Starting next month, 64 Crothall Healthcare employees working at WellSpan Health in York County will lose their jobs as outpatient housekeeping contracts run out.
The new vendor is expected to hire at least some of them, Crothall said in a letter it sent to the state Department of Labor & Industry to comply with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notice Act.
“We expect this action will be permanent, and we reasonably anticipate that most employees will be hired by the hospital or an incoming vendor,” the Wayne-based company said.
The workers affected aren’t unionized.
The decision to move on from Crothall came as part of a routine contract review of outpatient housekeeping services, Maggi Barton, WellSpan’s media relations manager, wrote in an email. New proposals were evaluated on a variety of factors beyond costs including quality, service and sustainability considerations.
“All employees of the current vendors released from their positions will be provided information on positions available with WellSpan and the contact information for new vendors who have indicated they will be hiring additional staff,” she said.
Crothall’s environmental services contracts will end in four of WellSpan’s regional areas in a phased process: Southwestern York on Sept. 10; Northeastern York on Sept. 17; Southeastern York on Sept. 24; and York Monument on Oct. 1.
Horsham-based Interstate Premier Services Corp. is the new vendor.
Barton said Crothall Healthcare will continue services, with no vendor changes, for WellSpan’s Lebanon and Northwestern York regions.
Along with Morrison Healthcare, Crothall is part of Compass One Healthcare, which combines food/nutrition services and support services.
Jacobus Medical Center has joined WellSpan Health.
The addition of the practice at 55 N. Main St., Jacobus, York County, now known as WellSpan Family Medicine – Jacobus, is a continuation of WellSpan Health’s expansion in York County.
“We are excited to be able to expand access to primary care services to WellSpan patients in and around the Jacobus community,” said WellSpan Chief Physician Executive Dr. Anthony Aquilina. “Our integration with Jacobus Medical Center aligns with our strategies to grow as a value-based organization and offer additional access and convenience for our patients.”
The family medicine practice has been serving the Jacobus community since 1980. Dr. Kieren Knapp, the practice’s sole provider, will continue to see patients as he and his team join WellSpan Health.
Four WellSpan hospitals, three UPMC hospitals and Lancaster General Hospital (LGH) all earned top ratings by Leapfrog.
Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade recognizes hospitals’ achievements protecting patients from harm and providing safer health care twice a year.
The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization of employers and other purchasers focused on health care safety, assigns an ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’ or ‘F’ grade to all general hospitals across the country based on their performance in over 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm to patients in their care.
WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital, WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital, WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital, WellSpan Waynesboro Hospital, UPMC Community Osteopathic Hospital in Harrisburg, UPMC Harrisburg, UPMC Memorial in York, and LGH all received the “A” safety grades.
“To be recognized as an ‘A’ hospital demonstrates our ability to deliver highly reliable, sustainable and safe health care at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital,” said John J. Herman, CEO at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health. “I am proud of our staff who continuously work to deliver care for our patients, with a dedication to the highest quality care possible. This national recognition highlights our commitment to provide the high-quality care our patients and our community expect and deserve.”
Dr. Michael Seim, senior vice president and chief quality officer at WellSpan Health, said, “The safety of our patients is always the top priority of every single member of the WellSpan Health team, and these safety grades are proof of that.”
Tami Minnier, UPMC’s chief quality and operational excellence officer, said, “These top marks from The Leapfrog Group demonstrate the exceptional levels of safe care our patients have come to expect from UPMC and our dedicated nurses, physicians and other staff members. We continually look for new and better ways to drive error rates to zero so that all patients receive the care that they deserve.”
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.
“This new update of Hospital Safety Grades shows that, at the national level, we saw deterioration in patient safety with the pandemic,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “But these four WellSpan Health hospitals received an ‘A’ despite those challenges. I congratulate all the leaders, staff, volunteers and clinicians who together made that possible.”
WellSpan Assertive Community Treatment Program staff cut the ribbon on the new facility at 150 Roosevelt Ave., York – PHOTO/PROVIDED
WellSpan Assertive Community Treatment Program opened to patients at its newly renovated, larger location at 150 Roosevelt Ave. in York Friday.
The center provides behavioral health services to adults experiencing severe and persistent mental illness, primarily schizophrenia, major mood disorder or psychosis.
Research from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill shows that one in five Americans experience some form of mental health challenge during life, and five or six every 100 Americans experience a severe mental illness. Many patients with severe mental illness have co-occurring problems, such as substance abuse, homelessness, or are involved in the judicial system.
“We know that recovery is possible for anyone, even those with really challenging mental health conditions.” said Dr. Shannon Gordon, vice president, WellSpan Behavioral Health. “Behavioral health challenges do not take a break, and neither do we. Our services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide help when our patients need it most, and ACT services include medical care, teaching skills for successful recovery and linking patients to needed resources.”
WellSpan’s York ACT program was established in August 2022, when WellSpan was chosen to take the reins of a program discontinued by another provider. To prevent a lapse in care for dozens of patients with immediate mental health needs, the program was initially launched at WellSpan office space in the Loretta Claiborne Building on South George Street. The new facility can treat up to 64 patients, WellSpan said.
The Roosevelt Avenue location features two additional private offices, three group rooms, and a kitchenette that can help assist patients with their daily living skills, like being able to prepare meals for themselves.
Services offered at the new 3,200-square-foot suite include assessments, client centered treatment plans, medication management and distribution, individual and group therapies, social and interpersonal relationship training, peer support, and crisis and diversion services.
“Psychiatry seeks to honor patients’ stories and life experiences,” said Dr. Rosemary Keffer, psychiatrist, York ACT. “This approach at York ACT helps us deliver comprehensive, highly individualized care to give patients the best path possible to move forward.”
Wellness in the workplace has always been about encouraging healthy diets, exercise and overall care of the body.
But the COVID pandemic has shown that is it much more.
David Swift
David Swift, senior vice president and chief human resource officer, Penn State Health, told a gathering of health care and insurance professionals Tuesday at the Central Penn Business Journal Health Care Summit in Harrisburg that companies need to think about wellness differently, “through a different lens.”
The state of virtual health care and the mental and behavioral health care crisis were also addressed during the morning-long summit attended by about 80 professionals.
Swift outlined eight dimensions of wellness for business leaders to consider. Physical wellness, which he said has long been a consideration, encourages employees to take care of their physical well-being.
But that’s just the start, he said. Social wellness, meaning connection, took a spotlight when everyone was working remotely. “COVID’s impact more than anything showed the importance of socializing,” he said.
Other dimensions include occupational wellness where employees are recognized for achievements; environmental wellness creating a stimulating environment for workers; financial wellness offering security and education around finances; intellectual wellness allowing people to continue to learn and grow; emotional wellness that allows people to have hope even when their brain tells them there isn’t; and spiritual wellness, whether religious or holistic.
“It doesn’t cost companies a lot to address these,” he said, adding it is important to find out what employees need by asking, not assuming.
“You need to continue to evolve in this area to help everyone be successful,” he said. He used a tree as an example. When it comes to wellness, “there isn’t just one branch.
“The eight dimensions of wellness address the different seasons of life,” he said. “If you take care of your employees, you find the key to success.”
Virtual health care, which came to the forefront during the pandemic, has been around for at least 20 years, according to the panelists speaking on the subject.
But while it has been in use, reimbursement wasn’t always available.
Dr. Mark Jacobson, medical director, Pharmacy/Clinical Market Services, Highmark; Dr. Jason Marx, president, Medical Group, UPMC in Central Pa.; and Faraaz Yousuf, executive vice president and COO, WellSpan – Photo by Rebekah McClelland
Dr. Mark Jacobson, medical director, Pharmacy/Clinical Market Services for Highmark, said Highmark has changed its reimbursement policy to equal in-person visits.
During COVID, from February 2020 to April 2020, there was a 5,000% increase in tele visits. Specifically, he said, there were 75,000 visits between March and December 2019. Visits increased to 3 million between March and December 2020. “It was an explosion,” he said.
In addition, he said some telling data showed that of the visits in 2019, 23% were for behavioral health. That jumped to 54% in 2020.
The bottom line to virtual visits is the reimbursement. Dr. Jason Marx, president, Medical Group, UPMC in Central Pennsylvania, said there was no compensation to grow programs before COVID. “The hospitals had to pay” to provide the service.
Now, he said, insurance companies have changed so now the services are covered.
“We’ve just scratched the surface,” said Faraaz Yousuf, executive vice president and COO, WellSpan. “There is unlimited potential to improve care and lower costs,” he said.
The key is finding “the sweet spot” between virtual visits and in person consultations, he added.
This is especially true in behavioral health. “The stigma is gone with telehealth because you no longer have to walk into a building where people know where you are going,” said Marx. “It increases access.”
Karie Batzler, director of Behavioral Health, Capital Blue Cross; Tracey Lavellias, executive director, Behavioral Health Service Line, Penn Medicine, Lancaster General Hospital; and Jennifer Jordan, vice president, Regulatory Advocacy, HAP – Photo by Rebekah McClelland
Tracey Lavallias, executive director, Behavioral Health Services Line, Penn Medicine, Lancaster General Hospital, said telehealth can help too because there is a lack of providers for people not needing in-patient care.
“It’s an access issue. Of the patients seen in the emergency department, 60% may not need impatient care but they need to find outpatient coverage and medication management,” he said. “But the waiting list is significant.”
Jennifer Jordan, vice president, Regulatory Advocacy, HAP, said demand for behavioral health services is displacing other services in hospitals making increased access a top priority.
“We are working on coordinating care,” said Karie Batzler, director of Behavioral Health, Capital Blue Cross. “During the pandemic it became obvious what’s been needed for years,” she said.
When looking at behavioral health, which includes substance abuse, the panelists said the medical community needs to look at what preventative care looks like. “We need to think ahead and take advantage of what is front and center,” Batzler said. “We need to get information to providers on how to look for this.”
They all agreed that the focus should start in the schools teaching how to identify when feelings are an issue and reduce the stigma of talking about it.
“If we teach and normalize this, when someone experiences it, they can identify it and deal with it. Then as adults they can continue, Lavallias said.
Jordan noted that Pennsylvania passed a one-time $100 million allocation to mental health in the budget. A meeting later this week will determine how it is used, she said.
“People aren’t comfortable talking about this,” said Batzler. “We need to take a risk” and ask for help when needed. “Employers can make a big difference here” by encouraging employees to do just that, she added.
WellSpan Health and Rite Aid have established a partnership to share data to improve wellness.
Together, Rite Aid and WellSpan Health will work to close gaps in care and improve continuity of services, increase immunizations, strengthen medication adherence, and promote in-store opportunities to educate customers on products and services that improve overall health and wellness, the companies said.
Roxanna Gapstur
The collaboration is anticipated to include clinical services including preventative medicine and chronic disease management and innovative care models designed to improve access to care, quality, and reduce health care costs, they said.
“As part of our journey to redefine the modern pharmacy, we’re focused on developing deep, local collaborations to better serve our communities and improve health outcomes for our customers,” said Rite Aid President and CEO Heyward Donigan. “We look forward to supporting WellSpan Health providers in addressing the needs of their patient population.”
“As we explore innovative solutions to create healthier outcomes and better access to care throughout our region, we are excited to collaborate with a partner who shares our vision,” said Roxanna Gapstur, president and CEO, WellSpan Health. “Together, we have the opportunity to enhance medication adherence to our mutually shared patients and connect with new patients seeking a relationship with a trusted, healthcare provider.”
Annually, Rite Aid serves over 100,000 customers with a WellSpan Health provider across its 45 locations within WellSpan Health’s service area in South Central Pennsylvania and Northern Maryland.
The collaboration between Rite Aid and WellSpan Health seeks to focus on preventing, diagnosing, managing and treating illnesses through joint services and care models across the service area for WellSpan Health which includes Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York Counties in Pennsylvania; and Frederick and Washington Counties in Maryland.
The Borough of Waynesboro and York-based WellSpan Health are moving toward a partnership to construct an emergency service campus across from WellSpan Waynesboro Hospital.
Wednesday, Waynesboro Borough Council approved entering into a letter of intent with WellSpan to determine whether the emergency service campus is feasible. At the meeting, it was announced that current police and fire facilities are inadequate to meet current and future departmental needs.
WellSpan owns the land, and in addition to emergency services, the campus could include medical facilities. It would also continue to be the site of WellSpan’s helipad.
“This project would be a win-win for the community,” Council President Harold Mumma said in a release. “The ability to station first responders on a campus with medical personnel would greatly enhance the level of emergency response coordination available to our residents.”
Wayneboro’s Property Committee reviewed a number of potential sites and concluded that WellSpan’s property, which currently houses the helipad and WellSpan Rehabilitation, was an ideal location.
“When first responders are dispatched, it is often for physical, mental or social health needs,” said WellSpan CEO Roxanna Gapstur. “If we can be a part of strengthening the delivery of those critical services, we further our community-oriented mission.”
Over the next 18 months, the borough and WellSpan will determine whether the concept can move forward.
York-based WellSpan Health and Waynesboro Area ALS are partnering on an operational model that will provide continuation of advanced life support services to southern Franklin County and create a seamless transition of ambulance services for the region.
The staff, equipment and other assets of Waynesboro Area ALS will become part of WellSpan EMS, effective Oct. 15.
Since its formation in 1983, Waynesboro Area ALS has provided advanced life support services to Waynesboro, Greencastle, Mercersburg and other communities in southern Franklin County.
“Emergency ambulance services and patient transport are essential to the continuum of care,” Dr. Michael Seim, senior vice president and chief quality officer, WellSpan Health, said in a release. “WellSpan Health wants to ensure residents of Waynesboro and the surrounding communities will continue to have access to high quality emergency services whenever they are needed. We are pleased to have reached an agreement with Waynesboro Area ALS to guarantee the continuation of EMS services.”
The health care and ambulance services landscape has changed dramatically over the past decade, the release noted, with the COVID-19 pandemic creating unprecedented stress and strain on local EMS providers.
A large majority of Waynesboro Area ALS team members are already employed by WellSpan, and staff members not currently working for WellSpan will be given the opportunity to apply for employment there as part of the new agreement.
“Our board dedicated more than eight months to this effort and no decision was made lightly,” added David Mackley, chairman of the board of directors, Waynesboro Area ALS. “We look forward to WellSpan Health maintaining these critical services well into the future.”
WellSpan Health and Lancaster-based Shady Grove Fertility have partnered to provide assisted reproductive therapy in southcentral Pennsylvania.
The preferred provider relationship includes fertility, donation, and surrogacy services, WellSpan Health said.
“We are excited by the partnership between WellSpan Health and Shady Grove Fertility. Together, we are able to expand the maternity and fertility services available to patients in southcentral Pennsylvania while allowing the choice to stay within our network of care,” said Dr. Anthony Aquilina, executive vice president and chief physician executive, WellSpan Health, and president, WellSpan Medical Group.
The collaboration will expand the women’s health and fertility services offered by WellSpan Fertility Care for patients who are having trouble conceiving a child, which includes:
Preconception planning
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome program for hormonal imbalance and metabolism problems
Reproductive surgery
Medications
Quick access to testing including bloodwork and ultrasound
Initial fertility consultations and treatment
Shady Grove Fertility provides advanced fertility services, including intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), ovulation induction, gestational carrier, and donor egg, sperm, and embryo services to patients, WellSpan said.
As the largest fertility clinic in the United States, Shady Grove Fertility is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence, WellSpan said. They have a Donor Egg Program, are among the top five egg freezing programs in the U.S., offer a 100 percent refund guarantee options for IVF and donor egg, and have had over 100,000 babies born through their services, WellSpan said.
Working together, WellSpan and Shady Grove will collaborate regarding clinical and operational standards, explore ways to improve efficiency and efficacy of care, and look to partner in teaching services and research.
“Shady Grove and WellSpan will work together to provide cutting-edge fertility services with a seamless care experience for our shared patients,” said Dr. Melanie Ochalski, director of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility for WellSpan Health. “Our joint focus will be on providing a great patient experience with ongoing commitment to excellence.”
Shady Grove Fertility has several locations in southcentral Pennsylvania and northern Maryland with plans to open another location this August.
York-based WellSpan Health has opened its first practice location to perform minimally invasive outpatient vascular procedures.
Under the direction of doctors Andrew Mullins and Aditya Sharma, WellSpan Cardiovascular Interventional Radiology is in the Patrick O’Donnell Pavilion on St. Paul Drive in Chambersburg.
It will offer full-service vein care, including evaluation, diagnosis and treatment. Procedures, performed when patients are awake, are minimally invasive and image-guided to diagnose and treat blood vessel and heart diseases without surgery.
“This practice is enhancing the way we care for our patients at WellSpan,” Niki Hinckle, vice president of service line development and diagnostic services, said in a release. “Thanks to advancements in technology and the use of it here at WellSpan, we are able to provide high-quality care for these services without admission to a hospital.”
Mullins added: “Doing this type of procedure outside of the hospital allows us to have better relationships with our patients. We can see them from the beginning for evaluation through follow-up.”
WellSpan plans to use this model to expanding similar services in other regions where it operates.
An orthopedic surgeon with York-based WellSpan Health is performing surgery on all patients under the age of 25 without prescribing opioids, as a way to reduce exposure to the narcotic drugs.
“Eliminating opioids after surgery is definitely a trend and a push in orthopedics in general,” Dr. Michael Day said in a release. “There is an awareness of how problematic opioids have been for our society, and a lot of people are happy not to introduce them in their care.”
Since 2019, WellSpan clinicians have focused efforts to replace opioids with other pain relief treatments on cesarean sections, hernia repairs, gallbladder surgeries, spinal fusions and total knee and total hip replacements.
For those procedures, WellSpan has decreased opioid use by 46% in that time, which is equivalent to more than 141,000 5 mg oxycodone tablets now not being prescribed.
The pain relief methods Day prescribes for his young surgery patients include a medicine that decreases inflammation, a nerve medication, over-the-counter Tylenol and use of an ice machine.
Day first began forgoing opioid prescriptions for patients under 25 who were undergoing surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He then extended the practice to all orthopedic patients under 25.
If their pain gets too severe, patients can contact Day for a stronger prescription. But during the past year, he said, no one has called.
WellSpan Health announced that it is set to acquire a Carlisle-based primary care and internal medicine provider, expanding its access in Cumberland County.
The York-based hospital system said on Tuesday that Masland Associates in Carlisle has signed a letter of intent to join WellSpan’s network of providers.
Masland Associates has operated in the Carlisle community for more than 65 years. The provider is made up of four physicians and five advanced practice providers at its office at 220 Wilson St..
“As a cornerstone in the community, patients have relied on Masland Associates for generations. Our shared vision for excellence in patient care will provide additional opportunities to access care and specialty services in the Carlisle area,” said Tony Aquilina, executive vice president and chief physician executive, WellSpan Health. “We are pleased to welcome these compassionate and skilled providers to WellSpan Health.”
Providers and transitioning staff will join WellSpan Medical Group when Masland’s integration with the system is completed in August, said WellSpan. Masland Associates will continue to operate at its current office.
“In 1955, Dr. David Masland opened this practice to care for the residents of his hometown. After he retired, our team at Masland Associates remained dedicated to caring for our families, friends, and neighbors here in Carlisle,” said Dr. Philip Neiderer, Masland Associates. “WellSpan Health shares these interests and our core values. I believe that joining the WellSpan Health team will provide opportunities to continue that same level of personal care for our patients and expand access to the full network of providers and services in South Central Pennsylvania.”
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