Bedside caregivers the largest beneficiary of county's $4M-plus gift

Sep. 29—Commissioners voted to deliver at least $4.3 million into local hospitals and emergency rooms. The funding, obtained from the American Rescue Plan Act will benefit UT Health East Texas and Christus Trinity Mother Frances, which will each receive at least $2 million to help retain their staff and fight COVID-19.

Three emergency rooms — Exceptional Healthcare in Tyler, Hospitality Health ER and Tyler Complete Care — each will receive $100,000. One doctor publicly acknowledged the healthcare system is being overwhelmed.

Both hospitals have created specific incentive plans unique to them along with additional parameters put in place by the county. To receive funds from the retention compensation, staff must qualify. Those qualified will receive compensation over the months of October and November.

Medical staff that would receive incentives from the funding include registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses, respiratory therapists, nursing assistants, patient care techs, EMS paramedics and EMTs. Christus would also include its Flight for Life RNs.

Vicki Briggs, CEO of UT Health Tyler, said Smith County Judge Nathaniel Moran has been understanding about the challenges local hospitals have had over the last year and a half with COVID-19. She added he has encouraged his church to come together and volunteer to show caregivers how much they're appreciated.

Briggs said one of the main challenges for hospitals during the pandemic is that healthcare professionals across the country have been in great demand. This has caused UT Health to lose some caregivers that have chosen to travel and provide care to other parts of the country.

Briggs said the hospital has had to bring in contracted caregivers, such as nurses and respiratory therapists. The investment granted by the county, Briggs said, will lessen the amount of nurses needed from other areas.

"We are so grateful to our caregivers that have stayed here with us and are committed to their friends, their family, their neighbors and to not accept those other opportunities," Briggs said.

She added it hasn't been easy for UT Health caregivers to sit next to someone making three to four times more than they are. "It doesn't feel so good, and it's really important to us to show them appreciation by giving them some incentives for being here, staying with us and taking care of these patients that have COVID, and then certainly all of the other patients in the hospital."

Briggs said the hospital has been trying a number of things to make caregivers feel appreciated. At the end of last year, caregivers were given a "hero bonus," and at the beginning of August, UT Health placed additional incentives.

"We're spending about $500,000 a week to make sure that our staff that are willing to work extra shifts are compensated appropriately to feel like they truly are valued and respected, because they are so necessary," Briggs said.

At the beginning of the pandemic, Briggs said no one ever thought it would surge at the level it has in recent months. She added the delta variant has been different from the first variant of the virus. First, caregivers watched an older population get sick and deteriorate in condition easily, then with the delta variant, a younger population is being affected.

"It is absolutely devastating on a daily basis for our caregivers to watch people come in and go downhill so quickly," she said, adding it's been taking a toll on caregivers.

Briggs said the funds will be providing incentives to show appreciation not only from the hospital, but from the county and the government.

"It's going to mean so much to the caregivers who have stayed committed to their community during this time," she said.

Incentives will be offered to caregivers at the bedside and who have specific patient assignments. Briggs said if caregivers agree to work more than their typical shift, then they will be eligible for those incentives. The amount will range depending on the type of caregiver the person is.

Briggs said 100% of the funds are going to caregivers at the bedside and will be distributed across UT Health Tyler, UT Health East Texas Rehab, UT Health East Texas Long-term Acute Care Hospital, UT Health North Campus and UT Health East Texas EMS.

Tyler's Christus Mother Frances Hospital Ministry President Jason Proctor said Christus caregivers have repeatedly risen to the challenge to care for patients during the pandemic. At Tuesday's commissioner's court meeting, he said caregivers who have been working with COVID-19 patients around the clock are also carrying the burden of their deaths, and that anything the county could do would be greatly appreciated.

"Our staff has not backed down. They're not going to back down," Proctor said. "This is something to say that we stand behind you."

"The support our caregivers have received from this community has been heartfelt and tremendously encouraging throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Smith County is one of the first counties to publicly support the work of their hometown hospitals, and we are appreciative of the recognition of our nurses, physicians and Associates to be there day after day caring for East Texans," Proctor said.

Moran said the county's approach is intended to help retain staff critical to treating patients with COVID-19 where there is a critical supply shortage by rewarding them for continuing to work in Smith County facilities over the next two months rather than chase contract work outside of the county.