Newsworthy

Dear Community Partners,

Here are today’s updates:

• Season of Respiratory Viruses
• Children’s Mercy Topeka at Stormont Vail Health Opens
• We CARE We VOTE – Make Your Plan to Vote
• Daylight Saving Time Ends Sunday
• Q & As from All Employee Meetings Posted
• Stormont Vail Blood Drive Nov. 23
• We Together Volunteer! Encouraging Team Member Volunteerism

Season of Respiratory Viruses

Increasing cases of respiratory viruses, mostly RSV, coupled with influenza and COVID-19, is impacting the Stormont Vail Health service area. A common virus, RSV or respiratory syncytial virus, can become a serious respiratory illness for babies and young children.

Kansas hospitals have reported a surge of children hospitalized with RSV. The virus typically peaks in the winter, but is having a significant impact earlier this year. Dr. Fouad Medlej, a Stormont Vail pediatrician, was quoted in a KPR story that RSV “can be something as simple as a runny nose and a cough and a fever. But the other end of the spectrum could be severe airway or lung disease that may require an ICU stay, and even potentially mechanical ventilation and a breathing tube.”

During this time, it is important that:

• Individuals who are ill don’t come to work. Please stay home to recover.
• Practice good hand-washing.
• Get your flu shot.
• Get your COVID-19 booster.

RSV and influenza numbers were lower in the past years when COVID-19 was more prevalent, partially due to infection control practices in place – masking, source control and social distancing. If COVID-19 numbers continue to increase, a return to these measures may be prudent.

Children’s Mercy Topeka at Stormont Vail Health Opens

Showcasing the new Children’s Mercy Topeka at Stormont Vail Health to community and team members occurred last evening during a tour and ribbon cutting at the new clinic at 909 S.W. Mulvane. A look inside the clinic will also be featured on tonight’s WIBW-TV “To Your Health” segment. The segment will air at 10 p.m. on WIBW-TV, Channel 13. The segment will typically repeat at 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. Fridays on 13 News This Morning and be posted on wibw.com

We CARE We VOTE – Make Your Plan to Vote

Now is the time to make your plan to participate in the upcoming Kansas general election on Nov. 8. For many Kansans, advance voting has already started. For early voting information in your county contact your county election office, county offices. Polls are open on Nov. 8. To see a sample ballot or check your voter registration, visit: https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/VoterView.

Stormont Vail has policies and processes in place to provide team members and patients with the opportunity to vote: For team members, the policy can be found here and on SVnet.

We want to ensure our patients have the ability to vote in the election on Nov. 8. Patient Experience has created a process to make this possible for all patients under our care, who are registered to vote in Shawnee County. Please see the full description for requirements and regulations listed on SVNet.

Daylight Saving Time Ends Sunday

At 2 a.m. this Sunday, Nov. 6, we will “fall back” into standard time. Don’t forget to turn your clocks back one hour.

Q & As from All Employee Meetings Posted

Questions and answers submitted by team members for the October All Employee Meetings are now posted on SVnet. If you were unable to attend AEM, you can also watch a video of the presentation.

Stormont Vail Blood Drive Nov. 23

The next Stormont Vail Health Blood Drive will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, in Centennial Rooms A & D. The Community Blood Center asks that you schedule a time to donate here: Donor Portal – Community Blood Center. If you have any questions, please contact Tristia Estes in Employee Relations at [email protected] or by calling (785) 354-5434. For medical eligibility questions, call 1-800-688-0900.

We Together Volunteer! Encouraging Team Member Volunteerism

SVH has launched a new team volunteerism program to show appreciation when Stormont Vail team members volunteer in the community. The We Together Volunteer! program encourages and supports team members in their volunteer endeavors. Individually we make a difference; together we make a collective impact.

Through a Volunteer Services’ SharePoint site, team members can locate information about a variety of organizations in the region who address community health needs, food insecurity, health equity and more. Volunteer hours can be logged in the SharePoint site. Team members who volunteer receive a special T-shirt to wear when they volunteer. Groups or departments are also encouraged to consider volunteer activities.

Volunteerism is an altruistic, individual decision done outside of normal working hours and without receiving pay. Volunteer hours can assists with professional contribution ladder requirements.

Here are the steps on how to get started:

• Visit Volunteer Services’ SharePoint site: Volunteer Services – We Volunteer (stormontvail.org)
• Choose an opportunity that works for you or your team
• Sign up yourself or your team
• Distribute t-shirts and waivers
• Have fun supporting your community
• Provide feedback

For more information, contact Jeanne Billings, Volunteer Relations Coordinator, at [email protected].

We together,
Dr. Kenagy