It’s been a long, hard 17, almost 18, months since COVID-19 was first identified in our community. How can we ever say thank you to our employees and medical staff for their tireless care under very trying conditions? These words from a community member say it best, “This has been an unthinkable, traumatizing year on so many levels ... This community owes the MVHS team a debt – their lives. I hope when this pandemic ends we can properly acknowledge that."
 
Now, after what has been a welcome respite, we are seeing an increase in COVID due to the highly transmissible Delta variant. On a call with hospital CEOs from CNY on Wednesday, I heard common themes: staffing shortages, concerns about the State Fair and its impact on new COVID cases, identifying workers to reopen vaccination PODs, and competition for expensive travelers. It’s clear that what we are experiencing is what our colleagues in the region are also experiencing.
 
Of course, we’re not sitting idle – with our new Chief Human Resources Officer, Bob Scott, were are engaged in a robust recruitment and retention plan. We have instituted crisis shifts and are expanding our search for travelers. An outside firm has been brought in as a partner to work with us as an aggressive partner in our recruitment efforts. We are moving forward with working with the College of Nursing to re-establish the externs program as we did last year and earlier this year. And, through the Iroquois Healthcare Association, CNY hospitals are participating in virtual career fairs.  
 
Our recruitment plan also includes increased digital and social media presence and creating a more streamlined onboarding process.
 
At the state level, hospital associations are advocating for increased resources for: staffing and requesting that the State work with us to identify other sources for recruitment, continuing the swing bed exemption and expanding the role of LPN scope of practice in a hospital setting. 
 
We’re also working on retention ideas through a committee of front line staff that is headed by Mansoor Shahid, our COO.
 
We know conditions are very hard and that you’re frustrated and we understand why. We are trying our best to identify ideas and approaches for both recruitment and retention of staff. If you have any thoughts or ideas, please share them!
 
These are really trying times, but we will get through them. Please remember that is important that we all support each other and be the best advocate for our patients. And, ask for what you need – we can’t help if we don’t know what is it you need.
 
Remember – this is an unprecedented and extremely challenging time in our history, particularly for those who work in healthcare. We appreciate your resilience and hanging in with MVHS as we navigate what is next during this time of uncertainty. Together, we’ll get through this.

I know we’re all tired of hearing this but it’s important now that COVID is back in our community. The best way to keep yourself, your patients and your families safe is to: 

• Wear a mask at all times in our facilities
• Wear goggles when you’re with a patient – and that’s all patients and every staff member interacting with patients!
• Maintain appropriate social distancing
• Wash your hands 

Because of the rise in COVID, we have instituted Incident Command every Monday to review staffing, logistics, PPE and take action or make changes depending on the most current situation with COVID. You have our commitment to keep you informed!

Yesterday we received the official notification from the NYS Department of Health that all employees of hospitals and nursing homes must be vaccinated for COVID-19 by September 27, 2021. A part of the mandate is that we must continue to report to the State the number of vaccines employees and any and all exemptions granted. Based on this information, we are developing our own MVHS policy to adhere to this new mandate. We will share this policy by early next week as well as plans for making vaccines accessible to unvaccinated employees.

Today’s traveling safety huddle was held with the Respiratory Therapy team at St. Elizabeth! Thanks for hosting!

From Tony Burnett: 
I am the transitional care coordinator and on Friday I was able to transport a patient to a nursing facility in Queens. I just want to say thank you to Dr. Ravi, Bill Cline in EVS, Senior Network Health, Dominick in PT and Mary Fedure and Rebecca Delahunt from Case Management who all made this possible. I also wanted to thank Steve Scott from Sizewise who was able to provide a special wheelchair to use for the transport. Without everyone’s support this transport would not have been possible.

Spectrum News recently did an interview with Bob Scholefiled to get an update on the project. Bob talked about the progress that has been made so far, how COVID has impacted the project and what our plans are for our two current inpatient hospitals. Check it out here!

Hisa Zhu, project executive for Hammes Healthcare, presented information about The Wynn Hospital to nursing faculty from all of the local nursing schools. Great work Hisa!

This week we celebrated the accomplishment by the St. Luke’s Inpatient Psych unit and our Security team for going one year without employing any four-point restraints. This is a remarkable feat and we believe we are one of very few psych units anywhere to have attained this accomplishment. Thanks to all of our staff members!

Thank you to Mercy Flight for sharing this great picture of their first stroke transfer to our St. Luke’s Campus following our recent designation as a Comprehensive Stroke Center! This is just the first of what we anticipate will be many continued referrals for this critical service.

Thank you to our Nutrition Staff for hosting a 1950s day in the cafeterias and giving out prizes to those who dressed up!