November 6, 2023

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• News & Notes: Your Monthly Message From President & CEO Don Owrey
• Open Enrollment for 2024 Benefits Starts November 13
• Incentive Point Opportunities
• Halloween Festivities: Pumpkin Decorating and Costume Contest Winners
• Congratulations to Our Recent CNA Training Program Graduates!
• Congratulations, IT/IS Department!
• Working Advantage Black Friday Deals
• Thank You, Values Ambassador!
• Happy National Radiologic Technology Week!
• PTO Donation
• Approaching End of Life: Signs and Symptoms Webinar
• Preparing for the Joint Commission Survey: Total Knee, Total Hip and Total Shoulder Replacement
• Stay One Step Ahead of the Flu!
• Associates Getting Healthy Wellness Program
• November Canvas Sale
• Weekly Reflection

Your Monthly Message From President & CEO Don Owrey

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2023 Associate and Provider Engagement Survey. We had 87% of our associates take the survey which represents a significant increase from the survey 2 years ago. We are currently working with Press Ganey to compile our results and I look forward to sharing those with you later this month during various Town Hall events. Please keep an eye out for upcoming dates in November eLerts.

Next week marks the beginning of our open enrollment period for 2024 associate benefits. Providing our associates with a comprehensive and competitive set of benefits is a key component to nurturing a workforce strategy that supports our mission. We are self-insured for our medical benefits meaning that we pay directly for the cost of any claim incurred by an associate or a covered beneficiary. Said differently, AGH is fully at risk for the utilization of our associates and as the utilization increases, so do the costs paid for by AGH. Conversely, when costs decrease, those savings benefit AGH and enable us to reinvest in other areas.

With Covid-19 behind us, the past 18 months have seen a dramatic rise in the utilization of health care benefits. This is occurring not only at AGH but nationally. Care that may have been put off or deferred during the pandemic has been restarted. In addition, there are several new pharmaceuticals on the market which are showing promising results for those with diabetes and other weight-related issues, but they come at high cost and are having a profound impact on rising claims costs. In fact, drug costs now represent nearly 50% of the total cost of care for AGH associates annually.

The Board of Trustees and Senior Leadership have worked hard to balance the rising cost of health benefits with the overall need to keep wages competitive. The Board approved a 4% increase in 2024 for all associates at their anniversary date. With respect to medical benefits, AGH has historically covered approximately 85% of the cost, with associates sharing in the remaining 15%. In 2024, that cost sharing formula will change to 84% for AGH and 16% for associates. This is necessary as we continue to face challenges in the reimbursement we receive compared to the ongoing inflationary impact post-pandemic.

We recognize that any increase in cost has an impact and therefore encourage you to lean into the various wellness programs that are offered to help keep more dollars in your pocket. In addition, we encourage all associates to use AGHRx RediScripts as their pharmacy provider. This ensures the lowest out-of-pocket expense to you and also provides AGHRx RediScripts with the revenues for filling the prescription, keeping it “in the system”. Finally, to assist lower wage earners, we are introducing a new concept with the rollout of this year’s enrollment period. Depending on the annual salary of associates, there will be a sliding scale for the per pay contribution. The contribution amount will be decreased slightly for associates earning lower annual salaries, while associates earning higher annual salaries will see a slight increase in their per pay contribution. This will be more fully explained in the 2024 Benefits Enrollment Guide and will be further explained during the Town Halls as well. Please plan to attend one.

Thank you for all that you do. Your work matters and our patients depend on it.

Onward and upward, together!

Open enrollment for 2024 benefits will begin on Monday, November 13, 2023. All associates wishing to be covered under Atlantic General Hospital Corporation’s health insurance benefits must enroll, using the same Employee Navigator online enrollment portal as last year.

This past year saw a dramatic rise in health care spending nationally as patients have returned to seeking care that was postponed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Locally, those trends have also played out here. While premiums were relatively stable coming out of the pandemic, we are seeing a sharp increase due to much higher utilization over the past 12 months. In particular, the rise in pharmacy costs due to new drug therapies for weight loss and diabetes have had a significant impact.

The hospital will again subsidize the largest portion of the increase but it is necessary that we make modifications to our benefit plan design and the associate bi-weekly contributions. Those changes are fully outlined in the 2024 Benefits Booklet, which will be made available during the enrollment period.

Enrollment materials will be provided by Human Resources during the educational sessions.

Sessions have been scheduled as follows:

Mon 11/13

10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Conference Room 3

Tues 11/14

9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Conference Room 1

Wed 11/15

4:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Conference Room 2

Thurs 11/16

1 – 4 p.m.

Conference Room 3

Fri 11/17

1 – 4 p.m.

Conference Room 3

Mon 11/20

4:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Conference Room 2

Tues 11/21

1 – 4 p.m.

Conference Room 3

Mon 11/27

1 – 4 p.m.

Conference Room 2

Tues 11/28

1 – 4 p.m.

Conference Room 3

If you wish to enroll in 2024 benefits, the Employee Navigator portal can be accessed at https://employeenavigator.com/benefits/account/login. The link for 2024 open enrollment will be available starting November 13.

Tacos, Tiaras and Sombreros FUNdraiser Volunteers:

The Atlantic General Hospital Junior Auxiliary Group (JAG) is currently in need of TWO MORE volunteers for their upcoming Tacos, Tiaras and Sombreros FUNdraiser event, to be held at Ocean Downs Casino on November 15. Volunteers will receive incentive points.

The volunteer roles are as follows:

• 1 volunteer for registration
• 1 volunteer to take photos

Please click the button below to sign up:

2024 Penguin Swim Volunteers

We are currently in need of volunteers for the 2024 Penguin Swim to be held New Year's Day on the beach in front of the Princess Royale on 91st Street, Ocean City. There are various volunteer roles available on 12/31/23 (day before event) and 1/1/24 (day of event.) Volunteers will receive incentive points.

For more information, please click here.

Pumpkin Decorating Contest:

OVERALL BEST:

1st Place: OR

2nd Place: Population Health/AGHS Administration

BEST TRADITIONAL

HUGGS/Medical Staff

SCARIEST

Atlantic General Women's Imaging

SILLIEST

Atlantic General Sleep Disorders Diagnostic Center

Atlantic General Health System Costume Contest

BEST OFFICE THEME

Winner: Atlantic General Orthopedic Surgery

Runner-Up: Atlantic General Surgical Associates

BEST DIY

Atlantic General Primary Care & Atlantic ImmediCare (Ocean City)

BEST OVERALL INDIVIDUAL COSTUME

Phyllis Collins - Atlantic General Women's Health (West Ocean City)

Last week, we had the great pleasure of honoring Atlantic General Hospital and Health System's second ever Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training program graduates! We are so excited to have these kind, bright and ambitious individuals on the Atlantic General nursing team. Please join us in congratulating Di'Ziyah, Caitlin and Abigail!

Special shoutout to Atlantic General Hospital's Education Department and nursing leadership for being such great educators and role models for our CNA students, and the Atlantic General Hospital Junior Auxiliary Group for raising the funds that make the program possible.

We would like to congratulate our IT/IS Department for receiving the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives' Most Wired distinction, making this the seventh year they have achieved this coveted healthcare tech award!

Their tireless work has led to Atlantic General Hospital being recognized as a level 8 institution, a certification that fewer than 1% of surveyed organizations achieved. Click below to learn more about this amazing accomplishment:

Check out Working Advantage in November as Black Friday and Cyber Monday rapidly approach! We’re here to help you optimize your time with the best deals on travel destinations, hotels, and cruises as well as the latest savings on electronics, clothing, and entertainment.

If you haven’t signed up yet, click become a member and enter our company code: AGHPERKS

Jennifer Light, RN - Emergency Department

Letter from a patient family member: "My brother-in-law passed away on September 14th, 2023. I want to let Jennifer know how grateful his family is for being there for my sister, his wife. Especially for the compassion and caring Jennifer showed when my sister viewed him. We appreciate her very much."

National Radiologic Technology Week

Nov 5 – 11, 2023

National Radiologic Technology Week® is observed annually to recognize imaging professionals' vital work across the nation. The celebration takes place each November to commemorate the anniversary of the X-ray's discovery by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen on Nov. 8, 1895

The majority of our R.T.s are registered in multiple specialties and are cross-trained to provide coverage in the areas with the most need.  In the fiscal year 2023, Townsend Medical Center, Atlantic General Hospital, Atlantic General Orthopedics and West OC Imaging performed approximately 77,000 exams and procedures.

Please take a few minutes during the week to express your appreciation to our outstanding, highly-qualified Registered Technologists for the patient-centered, compassionate care they provide every day.

Brooke Williams

Director; Radiology

Katharine “Katie” Widdowson from the Emergency Department has notified us that she is willing to accept any P.T.O. that associates may be willing to donate to her for her Medical Leave. Katie has exhausted her P.T.O. balance.

If you are interested in donating P.T.O. to Katharine “Katie” Widdowson, please complete the Donation of P.T.O. Form by clicking the button below and return it to Jennifer O’Leary in Human Resources. Fax 410-641-9715 or email: joleary@atlanticgeneral.org or Inter-Office Mailbox #27. Additional forms are available in the HR office.

Thank you for your consideration of this request to assist a fellow associate. 

(Click here to view full PDF)

Preparing for The Joint Commission Survey for TKA, THA, and TSA

1. When is The Joint Commission going to be here?

• Thursday, November 9, 2023 for TKA and THA survey
• Friday, November 10, 2023 for TSA survey

2. Can I just avoid them?

• Please don’t! This is our time to shine. We’ve worked hard on our total joint program, so this is a great opportunity to brag about the great things we’ve done.
• The Joint Commission is not trying to trick you. It’s okay if you don’t know the answer. Please direct the surveyor to someone who will know the answer.

3. What are the 3 requirements for certification?

• Compliance with consensus-based national standards, as described in The Joint Commission’s Disease-Specific Care Certification Program manual. (A copy of the manual is located in Brittany Upman’s office and in the discharge area of PACU)
• Effective integration of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. (A copy of the clinical practice guidelines is located in Brittany Upman’s office and in the discharge area of PACU)
• Organized approach to performance measurement and performance improvement. Data is collected monthly and reported out to the Orthopaedic Performance Improvement Team

4. What are our performance improvement measures? (see image below)

•  First 10 charts of each month will be audited if greater than 10 cases per month. If less than 10 cases, 100% of charts will be audited.
• Goal for each measure is 90% compliance or greater

Following the AGH/AGHS Mandatory Flu Vaccination policy ALL associates, medical staff, and volunteers are required to be immunized or have an exemption on file by 12/1/2023.

Those  who have an approved medical/religious exemption are required to wear a surgical mask in all inpatient and outpatient areas during the designated flu season. 

Employee Health will be administering QUADRIVALENT flu vaccines in preparation for the for the 2023-2024 flu season. Flu vaccines are preservative free and latex free.

Look for our rolling flu cart on the following days:

Wednesday, November 8 | 12pm – 4pm

Saturday, November 11 | 3pm - 7pm

Monday, November 13 | 12pm - 4pm

Tuesday, November 14 | 7am -12pm 

Monday, November 20 | 7am -12pm

Tuesday, November 21 | 12pm - 4pm

Wednesday, November 22 | 7am - 12pm

The Associate Getting Healthy Wellness Program is available to all benefit eligible associates.

If you need assistance registering for the Wellness Program or earning Wellness points, please contact Tracey at 410 629-6442 or Crystal 410 641-9190… We are here to help.

Coaching Event (10pts)

Preventing Burnout

Chronic stress is related to, but isn’t the same as burnout. This session will break down the three components of burnout, how stress relates to it and most importantly, what you can do to reduce your risk factors for burnout through daily, weekly and monthly strategies. This session will be facilitated by Alicia Wann, LGSW.

November 7, 12:00 p.m. ET

Register HERE.

November 15, 3:00 p.m. ET

Register HERE.

Too busy ? …Did you miss last week’s webinars? Don’t worry …It’s not too late!

You can earn 10 pts by watching On-Demand webinars.

Go to the self-record section of your wellness portal to record the webinar that you watched - 10 pts will be awarded.

ON-DEMAND WEBINARS (10pts)

Challenge Negative Thinking

Access HERE.

Effective Communication

Access HERE.

Chaplains Gail, Wendy, Bruce & Eric are available to offer you support and words of encouragement. You may call us at 410-641-9725 or 410-629-6848 or send an email:



gmansell@atlanticgeneral.org, wmindte@atlanticgeneral.org, 

bpurpura@atlanticgeneral.org, eolson@atlanticgeneral.org



Stay Strong & Power On!