REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM >>LORENE: HELLO, I AM LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

TODAY I BRING YOU A MUCH-ANTICIPATED GUEST.

OUR GUEST TODAY IS LILLIAN MONTOYA, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CHRISTUS ST. VINCENT REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER IN SANTA FE, WELCOME AT LAST!

>>LILLIAN: AT LAST, THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO JOIN YOU TODAY.

>>LORENE: WELL I MUST TELL YOU, YOU HAVE DONE SUCH AMAZING THINGS FOR ALL OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO WITH WHAT YOU WANT DONE WITH THE HOSPITAL.

I AM JUST GOING TO GLAZE OVER THE FACTS ABOUT THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE YOU WON'T MENTION ALL THESE WONDERFUL THINGS.

IT IS A LEVEL THREE-TRAUMA CENTER, YOU HAVE GOT 200 BEDS, WHICH MAKES YOU THE FIFTH LARGEST HOSPITAL IN NEW MEXICO.

YOU ARE THE LARGEST PRIVATE EMPLOYER IN SANTA FE, YOU SERVE SEVEN COUNTIES, YOU HAVE 34-OUTPATIENT CLINICBOOM AND YOU ARE THE FIRST WOMAN CEO OF THE HOSPITAL SINCE THE ORIGINAL SISTERS OF MERCY FOUNDED THE HOSPITAL IN 1865.

WELCOME!

>>LILLIAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH, WHAT A JOURNEY, RIGHT?

>>LORENE: IT IS AN AMAZING STORY.

SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN THERE, THE BEST PLACE TO WORK FOR THREE YEARS RUNNING, FIVE STAR RATINGS FOR THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID AND YOU ARE ALSO PART OF THE MAYO CLINIC CARE NETWORK, SO YOU ARE JUST MOVING AND SHAKING.

SO CAN YOU TALK TO US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND BECAUSE WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT ALL THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR OPPORTUNITIES YOU HAVE AND CREATED, THERE IS ONE UNDERLYING THREAD I WANT TO GET TO IF YOU COULD JUST SKITTER THROUGH HOW VARIED AND WONDERFUL THEY ARE.

>>LILLIAN: SURE.

WELL, I AM A NATIVE NEW MEXICAN.

I GREW UP IN ALBUQUERQUE, BUT I HAVE ACTUALLY LIVED IN SANTA FE LONGER THAN I HAVE EVER LIVED IN ALBUQUERQUE AND MY BACKGROUND HAS LARGELY BEEN IN OPERATIONS, COMMUNICATION AND STRATEGY.

AND BEFORE I WAS AT THE HOSPITAL, MY WORK WAS IN VENTURE CAPITAL, SMALL BUSINESS, OF COURSE AT THE NATIONAL LAB, BUT I DID A LOT OF WORK IN EDUCATION, HIGHER EDUCATION, EARLY CHILDHOOD.

BUT WHAT I REALLY TELL PEOPLE THAT I DO FOR A LIVING IS THAT I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN A HUMAN BEING BUSINESS.

I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU CREATE COMMUNITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS WHERE YOU ENGAGE YOUR PEOPLE, YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR WORKFORCE, THAT YOU CAN MAKE ANYTHING HAPPEN.

AND I AM A BIG BELIEVER IN NOT ONLY BRINGING LARGE GROUPS TOGETHER BUT TRANSFORMATION WHERE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE OWNERS IN THAT TRANSFORMATION, SO I AM IN THE HUMAN BEING BUSINESS.

>>LORENE: WELL, AS I LOOK AT ALL THESE THINGS BECAUSE THEY ARE SO DIVERSE, LOS ALAMOS LAB, THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, VENTURE CAPITAL, WHAT I UNDERSTOOD AS I GOT TO KNOW YOU MORE WAS THAT YOU CAN MOTIVATE PEOPLE.

YOU GO INTO AN ORGANIZATION, YOU SPEND TIME WITH THEM, YOU SAID 50 PERCENT OF SUCCESS IS SHOWING UP.

YOU ENGAGE PEOPLE, YOU TREAT THE GROUP LIKE A FAMILY, YOU GET TO KNOW EVERYONE AND THEN YOU FIND OUT THAT THERE ARE PERHAPS SOME LONG AGO DREAMS AND AMBITIONS THAT THIS ORGANIZATION MAY HAVE HAD BUT IT WAS TOO HARD, THEY NEVER HAD THE RIGHT PEOPLE, THEY KIND OF GAVE UP ON IT, THEY JUST PUT ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER.

AND YOU HAVE A GIFT OF BEING ABLE TO HEAR THAT FROM PEOPLE WHAT THAT LONG LOST DREAM WAS AND THEN TO HELP THEM MANIFEST IT AND THAT'S WHY YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.

IT DIDN'T MATTER HOW DIFFICULT THEY THINK THEY WERE BECAUSE YOU WERE THE GLUE, YOU WERE THE ONE CONSTANT THAT HELD IT TOGETHER.

I THINK IT IS REALLY AMAZING, THANK YOU.

>>LILLIAN: I AM THE ONE THAT FEELS VERY BLESSED.

THIS HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL JOURNEY BECAUSE WHEN I JOINED CHRISTUS ST. VINCENT, I KNEW THE POSSIBILITY WAS THERE FOR US TO BE PRETTY AMAZING.

AND A BIG PART OF THAT JOURNEY, AS YOU SHARED, WAS ENGAGING OUR PEOPLE IN THAT TRANSFORMATION.

I BELIEVE THAT FUNDAMENTALLY IF YOU CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT ALLOWS FOR YOUR PEOPLE TO DO THEIR VERY BEST WORK, WHERE YOU BRING DOWN THE BARRIERS, THEY ARE GOING TO TREAT PATIENTS BETTER, THEY ARE GOING TO TREAT THEIR COLLEAGUES BETTER AND THEY GO HOME AND THEY ARE A WHOLE LOT NICER TO THEIR FAMILY AND THEIR FAMILIES SEES THEIR JOY.

AND THEN THEY WANT TO COME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN AND IT JUST MATTERS BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW THAT THEIR WORK MATTERS, THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU SEE THEM, YOU HEAR THEM, AND THAT YOU ARE FOCUSED ON BRINGING DOWN THOSE BARRIERS SO THAT THEY CAN FOCUS ON CARING FOR PEOPLE.

>>LORENE: SO IN 2010, YOU JOINED THE CHRISTUS ST. VINCENT AS A BOARD MEMBER, BUT YOU MOVED UP TO THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD, THEN THE VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC POLICY AND THEN THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER AND YOU HAD SOME GOALS WHEN YOU BECAME THE CEO.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THEY WERE ROUGHLY?

>>LILLIAN: WELL I THINK MY ADVANTAGE HAD BEEN THAT I WAS IN THE ORGANIZATION AS LONG AS I WAS BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT AND ITS PEOPLE.

AND SO WHEN I STEPPED INTO THIS ROLE, IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY SORT OF TO TAKE TO THE NEXT LEVEL ALL OF THAT HARD WORK.

BEHIND THE SCENES WE WERE DOING WHAT IT TOOK TO BECOME AN A HOSPITAL AND LEAPFROG A CMS FIVE STAR, BUT ALSO WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO EARN OUR MAYO CLINIC CARE NETWORK AFFILIATION.

FOR ME, WHAT ALL OF THOSE THINGS MEANT IS THAT NOT ONLY WERE WE WORKING BETTER AS A TEAM, BUT WE WERE FOCUSING ON QUALITY, WE WERE FOCUSING ON CREATING THE MOST EXCELLENT PATIENT EXPERIENCE, AND WE WERE FOCUSED ON OUR STEWARDSHIP AND OUR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

AND SO WHEN WE RECEIVED THOSE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS FOR HARD WORK, IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR PEOPLE TO FEEL PRETTY DARN PROUD OF THEMSELVES, THAT THEY CREATED SOMETHING REALLY AMAZING THAT THEY GOT TO BRAG ABOUT AND FOR ME NOW, AS I LOOK AT OUR JOURNEY, EVERY DAY WE HAVE TO NOURISH THAT IMPROVEMENT, EVERY DAY WE HAVE TO HONOR IT AND FEED IT AND SUSTAIN IT.

BUT HONESTLY, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT AS AN ORGANIZATION WE HAVE CHANGED THE WAY OF WORK IN SANTA FE.

I FEEL LIKE WE REALLY CAN DEMONSTRATE WHAT IT MEANS TO DO JOYFUL WORK, TO WORK IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU FEEL RESPECTED AND SUPPORTED AND THESE FOLKS GO HOME AND THEIR FAMILY AND THEIR CHILDREN SEE THAT THEY GET TO DO JOYFUL WORK, NOT HAVE TO DO, BUT GET TO DO.

AND IT REALLY IS THIS MOST WONDERFUL EXAMPLE TO THEIR FAMILIES OF WHAT THAT SHOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THEM.

SO MORE AND MORE KIDS NOW THINK, HEY, I KNOW WHAT JOYFUL WORK LOOKS LIKE, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE RESPECTED, WHAT IT MEANS TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION AND I KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN HEALTH CARE.

AND HOPEFULLY THAT MEANS THAT WE WILL HAVE MORE OF THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE ENTERING THIS HOSPITAL OR CLINICS SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE AS OUR NEXT DOCTOR OR NEXT NURSE OR NEXT RADIATION SPECIALIST, YOU KNOW IT HAS JUST BEEN INCREDIBLE.

>>LORENE: AND DID YOU KNOW THAT THAT WAS A TRANSFORMATION YOU WERE AIMING FOR, TO TRANSFORM THE HOSPITAL CULTURE AND TO ENHANCE THE STAFF AND THE EMPLOYEES SO THAT THEY WOULD FEEL EMPOWERED AND TAKE OWNERSHIP OF MAKING THINGS WORK THERE.

WHEN DID YOU KNOW IT HAD HAPPENED, WHEN DID YOU KNOW WHEN THE PENNY DROPPED AND THAT THERE WAS A LEVEL OF INTERACTION AND PRODUCTIVITY AND LIKE YOU SAY, JOY, THAT HADN'T BEEN THERE BEFORE?

>>LILLIAN: THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, I KNOW EXACTLY WHEN IT HAPPENED.

WE JUST RECEIVED NOTICE OF BEING, IT'S OUR FOURTH YEAR AS THE BEST PLACE TO WORK, BUT IT WAS THE VERY FIRST YEAR THAT WE EARNED A BEST PLACE TO WORK RECOGNITION THAT I KNEW WE HAD DONE IT AND I WILL TELL YOU WHY.

WHEN I REACHED OUT TO THE LEADERSHIP TEAM ABOUT SIX MONTHS BEFORE THE NOMINATIONS WERE ABOUT TO GO OUT WHEN YOU COULD NOMINATION YOURSELF AS AN ORGANIZATION.

IT MEANT THAT OUR LEADERS HAD TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO KNOW WE WOULD KIND OF DO OKAY, RIGHT, IF WE NOMINATE OURSELVES.

BUT WHEN THE ACTUAL SURVEY GOES OUT FOR BEST PLACE TO WORK, THE EMPLOYER DOESN'T SEND IT, THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS DOING THE SURVEY CALCULATIONS, THEY SEND THE SURVEY DIRECTLY TO OUR WORKFORCE, TO OUR PEOPLE, SO WE DON'T HAVE A FINGERPRINT ON IT.

AND WHEN I RECEIVED THAT PHONE CALL WALKING THROUGH THE BACK PARKING LOT OF THE HOSPITAL, THAT WE NOT ONLY EARNED A NOMINATION BUT WE WERE GOING TO BE SELECTED AS A BEST PLACE TO WORK, I KNEW WE HAD DONE IT, BECAUSE WE FOCUSED ON OUR PEOPLE FIRST.

IT WAS INCREDIBLE, I MEAN I STILL REMEMBER WHAT I WAS WEARING WHEN I WALKED THROUGH THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE IT WAS A MILESTONE MOMENT FOR ME PERSONALLY, BECAUSE IT GAVE OUR TEAM SOMETHING TO FEEL REALLY PROUD OF.

AND WE ARE THE ONLY HEALTH SYSTEM TO BE ON THAT LIST FOR THESE LAST FOUR YEARS THAT I'VE SEEN, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OTHER HEALTH SYSTEMS ON THERE.

SO IT HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL THING TO SEE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE TWO OF THOSE FOUR YEARS HAVE BEEN DURING THIS PANDEMIC AND WE STILL EARNED THAT RECOGNITION FROM OUR PEOPLE.

>>LORENE: WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE PANDEMIC A LITTLE BIT NOW, BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T SEE IT COMING QUITE TO THE DEGREE HOW POWERFUL AND HOW FORMIDABLE IT WAS.

I WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON YOUR RESPONSE AND ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE SEVEN COUNTIES THAT YOU SERVE.

SO, WHEN DID YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU WERE UP AGAINST IN TERMS OF MOBILIZING YOUR RESPONSE, DOING THE TESTING, THE VACCINATIONS AND DIDN'T YOU EVEN HAVE DRIVE-BY VACCINATIONS FOR A WHILE?

JUST ANYTHING, YOU COULD DO TO GET PEOPLE VAXED AND SAFE AND PROTECTED FROM THE VIRUS.

DID YOU HAVE LIKE A WAR ROOM MEETING SAYING IT'S COMING AND IT'S BIG OR LIKE MAYBE IT WILL IT GO AWAY IN A MONTH, YOU KNOW.

I MEAN WHAT WAS, WHEN THE WAVE FIRST LAPPED ON THE SHORE, WHAT WAS YOUR RESPONSE AND THEN WHERE DID YOU GO FROM THERE.

>>LILLIAN: SO OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY WAS WATCHING CNN EAST COAST FEED, RIGHT, SO WE KNEW THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE PRETTY DEVASTATING.

WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW QUICKLY THE VIRUS WAS GOING TO ARRIVE IN NEW MEXICO, BUT EVERYTHING WE SAW ON THE NEWS, THAT WE WERE ALL WATCHING ON THE NEWS, WE WERE WORRIED, BECAUSE IT WAS PRETTY SERIOUS AND SCARY AND THERE WAS SO MUCH WE DIDN'T NOT KNOW.

SO WE ANTICIPATED THE WORST, I DO REMEMBER THE EVENING THAT WE HAD OUR FIRST POTENTIAL COVID PERSON/PATIENT PRESENT AND AT THE TIME IT WAS AT OUR SOUTH SIDE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND OUR HEAD OF TRAUMA SAID, "I'LL GO, I'LL GO BE THE ONE GOES AND TESTS," BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS STILL SORT OF FIGURING OUT WHO SHOULD GO AND HOW SHOULD WE DO THIS.

WHEN WE CONFIRMED THE POSITIVE ON THAT, THAT VERY NEXT DAY I ACTIVATED OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER.

WE INVITED 110 OF OUR LEADERS INTO OUR BIG CONFERENCE ROOM BECAUSE AT THE TIME WE STILL DIDN'T KNOW HOW IT WAS TRANSMITTED, RIGHT, WE ARE STILL LEARNING ABOUT THE VIRUS AND ALERTED LEADERS THAT WE WERE GOING TO GO INTO EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND WE PUT INTO PLACE ALL OF OUR PROCEDURES FOR THAT AND BEFORE WE KNEW IT WE WERE WEARING MASKS, GOING VIRTUAL AND REALLY MANAGING FEAR AND SAFETY CONCERNS, NOT JUST FOR THE COMMUNITY BUT ALSO WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION FOR OUR WORKFORCE.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO ASK YOU TOO, SO NEW MEXICO STATE RECENTLY DID A STUDY THAT 20 PERCENT OUT OF 42,000 NURSES HAVE VACCINE HESITANCY AND 19 PERCENT OF DENTISTS, OUT OF THOUSANDS OF DENTISTS, DIDN'T WANT TO GET VACCINATED EITHER.

SO HOW CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT YOU HAVE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WHO KNOW WHAT THE ODDS ARE, FRANKLY, YOU KNOW 97 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE WHO DIE ARE NOT VACCINATED, I AM NOT A MATH MAJOR BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE IN THAT GROUP.

SO, HOW DO YOU PERSUADE YOUR OWN STAFF WHO HAS VACCINE HESITANCY AND THEN PLEASE, LILLIAN, HOW DO YOU REACH THE PEOPLE OUT IN THE PUBLIC THAT ARE STILL SAYING, OH NO, IF I GET IT, I WILL HAVE NATURAL IMMUNITY, ALL THEIR REASONS OR IT'S BILL GATES BEING INJECTED INTO ME.

FIRST LET'S DEAL WITH STAFF ISSUES AND VACCINE HESITANCY.

>>LILLIAN: OUR COMMUNITY, AS YOU KNOW, IS VERY VACCINE COMPLIANT.

SO EVEN BEFORE THE GOVERNOR'S PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER FOR VACCINE REQUIREMENTS FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS, WE WERE ALREADY AT 86% COMPLIANCE.

>>LORENE: OH GOOD.

>>LILLIAN: WE HAD A HIGHER COMPLIANCE RATE THAN EVEN WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND AFTER THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER, WE WERE AT 95 PERCENT AND THAT INCLUDES ALL OF THE CONTRACTED WORKFORCE THAT'S ENTERING THE BUILDING, SO IT WAS WELL BEYOND JUST OUR EMPLOYEES AND SO WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT OUR PHYSICIANS AND OUR ADVANCED PRACTICE CLINICIANS SPENT A LOT OF TIME DOING COMMUNITY AND PATIENT EDUCATION WHEN PEOPLE WOULD COME IN THAT HAD NOT BEEN VACCINATED AND IN MOST CASES WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN GUIDING PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED.

BUT THERE STILL ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED, INCLUDING WITHIN OUR OWN WORKFORCE.

BUT EVEN FOR THOSE HUNDRED PEOPLE FOR EXAMPLE IN OUR WORKFORCE, THEY STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THEIR WEEKLY TESTING, THEY STILL HAVE TO PROVE THAT THEY ARE ALL CLEAR BEFORE THEY COME BACK TO WORK EACH WEEK.

THEY'RE WILLING TO TAKE ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY AND THEY ARE HONORING THEIR COMMITMENT TO SAFETY.

SO WE ARE MANAGING WELL, BUT HONESTLY, WE ARE BLESSED TO BE IN A VERY VACCINE COMPLIANT COMMUNITY, IT HAS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE EVEN IN OURFROST 19, THE AREA WHERE WE TAKE CARE OF COVID POSITIVE PATIENTS, ABOUT 80% OF THOSE PATIENTS ARE UNVACCINATED OR NOT FULLY VACCINATED, SO IT DEFINITELY SPEAKS TO HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BECOME VACCINATED.

I MEAN WHY TAKE THE CHANCE, RIGHT, OF PUTTING YOUR HEALTH AT RISK BY NOT BEING VACCINATED.

WE HAD A TOWN HALL THIS MORNING WITH OUR WORKFORCE, WE DO IT EVERY OTHER WEEK.

IT IS A VIRTUAL TOWN HALL, WE HAVE NEARLY 300 OF OUR WORKFORCE EVERY OTHER TUESDAY AND WHAT I THINK HAS HELPED WITH OUR VACCINE COMPLIANCE IS THAT WE ARE VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT OUR DATA.

WE TALK ABOUT HOW MANY PATIENTS ARE IN THE HOSPITAL, HOW MANY VACCINATED/UNVACCINATED, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE WE VACCINATED AND WE USE IT AS A FORUM TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THEY HAVE SO THAT WE CAN REDUCE THEIR CONCERN, ADDRESS THEIR CURIOSITY AND ENSURE THAT THEY ARE VACCINATED.

BUT HONESTLY IT IS ALSO SO THAT THEY CAN GO HOME AND THEY CAN HELP EDUCATE THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, SO IT ISN'T JUST ABOUT EDUCATING OUR WORKFORCE.

>>LORENE: RIGHT.

WE ARE SPEAKING TODAY WITH LILLIAN MONTOYA, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CHRISTUS ST. VINCENT REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR THAT ANSWER, THANK YOU.

HOW HAVE YOU BEEN, THERE IS A NATIONAL AND STATEWIDE NURSING SHORTAGE AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S AN ISSUE OF TRAVELING NURSES AND THEY GET PAID MORE THAN THE STAFF NURSES AND SO IS THERE A WAY THAT WE WILL EVER BE ABLE TO GROW ENOUGH NURSES IN STATE SO THERE WILL NOT BE A SHORTAGE?

>>LILLIAN: IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

YOU KNOW, WE ENTERED THE PANDEMIC IN A NATIONAL SHORTAGE FOR NURSING AND OTHER HEALTHCARE FIELDS, THE PANDEMIC MADE THAT EVEN MORE CHALLENGING BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE ALREADY ELIGIBLE FOR RETIREMENT MADE DECISIONS DURING THE PANDEMIC TO RETIRE.

AND THE PANDEMIC, ALSO AS WE ALL KNOW, HAS LED TO FAMILY STRESSES SO PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT HOMESCHOOLING CHILDREN, CARING FOR ELDER PARENTS, SOME HAVE HAD JOB LOSSES WITHIN THEIR FAMILY SO THAT HAS IMPACTED THE SHORTAGE, RIGHT, PEOPLE HAVE EITHER MADE DECISIONS ABOUT RELOCATING, REDUCING HOURS, RETIRING, ETC.

SO FOR OUR HOSPITAL AND OTHERS WE HAVE HAD TO SECURE AGENCY NURSES OR TRAVELING NURSES, THE BEST DESCRIPTION WOULD BE WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A TEACHER, YOU NEED A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER, SO WE NEED SUBSTITUTES TO PROVIDE NURSING CARE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION FOR A COUPLE OF IMPORTANT REASONS.

THE FIRST, OF COURSE, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE NURSES AVAILABLE TO STAFF THE BEDS SO WE CAN SEE PATIENTS, BUT ALSO SO THAT WE HAVE A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF NURSES AVAILABLE TO HELP OUR PERMANENT NURSES TO CARRY THAT WORKLOAD IF YOU WILL.

AND YES, IT HAS ABSOLUTELY STRESSED ALL OF OUR SYSTEMS BECAUSE TRAVELER ARRANGEMENTS, THE COST FOR TRAVELERS IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN YOUR GENERAL WORKFORCE.

I DO BELIEVE THAT IT IS A TEMPORARY CONDITION, MEANING THAT AS OUR NUMBERS COME DOWN, AS OUR COVID NUMBERS REDUCE, WE WILL HAVE LESS NEED FOR THE STAFFING THAT WE ARE HAVING TO USE AT THIS TIME.

BUT YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOLS OF EDUCATION, THE NURSING SCHOOLS WERE REALLY WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE LEGISLATURES AND THE SCHOOLS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SLOTS AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO PURSUE NURSING AND OTHER WORKFORCE HEALTHCARE OPPORTUNITIES.

BUT IT ALSO MEANS HAVING FACULTY THAT CAN TEACH THOSE CLASSES AND IT ALSO MEANS ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO PURSUE NURSING DEGREES.

WE HAVE ACTUALLY LAUNCHED OUR OWN NURSING ASSISTANT PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SANTA FE COMMUNITY COLLEGE WHERE WE ARE PAYING FOR THE INSTRUCTORS AND THEN WE ARE HIRING THOSE INDIVIDUALS GOING THROUGH THEIR NURSING ASSISTANT TRAINING AND THEN ONCE THEY PASS THEIR CERTIFICATION, WE WILL GIVE THEM A BOOST IN PAY AND THEY GET ANOTHER JOB.

SO WE ARE TRYING TO FEED THE PIPELINE UNTIL THE SCHOOLS OF NURSING CAN CREATE ENOUGH NURSES TO FILL THE PIPELINE, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO DO OUR PART.

>>LORENE: WELL, TRUE CONFESSIONS, I WAS RECENTLY IN THE HOSPITAL FOR SOME WRIST SURGERY AND I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH THE QUALITY OF CARING AND CARE OF THE NURSES THAT I WAS EXPOSED TO.

I MEAN I JUST FELT VERY BLESSED AND IN SUCH GOOD HANDS AND THEY MADE IT, YOU KNOW, A VERY GOOD, SURPRISE EVENT, BUT THEY MADE IT A VERY POSITIVE EVENT.

SO I WANT TO SAY THAT FROM THE USER LEVEL THINGS SEEM TO BE WORKING TOO.

WE HAVE TWO WONDERFUL THINGS TO CELEBRATE IN THE TIME THAT REMAINS, TELL US ABOUT THE NEW CANCER CENTER THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BUILD.

>>LILLIAN: WE ARE SO EXCITED.

WE ARE GOING TO BUILD ABOUT 72,000 SQUARE FOOT, NEW CANCER CENTER ON THE MAIN CAMPUS, IT WILL BE RIGHT NEAR THE MAIN HOSPITAL, IT WILL ACTUALLY CONNECT WITH THE PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY.

WE ARE ESSENTIALLY GOING FROM 40,000 SQUARE FEET TO 72,000 SQUARE FEET.

SO IT WILL ALLOW US TO PROVIDE MORE SERVICES TO OUR PATIENTS THAT ARE PREVENTION OR TREATMENT BUT ALSO THINK ABOUT THE JOB CREATION OPPORTUNITY, THE ACCESS TO CARE OPPORTUNITY, IT IS REALLY PRETTY THRILLING.

THE CURRENT LOCATION HAS REALLY SERVED US WELL BUT WITH THE NUMBERS OF PATIENTS WE ARE HAVING TO SEE WE WERE BURSTING AT THE SEAMS.

AND THAT BUILDING THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY IN WAS NEVER BUILT TO BE JUST A CANCER CENTER, IT WAS A MEDICAL OFFICE BUILDING, SORT OF MADE IT WORK.

THIS IS GOING TO ALLOW US AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY WITH BRAND NEW EQUIPMENT, CONTINUE TO LEAN INTO OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MAYO CLINIC.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY HAVE PROVIDED US SOME OF THEIR EXPERT GUIDANCE ON WHAT THE BUILDING SHOULD LOOK LIKE BECAUSE THEY HAVE BUILT THEIR OWN CANCER CENTER BACK IN 2016.

SO IT HAS BEEN AND IT WILL BE EVEN MORE AMAZING.

>>LORENE: WELL THAT IS THE OTHER THREAD OF WONDERFUL NEWS.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR COLLABORATION WITH THE MAYO CLINIC AND HOW DOES THAT AFFECT OUR SANTA FE AND NORTHER NEW MEXICO PATIENTS?

>>LILLIAN: SO WE ARE NOW ENTERING, I BELIEVE, THE END OF YEAR THREE FOR OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MAYO CLINIC CARE NETWORK.

WHAT PATIENTS HAVE ACCESS TO ARE SECOND OPINIONS, SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE HAVE EXPERTS AT MAYO CLINIC FOR OUR EXPERTS THAT WORK HERE CARING FOR OUR PATIENTS.

SO AS A PATIENT, WHETHER THEY ARE IN THE HOSPITAL HAVING BEEN ADMITTED AND STAY THE NIGHT OR THEY ARE SEEING ONE OF OUR PROVIDERS AT ONE OF OUR OUTPATIENT CLINICS, THEY CAN GET A SECOND OPINION.

AND ESSENTIALLY, IT SERVES AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO VALIDATE THE CARE THAT THEY ARE GETTING.

AND WHAT WE ARE FINDING IS THAT 98 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE A SECOND OPINION FROM MAYO, END UP STAYING HERE TO GET THE CARE, BECAUSE THEY CAN RECEIVE THE CARE HERE BUT THEY HAVE THAT EXTRA BIT OF ADVICE, RIGHT, SO THAT HAS BEEN REALLY WONDERFUL.

OUR PATIENT EDUCATION MATERIALS ARE FROM THE MAYO CLINIC LIBRARY SO ONCE PEOPLE ARE DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL, WE GIVE THEM INFORMATION THAT IS FROM THAT LIBRARY TO HELP GUIDE THEM CLOSE TO DISCHARGE.

AND THEN WE LEAN ON THEM FOR A LOT OF COOL STUFF, FOR EXAMPLE, WE ARE NOW PURSUING STROKE CERTIFICATION AT CHRISTUS ST. VINCENT AND MAYO CLINIC HAS SERVED AS OUR MENTORS AND GUIDES FOR THAT CERTIFICATION AND THEY ARE GOING TO WORK WITH US NEXT WEEK TO DO A PRACTICE RUN SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT CERTIFICATION FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

AND THAT IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF MANY, THE CANCER CENTER IS ANOTHER ONE WHERE WE ARE REALLY LEANING ON THEM BUT IT HAS MADE US BIGGER BECAUSE WE CAN THINK SMALLER IN OUR SMALL TOWN BUT LEAN INTO THIS BIG ORGANIZATION TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

>>LORENE: I HAVE TRIED TO COVER A LOT BUT I AM SURE THERE IS SOMETHING I HAVE NOT COVERED.

WE HAVE GOT A VAST PUBLIC TELEVISION AUDIENCE AND THEY LIKE TO BE INFORMED.

SO WHAT DID I FORGET TO ASK YOU, WHAT DO YOU NEED OUR AUDIENCE TO KNOW?

>>LILLIAN: YOU ASKED ME A GOOD QUESTION, BUT YOU ASKED SOME REALLY GREAT ONES ALREADY.

YOU KNOW, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES WERE AROUND THE DROP IN VOLUME OF VENTILATORS AND PPE, WE HEARD ALL ABOUT THAT.

IN THE SECOND YEAR, IT IS REALLY ABOUT ANOTHER PRECIOUS RESOURCE AND IT IS OUR HUMANS.

IT IS NOT JUST WORKFORCE SHORTAGES, BUT THINK ABOUT IT, OUR FOLKS ARE VERY WEARY, THEY HAVE BEEN PROVIDING PANDEMIC CARE FOR WELL OVER, NEARLY TWO YEARS NOW AND THEY ARE ALSO JUGGLING ALL OF THEIR FAMILY OBLIGATIONS.

AND I WOULD JUST ASK THAT LET'S NOT FORGET THAT THERE IS A PANDEMIC GOING ON, THAT OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS ARE LIVING IT AND EVERY SINGLE DAY WHEN THEY COME INTO OUR WALLS OF OUR HOSPITAL AND CLINICS AND THAT IF YOU SEE A HEALTHCARE WORKER, GIVE THEM APPRECIATION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND ALLOW OTHERS TO BEAR WITNESS TO THAT COMPLIMENT, BECAUSE THEY THINK WE ARE GETTING VERY COMFORTABLE AND HAPPY TO FEEL LIKE WE ARE MOVING AT A PANDEMIC, BUT OUR HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE CAN'T DO THAT.

THEY STILL HAVE TO GO HOME AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE BEING SAFE SO THEIR FAMILY REMAINS SAFE AND HEALTHY AND WE WANT THEM TO COME BACK THE NEXT DAY.

SO I THINK IN ANY COMMUNITY IN NEW MEXICO IF YOU CAN SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR, IF YOU COULD SEND A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OR CEO ACKNOWLEDGING AND SUPPORTING AND LOVING ON THAT HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE, THEY NEED TO DO IT.

BECAUSE WHEN I RECEIVE THOSE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, I SHARE THEM BACK WITH THE WORKFORCE BECAUSE I WANT THEM TO KNOW PEOPLE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN THEIR HERO'S WORK.

>>LORENE: WELL THE ORIGINAL SISTERS OF MERCY THAT STARTED CHRISTUS ST. VINCENT BACK THEN, BACK IN 1865 WOULD BE ASTONISHED, AMAZED AND DELIGHTED AT WHERE YOU HAVE TAKEN THE CULTURE AND THE PATIENTS AND THE QUALITY CARE.

I THINK YOU HAVE A LINE ABOUT EXTRAORDINARY, EXCEPTIONAL MEDICINE, EXTRAORDINARY CARE TO EVERY PERSON EVERY DAY.

SO OUR GUEST TODAY IS LILLIAN MONTOYA, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CHRISTUS ST. VINCENT REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY.

>>LILLIAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH AND FOR ALLOWING ME TO TELL OUR STORY, ALWAYS PROUD TO DO THAT.

>>LORENE: WELL LET'S DO A CATCH UP IN SIX MONTHS AND SEE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND I AM LORENE MILLS AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU OUR AUDIENCE FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM