Lisa Karakostas, Editor, 580-6950 August 15, 2019

Message From Kevin Callahan, President & CEO, Re: Alignment Survey

As you know, our organization is committed to continuously improving our approach to employee and provider engagement. Our ability to retain high performing staff and attract exceptional candidates for open positions is dependent in part upon how aligned you feel with our organization and with our mission to “improve the health of the community.”

Staff engagement and alignment revolve around the quality of relationships you have with your co-workers and managers. That is one reason we have spent the past few years focusing on promoting a culture in which you feel empowered to do your best work on behalf of our patients. This work has been supported through the adoption of our “Framework for Excellence.” Your feedback is an essential part of ensuring we continue to promote and provide a pleasant work environment. THAT IS WHY WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU ON THE 2019 ALIGNMENT SURVEY!

Survey Administration: This year’s STAFF SURVEY will consist of about 50 questions, with the PROVIDER SURVEY made up of about 30 questions. On Tuesday, 8/27, all employees hired prior to July 1 of this year will receive an email invitation from GallagherKnowledgeNowKC@AJG.com containing a direct link to the on-line survey. Your manager will give you time at work to take the survey, which should take about 15 minutes to complete. If you need to stop at any point you will be able to save your place and come back to it at a later time. Just be sure to access the survey via the link in the original email you received. We ask that you submit your responses no later than end of day on Tuesday, 9/10.

Confidentiality: We realize confidentiality is important to you, which is why we use a third party, national human resources consulting firm, Gallagher, to conduct our annual Alignment Surveys. Because Gallagher collects all responses and aggregates all data, your responses are completely confidential. Individual responses are never provided to our organization, as the reports we receive are compiled by department, division, and company. To further ensure anonymity, a minimum of five responses is needed from any one area before a report is generated. Groupings of fewer than five respondents from a single area will be aggregated into divisional or company-wide results only.

Participation/Incentives: To encourage participation, employees who complete the STAFF SURVEY will be entered into a raffle to win one of twenty $50 Visa gift cards. For the purposes of the raffle, Gallagher will provide to us a list of employee ID numbers that have completed the survey. Winners will be announced at the end of the survey period. Our goal is 75% participation to ensure we have substantial data that can be compared to previous surveys and used to measure improvement.

Results: Survey results will be available in late October. Human Resources will provide an overview of company-wide results to managers at that time. A summary will then be published in “The Grapevine” newsletter and distributed via a memo from me. Beginning in November, managers will meet with staff to go over results from their respective areas; work on developing improvement plans if warranted; and celebrate improvements from previous surveys.

Our Commitment: I am committed, as is all of senior leadership, to measuring levels of staff engagement each year and to continuing to focus on deepening and broadening those levels of engagement. Your feedback matters, and is key to these efforts. Questions about the survey may be directed to your Human Resources Partner or to Lisa Karakostas, Manager, Employee Communication, Human Resources.

Celebrating Our Moments of ExcellenceCelebrating Our Moments of Excellence

KELLY GILES, PT, was my therapist at home. She was very knowledgeable about therapy practices, as well as dependable, encouraging, and compassionate. She was totally professional in her approach to her work and treated me with respect.

To read the full letter, and to see more patient compliments, go to the Patient Experience page of The Pulse. Additionally, our Patient Experience Committee is now sharing patient compliments with all staff via email every Tuesday morning. Watch for the “Celebrating Our Moments of Excellence” subject line in your inbox!

SAVE THE DATE SAVE THE DATE SAVE THE DATE ——— PUBLIC FORUMPUBLIC FORUMPUBLIC FORUM A public forum to discuss the proposed affiliation between Exeter, Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, and Massachusetts General Hospital will be held MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 4:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M.

AT THE EXETER TOWN HALL. Staff, patients, and community members are encouraged to attend to ask questions, learn more, and show their support.

For more info about the proposed affiliation, including FAQs, go to www.SeacoastHealthcareInitiative.org.

New Director of Homecare — Work Can Be Challenging, But Rewarding by Cheryl Kuzborski, Employee Communication Specialist Rewarding, gratifying, fulfilling. That is how Cathy Hutchins, the new Director of Homecare for Rockingham VNA & Hospice,

describes what it’s like to provide care to patients in their homes. “Home care is very similar to being a jack of all trades,” she says. “It can be hard work and no day is ever the same, but it is tremendously rewarding when you touch and improve a life in any way.”

The homecare teams at RVNA&H offer a variety of services to patients in 41 towns throughout southern NH, including nursing care from RNs and LNAs; physical, occupational, and speech therapy; and nutrition consults. Often, those caregivers may be the only outside contact a patient has, which is why team members must frequently advocate for their patients and help them obtain additional services from other agencies, such as Meals on Wheels. “Being clinical and in the field has more than its fair share of challenges,”

says Cathy. “But at the end of the day our goal is to help our patients remain independent and in their homes for as long as possible. It’s important for patients to have structured care and we advocate for that.”

Because of her experience in homecare, Cathy understands how difficult the job can be and the challenges her staff often encounter, which is why she realizes how important it is to empower them to be creative about solving problems and finding solutions. “We want clinicians who are critical thinkers and can work independently, which means we need to provide the tools they need to be successful in doing that,” she says. “Training and education are key, as is removing barriers that prevent the delivery of high quality care.” But those things are only possible in an organization that fosters a culture of compassion, kindness, and respect for patients and staff, she says. She believes Rockingham VNA & Hospice, and our entire health system, embodies those principles, which is one reason she decided this is where she wanted to work.

“Everyone must be approachable, and those who are making decisions must include the staff who are actually doing the work,” Cathy says. “Speak up, listen, and respect each other – then you can make changes.” She is enthusiastic about her new position, and hopeful that others will realize how rewarding, gratifying, and fulfilling a career in homecare can be.

“It isn’t for everyone, but I hope some who read this article may want to further explore homecare as a career path, as those of us who do this work realize how truly impactful it can be on the lives of our patients and their families, and that is the

best reward.”

Staff of Exeter Hospital’s Center for Cancer Care recently accepted a donation of blankets and more from AutoFair Subaru of Haverhill, Massachusetts. AutoFair partnered with the national Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) to donate the blankets, along with arts and crafts boxes and handwritten notes of encourage- ment from Subaru customers and employees. The items will be distributed to patients who are receiving treatment at the Center. “This is the third year Subaru and LLS have donated the blankets and our patients are so appreciative,” says Laurie Tyer, Clinical Director of the Cancer Center. “Patients may feel chilled after receiving chemotherapy, so they appreciate a warm blanket. They are good in the winter, but patients also like them for air conditioned areas in the summer.”

RVNA&H’s new Director of Homecare, Cathy Hutchins, left, huddles daily with management team members Susan Pedro and Rachel Norris.

Donor Impact: Thank You To Our Staff —YOU Make A Difference!

Last year, more than 160 Exeter Hospital employees contributed to the General Oncology Fund/Center for Cancer Care through payroll deduction. We simply cannot thank those donors enough. Your dedication and generosity makes a difference for our patients, their families, and the community.

Hospital employees who participated in giving via payroll deduction in 2018 donated more than $21,000 to benefit the Center for Cancer Care. Almost 75% of those donations were allocated to advancing the detection and treatment of prostate cancer through the purchase of the new UroNav Fusion Biopsy System With Ultra-sound. The purchase of this cutting-edge equipment was made possible through contributions from dedicated staff members, grateful patients, and community members.

UroNav enables our providers and staff to use new technologies to improve the treatment of prostate cancer and provide state- of-the-art care close to home. The system allows our urologists to use a 3D image to perform prostate biopsies, enabling more precise biopsies. This results in the need for fewer needles during the procedure, making it far more comfortable for patients. The

system also enables medical staff to inject the patient with SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel during radiation treatment, thereby minimizing side effects from that treatment and improving quality of life for those patients.

Our staff play a key role in our commitment to our patients through your dedicated service. Philanthropy is vital to furthering our mission and continuing to provide the very best care for our community, and we are extremely grateful to those of you who participated in employee giving through payroll deduction, or by another means of donating, in 2018. Your donations are one more way you have shown your commitment to the exceptional health care we deliver every day. The words “United in Wellness” express our collective efforts to improve the health of our community—we couldn’t do it without you!

Gary Proulx, MD (left), Medical Director of Radiation Oncology, Exeter Hospital; and William Johnson, MD,

Core Urology, pose with the new UroNav fusion biopsy system. This advanced technology was made possible

by generous donations, including donations from staff who participated in payroll deduction giving.

Congrats to the winners of the Early Team Registration raffle for our annual Cancer Walk/Trick or Treat Trot 5K, which will take place on Sunday, 10/27. The Creepy Crawlers, from the Center for Occupational and Employee Health (COEH), pictured below, won 12 tickets with a private suite and VIP parking for a Fisher Cats game. From left: Kathleen Lawrence, Kim Gorman Topitzer, Leslie Scully, Diane Luczko, Jenn Hale, and Lisa Worden (missing: Kathy Fisher). Samantha Cunha (inset), RN, PCU,

Exeter Hospital, was the lucky winner of two tickets to see Alabama and the Charlie Daniels Band in concert. Samantha is a member of the ICU/PCU Caring CUREsaders team. Any teams with five or more members who register by Labor Day will be entered into a raffle for another great prize. Go to www.runreg.com/trickortreattrot to register.

UNH Survey: Strong Community Support For Proposed Affiliation

NH Seacoast area residents strongly support the proposed affiliation among Exeter Health Resources, Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover, and Massachusetts General Hospital, according to a new poll of 600 participants conducted last month by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Survey Center.

State and federal regulatory agencies are currently in the process of reviewing the proposal to develop a new regional network to collaboratively deliver health care within the Seacoast Region. If approved, the New Hampshire-based, regional, non-profit entity will serve as the parent to Exeter and Wentworth-Douglass and will be part of the Mass General family.

“There is strong public support for an affiliation between these three highly regarded hospitals,” says Andrew Smith, Director of the UNH Survey Center, which has conducted public opinion surveys since 1976. “In particular, Seacoast residents think this proposed affiliation would improve care and provide better access to specialized care.” The public will be invited to attend a public forum in September to learn more about the proposed affiliation, provide feedback and ask questions.

Kevin Callahan, President and CEO of Exeter Health Resources, says the survey affirms that the public recognizes and supports the hospital’s vision of providing enhanced, expanded, and advanced care within the Seacoast communities. “We proposed this affiliation to enable us to continue to provide incredible care to patients in our local community,” Kevin says. “Through our current collaboration with Mass General for our oncology program – now 10 years strong – we see on a daily basis the kind of quality and expertise Mass General brings to our institution. Their clinical leaders collaborate so well with our outstanding local surgeons, specialists, and primary care physicians and we look forward to expanding this relationship to further enhance the care we provide.”

More than half of the respondents surveyed believed the proposed affiliation would improve the quality of care provided at Wentworth-Douglass and Exeter, and two-thirds reported they were more positive about the collaboration after learning about the potential for Mass General specialists to provide expanded specialized medical services locally.

“Our goal is to make sure care stays in New Hampshire whenever possible and to back up that care with the highly specialized services we have in Boston when it is appropriate and necessary,” says Peter L. Slavin, MD, President of Massachusetts General Hospital. “We hope to build upon our already successful affiliation with Wentworth-Douglass Hospital and on the relationships and programs that are now thriving at Exeter.”

Gregory Walker, CEO of Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, said since joining the Mass General family three years ago, Wentworth-Douglass has experienced the addition of more specialized programs, including those for heart failure, women’s heart health, and behavioral health, as well as an expanded telehealth program in neurology. The hospital is also about to launch Epic, the Partners’ system-wide electronic medical records system in October, allowing for more coordinated care and a more seamless experience for patients.

“Our goal with the Mass General affiliation was to enhance care in the Seacoast – and that is what happened,” Walker says. “We have increased access to care, added jobs, and brought in more services. We also are adding more lower-cost urgent care and walk-in primary care locations instead of creating expensive new emergency rooms. With Exeter joining the family, this expanded relationship will allow us to strengthen and improve that care to reach even more of our Seacoast residents.”

For more information about the proposed affiliation, please visit SeacoastHealthcareInitiative.org.

Last week, Exeter Hospital’s Family Center opened a new pumping room that is now available to all staff who are breast-feeding. The room is named for Jolenne Short-Porter, who worked for the Family Center and passed away about six years ago. Jolenne started the lactation consulting program the Center offers to new moms. The Jolenne Short-Porter Pumping Room was made possible by a grant awarded by Keene State College in participation with the NH Breastfeeding Task Force. It is located in the Family Center, on the third floor of the Hospital, and is available 24/7. Pictured during the grand opening event are, from left: Heather Hewitt, RN; Shauna McMenimen, RN; Laura Stone, RN; Michelle Savoie, RN, Director, Family Center; Emily Bombard, RN; Kathy Thomson, RN; and Paula Oliveira, NH Breastfeeding Task Force.