Hartford Business Journal

HCH 12 Hartford Business Journal • November 16, 2020 • www.HartfordBusiness.com HEALTH CARE HEROES 2020 HONOREE CATEGORY: SKILLED & ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY Masonicare W ith the onset of the COV- ID-19 pandemic, Masoni- care — operator of a 357 bed long-term skilled nursing center — was forced to quickly pivot, implementing a number of proto- cols, including strict visitor restric- tions, daily employee screenings, and infection-control measures. On the front lines, Masonicare employees worked tirelessly to keep residents and family members safe and informed amidst a rapidly changing stream of information. When the virus began, em- ployee team members were mo- bilized, critical PPE was relent- lessly sourced, and policies were implemented that would serve to build an almost impenetrable wall around the healthcare center. Perhaps two of the most effective initiatives were the immediate im- plementation of a COVID-positive isolation unit, which became avail- able if a patient tested positive for COVID-19. Masonicare also created an observation isolation unit, where new admissions or readmissions who have been out of the health- care center for more than 48 hours would be admitted and monitored for 14 days before being allowed to cohort with the general population. Back in May, the facility under- went mandatory coronavirus test- ing in which all 312 residents tested negative for COVID-19. Anticipating the industry stan- dard of a 5% to 10% positive result rate, Masonicare attributed its safety record to thoughtful plan- ning, collaborative teamwork and courageous leadership. HONOREE CATEGORY: MENTAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDER Dr. Steven Rogers Medical Director of Emergency Behavioral Health Services Connecticut Children's D r. Steven Rogers has been at the forefront over the years of addressing a significant increase in patients seeking out behavioral health care at Connecticut Children's Medical Center. In fact, the number of CCMC pa- tients who come to the emergency department (ED) with behavioral health emergencies has gone from 652 in 2000 to almost 3,700 in 2018. The emergency department has a special, secure area where children experiencing a behavioral health crisis receive safe care. Rogers leads a specialized team that helps kids reach a point of relative stability and safety. They also try to help find ongoing treatment for those kids, once they leave the ED. Unfortunately, the number of chil- dren needing support vastly exceeds the capacity of the state's mental health system. To address the lag time in treatment, Connecticut Children's created the Be- havioral Health Transitions Clinic. Rog- ers was the clinical lead on developing the facility that acts as an intermediary between kids who are discharged from the ED and community providers. This model of care coordina- tion helps keep kids from falling through the cracks and needing to return to the ED. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rogers has been closely evaluat- ing and monitoring the increase in behavioral health crisis cases that have been seen since March. THE BUSINESS NEWS YOU NEED DELIVERED EACH BUSINESS DAY FROM YOUR TRUSTED, LOCAL SOURCE VISIT HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM/ENEWSLETTERS TO SIGN UP MORNING BLEND POWERED BY HARTFORD BUSINESS JOURNAL & NEW HAVEN BIZ HARTFORD BUSINESS.COM TODAY HARTFORD BUSINESS.COM TODAY Every day by 7:45 A.M., our editors pull the top news sources in the state and nation to provide you with the must-know information you need to start your business day. Every business day, our award-winning reporting and news staff canvases the market for breaking news and sends it to your inbox by noontime.

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