June 08, 2021

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Hi Team – 

Summer is off to a great start, with the return of many of our favorite pastimes, including sporting events, outdoor concerts, and family celebrations – all thanks to our nation’s efforts to get vaccinated! In fact, our return to a new “normal” is occurring even more quickly than many expected! Today, more than 60% of Americans ages 12 and over have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine – and it’s proving to be, without a doubt, the single most important measure to put this pandemic behind us! 

COVID Update
The positive impact of vaccinations is also evident here at TriHealth and across the region where new COVID cases and hospitalizations remain low, but unfortunately, still present (see sidebar). And most experts now believe that this low, steady COVID state will be our new normal as we transition from pandemic to “endemic,” which simply means the virus may always be with us, like the flu. However, unlike the flu, with COVID, we have more powerful and highly effective vaccines to prevent transmission and illness. 

Based on this emerging new normal, on June 2, we took the first step in rolling back mask-wearing requirements for vaccinated individuals in non-patient care areas, in alignment with the most recent guidance from the CDC and Governor DeWine. As we have communicated, though, the masking requirement in direct patient care areas remains in effect for ALL individuals (patients, physicians, team members, and visitors), regardless of vaccination status. This is a necessary safety measure to protect the health of all those we serve, especially our immunosuppressed patients and those who cannot be vaccinated, during a time when COVID prevalence in our community and exposure remains a real risk. This measure is consistent with the state’s guidance for health systems and other businesses responsible for the health and well-being of large populations. It is also in line with the recommendations of the Ohio Hospital Association (OHA), which most if not all Ohio health systems have collectively agreed to follow, as highlighted here in last week’s story on Spectrum News. 

We recognize that some patients and visitors are confused or unclear about continued mask wearing requirements in patient care areas, and we appreciate the efforts of team members and physicians to educate them about why masking is necessary and how it is in keeping with the new state and CDC guidelines. It is also vital that we continue to support and promote President Biden’s push to get 70% or more of the U.S. population 12 years and older vaccinated by July 4th to continue to reduce the risk of infection and serious illness. This will help ensure that, even if COVID remains with us for some time to come, it does not have the ability to surge again. Please check Bridge for the latest updates on our COVID safety requirements, which you can access by clicking here.

Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Plan  
June marks the final month of Fiscal Year 2021 – a year we will never forget and hope to never repeat! As we set our sights on Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22), we are doing so as a much stronger and more resilient team and health system, thanks to our collective accomplishments and the many lessons learned from the COVID pandemic. And these lessons helped to inform and guide the development of our FY22 Annual Plan. I’m pleased to share the FY22 Annual Plan was unanimously approved by the TriHealth Board in May. It consists of our Strategic Priorities, our Good to Great Vital Few Pillar Goals, and our Capital and Operating Budgets, highlights of which are described below:

• Good to Great Vital Few Pillar Goals – As we emerge from this pandemic, we will be staying the course with our current 8 Vital Few Pillar Goals, as we continue our journey from Good to Great. So, our goal framework will remain unchanged from last year, but we will set new targets within each of these important goals (such as patient experience, team member and physician engagement, reduced harm events, etc.), so we can continue to improve our year-over-year performance for those we serve.
  
  
• Strategic Priorities – We have refreshed and sharpened TriHealth’s Strategic Priorities for FY22, taking into consideration the lessons learned and likely lasting effects of the pandemic on consumer behavior/demand, economics, payer/employer expectations, care models, competition, and new healthcare workforce and staffing challenges. The following Strategic Priorities will focus and direct our work and investments in FY22:
  
  
  1. Accelerate TriHealth’s Journey to Value-Based Care through continued investments in Care Delivery, Access, and Care Transitions – all to deliver on the Triple Aim Plus One: better care, better health, and better value, plus an enhanced practice and work environment for doctors and team members.
     
     
  2. Strengthen Our Physician Enterprise by expanding access and continuing to evolve TPP as a fully integrated multi-specialty group and by strengthening partnerships with independent physician groups to build the region’s premier provider network.
     
     
  3. Invest in and Further Differentiate (or set apart) TriHealth Clinical Services through innovation, clinical excellence, and a strong consumer focus.
     
     

• Operating and Capital Budgets – The Annual Plan also calls for a 3.5% Operating Margin to fund investments in our people, clinical programs, and facilities. Our Capital Budget of $100 Million for FY22 will fund the Good Samaritan Master Facility Plan, the new TriHealth Heart Hospital, the 8th floor addition at Bethesda North Hospital, and the Finneytown Ambulatory Center, among other major FY22 capital projects.

In the coming weeks, we’ll share more detail about these plans as we emerge from this pandemic and return more of our focus and energies to the transformational work underway of Getting Healthcare Right – better care, better health, and more affordable (better value) healthcare. So stay tuned!

Don’t Miss Our Next Team Member Town Hall – June 15th at 12pm!
If you’re able, be sure to join us next Tuesday, June 15th for our monthly Town Hall, live streamed on Facebook and Bridge. Those who participate in the conversation will, once again, have the chance to win really great TriHealth branded gear! Simply attend the Town Hall and submit your name during the meeting for the chance to win. Prize winners will be announced at the end of each session, so be sure to stick around! 

THANK YOU for everything you do to help make TriHealth Great for each other and all those we serve! Because of you, better, brighter days are finally here, and our Greater Cincinnati Community is poised to emerge from this pandemic stronger, healthier, and more optimistic about the future than ever before!