Columbia Memorial Hospital | Annual Report 2020

Bridging the gap In addition to child care woes, some of our caregivers were struggling financially. With spouses out of work and hours being cut, some staff found they couldn’t pay their bills. CMH’s administration quickly established a $100,000 relief fund to help caregivers who were struggling due to COVID-19. The application process was rigorous and required that the applicant show supporting documentation. Assistance was only provided when applicants could show that they had an emergent need caused by the pandemic and had exhausted all other programs available. The fund helped 13 CMH families bridge the gap between the start of the lockdown and the federal stimulus relief. Sharing strength Throughout the pandemic, the support shown by our local community has been tremendous. Businesses began sending future hospital caregivers meals from local restaurants. Kind community members sent flowers and gifts. The outpouring of generosity was heartwarming. It helped caregivers know that what they did mattered to you. As the weeks and months wore on, many staff began to report that they were feeling worn down. Our Care Management team expanded their services to provide free counseling to staff seven days a week. “Some of the most resilient people I know have struggled this year,” says Allison Whisenhunt, Director of Care Management. “The amount of focus on staff support is something I’ve never seen before. It’s been phenomenal.” Kristen Moss, Patient Experience Manager, was inspired by a presentation about resiliency by CMH medical oncologist Mark Sundermeyer, MD. She looked for ways to share the lessons with others. With a team of co-workers, she developed a workbook to teach caregivers how to identify burnout and fatigue and develop their own plan for coping. These workbooks became part of a Resiliency Kit that included comfort items — like dark chocolate — to help caregivers manage stress. Rolling out the vaccine Another huge part of helping staff feel less stressed was to get as many caregivers vaccinated against COVID-19 as possible. CMH Emergency physician Steve Donnelly, MD, sums up many caregivers’ feelings: “Getting this vaccine means so much to me. Not only is it protecting us as health care workers, it is protecting all those we care about most — our family, friends, patients and community. The full impact of this vaccine is hard to put into words.” Resiliency and recovery Although 2020 is in the rearview mirror, the programs developed to help caregivers will last for many years to come. “We’ve developed a strong foundation,” Kujala says. “We’ve established some programs that were designed to deal with an emergency, but those same partnerships and frameworks can be used to help the hospital and community in good times and bad.” If you’ve been struggling to cope this year, you aren’t alone. CMH has temporarily expanded our services to offer counseling with our licensed social workers. Visit columbiamemorial.org/behavioral-health to find the support you need. COLUMBIAMEMORIAL.ORG 2020 ANNUAL REPORT 11