Hi Team –

 

WOW! Cincinnati’s pride in and support for our hometown Bengals was on full display here at TriHealth last week with more than 2,000 team members and physicians entering our Bengals Playoff Game Tickets Giveaway in just 48 hours! In fact, the response was so overwhelming, we decided to expand the number of winners from 10 to 15 team members and their guests for last Sunday night’s playoff game – and what a game it was! The Bengals pulled off a 24 – 17 win against the Baltimore Ravens – no doubt fueled by all the extra TriHealth super-fan support from our ticket winners!! The Bengals now advance to the AFC Divisional Playoffs next Sunday against the Buffalo Bills – so GO Bengals!! Congratulations to our winners (pictured right) and thank you to everyone who participated in the contest and cheered our Bengals on to victory! Most importantly, a BIG thank you for all you do to make our TriHealth Team the very best team in healthcare!

 

Here at TriHealth, celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is about much more than simply observing a national holiday. It’s an important way to further connect with, reinforce, and demonstrate our TriHealth Values in action – which, in so many ways, are grounded in, and reflective of, the powerful legacy and teachings of Dr. King.

 

Beginning last week and continuing through yesterday's national holiday, we proudly honored and celebrated Dr. King in a number of meaningful ways as we also reflected on and recommitted to our own journey to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging both within TriHealth and throughout the entire community we serve. From the inspirational one-man performance of Martin's Dream – which you can view here if you missed it last week – to our participation in community events, our TriHealth Values and culture were on display across the greater Cincinnati region. This is a shining testimony that Dr. King’s legacy and work live on in all of us as we each do our part to make this world better by standing up and speaking out for respect, love and service to others, equality, and justice for all.

 

As yet another example of how so many of our TriHealth team members live out Dr. King’s teachings, I’m pleased to share that two TriHealth team members were recognized last week for their service to and positive impact on our community. Vera Derkson, TriHealth Senior Clinical Revenue Specialist, and Jacqueline Edmerson, TriHealth EAP Treatment Coordinator, each received the "Keeping the Dream Alive" award at the 21st Annual MLK Awards Celebration hosted by the Church of the Resurrection. Congratulations Vera and Jacqueline on this well-deserved honor. And a BIG thank you to all of our TriHealth team members and physicians for living our values and bringing our mission and the teachings of Dr. King to life every day at TriHealth and across our community!

 

Last February, we launched the B.O.L.D. (Building Our Leadership Diversity) program as one more important way we are investing in our people and the next generation of leaders, while fostering a more diverse TriHealth leadership team. And last Friday, we celebrated the graduation of our inaugural B.O.L.D. class of 15 team members – with two program participants already being selected to take on new or expanded leadership roles at TriHealth!! Congratulations to all of our B.O.L.D. graduates! We wish you the best in your promising careers ahead, and look forward to the important contributions you will make as you help lead TriHealth from Good to Great, all so we can Get Healthcare Right for those we serve, always! 

 

I am thrilled to announce the latest BIG win for our team members, physicians, and system – and another “proof point” that TriHealth is emerging as THE model in our region and our nation for Getting Healthcare Right!! Today, Bethesda North Hospital was recognized by Healthgrades as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for 2023!! This means Bethesda North has consistently performed among the top 1% of all hospitals in the country for clinical outcomes across more than 30 health conditions and procedures. This is the 11th consecutive year Bethesda North has been ranked among America’s 50 Best Hospitals by Healthgrades. Congratulations to our entire Bethesda North Hospital Team, as well as all of the TriHealth team members that support Bethesda North operations, on this well-deserved honor...Way to Go!!

 

Mark your calendars to join us tomorrow, January 18 from 12-1pm on Bridge for our livestreamed January Team Member Town Hall. We will share system wins, provide current COVID and flu updates, and review important highlights of the latest progress in our work to Get Healthcare Right. And, as always, we will provide plenty of time to answer your questions, with some great TriHealth prizes available to those who join the conversation! Hope to “see” you there.

 

Over the past week, COVID cases at TriHealth have remained relatively stable, with 37 COVID inpatients and two on ventilators, and a 16.8% positivity rate for symptomatic patients tested (see COVID graphic to far right for details). Since “peaking” around Thanksgiving, we have seen a downward trend of flu cases at TriHealth and RSV transmission, thankfully, is no longer a serious concern. However, overall COVID case rates across Hamilton County have bumped back up, fueled by the new, more contagious, yet less severe, Omicron variants (see trend graphic above). It is likely that case rates will continue to hover above the CDC threshold for required mask wearing in clinical areas for at least a few more weeks. We recognize wearing masks in patient care areas is “getting old” after nearly three years, so a big thank you for your continued understanding and ongoing efforts to ensure the safety of all those WE serve – and all those WHO serve!

 

While just three weeks into the new calendar year, we continue to build on last year’s momentum of improvements across all five of our Pillars – Service, Quality and Safety, People, Growth, and Finance – with 2023 shaping up to be one of our best years yet!! I look forward to all we will accomplish together in the coming months as we further our important work to Get Healthcare Right as ONE Team, TriHealth STRONG! Thank you for CARING to be the BEST healthcare team anywhere!