Envision Healthcare Continues Meeting Demand for Care

Envision Healthcare, a leading national medical group, continues answering America’s call for care as concern grows over rising COVID-19 cases and the fast-spreading Omicron variant. The medical group and its affiliated clinicians remain committed to providing high-quality patient care when and where it is needed most in 2022 and beyond. This includes fighting the global pandemic, providing patients complex and high-acuity care and helping patients improve and maintain their quality of life.

“The past two years, we have been called upon to take on the enormous task of caring for America during a sustained global health crisis. And every single day, Envision’s affiliated clinicians and clinical support teammates have answered that call,” said Jim Rechtin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Envision Healthcare. “It is an honor and privilege to work alongside such a talented and dedicated team. Everybody cares deeply for one another, our healthcare partners and our patients while pursuing the extraordinary. This team makes a truly meaningful difference in the lives of millions of people. Looking forward, I believe we’ll make an even greater impact in shaping the future of care delivery and improving the health of communities.”

Providing Care When and Where It Is Needed Most

Almost two years after the first COVID-19 case was identified in the U.S., Envision Healthcare continues to be there for patients. From providing lifesaving COVID-19 care and administering vaccines to preventing colorectal cancer and expanding patients’ access to care, the 25,000 physicians and advanced practice providers affiliated with Envision have been at the forefront, caring for communities across the country and world. Some of the medical group’s actions in 2021 have included:

• Caring for millions of COVID-19 patients
• Deploying 300 clinicians in 2021 to Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana and Texas to care for patients in communities overwhelmed by COVID-19
• Providing medical care to more than 2,000 Hurricane Ida evacuees and 5,000 Afghan refugees
• Caring for patients impacted by the tornado outbreak across the Midwest and South in December 2021
• Donating oxygen concentrators to healthcare providers in India, enabling treatment of four to five COVID-19 patients simultaneously
• Providing surgical and essential medical care to more than 500 patients in Honduras and the Dominican Republic as part of Envision’s Global Health Initiative to support the health of communities worldwide
• Working with paramedics in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Emergency Triage, Treat and Transport (ET3) program to provide the right care at the right time and in the right place to patients across 11 states
• Supporting communities, including first responders and multiple professional sports teams within the NFL, MLS and MLB, with COVID-19 testing, vaccine administration and game-day medical support

Delivering High-Quality, Patient-Centered Care

As a leader in delivering quality care, Envision puts patients’ health and safety first. The medical group is continuously evaluating clinical best practices and implementing innovative care solutions to improve the health of communities. In addition to its robust quality programs, Envision operates a Patient Safety Organization certified by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The group also has a Qualified Clinical Data Registry approved by CMS to help with quality measure development, data collection and performance reporting. Through the registry, Envision is one of the largest submitters of performance data to Medicare, which means it is defining the quality of care at a national level. These platforms help Envision’s affiliated clinicians and healthcare partners drive toward safe, reliable and high-quality care.

Envision-affiliated clinicians have provided nearly 300,000 virtual health visits since the program was expanded at the beginning of the pandemic. The virtual health visits are primarily in the areas of office-based care, urgent care, neurology and post-acute care. The medical group is enhancing its virtual health capabilities to improve patients' access to the appropriate care.

Radiologists affiliated with Envision are leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance disease detection, case prioritization and diagnosis for three common and consequential medical emergencies: intracranial hemorrhages, pulmonary embolisms and cervical spine fractures.

As part of a series of educational initiatives, the medical group has shared its clinical expertise and recommendations to improve treatment and patient outcomes throughout the healthcare system. Envision and its affiliated clinicians continue to address the nation’s most pressing healthcare challenges, including healthcare disparities, maternal-fetal care, opioid prescription misuse and opioid use disorder, strokes and clinician well-being.

Caring for the Clinicians Who Care for America

A core tenet of Envision’s mission is to care for the clinicians who care for America. Envision is committed to protecting clinicians and fostering an environment that supports their professional and personal well-being. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Envision has expanded its wellness program, which includes free mental health services, peer-to-peer support, crisis debriefs, leadership training and counseling. These resources are part of a comprehensive, systems-based approach that focuses on the unique needs of clinicians and is shared with the entire medical community.

While Envision has always prioritized wellness, the pandemic put significant pressure on clinicians, requiring them to risk their health and safety to care for millions of patients while navigating the challenges that already existed within the complex and dated U.S. healthcare system. Envision advocated for the Dr. Lorna Breen Healthcare Provider Act – a bipartisan bill named in honor of Dr. Lorna Breen, an emergency physician in Manhattan who died by suicide in April 2020 after caring for patients during the first COVID-19 wave. It is designed to help change the culture and conditions that lead to burnout and eliminate the stigma that deters healthcare professionals from seeking mental healthcare.

Preventing Colorectal Cancer

AMSURG,​ a division of Envision Healthcare and a national leader in outpatient care, has worked alongside its physician partners throughout the year to perform more than 900,000 colonoscopies, helping patients detect and prevent colorectal cancer (CRC). CRC is the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. but one of the most preventable cancers. When detected early, CRC can be easier to treat, and patients often have better outcomes.

As more patients are diagnosed with CRC at a younger age, AMSURG is educating Americans on how they can prevent CRC and maintain their health. In 2021, AMSURG, one of the nation’s leading providers of colonoscopies, conducted crucial research in collaboration with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The teams’ findings support recommendations by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the American Cancer Society to lower the initial screening age from 50 to 45 for Americans who are at average risk for CRC.

Leading the Delivery of Care Into 2022

In 2021, the medical group cared for more than 32 million patients across the country, drawing upon its collective expertise to improve patient outcomes and the health of communities. The multispecialty team is developing solutions to healthcare challenges, improving patients’ access to care and helping lead the country in providing value-based care. In 2022, Envision will continue sharing clinical best practices with the healthcare community and advancing the delivery of care.

As Envision fights COVID-19, it urges Americans to follow safe and effective public health measures. Everyone plays a role in caring for one another. COVID-19 vaccines are one of the most effective tools available at preventing severe illness and saving someone’s life. Envision encourages all who are eligible, including children who are at least 5 years old, to become fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and receive their boosters when appropriate. In addition, wearing a mask, staying socially distant and testing for COVID-19 remain effective ways to mitigate the spread of the virus.

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About Envision Healthcare Corporation

Envision Healthcare Corporation is a leading national medical group that delivers physician and advanced practice provider services, primarily in the areas of emergency and hospitalist medicine, anesthesiology, radiology/teleradiology, and neonatology to more than 1,800 clinical departments in healthcare facilities in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Post-acute care is delivered through an array of clinical professionals and integrated technologies which, when combined, contribute to efficient and effective population health management strategies. As a leader in ambulatory surgical care, AMSURG holds ownership in more than 250 surgery centers in 34 states and the District of Columbia, with medical specialties ranging from gastroenterology to ophthalmology and orthopedics. In total, the medical group offers a differentiated suite of clinical solutions on a national scale with a local understanding of our communities, creating value for health systems, payers, providers, and patients. For additional information, visit www.envisionhealth.com.

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