TO: Ballad Health team members FROM: Ballad Health Corporate Emergency Operations Center (CEOC) DATE: Aug. 24, 2021 TITLE: Ballad Health to pause all elective/non-emergency procedures ACTION: Please share with all team members. This memo supersedes all prior memos on this subject. Note link to Elective Surgery Acuity Scale included within memo.   On Monday, Aug. 23, the census of patients being treated as inpatients at Ballad Health for COVID-19 reached 264, with seven of these being children at Niswonger Children’s Hospital. The volume trends are exceeding what had been modeled as a most hopeful scenario, with the census growing a surprising 20.5% just since Friday. Based on current modeling, it is now likely that, without any changes to the trends, Ballad Health could be serving as many as 400 COVID-19 patients within two weeks. Ballad Health’s highest priority is to provide care that is safe for patients and for team members. Given the limitations on…

With our patient volumes at a high level due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) surge, Ballad Health is seeking current team members – both clinical and non-clinical – to step in and assist our frontline care teams in a paid role. These duties may be in addition to your existing Ballad Health role or, in some cases, if you and your current supervisor agree, may be filled during your current work schedule/fulltime employment. If you have a clinical background and are not currently working in an acute patient care provision role, or if you do not have a clinical background but you’re willing to assist, you can help support our non-COVID nursing patient care teams. NOTE: OUR STAFFING SITUATION IS URGENT. As we see COVID-19 numbers rise in our hospitals, our ability to provide patient care could be compromised. We are taking an all-hands-on-deck approach in asking for help. Hours worked in the alternative acute…

TO: Ballad Health All FROM: Ballad Health Corporate Emergency Operations Center DATE: Aug. 20, 2021 TITLE: Weekly COVID-19 briefing – Aug. 20, 2020 ACTION: Please post and cascade to all team members. This is a review of the major activities that occurred this week related to the COVID-19 response.   COVID-19 inpatient cases: 219 COVID-19 patients in ICU: 65 COVID-19 patients on ventilators: 44 Pediatric inpatients with COVID-19: 2 Patients in Safer at Home, COVID-19 care at home, program: 104 Percent of fully vaccinated population in Ballad Health’s 21-county service area: 38.6%   Facts to consider The number of COVID-19 cases tested at Ballad Health increased 40% over the last week. There is a growth rate of 1,251% in regional cases since July 4. As of Friday, Aug. 20, Ballad Health is treating 323 patients for COVID-19 – with 219 as inpatients and 104 through our Safer at Home program. Thirty-five percent of the positive…

Because of a nursing shortage and the stresses of COVID-19, we’re hiring retired RNs (registered nurses), LPNs (licensed practical nurses) and respiratory therapists (RTs) to assist with non-bedside duties at six of our larger hospitals. They can make a big difference for us by helping with discharge planning and other areas. We’re offering flexible shifts, including four-hour shifts. There’s a $100 cash bonus to team members who recruit a retired nurse, LPN or RT to work for us. NOTE: There is no sign-on bonus for those being hired; the bonus is for a current team member who refers the person. If you would like to learn more about this program, we urge you to contact our nurse recruiters at 423-302-3299. Positions are being hired at these facilities: Ballad Health corporate transfer center Bristol Regional Medical Center Franklin Woods Community Hospital Greeneville Community Hospital Holston Valley Medical Center Johnson City Medical Center Johnston Memorial Hospital

TO: Johnson City Schools Board of Education FROM: Ballad Health Corporate Emergency Operations Center DATE: August 13, 2021 TITLE: Statement in support of in-person learning and protection measures for children   Ballad Health unequivocally supports taking all appropriate measures to keep children in schools for in-person learning. We believe taking the steps strongly recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and overwhelmingly echoed by medical and scientific leaders nationally and in our region are most likely to enhance the opportunity to keep children in school. Ballad Health supports our local school boards, and we are grateful for the hard work being done to ensure the safety and well-being of our children. Like you, Ballad Health feels a strong sense of responsibility for the people in our care. In this case, however, it is the School Board that has the statutory duty…

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – An increase in novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the Appalachian Highlands has prompted Ballad Health to defer all elective, non-emergent surgical cases requiring overnight patient stays as of Monday, Aug. 16. The decision to postpone these procedures follows several weeks of sustained COVID-19 increases, with infections rising 800% since July 4. Ballad Health estimates that, based on the rate of growth experienced in hospitalizations, combined with projections of community spread and few meaningful mitigation efforts, inpatient hospitalization census could reach as high as 500. Already, the number of inpatients, who require significant resources, is putting a strain on available resources. Hospitals throughout the Southeast are experiencing massive nurse staffing and resource shortages, combined with increases in preventable admissions due to COVID-19 infections. Just yesterday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott requested additional help for staffing for hospitals in that state. And in Florida, additional resources were requested for ventilators and breathing devices. In…

In an effort for Ballad Health Medical Associates Urgent Care to respond to an increased novel coronavirus (COVID-19) testing demand, Ballad Health will temporarily repurpose our Urgent Care location on Volunteer Parkway in Bristol to focus solely on COVID-19 testing, effective Monday, Aug. 16. All testing will be conducted outdoors via drive-thru testing, and appointments are required. The testing will be available Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. To schedule an appointment, please call Nurse Connect at 833-822-5523 – that’s 833-8-BALLAD. You can also schedule testing appointments online at balladhealth.org/COVID19. NOTE: Team members affected by this change will receive direct communication from their supervisors. Low threshold for testing We are encouraging a low threshold for COVID-19 testing, meaning if someone is experiencing any symptoms at all – even minor ones – or has been exposed, they should go ahead and get tested. This holds true even for those…

TO: Ballad Health All FROM: Ballad Health Corporate Emergency Operations Center DATE: Aug. 6, 2021 TITLE: Weekly COVID-19 briefing – Aug. 6, 2021 ACTION: Please post and cascade to all team members. This is a review of the major activities that occurred this week related to the COVID-19 response. NOTE: Additional items attached to this memo for review.   COVID-19 inpatient cases: 122 COVID-19 patients in ICU: 38 COVID-19 patients on ventilators: 22 Pediatric inpatients with COVID-19: 3 Percent of fully vaccinated population in Ballad Health’s 21-county service area: 37.5% Ballad Health stands firm in our commitment to protect our team members and patients, and part of that commitment involves providing regular updates to our team about the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in our region. Fueled by the Delta variant, the novel coronavirus is again spreading at an alarming rate in our region.   Facts to consider Since July 28, 2021, Ballad Health’s COVID-19 inpatient…

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, fueled by the Delta variant, has gotten worse again. Hospitalizations are headed in a catastrophic direction. Since last Wednesday, our COVID-19 inpatient numbers have nearly tripled, from 46 to 120. Cases are spreading so rapidly, we can expect our hospitalization numbers to double each week if additional mitigation efforts are not put in place. This would be debilitating for our healthcare system and worse than anything we’ve faced already. We have tools to fight the spread of COVID-19 – masks, social distancing and an extremely effective vaccine – but too many people are not using them. 100 beds we could have used Wait times in our emergency departments will get even longer as more COVID patients are admitted. Earlier this week, we had 100 patients in our EDs who were waiting on inpatient beds, and we had 100 patients who were receiving care for COVID-19. If those 100 COVID-19 patients…

We are taking steps to lessen the possibility of virus spread in our hospitals. Effective immediately, we will return to universal masking in all of our hospitals, doctor’s offices, medical facilities and administrative offices, regardless of vaccination status. Everyone, in every Ballad Health area, must remain masked at all times. This also applies to patients, unless they’re alone in their rooms. Also, effective this Friday, August 6, we’re implementing new visitation restrictions. Patients in our hospitals, outpatient centers and doctor’s offices will only be allowed one visitor at a time. This does not have to be a single designated visitor for the entire length of stay, but it does limit the number of people who will be in our facilities at any time. Pediatric patients are still allowed two visitors, as are laboring mothers. We will also not permit any children under the age of 18 to visit our facilities, and all visitors will undergo…

With schools going back this week, the potential for COVID-19 spread is incalculable, especially since children under 12 are not yet eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The Delta variant poses the biggest threat yet to our children. Even when children recover from their initial infections, we’re seeing the same long-haul symptoms that impact adults, including brain fog, fatigue and heart palpitations even months after their diagnoses. Niswonger Children’s Hospital and Ballad Health support mandatory mask policies in schools. We encourage parents to have their children wear a mask, even if counties or cities do not require it in schools. We recommend that children 12 and older receive the vaccine. The No. 1 way to protect children under the age of 12, who are not yet eligible for the vaccine, is for all of the adults around them to get vaccinated themselves. Parents should also make sure their children are staying up-to-date on all other…

Because of a nursing shortage and the stresses of COVID-19, we’re hiring retired RNs (registered nurses) and LPNs (licensed practical nurses) to assist with non-bedside duties at six of our larger hospitals. They can make a big difference for us by helping with discharge planning and other areas. We’re offering flexible shifts, including four-hour shifts. There’s a $100 cash bonus to team members who recruit a retired nurse or LPN to work for us. If you would like to learn more about this program, we urge you to contact our nurse recruiters at 423-302-3299. Positions are being hired at these hospitals: Johnson City Medical Center Franklin Woods Community Hospital Bristol Regional Medical Center Holston Valley Medical Center Johnston Memorial Hospital Greeneville Community Hospital