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From Upstate University Hospital CEO
Robert Corona, DO, MBA
As CEO, I am impressed every day by what I see in our hospital.
Through these communications I hope to share with you the achievements I see here, as well
as insights as to where we are headed, so you too can have the same knowledge of what we
are doing to keep Upstate University Hospital — and our entire clinical system — continually
moving forward.
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Extraordinary Testing Efforts
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Since the pandemic began, almost everyone at the hospital has had an aspect of fighting COVID woven into their job. Our testing efforts — which have been critical to both our reopening and in keeping the community safe — is the classic example of building a high-tech aircraft while flying it. Hospital Administrator Steve McClintic has been at the operational front end, making sure the entities connect and supplies and staffing are in place. He reports that we currently have eight testing platforms to run rapid tests for patients and employees, as well as nasal tests, saliva tests, pooled saliva tests and wastewater testing for thousands of college students.
These activities are supported by our own labs and in partnership with local companies. This photo shows Kristen Anderson surrounded by the equipment in the Molecular Diagnostics Lab she supervises — each one capable of running COVID tests. Pathology’s Kathy Sayles says staff across the Upstate Pathology Laboratory are putting in extra hours for COVID tests, in addition to the over 6 million laboratory tests performed each year. COVID alone hit 160,000 tests per week this month. The hours come with dedication, too. Celeste Lamberson, a former lab supervisor, returned from retirement to bring to Upstate her over 40 years of insights and experience. For everyone involved in this complex and ongoing effort, I cannot express enough thanks for what you are doing for Upstate and our community.
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New Ways to Meet Our Standards
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Each year, the hospital participates in more than 20 accreditation surveys. This year, visits are being conducted virtually but the intensity and preparedness remains the same. Recently, one of our surveyors, DNV-GL Healthcare was “on site” twice via remote technology. The surveyors’ job is to help us identify opportunities for improvement and to enhance our compliance with national accreditation standards and the CMS Condition of Participation standards. They went over every corner of our hospital to observe patient care and safety, policies, procedures and protocols. Joyce Mackessy, who oversees accreditation, explains that the virtual surveyors have the same expectations examining the hospital as they would in person. DNV requires visits between its accreditation awards, which we feel has a positive impact on day-to-day quality.
DNV-GL also awards our comprehensive stroke designation. Stroke Program Manager Josh Onyan reports an outstanding visit with zero non conformities. An innovation he brought to this virtual visit was a reenactment of a stroke code. The surveyors viewed our team at work through the eyes of the “patient” — via an I-pad on a stretcher. Josh says all the details were in place, from being welcomed in the Emergency Department right down to getting a bracelet. Our team was able to show its passion and commitment and provided a view that the surveyors otherwise would not have seen.
Finally, this month we had a significant visit with the Magnet Accreditation surveyors. Upstate Nursing has done an outstanding job of keeping us informed on this journey and had us all ready for the visit. CNO Nancy Page has provided her thanks more eloquently than I can echo here, but thank you to the hundreds of nurses who were directly involved in an outstanding effort.
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You all are familiar with Upstate Strong. Since March, it's what we've been doing and who we are. Now, as we head into holiday season and colder weather, I am asking you to also be Upstate Smart. By this I mean reinforcing your commitment to the behaviors we know are effective.
We are a teaching hospital. We lead the way with advanced care and technology and we need to do the same with COVID safety. Please be a leader when it comes to wearing your mask, keeping physical distance and sanitizing your hands. Follow the rules after work hours to continue the protection of your co-workers, our patients, your families and loved ones, and yourself. It is a lot to ask but we cannot afford to let ourselves or our community down by doing anything else.
We recently voted on the wolf as the Upstate mascot. One of their traits is to protect the pack. Let's work together to protect ours.
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About Upstate
SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY, is the only academic medical center in Central New York.
It is also the region's largest employer with half its workforce supporting patient care.
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Contact Info
750 East Adams St. Syracuse, NY, USA
315 464-5800
upstate.edu/ceo
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