Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1336426
45 FINANCE CMO / CARE DELIVERY seen. During the 13 hours of wearing PPE and caring for these crit- ically ill patients while trying to support them and their families is extremely exhausting, both emotionally and physically. But it is also so rewarding. We have never been in a situation like this, and it helps so much when we feel recognized and appreciated by our leadership for all of the extra work we have taken on over the last several months. Q: Is there a workplace initiative you would like to see implemented that hasn't been yet? Jennifer Clutter: I would like to see an internal code team set up where there could be some immediate resources for staff and families who have just gone through something traumatic on the unit. While I know that a code lavender would not prevent burnout of nursing staff, it would provide an immediate response to a stressful situation. is has always been a goal of mine to do. But I think that it is now more important than ever. Dr. Jeffrey Kuo: Ochsner Health has done an exceptional job of scaling our COVID testing capabilities in a very short period of time. In fact, we have performed more than 500,000 tests since this global pandemic began. However, a source of anxiety for many employees has been the relative lack of accessibility to testing sites for our families when needed. Testing capa- bilities is an area that continues to impact the nation, not just Ochsner, but it is something that continues to be a priority for us, as it has a large impact on our community, our employees and our employees' loved ones. Katie Passaretti, MD, medical director of health system infection prevention at Atrium Health (Charlotte, N.C.): I think Atrium Health has done a tremendous job of obtaining and providing person- al protective equipment, not laying people off despite the financial hit all healthcare systems have taken, making sure mental health support was accessible and working with community and public health leaders to give consistent messaging on protective measures in the commu- nity. As with any crisis, meaningful communication and conveying information that is rapidly changing is a huge challenge, especially in bigger hospital systems, so that is always a work in progress. Q: What's worked well during the pandemic? Jennifer Clutter: e teamwork and camaraderie that the staff has felt has made a huge impact. ere hasn't been an 'us versus them.' We are all in this together. Teamwork has always been the most important thing in an emergency department, but through this we have seen a level of it that we have not experienced before. e leadership within this hospital has worked together, and relationships have been built through this pandemic that will span a much longer time. ese relationships will help to make better outcomes for the patients. Dr. Jeffrey Kuo: Ochsner Health has leveraged technology, formed mutually beneficial collaborations with non health-related businesses in innovative ways, and utilized our greatest asset, our people, to scale our organization as the demands of COVID-19 stretched the health- care industry beyond sustainability. We have overcome in the face of adversity in order to fulfill our commitment to our community. Missy McVey: Collaboration, communication and self-care. Early on, our administration did a fantastic job of including all disciplines in planning, solving issues and maintaining practices that are working for us. ey have not le any area out of the discussion and are always listening to new ideas. Together, we have been able to solve every issue that has yet to be presented. Communication is always key, and my hat is off to all of the great leaders and teammates that continue to keep the communication flowing in all directions. Dr. Katie Passaretti: Many things have been challenging, and many things have gone well during the pandemic. I think our early, in-house access to COVID testing was hugely important for teammates and our community. e tremendous work to maintain PPE supply as best as pos- sible was remarkable. Ultimately, the biggest source of hope has been the perseverance and strength of our healthcare workers in caring for the pa- tients and doing their best in challenging times to protect our community. Q: What would you like more leadership support on? Jennifer Clutter: is one is tough. I feel like our leadership is respon- sive to our needs and listens when managers and staff have questions or concerns. Dr. Jeffrey Kuo: Nobody is immune to the negative impact that this glob- al pandemic has caused. Although Ochsner Health has done a fantastic job of ensuring our employees are able to practice in a safe environment physically, it is inevitable that our mental well-being is also impacted. Our Office of Professional Well-Being has supported us extremely well, and I think there is opportunity to expand these resources to continue to sup- port us. My hope is that COVID is a catalyst for research that leads to further innovative ways to promote employee wellness. Missy McVey: Our leadership is amazing and has shown unwavering support to all of our teams. is has always been the case, and I feel I am very lucky to be able to work under this administration. ey are always involved, present and approachable. When there are issues or support needed, they are quick to gather a plan and always follow through to a solution. I've never witnessed follow-through from lead- ers like I have at this workplace. It is outstanding. If I were to choose an area to ask for support, it would be to help in the further develop- ment of my team. As we continue to run full speed ahead, it is very hard to find space and time to help enhance and develop our team. We are learning to adapt on a moment's notice, and our adaptation skills, combined with our inherent empathy and scrappiness, are what make us so successful in any environment, and that is no exception today. n Employers can require COVID-19 vaccine, EEOC says By Mackenzie Bean E mployers can legally require staff to receive a COVID-19 vaccine before returning to their place of work, according to updated guidelines from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers are permitted to impose "a requirement that an individ- ual shall not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of individuals in the workplace," the EEOC said in a Dec. 16 guideline. However, employers must provide a "reasonable ac- commodation" for employees who have a disability or sincere religious beliefs that forbid vaccinations. Ac- commodations may include temporarily changing an employee's job duties, modifying work schedules or installing plexiglass barriers to separate employees, ac- cording to the commission. If a reasonable accommodation cannot be made, and the unvaccinated employee poses a "direct threat" to other employees' health and safety, employers may pre- vent the individual from entering the workplace. How- ever, this is not grounds to automatically terminate the employee, the EEOC said. n