1. West: Intermountain Healthcare launches new COVID navigation for ‘long haulers’
Intermountain Healthcare is launching a major new medical resource for Utahns who’re considered “long haulers” – people who have tested positive for coronavirus who continue to experience chronic symptoms months after their recovery from the virus.
Intermountain doctors outlined the new Intermountain Healthcare Long COVID Navigation Program and how it will serve as a resource for Utahns at a press briefing. The program is designed to help triage
resources and care for COVID patients in Utah who have experienced ongoing COVID symptoms for 12 weeks or longer. Based on a patient’s condition, symptoms, and acuity, they’ll be referred to a specialist who can follow up and address their ongoing medical issues.
“As far as we know, this is one of the first kinds of COVID patient navigation programs in the nation,”
said Dixie Harris, MD, a critical care physician at Intermountain Healthcare, who treats patients with COVID. “This is not a standalone clinic, but a multi-disciplinary approach and resource for patients across the state of Utah who are experiencing Long COVID.”
Some studies and surveys with patients show that between 30–50% of people infected with COVID continue to have bothersome symptoms for months, even though the virus is no longer in their bodies.
2. Midwest: Organ transplants reached record levels at Cleveland Clinic in 2021
Cleveland Clinic performed 1,039 transplants in 2021, including heart, kidney, liver, intestine and lung transplants. That is up 18% from the number of transplants performed at Cleveland Clinic in 2020.
Cleveland Clinic’s global transplant programs reached several milestones in 2021, including:
- Cleveland Clinic’s liver and intestine transplant programs in Ohio were the largest in the United States, according to data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN).
- Cleveland Clinic’s liver transplant program in Ohio completed 210 liver transplants, which is the highest number in the history of the program.
Cleveland Clinic’s main campus completed 58 living-donor kidney transplants and 33 living-donor liver transplants.
3. North: Philadelphia hospital tops list of America’s Best Large Employers 2022
Forbes announced that Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia secured the top spot on its list of America’s Best Large Employers 2022. “Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, also known as CHOP, has stood up a variety of programs to help employees navigate the uncertainty, including offering more flexibility in scheduling and split shifts, bringing back retired nurses and offering subsidized childcare through the YMCA,” Forbes said. “It also created a public health department with a hotline and town halls to help address employee questions around testing, vaccination and issues like returning to work and school for their families.”
Despite two years of challenges, including staffing shortages, supply chain issues and reductions in many outpatient and elective procedures, employees at several large hospitals expressed pride and purpose in their work and how their employers were handling the pandemic. Joining CHOP in the top 10 are Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (No. 4), Mayo Clinic (No. 7), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (No. 9) and MD Anderson Cancer Center (No. 10).
4. South: Atrium Health debuts first new hospital in the Charlotte area in more than 30 years
Atrium Health Union West opened for the first time in February 2022, making it the health system’s first newly built hospital in the Charlotte area in more than 30 years. The hospital will serve the western part of Union County, North Carolina, including the towns of Matthews, Mint Hill, Stallings, Indian Trail, Weddington and surrounding communities in the eastern part of Mecklenburg County.
Atrium Health saw the necessity for this hospital as the area’s population increased over the last decade. With the closest Atrium Health hospitals located in Monroe and Charlotte – often making for an inconvenient drive for those seeking care – providing health care close to home became an important need to serve local patients.
In January 2020, ground was broken on the approximately 150,000 square foot facility. It is opening with 40 licensed beds, a 24/7 emergency department with a helipad, three operating rooms and a maternity care unit with c-section capability.
The construction of Atrium Health Union West is a large part of the Atrium Health growth plan which includes more than $1 billion in capital expenditures Atrium Health committed to invest back in 2018 to better position the system to serve the community. Last fall, new facilities opened included the Palmetto Tower at Atrium Health Pineville, and Birkdale Medical Plaza in Huntersville. Recently, a new emergency department in the Mountain Island Lake community opened its doors. Later this year, a new Atrium Health Carolinas Rehabilitation Center will be opened.