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  • REPORT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS – July 2024

REPORT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS – July 2024

Mitchell H. Katz, MD
NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
REPORT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
July 25, 2024

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS’ FACILITIES PROMOTE THEIR FARMERS MARKETS

NYC Health + Hospitals’ farmers markets launched in June at several of our facilities, and employees and community members have been taking full advantage of them. Nine of our hospitals, one post-acute, and one Gotham Health site have weekly markets. NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln is the only location that hosts the market twice a week, and it’s a regular highlight for the community. Bronx News 12 visited NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi’s market, where, in addition to the fruits and vegetables for sale, a chef was doing a cooking demonstration.

Farmers markets make it easy for anyone in the community to access fresh, local fruits and vegetables at an affordable price. Various payment options are available to help New Yorkers take advantage of farmers markets, and Fresh Food Box sites, including EBT/SNAP, Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) coupons, and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) coupons.

U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT “BEST HOSPITALS 2024-2025” LIST INCLUDES ALL NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS’ HOSPITALS

NYC Health + Hospitals were named by U.S. News & World Report to its 2024-2025 ‘Best Hospitals’ list. The ranking recognizes the hospitals for excellence in treating clinical conditions including heart failure, heart attack, hip fracture, kidney failure, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The hospitals were selected from nearly 5,000 eligible hospitals across 15 specialties and 20 procedures and conditions. Hospitals awarded a “Best” designation excelled at factors such as clinical outcomes, level of nursing care, and patient experience. The U.S. News & World Report rankings build on NYC Health + Hospitals’ commitment to providing high-quality, comprehensive health care to all New Yorkers.

MAYOR ADAMS ENHANCES LGBTQ+ SERVICES AT NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/GOTHAM HEALTH, JUDSON

At the beginning of the month, Mayor Eric Adams announced new investments in the Pride Health Center at NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Judson, one of seven Pride Health Centers in the system offering culturally-sensitive and comprehensive gender- affirming health care services to LGBTQ+ patients. Funded and developed in collaboration with the NYC Unity Project and the New York City Mayor’s Office of Equity & Racial Justice (MOERJ), the new investments include bolstering community and mental health programming, training for Judson staff, renovating the second floor of the clinic’s century old facilities to create community spaces, and expanding access to confidential services for HIV prevention efforts.

HEALTH CARE SYSTEM’S SIM CENTER LAUNCHES OPIOID USE DISORDER BUPRENORPHINE TRAINING PROGRAM

NYC Health + Hospitals’ Office of Behavioral Health and The Institute for Medical Simulation and Advanced Learning collaborated to deliver a simulation training program focused on bedside conversations in the Emergency Department addressing opiate use and the associated inherent bias. The program is unique in simulation as providers get to practice with actors staging various degrees of withdrawal, challenging them to consider the appropriate medicine treatment and the empathy to greet these patients, their biases, and consider strategies to motivate patients toward help.

The inaugural experience was held at NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem and was met with overwhelming positive reception and stories about how the course has already begun to change everyday practice. This is a program that will be offered to every physician and mid-level provider in every Emergency Department across the system.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/SOUTH BROOKLYN HEALTH LAUNCHES SBH CARES, A VOCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR NEARBY LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS

On Friday, June 28 NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health launched South Brooklyn Health Collaborative Action for Resilience + Empowerment = Success (SBH C.A.R+E=S), which is a first-of-its-kind joint vocational program between South Brooklyn Health and local high schools with a goal of improving job-readiness skills for young people in South Brooklyn and surrounding communities. The 2023-2024 academic school year pilot program focused on students and alumni of Liberation Diploma Plus High School – a transfer high school for “at-risk” students in Coney Island. South Brooklyn Health Public Affairs and Human Resources staff developed an educational series and selected administrative and clinical leaders to instruct students on a monthly basis at the high school on the following topics: substance use disorder, gun violence, teen pregnancy, health & wellness, financial literacy, job readiness, and exploring career options in: nursing, radiology, laboratory, finance, medicine, and medical informatics. In addition to the educational series, currently enrolled Liberation Diploma Plus High School students and alumni were screened and selected by the high school and placed at South Brooklyn Health for paid internships in select departments, including nursing, laboratory, radiology, and the finance departments. Students were supervised by South Brooklyn Health staff preceptors to support and guide them through work assignments.

HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IS A NEW 2024 WELLBEING CHAMPION FOR REDUCING STIGMA AROUND PHYSICIAN MENTAL HEALTH

Earlier this month NYC Health + Hospitals was recognized as a 2024 WellBeing First Champion for its efforts to remove invasive mental health questions on physician credentialing applications. The award was given by ALL IN: WellBeing First for Healthcare, a coalition of major healthcare organizations led by The Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Thrive Global, and the CAA Foundation. NYC Health + Hospitals is one of 19 health systems nationwide recognized by the coalition. According to a 2023 survey by the Physicians Foundation, 4 in 10 physicians were either afraid or knew another physician fearful of seeking mental health care given questions asked in applications for medical licensure, credentialing, or insurance.

METROPLUSHEALTH HIV SPECIAL NEEDS PLAN (SNP) IS RANKED #1 FOR QUALITY FOR 2022

MetroPlusHealth’s HIV Special Needs Plan (SNP) achieved the top ranking in quality among SNPs for the year 2022. This accomplishment underscores the plan’s unwavering dedication to support its members living with HIV and the ongoing efforts to help end the HIV epidemic.

Among the quality measures used, MetroPlusHealth excelled in viral load suppression. This critical indicator reflects the proportion of members with an undetectable level of HIV in their bloodstream, ensuring their own health and preventing transmission. Adherence to HIV medication remains a major focus of the work of the HIV SNP team through a combination of care management, personalized SMS messaging, and other initiatives, all specially designed to help members stay on their life-saving medications and engaged in care—which, in 2022, resulted in a viral suppression rate of 82.48%.

This success owes much to the talented health and wellness advisors, navigators, peers, and other staff. Their expertise in motivational interviewing, health coaching, and member engagement has been instrumental. Achieving this recognition for two consecutive years speaks to their hard work and unwavering commitment. MetroPlusHealth’s SNP is proud to partner with dedicated HIV specialist providers at NYC Health + Hospitals and other committed clinicians across New York City. These efforts together are making a significant impact on the lives of members and advancing toward ending the HIV epidemic.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/JACOBI CERTIFIED AS LEVEL II PEDIATRIC TRAUMA CENTER

NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi was recently certified as a Level II Pediatric Trauma Center. The certification, issued by the American College of Surgeons (ACS), means that patients under the age of 15 will receive the highest standards of treatment when it comes to advanced trauma care. Trauma remains the leading cause of death for young Americans between the ages of one and fourteen years old.

This recognition builds on the hospital’s pioneering work in trauma care. Jacobi Hospital is already a Level I Adult Trauma Center for most of the Bronx and Southern Westchester, treating approximately 2,300 adult patients last year with 1,800 trauma admissions. The hospital also hosts one of New York State’s strongest CureViolence Programs, Stand Up to Violence, which works to reduce gun violence in the 49th, 47th, and 43rd Precincts.

BECKER’S HOSPITAL REVIEW RECOGNIZED FOUR NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS LEADERS AS “COMMUNITY HOSPITAL CEOS TO KNOW” LIST FOR 2024

NYC Health + Hospitals announced that NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan CEO Cristina Contreras, NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health CEO Svetlana Lipyanskaya, NYC Health + Hospitals/Carter CEO Floyd Long, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln CEO and System Chief Growth Officer Christopher Roker are recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review as among the “Community Hospital CEOs to Know” list for 2024. The CEOs are recognized as visionary leaders who have helped grow the service lines for primary care, specialized services, rehabilitation, and public health services for patients, while cultivating a positive workforce culture for staff. Becker’s Hospital Review is an industry publication focused on hospital business news for health care decision makers.

THREE NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS LEADERS RECOGNIZED BECKER’S HOSPITAL REVIEW AS “PATIENT SAFETY EXPERTS TO KNOW”

The health care system announced that NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi and North Central Bronx Chief Quality Officer Komal Bajaj, MD, NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan Patient Safety Officer Samrina Kahlon, MD, and NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer Eric Wei, MD, are recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review on the “90 Patient Safety Experts to Know” list for 2024. The Chief Quality Officers and Patient Safety Officers from the health system are patient safety leaders and are skilled practitioners of patient harm reduction, disease management and disaster preparedness. They are innovators advocating for improving health care processes and transforming safety standards, ensuring NYC Health + Hospitals continues to be a leader in patient safety. Becker’s Hospital Review is an industry publication focused on hospital business news for health care decision makers.

NEW INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY SUITE OPENS AT NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/WOODHULL

NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull announced the grand opening of its state-of-the-art interventional radiology suite marking a significant advancement in patient care and community health services. The ribbon- cutting ceremony highlighted the hospital’s commitment to enhancing diagnostic and treatment capabilities through the use of cutting-edge technology and clinical excellence. Interventional Radiology plays a crucial role in modern healthcare by offering minimally invasive procedures that diagnose and treat a wide range of medical conditions, including biopsies, catheterizations, and angiograms, performed using advanced imaging techniques to precisely target affected areas. With the newest imaging technology and highly skilled interventional radiologists, the new suite offers patients personalized care that is catered to their individual needs. Compared to traditional surgical techniques, these modern procedures provide reduced discomfort, quicker recovery periods, and shorter hospital stays.

CITY & STATE RECOGNIZED THREE BROOKLYN FACILITY CEOS ON ITS 2024 “BROOKLYN POWER 100” LIST

Three Brooklyn facility CEOs — NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull CEO Gregory Calliste, NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health CEO Svetlana Lipyanskaya, MPA, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County CEO Sheldon McLeod — were recognized by City & State New York in their “Brooklyn Power 100” list for 2024. The annual recognition list highlights accomplished leaders across a range of industries with significant political influence who have shaped the lives of New Yorkers in Brooklyn and beyond. Calliste, Lipyanskaya, and McLeod are celebrated as trailblazers who led their respective facilities through multiple crises, all while continuing to deliver quality health care and while acting as trusted messengers for their community members.

City & State is the premier media organization dedicated to covering New York’s local and state politics and policy.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/GOTHAM HEALTH OPENS WELLNESS ROOM AT GOTHAM HEALTH, CUMBERLAND

A new wellness room opened at NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Cumberland. It is the first of four new wellness rooms to be established at various Gotham Health sites, in collaboration with NYC Health + Hospitals H3 Wellness program. This wellness room is designed to provide a quiet place for employees to recharge, de-stress, unwind, and heal. The new wellness room features visually enhanced environments with art, music, and lighting, offering a satisfying opportunity for all staff to enjoy a serene space for relaxation and rejuvenation, as well as connection with opportunities for debriefs.

The wellness room was co-designed with WXY Studios, focusing on comfort and functionality to create an inviting atmosphere that encourages self-care. Following the opening at Gotham Health, Cumberland, additional wellness rooms will include Gotham Health, East New York; Gotham Health, Belvis; and Gotham Health, Morrisania.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/NORTH CENTRAL BRONX UNVEILS NEW COMMUNITY MURAL

Earlier this month, NYC Health + Hospitals unveiled a new mural as part of the Community Mural Project run by the health System’s Arts in Medicine Department. The mural, Waves of Healing at NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx, was developed by artist Sophia Victor through a series of focus groups with community members, staff and patients and brought to life at a paint party where the community was invited to paint the mural together. Waves of Healing is one of 7 new murals that will be created this year, adding to 37 murals created at NYC Health + Hospitals since 2019. The first wave of the Community Mural Project is featured in a new book, Healing Walls: New York City Health + Hospitals Community Mural Project 2019-2021. This and other murals at NYC Health + Hospitals can be viewed on the free Bloomberg Connects app. The Community Mural Project is made possible through the support of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund.

RESPONDING TO THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS – SERVICES FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS

NYC Health + Hospitals remains pivotal to the city’s efforts to manage the unprecedented influx of asylum seekers. We continue to accommodate approximately 25,000 individuals across our 13 humanitarian centers and oversee the city’s Arrival Center. Since the facility was established in May 2023, the Arrival Center has aided over 160,000 new arrivals from over 160 countries. As the front door to our city, we provide all new arrivals a screening for communicable diseases and have provided over 130,000 vaccinations at the city’s Arrival Center, humanitarian centers, and our hospital facilities.

Across our 13 humanitarian centers, we maintain a steadfast commitment to ensure that all of our residents, the majority of whom are families with children, receive compassionate, dignified care. We offercomprehensive services aimed at supporting their journey toward a better life, including medical attention, nutritional support, language services, mental health resources, school enrollment assistance, social programs, and aid in family reunification.

The safety of our humanitarian center guests and staff is paramount. Earlier this month, after two cases of measles were identified at one of our congregate facilities, we immediately acted to quarantine approximately 200 people exposed. Our staff assessed anyone exposed for symptoms, administered vaccinations to provide post-exposure prophylaxis, and drew serologies to identify those with immunity.

Thanks to their thorough and decisive actions, more than 90% of guests exposed have provided proof of vaccination or immunity and were able to leave quarantine and all guests required to remain in quarantine were transported to a hotel to safely and comfortably complete quarantine in private rooms.

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS UPDATE

City: The New York City Fiscal Year 2025 Budget was adopted on June 30, 2024 at $112.4B. NYC Health + Hospitals received a total of $48M in capital awards from the Borough Presidents and Council Members. We are grateful for their support.

State: Of the 804 bills that passed both Houses of the New York State (NYS) Legislature, only 204 have been acted upon by the Governor thus far. No bills have been vetoed thus far. The Governor has until the end of the calendar year to consider the remaining 600 bills. Most of the health care bills the External Affairs team is tracking have not been delivered yet to the Governor. External Affairs is working with our subject matter experts to determine if NYC Health + Hospitals should be asking the Governor to (1) sign, (2) veto, or (3) amend bill(s).

Federal: Congress continues to debate appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2025, prior to the end of the fiscal year on September 30th, 2024. Included in these conversations are Congressionally-Directed Spending (“earmark requests”), for which NYC Health and Hospitals has applied. Prior to the end of 2024, Congress also has to address a few expiring provisions, including those that allow expanded use of telehealth and continuing the delay of the Medicaid DSH cuts.

Community Affairs: CABs and Auxiliaries were honored on July 18, 2024, at the 20th Annual Marjorie Matthews celebration hosted at NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler. Over 250 CAB and Auxiliary members from across the health system attended. In commemoration of the 20th anniversary, proclamations and certificates were presented by the Borough Presidents to the CAB members. Borough President Mark Levine attended to present proclamations to the Manhattan CABs, while representatives from the Queens and Bronx Borough Presidents’ offices were present to present their awards to the CABs in their respective boroughs. Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers also attended to thank volunteers in person.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE SYSTEM

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