America celebrates its 245th birthday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence this coming Sunday, July 4th (observed as a federal and TriHealth holiday on Monday, July 5th). And this year, for those vaccinated, the holiday, in some ways, also represents a celebration of our “freedom” from COVID restrictions and the return to our favorite summer activities with family and friends – all thanks to the proven protections provided by the vaccine. And while we will likely fall short of President Biden’s aspirational goal of 70% of the eligible U.S. population fully vaccinated by the Fourth, we have made remarkable progress in a short period of time when compared with other countries around the world! According to the White House, more than 150 million American adults are now fully vaccinated, and 70% of those 27 years of age and older are on track to have at least one dose of the vaccine by the July 4th weekend. So we have a lot to celebrate and be thankful for!
COVID Update
Here at TriHealth and across the region, COVID hospitalizations remain low, and the uptick in spread we saw the last few weeks is on its way down – further proof that the vaccine is working!! The R-factor (ratio of new infections from existing cases) is now at an encouraging .89, and the overall positivity rate is just 2% regionally – the lowest it’s been since the start of the pandemic! That said, the CDC and other public health officials continue to warn that those who are unvaccinated continue to contract and spread the virus; and more transmissible new variants, like the latest and now dominant Delta variant, pose an even more serious threat to those not vaccinated. Today, more than 98% of all inpatient COVID stays are among unvaccinated individuals, and those who contract the Delta variant are twice as likely to be hospitalized, compared with any other strain. This is even more reason to get vaccinated and to encourage those around us to do the same!
Graduate Medical Education (GME) SpotlightLast week, we were excited to welcome 37 new residents and fellows to our many GME programs with a total of 120 residents and fellows participating in FY22. Additionally, starting July 2021, TriHealth will establish a new one-year Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS)/Bariatric Fellowship Program accredited by The Fellowship Council and led by Program Director, Dr. Kevin Tymitz. This fellowship offers in-depth training in the full range of bariatric and minimally invasive surgery and patient care management techniques, and participants will be fully integrated into the Department of Surgery to gain experience with non-bariatric cases using minimally invasive technology and practices. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Kathriena Greenwell (pictured left), a recent graduate of TriHealth’s General Surgery Residency Program, as the first fellow in this program!
Enjoy a Cincinnati Reds Game on TriHealth!
Since we are unable to host our annual Team Member Picnic again this year due to lingering risks of COVID and limitations in possible sites, we can’t think of a better way to celebrate our TriHealth Team – and all of our remarkable achievements over the past year – than to “take you out to the ballgame”! So, I am excited to share that
TriHealth will be giving every TriHealth team member, physician, trustee and volunteer a PAIR of free tickets to an upcoming Cincinnati Reds game! And, the eligible games were selected to span multiple weeks during July and August (including weekends, evenings, and days) to allow ALL of our team members to attend a game, no matter what their schedules!!
Later this week, you will receive a voucher code from TriHealth Internal Communications, which can be used to reserve and “pay” for your tickets online using the MLB Ballpark App. Your ticket voucher will be good for available seats at select games in July and August (click
here for the schedule). In addition to the two free tickets to these select games, you can also purchase tickets at a discounted rate, so you can bring the whole family! Be on the lookout this week for an email sent to this address from TriHealth Internal Communications that will include your personalized voucher code, along with more detailed instructions about how to download the MLB Ballpark App and redeem your voucher for tickets.
Please accept this gift as a special thank you for all of your sacrifices and hard work over the past year in dedicated service to our patients and community during their time of greatest need! You have demonstrated day in and day out what it means to get healthcare right, and the Board and our Senior Leadership Team are so happy to be able to treat you to some well-deserved family fun at Great American Ball Park to show our appreciation!
In closing, I’d like to wish you all a very safe and enjoyable Fourth of July holiday weekend! For those unable to take time off, thank you for your dedication and commitment to supporting TriHealth and our 24/7 mission of service to our patients and community! We hope you too are able to find alternative ways (like the free ballgame on TriHealth!) to relax and celebrate soon.
Happy Fourth of July!!!
Education Assistance Program Short Plan Year
Beginning January 1, 2022, the Education Assistance benefit will shift from a fiscal plan year benefit (7/1/21-6/30/22) to a calendar plan year benefit (1/1/22-12/31/22). This change aligns with the Health and Welfare Benefits change at the beginning of 2020, streamlining all benefits to be administered on a calendar year basis. Visit Bridge for more information.
TriHealth Rehabilitation Hospital Awarded by Select Medical
Select Medical virtually hosted their annual CEO/MD Awards Ceremony to look back and recognize the achievements of various hospitals from over the past year. This year, the TriHealth Rehabilitation Hospital won 6 awards for their 2020 performance which is the most awards of any Select Medical Hospital! This is an impressive accomplishment that attests to the high-quality care they deliver and the culture they continue to strive to improve every day. Visit Bridge for more information.
Thanks for the tickets. If we are unable to attend the game can we give the ticket to another team member to use
Posted by: Esther Conner on June 30, 2021
Reply/View Reply
