NPHI Hosts Discussion Focused on Planning for Emergency Situations
Today, the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) was thrilled to host Cathy Hamel, Executive Vice President of Continuing Care and President of Gilchrist, Kathy Guggino, Director of Quality, Patient Safety & Staff Development, Wayne Barth, Chief Financial Officer & Senior Director of Business Operations, and Dr. W. Anthony Riley, Chief Medical Officer of Gilchrist – an NPHI member and community leader in advanced illness care services. The presentation focused on employing a “Command Center Model” to mitigate implications of the COVID-19 pandemic and to survive cyber-attacks. Gilchrist recently dealt with their own cyber intrusion which consumed weeks of time and attention, diverting needed resources away from patient care and towards a preventable issue.
The discussion was meant to act as a guide for members on how to prepare for such emergencies, as they become an increasingly common problem for healthcare providers, and what best practices can be put in place to minimize disruptions when they occur. This session also provided members with an opportunity to discuss other top of mind issues and ask questions of the presenters as they related to the proper handling of emergency situations.
“Given the events of the past year, none of us are strangers to dealing with emergency circumstances, but there remains much to be learned regarding the best practices that our members can employ in the case of future emergencies,” said Tom Koutsoumpas, CEO of NPHI. “NPHI and our member programs know the breadth of frustration and confusion that can accompany emergency situations, whether they be long-term such as COVID-19 or short-term, as in the case of cyber security breaches. It is with this in mind that we were pleased to welcome Cathy to address our members on strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of these unforeseen events.”
The conversation, entitled “NPHI Member Engagement Call: Emergency Planning”, was part of a biweekly series of NPHI-hosted discussions to address today’s pressing hospice topics through engagement with health policy experts, thought leaders, and other industry innovators. The discussion was meant to present and educate NPHI’s membership on the steps Gilchrist took to minimize disruptions to daily operations through a coordinated and centralized approach, considering the needs of staff, patients, and families during the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic and throughout their recent cyber security breach. Please click here to learn more about this series or how to become an NPHI member.
About the National Partnership for Healthcare & Hospice Innovation
The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) is a collaborative of 70+ not-for-profit, community-integrated, advanced illness, and hospice providers from across the United States who play a unique role as a crucial safety net for the sickest, most vulnerable patients in the communities they serve. For more information, visit www.hospiceinnovations.org
About Gilchrist
Gilchrist is a nationally recognized, nonprofit leader in serious illness and end-of-life care. As such, we provide counseling, support and care to people at every stage of serious illness, so they may live life to the fullest. We are also deeply committed to giving people clear information and loving support so they can make informed choices about their care. For more information, visit https://gilchristcares.org/