AHN Saint Vincent and Highmark, Inc

Highmark and AHN Saint Vincent worked with community partners to reach out to minority and inner-city residents to hold COVID-19 testing and, later, vaccine clinics. Shown here is the CommunityAccessible Testing and Education (CATE) unit, along with Highmark and AHN representatives, government officials and CATE staff.

AHN Saint Vincent Manager of Occupational Health Maria Meeker, RN, vaccinates an employee at Plastek, while Highmark’s Jim Teed and the plant manager look on.

Collaboration Keeps Communities, Workplaces Safe and Healthy

More than a year after COVID-19 erupted around the world, the United States is starting to experience some semblance of normalcy as restrictions are lifted and vaccination numbers rise. Among the organizations that have worked tirelessly to keep our community and workplaces safe is Erie’s AHN Saint Vincent Hospital — part of the Allegheny Health Network and Highmark Health — and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. The hospital and insurer have a long history of dedication to providing high-quality health care in the region, and their collaboration on pandemic-related initiatives reinforces this mission. From education, testing and treatment, to donations and vaccinations, the two organizations have been critical to both response and recovery efforts, especially in the areas of population and occupational health. Chris Clark, D.O, MHA, president of AHN Saint Vincent, and James Teed, vice president of Regional Markets for Highmark, are proud of what their organizations have accomplished in a year fraught with uncertainty, and have been thankful for the overwhelming support they’ve have received so far. “I can’t tell you the countless number of letters, phone calls, and texts I have received,” Clark says. “I’m grateful for the community stepping up and recognizing our team, especially those on the front lines who were actively involved in taking care of our patients.”

Taking Action: From Testing to Treatment and Prevention

Early on, AHN Saint Vincent’s medical professionals provided vital guidance on mitigation efforts and how to identify COVID-19 symptoms. As demand grew, the hospital quickly provided essential staffing for testing sites that included AHN’s West Side Pavilion, AHN Saint Vincent Hospital and its Emergency Department, and a special testing site at the Martin Luther King Center through a partnership with the Erie County Health Department. “The testing sites were extremely busy,” Clark says, noting that more than 16,000 COVID tests have been administered to date. AHN Saint Vincent Hospital reacted quickly to prepare safe, isolated, negative air-flow spaces to treat over a thousand inpatients, both critical and non-critical, for COVID to date. At the height of the surge locally, the hospital reported an average of 54 hospitalizations a day in December with a peak of 74 during November to early January. Since the COVID vaccine became available, AHN Saint Vincent has administered 57,000 doses of vaccine, from a hospital-based clinic site to mobile clinics at neighborhood centers, churches, rural communities, schools, a mass vaccine site at Erie Insurance Arena, and even a clinic aboard a cargo ship docked in Erie’s port. According to Nina Ferraro, manager of Community Affairs for Highmark Health, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield also worked with community organizations. In February and March, Highmark partnered with the Booker T. Washington Center to host vaccination clinics for 742 minority and inner city seniors and individuals. In April, 100 immigrants and refugees were vaccinated at AHN Saint Vincent Hospital. That outreach continued through various social service organizations to facilitate the scheduling of vaccinations to another 175 city and minority residents. Among these partners were SafeNet, Mercy Center for Women, Multicultural Community Resource Center, Erie United Methodist Alliance, Inc., International Institute USCRI - Erie, St. Martin’s Center, Shiloh Baptist Church, City Mission and the Sisters of Saint Joseph Neighborhood Network. “We know the vaccines are safe and effective, and we’re seeing significantly lower hospitalizations, so we know they’re working,” Clark says. Clark and his team are committed to reducing that number even further through continued education and vaccination efforts that will help lower transmission rates and reach herd immunity. He encourages employers to support education efforts and to think creatively to incentivize employees to get vaccinated — i.e., recognition, paid time off or gift cards, as other businesses have done. “I’m not endorsing any particular method, but I would just encourage positive reinforcement to get people vaccinated,” he says. “Every little bit helps.”

Good Deeds

Highmark, for one, has made significant contributions to keep COVID numbers down. In the wake of a nationwide shortage of personal protection equipment, the insurer committed to donating more than 1.3 million face masks across its footprint. Before the start of the 2020-2021 school year, Highmark donated personal protective equipment (PPE) and supplies to school districts in Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia. Supplies were provided for each student and staff member for over 500 school districts in the communities Highmark serves. Face masks also were donated to members, employer groups and healthcare professionals, including emergency medical staff (EMS). At-risk and vulnerable members, including Medicare and Affordable Care Act members, were sent free masks in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Delaware. In the fall, community organizations in need across the regions Highmark serves also received a donation of face masks. More than 100,000 face masks were donated to 145 community organizations in total. “EMS workers are the first on the scene, often providing initial care to COVID-19 patients or those suspected of having COVID, and we were so pleased to be able to distribute 40,000 masks and supplies of various PPE to so many of the EMS companies in the region,” says Teed. “And make no mistake about it, many others — from factory workers to classroom teachers — were also at risk, and we wanted to do everything we could to help protect them.” Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield also was integral in The Erie Community Foundation’s COVID Relief Emergency Fund to support area nonprofits. “The organizations were struggling and their consumers were struggling, so the community came together, and we were proud to be a leader in that way by donating $50,000 to the COVID relief Fund,” Teed says. A major boost to relief efforts has been the COVID Food Box Delivery Program. In connection with the Second Harvest food Bank and Department of Health, food boxes were delivered to patient homes, along with community quarantined individuals who needed food assistance, providing more than 300 deliveries since April 2020. Highmark also gave $75,000 in 2020 to Second Harvest Food Bank to help provide food to individuals that experience food insecurity in NWPA. “Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield has been extremely active in supporting the northwest Pennsylvania community for more than 70 years and was so proud to be able to provide financial assistance to the community’s emergency fund and to help those in need of food through the Second Harvest Food Bank during these challenging times,” says Teed. “Being there for our members and the communities we serve is at the heart of all we do.”

“EMS workers are the first on the scene, often providing initial care to COVID-19 patients or those suspected of having COVID, and we were so pleased to be able to distribute PPE to so many of the EMS companies. And make no mistake about it, many others – from factory workers to classroom teachers – were also at risk, and we wanted to do everything we could to help protect them.” - Jim Teed, Highmark, Inc.

AHN Saint Vincent President Chris Clark, D.O., MHA, and Chief Nursing Officer Sallie Piazza, RN, speak to a patient who just received vaccine at a special inner-city clinic at Erie’s Booker T. Washington Center.

Bringing Vital Support Directly to Manufacturers and Businesses

Maria Meeker, RN, manager of AHN Saint Vincent Occupational Health, is equally proud of the COVID-related support her team has provided to area businesses. Over the past year, AHN Saint Vincent’s Occupational Health team conducted temp checks, tests, fit testing for N95 masks, safety and return-to-work consultations, and most recently, onsite vaccinations with its Mobile Medical Unit. “Time after time, we have seen that workers who have been eligible for the vaccine for some time but have not signed up for it, are there standing in line at our clinic, because we brought the vaccine to them,” she says. “This is what needs to happen to get back to living the life that we had before, so we want to encourage employers to schedule onsite clinics. We’ll take the bus anywhere, so give us a call.” Meeker said companies can schedule clinics by calling 814/452-7879. The team also provides valuable educational programs, prevention tools and screenings. During COVID, this was even more critical at a time when many people may have overlooked their year checkups. Signal-Tech, a manufacturer of innovative LED signage and system solutions located in Millcreek Township, for one, has a longstanding relationship with AHN Saint Vincent and Highmark that has helped keep its team healthy and productive at this critical time. In early fall, the company worked with AHN’s Mobile Unit to host a modified, socially distanced health fair with biometric screenings and flu shots when vaccines weren’t yet available. According to Signal-Tech HR Manager Stacy Wingerter, more than half of Signal Tech’s 50 employees participated in the Mobile Unit event. “It was very convenient, and everything was scheduled online, so it was just seamless,” she says. Tim Lewis, president of Signal-Tech, said AHN and Highmark’s support have been invaluable to his team, especially in the COVID year. “If our employees aren’t here, it hurts our production needs,” he says. “Our No. 1 mission is to have a healthy workforce.” According to Clark, it’s this type of support that AHN Saint Vincent and Highmark plan to continue well into post-COVID era for employers of all sizes and industries. “This pandemic has only fueled the opportunities to provide education and consultation to area companies, and we want to continue to forge those relationships going forward,” he says.

For more information, visit www.highmark.com.