Hi Team –

 

I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends and family, and found time to relax, recharge, and enjoy the unseasonably warm and sunny fall weekend weather! And once again, a BIG THANK YOU to our team members and physicians who cared for our patients and families throughout the holiday.

 

Speaking of giving thanks for our many blessings, team members from Bethesda North demonstrated their community spirit last week by partnering with Operation Give Back to prepare Thanksgiving meals for those less fortunate. Even in the midst of a long, intense week with The Joint Commission triennial survey underway in the Bethesda North region, team members still found the time and made it a priority to come together to donate enough food and prepare the meal packages so more than 100 local families or 500 individuals could enjoy the holiday!! This is yet another inspiring example of what makes TriHealth such a special organization– our team members – who live our values every day and selflessly give their valuable time and talents to enrich the community we serve. THANK YOU to all involved for your compassionate hearts and your commitment to helping others, always!

 

While the holiday season can be a time of great joy, for many, including some of our own team members, it can also be a time of financial hardship. If you are struggling financially, TriHealth is here to assist you through our Team Member Emergency Fund. This fund provides emergency financial assistance to team members who are experiencing short-term crises due to a sudden, uncontrollable and unforeseeable event. The fund offers financial support to cover things like food, shelter, or other essential living expenses. In FY2022 alone, eligible team members received nearly $170,000 in financial relief!! So, if you are experiencing a financial crisis, please know you are not alone! Visit the Team Member Resource Center page on Bridge or call our HR Service Center to learn more about the Team Member Emergency Fund, including eligibility details and instructions on how to apply for assistance.  

 

Central to our work of Getting Healthcare Right is our system-wide focus on, and commitment to, team member and physician wellbeing – all to help ensure we can BE our best self, and in turn DO our best for those we serve.

 

In recognition of these efforts, I’m pleased to share that TriHealth was awarded the 2022 Healthy Worksite Platinum Distinction – the highest possible recognition – from the Healthy Business Council of Ohio (HBCO)! HBCO also recognized seven other employers in our community who are assisted by our own Employer Solutions/Corporate Health Division in offering wellbeing services to their employees. The Healthy Worksite Award recognizes Ohio employers who demonstrate a commitment to employee wellness through comprehensive worksite health promotion and wellness programs. Applicants are scored based on the extent their wellness programs facilitate and encourage employee health and foster a healthy work environment. Visit Bridge to learn more.

 

For TriHealth, investing in and utilizing advanced information technology and “big data” are a cornerstone of our work to Get Healthcare Right. In our latest Getting Health Care Right podcast with the Cincinnati Business Courier, Donna Peters, interim CIO, and John Khoury, Population Health Advisor with our partner organization, Lumeris, discuss how TriHealth’s use of intelligent tools and automated technology is helping TriHealth to deliver on the Triple Aim of better care, better health, and better value. These artificial intelligence (AI) technologies support the work of our physicians and care teams with early detection and prevention, better management of chronic conditions and proactively closing gaps in care. Click here to listen to the discussion.

 

As predicted, the lead-up to the Thanksgiving holiday with cooler weather and indoor family gatherings has contributed to a rise in COVID transmission rates over the past few weeks. The Hamilton County new case rate per 100,000 population climbed 120% to 187.28/100k population – above the CDC threshold for masking in clinical settings (see trend graph to right). At TriHealth, we now have 44 COVID-positive inpatients, with two on ventilators, and an 11.3% positivity rate for patients tested at TriHealth (see COVID Weekly graphic to far right).

 

Now that the region’s case rate is above the CDC threshold, we are required to closely monitor transmission rates in the coming weeks. And per CDC guidance, if they remain above the threshold for two weeks in a row – which could happen as early as next week – we will be required to return to masking in clinical areas to ensure the continued safety of our patients, visitors, team members, and physicians. We will keep you up-to-date on the situation and communicate any changes, as they occur.

 

The holiday season is a time to reflect on, and give thanks for, our many blessings and the privilege of serving others. While I am deeply grateful for ALL you do for our patients and each other, I’m especially humbled and appreciative during the holidays, as I see the many ways we come together as ONE Team, TriHealth STRONG to make the season extra special, bright, and merry for those who need it most! 

 

Thank you so much for being the best healthcare team, anywhere!!