April 27, 2021
Hi Team –
Nothing like a surprise late April snowstorm to remind us how excited we are for winter to finally be behind us! And with this week’s much more seasonable weather, it looks like spring is here to stay, with lots of positive things to look forward to – including here at TriHealth!
COVID Update
COVID cases at TriHealth remain relatively flat (see sidebar statistics), but cases continue to be high in other parts of the state and across the nation, largely due to COVID variants, which are now responsible for more total COVID cases than the original strain. And locally, the more contagious variants now account for more than 65% of all new COVID cases. In response, vaccine manufacturers are working to develop boosters and expand sensitivity of existing vaccines to address these variants. Additionally, vaccination rates have slowed across the U.S. in recent weeks, and supply now exceeds demand – which is also the case here at TriHealth, where we have hundreds and hundreds of unscheduled vaccine slots, just this week. So we continue to work with our community partners in the region to remove vaccine barriers (like fear, misinformation and access) through education and support programs. In addition to participating in the regional Get Out the Vax program (testandprotectcincy.com), we are also now offering walk-in appointments at our seven vaccine clinics. And, we are exploring the possibility of vaccinating interested Emergency Room patients and inpatients before discharge – all in an effort to increase vaccination rates, so we can continue to build towards herd immunity and return to a more normal way of life! Currently, 45% of eligible individuals (16+ years old) across the 15-county Tri-State area have received at least one vaccine dose. However, most experts think we need between 70-85% to see true herd immunity, which is achieved by a combination of vaccination and natural infection. So we still have a ways to go, and until we get there, we will maintain all the proven COVID prevention measures, including masking and social distancing, based on continued CDC guidance. So please, continue to be an ambassador for vaccine awareness, safety and informed decision making within your communities and families – it’s the most important thing we can do to help bring this awful pandemic to an end!
Tashawna Otabil Appointed TriHealth’s Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President of Managed Care. As I shared in my last Weekly Update, an internal search has been underway to fill the role of TriHealth Chief Diversity Officer, which Jeremiah Kirkland has been serving on an interim basis. I am thrilled to announce today that this search is now complete and Tashawna Otabil, Executive Director of TriHealth’s Managed Care division, has been selected as our new Chief Diversity Officer, and will also step into the expanded role of Vice President of Managed Care and Diversity. Tashawna’s appointment to the permanent role of Chief Diversity Officer will allow Jeremiah to further focus on his new role as President and Chief Operating Officer of Good Samaritan Hospital at Evendale.
Under Tashawna’s exceptional leadership, our Managed Care division’s physician value-based revenue has grown from $12 million to $38 million in just two years – and the division was recognized as a top Accountable Care Organization (ACO) in the nation! Additionally, Tashawna has played an integral role in our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) work. She led the recent highly successful launch of TriHealth’s first African American employee resource group (TRIBE) and now also co-leads its leadership development program. And this year, she was named by the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati as one of its 2021 Career Women of Achievement! These are just a few of Tashawna’s many impressive career achievements, which you can click here to read more about. Her well-deserved promotion is yet another shining example of TriHealth’s commitment to develop and advance the careers of our own people, while strengthening diversity, equity and inclusion across the entire organization. Please join me in congratulating Tashawna and wishing her all the best in her new and expanded roles!
Time to Celebrate and to Thank YOU for Your Sacrifices During Healthcare Heroes Week May 3 – 7!
Healthcare Heroes Week is right around the corner (May 3 - 7) and we’ve got lots of great things planned to show you just how much we appreciate YOU and ALL the incredible ways you “showed up” for our patients, our community and each other over the past year, and continue to do so! Because once again, COVID precautions will prevent us from celebrating together one last time, look for your Panera Bread Family Feast voucher to arrive at your home in the coming days. It will provide a safe way to enjoy a delicious celebration meal with your family, on us…. and to thank them, on our behalf, for the amazing support they’ve provided YOU, as you showed up to battle COVID and care for our community this past year!! Also, be sure to tune into our special edition Healthcare Heroes Week Town Hall on Tuesday, May 4 livestreamed at 12 noon on Bridge and Facebook. We will announce the winner of the t-shirt contest and reveal the winning design. Plus, you will get to order your own super soft and comfortable, high-quality 2021 Healthcare Heroes shirt – another thank you gift from TriHealth! And just like last week’s Town Hall, we’ll be giving away really cool participation prizes, with more fun options added each month. More than 700 team members participated in last week’s Town Hall and were entered into a drawing to win a prize – and the TriHealth-branded camper mugs were the big hit (click here to view last week’s Town Hall highlights)! So don’t miss this upcoming Town Hall and all of the exciting and fun activities and surprises in store! And if you’re feeling the urge to share some love and gratitude of your own, take advantage of our Appreciation Station e-card Contest to recognize a fellow team member during Healthcare Heroes Week. Those who participate will be automatically entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card, with 10 winners randomly selected at the end of Healthcare Heroes Week. It promises to be an incredible week for an incredible team – and no one deserves it more than YOU, the best healthcare team anywhere!!
Restore and Renew through the Gratitude Symposium
Wellness and self-care are important priorities at TriHealth, and never have they been more vital than over the past 15 months, as YOU, our 13,000+ team members, leaders, and physicians, have served heroically and selflessly on the frontlines of this COVID battle. We’ve worked hard over the past year to create and put in place meaningful support programs and other resources to help our teams build resilience and regain a sense of balance during these difficult times. Many of you have shared that these resources have been very helpful as we’ve all had to learn how to co-exist with COVID, while continually dealing with the mental, emotional and physical toll this pandemic has had on our lives and all those we care for, including our patients and our loved ones. And while we can now see light at the end of this dark COVID tunnel, we recognize our teams will need continuing support as we begin to heal and renew together – and TriHealth remains here for you!!
Our Corporate Health and Spiritual Care teams are fully committed to this work, and are always on the lookout for new ways to strengthen and enhance your well-being. As part of this commitment, we’re excited to introduce The Gratitude Symposium, hosted by Quint Studer, founder of Studer Group and a TriHealth Board Member. This virtual symposium runs the entire month of May and has been custom developed to thank, teach and inspire those in healthcare. It offers a month-long schedule of presentations led by the country’s top experts on wellness, emotional intelligence, healthcare delivery, and more – and features our own Jill Miller, President of Bethesda Inc., one of our two sponsors, along with Jeremiah Kirkland, our newly appointed President of Good Samaritan Hospital at Evendale and interim Chief Diversity Officer. Participation in The Gratitude Symposium is entirely optional and free for our TriHealth Team, so we hope many TriHealth team members participate and find it a beneficial source of wellness support. To learn more and/or register, click here.
Together with our Board and our entire leadership team, we remain deeply grateful for, and inspired by, our amazing team of doctors, nurses, caregivers and other support staff! You make us GREAT, and we can’t wait to kick off our Healthcare Heroes celebrations next week to let you know, once again, just how much we appreciate all you do to help us get healthcare right for each other and all those we serve!!
Check out Your 2021 Total Rewards Statement
Our Total Rewards package is designed to provide each team member with a secure financial well-being, a well-supported career path, and protected time away from work. To learn more about the 2021 Total Rewards Statement, click here, and to see a comprehensive, personalized snapshot of your competitive Total Rewards package, review the 2021 Total Rewards statement that was mailed to your home this week.
Thank you very much for the recognition. I love that you are giving gifts for watching the town hall meetings, but the majority of us are working during those meetings and can't put our patient care or services on hold. It would be nice to give a certain time frame after the meeting for people to be able to watch the meetings and have an opportunity for a gift. Thank you again for the updates provided and the recognition of all healthcare heroes.
Posted by: Team Member on May 04, 2021
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thank you for recognizing our healthcare heroes !
Posted by: Team Member on May 01, 2021
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