MOUNTAIN STATES HEALTH ALLIANCE AUXILIARY
400 N State of Franklin Road, Johnson City, TN 37604 balladhealth.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: To render services to Mountain States Health Alliance and its related hospitals

The purpose of the organization is to render services to Ballad Health and its related hospitals; its patients, guests, and team members, while assisting Ballad Health in promoting the health and welfare of the community served, and to function as an advisory board to the Mountain States Health Alliance volunteer and auxiliary resources leadership team. In addition to the volunteers reflected in our active volunteer count reported on Line 6 of Part I, home volunteers continue to crochet or knit baby blankets and caps, quilt or sew lap blankets for patients, hats for cancer patients, large Christmas stockings for babies born in December, and other items for cancer patients, as well as perform clerical work from home.Smyth County Community Hospital Auxiliary is continuing to provide Cancer Bags for patients. They fill the bags with items that are appropriate for these patients such as chap stick, lotion, CDs, blankets, water, and other items. This has been very well received by patients.There are many service and special project opportunities for volunteers throughout Ballad Healths service areas. The leadership within Mountain States Health Alliance volunteer and auxiliary resources departments work very closely with volunteers to ensure appropriate volunteer placement so that each volunteer may provide service in an area that is a good match for him/her.Auxiliary volunteers have the same onboarding process as paid team members; including, but not limited to, required immunizations, orientation, competencies and unit/department training where they will be assigned. Annual evaluations are conducted to ensure a consistent provision of quality service to patients, visitors, and team members.Volunteers work throughout the year to assist hospital staff, patients, and patient families. Some of the services provided by auxiliary volunteers during FY20 through Niswonger Childrens Hospital (NICH) included: The continuance and enhancement of the Bear Buddies Program utilizing community volunteers and team members to help children improve their reading skills. This is a regional program being expanded to all the Ballad Health service areas. The Regional Cancer Center of Kingsport located by Indian Path Community Hospital currently has volunteers serving there. The volunteers provide support for the patients, families and staff by offering drinks, snacks, blankets and pillows as well as serving lunches. They also provide a Courtesy Cart program which helps facilitate transportation of patients. Most volunteers are cancer survivors who are genuinely interested in the patients as individuals, making the Centers oncology visits less stressful.In the Greeneville, Tennessee hospitals, volunteers service the outpatient desk, nursing floors, laboratory, radiation oncology, womens center/breast health awareness, and volunteer office. With delivery of gift shop flowers, cards and newspapers daily, the volunteers strive to make a difference in the lives of our patients and their families. We have placed a family surgical lounge volunteer in the lounge and in our medical office buildings. The Greeneville Auxiliary Volunteers donate to a local food bank and to the Coal Fund, a program operated by a local ministry that aids with heating bills for those in need.Patient ambassador volunteers at Johnson City Medical Center (JCMC), Franklin Woods Community Hospital (FWCH), Holston Valley Medical Center (HVMC) and Indian Path Community Hospital (IPCH) work closely with clinical staff to identify educational needs and any other issues that need to be addressed. Smyth County Community Hospitals nursing care facility, Frances Marion Manor and Rehabilitation, has a volunteer program where a highly trained volunteer sits with a patient and encourages the patient to eat. This includes opening cartons of milk or juice or packets and providing a dinner time companion which helps the patient have a better meal time experience. This program in other hospitals has shown to improve outcomes resulting in patients eating better and experiencing positive social interaction.Mended Hearts Program at JCMC:Mended Hearts is affiliated with the American College of Cardiologists. The programs mission is dedicated to inspiring hope and improving the quality of life for heart patients and their families through ongoing peer-to-peer support. Free monthly programs with relevant speakers, usually with a heart-healthy meal provided, are available for persons with a history of heart problems. The program supports the patient and family through hospitalization, rehabilitation and beyond. The program has trained and accredited volunteers, referred to as heart visitors. The heart visitors are present every day to answer questions for cardiac patients and their families, relieving some of their anxiety. They also visit patients having heart catheterizations, distributing a packet of information provided by the national organization.Fresh baked cookies are served in waiting rooms of various departments such as ICU, Surgery, Radiology and Oncology at JCMC, FWCH, IPCH and Sycamore Shoals Hospital (SSH). Auxiliary-operated gift shops (most Ballad Health hospitals) provide merchandise for patients, visitors and team members. The gift shop volunteers not only sell merchandise; but, more often than not, provide a listening ear to family members needing to verbalize concerns about their hospitalized family members. Volunteer Chaplains:The staff of the Spiritual and Pastoral Care Department endeavors to affirm and respect each person, to be inclusive of all, and to approach diverse religious convictions with sensitivity. Our employed chaplains are supplemented by a high-quality core of volunteer chaplains composed of representatives of various denominations in our area. In selecting these persons, we seek people who will adhere to our Code of Ethics and will attempt to relate to each patients particular religious/spiritual understanding and not proselytize or coerce.Each volunteer chaplain participating in the Ballad Health Spiritual and Pastoral Care Department goes through a rigorous interview and training regimen found in our Guide to Clinical Practice. This 57-page document orients individuals to Pastoral Care at Ballad Health facilities.Volunteer chaplains work in the hospitals throughout Ballad Health. They provide pastoral care visitation and support to patients, families of patients and team members. Where implemented, our chaplain programs are on-call, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. At our larger hospitals, we have spiritual care volunteers who provide scheduled coverage and daily visitations for added support and presence.In addition to the many volunteer hours provided to the hospitals, the auxiliary raises money for the hospitals to help fund needed projects. Individual Ballad Health hospitals make a donatation request to the auxiliary. Funding is made to a hospital only after the auxiliary board has reviewed and approved a request. Most often, donations fund small capital items such as a piece of medical equipment or items directed toward improved patient care or comfort.During FY20, Mountain States Health Alliance Auxiliary donated over $8,000 to help fund items such as wheel chairs for entrances at hospitals and to restock patient clothing closets.COVID-19:COVID-19 had a significant effect on all services provided by volunteers and donations to the hospitals. Volunteers were furloughed March 2020 until July 2020 as were volunteer managers and directors.

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