Because the number of COVID cases is on the rise in our county and we are seeing a small uptick in hospitalizations, with an abundance of caution we will be reinstituting Incident Command to ensure we are prepared in case there is another surge. Yesterday our surge team met to review capacity, logistics and staffing, and they will report in to Incident Command on Monday. You have my commitment that we will do everything we can to both protect you and our patients and to keep you informed and updated on a regular basis.
 
With the rise in COVID, we have established new safety measures. Please adhere to the following:

• Wear a mask in all areas of our facilities, all the time. The only times your mask should be off are: 1) in your office alone, and 2) while you’re eating. No exceptions.
• Maintain social distancing. This means adhering to the maximum capacity of meeting rooms to ensure appropriate social distancing.
• Make sure you are screened before you enter our buildings. We have recently implemented temperature kiosks for employees to help streamline the process and opened additional doors with badge swiping (at St. Luke’s, it’s Allen-Calder Entrance #6 and is located next to the Pre-procedure Testing area). PLEASE use these kiosks – now is not the time to let our guard down. We are monitoring usage of these screening tools.
• Pre-procedure COVID testing. COVID testing of all patients – regardless of vaccine status – who are scheduled for an elective procedure or surgery will begin on August 18.

Bob Scott joined our team a month ago and I asked him to share his observations about our organization, his plans for Human Resources, in particular recruitment and retention, and his goals for the future.
 
I am delighted to be part of the Mohawk Valley Health System during this significant time of change. The first thing I’ve noticed about our organization is our very committed staff. I have been serving in healthcare for over 25 years, and the dedication of the staff to our patients has been evident throughout all my interactions with staff and leadership. In the short time here, I have seen it over and over again, staff at MVHS step up and do the right thing. It’s so impressive!
 
I do recognize, of course, that we need more staff and that recruitment and retention are essential. I have worked with the HR team to develop an aggressive plan that includes increased digital and social media presence, bringing in additional recruiters, in-person and virtual job fairs, and creating a more streamlined onboarding process. As you know, MVHS had already instituted sign on bonuses and increased wages in critical jobs – we are constantly reviewing and working with the labor unions on wage competitiveness and financial incentives for much-needed positions. I take the staffing issue very seriously and am determined to act swiftly to position MVHS for success. While fully addressing staffing issues will take time, I can assure you that it is my top priority for our organization.
 
Looking ahead I am hopeful and optimistic about our future. While we certainly face many challenges, not the least of which is staffing, my confidence in our success rises every single day. I believe we have all the right ingredients to prevail and succeed. What makes me think that? It’s the hope and determination I see in the eyes of everyone I have met here at MVHS. I can see you all are demonstrating that you believe in our organization and our mission of caring for our patients. Together, we can do great things and I believe that we can and we will. I look forward to meeting you all, as I round throughout the system over the coming weeks. Thank you for the warm welcome!

Many thanks to the Case Management team at St. Elizabeth for hosting today’s daily safety huddle! The largest group of employees to attend our Friday traveling huddle to date! Thanks to you all!

The Wynn Hospital is nearly 40 percent complete – how exciting! As we near the 50 percent mark, a number of news outlets have joined us for tours. The most recent was the Observer Dispatch team – you may have seen the recent article. Unfortunately, the headline focused on the budget and schedule for completion, but the story did include some exciting news about the progress we have made in spite of a year and a half of the COVID pandemic.
 
But, I do want to clarify what’s happening with our schedule and budget. At the end of last year, we conducted a review of the impact that COVID had on our schedule as well as some of the delays we experienced with the installation of utilities under the site. We concluded that the completion date would be July 2023, rather than December 2022. And, we’re on schedule for that. Likewise, our budget has increased since we did the initial estimates – a fact we released last year. 
 
Here’s some pics of where we are today.

Check out another super employee of our Rehabilitation and Nursing Center (RNC): Brett Leach, catering chef. Brett has been providing delicious and nutritious meals to our residents for the past 25 years. Whether it's through his award-winning food or his sunny disposition, Brett finds a way to put a smile on everyone's face.

Check out this month’s Kitchen Corner on the intranet here. Also, if you correctly complete the crossword puzzle included on the Kitchen Corner page and return it to Nutrition Services by the end of August, you will receive a small prize!