Leader forum Q&A, Nov. 4, 2022

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FINANCIAL RECOVERY UPDATE

To improve Asante’s financial performance in FY 2023, the executive team has formed five groups to focus on key metrics:

• Retention and recruitment (Robert Begg). The initial focus will be lowering the vacancy rate and reducing turnover. Find more details in the recruiting and turnover section on this page.
• Employed and contract labor use and management (Heather Rowenhorst). The team will be looking at hours, skills, contractor pay rates, productivity and work-expense efficiency.
• Capacity, throughput and length-of-stay management (Jamie Grebosky and Amanda Kotler). Asante’s average length of stay has increased by 1.2 days over the past two years, reflecting a national trend. The team will focus on throughput (ED, critical care, med/surg) and capacity management. “It will require flipping over stones to see where we can improve,” Dr. Grebosky said. “We need to look for trouble. Tell us where the issues are and how to get through them.”
• Enhancing key services and improving access (Win Howard). Asante will focus on increasing access to outpatient imaging, cancer services, ATRMC immediate care, cardio recovery, overall surgery, cath lab, infusion services and oral oncology, as well as APP RVU.
• Managing supply costs and purchased services (Greg Wojtal). The team will look at reducing some of the $300 million spent on purchased services and supplies, including pharmacy expenses.

Interim CEO Roy Vinyard reminded the leaders that this recovery will require everyone’s effort and that accountability is necessary to ensure success.

COVID-19 VACCINATION: CONTRACTORS AND VENDORS

• Contractors and vendors must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter Asante patient care facilities unless:
  • They are not providing health care services, have minimal contact with patients and staff, and are masked.
• Example: A vendor who came in after hours to fix a leak in ATRMC’s rehab pool. No patients or staff were present and no health care services were provided. The vendor was required to wear a mask, but not required to prove vaccination status.
• It will be up to the leader of the unit or department overseeing the exception to approve or deny based on these factors.

PATIENT ACCESS TO PRIMARY CARE

• Due to a shortage of panel capacity, APP primary care clinics are accepting only new patients who are aligned with Asante:
  • Employed, enrolled in the Asante Health Plan or select Medicare Advantage plans, or a member of AHNPlus.
• These patients and their covered spouses can be guaranteed to see a provider within 14 days by calling the new-patient access team at (541) 789-1234. (That number also may be used for any Asante employee and spouse who needs immediate care but can’t get in to see their regular Asante provider.)
• To reduce risk of readmission, APP provides transitional care for patients discharged from ARRMC. However, primary care clinics cannot accept them as a new patient unless they meet the criteria above.
• APP is recruiting for more primary care provides and expanding the panel sizes of existing providers to increase access to care.

RECRUITING AND TURNOVER

• Asante’s vacancy rate is beginning to drop after aggressive recruitment efforts. Current figures show a 13% overall rate compared with over 14% this past summer.
• The number of open and pending positions has shrunk from over 1,000 to 891.
• RNs, CNAs and LPNs remain the hardest positions to fill.
• Staffing shortages are expected to ease somewhat with the arrival of up to 90 international nurses. One has already arrived, two are expected to join Asante soon, and three others recently arrived in Oregon.
• Fifty international nurses have accepted offers so far and are going through the licensing process.
• Although these nurses are hired on a three-year contract, it’s possible that up to 80% of them will convert to full-time Asante employees.
• Overall turnover is also showing signs of declining, from 24.7% to 17.4% in the last quarter of the 2022 fiscal year.
• Nursing turnover dropped from nearly 30% to 15.5% over the same period.
• Recruitment and retention efforts must pay close attention to employees who have been with Asante under two years or over five years — two areas that show above-average turnover.
• Leaders should keep in mind that onboarding new staff takes time, and that new-hire NEO days may change based on the candidate’s paperwork and vaccination status.
• Please work with your recruiter if you have questions about hiring and onboarding.

The next leader forum takes place at 9 a.m., Dec. 2. Until then have a happy Thanksgiving!

FLU IMMUNIZATION

• All employees, including those who work remotely, must be vaccinated or sign a declination by Nov. 30.
• Those with MyChart accounts should attest or decline in the app. This function can be found in the message tab.
• Otherwise, they can complete and sign an attestation or declination form and submit it to Employee Health. (You must be logged into the Asante network to download the forms.)
• Attestation is not required if the employee received their vaccine at an Asante flu clinic or through Employee Health in Medford or Grants Pass.
• Attestation is required if the employee got their flu shot at the Asante Pharmacy, an APP clinic or outside primary care provider, or any retail establishment offering flu shots.
• Remind staff who have not completed their ALEC flu module to do so. The deadline was Oct. 31.

Where to get a flu shot

• Employee Health:
  • 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 520 SW Ramsey Ave. in Grants Pass.
  • 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 2630 E. Barnett Road, Suite A, in Medford.
  • Ashland Employee Health is telemedicine only.
  • Contact info: (541) 789-5008; em************@as****.org or on Halo, employeehealthcommunication.
• APP primary care clinic by appointment through MyChart or walk-in.
• Asante Pharmacy walk-in.