2020/2021 Community Impact Report

AtlantiCare Urgent Care rose to the challenge, setting up drive-through testing sites at locations throughout the five counties that AtlantiCare serves and at community sites, such as those at Stockton University and several casinos. Providers and staff at AtlantiCare’s hospital campuses, meanwhile, were treating those COVID patients needing intensive care. “Like health care systems across the nation, we were thrown into the ocean and had to swim,” says Manish Trivedi, MD, Director, Division of Infectious Diseases. “We drew on our own clinical observations, saw what worked, and established best practice care plans,” he says. “Everyone absolutely excelled in their roles. Respiratory Therapy, Nursing, Environmental Services, Dietary, IT – everyone contributed data, observations, ideas. Staff volunteered immediately when a colleague asked for help. I am immensely proud of the work we accomplished together, and the lives we saved.” One of the greatest hallmarks of the team’s achievements, Trivedi notes, is AtlantiCare’s mortality rate for COVID admissions. At 11.5%, it is approximately half of the national average- 20% as reported by the CDC. “Facing death is part of being a medical professional,” Trivedi says, “but it was more acute with COVID. Sometimes, inevitably, medical intervention failed, and we didn’t know what more we could do,” Trivedi says. “All we had left to give was our time.” As the only people to see patients in-person, given visitor restrictions, AtlantiCare’s Procurement Services Team collaborated with Infection Prevention and other departments throughout the pandemic to ensure we had personal protective equipment – or PPE. Special partnerships and innovative solutions were key to addressing supply issues. Special colorful raincoats, which lifted everyone’s spirits, were secured and other PPE to ensure AtlantiCare could protect patients and staff.

providers offered emotional support. “Patients opened up to me about their lives, about their concerns and their regrets like never before,” Trivedi notes. “AtlantiCare employees from across departments forged connections with patients and deepened relationships with each other. I’ve always thought of AtlantiCare as a family, and this sense was galvanized many times over.” As the first wave tapered off, in the summer of 2020, AtlantiCare became a community resource. “We had been through it,” says Gemma Downham. “Schools, casinos, churches, local businesses and community organizations turned to us, and we helped them navigate the questions we had months before: how to source masks, how to improve ventilation, best practices for disinfecting.” “Myth Buster” sessions addressed common misconceptions, presenting science and data to help people better understand COVID safety measures. Simultaneously, Team AtlantiCare was preparing for large-scale distribution of vaccinations, purchasing deep freezers and other essential equipment. Well prepared, AtlantiCare was selected by the state as one of only six vaccine mega sites in the state. By November 2020, as the second wave was underway, established protocols and safety measures allowed AtlantiCare to maintain full services

12 Number of locations of Urgent Care testing sites

324,507

Total Vaccines administered at all AtlantiCare Sites, 8,705 of which were pediatric vaccines (5 to 17 years old.) as of July 5, 2022 . sites after closure of Atlantic County COVID-19 Vaccination Megasite 20 Number of APG Primary Care Vaccination sites 303,099 4,924 COVID patients hospitalized as of July 6, 2022 Number of patients tested through all AtlantiCare sites as of July 2, 2022 272,585 Number of patients vaccinated at Atlantic County COVID-19 Vaccination Megasite as of June 19, 2021 when it closed 100+ Community pop-up vaccination

ANNUAL REPORT ON GIVING 11