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How Innovation Helped Prepare for Pandemic SYSTEMNEWS JUNE 2020 HOW INNOVATION HELPED PREPARE FOR PANDEMIC When Penn Medicine opened its drive- the design and logistics of the Radnor solutions. And many of these changes through COVID-19 testing site in a testing site and a sister location in West and innovations are here to stay, offering Radnor parking lot on a mid-March Philadelphia, Commack asked for help convenience and safety for our patients. Monday, site lead Tracey Commack, closing the loop with patients by ensuring “We built programs based on the future, MBA, Penn Medicine Radnor’s associate they would receive their test results. “In and a lot of the future involves using executive director, had one big worry: the beginning,” she said, “it was so chaotic technology and telemedicine,” said how would patients get their test results? with the results.” David Asch, MD, MBA, executive To prevent the spread of the potentially By Wednesday (two days after the director of the Innovation Center. deadly virus, people who came to Radnor testing site opened), the innovation team “Because we were fundamentally focused for testing had minimal contact with delivered. Using Way to Health, Penn on that future — and that future is part Penn providers: they registered over the Medicine’s patient engagement software of the present response to COVID — phone, held up their identification to platform, the team built an automated we’re able to help.” be photographed from a safe distance text message program that gave the But Penn’s COVID-19 innovation and stayed in their car for a nasal swab. testing site’s patients a phone number to } COVID Watch keeps patients self-isolating at work is about more than high-tech home connected with Penn nurses. Many of those tested weren’t even Penn call for their results and other follow-up developments, Asch said. It has also Medicine patients, Commack said, and information. “We connected them with depended on mobilizing a passionate some of whom were unable to continue they left the site with no evidence they’d someone to call,” Commack said. “That staff that was willing to try something hospital work during the pandemic and ever been there. “It was a weird way to took this weight off my shoulders.” new. Innovation is a team effort, he instead provide clinical service from practice medicine,” she said. A Track Record of Innovation said, and the center has joined up with home. “We recruited a set of nurses to On daily debrief calls with the Penn stakeholders from throughout Penn provide coverage for the program 24/7,” Penn Medicine had a long track record Medicine Center for Health Care Medicine. “This required enormous said COVID Watch clinical lead Anna of innovation — building tools and Innovation, which played a key role in effort from many groups within the Morgan, MD, a Penn Medicine primary designing processes that rethink health organization,” he said. care doctor who focuses on population care delivery. Now the Health System’s health and care management. “We all want innovative learnings and platforms were Keeping Tabs on COVID to be able to contribute to COVID and being deployed in the all-hands-on-deck Patients at Home we all have to find our way of doing it.” fight against COVID-19. The 10-year- Penn’s nurses are one such group. old Way to Health platform, along with COVID Watch, which was also enabled COVID Watch, a text message program the provider-facing data platform Agent, by Way to Health technology, lets patients that monitors patients with COVID-19 were among the building blocks laying send a text message relaying a concerning symptoms as they self-isolate at home, the foundation for new pandemic-era symptom, such as difficulty breathing, is staffed by redeployed Penn nurses, Continued on page 2 Penn Medicine has a long track record of innovation — more than a decade of building tools and designing processes that rethink health care delivery. IN THIS ISSUE Three Lessons Learned from COVID-19: Penn Medicine Shapes a “New Normal” From the Pandemic What Comes Next? The Impact of the “COVID Economy” ........2 from CEO Kevin Mahoney Hall Mercer’s Front-Line Flexibility ...................................2 Our normal has always been a little extraordinary. Before the world turned upside down in so many ways due to COVID-19, we found familiarity in the way we took care of our patients, developed revolutionary ideas, implemented bold strategic PM @ Work ...............................3 moves and supported each other. The Urgency of Homelessness Socrates once said, “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but building on the new.” During COVID-19 ......................3 We are constantly building the new, and the recent pandemic has only accelerated the urgency of our quest. The lessons Food for the Body and we’ve learned from the coronavirus pandemic will only further our mission of providing outstanding patient care, conducting the Soul .....................................3 breakthrough research, and creating new educational initiatives. Leadership Transitions in 1. We will continue to take action, fighting for the health and well-being of our patients and the communities we serve. Neurosciences ..........................4 The last few months have demonstrated that we are all in this together. From administering chemotherapy to cancer patients right in their own home, Difference Makers ....................4 to providing residents in West Philadelphia with coronavirus testing and educational resources, to swiftly standing up clinical trials to learn more about potential treatments to fight this virus, every single one of us stepped up to answer the call of our patients and our community. Special Insert: Penn Medicine’s COVID Heroes Continued on page 4 11 WHAT COMES NEXT? } Jeneane Johnson (r) with Donna Cartwright THE IMPACT OF THE “COVID ECONOMY” Hall-Mercer’s In addition to the efforts focused on finding new treatments for COVID-19 FRONT-LINE and a coronavirus vaccine, Penn researchers are also looking to the FLEXIBILITY future and asking, what will the aftermath of the pandemic be for public health, health care delivery, and the economy? Fellows of the University of Social distancing is vital to curb the spread of Pennsylvania’s Leonard Davis Institute (LDI) have been diving into these COVID-19, but Philadelphians struggling with behavioral health issues still need access topics and more in a series of virtual seminars. to services provided by Pennsylvania Hospital’s Hall-Mercer Community Mental Health Center. With a bit of flexibility, Hall-Mercer’s resourceful teams have continued providing Atheendar Venkataramani, MD, PhD, between economic chaos and poor mental he said, noting that robust public health compassionate care for these high-risk a general internist at Penn Presbyterian health, exacerbated chronic conditions, interventions, generous social safety nets, populations. Medical Center and a senior fellow of adverse effects on blood pressure and and strong government leadership are Individuals who receive mental health the LDI, is not only an avid viewer of blood glucose, and increased incidence crucial in ensuring one unprecedented treatment at Hall-Mercer are still able to, the Experts at Home series — “I haven’t of domestic violence and deaths by drug disaster (the pandemic) doesn’t lead to thanks to nurses Jeneane Johnson, MSN, missed one yet!” he said — but he also overdose and suicide. He also detailed another (an economic meltdown). and Donna Cartwright, BSN. Johnson gave a presentation exploring the likely evidence of long-term negative effects for “What do we want things to look like manages the injection clinic and distributes health consequences of the economic those exposed early in life, such as babies after COVID-19 is long gone? Having antipsychotic medications, and while downturn from the crisis. While there is born to stressed mothers, children kept these tough conversations gives us an COVID-19 has “dramatically changed” uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 and out of school, or young adults entering opportunity to constructively engage operations, she remains on the front lines the “COVID economy,” Venkataramani the job market. with each other and put into place administering more than 100 injections explained that we have historical evidence While his seminar painted a grim picture, new systems and policies that will every month. to guide our understanding of the Venkataramani insisted that not all is improve circumstances for everyone possibilities. As part of the Targeted Case Management bleak. “It’s not about making a trade-off going forward. That’s what keeps me team, Cartwright helps community Pointing to health data following between public health and the economy, optimistic,” he said. members manage their medical needs and downturns like the Great Recession of but about trying to make sure people feel live independently in order to remain out 2008, Venkataramani discussed the links safe to engage in economic activity again,” of the hospital. Now, as Johnson’s “right- hand woman,” she oversees the injection clinic once a week, freeing up Johnson to work with case managers and pharmacies to reroute prescriptions via mail and check in Continued from page 1 HOW INNOVATION with patients virtually. HELPED PREPARE FOR PANDEMIC “Our population requires a lot of support,” Cartwright explained. “In addition to educating them, we’re offering reassurance and receive a call back from a nurse Now live across all of Penn Medicine, tried to create something that would be that we’re still here,” Johnson said. “We’re within an hour, Morgan said. The nurse’s COVID Watch has inspired other beneficial for all,” he said. “Nourished is friendly faces they can rely on — even if telephone assessment will determine iterations, such as Pregnancy Watch, what came out of that.” they can’t see our smiles under our masks!” the patient’s next step, whether it’s a which tailors the COVID Watch Hospital staff can use the Nourished trip to the hospital, a primary care visit protocol to expectant mothers and their For the preschoolers with autism or platform to purchase a subsidized shift or a telemedicine checkup using Penn clinicians.
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