Foundation Newsletter

Where do you see AtlantiCare in the next 5 years? What goals do you have?

We are currently working on “Vision 2030” which outlines our objectives for the next decade. One of the most important things AtlantiCare can do is to maintain its position as a financially strong institution. This will allow us to grow, both geographically and in scope of services. Healthcare is inherently local. The overarching goal of Vision2030 is that no one should have to leave our community to receive quality care. We’re making broad investments in some of our key service lines and expanding others to ensure that no matter what your healthcare needs are – primary care, cancer care, behavioral health, heart and lung care, neurology or orthopedics – AtlantiCare is here for you, close to home, providing world-class care. AtlantiCare is an anchor organization in our community. Aside from being healthcare providers, we are a major employer and a driver of our local economy. As our nation grapples with healthcare workforce shortages and is starting to pay more attention to the social determinants of health, I believe it’s time for us to be out front, actively engaged with our community, and take a leadership role addressing some of these big problems together. Tell us about your time with the American Hospital Association. I had the opportunity to join AHA in late 2016 through my Board role with AtlantiCare. My time in committees and meetings with AHA was essentially a masterclass in healthcare, learning from the top 25 healthcare CEOs in the country. They have faced everything and learning from them, and their experiences have shaped the way I approach the healthcare industry. As a current member of the AHA National Workforce Committee, I am privileged to be at the leading edge of the national conversations around workforce, discussing the challenges healthcare is facing right now. I value the relationships I have built through AHA and I know that AtlantiCare and our patients benefit from our connection to this network of exceptional leaders. With only a few months under your belt, what are you most proud of as CEO? So much of this work precedes me even walking through the door, but I am so gratified by the national recognition AtlantiCare has received recently – our CMS Four-Star rating, our fifth Magnet designation, Forbes’ “Best in the State” Employer, our Leapfrog grade ‘A,’ and many others. With the only comprehensive stroke center in southeastern New Jersey and the only Level II Trauma Center, we continue to raise the bar on excellence. We had a patient in Cape May County that was airlifted to AtlantiCare with a massive stroke. In that situation seconds matter, and he got the lifesaving care he needed and was up and walking the next morning. This is why we recently received the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Heart-Check mark for Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification for the 4th time. Of course, our Foundation is also doing amazing work in the community. We recently launched our Community Mobile Market. This program is part of our ongoing commitment to the residents of Atlantic City and I am excited to watch this initiative continue to grow as it tackles food insecurity and aids those who need our help. There is so much work and so much sacrifice that goes into each and every day here. As I like to say, excellence is in our DNA – there is much to be proud of. 2

THE F UTURE OF HEALTHCARE I S RIGHT HERE As the nation faces a shortage of healthcare workers, AtlantiCare is thinking expansively about the future of healthcare. “We realized that through AtlantiCare’s community-based youth programs, we had great connections to potential employees,” says Christian Ragland, vice president for AtlantiCare Diversity Equity & Inclusion. AtlantiCare’s “ High School Hiring Blitz ” was born – a program that hires local high school grads for entry-level jobs and provides tuition reimbursement for continuing education. Through the program, which began in 2022, AtlantiCare has hired more than 70 graduates. AtlantiCare’s Career Summer Intensive Program (CSI) allows students to explore

career options as they shadow AtlantiCare staff and providers, get hands-on experience at the Cancer Center, hospital campuses and helicopter pad, and the Medical Arts Pavilion in Atlantic City, among others. “Students loved seeing our simulation lab and drawing blood on a dummy,” says Ragland. “The exposure CSI provides helps these students get real-life experience and shows them that there are myriad opportunities in healthcare, many right in their backyard.” Partnering with Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, AtlantiCare has also hosted cohorts of Cheyney students to participate in an immersive learning mentorship program, learning about various careers in healthcare and making connections for healthcare and other careers. Six 2023 Cheyney graduates were hired this summer, and many hope to have further experience and relationships with AtlantiCare. “The momentum around these programs is exciting,” says Ragland. “We make sure diversity, equity, and inclusion are part of everything we do in caring for our community. Looking to the future, we want to ensure that our care team represents the patients we serve. Making connections with young adults, students who are energized about their studies and about their work, benefits all of us.”

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