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Important update on masking, contingency staffing

Effective Friday, Feb. 2, Ballad Health is easing its masking policy in clinical areas and is discontinuing contingency staffing. We’re able to take these steps due to the recent decrease in cases of respiratory illness – influenza, COVID and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus infection) – among both our patient population throughout the region and among our team members. Contingency staffing, which applies to team members with COVID, has been discontinued and we will return to normal staffing protocol. For reference, contingency staffing is implemented when increased clinical staffing needs are occurring or are expected due to increased absenteeism caused by staff illness. Masking will no longer be required for team members and care providers in patient care areas and clinical departments in acute-care and long-term care facilities.This covers our hospitals, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, home health and hospice, and Ballad Health Medical Associates (BHMA) locations. Team members may continue to mask if that is their…

Critical need for blood donations; Marsh Regional to hold blood drives at area organizations

KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Marsh Regional Blood Center has issued an urgent plea for blood donations, particularly from donors with O-negative blood, which can be used for any patient. Blood donations are especially important during the winter months, due to blood drive and center cancellations from winter weather. However, the need for blood to treat illnesses and injuries does not slow down. “Blood supplies have decreased not just in this region, but nationwide, since the winter months,” said Steffanie Sukel, director of Marsh Regional. “Throughout the rest of the winter months, it will be especially crucial for people to give blood to keep up with demand and meet the needs of our region.” Marsh Regional will conduct public community blood drives at the following locations: Thursday, Feb. 1, 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m., J.I Burton High School, Norton, Virginia Thursday, Feb. 1, 11 a.m.- 4p.m., Wytheville Community College, Wytheville, Virginia Thursday, Feb. 1, noon-6 p.m., Food City in…

Ballad Health partners with 410 Medical for rapid fluid delivery

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Ballad Health and the Ballad Health Innovation Center are partnering with 410 Medical, Inc. to use its LifeFlow device, a rapid fluid delivery mechanism that a rapid fluid delivery mechanism that reduces the time needed to revive a patient in need of blood or fluids. Designed to help overcome common barriers to fluid delivery, LifeFlow is an easy-to-use, portable device that rapidly and efficiently delivers fluids to patients with critical conditions such as sepsis, shock, trauma, cardiac arrest and severe hemorrhage. LifeFlow can deliver 1 liter of fluid or two units of blood in less than four minutes, while traditional methods can take three to 10 times longer. LifeFlow is an easy-to-use, portable device that rapidly and efficiently delivers fluids to patients with critical conditions such as sepsis, shock, trauma, cardiac arrest and severe hemorrhage. Ballad Health Innovation Center’s partnership with Durham, North Carolina-based 410 Medical, Inc. includes a pilot project…

Our Ballad Health values: How can we incorporate them into what we do every day?

When our health system was formed, Ballad Health established a set of core values, using team member input, that help guide us in how we care for the community. Over the coming months, we want to highlight these values and think about what they mean and how we can incorporate them into everything we do. As our CEO and president, Alan Levine, says, “Our values are not just words on a wall; they’re the guiding principles of who we are.” Our six Ballad Health core values, as chosen by our team members, are: Caring Creativity Faith Honesty Quality Respect Here’s a brief video message from Mr. Levine, introducing a series of upcoming messages highlighting our values – focusing on things like kindness, compassion and empathy. As you hear stories from around the system, think about how you would feel if you were the person in that story; let them serve as reminders that we should…

Educating on how we use Rover, mobile devices for patient care

Many of our frontline staff, including nurses, clinicians and EVS technicians, make use of mobile devices in their daily workflow. It is an important part of patient care. But there may be times when patients and visitors – or even fellow team members – notice these caregivers using mobile devices (such as smartphones) during work, and they incorrectly assume the team members are using them for personal, unrelated purposes while on the job. For this reason, we will be branding Rover-equipped devices to make them more recognizable, promoting their use, helping team members discuss the devices with patients and letting team members know how to recognize official Ballad Health devices. Our Epic Rover devices Many Ballad Health-owned devices are equipped with Epic Rover, a software that allows team members to perform a variety of functions quickly and conveniently, without ever having to leave patient rooms. These devices facilitate instant reports on patient room availability, bedside…

Seasoned healthcare leader Sean Mills joins Ballad Health as chief financial officer for its Northern Region

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Sean Mills, an accomplished executive with more than 15 years of experience in managing hospital finances, has joined Ballad Health to serve as the chief financial officer for its Northern Region. Mills will oversee all the finances of the Northern Region, which covers the health system’s hospitals in Bristol, Kingsport and Southwest Virginia, including Bristol Regional Medical Center, Holston Valley Medical Center and Johnston Memorial Hospital. In this new position, Mills will be responsible for ensuring the region’s financial stability, growth and strategic success. He will oversee budgetary processes and develop financial strategies to promote the long-term sustainability and success of the hospitals within his region. “I am honored to join Ballad Health and contribute to its mission of providing high-quality healthcare services to the Appalachian Highlands,” Mills said. “I look forward to collaborating with the talented team throughout the region to further enhance financial performance and support the organization’s commitment…

Ballad Health now using BridgesEAST as provider for American Sign Language interpreters

Here’s an important update for all team members who could be involved in assisting patients and visitors with interpretive services: BridgesEAST is now the exclusive provider of onsite/in-person American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters for all Ballad Health facilities. BridgesEAST is a nonprofit organization that has been providing interpreter services for the deaf and hard of hearing for nearly 100 years. Here’s the key information you’ll need when requesting an ASL interpreter: For scheduled appointments, do one of the following: Email www.bridgesfordeafandhh.org/bridgeseast Call 423-818-1222 For emergencies: Call 423-780-0008 (available 24/7/3665) Questions: Andrew@bridgesfordeafandhh.org To learn more about interpretive services provided by Ballad Health, visit our Interpreter Services site on the intranet, available via intranet main page > Departments > Interpreter Services. Thank you for helping us serve our patients and community with interpretive services! To view the flyer below in PDF format, click here.

Bloomberg Philanthropies, Ballad Health, local schools launch region-wide, healthcare-focused Ballad Health Academy High School to address national labor shortages and create economic opportunity for next generation

Ballad Health joins Bloomberg Philanthropies’ first-of-its-kind initiative that connects students to job opportunities with family-sustaining wages in 10 communities across the U.S. JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Ballad Health, several community colleges and career technical education (CTE) centers and five local school districts announced an unprecedented partnership that will launch a region-wide initiative in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia to create a regional program dedicated to accelerated pathways into healthcare careers. The innovative school-within-a-school approach, called Ballad Health Academy, addresses the unique rural nature of the Appalachian Highlands by providing access to accelerated education and training in a healthcare career, while maintaining the benefits of attending a child’s community school. The new program will incorporate in-person, virtual and in-hospital education and integrate healthcare career knowledge and job training with a high-quality, well-rounded high school experience for students throughout the Appalachian Highlands. Graduating students will have the opportunity to move directly into high-demand healthcare jobs with family-sustaining…

Ballad Health offers continuing education, career growth opportunities

Ballad Health supports the continuing professional education and career development of our team members by offering tuition reimbursement and scholarships for specific organizational need programs. AS A REMINDER: Tuition reimbursement applications for the upcoming fiscal year (programs that start after July 1, 2024) are being accepted through Feb. 29. Scholarship requests must be submitted during the semester that you want scholarship funds to begin (example: applications for spring 2024 semester are accepted from now until your spring 2024 finals). Scholarships for team members Ballad Health will provide scholarships for any eligible team member who pursues higher education in certain clinical disciplines. Based on the educational program, Ballad Health will cover tuition, fees and books, minus other scholarships and grants for team members who pursue higher education for an initial degree in the disciplines listed below. * minus other scholarships and grants**Current Ballad Health team members may receive scholarship to help with prerequisites if obtaining an LPN or…

Ballad Health educational classes for Wednesday, Jan. 17, canceled due to inclement weather

Ballad Health’s educational classes for Wednesday, Jan. 17, have been canceled due to inclement weather and potentially dangerous road conditions. An inclement weather message line – 423-431-1062 – has also been created to check the status of classes. A recorded message will alert callers if classes will be hosted as scheduled, or if the decision has been made to cancel based on weather concerns. NOTE: Exceptions to Ballad Health’s class cancellation policy are the systemwide classes and facility classes for new team member orientation, which will not be canceled. More info The Organizational Development team can be contacted by emailing OrgDevEducation@balladhealth.org or calling 423-325-8484. Epic questions can be emailed to EpicTraining@balladhealth.org. Clinical Education can be contacted at 423-431-5444 or ClinicalEducationDept@balladhealth.org. You can also reach out to the contact person listed in the Learning Management System (HealthStream) for the course. The inclement weather cancelation policy includes Epic classes and all American Heart Association classes at any location (BLS, ACLS, PALS, etc.)….

Mary Breslin-Rodriguez, clinical leader and nurse, appointed as chief quality officer at Ballad Health

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Mary Breslin-Rodriguez, an established Ballad Health leader and former nurse with a wealth of experience promoting patient safety and quality of care, has been selected to serve as the health system’s chief quality officer. Breslin-Rodriguez will be responsible for formulating and executing strategies to drive world-class performance in critical areas of Ballad Health, including clinical effectiveness, patient safety, accreditation, data management, validation, clinical data intelligence, policy and procedure development, process management and medical staff quality. Furthermore, Breslin-Rodriguez will oversee the management of Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA) efforts related to quality and safety metrics, and she will be instrumental in developing the annual Quality Plan and ensuring compliance with external reporting requirements. “I am honored to lead the patient safety and quality efforts at Ballad Health in this critical role,” Breslin-Rodriguez said. “I am excited about this opportunity to contribute to the advancement of quality standards for the health system, and…