ENGAGE UC HEA LTH COMMUN ITY R EL ATIONS
IN THIS ISSUE:
ABOVE: UC Health leads the way at the 16th Annual Health Gap Health Expo.
Community Highlights A Community Conversation on Latino Well-being Celebrating Cincinnati Pride Give Back Day UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute Community Day Looking Ahead
SECOND QUARTER 2019
A MESSAGE FROM SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER As one of the largest employers in the region, UC Health is proud of the diverse teams of employees working to advance healing and reduce suffering for our patients and families. However, diversity is only the first step in honoring our PRIIDE value of Inclusion. It is our mission to not only have a diverse workforce but to create an equitable and inclusive environment for all. With the development of the UC Health Diversity and Inclusion Councils, our team members are leading the way in identifying opportunities for inclusivity. In 2019, their leadership was the catalyst behind UC Health’s inaugural systemwide participation in the Cincinnati Pride Parade and Festival. Our commitment to inclusion also extends to our efforts to break down the barriers that impede access to care for marginalized communities. Thanks to the leadership of our community partners, UC Health also held its first-ever Spanish language community conversation around the well-being of the Latino community. The conversation helped us better understand the needs of a crucial population while meeting the community members on their terms. Through these inclusion efforts, we expand our medical charge to continue to provide equitable and compassionate care to all who need it.
Kristen Wevers Senior Vice President Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
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COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS HUGHES STEM HIGH SCHOOL During the weeks of March 11 and March 18, UC Health hosted students from Hughes STEM High School for a two-week-long immersive experience designed to provide an understanding of the full range of career options in the healthcare industry. Students participated in job shadowing, hands-on demonstrations and presentations at UC Health’s 3200 Burnet, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Daniel Drake Center for Post-Acute Care and West Chester Hospital. Each participating student also received training in CPR and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
GIVE BACK DAY On April 27, 2019, UC Health held a volunteer Give Back Day during which 54 Volunteer Ambassadors provided their time and talents to causes across Greater Cincinnati. UC Health employees and their families volunteered during the American Red Cross Sound the Alarm: Save a Life Rally Event by installing smoke alarms in the Camp Washington and South Cumminsville neighborhoods, helped beautify Hartwell at the Hartwell Improvement Association’s community clean-up and provided health information and screenings at the annual Health Gap Health Expo at Washington Park.
PAINT THE TOWN UC Health collaborated with Give Back Cincinnati during Paint the Town on June 8. Volunteers helped to provide exterior rejuvenation to homes in Avondale and Evanston with a fresh coat of paint. Through the help of more than 1,000 volunteers, at the end of this single-day event, homeowners were able to look proudly upon their freshly painted homes.
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SPEAKING YOUR LANGUAGE
On May 22, UC Health community relations hosted a community conversation with a unique touch. The third installment of the health information series featured well-being in the Latino community and was held entirely in Spanish.
Cornejo moderated the panel of experts, which featured UC Health psychologist Maria Espinola, PhD. Attendees also heard from community partners Luz Elena Schemmel, director of immigrant and wellness services with Santa Maria Community Services, and Nicole DeGreg, nurse practitioner for Robert’s Paideia Academy’s school-based health clinic. Each panelist offered perspective on the unique mental health and wellness needs of Latino children and families. They also offered insight into community resources of the Latino community by their organizations to help treat those needs.
The event was the first of its kind for UC Health. Advised by Latino community leaders, the panel discussion took place at Robert’s Paideia Academy and focused on identifying and managing stress, resources for dealing with the impact of physical and psychological trauma, and identifying the symptoms of mental health issues in children.
“Many people in the Latino community have trauma they experienced in their native countries on top of trauma experienced when coming to the U.S.,” said Dr. Espinola. “Often they come here with a lot of hope and dreams, but often they face discrimination, difficulty adapting to the culture and even economic strain that can impact mental and physical health.”
“These topics are critical to the Latino community, and we are very grateful for UC Health’s leadership in facilitating this much-needed discussion,” said Alfonso Cornejo, president of the Cincinnati Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “This conversation truly meets the community on their own terms.”
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PUTTING THE ‘I’ IN ‘PRIDE’
2019 marked the inaugural year for UC Health’s systemwide participation in the Cincinnati Pride festivities. On June 22, more than 50 UC Health employees and their friends and family made their way through the streets of downtown Cincinnati as part of the Cincinnati Pride Parade. Cincinnati Pride’s mission is to create a forum for celebrating and affirming the region’s LGBTQ+ communities and allies and promoting acceptance of all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. It is a mission that mirrors the UC Health PRIIDE value of Inclusion. Parade participants included UC Health senior vice president and chief human resources officer Clarence Pauley. “Participating in the Cincinnati Pride celebration is a great opportunity to practice inclusion,” said Pauley. “It sends a powerful message throughout our organization and to the community we serve.”
Participants from across the organization, including members of the Diversity and Inclusion Councils, voiced their appreciation for UC Health’s support of the LGBTQ+ community.
UC Health’s support of Cincinnati Pride continued into the Pride festival and expo on Sawyer Point. Michael Thomas, MD, chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and the reproductive endocrinology team set up a booth at the festival to provide information to same-sex couples who might be interested in starting a family. Dr. Thomas’ team led the way as the first UC Health team to participate in past Pride celebrations.
“It means the world to know your workplace supports your community,” said Malik Jones, chair of the 3200 Burnet Diversity and Inclusion Council. “It makes me proud to see all of the red shirts truly leading the way to equity, equality and inclusivity.”
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UC GARDNER NEUROSCIENCE INSTITUTE GRAND OPENING—A COMMUNITY CELEBRATION
On April 11, 2019, UC Health celebrated the grand opening of a new home for the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute. UC Health celebrated with community leaders who assisted with the April 11 ribbon cutting ceremony. The community at-large had a chance to explore the new space during the April 13 Community Open House. Guests enjoyed tours of the building, family-oriented activities, local entertainment and free health screenings. UC Health Volunteer Ambassadors proudly showed off the building and volunteered their time by providing blood pressure screenings to attendees. Designed with the unique needs of neurological patients in mind, the $68 million clinical outpatient facility houses more than 125 physician specialists, subspecialists and superspecialists who provide unparalleled neurological expertise in Greater Cincinnati and beyond.
The 114,000-square-foot facility is the first new building to open on the UC Health Clifton Campus in 30 years. Its distinctive exterior features a structured mesh façade designed to diffuse direct daylight for neurological patients, who often experience light sensitivity. Other patient-friendly features include exam room doors that slide, rather than swing open, as well as therapy rooms that enable patients to learn how to safely live at home again following a neurological injury or illness. Patient visits began on Monday, April 15.
The facility convenes these specialists into one collective space to foster greater collaboration and innovation across specialties and disciplines, allowing them to work side-by-side to improve patient outcomes. As Greater Cincinnati’s academic health system, UC Health provides the highest level of subspecialty care, groundbreaking medical research and world-class medical education.
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STOP THE BLEED For nearly two years, the UC Health Department of Trauma has led efforts to educate and train Greater Cincinnati first responders, health professionals, teachers and community members in lifesaving “Stop the Bleed” techniques. Stop the Bleed is a national preparedness program created in 2012 following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
Collaborative and many other fire departments in the Cincinnati, Dayton and Northern Kentucky areas.
The goal of Stop the Bleed is to reduce the number of people who die from uncontrolled bleeding during mass casualty events, shootings, natural disasters and everyday emergencies by training ordinary citizens in lifesaving techniques. The program incorporates hemorrhage control research as well as knowledge gained by military medicine in the Afghanistan and Iraqi wars.
“The world is an unpredictable place, and because of that, everyone everywhere should have a bleeding control kit accessible to the public. Churches, schools, businesses, community centers, parks and athletic fields are a few examples,” said Gina Menninger, trauma prevention outreach coordinator. “No one ever expects or predicts that there will be a life-threatening event, but everyone should be prepared—both with education and equipment.”
At the end of a training session, participants have the ability to identify life-threatening bleeding, use their hands to stop the bleeding, pack a wound and correctly apply a tourniquet.
Led by trauma surgeon and U.S. Air Force Col. Brian Gavitt, MD, the UC Health trauma staff has trained more than 5,000 hospitalbased staff, emergency medical professionals and community members over the past 18 months. The program’s reach is enhanced by partnerships with the Cincinnati Fire Department, Cincinnati Police Department, the Tristate Trauma Coalition, the Health
Stop the Bleed was initiated by the U.S. Department of Defense and Homeland Security in partnership with the American College of Surgeons, FEMA, the National Association of EMTs, the U.S. Fire Administration, Prehospital Trauma Life Support, Major Cities Chief’s Association, the Hartford Insurance Company, and Johnson and Johnson.
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LOOKING AHEAD: Carthage Night Out UC Health Volunteer Ambassadors will join forces with the Carthage Civic League to volunteer at the organization’s Carthage Night Out on Wednesday, July 31. The Carthage Night Out is a free night of music, food, popcorn, game booths, prizes and more. The Carthage Civic League is a local nonprofit organization with goals to build community pride, create a positive image for Carthage, increase home ownership and attract new businesses that will support community needs. UC Health Volunteer Ambassadors will staff game booths and supervise kids at play on the interactive inflatables.
Avondale Festival and Health Fair The 16th Annual Avondale Festival & Health Fair will be held on Saturday, Aug. 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at South Avondale School. This fun-filled and family-friendly event is an opportunity to receive free health screenings and wellness information. UC Health will be on site providing screenings and wellness information to the community. This year’s event will feature new elements with the addition of the Avondale Feet in the Street 5K and a concert by Natural Progression.
Black Family Reunion On Aug. 16–18, Cincinnati will celebrate the 31st Annual Black Family Reunion (BFR), sponsored by UC Health. On Friday, Aug. 16, political, spiritual and community leaders will celebrate the BFR Family of the Year at the annual breakfast. The BFR Parade and Expo will follow on Saturday, Aug. 17 and Sunday, Aug. 18 and will feature health screenings and information provided by UC Health clinical staff. Attendees will also enjoy food, fun and live music at the festival on Sawyer Point. To learn more, visit myblackfamilyreunion.org
MEET THE TEAM Christie Kuhns, Esq.
Chief of Staff, Vice President of Operations & Community Relations 513-585-8124 christie.kuhns@uchealth.com
Kristy Davis
Manager, Special Projects & Communications, Community Relations 513-585-5348 kristy.davis@uchealth.com
IN SCIENCE LIVES HOPE.
Dan Maxwell
Manager, Community Relations 513-585-8128 daniel.maxwell@uchealth.com