We’re Almost There: An Update on Our New Building

We’re quickly approaching the 1-month countdown of welcoming our first patients into the Promise Project’s Louis and Phyllis Friedman Building. I recently talked about ways our operational readiness team was preparing for the actual move of inpatients on November 14. On October 11, that team performed a mock drill to test how long it would take to move a patient from the old unit to the new unit in the Friedman Building (which took approximately 5 minutes, in case you’re curious). In addition to timing tasks such as transporting the patient, they practiced other duties of patient care, from orienting patients to their rooms to taking them to the physical/occupational therapy alcove on the unit. 

Teams and staff members who will work in the new space have begun their training and orientation, becoming acquainted with all the new state-of-the-art equipment and the location of important items within the rooms and throughout the unit. The education team has gone the extra mile to make this orientation interesting and interactive, with activities such as team scavenger hunts that allow staff to walk the floor while discovering key features. We have also started educating our leaders so they can become more familiar with all the new building has to offer. 

Additionally, I’m thrilled that next week we will open our very first spaces within the Friedman Building to the public!  

• The Corner Shop will open in its new location on Monday, October 16, with operating hours of 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon - 4 p.m. Saturday* and Sunday. *Note that hours for Saturday, November 4 are different than usual: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 
• The Retail Pharmacy will open on Tuesday, October 17. It will be open 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

Stay tuned next week, when I’ll share more details about The Corner Shop and Retail Pharmacy. 

Hispanic Heritage Month 

On October 5, we celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with an interactive event that featured delicious food, a cooking demonstration, dance instruction, and storytelling. Thank you to everyone who supported this memorable event, especially the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion planning committee led by Lisa Walker, Chief Diversity and Learning Officer, and Angela Wu, Diversity Equity and Inclusion Manager! 

Thanking Our Staff 

October is full of healthcare worker observance weeks, and I always appreciate the opportunity to recognize our incredible teams. Emergency Nurses Week is from October 8-14. I’m thankful for our Emergency Nurses for their year-round dedication to taking care of our patients in their time of critical need. Sterile Processing Professionals Week is also being observed this week. Our Central Sterile Processing (CSP) department processes instruments for over 40 departments across the hospital and Health Partners practices, and I'm grateful for their integral contributions to safe patient care. In recognition of National Case Management Week, I’d like to thank our Care Management team, consisting of care coordinators, social workers and nurse case managers who support our patients throughout the entire GBMC HealthCare system. 

Grieving for Israel 

Our hearts go out to Israel and all the innocent civilians physically impacted by tragic events happening in the Middle East. Our thoughts are especially with members of our GBMC HealthCare community who are connected to Israel in any way – through family, friends, loved ones, acquaintances or by heritage. We recognize that, for many, these acts of terror are painful reminders of prejudice, mistreatment, and inhumanity that has lasted for generations for Jewish people. To all who are hurting during these uncertain times, please know you have our support.