Last week, we recorded a 50-minute discussion featuring Peter D. Banko, President & CEO, and other executive leaders to cover important topics in our continued COVID-19 response. View the recording here.

Peter personally reviewed every question associates submitted. Questions that were more hospital- and departmental-focused were sent to CEOs or senior executives to follow up directly with you and your co-workers. If you need more details than we could provide in this recording, please e-mail OfficeoftheCEO@centura.org.

Late last week, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) made the decision to delay the 21st Century Cures Act Information Blocking compliance deadline until the spring of 2021. This mandate, originally scheduled for deployment on Nov. 2, requires the automatic electronic release of clinical notes and test results through our patient portal, MyCenturaHealth. 

Although Centura Health was ready to implement the new policies across our system, after careful consideration the decision was made to align with the ONC’s extended compliance date and delay this change until spring. With you – our incredible people – always at top of mind it was determined that this is not the time to introduce this change, especially as we continue to see a rise in both severely ill patients who have delayed care as well as COVID-19 positive patients presenting across our connected ecosystem. We realize at this time our caregivers must focus on providing the outstanding whole person care for which Centura Health is known.

By delaying this implementation to align with the new compliance deadline, our caregivers will have additional time to learn about the changes coming to our electronic health record, Epic, and better prepare. 

Planning for a spring launch will begin in January as we continue to monitor the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and other impacts on our 21,000 caregivers. Watch for updates.

Questions?
Please contact Directors of Medical Informatics Valerie McKinnis, M.D., at ValerieMcKinnis@Centura.org or Jill Goldenberg, M.D., at JillGoldenberg@Centura.org, or Director of Corporate Responsibility Laura Parrado at LauraParrado@Centura.org.
 

The stress Americans are facing in this election cycle is far worse than previous seasons. Whatever your political views may be, many of us are feeling tense, anxious and overwhelmed. According to a recent study by the APA, more than two-thirds of adults in America report this election as a significant source of stress in their lives – which is a significant jump from 2016.

MeQuilibrium, a resiliency-building tool available to you through Inspire Wellbeing, our associate wellbeing program, offers options to support you as you navigate this turbulent time. Find tips and build skills to help you manage election-related stress and support your mental health and wellbeing. meQuilibrium can help you practice skills and build habits like unplugging to recharge, allowing space for difficult emotions, and taking ‘worry time’ to help you develop control over the frequency and timing of the stress you experience.

Visit meQuilibrium’s Election Stress Resources to get started today. You can also access even more resiliency-building resources by clicking on meQuilibrium in your Inspire Wellbeing account. Spouses covered by a Centura Health medical plan can also access meQuilibrium! Register or log in at wellbeing.centura.org.

Additional resources are available to you through Centura’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAP is a free, confidential counseling service designed to help with issues such as stress management, relationships, divorce, depression and any other personal or professional issues as well as provide referrals for childcare, eldercare, parenting, and referrals to social agencies and county/city wide resources. To learn more, click here or call 1-800-645-6571.

Centura Health Information Technology will update Zoom to allow for the activation of new features at 5 p.m. (1700) (MT) Thursday, Nov. 5.

If you are actively in a Zoom meeting, the installation will not begin. Instead, the application will reattempt to install every 90 minutes. Once the installation is complete, you will be signed out of Zoom and will be required to sign in again.  

Questions? 
If you have questions regarding this update, email Justin McCaffrey or call the Service Center at 303.643.4200 and reference Change Number C41945 and Task Number T8329.
 

Four Centura nurses were recently recognized as Nightingale Award recipients for 2020, along with eight more Centura nurses chosen for Luminary Awards. These annual recognitions from the Colorado Nurses Foundation and Colorado’s regional AHECs, or Area Health Education Centers, are the highest honor for nurses in Colorado and are intended to acknowledge the outstanding nurses in the state, whose hard work and dedication improves others’ health through their advocacy, innovation and leadership.

More than 600 nurses across Colorado were nominated by a colleague, patient or organization at the beginning of the year. Awards are typically given out in May near the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the woman recognized as the founder of modern nursing, whose practices still influence the profession and for whom the awards are named. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the awards were delayed until October 10, and were announced during a virtual ceremony. You can view the ceremony here.

52 finalists, or Luminaries, were named this year ahead of the ceremony, 12 of whom were Centura nurses. On Saturday, a Nightingale winner was named in each of 12 categories of excellence. A full list of Centura Luminaries and Nightingale recipients is below.

“The leadership and hard work of these nurses will resonate far beyond the walls of their hospitals for years to come,” said Rachel Miles, Vice President of Nursing Operations for Centura Health. “They exemplify the clinical excellence and compassionate care that our incredible nursing teams across Centura Health provide every day to thousands of patients in Colorado.”

Please join us in congratulating these incredible caregivers!

Nightingale Award for Innovation in Clinical Practice:
Tamara Friend, RN, BSN, Littleton Adventist Hospital

Nightingale Award for Advocacy in Clinical Practice:
Nancy O’Malley, RN, BSN, Porter Adventist Hospital

Nightingale Award for Leadership in Clinical Practice:
Tatjana Smith, RN, BSN, Penrose-St. Francis Health Services
Jennifer Wilson, RN, MSN, Porter Adventist Hospital

Luminary Award for Advocacy in Administration, Education, Research or Nontraditional Nursing Practice:
Penny McPherson, RN, EdD, Littleton Adventist Hospital
Megan Stoltz RN, BSN, Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

Luminary Award for Advocacy in Clinical Practice:
Teresa Elder, RN, BSN, Flight for Life Colorado
Nancy O’Malley, RN, BSN, Porter Adventist Hospital

Luminary Award for Innovation in Administration, Education, Research or Nontraditional Nursing Practice:
Stephanie Stori, RN, MSN, Parker Adventist Hospital

Luminary Award for Innovation in Clinical Practice:
Tamara Friend, RN, BSN, Littleton Adventist Hospital
Heather Rutland, RN, BSN, Littleton Adventist Hospital

Luminary Award for Leadership in Administration, Education, Research or Nontraditional Nursing Practice:
Constance Schmidt, RN, DNP, St. Anthony North Health Campus

Luminary Award for Leadership in Clinical Practice:
Donelle Morse, RN, BSN, St. Anthony North Health Campus
Taylor Sifrit, RN, BSN, Mercy Regional Medical Center
Tatjana Smith, RN, BSN, Penrose-St. Francis Health Services
Jennifer Wilson, RN, MSN, Porter Adventist Hospital

Your voice and experience is important, especially as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, and we want to hear from you. Please share your thoughts with us in Centura Health’s fall Physician and Associate Engagement Pulse survey, beginning Wednesday, November 11, 2020. This pulse survey is designed to measure key aspects of your experience and is also an opportunity for you to share your story and make suggestions to strengthen our connected ecosystem. 

This brief (less than five minutes) and confidential online survey will run November 11 - 25. Check your Centura Health email inbox the morning of Nov. 11 (invitation will be sent early on Nov. 11) for a message from our survey partner Glint (survey@glintinc.com). The survey invitation is your personal link to complete the survey. 

Your story, experiences and engagement are important. We are committed to building a community where you grow in your purpose and career with us. To achieve this, we need to hear from you. 

Thank you in advance for making time to complete the physician and associate engagement survey.

Questions?
Please contact your entity human resources director or email engagement@centura.org.

Rhonda Ward

With much gratitude for her service, I want to share with you that Rhonda Ward, Vice President of Nursing Services for the Denver Metro Operating Group, will be retiring from Centura Health on Dec. 31, 2020 after more than 40 years of service to our ministry.

With a unique blend of skill and compassion, Rhonda has been a fundamental leader throughout her career focusing on nursing excellence and guiding our incredible people as they deliver high-performing, whole person care to our patients, neighbors and communities.

Rhonda has served in her current role for the past two years. Prior to that, she spent 17 years successfully advocating for nurses and patients at Littleton Adventist Hospital (LAH), including 14 years as Chief Nursing Officer. Her many achievements include an emphasis on clinical quality and patient safety in nursing and leading LAH’s submission for the Magnet Recognition Program.

"Rhonda is one of the most impactful leaders I have worked with in my career. I will always be grateful for the difference she has made at Centura, and I also greatly value her friendship," said Ken Bacon, Group President, Denver Metro Operating Group.

Our Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Eddie Sim, also shared his appreciation for Rhonda and her dedication to Centura. “Rhonda’s daily leadership and service has positively contributed to Centura’s aspiration of becoming the health care system of choice for the communities we serve,” Eddie said. “Pursuing her mission, she has always reflected our vision and core values throughout her career.”

Please join me in thanking Rhonda for her many accomplishments and in wishing her well as she begins to enjoy more time with her husband Doug, their daughters and extended family.

Questions?
Please reach out to KenBacon@Centura.org.