Hi Team –

 

This week, we “turn the page” on Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, and prepare to start a New Year (FY2023) this Friday, July 1, with growing momentum and improving performance across all five Pillars – Safety and Quality, Service, People, Growth and Finance. And what a year FY2022 was, as we successfully managed through the worst of COVID’s multiple surges TOGETHER, One Team, TriHealth Strong, caring for every patient at their time of greatest need!

 

I want to send a special shout-out and thank you to all of our hard-working team members – especially those in our maintenance and facility departments – who, over the past week, responded at a moment’s notice to multiple power outages and facility issues related to recent heatwaves and storms. Thankfully, here at TriHealth, we did not have to shut down or discontinue services at any of our hospitals or major ambulatory campuses (other than the Pavilion which lost power for 24 hours), allowing us to continue to serve our patients through the worst of these weather-related outages.

 

Last week, the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade. As a Catholic-sponsored health system, TriHealth does not perform abortions and we have always stood and advocated for the preservation of life at every stage. In addition, as a faith-based health system, we have always been guided by our deeply held values, which include, Respect for All People, Valuing Differences, and Response to Community Needs. As such, our values call upon us to respect all views related to reproductive rights and personal choice, even if we may disagree. We also recognize that the decision to end the federal right to an abortion will impact women, families, and communities in different ways, including the possibility of growing health disparities. This Supreme Court decision will not change how TriHealth serves our community. And, we will be unwavering in our sacred work to advance the common good and health of our community by actively addressing and minimizing any adverse health impact on women, while we accelerate our efforts to close health disparities.

 

 

A BIG congratulations and special thank you go out to our 2022 graduating class of resident and fellow physicians – the first class to complete TriHealth’s rigorous Graduate Medical Education programs amid a once-in-a-century global public health crisis!! These graduates demonstrated courage, flexibility, ingenuity, and camaraderie as they quickly pivoted to provide frontline care during the most overwhelming peaks of each pandemic surge. Their courageous and selfless service to our patients and our system – going above and beyond the duties of a “normal” residency or fellowship program – speaks volumes about their professionalism and noble character. And I am thrilled to share that the following five graduates have confirmed they will be joining TriHealth in full-time practice later this year: Dr. Muayad Alzamara, Internal Medicine/Hospitalist; Dr. Margaret Mirro, Ob/Gyn; Dr. Rebecca Morris, Family Practice; Dr. Sesha Nandyal, Ob/Gyn; and Dr. Nikki Smedal, Ob/Gyn. Wishing all of our graduates the very best in their future endeavors!

 

I’m excited to share that The Joint Commission has awarded both Good Samaritan Hospital and Bethesda North Hospital with Advanced Diabetic Certification, in recognition of the consistently excellent care we provide to patients with diabetes – care that exceeds national benchmarks for quality, safety, and optimal outcomes!!

 

Good Sam and Bethesda North were also recognized with “Get with the Guidelines” Awards from the American Heart Association for Stroke and Type 2 Diabetes. With respect to Stroke Care, Good Sam was recognized with the Silver Plus Award and Bethesda North received the Gold Plus Award. And BOTH hospitals were recognized on the Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll for their commitment to ensuring patients with Type 2 diabetes receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized with a stroke. In addition, Good Sam and the TriHealth Heart Institute received the Bronze award for Heart Failure based on performance in achieving significant improvements in patient outcomes, including reductions in 30-day readmissions. 

 

We’re seeing encouraging signs that previously rising national and local case rates are beginning to plateau (US = 210 cases/100,000 population, Ohio = 138 cases/100,000). Here at TriHealth, we have 17 COVID inpatients and 0 on vents – both down from last week, and a steady 24.9% positivity for symptomatic patients over the past two weeks. Our region also remains in the CDC’s low-risk category based on case rates and hospitalizations.

 

Additionally, we are encouraged by the recent FDA and CDC approval of COVID vaccines for our youngest population – children 6 months to 5 years old. Beginning later this week, TriHealth will offer Moderna’s two-dose COVID vaccine to our youngest patients at many of our physician practices. We expect to receive our first shipment by July 1. Until supplies increase, we will initially only offer this vaccine to active TriHealth pediatric patients.

 

Mark your calendars for our TriHealth Team Member and Volunteer Picnic – Sunday, August 28 at Kings Island! Team members, physicians, and volunteers can receive 2 FREE tickets good for admission, lunch, and unlimited drinks. And you can purchase up to four more tickets for $19 each to bring your family and friends. Our ticketing site will be open in early August, so stay tuned! Click here to learn more. 

 

Thanks to our partnership with the Cincinnati Reds, one lucky TriHealth team member and a guest will win a once-in-a-lifetime trip to watch our Cincinnati Reds play the Chicago Cubs in MLB’s Field of Dreams Game in Dyersville, Iowa on August 11. Entering the contest is easy! Just visit our TriHealth Way Facebook page or email marketing_communications@trihealth.com and share your favorite baseball movie of all time. The randomly selected winning team member and guest will join the Reds on a charter flight to the game on August 11, nestled among the Iowa cornfields and farmland made iconic in the 1989 “Field of Dreams” movie. Don’t miss this chance for the summer memory of a lifetime!

 

It’s shaping up to be a great summer filled with so many long-awaited and well-deserved opportunities for our team members and physicians to get back to relaxing and enjoying life to the fullest following two long years of COVID! In that spirit, there are still deeply discounted $5 tickets available to attend the annual 4th of July “Red, White and Boom!” Concert at Riverbend Music Center, provided as a “thank you gift” to our TriHealth team from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for all of your heroic service and support over the past two years of the pandemic. Click here to learn more and purchase tickets. 

 

I hope you all enjoy a very fun and safe upcoming 4th of July holiday weekend!! And a BIG thank you to our team members and physicians who will be caring for our patients during the holiday.