We All Function a Little Differently – And That’s a Strength!

April is Neurodiversity Awareness Month, which raises awareness and understanding about cognitive differences. Often, organizations will use the time as an opportunity to educate about conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, bipolar disorder and others that impact how the mind works and how one interacts with the world. 

We should always remember that every brain is different, and everyone has strengths and weaknesses. As they mature, humans use their strengths to get around their weaknesses. On Wednesday, our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team hosted an enlightening learning session on Neurodiverse Employees Awareness. The session gave a helpful overview of what neurodiversity refers to (it encompasses all people, acknowledging we are all different in the way our brains function and process information) and explained what other terms such as “neurodivergent” and “neurotypical” mean.  

Perhaps the most impactful part of the session was hearing first-hand experiences from our own workforce family members with autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, who shed light on their unique approaches to work and success. The session resulted in great dialogue between the audience and panelists that continued even after it formally ended. It was eye-opening for most and appreciated! 

As an employer, GBMC recognizes that people work differently and thrive in various environments. We should all strive to be supportive and accommodating whenever possible, recognizing that what works for one person may not work for another. This could range from being mindful of light or sound sensitivities to being considerate of social anxieties and more. 

By embracing neurodiversity and making appropriate adjustments, we create a workplace where all can excel. At GBMC HealthCare, we want everyone to have a seat at the table and the opportunity to contribute in ways that align with their strengths. Together, we can build a workplace that honors the unique abilities and contributions of each individual. 

Medical Laboratory Professionals Week 

Medical Laboratory Professionals Week is April 14-20! It is an annual celebration of medical laboratory professionals and pathologists who play a vital role in healthcare and patient advocacy! Be sure to thank a medical laboratory professional today for all that they do here at GBMC! 

Health Information Professionals Week 

April 14-20 is Health Information (HI) Professionals Week. Please join GBMC HealthCare in recognizing our HI Professionals for their continued accomplishments of service. Our HI professionals are responsible for maintaining complete, secure, and confidential health records, in addition to coding health information, which ensures accurate data reporting and reimbursement. Thank you to our HI Professionals for all that you do! 

National Healthcare Decisions Day 

April 16 was National Healthcare Decisions Day. This day is dedicated to empowering individuals to express their wishes regarding healthcare and end-of-life care through advance care planning. I wanted to take a moment to reiterate the importance of advance care planning and recommitting ourselves to ensuring that every patient's wishes are known, respected, and followed.  

This is also a reminder to take a moment to reflect on your personal wishes as well. One way to get an advance directive form is to ask your primary care provider. I hope all will use this observance as an opportunity to engage in thoughtful discussions about their own advance care planning with family and loved ones.  

 

Sharing the Gift of Life

Throughout April, we celebrate National Donate Life Month (NDLM), a time dedicated to raising awareness about the critical importance of organ, eye, and tissue donation. Established in 2003, this observance serves as a reminder of the countless lives saved and transformed through donation. 

Organ donation is often the only answer for those grappling with end-stage organ failure, offering them a second chance at life. However, despite its proven efficacy, access to transplantation remains a challenge due to the shortage of available organs. With nearly 100,000 individuals on the national transplant waiting list, the need for donors is urgent. Tragically, 17 people die each day awaiting transplantation, underscoring the seriousness of addressing this issue. 

Reflecting on my time as national co-chair of the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Organ Donation Breakthrough Collaborative in the early 2000s, I gained insights into the complexities surrounding organ procurement and transplantation. While GBMC may not be a transplant center, it is imperative that we amplify the message of organ donation and encourage participation in donor registries. 

One person’s heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, and intestines can be donated, giving each donor the opportunity to save multiple lives. Active cancer is the only automatic rule out for organ donation – there is no age limit. Moreover, organ donation transcends cultural and religious boundaries, with all major Western religions endorsing it as an act of altruism. 

As we commemorate NDLM, let us honor those who have given the gift of life and offer hope to those awaiting transplantation. To register as an organ, eye, and tissue donor in Maryland, click here to join the Maryland Donor Registry. Your decision could be the lifeline someone has been waiting for. 

Attention Physicians: Baltimore magazine’s Top Doctors Voting Has Opened! 

Baltimore magazine’s Top Docs honor isn't just about individual accolades; it's about showcasing the collective excellence and expertise that define our healthcare system. Nominating a colleague not only shines a spotlight on the outstanding work of your peers but also underscores GBMC's commitment to providing the care we would want for our loved ones. 

Nominate a colleague you respect and admire by June 3. 

Occupational Health Nurses Week 

April 7-13 is Occupational Health Nurses Week. Join in celebrating our occupational health nursing professionals who create a culture of health and safety in the workplace daily. Make sure to thank our employee health team today! 

National Cancer Registrars Week 

National Cancer Registrars Week is April 8-12! Thank you to our cancer registry professionals for collecting the important data that helps cancer researchers, healthcare providers and public health officers better monitor and advance cancer treatments. 

Reviewing the Leadership System

Last week in the blog, I mentioned that I had the opportunity to highlight the strength of our leaders and use of the leadership system at the Congress of the American College of Healthcare Executives. When I said I’m extremely proud of our leaders, I truly meant it. Our leaders drove such significant financial improvement throughout the health system last fiscal year, and I want to make sure we sustain this work and don’t lose sight of our quadruple aim of better health, better care, least waste, and more joy. 

Embracing the leadership system to inform and empower staff of all levels throughout the organization is the best way for us to achieve our quadruple aim and move faster towards our vision of being the true community-based system of care that treats everyone the way we want our own loved ones treated.   

As a refresher, the leadership system is all about using our vision to set goals and build action plans to achieve and sustain results. As part of the process, leaders continuously role model, enroll, improve, reward and mentor the team. You can see the components of the leadership system in the diagram.

Having this formalized leadership system creates a script of what is expected of leaders. When followed, we make great progress. 

Brian Riemer, Director of Supply Chain, is a great role model in using the leadership system. The efforts of Brian and his whole team have significantly contributed to achieving and sustaining great results under our Least Waste aim. 

Brian and leaders on his team have a strong understanding of our vision, systemwide goals, strategic plan, and how their work ties into each piece. They use their understanding of the big picture to set departmental goals that align with the strategic plan and cascade the goals and information to their teams. This fiscal year, they’ve zeroed in on the Workday implementation, Promise Project, and work around the Lean Management System. 

To keep his team enrolled and engaged in progress and tasks required to achieve the goals, Brian holds regular communication meetings with all his staff to cascade information. During the meetings, he reviews the vision dashboard, reminds the team how their work aligns with the strategic plan, and reviews targets to improve. He and his leaders regularly communicate results, explain where they stand on each goal, and clarify next steps with staff. 

Not only are logistical, business-related details continuously discussed, but staff is regularly celebrated. Recognition is baked into the culture of the team. 

It seems fitting to share that thanks to the work of Brian and his team, healthcare supply chain leader Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX) recently recognized GBMC as one of its inaugural Supply Chains of Distinction Award recipients. GHX has also recognized GBMC multiple times as a “Best 50” healthcare provider for improving operational performance and driving down costs through supply chain automation. These accomplishments have not happened by accident – they have been made possible through dedicated, aligned work cascaded by strong leaders to a fully enrolled and engaged team. 

Patient Access Week 

Please join me in recognizing our healthcare access professionals in honor of Patient Access Week. GBMC’s Patient Access Representatives are the first points of contact for our emergency department, obstetric, and surgical patients. These team members are responsible for the collection of patient demographic information to ensure accurate patient identification as well as insurance information needed for billing. We could not achieve our vision without the work of our patient access team! 

National Public Health Week 

This week, we join the American Public Health Association to celebrate National Public Health Week to encourage everyone to work together to make it easier for communities to access the public health resources they need to make their communities healthier, safer, and stronger. The sentiment of the week directly aligns with our commitment to improving population health and access to advanced primary care in the community. 

Celebrating Our Women for Their Leadership

This week, our Women Leadership Alliance employee resource group (ERG) hosted the second-annual Women of Impact Awards, a tradition I'm grateful to see continuing. Unfortunately, I couldn't attend the ceremony this year, but I heard it was wonderful, featuring a keynote address from Stacey McGreevy, our Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, whose story is truly inspirational. Stacey has been a mentor and motivator to many during her years with us, steadily advancing them into leadership roles. 

Approximately 70 women were nominated for awards this year across our health system. I'd like to extend my congratulations to the winners of each category and share some insights into their nominations: 

Martine Bell, DNP, CRNP, Clinical Manager – Advance Practitioners, received the Inclusion Champion Award for her dedication to diversity and inclusion both at GBMC and in the wider Baltimore community. Martine leads various initiatives and ERG work, volunteering her time to provide healthcare services to marginalized communities. 

Rebecca “Becky” Stover, MSN, RN, PMP, Director of Project Management, was honored with the Leadership Award for her transformative leadership at GBMC, characterized by strategic thinking, adaptability, and collaboration. Her inclusive leadership style fosters a supportive environment where every team member is valued, contributing to our organization's success. She’s held many roles with increasing levels of responsibility during her career with us, and her leadership within the Promise Project has been critical. 

Sharon Augustine, CRNP – Gilchrist Greater Living, earned the Lifelong Learner Award for her commitment to ongoing learning and mentorship within palliative medicine. Her dedication to education, patient advocacy, and volunteerism benefits both her team and the broader healthcare community. 

Lauren Schnaper, MD, FACS, received the Mentor Award for her impactful guidance and expertise, particularly in breast cancer treatment. She is a trailblazing surgeon and mentor at GBMC, who has significantly influenced the careers of many medical professionals, particularly women.  

JaRee Walker, Organizational Development Manager, was recognized with the Unsung Hero Award for her mission critical behind-the-scenes contributions, characterized by dedication, attention to detail, and commitment to inclusivity. Her work has been vital to the success of various Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs, educational opportunities, and events at GBMC. 

I'm extremely proud of each of these amazing women, and these are just very high-level summaries of the impressive stories told about each during the nomination process. It’s a privilege to work alongside them. Please join me in congratulating our winners and all this year’s nominees on their accomplishments. 

Sharing Success Stories about Our Leadership System 
On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to present at the Congress of the American College of Healthcare Executives and highlight the strength of our leaders and how we use our leadership system to generate aligned, integrated, and sustained change. I’m so proud of our leaders, who have helped see us through incredibly difficult times in recent years, and who continue to embrace the leadership system to inform and empower staff of all levels throughout the organization to move us faster towards our vision of being the community-based true system of care that can treat everyone the way we want our own loved ones treated. 

National Doctors’ Day
National Doctors' Day is celebrated annually on March 30. We are incredibly fortunate to have such talented medical staff making a difference to the lives of patients. I’m thankful to all our doctors, who, despite a challenging and ever-changing healthcare landscape, help carry out our vision through their work each day. Doctors’ Day is just one day of the year where we recognize the extraordinary work of our physicians, knowing they deserve year-round recognition for their commitment to providing all those we serve with the care we would want for our own loved ones. 

I look forward to celebrating our medical staff during a special event in honor of Doctors’ Day on April 3. 

Anesthesia Tech Week is celebrated March 26-April 1. Please join me in thanking our anesthesia
technologists and technicians for their contributions toward anesthesiology and healthcare. Our anesthesia techs are vital in supporting our anesthesiology providers in delivering safe, quality care to our patients. 

International Transgender Day of Visibility 
Each year on March 31, the Human Rights Campaign honors International Transgender Day of Visibility, a time to celebrate transgender and non-binary people around the globe and acknowledge the courage it takes to live openly and authentically. Please join us as we honor the joy and resilience of transgender people everywhere. 

Happy Easter and a Peaceful Ramadan 
We are currently in a time of ongoing religious observances, with calendars filled with deep significance, spiritual introspection, and celebration. To all who celebrate Ramadan or Easter, I wish you happy holidays. 

Thinking of Those Impacted by Tragedy 
The GBMC HealthCare community is deeply saddened by the news of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse following a cargo ship incident earlier this week. 

Our hearts go out to all those affected by this tragedy, and our thoughts are with all who continue in recovery efforts and experiencing grief. To staff who may be experiencing difficulties, please do not hesitate to utilize the free and confidential resources available to you through GBMC, including our Employee Assistance Program, Spiritual Support Services, and CARES program. 

Concluding Our Triennial Joint Commission Survey

Today, we wrapped up our triennial survey by The Joint Commission, an independent, non-profit organization that accredits and certifies healthcare organizations and programs in the United States.  

The purpose of these visits every three years is to assure that we (and other healthcare organizations) are safe places for people to get care. Survey times can be stressful, but at GBMC HealthCare, we typically feel well prepared, as the purpose of the visits is consistent with our highest aim of better health/best patient outcomes and our vision of treating patients like our loved ones. We have implemented many measures to become a high reliability organization and maintain a “preoccupation with failure” to assure that we are dealing with operational issues before they can line up to create a poor patient outcome. That is, we focus on making sure what should happen, happens and what should not happen doesn’t. Studies have shown that organizations at high risk of catastrophic events who have a preoccupation with failure actually have low rates of catastrophe. That is because their leaders and staff are constantly reflecting and are very mindful about things that could go wrong and how to prevent them. 

I want to thank all our staff for their support during this successful Joint Commission survey and for their dedication to standard work and safety year-round. The survey is just another reminder for us to keep our better health/best patient outcome aim as our highest priority and to consistently focus on and reinforce standard work and improvement. 

Kudos To GBMC HealthCare’s Top 100 Women Honorees 

I am so pleased that four of GBMC HealthCare’s outstanding leaders have been recognized as “Top 100 Women” in 2024 by The Maryland Daily Record! 

This prestigious award acknowledges the remarkable achievements of Maryland women who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, community service, and mentoring.  

It is my privilege to work alongside each of the honorees highlighted below: 

Stacey McGreevy, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of GBMC HealthCare: Stacey has been instrumental in shaping and modernizing the healthcare landscape in Baltimore. Her financial acumen and visionary leadership have significantly contributed to the success of The Promise Project, a historic transformation of the GBMC campus, ensuring the highest quality of care for the community. 

Dr. Theresa Nguyen, Chair of Pediatrics at GBMC HealthCare: Dr. Nguyen has been recognized for her tireless dedication to children's health and wellbeing. Her leadership in pediatric care and advocacy for mental health services have had a profound impact on Maryland communities, making her an invaluable asset to GBMC and beyond. 

Alexis “Lucky” Thompson, a member of the GBMC HealthCare Board of Directors and Philanthropy Committee: Alexis is a champion for the community who has played a pivotal role in raising millions for essential hospital services, including the Sexual Assault Forensic Examination and Domestic Violence Program and the Pediatric Emergency and Inpatient Department. Her inspiring commitment to philanthropy exemplifies GBMC’s mission of providing compassionate care to all. 

Erlene Washington, CPA, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of GBMC Health Partners: Erlene has been recognized for her exemplary leadership in advancing health equity and access to primary care in Baltimore City. Through her leadership of the GBMC Pathways program, Erlene has made significant strides in addressing health disparities and improving health outcomes for underserved communities. 

Congratulations to Stacey, Dr. Nguyen, Lucky, and Erlene for earning this prestigious honor! Their dedication, leadership, and commitment to serving others embodies our vision of treating every patient, every time like our loved ones. 

Recognizing Teams Across GBMC HealthCare 

March is National Social Work Month! We are so fortunate to have such a strong team of social workers across our health system, serving as the link between our patients’ care during their time with us and beyond. March is also Child Life Month, and I’m thankful to our child life professionals for their ability to reduce fear, anxiety and pain for our pediatric patients. 

March 17-23 is Gastrointestinal (GI) Nurses and Associates Week! Thank you to our GI Nurses & Associates for the important work you do! Remember, March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, so if you're 45 or older, talk with your primary care physician about screening options! 

Certified Nurses Day was March 19, and I want to share my appreciation for our certified nurses who contribute to improving our patients' outcomes through national board certification in specialty areas.  

LGBTQ+ Health Awareness Week 
March 19-22 marked LGBTQ+ Health Awareness Week, which aims to address health disparities and barriers to accessing services for the LGBTQ+ community. At GBMC HealthCare – including GBMC Hospital, GBMC Health Partners, and Gilchrist – we are committed to understanding the needs of our LGBTQ+ patients and utilizing best-practice strategies to create affirming care experiences for them. 

Recognizing our Commitments to Patient Safety and Supporting our Workforce

This week is National Patient Safety Awareness Week. Although we provide education and activities in observance of the week, patient safety is woven into our culture year-round. I often highlight our four aims of better health, better care, least waste, and more joy. You’ll notice we always lead with the “better health” aim, which focuses on achieving the best health outcome as our highest priority. 

When a patient sees a healthcare provider or a person entrusts someone with their loved one’s care, safety should be a given. “Do no harm” is part of our Hippocratic Oath and is really what the patient safety movement is all about. 

In 2010, we built a robust quality improvement system and we have been measuring incidents of patient harm, studying their causes, and implementing improvement strategies since then. This involves analyzing hospital-acquired infections, complications, and serious adverse events, such as falls and pressure injuries. We encourage early and frequent reporting of safety incidents, adhering to the principles of just culture, where our goal is improvement rather than blame. 

I’d like to thank Carolyn Candiello, who has been our Vice President for Quality and Patient Safety since October 2010, as well as our entire Quality and Patient Safety team, for leading our efforts in patient safety. And, to reiterate the important message of this year’s national Patient Safety Awareness Week theme, “Safer Together,” I want to emphasize that ensuring patient safety isn't solely on the shoulders of individual healthcare professionals, but rather a collective responsibility of the entire healthcare system. 

I appreciate everyone on our team prioritizing patient safety and better health! 

Recognizing Our Human Resources (HR) Team 

The healthcare landscape has faced significant challenges in recent years, notably due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in workforce shifts. Some individuals opted out of the healthcare industry, while others pursued alternative career paths, such as travel nursing rather than being employed by a specific hospital or health system. 

In recognition of Healthcare Human Resources Week, I want to thank our HR team, led by Anna-Maria Palmer, Chief Human Resources Officer, for their perseverance during the unprecedented changes in our market. Despite the difficulties, they, alongside organizational leaders, have positioned GBMC HealthCare as an attractive employer, which is evidenced by reduced turnover rates and decreased agency nursing. Our HR team has implemented various retention strategies, including structured interviews, a comprehensive onboarding guide, new-hire check-ins, and ongoing market evaluations for appropriate pay adjustments. 

Thank you to our entire HR team for your dedicated work in recruiting, retaining, training, and supporting healthcare professionals in this highly complex and evolving industry. 

I’d also like to take a moment to recognize a couple of additional departments and disciplines within our healthcare system. This week is National Pulmonary Rehab Week, so please be sure to thank our pulmonologists and respiratory therapists for their work to help patients who are suffering from lung disease acquire increased endurance, strength, and a better quality of life. March 13 was Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day, and I’m grateful to all our dietitians for their vital roles promoting health and wellbeing, addressing medical conditions, and supporting patients on their journey to recovery.

The Importance of Accurate Documentation in Tracking Hospital-Acquired Conditions

At GBMC HealthCare, we have made it a priority for many years to track and reduce rates of hospital-acquired conditions as part of our quality and safety initiatives. These conditions can include infections like urinary tract infections, surgical site infections, bloodstream infections, pneumonia, and other complications like pressure ulcers or falls that were not present at the time the patient was admitted. They are considered preventable in many cases through proper infection control measures and patient safety protocols. 

Proper documentation is critical to our ability to accurately identify incidents of hospital-acquired conditions and take the necessary steps to investigate how they happened and how to prevent them in the future. 

The Maryland Hospital-Acquired Conditions (MHAC) program is a state initiative aimed at reducing the incidence of preventable hospital-acquired conditions. It incentivizes hospitals to improve patient safety and quality of care by implementing strategies to prevent specific adverse events, such as infections and injuries occurring during hospital stays. Hospitals are financially rewarded or penalized based on their performance in preventing these conditions, encouraging continuous improvement in patient safety measures.  

In some cases, a condition is deemed an MHAC not because of the clinical care of the patient, but rather, because of lack of efficient documentation that the issue was present before the patient was admitted to the hospital. In these situations, the MHAC is not truly reflective of the quality and safety of our patient care and is more indicative of incomplete documentation. 

To make sure our data reflects true hospital-acquired conditions and not ones that were already present on admission, our teams have been working hard toward documentation improvement. This work includes identifying trends with both documentation and clinical practice by our Quality and Coding Collaborative, chart reviews to validate clinical conditions, documentation that best defines the patient condition and associated questions to providers if further definition of a patient condition is required. Education to clinicians and resources to support their documentation is available to further assist our efforts for improvement. 

Although it is too early to share specific data, the collaboration of our coding and quality teams to promote education, communication and documentation support have shown promising preliminary results. 

Thank you to the team leading this charge, including John “Jack” Flowers, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer; Joseph M. Fuscaldo, MD; Medical Director of Quality Improvement; and Denise Kosmas, RN, Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist. 

Your efforts help us ensure we investigate true cases of hospital-acquired conditions while not being penalized for those present on admission. 

A Piece of History
Yesterday morning, I was surprised by a visit from Tracy Hickman, LPN, CHPLN – Gilchrist, who brought a very unique gift. While browsing a church sale, she came across a framed invitation for the original ribbon cutting of Greater Baltimore Medical Center in October of 1965! The piece invited the intended recipient to join former President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his brother Milton Eisenhower for the dedication of the hospital. Thank you, Tracy, for sharing this piece of history! We look forward to displaying it on campus in the future, alongside other items from GBMC’s past. 

National Hospitalist Day
March 7 was National Hospitalist Day! Hospitalists provide comprehensive, general medical care to hospital patients 24/7 during their stay. Thank you to our hospitalists for all you do to care for our patients and their families.

International Women's Day
Today (March 8) is International Women's Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality. Join GBMC HealthCare in recognizing International Women's Day and Women's History Month throughout March!