Albany Med Health System

AN ACADEMIC HEALTH SCIENCES SYSTEM WHOSE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE TO PROVIDE A BROAD RANGE OF PATIENT SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE OF EASTERN NEW YORK AND WESTERN NEW ENGLAND.

OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES: THE ALBANY MED HEALTH SYSTEM COORDINATES PLANNING, FINANCIAL, INFORMATION AND POLICY DIRECTION FOR OUR AFFILIATED EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS.COVID-19 IMPACT: THE COVID PANDEMIC HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL IN WAYS FEW COULD HAVE PREDICTED.AS IT DID TO ALL HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE U.S., THROUGHOUT 2021, THE CORONAVIRUS PRESENTED ANOTHER YEAR OF SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES TO THE ALBANY MED HEALTH SYSTEM.WHILE VACCINATIONS, THERAPIES, AND TREATMENTS BECAME MORE BROADLY AVAILABLE DURING THE YEAR, SURGES OF THE VIRUS RESULTED IN UNEXPECTED, COMPLEX EFFECTS. THE ALBANY MED HEALTH SYSTEM WAS AFFECTED SIMILARLY TO THE REST OF THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY, BUT PERHAPS MORE SO BECAUSE OF OUR ROLE AS A REFERRAL CENTER FOR A 25-COUNTY REGION.SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL IMPACTS INCLUDED: SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE CHALLENGES CONTINUING A TREND FROM 2020, EXPENSES WERE EXACERBATED BY NUMEROUS WAVES OF COVID-19. OUR NUMBER OF INPATIENT CASES REMAINED HIGH, RESULTING IN AN INCREASE IN THE RELATED COST OF CARE AND THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF AND SUPPLIES. SUPPLY COSTS INCREASED DUE TO SHORTAGES, AND TRAVEL AGENCY SERVICES WERE LEVERAGED TO MEET PATIENT DEMAND AND A WORKFORCE SHORTAGE, WHILE TRAVEL LABOR RATES ROSE STEEPLY. REVENUE CHALLENGES DURING 2021, ALTHOUGH A FINANCIAL REBOUND WAS ATTEMPTING TO OCCUR, IT WAS STALLED BY STAFFING SHORTAGES, RESULTING IN BOTH AN INABILITY TO MEET DEMAND AND A BACKLOG OF VISITS AND PROCEDURES. ADDITIONALLY, THE NEED TO RELY ON AGENCY SERVICES TO ASSIST WITH STAFFING AND THE RISING EXPENSES DESCRIBED ABOVE ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO REVENUE CHALLENGES, PARTICULARLY TOWARD THE END OF THE YEAR. MAJOR OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES THE SYSTEM EXPERIENCED OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES SIMILAR TO OTHER HOSPITALS AND HEALTH SYSTEMS. THE DEMAND FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF, PPE, AND OTHER EQUIPMENT CONTINUED IN 2021. DIFFICULTY PLACING PATIENTS READY FOR DISCHARGE FREQUENTLY OCCURRED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INCREASED LENGTH OF STAY. THIS, IN TURN, NOT ONLY EXAGGERATED STAFFING SHORTAGES, BUT IMPACTED OUR ABILITY TO ACCEPT PATIENT TRANSFERS. WORKFORCE CHALLENGES THE GREAT RESIGNATION, WHICH BEGAN IN THE SPRING OF 2021, HAS HAD A SEVERE IMPACT ON ALL HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE ALBANY MED HEALTH SYSTEM WAS NO EXCEPTION. NURSES AND OTHER CRITICAL CARE STAFF BEGAN LEAVING IN RECORD NUMBERS; OUR SYSTEM TURNED TO FOR-PROFIT TEMPORARY STAFFING AGENCIES, WHICH BEGAN CHARGING RATES WELL BEYOND PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS. IN SEPTEMBER 2021, OUR SYSTEM LOST ADDITIONAL STAFF DUE TO RESIGNATIONS AND TERMINATIONS SPURRED BY NEW YORK STATES COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENT. AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE QUARANTINE OF COVID-POSITIVE STAFF MEMBERS CONTRIBUTED TO WORKFORCE SHORTAGES, AS WELL.COVID 19 RESPONSE: AS REGIONAL PROVIDERS OF CARE, THE HOSPITALS OF ALBANY MED HEALTH SYSTEM CONTINUOUSLY SOUGHT WAYS TO ASSIST OUR REGION'S RESIDENTS IN 2021: THE PROVISION OF TARGETED CARE TO ADDRESS THE RANGE OF HEALTH NEEDS AND CHALLENGES PRESENTED BY THOSE INFECTED WITH THE COVID-19 VIRUS. COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENT CARE FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE PATIENTS, INCLUDING THOSE IN NEED OF VENTILATOR SUPPORT. CONTINUED AVAILABILITY OF COVID-19 THERAPIES. CONTINUATION OF, AND EXPANSION OF, TELEHEALTH SERVICES ACROSS THE SYSTEM TO ALLOW PATIENTS AND THE COMMUNITY CONTINUED ACCESS TO PROVIDERS. EXPANDED HOURS FOR COVID-19 TESTING FOR STAFF. CONTINUED RESEARCH AND EVALUATION EFFORTS RELATED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE STUDIES HAVE GLEANED VALUABLE INFORMATION AND WILL HAVE MEANING FOR FUTURE DISEASE OUTBREAKS AND SIMILAR MEDICAL CRISES. ROUTINE REVISION OF INTERNAL COVID-19 POLICIES AND GUIDELINES, INCLUDING VISITATION GUIDELINES, EMPLOYEE COVID TESTING, AND CURRENT PRACTICES, BASED ON THE MOST CURRENT CDC AND NEW YORK STATE GUIDANCE. DISSEMINATION OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY UPDATED ON COVID-19. THE NUMBER OF VISITS TO THE COVID-19 PAGES OF EACH OF OUR HOSPITALS WEBSITES WERE SUBSTANTIAL, HELPING MEET THE COMMUNITYS NEED FOR ACCURATE, CURRENT INFORMATION ON THE PANDEMIC. THE SYSTEM ALSO PLAYED A LEAD ROLE, WORKING WITH ALL LOCAL HOSPITALS IN OUR REGION, TO TRACK AND MEASURE COVID-19 RATES ON A DAILY BASIS. ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER HOSPITAL, THE PRIMARY ENTITY OF THE ALBANY MED HEALTH SYSTEM, WAS SELECTED TO LEAD THE CAPITAL REGION IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF COVID-19 VACCINES, THE ROLL-OUT OF WHICH BEGAN IN DECEMBER 2020 AND RAMPED UP IN 2021. ALL SYSTEM HOSPITALS PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM. MANY MEMBERS OF OUR WORKFORCE HELPED DISTRIBUTE THE VACCINE. THE CAPITAL REGION VACCINE NETWORK WAS THE FIRST REGIONAL HUB TO ADMINISTER FIRST DOSES OF THE VACCINE TO AT LEAST HALF ITS POPULATION. A POWERFUL, REGIONAL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN CONTINUED, UNDERTAKEN BY THE SYSTEM TO EDUCATE PATIENTS AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT VACCINE DISTRIBUTION, INFORMATION ABOUT EACH OF THE VACCINES, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING VACCINATED. IN ADDITION, CAREER FAIRS AND RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGNS INCREASED ACROSS THE SYSTEM TO HELP FILL POSITIONS IN PATIENT CARE. TACTICS INCLUDED YOUTUBE STREAMING ADS, NURSE HIRING EVENTS, OPEN HOUSES, AND CAREER FAIRS.

INFORMATION SYSTEMS & SERVICES: CENTRALIZED MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADE OF VARIOUS INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND OTHER COMPUTER SUPPORT SUCH AS PERSONAL COMPUTER MAINTENANCE, EDUCATION, ETC. FOR THE ALBANY MED HEALTH SYSTEM.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT: CENTRALIZED CORPORATE FINANCE RELATED OPERATIONS FOR THE ALBANY MED HEALTH SYSTEM.