Becker's Hospital Review

67 FINANCE CMO / CARE DELIVERY Policies at Pennsylvania hospitals endangered patients, staff, whistleblowers say By Gabrielle Masson P ennsylvania hospitals operated by Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems have struggled to protect staff and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, 11 medical staff members told e Washington Post. Eleven employees and union representatives were interviewed by the Post. Seven of the nurses, employed at two sister hospitals in Scranton, Pa., spoke anonymously for fear of reprisal by CHS. A pregnant nurse at Scranton-based Moses Taylor Hospital said she had to split her time between the "COVID floor" and neonatal intensive care unit. One nurse said she asked a manager what the plan was if medical staff were sickened and was told, "We'll figure that out when that time comes." e hospital said employees have been told to report COVID-19 symptoms since mid-March, but nurses say managers ignored reported symptoms on more than one occasion. Nurses said they were expected to wear one-use masks for five shis in March. Some were told to disinfect the masks in between use with rubbing alcohol, while others were told to use one mask each time they treated a specific patient and put it in a paper bag until the next time. e hospital said it is following CDC guidance on the reuse of masks stored in paper bags. However, the recommendations condemn such reuse without sterilization. Staff said they spoke with the Post because they considered the situation dangerous and were angry over CHS' alleged disorgani- zation, carelessness and greed. ey said many of their safety con- cerns were dismissed as recently as April 3, but on April 7, aer the Post contacted CHS, the hospital announced several infection control policy changes. e company urges employees to speak up about safety concerns and has a hotline where anonymous complaints can be made, ac- cording to Michael Brown, CEO of Moses Taylor Hospital and Re- gional Hospital of Scranton. Nevertheless, employees said those who speak out have had to at- tend disciplinary meetings, had shi hours cut or had their sched- ules changed. The unprecedented challenge has required frequent changes, and the hospital is following CDC guidelines, Mr. Brown said in a statement cited by the Post. The changes, which include des- ignating an employee entrance and screening staff for fevers, were welcomed by Matthew Yarnell, president of Service Em- ployees International Union Healthcare PA. However, he said in a statement, "It shouldn't take attention from a national media outlet to move CHS to put the safety of patients and frontline caregivers first." CHS did not respond to Becker's request for comment. n 5 asks clinicians have for their hospitals amid the pandemic By Mackenzie Bean H ospitals and health systems should look at five main areas to ensure they are fully supporting clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an article published in JAMA. The article's authors conducted eight listening sessions with 69 physicians, nurses, residents, fellows and advanced practice clinicians during the first week of the pandemic. The clinicians outlined their top concerns regarding COVID-19 and what they need from leaders to be fully supported. Based on these discussions, the authors out- lined five main requests healthcare providers have of their organizations. Request 1: Hear me. Listen to and act on healthcare pro- fessionals' concerns from the front line. Response tactic: Create various feedback channels for clini- cians (such as listening groups or an email suggestion box) to ensure their voices are heard and part of decision-making. Request 2: Protect me. Limit healthcare professionals' risk of acquiring COVID-19 and/or infecting their family members. Response tactic: Ensure adequate supplies of personal protective equipment and offer quick COVID-19 testing for employees showing symptoms. Organizations should also offer accommodations for employees at high risk of severe illness due to their age or health status. Request 3: Prepare me. Give healthcare professionals ad- equate training and support to ensure high-quality care. Response tactic: Offer employees rapid training on the most crucial information they know, while providing appro- priate backup training and access to experts as needed. Healthcare organizations should also foster a sense of col- laboration by encouraging employees to ask each other for help or advice when facing difficult decisions. Request 4: Support me. Support healthcare professionals' personal and family needs as they work longer, more gruel- ing hours during the pandemic. Response tactic: Offer clinicians benefits such as child care, lodging or transportation assistance. Organizations should also provide emotional and psychological support for clinicians through webinars, direct counseling sessions with units, etc. Request 5: Care for me. Take care of clinicians' personal or family needs if they contract COVID-19. Response tactic: Offer housing for healthcare profession- als to separate them from their families, along with sup- port for child care or food, if needed. Healthcare organi- zations should also offer paid time off for employees who must quarantine. n

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