Monthly Archives: February 2022

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Issued by AmerisourceBergen

AmerisourceBergen fosters a positive impact on people & the planet. Our 2021 Global Sustainability Report focuses on resilient operations, healthy communities for all and purpose-driven team members

AmerisourceBergen, a global healthcare company, released its 2021 Global Sustainability Report and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Reporting Index, detailing the impact of its robust sustainability and community efforts. The report and ESG Reporting Index, which are available through a microsite, highlight AmerisourceBergens commitment to corporate responsibility and global sustainability and contain detailed information on ESG performance. For the fourth year in a row, selected information within the 2021 report was assured by ERM Certification and Verification Services.

At AmerisourceBergen, we recognize the opportunity we have to advance initiatives that protect our planet and improve the wellbeing of people worldwide, said Gina Clark, EVP, Chief Communications & Administration Officer at AmerisourceBergen. As we expand our global footprint, our responsibility as stewards focused on sustainability and health equity grows exponentially. Weve leaned into this opportunity and continue to prioritize efforts and partnerships that improve access and equity in healthcare, create more sustainable operations across the supply chain and inspire team members to achieve their potential. We look forward to building upon the progress weve made as we continue to fulfill our promise of strong global sustainability.

The Corporate Responsibility and Global Sustainability strategy focuses on key priorities that align with the services and beliefs at AmerisourceBergen. The 2021 report and microsite detail several notable milestones, including initiatives led by Alliance Healthcare, a leading pharmaceutical wholesaler in Europe which AmerisourceBergen acquired in 2021. The highlights include:

COVID-19 Response: The role of AmerisourceBergen in the healthcare supply chain has never been more critical than during a global pandemic. AmerisourceBergen continued to deliver more than four million products daily to providers serving human and animal patients, while also supporting the distribution of COVID-19 therapies and vaccines and prioritizing solutions to support the well-being of team members around the world. Specific initiatives include:

Purpose-Driven Team Members: AmerisourceBergen engages team members and fosters a diverse and inclusive global workforce. The company strives to provide a safe, supportive work environment where team members can thrive, the companys purpose is shared, and individuality is celebrated. Specific initiatives in 2021 included:

Resilient and Sustainable Operations: As part of its commitment to efficient and responsible operations across the supply chain, AmerisourceBergen continues to deploy solutions that improve efficiency and product safety and enable the company to create a more sustainable footprint. Highlights include:

Healthy Communities for All: AmerisourceBergen strives to support equitable access to healthcare services in communities worldwide by making programs and medication accessible where needed most. Highlights include:

For more information on the 2021 Global Sustainability Report, please visit: https://sustainability.amerisourcebergen.com/

In addition to external assurance and verification, this report has been prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards: Core option. This ESG Reporting Index is aligned with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), World Economic Forum (WEF) Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).

AmerisourceBergens continued progress and commitment to advancing ESG initiatives is reflected by the companys inclusion in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2022, one of the most comprehensive publications providing in-depth analysis on corporate sustainability. AmerisourceBergen, which was one of the more than 7,000 companies assessed by S&P Global, scored within the top 15 percent of its industry and achieved an S&P Global ESG score within 30 percent of the industrys top-performing. AmerisourceBergen was also recently named one of Americas Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek magazine.

About AmerisourceBergen

AmerisourceBergen fosters a positive impact on the health of people and communities around the world by advancing the development and delivery of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products. As a leading global healthcare company, with a foundation in pharmaceutical distribution and solutions for manufacturers, pharmacies, and providers, we create unparalleled access, efficiency, and reliability for human and animal health. Our 42,000 global team members power our purpose: We are united in our responsibility to create healthier futures. AmerisourceBergen is ranked #8 on the Fortune 500 with more than $200 billion in annual revenue. Learn more at https://amerisourcebergen.com/.

Media Contact

Mike Iorfino, External Communications

Link:

AmerisourceBergen Releases 2021 Global Sustainability Report to Share Progress and Impact on Environmental, Social and Governance Priorities -...

We live in such an instant gratification world these days. When a commercial comes on, people check their phones to avoid any boredom. Some only watch highlights instead of the entire game. I do not exclude myself from this category. When I was ten years old, my mom wanted to gift me a Denver Broncos jersey. I was ecstatic and could not wait for a second to get that jersey in my hands. My favorite players were Rod Smith and Al Wilson, but there were no available jerseys at the time. The only available jersey was quarterback Jay Cutler. So since I knew I could have his jersey immediately, my mom got me that Cutler jersey. Big mistake. Jay Cutler now holds profound disdain among the Broncos community, while Rod Smith and Al Wilson are some of the Bronco greats.

Our desire to delay gratification is an issue for another time, but it can closely relate to the sporting world. There are many misconceptions some have about 1st round picks. One of them is that their draft status should correlate to All-Star caliber production in the future. In an ideal world, that would be the case; however, the chances of landing an All-Star player are as slippery as an eel. According to a 2019 study done by PDG-Analytics.com, the probability of drafting an All-Star was 10.1%.

Besides, the Nuggets took Kenneth Faried with the 22nd pick of the 2011 NBA draft, and although he was never a star player, I dont think many Nugget fans regret that pick entirely. In my opinion, Zeke Nnaji could be in a similar situation as he works to improve further. He was drafted 22nd overall in the 2020 draft with hopes to be the future power forward. Now, we fast forward to 2022, and the starting lineup, when healthy, consists of Michael Poreter Jr. and Aaron Gordon. At this point, the Nuggets desperately need a dependable role player off the bench, and I think they have one in Zeke Nnaji.

Michael Malone appears to feel the same way. On January 15th, coach Malone gave several quotes on his impressions of Zeke Nnaji this year. They are arranged in this Twitter thread:

Nnajis stats are somewhat limited by his opportunities and those who play ahead of him like Aaron Gordon and Jeff Green. He has played in 33 games this year, averages 15.3 minutes, 6.5 points, and 3.5 rebounds. Those numbers wont astonish you, but his shooting percentages might. He is shooting 53% from the field, 50.8% from three, and has an effective field goal percentage of 63.8%. He only shoots about two threes a game, but he leads the league in three-point percentage for players with 30+ games played and over one attempt per game.

Unfortunately, that shooting success was part of Nnajis struggles early on. Last season, he got off to a hot start shooting but did not impact the game in other ways due to his reliance on the three-ball. As his shooting efficiency declined, so did his playing time. This season, it seems to have turned around. He is shooting the best he ever has at a more consistent clip, but he also accepted the challenge of forming into the modern NBA big. His physicality and activity inside have skyrocketed from last year, along with his shooting consistency and defensive versatility.

This has been my favorite part of Nnajis game this year. This clip indicates who wants it more, and Nnaji gets rewarded for his hard work. When Hyland tries this layup, Nnaji parks himself in a good position in front of his opponent. Nevertheless, this layup will bounce off the left iron, and there are two Portland players shaded more to the left than Nnaji. Regardless, Nnaji reaches full extension to his left in a sea of hands, taps it to himself, and finishes with the two-hand slam. I would like to speak for all bigs when I say this, but there are few things more gratifying than snatching an offensive rebounding from an opponent and punching it home with two hands.

This clip is where you see Nnaji taking parts of Jokics game in the paint. Last season and throughout the summer league this season, he seemed to make quick yet indecisive decisions, but his patience is evident here. Malone also discussed his improvement as a roll man in pick-and-roll situations and this is a good example. When he receives the ball off the roll, three Portland defenders swarm the paint. Most unseasoned players, including Nnaji at times last year, panic but he remains level-headed. He sees a brief window of space between two defenders, executes a beautiful step-through, and finishes through contact. That is progression at its finest.

The patience and activity inside are on full display here. Jeff Green rises for a potential poster dunk, and instead of spectating, Nnaji boxes out to perfection for the offensive rebound. Once he grabs the board, he again has three defenders focused on him. Russell and Beasley position themselves to his right and left, so he calmly steps through to the middle. Then he pump fakes on Reid, knowing the Timberwolves are aggressive in their shot-blocking, and finishes easily with the layup.

Hindsight is 20/20 so we know the Timberwolves blew out Denver in this game, but at the moment, this is a big shot. They are down 20 as time dwindles in the 3rd, but there is still time for a comeback and a three would help ignite it. Nnaji is wide open at first, but Jokic does not give him his usual perfect pass as it bounces before it hits Nnajis hands. Its tough to make these shots as a shooter because you have to regain position. Again, Nnaji does not panic; he swiftly collects himself and nails the three as Beasley aggressively closes out. Once he hits the shot, he is fired up and completely believes a comeback is possible. Unfortunately, it was not in the cards that night, but the effort and execution do not go unnoticed.

This might have been Zekes best game as a professional. In a route versus the Knicks, he dropped 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 threes on this night. This three is a tough shot because although he has space to start with, Randle closes out hard and very nearly blocks this shot. He seems to slap Nnaji on the wrist on the follow-through, but he is not phased and knocks it down anyways. This is the type of shot you hit when youre in the zone, Nnaji was locked in that night, and I believe there are nights like this ahead.

This is what happens when you hit the three-ball consistently. Defenders take notice, so they give a hard closeout, but driving lanes are available when this happens. Facu skips the pass on to Nnaji, and if you can pause it at the 4-second mark, the Minnesota defender is getting ready to jump out of the gym. Nnaji recognizes the aggressive closeout and the open lane to paint to drive right. McDaniels give him a little contact on the way, but he absorbs it and baptizes the youngin with the right-handed jam sandwich. Such a wonderful sight.

This clip is from last year, but it shows his potential on the defensive end. You also do not see many rookies defend LeBron like this. Nnaji will follow LeBron all over the floor and he sticks to him like glue. Once LeBron drives on the wing, Zeke displays his perimeter defense by shuffling his feet well and showing his defensive IQ by keeping his hands and body straight up. At this point, LeBron knows he cant draw a foul, so he takes a challenging step back, and Nnaji nearly blocks it for the contest.

Here is another one of the greatest scorers we have ever seen matched up with Zeke Nnaji. He does a great job positioning himself once Middleton passes it to the other end. At the time of the pass, Zeke is fronting Giannis, and he knows if he continues to do this, Giannis will have an easy dunk. He also knows that he is done for if he lets Giannis get to the restricted area. So he gets on Gianniss back, protects the restricted area, consumes the contact, and stands his ground. This forces Giannis to take a fadeaway jumper, and when Giannis turns around, Nnaji is right there with a hand in his face.

Zeke finds himself in a tough position here, but he makes the best of it. He has to choose between two wide-open people. If he leaves Allen (the ball handler) open, he might knock down this three, but if he leaves Holiday open, its dangerous as well. Nnaji picks the right play and runs towards Allen because he has the ball, but he also knows that Allen will pass it off to Holiday as soon as he does this. His prediction comes true; he shows his quick hands and activity in the passing lane, which results in an open layup.

Ultimately, I am not here to say Zeke Nnaji is the second coming of Antawn Jamison or Rasheed Wallace. Nnaji is his own player with his own unique potential and a distinct progression path. These players are 18-21 years of age, some younger or older, are tasked with competing against the worlds best athletes. Not only that, but they are in the process of forming themselves as an adult amongst many fully-developed, prestigious people.

No, Nnaji is not filling the stat sheet, nor will he be named for a spot in the Rising Stars Challenge at the All-Star Game, but his progression is a welcome sight. He endured the early struggles and continues to do so, but the advancements in his game are clear. He is far from reaching his potential, but he has the right attitude and works to perfect his craft. I respect what he has done in a Nugget uniform so far, and I am excited to see what possibilities may appear.

More:

Progress is not always linear, but Zeke Nnajis stock is gradually on the rise - Denver Stiffs

A trip to Las Vegas to CES included a 24-mile drive north of the Las Vegas Strip to visit the Las Vegas Motor Speedway ahead of the big show. The reason? It was a chance to view competitors taking part in the Indy Autonomous Challenge.

Farm Progress wrote about that challenge in 2021, when the idea was launched. And despite the pandemic, nine teams took place in the speed challenge at the legendary Brickyard in Indianapolis in October 2021. The key was speed, and the PoliMove (for Politecnico of Milan, Italy) team earned $1 million by hitting 157 mph to win the initial challenge. The fastest lap was 139 mph, and the fastest two-lap average was 136 mph. That same PoliMove team, later in the year, set a new land speed record for an autonomous car at 175.96 mph.

A few days before the race challenge, Farm Progress checked out the teams. Each car has the same infrastructure;what differs is the programming code and management of the onboard systems.

It's an interesting exercise, and the program sent out invitations, netting 41 universities that signed up to compete. In the end, it winnowed the field down to 10 teams representing 23 universities and partners. But the challenge wasn't over.

Nine teams made the trip to Las Vegas, and this time, the goal was different. "This time it's not about speed; it's about passing," says Paul Mitchell, CEO, Energy Systems Network, organizer of the challenge.

That trip out of the Strip is an eye-opener when a visitor arrives at the track to find cars, engineers and programmers poring over their vehicles. Then without a driver the car leaves the pit area and heads around the track.

As one grad student explains, the cars use ROS 2.0, which is short for "robot operating system," as a baseline program. From that, the routing and controls are programmed by each team. The cars, engines, sensors and base code are the same, but each team can innovate the code as they see necessary.

The challenge many faced is that harsh conditions and operating above 100 mph can be harsh have more impact on physical parts than the programming. Harnesses, sensors and vision systems that become unhooked don't work so well.

The cockpit of the Indy Autonomous Challenge cars is filled with technology and computers, including vision systems to see along the route.

These are complex machines, and while a series of left turns around an oval may seem like easy programming, it isn't. Add in that the passing challenge worth $150,000 to the winning team complicates operation even more.

A walk around the pits and chatting with programmers was an eye-opener. Farm Progress gravitated to the team with an Auburn University logo on the side of the car, where we watched the teams work on programming and the cars. Where a driver would sit rests the brains of the car. The space in an Indy car is tight, so cramming in computer systems didn't make the space look roomier.

Farm Progress was unable to attend the "passing challenge," but the PoliMove team that walked away with the $1 million took the $150,000, too.

"This program started with the DARPA autonomous vehicle challenge," Mitchell says. DARPA is the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, promoting advanced tech that could be leveraged by the military.

That vehicle challenge wasn't about speed, but about autonomy across a specific course in a specific time. The challenge builds on the awareness systems of DARPA and others. The cars use Lidar, a sensing method that uses pulses of laser light, to look ahead for objects. While the system in use is good for up to 200-feet, we learned it's better at 40 to 80 feet, given that the course turns. The system offers visual data for running the course.

Why might a farmer be interested in a driverless race car? Not for the future of competition, but these systems working at this speed help validate the programming and provide confidence that autonomous vehicles on road or off will perform as designed.

Nine teams competed in the Las Vegas Indy Autonomous Challenge, including Auburn University, in a team called Autonomous Tiger Racing. There are 19 universities from eight countries on the nine teams.

Mitchell notes that one surprise he got out of the program is the level of cooperation between teams during development. "Sure they're competing, but they're also working to share ideas and solve problems," he says.

You can learn more, and watch those cars passing at speed by visiting indyautonomouschallenge.com.

See the original post:

Robot cars hit the track - Farm Progress

If there is one area of the pitch where Manchester City have no cause for concern at present, judging by the success seen in recent years and the first-half of the ongoing season, then it is in the wide department.

With Raheem Sterlings recent resurgence, Phil Fodens ascent as one of the best youngsters in Europe, Riyad Mahrez continuing to put in the numbers, and Jack Grealishs 100 million capture last summer, City have an enviable roster of wingers.

The prodigious Cole Palmer can also now be added to the list, while Gabriel Jesus has largely operated on the right flank this season, highlighting the strength in depth out wide within Pep Guardiola's squad.

However, Manchester City supporters have now become accustomed to an impressive method of forward planning executed by Etihad officials, and a new report has highlighted this trend.

As per the information ofESPN's Mark Ogden, Manchester City arewatching the progress of Arsenal's Bukayo Saka and could be tempted to make a move if the Gunners fail to qualify for the Champions League by the end of the season.

It has been claimed that Manchester City have been joined by Premier League title rivals Liverpool in monitoring the England internationals situation and performances at the North London club.

With Bukayo Sakas current contract set to expire in 2023, there may be a chance that the 20-year old could be open to a switch in the summer, if he decides not to commit his long-term future to the Emirates Stadium.

Considering the likes of Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez are also contracted to the club until 2023, there may be a possibility that one of Manchester Citys stalwarts are let go next season.

Bukayo Saka is one of the most gifted young wingers in Europe at present, and a potential swoop for the young forward in the summer could prove to be an incredible coup for years to come.

You can follow us for live updates here:@City_Xtra

Read more:

Manchester City and Liverpool Monitoring Progress of Arsenal Star Forward With Summer Swoop Mooted - Sports Illustrated

01 February 2022

Work on the Safety Significant Confinement Ventilation System (SSCVS) at the US Department of Energy's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico made significant progress last year following earlier delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Construction of the three major facilities of what will be the largest containment fan system in the underground complex "showed major advancements" in 2021, WIPP said.

The foundation for the New Filter Building, where 1000-horsepower fans will pull air through high-efficiency particulate absorbing (HEPA) filtration, was completed three weeks early, kick-starting construction of the building's walls.

The precast concrete walls and roof of the Salt Reduction Building were also installed. This, WIPP said, was a DOE/HQ Environmental Management complex-wide priority for 2021.

In addition, the utility shaft - the massive air intake for the system - has reached 124 feet (38 metres) of its projected 2275-foot (693-metre) depth. The new shaft saw the installation of a plenum (chamber) and ductwork that will force air into the underground. It will be WIPP's largest shaft at 26 feet (8 metres) in diameter when completed.

The SSCVS system is scheduled to start operating in 2025, providing up to 540,000 cubic feet per minute (cfm) of air in either filtered or unfiltered modes.

"More air allows more machinery to work in the underground and makes for a safer and more comfortable working condition," WIPP said.

Whilst WIPP constructs the SSCVS system, it has prepared to restart one of its legacy fans, the 700-C, in order to maintain ventilation capacity. The WIPP ventilation system currently pulls 170,000 cfm of filtered air throughout the underground. The 700-C fan will provide 240,000 cfm of unfiltered air for non-emplacement activities, such as mining and rock bolting.

Mining of the eighth panel at WIPP was completed in October 2021, seven years after work began. After outfitting with power, communications and air monitors, Panel 8 will be ready to start accepting transuranic (TRU) waste when Panel 7 reaches full capacity in April this year.

WIPP is the USA's only repository for the disposal of TRU waste. Sealed drums of waste - clothing, tools, rags, residues, debris, soil and other items contaminated with small amounts of plutonium and other man-made radioactive elements from the US military programme - are placed in "rooms" carved out of salt rock by laser-guided continuous miner machines.

The WIPP repository is mined out of an ancient salt formation more than 2000 feet below ground. The repository is configured to have eight panels - four on each side of the main access passageways, or drifts - although two further panels are also planned.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

Link:

Progress on WIPP ventilation upgrade : Waste & Recycling - World Nuclear News

DCCA News

By Marilyn Delk

The Metropolitan Opera opened its 2021-2022 season with Fire Shut Up in My Bones, a work composed by Terence Blanchard based on a memoir by journalist Charles Blow; interesting but the most intriguing component underlying this announcement is that real progress is being made, slow as that progress may have been. This production is the first opera written by a black composer ever staged at the Met in its 138 years of existence!

Blanchard expressed his feelings about this disturbing fact by saying, The arts are supposed to be things that bring us together, that throw away all of those notions of bigotry and intolerance, right? So it breaks my heart to think that William Grant Still approached the Met, and was turned away. Over a 20-year span, William Grant Still, known as the dean of African American composers, submitted three operas to the Met, all deemed not suitable for performance by the company.

Still was the first African American composer to have a symphony performed by a leading orchestra, the first to have an opera performed by a major opera company, and the first to have an opera performed on national television, yet his work was not suitable for our nations most prestigious opera company! He composed nearly 200 works, including five symphonies, four ballets, nine operas, over 30 choral works, plus art songs, chamber music, and works for solo instruments; when he conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl in 1936, he became the first African American to conduct a major American orchestra in a performance of his own work. He received three Guggenheim Fellowships in music composition, was awarded honorary doctorates from Oberlin College, Wilberforce University, Howard University, and several more prestigious institutions, and in 1976 his Los Angeles home was designated a Historic Cultural Monument but the Met found his work amateurish and uninteresting. Hmmm could there be a racial component to this?

However, in this case, the Met reached out to black musician and composer Terence Blanchard about presenting his opera. Blanchard was raised in a New Orleans home filled with opera, but discovered his passion for jazz after starting to play trumpet at age nine; his highly successful and diverse career as a jazz trumpeter and composer has won acclaim from music lovers around the world, with his work earning numerous prestigious awards. When considering subject matter for his first opera, Blanchard says that he was drawn to Charles Blows autobiography, explaining that he related to the notion of being isolated in your own community.

Charles Blow grew up in a poor, dysfunctional household in a small Louisiana town, earned a scholarship to Grambling University, and is now a highly respected op-ed columnist for The New York Times. His autobiographys title, Fire Shut Up in My Bones, comes from a Biblical quote in the book of Jeremiah: Within me there is something like a burning fire shut up in my bones. Blanchard expertly translated the emotions expressed in the book into music that stirs emotions in listeners of all races and ethnic origins.

One of Blows sentences which especially moved Blanchard provides a high point in the opera: There once was a boy of peculiar grace. Blanchards lyric then goes on to say that this is a dangerous existence for a man of my race, and The South is no place for a boy of peculiar grace. The song ends on a hopeful note, as the boy puts his questions aside and moves to a brighter future.

The Mets first presentation of an opera written by a black composer was warmly received, selling out all performances which were often interrupted by standing ovations while winning high critical acclaim; the production has been praised as being unlike any other opera. Blanchard says, Its time for us to move on . Im trying to find the sound for my generation. And the Met has said that it would like to commission the black composer to write another opera. So after 138 years, a venerable elite institution is progressing toward a more inclusive future.

Marilyn Delk is the former executive director of the Darke County Center for the Arts and can be reached at [emailprotected] Viewpoints expressed in the article are the work of the author. The Daily Advocate does not endorse these viewpoints or the independent activities of the author.

More:

Tale of artistic progress in honor of black history month - The Daily Advocate

You know your health system or organization needs to focus on physician well-being to curb burnout, but how do you know if what you are doing is making a difference?

In a JAMA Viewpoint column, How to Measure Progress in Addressing Physician Well-being Beyond Burnout, Christine A. Sinsky, MD, the AMAs vice president of professional satisfaction, and her co-authors offer suggestions on how to evaluate whether specific interventions an organization has taken to address occupational distress and enhance professional satisfaction are working.

Demonstrating outcomes is crucial for understanding the effectiveness of programs to address physician well-being and for making the case for continued investment in well-being to clinic, hospital, system and national leadership, the viewpoint says. As with the patient safety and quality movements, intermediate outcomes (upstream of the big, important outcomes such as mortality or, in this case, burnout) will be needed to help evaluate specific interventions and assess progress on efforts to enhance physician well-being.

Six useful metrics

The National Academy of Medicine in 2019 laid out priority areas for enhancing clinician well-being, including creating positive work and learning environments, and reducing administrative tasks. The viewpoint suggests that the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has an opportunity to develop measures that correspond to each of the focus areas.

The AHRQ could, for example, recommend choosing from a core set of validated, evidence-based intermediate measures in their funded studies focused on physician experience. This could facilitate more standardized evaluation of interventions to improve well-being, the viewpoint says.

From a table accompanying the viewpoint, here are six examples of intermediate metrics that correspond to key focus areas for enhancing physician well-being that can be measured from existing data or newly collected data.

Positive work environments

Existing data: Physician turnover rates. The percentage of physicians who complete set amounts of time with their organization. For example, two years, five years or 10 years.

Newly collected data: Team communication, such as the presence of regular team huddles. Team structure, such as how many clinical support staff employees there are per physician. Team function, such as skill level and institutionally allowed scope of work. Team stability, such as the frequency of the same individuals working together.

Positive organizational culture

Newly collected data, new structures: Establish a chief wellness officer with a dedicated resource and budget. This also includes regular measurement of burnout and its precursors.

Additionally, track costs of physician burnout and report to senior leadership. There should also be shared accountability among the executive leadership team for the physician workforces well-being scores.

Positive learning environments

Existing data: Decrease in the number of reports of bias and sexual harassment over time. Percent of positive responses to educational environment responses on the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) Graduation Questionnaire. Increases in percent of positive responses over time.

Newly collected data: Percentage of learners who endorse their clinical preceptors providing regular feedback.

Reducing administrative burden

Existing data: Active EHR time. Time logged into the EHR. Documentation time. Work outside of scheduled clinical hours. Inbox time. Percentage of orders with team contribution.

Newly collected data, new structures: Percentage of prior authorizations completed by a nonphysician team member. Inbox reduction initiative. Policy de-implementation initiative at the institutional level.

Enabling technology solutions

Existing data: Time spent dailytotal and after-hourson the EHR.

Newly collected data: Number of notes written with documentation assistance.

Providing support to clinicians and learners

Existing data: Percentage of trainees and faculty who successfully progress in and graduate from medical training by gender, race, and ethnicity.

Newly collected data: Number of annual visits to confidential, onsite occupational support resource.

Leverage existing data

Using data that organizations are already collecting and minimizing the amount of time spent on data collection is important.

Doing so will allow enhanced understanding of the experiences of work without adding to the numerous measurement requirements already faced by physicians, the viewpoint notes.

Committed to makingphysician burnouta thing of the past, theAMA has studied,and is currently addressing, issues causing and fueling physician burnoutincluding time constraints, technology and regulationsto betterunderstand and reduce the challenges physicians face.

By focusing on factors causing burnout at the system level, the AMA assesses an organizations well-being and offers guidance and targeted solutions to support physician well-being and satisfaction.

Follow this link:

6 ways to measure progress toward physician well-being - American Medical Association

Work can now be done to name Highway 65 in Porterville in honor of Porterville Fire Captain Ramon Raymond Figueroa and Firefighter Patrick Jones.

As part of its consent calendar the council approved a Caltrans permit for the installation of the memorial signs along Highway 65 in honor of Figueroa and Jones, who were killed in the February 18, 2020 fire that destroyed the Porterville Public Library.

The action now paves the way for Highway 65 to be known as the Captain Ramon Figueroa Firefighter Patrick Jones Memorial Highway.

State Senator Melissa Hurtado introduced a resolution last year to name Highway 65 in honor of Figueroa and Jones. The Captain Ramon Figueroa Firefighter Patrick Jones Memorial Highway will run along Highway 65 from Teapot Dome to Pioneer.

The families of Figueroa and Jones were consulted on the preferred memorial highway signage. Caltrans has designated the southbound and northbound locations of the signs.

The city will be financially responsible for the maintenance of the signs should they become damaged or if they need to be replaced. KRC Safety Company, has donated the cost for the signs and their installation.

A dedication ceremony for the Captain Ramon Figueroa Firefighter Patrick Jones Memorial Highway will be held at a still to be determined date.

REDISTRICTING

The Porterville City Council reached a consensus on Tuesday that a map designed by its consultant in the redistricting process, Best, Best and Krieger, be the one that's the frontrunner to be the new map for the five districts the council members represent.

The council could approve introducing an ordinance for the map to be the one that's used at its meeting on February 15. The third public hearing on redistricting was held at Tuesday's meeting and the final public hearing on the matter will be held at the February 15 meeting.

There's still time for anyone from the public to draw their own proposed draft map to be considered. Maps can be drawn at MapPorterville.org where all the information on the redistricting process can be found. Maps need to be drawn by Monday, February 7 to be considered at the February 15 meeting. Final adoption of the map needs to be done by April 17 and then submitted to the county registrar.

The council could still make revisions to the map it has selected if it chooses to do so. One other map drawn by a member of the public was submitted and considered at Tuesday's meeting.

But the council came to a consensus that it favored the map drawn by its consultant. The consultant's map significantly reduced the population deviation of the five districts to less than one percent, well below the 10 percent required threshold. The current population deviation of the districts is above the threshold at 15 percent.

The other map drawn by a member of the public also had a population deviation below the threshold at 5 percent.

But the biggest advantage of the consultant's map is it was able to achieve a population deviation of less than one percent by making minor population changes and keeping the districts virtually the same as they are now.

The map drawn by the member of the public made major population changes, moving large populations from District 2 to Districts 3 and 4. So that would mean many people who would have voted in the November election would have had to wait until 2024.

The new map for the districts will go into effect for the November election and Districts 1 and 2 are up for election in November. Districts 3, 4 and 5 will be up for election in 2024.

Since the consultant's map made little changes as far as who will vote this November, the council favored that map.

Lawana Tate represents District 1 and has said she will run in the November election to stay in her seat. Milt Stowe represents District 2 and announced recently on Kent Hopper's Hopper in the Morning Podcast he won't run for reelection.

One member of the public spoke during the public hearing and that was 75-year-old Rae Dean Strawn, who was taken into handcuffs and into a police car to the Porterville Police Station for not wearing her face mask properly.

Strawn said since the council isn't representing the community the way it should there should be at least 7 districts which would give more community members more of a say since the city is growing.

It's my opinion there needs to be more districts in the city, Strawn said. Right now we have five council men and women that aren't representing our city and getting the job done.

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Progress continues on naming highway in honor of firefighters - Porterville Recorder

There is always room for improvement in everything we do; being open to constructive criticism is a must if you are to improve on your product or service. Think of the progress made in technology year over year. Improvements were driven by the customer experience, needs, and interests. However, aspiring to do better every day should not negate the accomplishments made over time. Our successes need to be honored and celebrated as well.

Much has been said over the past several months about the interactions between those living with mental illness and law enforcement. We have heard about the catastrophic outcomes, including the loss of life for the person living with mental illness and/or addiction, as well as the pronounced trauma experienced by the law enforcement professionals involved. These situations are tragic and deserve a careful examination of the circumstances and the facts. The hope is that we could develop ways to avoid negative outcomes in the future.

At the same time, it is important to recognize the progress made to support those living with mental illness not only during times of crisis, but also when living successful, fulfilling lives in the community. For many years Riverbend Community Mental Health has worked closely with Concord first responders. Riverbends board of directors has been fortunate to have retired N.H. commissioner of safety John Barthelmes, Concord Police Chief Brad Osgood, and John Chisholm, the deputy chief of administration for the Concord Fire Department.All three are integral members of a diverse board addressing several key strategic initiatives, including integrated approaches to treating people in crisis.

We are also grateful for the leadership of Chief Osgood and that of Commissioner of Safety Robert Quinn. They have dedicated countless hours to training their teams on signs and symptoms of mental illness and de-escalation techniques when working with people in psychiatric crisis.In addition, Commissioner Quinn was recently honored for his work in supporting his troopers in managing daily stress, burnout, and critical incident debriefing and post-traumatic stress.

The Mobile Crisis Response Team has been active in Concord for 6 years.In the past three years, Riverbend alone has responded to 11,904 calls to assist someone in psychiatric crisis. The mobile crisis team has been deployed to community locations 1,017 times. Of these calls, 69 were referrals from the police department. Working together we have reduced the need to use force to manage a situation. The other nine community mental health centers in New Hampshire are engaged in similar processes. With the Jan. 1implementation of the Rapid Response Access Point and Rapid Response teams, all of New Hampshire now has access to mobile crisis services.

Although a high percentage of incarcerated people are also living with mental illness, the vast majority of people living with mental illness are not involved in the criminal justice system. They are not violent, they are not dangerous. Consider this: Riverbend serves over 7,000 people a year; 95 percent are living in the community, and most are employed either independently or through the Supported Employment Program. They attend outpatient services, pay taxes, and have families and friends who love them. They deserve to be treated with kindness, compassion, dignity, and respect, like every other person living with any other illness.

We all strive to do better every day. We will continue to work with our law enforcement and other first responder colleagues in a collaborative manner. We will continue to have high expectations of ourselves and the services we offer. People living with mental illness and/or addiction deserve nothing less.

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Commentary: Improving mental health and law enforcement interactions, and recognizing progress made New Hampshire Bulletin - New Hampshire Bulletin