CEO Update 9 May

Dear Colleagues,

This week The Leapfrog Group announced its semi-annual hospital safety grades, and I'm proud to say we're at 11 straight A's now!

This is a reflection of our focus on consistently providing the safest and highest quality care. Doing so requires discipline, teamwork, and a shared commitment to excellence, which you - whether you're a clinician or employee whose work supports our patient care - demonstrate every day. I couldn't be more thankful for that.

If you go back to 2016, our hospital, with 234 licensed beds, resided in what we know today as the Connecticut Tower, and we were years away from our first Leapfrog A. On May 13 that year we started moving our patients into the new University Tower. It may be hard to believe, but next Wednesday marks the 10 year anniversary of the first new patient arriving in our new University Tower, by way of the just-opened emergency department.

Here are a few examples of how things have changed over that 10-year time period, at a glance:

Hospital employees

• May 1, 2015: 1,717
• May 1, 2026: 2,471 (up 44%)

Net patient revenue (JDH, UMG, dental clinics, specialty pharmacy)

• FY 16: $451.5 million
• FY 26: $1,093.9 million (up 142%)

Operating Room

• FY 16: 5,378 cases
• FY 26: projected 8,015 cases

Today, JDH and the UConn Health Community Network together represent a 184% increase in bed count compared to what John Dempsey Hospital had when the new tower opened, and we're on our way to increasing that bed count by nearly 300% once Bristol and Day Kimball Hospitals join.

It's fitting the University Tower's 10^th anniversary falls on our Proud to Be UConn Health Day celebration, which is in the middle of our observance Health Care Week next week. We have a lot to celebrate.

Talking about our hospital, all our facilities and campus as a whole are also key to the quality of care, patient experience, and support for our employees. Toward this end, this week, Tom Vacarreli (VP facilities, development, and operations) hosted a space planning retreat to introduce the work of a consulting firm, HKS, that will conduct a 16-week assessment and assist us in developing a master plan. As this development process provides the link between our space utilization and strategic plans, it will be become our data-driven road map to achieving our strategic goals.

Not to forget our partners, this week we - as in, the UConn Health Community Network - announced a partnership between UConn Health Waterbury Hospital and Connecticut Children's to take over management of NICU services in Waterbury. This means Waterbury's NICU is now included in the largest regional network of NICUs staffed 24/7 by Connecticut Children's specialists, and improves the community's access to critical and timely care for small or critically ill newborns. This is an exciting development within our community network, consistent with our goal of expanding access to high-quality care, in this case for infants born prematurely or with complex medical conditions, and for their families.

Returning to the theme of celebrating, we honored our nurses this week, with daily Nurses Week festivities, including today's Nursing Excellence Recognition Ceremony in the Keller Auditorium. I had the honor and privilege of being invited to speak at the event. My message was that more than our growing collection of awards, what truly defines us is the trust the people of Connecticut place in us for their and their loved ones' care. We've earned a reputation for upholding high standards for patient safety, quality, and compassion, none of which would be possible without our nurses.

Still more to celebrate - word came this week that our outpatient anticoagulation clinic has earned a designation of Anticoagulation Center of Excellence from the Anticoagulation Forum for a second three-year term. Only about one in four programs pass the assessment to earn this distinction, and ours has done it twice now. For those not familiar, our anticoagulation clinic, located at 11 South Road, provides ongoing management, including dosing, monitoring, education, and prescription needs, for patients who are prescribed anticoagulants, or blood-thinning medications. The work of this small team improves safety and efficacy outcomes by preventing new or recurrent blood clot problems and avoiding adverse drug events for those taking anticoagulants.

Congratulations to (from left) Dr. Anuja Rizal (clinical lead pharmacist), Lauren Wallace (pharmacy technician), Damian Green (pharmacy technician) and Dr. Elizabeth Biron (clinical staff pharmacist), and medical directors Dr. Heiko Schmitt and Dr. Ritika Vankina, under the leadership of Dr. Enrique Ballesteros and Dr. Kevin Chamberlin.

Lastly, we also just got word that our noninvasive vascular lab has earned accreditation for vascular testing by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission. This is yet another reflection of our institution's commitment to consistent excellent quality care, in this case specifically in the area of extracranial cerebrovascular testing, or the evaluation of vessels outside the skull that provide blood to the brain. This three-year accreditation from the IAC means our vascular lab meets or exceeds published standards for the testing that contributes to accurate diagnoses of heart disorders, stroke, and other cardiovascular disease.

Congratulations to Dr. Kwame Amankwah (medical director and chief of vascular and endovascular surgery), Lonnie Colins (lead vascular sonographer), Megi Dzidzitsky, David Lavoie, and Hayden Shields (specialty sonographers), as well as Drs. Mina Boutrous, David Kull and Christine Kariya, for making this achievement possible.

As I said, we have a great deal to celebrate - all made possible by the work you do every day.

Thank you for all you do.

Andrew C. Agwunobi, MD, MBA

Chief Executive Officer

EVP for Health Affairs

UConn Health

Dear Dr. Andy

In recent weeks, several employees have written with questions about how we recognize professional observances, such as National Doctors' Day.

I appreciate those who took the time to raise these questions and to advocate for your colleagues.

Recognition across a complex organization like ours can vary by department, location, and team, and not every observance is marked in the same way or with a formal event. We understand how important it is to make our appreciation visible and meaningful, and your feedback helps us strengthen that approach.

At the same time, we are intentionally building more consistent, organization-wide opportunities to celebrate our workforce. Now in its third year, Proud to Be UConn Health Day, coming May 13, has become a meaningful way for us to come together and recognize all members of our community, regardless of role and discipline. I look forward to being out across campus that day with our leadership team, connecting with you, and sharing our appreciation in person. I encourage you to join us and take part in the day.

And I'd also like to acknowledge the work of Alexis Crean and her team in our Office of Professional Well-Being and Engagement, as they are the driving force behind events like Proud to Be UConn Health Day.

Thank you again for writing and for all that you do in support of our patients and one another.

Have something you want to ask Dr. Andy? Submit your question on The Hub.

Hub Highlights

Our commencement is Monday - learn how you can livestream the ceremony.

See our medical school's Spring Faculty Spotlight honorees.

Read about how we're strengthening perinatal mental health care.

Make it 11 straight A's for hospital safety from the Leapfrog Group!

Plus, get the scoop on "Proud to Be UConn Health" Day, coming Wednesday!