GBMC HealthCare Recognized as LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer

A common theme of this blog is the importance of access to equitable and inclusive healthcare, which is in line with our vision of providing ALL patients with the care we would want for our own loved ones. We also extend this sentiment to fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment for our entire team. Every patient, their loved ones, and our staff should feel safe, comfortable, and welcome within our health system. 

Recognizing that healthcare is a human right, we constantly strive to enhance the quality of experiences for all our staff and patients, including our LGBTQ+ community. One of the ways we work toward this is by participating in the Human Rights Campaign Healthcare Equality Index (HEI). The HEI is the national LGBTQ+ benchmarking tool that evaluates healthcare facilities’ policies and practices related to the equity and inclusion of LGBTQ+ patients, visitors, and employees. 

We are honored to have recently been recognized as an “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer” by the HEI. This designation highlights our commitment to maintaining welcoming policies and practices as our standard. 

The HEI survey assesses various factors, including health disparities reduction plans, the collection of sexual orientation and gender identity-related (SOGI) data and preferred pronouns in electronic health records, and the provision of benefits and resources that encourage an LGBTQ+ inclusive workplace. It also evaluates staff education and policies related to bias elimination and fostering respectful interactions. 

While we acknowledge that there is always more work to be done, I am proud of the significant strides we have made in creating a better environment for LGBTQ+ patients, their loved ones, and our staff. Notable areas of strength for GBMC HealthCare include our non-discrimination policies, comprehensive staff training, patient identification processes and the collection of SOGI data. Additionally, we offer transgender-inclusive health insurance, ensuring our benefits are comprehensive and equitable. 

Our longest-standing employee resource group (ERG), Greater Pride, continues to play a crucial role in outreach and support within our workforce and the greater Baltimore community. Their efforts, alongside those of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team, led by Chief Diversity and Learning Officer Lisa Walker and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Manager Angela Wu, ensure we continuously learn and improve. 

We are grateful for the recognition as an “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer” and remain committed to making ongoing improvements. As we move into Pride Month and reflect on the meaning of this designation, I encourage us all to consider how we can continue to champion inclusive care and create a welcoming environment for all. 

APIDA Heritage Event 

May is Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month! This year, our focus for the APIDA heritage event was the South Asian region and included a keynote address from Dr. Niroshi S. Rajapakse from Gilchrist, Indian dance performance and instruction, and a delicious feast of South Asian food. Thank you to our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion planning committee for hosting another fabulous and educational event for our workforce – and for testing out a new time to be inclusive of evening shifts and those who aren’t able to attend lunchtime celebrations! 

What Are the Health Needs of Our Community?

Every three years, GBMC HealthCare, along with other not-for-profit health providers, participates in a comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) to identify and address the health needs of our community. This process involves looking beyond the patients who come into our health system to understand the broader social drivers of health and the barriers faced by those who, for various reasons, cannot access care. 

A health resource fair was held as part of this
year's Community Benefit Annual Meeting.

Earlier this week, we hosted our Community Benefit Annual Meeting to discuss the key findings from the most recent CHNA, and the findings were not surprising. They echoed assessments conducted in previous years and reinforced the ongoing needs within our community: 

• Behavioral Health: Addressing mental health and substance use disorders. 
• Physical Health: Tackling issues such as obesity, chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, and cancer. 
• Access to Care: Removing barriers that prevent people from meeting their health needs. 

Given that these themes persist, it is time for more healthcare organizations to take stronger actions. 

I’m extremely proud to say that at GBMC HealthCare, we’ve been listening to the needs of the community and have been proactive in addressing these needs for many years. For the past decade, we have built and refined our advanced primary care model. This model seeks to build patient-provider relationships, manage chronic disease, detect health problems early, keep patients well and out of the hospital, and integrate behavioral health interventions, thanks to our partnership with Sheppard Pratt. 

Over the past two years, we have expanded advanced primary care and elder medical care into underserved communities in Baltimore City through our Pathways grant from the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (CHRC). The grant supports our primary care practice in Jonestown and Gilchrist’s Elder Medical Care services, which offer care in the comfort of patients' homes. It allows us to partner with other organizations in the community to address barriers by providing transportation to and from medical appointments and connecting patients to food and housing resources. 

I’m excited to share that the CHRC has just awarded GBMC another $3.5 million over the next five years to become a Health Equity Resource Community (HERC). This grant funding allows us to continue expanding our efforts to provide equitable care and reduce health disparities in these underserved communities. 

These are only a couple of examples of how we have responded to our community’s needs. We have also developed offerings such as the Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) & Domestic Violence (DV) Program and Gilchrist’s Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). The list goes on. 

I’d like to thank Karen Thompkins, Director of Community Partnerships at GBMC HealthCare; D’Ambra Anderson, Population Health and Community Benefits Project Manager; and Diane Sancilio, Director of Counseling and Support at Gilchrist, for facilitating our Community Benefit discussion this week. Additionally, I extend my gratitude to Emily McCallum from Ascendient, the company that conducted the survey, and to the following panelists who led a robust discussion on behavioral health: Ari Blum, MSW, LCSW-C, Director of the Bureau of Behavioral Health in the Baltimore County Department of Health; Gwen Brown, Associate Director of Community Engagement for Behavioral Health System Baltimore; and Jaime Clark, Senior Director of Programs and Community Engagement at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Metropolitan Baltimore. 

Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Display 

In 2020, GBMC HealthCare became the first healthcare system in Maryland to receive the Malcolm
Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest presidential honor for performance excellence. The Baldrige criteria are accepted around the world across all industries as the gold standard of quality. Of course, we continue to be very proud of this accomplishment and are excited that this week, a long-awaited display in recognition of the award was installed in our new Louis and Phyllis Friedman Building. Thank you to all staff across the health system who worked so hard to help us achieve the award and to all who continue to follow the Baldrige criteria and systems that allow us to provide the very best care to our patients and a positive experience for our staff. 

A Note about Memorial Day 

This coming weekend is the “unofficial” start to the summer travel season. While many of us are heading to see family, to the beaches or to the pool, let us not forget the true meaning behind Memorial Day on Monday. This special day gives us the opportunity to honor those who have given their lives in service to our country. On Memorial Day, please take a moment to honor our veterans for their commitment to safeguarding our security. 

Honoring a GBMC Legend: Ms. Maureen Riley

Ms. Maureen Riley, a high-profile cleaning tech at GBMC, has become somewhat of a legend within (and beyond) our Environmental Services team. For more than two decades, Ms. Maureen has served on Unit 58 (Joint and Spine) and in June, she will be retiring. It’s hard to put into words how much her presence at GBMC will be missed.  

Ms. Maureen embodies the spirit of GBMC HealthCare. When I mentioned I wanted to feature Ms. Maureen in a blog post, many of her colleagues eagerly jumped at the opportunity to sing her praises and talk about the impact she’s had on them and others. In speaking to them, the same words describing Ms. Maureen came up each time: hardworking and committed; uplifting, warm, and welcoming; caring and considerate; focused, detail-oriented, and forward-thinking; a mentor. 

One thing that stands out to me (and everyone who knows her) is Ms. Maureen’s ability to lift your spirit just by being in the room. There have been many times throughout my 14 years at GBMC when I have been stressed, run into her, and after seeing her smile and positive demeanor, felt immediately better. She always seems to be in the right place at the right time. 

In terms of her work ethic – it's unmatched. She takes pride in her work, has high standards, and brings the same high level of energy and positivity to work every day. She’s constantly on the go, helping in other parts of the hospital when work on her unit is complete. Her colleagues tell me that she goes above and beyond her role, happily completing tasks outside of her scope of work. Prior to leaving for vacation, she thinks ahead and makes sure her coworkers have all they need for a comfortable work environment while she’s away. She remembers personal details about her coworkers and patients she serves on the units. She sings to patients; when she sees they are down, she will pray with them. 

Incredibly, in addition to working full-time at GBMC, she works full-time at Sheppard Pratt as well, and she brings the same energy, passion, and positivity to both places, without fail. 

Dr. Jamie Johnston, one of our orthopedic surgeons, and his wife Kristy, hosted a retirement party at their home in honor of Ms. Maureen last weekend. I was honored to be one of the 85 people in attendance, along with others across all departments and roles at GBMC as well as Ms. Maureen’s mother, father, children, and grandchild. What an amazing celebration of an amazing woman! I enjoyed meeting her family and seeing her dedication to them. It was also awe-inspiring to see how many colleagues across GBMC came to share well-wishes – people often use the term “work family,” and this event brought that concept to life. 

Ms. Maureen is a role model in so many ways. Please join me in congratulating her on her well-deserved retirement. We will miss her at GBMC! 

Thanks to all those who kindly shared their reflections of Ms. Maureen for today’s blog, including Sodexo managers Tonya Brown and Derick McCallum; Bridgette White, Administrative Assistant – Sodexo; Joy Reynolds, RN, Nurse Manager – Unit 58; and April Asuncion Higgins, BSN, RN, CMSRN, Clinical Program Manager – Joint and Spine.  

Congratulations to our Chief Nursing Officer, Angie Feurer! 

This week, our Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Angie Feurer, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree! In addition to achieving this major accomplishment, she also received the Outstanding DNP Scholarship Award from the University of Maryland School of Nursing for her DNP project at DNP Poster Day on May 10. I am so proud to be associated with Angie. We are extremely fortunate for her leadership and advocacy of our nursing program. 

Happy Hospital Week!

In honor of National Hospital Week, I want to thank all GBMC HealthCare staff for being committed to the health and safety of our community. Every member of our workforce plays a critical role in moving us toward our vision of treating every patient, every time with the care we would want for our own loved ones. 

Thanking our Nurses

We’re wrapping up Nurses Week, and what a week it has been! Each Nurses Week, we have a tradition of announcing our Art of Nursing Award recipients but also host a slew of other recognition and appreciation activities, from unit celebrations for winners and bringing food trucks on campus to hosting our annual Nurses Night event for nursing staff. Our Art of Nursing Committee even worked hard on additional special activities, such as sending candy grams to nurses, organizing “spirit days” for units, and securing discounts at various local businesses. A culture of gratitude and appreciation is a focus year-round at GBMC HealthCare, and our offerings during Nurses Week are just a few examples of how we recognize our hardworking employees. 

With that said, I look forward to Nurses Week each year because it offers dedicated time to spotlight our nurses and thank them for the critical role they play in our health system. 

Our vision phrase is to treat every patient, every time with the care we would want for our own loved ones. Our nursing staff are the backbone of this vision. Their interactions with patients and their loved ones, compassion during difficult times, and clinical expertise shape the foundation of the patient's experience. 

Our nursing staff serve in many roles throughout our three work systems – GBMC Hospital, GBMC Health Partners, and Gilchrist. Whether they provide direct care at the bedside, are a nursing leader or educator, new graduate or veteran nurse, their work is challenging, and their commitment is appreciated. 

I’m excited to share with you this year’s Art of Nursing Award winners, who were selected from a record-breaking 286 nominations by their peers! 

• Nightingale Award: April Asuncion Higgins, BSN, RN, CMSRN 
• Mrs. H. Norman Baetjer, Jr. Nursing Graduate of the Year Award: Julia Rossetto, RN – SICU 
• Clinical Assistant Support Award – Outpatient: Kimberly Pitt - GBMC Health Partners - Pulmonary Medicine 
• Nurse Clinician of the Year: Kate Price, BSN, RN, CMSRN 
• Patient- and Family-Centered Care Award: Rebecca Wakefield, RN - Gilchrist  
• Clinical Assistant Support Award – Inpatient: Tierra Palm, CNA - Endoscopy  
• Nurse Leader Award: Gail Blackburn, BSN, RN - Gilchrist
• Diversity in Nursing Award: Sim Gumabong, MHA, BSN, RN, PCCN - PACU
• Evidence-Based Practice Award: Medicine Advance Practice Providers   
  

Baltimore Magazine Excellence in Nursing 

Nurses Week feels like a fitting time to also share that, out of hundreds of nominations, the following nurses were selected as 2024 Excellence in Nursing winners by Baltimore magazine and were featured in the May issue of the magazine. 

• Naa Anin, MSN, BA, RN, RN-BC, CNOR – Women’s and Outpatient Surgery Center 
• Shirley Ashutabi, BSN, RN – Integrative Care Unit 
• Jodie Bell, MSN, RN, IBCLC – Assistant Director, Maternal Newborn Health 
• Jacquelyn King Slusher-Haslbeck, RN – Emergency Department 
• Heather M., BSN, RN, FNE-A/P – Sexual Assault and Forensic Examination Program 
• Celeste McNulty, MSN, RNC-NIC – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit 
• Stephanie R., MSN, RN, CNOR, FNE-A/P – Sexual Assault and Forensic Examination Program 
• Wayne Silver, BSN, RN – Intensive Care Units 
• Laurie Taylor, BSN, RN – Emergency Department 
• Teresa W., BSN, RN, FNE-A/P – Sexual Assault and Forensic Examination Program 
• Tracie Schwoyer-Morgan, DNP, ANP-BC – Gilchrist Integrative and Palliative Medicine 

Maryland Daily Record Top 100 Women 

Earlier this week, I had the honor of being present for the Maryland Daily Record’s annual event honoring those named as Maryland’s Top 100 Women. I’d like to again congratulate several women within the GBMC HealthCare family who received this honor this year: 

• Stacey McGreevy, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of GBMC HealthCare 
• Margaret Kim, member of the Gilchrist Board of Directors 
• Dr. Theresa Nguyen, Chair of Pediatrics at GBMC HealthCare 
• Alexis “Lucky” Thompson, a member of the GBMC HealthCare Board of Directors and Philanthropy Committee 
• Erlene Washington, CPA, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of GBMC Health Partners 

Embracing Change and Advancing Health Equity: Insights from Our Latest Board Retreat

Last week, alongside key leaders within GBMC HealthCare, I had the privilege of attending our annual board retreat. This important gathering was an opportunity to review and refine our strategic plan—a living document that we diligently update each year to adapt to the evolving healthcare landscape. Our six “strategic moves” remain consistent, but we have enriched our focus by formally integrating critical components related to diversity, equity, inclusion and national patient safety goals. 

During the retreat, we also explored significant developments, including the new States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development (AHEAD) Model, which promises to reshape healthcare delivery in Maryland. As many of you know, I’ve often discussed Maryland’s unique waiver system in this blog. The AHEAD Model (which I also previewed here) builds on the waiver by integrating global budget and primary care initiatives, aiming to control costs, enhance population health, and drive health equity. 

Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, Chair of the Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC), was with us to discuss these initiatives. He talked through the history of the HSCRC and the Maryland Model, from the time before the global budget for hospitals to the present where we are working to transform care and keep people healthy and, hopefully, out of the hospital. The AHEAD model requires a commitment to primary care and population health from ALL healthcare organizations in Maryland—a shift from previous practices. 

GBMC HealthCare is well-prepared for this transition. Over the past decade, we have consistently prioritized advanced primary care and access to care, which serves as a foundation for our success under the AHEAD Model. 

I am optimistic about the potential of the AHEAD Model to lead the nation towards a more equitable and effective healthcare system. We are ready to embrace these changes! 

As we move forward, I am eager to share our progress and learnings with you. Together, we will continue to navigate the complexities of healthcare delivery, driven by our mission to provide the care we would want for our own loved ones. 

Maryland Patient Safety Center Award Reception 

I was delighted to attend the Maryland Patient Safety Conference, where two of our hospital improvement efforts were recognized with the Maryland Patient Safety Center’s Minogue Award, Circle of Honor for 2024. 

I’ve highlighted the two initiatives below and want to congratulate and thank all who were involved in this important work! 

• Innovating Patient Safety: Leveraging Technology to Decrease the Incidence of Pulmonary Embolisms & Deep Vein Thrombosis – This collaborative improvement effort among quality, surgery, and IT has led to a meaningful reduction in patient harm. 
• Using the Lean Management System to Improve Recognition of and Response to Postpartum Hemorrhage – This innovative cross-departmental, multidisciplinary process redesign has improved maternal health outcomes.