearly 300 team members whose positions will be eliminated due to the reduced clinical activity and revenue. So I ask that all of us continue to be sensitive and respectful to those impacted and offer our full support to show our team we are there for them through every step of this transition. Like every crisis we have confronted in the past, we will face and overcome this one by coming together, working together, and supporting one another! Click here for a summary of Frequently Asked Questions from last week’s Town Hall.
Don’t Miss Wednesday’s Special Town Hall – “The Time is Now, Let’s Talk About Race and How We Make This a More Just Nation.” Please make every effort to attend our special “virtual” Town Hall on Wednesday, June 24 at 12 p.m. (livestreamed on Facebook and Bridge). We’ll be talking candidly about the moral imperatives related to systemic racism, injustice, and disparities in healthcare, and what we can do at TriHealth to create real change for our African-American colleagues, our community, and our nation. This conversation is part of TriHealth’s larger values-based commitment to actively lead the way in initiating meaningful and lasting change that will result in elimination of disparities, improved health, and zero tolerance for racism, both within our system and across our state and nation. One small example of this commitment occurred last week when I formally endorsed, on behalf of TriHealth, the State Senate Concurrent Resolution 14 (SCR 14), which would declare racism a public health crisis and urge Governor DeWine to establish a working group to promote racial equity in Ohio. Click here to read the full text of the letter. I look forward to continuing this dialogue with you at the Town Hall on Wednesday!
TriHealth Strong – One Team. One Sacred Mission. One Great Health System. While every day we are reminded that we are living through extraordinary times, facing a seemingly endless series of external challenges, I KNOW that by continuing to acknowledge and then take on these challenges head on – guided by our values of respect, inclusion, and equity – we will prevail. And in doing so, we will, once again, emerge a stronger and more thriving culture and system – for each other, our patients, and our community. Thank you for your continued dedication to our mission, and for being such an important part of our recovery!
Weekly Communications Calendar
- Monday, June 22 – Friday, June 26: M-W-F Dr. Joseph video updates available on Bridge
- Tuesday, June 23: CEO Weekly Update
- Wednesday, June 24 @ 12 - 1pm: Special Town Hall: “The Time is Now, Let’s Talk About Race and How We Make This a More Just Nation” — livestreamed and archived on Facebook and Bridge
- Friday, June 26: Weekly COVID-19 Update email
Are we considered frontline workers? Will we receive hazard pay?
Posted by: Pamela Gibbs on June 25, 2020
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