October 29, 2024

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Hi Team –

I hope you are enjoying all that Greater Cincinnati has to offer by making the most of this unusually beautiful and mild fall weather! Here at TriHealth, the fall season continues to be filled with important milestones in our bold, transformative journey to Get Healthcare Right! Here’s the latest...

Update on IV Solution Supply Chain Disruption

• As shared in previous Weekly Updates, for nearly four weeks now, TriHealth, along with health systems across the U.S., has been forced to operate in “conservation mode” due to limited stocks – and in some cases, just a few days supply – of essential IV solutions.
• This current shortage of IV solutions is the result of devastating damage to the Baxter IV fluid plant in North Carolina from the remnants of Hurricane Helene, which has reduced national production to just 40% of previous levels.
• Thanks to the resourcefulness of our Incident Command Center, working together with our physicians and other clinical and operations leaders, we’ve responded quickly and effectively to manage through and overcome yet another public health crisis.
• Through daily management of our limited inventories, introduction of conservation measures, and more efficient use of our IV solution, TriHealth has, to date, been able to avoid cancellation or even delay of services, unlike many other hospitals and health systems.
• As Baxter continues its recovery, the company’s initial projections for a quick return to pre-Helene production ramp-up have not yet materialized.
• This means health systems, including TriHealth, who rely on Baxter for IV solutions are continuing to receive just 40% or less of normal shipments.
• So, just as we did throughout the COVID pandemic, we are developing, and will soon be finalizing, contingency plans to ensure we can continue to provide safe, high-quality care, particularly for our most critically ill and vulnerable patients, should availability of IV solutions worsen before this crisis resolves.
• And these plans are being developed with the intention to avoid any disruption to team member schedules as well.
• Our Command Center will continue to meet every day to engage with clinical leaders, assess inventories, and guide our response, all to ensure we are doing what is right for our patients…always.

Celebrating Our Progress in Transforming the Good Samaritan Hospital Campus

• Most would agree that one of the things that sets TriHealth apart from others is our practice of regularly celebrating:
• Our people
• Important wins, and
• Meaningful milestones in our journey from Good to Great, all to Get Healthcare Right.
• So, I was thrilled to join trustees, team members, physicians, and leaders last week to celebrate another big team win – completion of the first three phases of our Good Sam Hospital Campus transformation, which included:
• Construction of the new team member parking garage
• Demolition of the old garage to make way for the new West Tower
• Completion of the Forever Forward Campaign, which raised $30 million to help fund construction of the new West Tower
• A BIG SHOUT OUT and special THANKS goes out to Mary Rafferty and the entire Good Samaritan Foundation team for successfully leading our Forever Forward campaign.
• Construction is now underway on the new West Tower, a six-story, 168,000-square-foot facility that will feature:
• A new, state-of-the-art Emergency Department
• New technologically advanced operating rooms
• Expanded diagnostic imaging facilities
• Expanded, modern facilities to house Neurosciences, the TriHealth Cancer and Blood Institute, the TriHealth Heart and Vascular Institute, and Women’s Services

Deadline for Open Enrollment for Benefits is This Friday

• This year’s Annual Open Enrollment for electing benefits for calendar year 2025 concludes on Friday, November 1.
• Open Enrollment is your once-a-year opportunity to review and adjust your benefit elections to best meet your family’s health and wellbeing needs.
• As a reminder, this is a passive enrollment, which means if you do not take action during Open Enrollment, your current elections for benefits and insurance coverage will “roll over” and continue in 2025, EXCEPT for your Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Health Savings Account (HSA), and PTO “sellback” elections.
• So, if you haven’t done so already, please be sure to review your choices carefully and make any necessary changes before the deadline. Visit Bridge for complete details.

One Campaign Wraps Up with a BIG Surprise!

• Following a fun – and very successful – eight-week “ campaign marathon,” the results are in for our One Campaign.
• I’m proud to share that together, we raised over $400,000 in support of the United Way, ArtsWave, and our Good Samaritan, Bethesda, and McCullough-Hyde Foundations – and we set a new record for team member and physician participation!!
• We closed the campaign out last week by surprising Julie Kruse, Registered Nurse with the TriHealth Heart and Vascular Institute at the Thomas Center, with the special One Campaign grand prize of $500!
• Julie was the lucky winner drawn from nearly 2,500 team members and physicians who contributed to the campaign.
• Check out this short video of Julie’s big surprise announcement!
• A BIG THANK YOU to every team member and physician who generously supported our One Campaign this year!

Jeanette Altenau Recognized as a “Woman of the Year” by Cincinnati Enquirer

• At TriHealth, our mission calls on us to see, hear, and heal the WHOLE person. And Jeanette Altenau, TriHealth’s long-time Director of Community Relations and Government Affairs, truly takes this responsibility to heart.
• In her role, she has spearheaded numerous community service initiatives – from collaborating with the Freestore Foodbank to open seven self-service food pantries for our patients throughout TriHealth to launching Real Men Wear Pink to drive awareness and funding for cancer care, and so many more!
• Jeanette’s commitment to serve the community and represent TriHealth with such distinction has had a meaningful and enduring impact on TriHealth and the larger Cincinnati community.
• So, it’s no surprise she was recently selected as one of the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Women of the Year!
• Click here to read the Enquirer’s profile on Jeanette and her many remarkable contributions that are making such a positive difference in the lives of so many throughout Greater Cincinnati.
• Thank you, Jeanette, for living our SERVE values and embodying our brand promise to “see, hear, and heal” the TriHealth Way!

Another week and another roundup of powerful examples of how we are Getting Healthcare Right TOGETHER!! Thank you for helping us lead the way in bringing better care, better health, and better value to our Greater Cincinnati community!!