HJNO Sep/Oct 2020

COME TOGETHER 18 SEP / OCT 2020 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS   Mauldin Dr. Leo Seoane first reached out to me early into the pandemic.At first, it was just to compare experiences and to learn from each other. He first brought up the idea of a cross-system leadership call. Did you all know each other well? Hart  Our organizations had worked together closely, but this certainly bonded us. We are in regular communication, and have leaned on one another throughout the last fewmonths. We’ve shared lessons learned, worked on patient transfers, and we check on one another. This has been the most stressful professional experience of my life, but also makes me immensely proud of what we’ve done and continue to do. This shared experi- ence has changed the way all health systems work together. We’re all in this together, and it’s been really humbling to see the power of collaboration. Heaton & Masterton  Yes, the SCHA and healthcare community knows each other well. We are hospitals and healthcare sys- tems, and all have a primary mission to take care of patients, and this unites us with a common purpose. Mauldin  After coming through this unprec- edented event, I now know the others a lot better. As calls became more regular, and other departments began reaching out across systems, how did these calls become useful during the height of pandemic hospitalizations? Hart The collaboration between organiza- tions extended well beyond our executive leaders. We’ve seen physicians from sev- eral departments—pulmonology, critical care, infectious disease, and hospital medi- cine—working with peers from other hospi- tals. Our patients have benefitted from this, but so have our providers and employees. I think this connection will continue even as we move through and beyond COVID-19. Heaton & Masterton We were able to balance our census within our systems first, and then among the other hospitals in the system. We did this through transfers and follow up on the weekly calls. Mauldin The calls have been immensely help- ful in ensuring that not one hospital or sys- temwould become overwhelmed without the other two being aware and helping where we can. It sounds cliché, but we really are all in this together. At Tulane, we were able to take patients from the other systems to help when their EDs were having patients that could not get an inpatient bed. We also partnered with LCMC to provide access to rapid COVID-19 testing capabilities muchmore quickly than either organization would have been able to accomplish alone. Being able to receive test results in hours versus days very quickly ruled out dozens of suspected COVID patients, freeing up a great deal of hospital capacity and PPE when both were sorely needed. Are they still happening now? Hart  Calls have recently resumed, but haven’t been needed as frequently, since NewOrleans has made progress with flattening cases and hospitalizations. Beyond the scheduled calls, we also communicate regularly, even if it’s just a quick text. Heaton & Masterton  Yes, as the surge started occurring in other parts of the state, we resumed the calls, and they continue to occur. Additionally, we have all maintained informal lines of communication with frequent texts and calls to make sure we are all experienc- ing the same ground truth. Mauldin  Yes, they were recently restarted, given the large increase in cases through- out the state. What do you see as the biggest chal- lenge for your system this fall? Hart  While we’ve learned an enormous amount about COVID-19, we’re still fac- ing so much uncertainty. We anticipate that we’ll continue to experience surges, andwe’re also one of many areas of the country in this position. Staffing, which was a challenge before the pandemic, is still an issue.This spring, we had more access to nurses fromacross the coun- try. As hot spots continue to emerge, it’s more challenging to secure extra staff. We also must consider burnout and the “The impact of COVID-19 has been devastating in many ways, but it’s also created more awareness of the importance of healthcare and well-being. The ongoing communication we see between our leaders, providers, and employees has created a support system for those fighting this virus, and improved coordination of care. We’re learning and making changes at an incredible pace, and by coming together for one purpose—helping and caring for our community—we’re able to see the impact.” DR. ROBERT HART, OCHSNER HEALTH