Sustainability Report 2023

Our Sustainability Impact: 2023 by the Numbers

Focusing on patients

• 100% of U.S. facilities are licensed by their state and accredited by regulatory bodies, such as The Joint Commission and/or Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities
• 15 facilities with Gluten-Free Food Service validation
• 91% of Behavioral Health patients indicated they felt better following care at one of our facilities*
• 89% of Behavioral Health patients indicated they were treated with dignity and respect**

Supporting our valued teams

• 75% of U.S. workforce are women
• 57% of U.S. workforce is ethnically diverse
• 1,600+ veterans hired in U.S.
• 81% of U.S. employees report that they feel included on their team/work unit***
• 87% of U.S. employees report that the person they report to treats them with respect***

Partnering with local communities

• $7.1 billion in salaries, wages and benefits
• 10+ year partnership with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention to help those in crisis
• 14 years on Fortune magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies list
• $2.6 billion of uncompensated care at our Acute Care hospitals

Investing in the environment

• 15 Energy Star certifications
• 90% of lights in UHS’ U.S. facilities are equipped with LED versions
• 5,080.5 metric tons of paper collected, shredded and recycled
• 13 Acute Care hospitals using new application to track food waste
• 100% of electricity has been procured from renewable sources since 2021 across all Cygnet facilities in the U.K.

Governing structure

• 4 (of 6) Board Committees provide oversight of sustainability-related issues
• 43% of UHS Board of Directors members are women
• 48 privacy and data-security-related policies maintained at the Corporate level and locally by U.S. facilities
• 2 Patient Safety Organizations registered under the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to govern patient-safety initiatives (one for each Division)

*Based on 378,534 respondents to 2023 patient satisfaction surveys
**Based on 378,750 respondents to 2023 patient satisfaction surveys
***Based on 50,064 employees who responded to U.S. Pulse Employee Engagement Survey

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Our Principles

We stand for excellence, each and every day, at each and every encounter. Our Principles set a high bar and reflect our purpose.

• We Provide Superior Quality Patient Care
• We Value Each Member of Our Team and All Their Good Work
• We Are Committed to Being a Highly Ethical Healthcare Provider
• We Are Devoted to Serving Our Local Community

Learn more about our principles →

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Corporate Recognition

In 2023, UHS was listed among the Fortune 500, Fortune magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies, Forbes’ Global 2000 World’s Largest Public Companies Hall of Fame and Philadelphia Business Journal’s Largest Healthcare Systems and Hospitals in Greater Philadelphia region. We also were named among the 2023 American Opportunity Index Top 100 for parity, pay and promotion and recognized as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity 2024 by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group.

Our leaders are recognized for their expertise, thought leadership and contributions to national, regional and local initiatives. Highlights include:

• In 2023, Marc D. Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer, was featured as a thought leader on multiple prominent venues, including on The CEO Forum Group’s Top 10 CEOs Transforming Healthcare in America. Mr. Miller also was named among CEOWORLD magazine’s list of the World’s Most Influential CEOs and Business Executives of 2024. He and Steve Filton, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, were also recognized among Becker’s Hospital Review list of top performing CEO/CFO for health systems and hospitals.
• Karen E. Johnson, Senior Vice President, Chief Clinical Officer, Behavioral Health Division, continued to represent UHS across several national industry associations: The Joint Commission’s Health Systems Corporate Liaisons group, National Association of Behavioral Health’s Quality Committee, Federation of American Hospitals’ Quality Committee and Behavioral Health Taskforce, the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention Executive Committee, among others. Recognized as an industry thought leader, Ms. Johnson continues to use her platform to advocate for behavioral health resources, including the U.S.’ 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
• Georgene Saliba, RN, BSN, MBA, FASHRM, Vice President, Insurance, was bestowed the 2023 Distinguished Service Award from the American Society for Health Care Risk Management, the highest honor presented to an individual to recognize their lifetime of achievement in the field of risk management.
• Eric Goodwin, VP and Chief Information Officer, was presented the annual ORBIE Award by PhillyCIO for his exceptional leadership, innovation and vision.

Learn more about our awards →
Follow us on LinkedIn →

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Focusing on Patients

Throughout UHS’ decades-long history, staff at the front line of patient care – and all others who support them – are committed to making patients their top priority.

Prioritizing quality care and safety

Providing high-quality, compassionate care to patients in environments that are safe and promote well-being is the core of our Mission and guides day-to-day work. Leadership teams encourage exploration and investment in new resources, tools and methods of care that help teams meet, or exceed, quality and safety standards.

Embracing quality standards

In 2023, UHS expanded access to quality healthcare services, bringing new facilities and/or needed service lines to underserved and/or underpopulated areas. Through compliance with The Joint Commission’s Health Equity Standards, facilities improved processes and procedures to better identify and address patient health-related social needs to improve health outcomes. At Behavioral Health facilities, this included creating specific patient programming and group curriculum to address patients’ overall health wellness. Health Equity reports, which identify inequities for specific populations, are shared with Acute Care facilities’ Executive Committees and Board of Directors at least monthly to help guide distribution of resources and focus. Both Divisions create facility-level and Division-level reports for goal setting and plan to trend metrics over time. Facilities will continue working with external agencies to identify locally available resources to address disparities, such as housing or food insecurities.

Industry and patient accolades

Both Divisions utilize innovative models of care, education and continuous assessment of important processes or outcomes related to patient care, patient safety and/or organizational functions. Division and Quality teams meet regularly to share data, insights and best practices to improve processes that affect patient care outcomes, identify educational needs and evaluate clinical competence of staff.

The Acute Care Division remained focused on quality and service, operational efficiency and physician alignment. Its pursuit of excellence in these areas was recognized in the following industry honors:

• Twelve Acute Care hospitals were awarded an “A” or “B” safety grade from The Leapfrog Group during Fall and/or Spring Ratings. Cornerstone Regional Hospital also earned the Top General Hospital designation.
• For the second year in a row, ER at Fruitville, an extension of Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, was honored with Press Ganey’s Human Experience Guardian of Excellence Award® – Emergency Department Site for Patient Experience.
• In 2024, St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center was awarded its fourth consecutive World’s Best Hospitals award from Newsweek and Statista, while Lakewood Ranch Medical Center was named on their America’s Best Maternity Hospitals 2023 list for the second consecutive year.
• South Texas Health System and The George Washington University Hospital earned U.S. News & World Report’s Best Regional Hospital badges as well as at least seven High Performing designations. Collectively, UHS Acute Care facilities earned 67 High Performing awards for procedures/conditions – an increase of 14% over the previous year.
• Centennial Hills Hospital Medical Center, Corona Regional Medical Center, Southwest Healthcare Rancho Springs Hospital and The George Washington University Hospital earned U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 High Performing Hospital for Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy) – the highest accolade for this category.

Meanwhile, the Behavioral Health Division focused on quality care, patient safety and satisfaction, as well as employee engagement. In 2023, the Division continued to outperform peers across multiple metrics and earn high marks from patients and referring partners:

• In the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Quality Reporting requirements, UHS Behavioral Health facilities are compared to 1,500 psychiatric providers across the country; collectively, they exceeded national averages in 8 out of 12 indicators.
• Respondents to our patient satisfaction survey rated their overall care as 4.4 out of 5.
• 91% of Behavioral Health patients indicated they felt better following care at one of our facilities.
• 89% of Behavioral Health patients indicated they were treated with dignity and respect.
• 85% of parents and guardians indicated that the Behavioral Health facilities’ academic staff truly cared about their child.

Black Bear Lodge, La Amistad Behavioral Health Services, Pride Institute, Talbott Recovery and The Ridge Behavioral Health System were named on the America’s Best Addiction Treatment Centers 2023 list from Newsweek and Statista.

Meanwhile, Cygnet, UHS’ subsidiary in the U.K., continued to be held in high regard in 2023:

• 83% of services evaluated earned a Good or Outstanding rating by regulators.
• 86% of patients say after their stay they feel better and feel they had improved.
• 100% of inpatient schools in Cygnet’s Child and Adolescent facilities are rated “Good” by the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (OFSTED).

Investments to meet high standards

UHS invests in employee training and other patient-care initiatives to support quality and safety goals.

Training

Employees access virtual and/or in-person instruction offered by UHS’ Learning and Development teams and/or at their facility to meet all appropriate facility and regulatory training requirements. A competency-based education is used to ensure the staff understand the learnings.

In 2023, Acute Care and Behavioral Health employees in the U.S. completed nearly 3.6 million online courses on a variety of topics. Training centered around regulatory requirements for high-risk topics and safety (e.g., fall prevention, early detection of sepsis, high-risk medications).

All patient-facing employees from the Behavioral Health Division and certain Acute Care employees, regardless of status or role, are trained and certified in numerous accredited or recognized behavioral management techniques. Many also receive evidence-based verbal de-escalation training.

Patient care initiatives

In 2023, Acute Care Nursing Leadership continued to coordinate patient safety activities to drive outcomes. These efforts helped the Hospital Acquired Pressure Injury program and Fall Prevention program record 41% and 13% declines, respectively.

Acute Care facilities’ overall percentage of postpartum patients with hemorrhage declined (from 7.08 in 2021, to 6.39 in 2023), improving outcomes for over 3,000 delivering moms.

The Behavioral Health Division initiated a formal Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) training program for clinical and non-clinical staff. Each facility’s designated TIC Ambassador and CEO will drive long-term adoption and adherence at their facility.

Other new initiatives focused on patient safety and/or consistent, quality care include:

• Project Verge, which expands the utilization of LPN and Unit Coordinator roles
• ObservSMART, a proximity-based rounding technology to ensure standardization
• Evidence-based tool kits for addiction and detox, medication management and emergency management, providing additional education to all direct care staff

Technological advancements

Recently, UHS partnered with General Catalyst and Hippocratic AI, both of whom seek to enhance current methods of care with new technology solutions, including safety-focused, patient-facing tools and applications.

UHS has implemented Cerner, an electronic health record, at five pilot Behavioral Health facilities preceding broader roll-out throughout the Division. An additional six facilities will implement Cerner in 2024.

The Behavioral Health Division expanded its use of the Quality-of-Care Dashboard, a tool that measures metrics related to patient safety, restraints and seclusion and staff turnover. It also incorporates other sourced data (e.g., patient satisfaction) to provide a comprehensive view of the quality of care at each facility and the overall Division. Reports include meaningful comparisons – down to the unit level – that are useful for tracking performance, root cause analysis and for quickly identifying areas for improvement.

Respecting patient rights

UHS facilities follow all applicable state laws related to patient rights. While laws may vary by state, generally, patients are given a copy of their rights during admission and they/their guardian sign an attestation. Patient rights are also posted on patient care units.

Upon admission, patients are typically made aware that a Patient Advocate, the UHS Compliance Hotline/platform, and other means, are available to report any concerns. The facility’s Patient Advocate (and leadership, if needed) handles patient grievances in accordance with CMS requirements.

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Supporting Our Valued Teams

UHS employees show resiliency and unwavering commitment to their professions, patients and colleagues.

A look at the team

In 2023, UHS employed, through its subsidiaries, approximately 96,700 individuals. The average tenure was similar among men and women. The majority of the U.S. workforce (72%) were full-time workers; 8% held management positions.

Workforce

U.S. 2022: 82,300
U.S. 2023: 84,450

U.K. 2022: 11,500
U.K. 2023: 12,250

Note: Approximate counts as of 12/31/22 and 12/31/23.

Average tenure (years)

U.S. Male: 6.0
U.S. Female: 5.8

U.K. Male: 2.4
U.K. Female: 2.4

U.S. workforce

As in 2022, the majority of UHS’ workforce in the U.S. was ethnically diverse and predominately female (57% and 75%, respectively).

	2022	2023*
White	45%	43%
Black	24%	25%
Hispanic	17%	18%
Asian	9%	9%
Other	5%	5%

* Note: 2023 data estimates; final data to be posted on uhs.com/sustainability after filing in 4Q2024.
SOURCES: 2022 EEO-1 report and 2023 EEO-1 report draft.

U.K. workforce

In 2023, 70% of Cygnet’s workforce were full-time employees. Nearly two-thirds of its team were women.

	2022	2023
White	39%	37%
Black	16%	22%
Asian	5%	5%
Other	2%	2%
Unknown	37%	33%

Note: Totals may not equal 100% due to rounding.

Promoted employees (U.S.)

In the U.S., there were nearly 5,500 promotions in 2023; nearly three-fourths were female and just over half were ethnically diverse.

Female: 74%
Male: 26%
White: 49%
Ethnically diverse: 51%

Military hires

In 2023, UHS continued to support Veteran Jobs Mission, an organization it helped launch in 2011 to increase employment of veterans and military spouses. In 2023, UHS hired nearly 1,630 veterans. Among the veterans hired, 48% were female and 58% were ethnically diverse.

Notably, UHS was named a 2023 Military Spouse Managed Review Program Partner by TCDI for employing military spouses who are licensed attorneys.

Newly hired – by gender and ethnicity

More than 36,260 employees were hired in the U.S. during 2023. Most were women and ethnically diverse. In the U.K., nearly 6,000 employees were hired in 2023.

U.S. new hires in 2023
Female: 76%
Male: 24%

White: 36%
Black: 34%
Hispanic: 18%
Asian: 6%
Other: 6%

U.K. new hires in 2023
Female: 51%
Male: 35%
Other: 14%

Black: 22%
White: 20%
Asian: 4%
Other: 2%
Unknown: 52%

Culture of inclusivity

UHS recognizes team members as individuals and promotes the respectful treatment of all. This culture of inclusivity is upheld by leadership teams, policies and procedures, trainings and/or sponsored events and programs.

UHS complies with the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Commission requirements for all employees and applicants. This includes support and full commitment to recruitment, selection, placement, promotion and compensation of all individuals, without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity and sexual orientation), genetic information, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

UHS’ 2023 Pulse Employee Engagement survey showed at least 8 out of 10 respondents held favorable views regarding inclusivity-related measures:

• The person I report to treats employees with respect: 87%
• I can be my authentic self at work: 82%
• I feel included on my team/work unit: 81%

Note: Based on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Favorable defined as a ‘4’ or ‘5’.

In the U.K., Cygnet values the diversity of its workforce and actively supports inclusion among its staff. In 2023, the Cygnet Disability Network was created to provide a safe space to raise issues of disability and celebrate the achievements of people living with disability.

Cygnet was a finalist for Best Employer for Diversity and Inclusion at the 2023 Nursing Times Workforce Summit Awards for its Multicultural Network program.

Read the Cygnet Impact Report 2022/2023 →
Read Cygnet's Multicultural Network Strategy 2023-2025 →

Workforce policies

Corporate Human Resources (HR) policies fulfill facility and regulatory obligations and are accessible to employees through trainings, the Corporate Employee Guidebook, their local HR departments and/or internal platforms.

UHS has formal policies/processes related to employment, such as:

• Background Screening: requires criminal, sanction and drug screening as well as education, license and employment verification prior to hire. Additional sanction checks are made by a third party.
• Corrective Action: includes processes and training dedicated to proper investigation for HR and all supervisors/managers.
• Performance Appraisals: call for evaluations to generally be completed after 90 days of employment and annually thereafter.
• Formalized Reduction in Force (RIF) and Flexible Staffing: provides the required process if there is a RIF or staff reduction, including consideration of other options (e.g., transfers, job changes, reduced schedules, voluntary transitions), before layoffs or reductions are implemented.

Depending on their role and employment status, employees may be required to complete training on certain policies (e.g., Grievance Reporting, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 [HIPAA] Security Rule, Compliance, Discrimination and Harassment Prevention, Code of Conduct, etc.) during orientation and every year thereafter.

Employee feedback

Staff is welcome to share their views at any time, including during performance reviews, department meetings, CEO townhalls and/or through the UHS’ Compliance Hotline/online platform. Also, all U.S. employees (full-time, part-time, per diem and physicians) may provide feedback in annual employee engagement surveys. Survey results are sent to all levels of leadership to discuss with their teams. In 2023, the Pulse Employee Engagement Survey had a 67% participation rate.

These annual surveys allow teams to monitor employee satisfaction and suggestions. Feedback from recent surveys have led to new career development, training and employee engagement initiatives and compensation adjustments, among other initiatives.

Professional development

UHS has numerous formal and informal programs and policies in place to aid in career and/or academic development.

Training opportunities

UHS’ Learning and Development team provides quality learning opportunities, professional development and consulting services to all employees (i.e., full-time, part-time, contractors). Options include formal instructor-led, in-person or virtual training, or self-administered online courses. Employees are required to take certain trainings at least annually; however, they also have unlimited access to many voluntary trainings. All trainings take into account the requirements of the American Disabilities Act.

Participants are invited to provide feedback at the conclusion of every training that they attend. Trainers use this feedback to fine-tune the experience to meet participant needs and develop new training topics.

The number of training hours employees receive will vary depending on their role, department and/or employment classification. In 2023, employees completed an average of 20 hours of online training. However, they also frequently participated in informal trainings such as peer-to-peer, shift huddles and department meetings.

During orientation, employees are presented with UHS’ Mission, Vision, Principles and Values and its culture of Service Excellence. UHS offers multi-session Service Excellence Facilitator Workshops for nominated employees. In 2023, 134 employees became certified Facilitators to promote the Service Excellence culture at their own facilities.

The Develop U series is a voluntary program for all employees interested in developing their skills and knowledge. Meanwhile, other programs, such as m3 for Emerging Leaders and Stepping into Leadership, are nomination-based and focus on developing qualified individuals’ leadership skills.

The L3 architecture/program is a nomination-based, year-long executive development program. Tracks are designed for aspiring Acute Care CEOs, aspiring Behavioral Health CEOs, and, as of 2023, aspiring Acute Care Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs). Collectively, L3 participants rated their programs 4.6 out of 5 in 2023.

Our culture of Service Excellence

Attributes of Service Excellence

• Compassion
• Continuous Improvement
• Employee Development
• Ethical and Fair Treatment of All
• Teamwork
• Innovation in Service Delivery

Standards define how we interact

• Treat Everyone as a Guest
• Demonstrate Professionalism and Excellence
• Practice Teamwork

Other Professional Development Programs

In 2023, UHS deepened its commitment to employees’ professional development and retention by continued development of career and clinical ladder programs for Nurse Leadership, RNs and Behavioral Health Mental Health Technicians. UHS also offered internships, externships, mentorships, clinical field placements as well as tuition discount partnership and student loan repayment programs.

In 2023, UHS aligned with two external partners to bring new educational programs to its employees:

• Chamberlain University: UHS employees received discounts to many of the school’s programs (e.g., nursing, social work, etc.), while Chamberlain pre-licensure BSN students completed more than 1,000 clinical rotations at 15 UHS facilities.
• Littler law firm: UHS Legal and Human Resources professionals attended Littler’s employment law development webinars for SHRM and HRCI credits. The quarterly webinars were provided at no cost to UHS employees.

During 2023, UHS Corporate Offices employed 63 interns across several departments: Corporate Development, Design & Construction, Finance, Human Resources, Information Services, Legal, Marketing, Revenue Cycle and Supply Chain. Just over half (52%) were female, while approximately one-third were ethnically diverse.

Graduate Medical Educational Programs

UHS’ Graduate Medical Education (GME) Program offers quality education and training for medical and pharmacy residents across several U.S. facilities. Of the 26 UHS Sponsored Programs, 24 are accredited by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the two Pharmacy Residency Programs are accredited by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP).

As of July 2023, the number of UHS Sponsored Programs increased 44% over the previous year to 26, while the number of residents/fellows participants rose 32% to 417.

During 2023, The Valley Health System GME Consortium launched ACGME-accredited programs for Internal Medicine, Psychiatry and Transitional Year and formed an affiliation with Icahn School of Medicine of Mount Sinai.

Also in 2023, three UHS facilities offered approximately 50 Academic Partnership GME Programs, which, collectively, trained more than 590 residents and fellows.

Learn more about graduate medical education →

Employee non-pay benefits

UHS offers a robust, non-pay benefit program that enhances the physical, mental, financial and professional needs of our employees and their families. The program is generally available to all employees regularly scheduled to work 30 or more hours per week and those covered by the Affordable Care and Accountability Act. Eligibility for employees scheduled to work less than that may vary by location.

Medical plans, life and disability insurance as well as savings and retirement programs are available to employees and their families. In 2023, an Adoption Assistance Program was added. Other available services include, but are not limited to:

• An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering free, 24/7 services to support life and work-related issues (e.g., military family resources, emotional well-being support, child/elderly/pet providers) for all full- and part-time employees
• Wellness programs (e.g., Livongo, SWORD Health)
• Family resources (e.g., FertilityIQ; RethinkCare)
• Health and Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Perks at Work (retail discounts)

Additional voluntary benefits and discounts include identity protection plans, legal services and pet insurance, among others. Notably, about three-fourths of UHS employees were also eligible for the employee stock ownership plan or employee stock purchase plan in 2023.

In 2023, UHS’ tuition reimbursement spending exceeded $3 million. Meanwhile, its student loan assistance spend neared $1.7 million, as 630 employees took advantage of this financial benefit.

Depending on their role, employees may be eligible for flexible work arrangements (e.g., compressed work weeks, hybrid schedules and remote work), various employment status opportunities (e.g., part-time, per diems, on call, temporary and job sharing) and personal leave options (e.g., up to four weeks for non-Family Medical Leave Act related leave of absence, among others).

Visit the UHS Benefits Self-Service Center →

Employee engagement

Leadership teams adopt programs and/or host events and activities to show their appreciation for employees, recognize and celebrate their achievements and/or promote engagement.

Uptake of the Recharge Room program continued within the Behavioral Health Division. Currently more than 100 facilities have created custom-designed spaces for employees to rest and relax during their breaks, up from just six in 2021. Employees may assist in the naming, design and selection of features (e.g., massage chairs, décor, etc.) to make the space truly their own.

TEAM C.A.R.E., an employee-run program focused on Connecting, Attracting, Retaining and Engaging staff at the Corporate Offices, sponsored more than 60 events in 2023. Here are just some of the events hosted by the program’s three committees:

• Career Enrichment: Executive Speaker Series, Business Book Club, UHS Toastmasters Club, The Power of Professional Women’s Speaker Series events and webinars
• Health & Wellness: Step Challenges, Annual Golf Tournament, Mindset Spark Sessions
• Social & Community: Food trucks, Random Acts of Kindness event, Adopt a Family for the Holidays

UHS Foundation

The UHS Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity, was established in 2005 to support employees negatively affected by hardship due to qualified natural disasters (e.g., windstorms, fires) or national public health emergency (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic).

During 2023, funds from the Foundation were distributed to 11 employees affected by Hurricane Ian and the tornados in Arkansas.

TEAM C.A.R.E. hosts fundraisers for the Foundation throughout the year. All employee donations are matched by UHS. The 2023 Golf Tournament alone raised more than $200,000 (including Corporate’s contributions).

Learn more about the UHS Foundation →

Employee recognition and awards

The Corporate Offices, as well as the facilities, have recognition programs to reward employees, formally or informally, for efforts taken to support UHS goals and values and/or exceed expectations. Each year Corporate bestows its prestigious Service Excellence and Quality awards to deserving facilities and/or CEOs who best exemplify our high standards of care. Further, each Division awards employees who, through early intervention, prevent an actual, or potential negative event from occurring.

At the facility level, leadership decides on the type of employee awards/recognition distributed. These may include peer-to-peer recognition as well as employee and/or team accolades and appreciation events.

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Partnering With Local Communities

UHS Corporate Offices and facilities strive to be valued partners in their local communities as socially concerned employers and trusted providers of high-quality care.

Economic impact

UHS is proud to contribute meaningfully to the local communities we are privileged to serve. In 2023, this included:

• $7.1 billion in salaries, wages and benefits
• $743 million in capital expenditures
• $6.5 million in contributions to state-specific educational programs to help fund student scholarships and/or provide supplemental funding to local communities’ school districts.

In 2023, the Acute Care hospitals recorded approximately $2.6 billion for charity care and uninsured discounts.

Support for national causes

Throughout the year, employees lent their time and expertise to support initiatives that align with UHS’ Mission and Values. Our Corporate and facility thought leaders often spoke at conferences and events and/or advocated for increased awareness of mental health resources.

For the past 10+ years, UHS has teamed up with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention to help those in crisis find the resources they need. We also continue to actively raise awareness for the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, a toll-free number that provides individuals 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors.

During 2023, medical staff hosted trainings for local healthcare professionals, such as suicide care training for clinicians and Crisis Intervention Team Training for first responders.

Corporate employees volunteered at various local organizations, including the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House. As in previous years, employees prepared and served a hot dinner to families whose children were being treated at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Corporate employees also participated in National Wreaths Across America event, placing 225 wreaths at the gravesites of military veterans in the Philadelphia area.

Community outreach

We actively pursue philanthropic opportunities that support our values while making a positive impact on local communities. This has included contributions to local charitable and civic organizations and hosting or sponsoring events that promote health and wellness, such as health screenings, food drives, blood drives, educational classes and support groups, among others.

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Investing in the Environment

UHS implements environmentally sustainable practices and complies with applicable legal and regulatory environmental standards to protect patients, visitors, staff and our local communities. Our environmental stewardship includes, but is not limited to, following best practices when managing energy usage, building and designing new construction and/or major renovations and protecting the local environment.

Energy efficiency practices

To manage energy usage, UHS utilizes smart building technology and automation. The U.S. facilities utilize a Centralized Utility Billing Management System to monitor energy usage and detect significant deviations from normal usage consumption patterns.

Also, 23 Acute Care hospitals use automatic fault detection and diagnostics software to monitor the efficiencies of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) operations. Most of these facilities also undergo Retro-Commissioning and Monitoring-Based Commissioning. They are monitored for any deviations from optimal standards regularly; formal reports are generated at least quarterly.

In 2023, UHS invested $1.2 million in energy-efficient LED light retrofit upgrades. Ninety percent of the lights in UHS’ U.S. facilities are equipped with LED lights. Overall, this project is expected to save nearly 3.2 million kWh per year.

By 1Q23, 15 UHS facilities secured ENERGY STAR® certifications or re-certifications from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); all will seek renewal in the upcoming year. An ENERGY STAR® designation means the facility performed in the top 25% of buildings nationwide, based on weather-normalized source energy use.

Five Acute Care facilities have Green Building Initiatives’ Green Globes certifications. Additionally, West Henderson Hospital (currently under construction) has registered for certification and plans to file by 2026.

Green building construction

UHS actively promotes the usage of recyclable materials and divergence from landfills for renovations and new construction projects. To monitor compliance, our contractors are required to track and report on the amount of demolition and construction waste recycled and diverted.

All newly built facilities or those undergoing major renovations are required to:

• Meet or exceed all federal, state and local energy efficiency stands and energy codes
• Use Mechanical-Electrical-Plumbing Systems to optimize energy efficiencies and water conservation, including:
  • Achieving low energy use targets that comply with ASHRAE 90.1 standards
  • Using right-sized HVAC systems to minimize reheating and power used
  • Requiring installation of plumbing systems that consume less water than code requirements
• Be equipped with 100% emergency back-up generators, with 96 hours of fuel (older Acute Care facilities were retrofitted with emergency quick connect stations to allow redundancy utilities)

All new construction Acute Care facilities are expected to achieve an ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager Score of 90 or higher. Also, all new construction or major renovation projects costing $20 million or more are required to be assessed for Green Globes® and/or U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications.

Healthy and safe work environments

UHS strives to keep our environments clean, safe and sustainable. Teams across multiple departments continually look to improve products, processes, equipment and services to continually meet, if not exceed, our high standards.

Further, each Acute Care hospital and Behavioral Health facility has an Environment of Care (EOC) committee, with representatives from clinical and non-clinical departments (e.g., Environmental Services, Emergency Management, Infection Prevention, Loss Control, Risk, Quality, Security, Nursing) as well as senior leaders. The committee meets at least quarterly to review the facility’s EOC Dashboard Performance Measures, best practices, and other key information to address any deficiencies (e.g., utility or medical equipment failures, security issues, risk related to hazardous materials or medical/non-medical waste, etc.) and identify, and follow up on, opportunities to improve performance, policies and/or procedures. Summaries of EOC meetings are presented to the facility’s Board of Governors.

All appropriate hospital staff, including nurses and environmental services teams, are trained on Waste Management policies and procedures as new hires and annually during their tenure. Trainings, which meet Department of Transportation (DOT) requirements, include, but are not limited to, proper waste disposal and handling, as well as the transportation of waste within the facility.

Safety events are documented and shared with EOCs to further safety initiatives throughout the organization.

To mitigate safety risks, facilities receive new safety-related messages regularly, including facility-specific topics. They also have Central Accumulation Areas to securely store any waste covered under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act until it is safely removed by approved vendors. Facilities are to inspect these designated locations weekly to ensure our waste is properly handled, stored and transported as per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Departments of Health (DOH) and DOT requirements.

The Acute Care Environmental Services operations continue to use Green Seal and GREENGUARD certified products vetted for meeting standards for sustainability, human health and/or product efficiency. Acute Care facilities use chemical-free machines for daily floor maintenance as well as a low-odor, zinc-free floor protector, reducing the need for floor stripping or chemical use.

In 2023, 12 Acute Care facilities used Adenosine Triphosphate testing for enhanced validation of proper surface disinfection. Additional facilities are expected to use this process in the coming year.

Responsible environmental protection

Waste management

UHS facilities have policies and procedures that are in compliance with all applicable laws from the EPA, local DOHs and other regulatory bodies overseeing the responsible disposal of pollution and waste. We minimize the use of and/or exposure to hazardous materials, such as persistent and toxic chemicals, whenever possible.

Facilities partner with reputable vendors who are in full compliance with all applicable regulatory bodies (e.g., EPA, DOH, DOT, etc.). This allows the following of strict cradle-to-grave reequipments, to understand what waste is being sent out, who is picking it up as well as how, and when, it is being processed.

Across the Acute Care Division, facilities continued to partner with Stericycle®, a comprehensive medical waste company, for the Division’s sharps and pharmaceutical waste program. The sharps program alone serviced 95,000 reusable containers last year, saving the production of 548,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.

Within the Acute Care Division, approximately 292,000 pounds of pharmaceutical waste was properly treated (e.g., incinerated, chemically altered) and disposed.

UHS expanded its food waste study, which was piloted at The George Washington University Hospital in 2022, to a dozen more Acute Care facilities. Utilizing the easy-to-use application, the Nutrition teams identified thousands of cases of waste events each month and adjusted their operations to conserve energy, water and land. These results exceeded expectations and will guide waste reduction efforts in 2024.

Also in 2023, all Acute Care facilities in California adopted a composting program. They each have organic collection bins to discard the waste and an approved waste hauler for proper collection.

Reprocessing and waste diversion

Supply Chain’s Value Analysis team continued to seek out reprocessing and recycling opportunities. In 2023, they teamed up with two more vendors to assist with reprocessing of approved medical devices, bringing the total to four FDA-approved third-party manufacturers.

In addition to reprocessing of medical devices, UHS Acute Care facilities partnered with manufacturers who collect their own manufactured devices, disassemble them and then recycle the individual components.

During 2023, an initiative to convert certain disposable/single-use patient devices to suitable reusable options was introduced.

Conservation of natural resources

UHS has a robust, structured Water Management Program, managed jointly by a third-party company specializing in water safety and our in-house teams. There is a corporate Water Management Steering Committee and a local water management team at each facility. The program is designed to oversee potable, process and utility water programs through active management and hazard control validation. The program is designed to ensure safe water throughout our buildings and meets ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188 (Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems).

The Program also manages domestic potable, process water (such as surgical instrument processing) and utility water (such as cooling towers and boilers).

We continued to develop a program that focuses on reducing water consumption across all U.S. facilities. This includes consistent tracking and measurement of consumption levels and further integration of technologies and devices such as irrigation controls.

In 2023, 5,080.5 metric tons of paper were shredded and recycled; an equivalent to preserving 134,408 trees.

Culinary and nutrition

During the year, UHS’ Culinary team sought out more environmentally friendly take-out and storage containers and menu options and evaluated female-owned and veteran-owned vendors. Biodegradable alternatives to Styrofoam were introduced, and dietary offerings were expanded to include additional plant-based proteins and sustainable seafood proteins at select facilities. In 2024, we plan to work with a supplier that is focused on providing local, responsibly sourced foods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste.

In 2023, three more UHS facilities earned Gluten Intolerance Group’s Gluten-Free Food Service certification including the first Behavioral Health facility in the nation. As of February 2024, 15 UHS facilities met the Validated Gluten Free Safety Spot® requirements. Only two other non-UHS facilities in the nation met these rigorous standards.

Trusted supply chain

UHS uses a multi-faceted approach to ensuring its third-party vendors are vetted to meet our high standards and are compliant with local, state and federal regulations to make our supply chain stronger and more sustainable.

UHS’ group purchasing organization provides assurance that vendors are meeting social standards (e.g., Code of Conduct, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, human trafficking, whistleblower, antitrust policies, etc.) and evaluates products and providers to ensure they meet environmental standards.

UHS also has vendor management software that streamlines the management and coordination of supplier relationships and ensures their compliance with federal and state requirements.

As of 2023, UHS Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and Contracts require applicants to comply with all environmental, social and governance (ESG) laws and regulations applicable to their performance and provide, upon request, a copy of their sustainability practices and verification of compliance. Applicants must reasonably assist in the quantifying, tracking, aggregating and verifying of data related to UHS’ use of their products and/or services as it relates to ESG principles.

Contract language and/or the use of vendors that forbid or penalize use of reprocessed devices is prohibited.

Cygnet's sustainability strategy

In the U.K., Cygnet is committed to making its business more environmentally sustainable. It continues to procure 100% of its electricity from renewable sources, a practice that has been in place since 2021.

Recently Cygnet updated its emissions targets:

• Net zero carbon for direct (Scope 1) and indirect (Scope 2) emissions by 2035.
• Net zero carbon emissions in our supply chain (Scope 3) by 2040.

Its vehicle tracking device program, Lightfoot, effectively reduced CO2 emissions by 122 metric tons and was named a finalist for HSJ Partnership Awards’ Environmental Sustainability Project of the Year. The team also effectively removed all black plastic, which is non-recyclable, from food supplies.

Read the Cygnet Impact Report 2022/23 →

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Governing Structure

The UHS Board of Directors has established, and maintains, a governing framework reflective of our enterprise’s culture of corporate responsibility, high integrity and accountability.

Board of Directors

The Company’s Board of Directors is elected by the Company’s stockholders in accordance with the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, to oversee management and to assure that the long-term interests of the stockholders are served.

The seven-member Board is led by Founder and Executive Chairman, Alan B. Miller. Ms. Eileen McDonnell, one of the four independent Board Members, serves as Lead Director.

The Forum of Executive Women recognized the high percentage of women on the UHS Board (43%) and awarded UHS its 2023 Champion of Board Diversity award.

In the U.S., four of our six board committees provide oversight of sustainability-related issues:

• Audit Committee: Business Ethics, Charity Care, Data Security, Accounting and Financial Reporting Responsibilities
• Compensation Committee: Employee Development/Training, Employee Benefits, Employee Engagement
• Nominating and Governance Committee: Ownership and Control
• Quality and Compliance Committee: Quality of Care, Employee/Patient Safety, Compliance Program
• Execute Committee
• Finance Committee

Learn more about the UHS Leadership Team →

In the U.K., Cygnet’s Executive Management Board is responsible for the quality of care delivered across all Cygnet services. The 12-member Board has four sub-committees, which meet quarterly to provide governance over Cygnet facilities.

The Executive Management Board is supported by an Advisory Board. Since May 2023, the Advisory Board welcomed Ms. Sian Jarvis CB, a strategic communications and marketing specialist, and Mr. Ian Brokenshire, a former auditor, who will chair the Audit and Risk Committee.

All five Cygnet Advisory Board members are independent and hold non-executive positions. Twenty-five percent of the Executive Management Board and 40% of the Advisory Board are women.

Learn more about the Cygnet Advisory Board →

Succession planning

Our Board of Directors and a committee of our Board of Directors oversee the Company’s management succession planning, including its policies and principles regarding the selection of, and succession to, the Chief Executive Officer in the event of emergency, retirement or other circumstance.

Emphasis on ethical conduct

UHS’ commitment to operating as a highly ethical healthcare provider guides the Board of Directors and leadership teams and sets expectations across the organization.

A Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer oversees the UHS Compliance Program and is supported by Division, Regional and Facility Officers.

The UHS Compliance Program includes applicable policies and procedures consistent with legal and regulatory requirements, compliance education, auditing and monitoring as well as investigations of reported concerns. The Program promotes a culture of accountability and extends to all UHS employees (full- and part-time) and contractors.

The Program’s key resources and processes include:

• The Compliance Program Manual (available in English and Spanish)
• Code of Conduct (available in English and Spanish)
• Compliance Hotline/online and telephonic platforms for reporting compliance concerns

Our Compliance Program Manual provides an overview of the UHS Compliance Program.

The Code of Conduct provides guidance on expected behavior for those who work for or in behalf of UHS. Employees are encouraged to report any compliance concerns to their Facility Compliance Officer, the UHS Compliance Office or through the Compliance Hotline (1-800-852-3449) or uhs.alertline.com platform, which is accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The platform is managed by an external company and allows for anonymous reporting, when desired.

UHS prohibits retaliation against anyone who brings forward concerns in good faith. Anyone retaliating against someone for expressing a concern is subject to disciplinary action.

All new U.S. employees are trained on the Code of Conduct, privacy, security and other compliance topics upon hire, and annually thereafter. A post-test is conducted to confirm mastery of content.

Each year, all employees are also required to attend training on UHS’ Formal Dispute Resolution policy, which outlines the process for reporting concerns and escalation procedures. Facilities also display posters with pertinent information about reporting concerns in break rooms and other employee areas.

All reported concerns are fully investigated by the UHS Compliance Department or other appropriate designees. Where necessary, corrective action plans are developed and implemented to mitigate compliance risk to the organization.

Reports on the Company’s compliance program operations are issued to its internal compliance committee monthly and to the Board of Directors’ Quality & Compliance Committee each quarter.

Each year, a compliance risk assessment is conducted, and a compliance work plan is developed to identify potential risk and prioritize compliance efforts. Such efforts include expansion of education and training offerings, improvement of program effectiveness and identification of topics for auditing and monitoring (e.g., billing, privacy of patient information, quality of care, etc.).

In 2024, vendor contract language was updated to include anti-corruption practices, as well as confirmation that the vendor has established, or will establish, policies and procedures related to anti-corruption practices.

Learn more about the UHS Compliance Program →

Privacy and data security

The UHS Privacy and Data Security team’s mission is to preserve the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information assets of employees and patients, in accordance with Information Security Policies. It strives to appropriately identify, select, deploy, maintain and improve information security controls based on the National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) by employing proactive (and if needed, reactive) safeguards, policies and controls. To date, these include, but are not limited to:

• Having nearly 50 privacy and security-related policies maintained at the Corporate level and locally by U.S. facilities.
• Deploying numerous technologies and engaging third parties to provide UHS threat intelligence services in real time, through collaboration with Health-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (H-ISAC), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and similar organizations.
• Regularly evaluating information security control effectiveness through external and internal penetration testing by a third party, assessments and evaluations. This includes identifying any severe or critical issue, evaluating potential damages and testing internal controls.
• Hiring third-party cybersecurity firms to provide monitoring and investigation services, including regular audits.
• Mandating employee education and training: More than 45,000 hours of in-person and/or online employee training completed each year. This included mandatory annual data privacy and cybersecurity training for all fulltime and part-time employees.

The Privacy and Data Security team is led by a Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer and the Chief Information Security Officer and are supported by hospital-based facility Privacy and Security Officers. Ultimate oversight resides with the UHS Board of Directors’ Audit Committee.

UHS is compliant with the healthcare industry’s privacy and security policies, as well as federal and state laws related to the appropriate access, collection, control and retention of personal data from patients and employees (e.g., HIPAA, Payment Card Industry). Compliance is supported through regular mandatory trainings and/or use of third-party reviewers.

In 2023, the Cybersecurity team distributed monthly alerts to all employees and conducted bi-monthly phishing trainings. Security awareness updates focused on phishing and various simulated attacks will be ramped up in 2024, which will include corrective action for any failures.

To reduce Cybersecurity risk in our supply chain, UHS utilizes a process to assess risk, evaluate and then require third-party verification of vendors prior to contracting. Vendors are also evaluated during the contracting lifecycle and then re-evaluated annually or post-incident.

Should an issue or event arise, UHS’ Incident Response Plan and, if needed, Disaster Recovery processes are engaged to minimize service disruption. These are reviewed annually and tested through collaboration with local authorities and CISA.

UHS also has multiple governance processes to review the health and maturity of its Cybersecurity program through regular review of key performance indicators, metrics and roadmaps to promote the use of recent technologies and manage risks. These reviews occur on a monthly basis with senior management and are summarized to the Audit Committee quarterly and to the full Board of Directors annually.

Local governance

As with all healthcare providers, UHS facilities regularly undergo visits and inspections by federal and state regulatory agencies. Facilities are licensed by their local governments and fully accredited by widely respected, independent organizations including The Joint Commission (TJC) and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), or in the U.K. by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), among others. All inpatient U.S. hospitals are also certified as Medicare Providers by CMS.

UHS’ Acute Care and Behavioral Health Divisions each have a Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and quality designees at the divisional and regional levels, as well as at most individual facilities. CMOs determine medical strategy and provide oversight of medical staff and utilization management, while quality teams manage and oversee clinical and regulatory programs.

Each U.S. facility’s respective Board of Governors provides oversight on financial and non-clinical operations, while their Executive Leadership teams, organized Medical Staff and local governing bodies preside over their day-to-day operations and Medical Staff.

Audits and review activities are implemented to meet state and federal healthcare requirements and professionally recognized standards of care. Internal audits are conducted routinely at each facility to ascertain levels of compliance and the need for corrective action plans.

UHS monitors regulatory activity and provides guidance on a regular basis to maintain, if not exceed, compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Each facility receives support for its ongoing Performance Improvement Program, with specific attention to patient safety, reduction of restrictive interventions, patient satisfaction, staff turnover and regulatory compliance.

Risk management measures

All facilities have a comprehensive Risk Management Program led by a qualified Risk Manager that complies with all regulatory processes and procedures. Corporate Regional Risk teams as well as dedicated Corporate Loss Control (Employee Injury), Claims Management and Environmental Risk and Emergency Management (EM) teams provide Facility Risk Managers support (i.e., resources, trainings, etc.) and guidance.

An Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) approach is utilized to mitigate loss and promote employee and patient safety. Components of the Risk Management Model include Risk Identification, Risk Analysis, Risk Control and Risk Financing. The model also uses ERM domains, namely, Operational, Human Capital, Strategic, Clinical/Patient Safety, Financial, Legal/Regulatory, Technology and Hazard.

Each of these core components has dedicated staff and established practices and procedures in place as well as tools to help meet key objectives, including the ultimate goal, preventing patient safety events. Data are regularly collected and analyzed against internal or national benchmarks.

Safety oversight

Risk Identification tools (e.g., TJC’s Sentinel Events Alerts, Root Cause Analysis and Failure Mode and Effect Analysis) and internal safety tools (e.g., patient safety event reports, Executive and Unit Safety rounding and patient surveys) are utilized for early detection of potential adverse or unexpected patient outcomes and hazards.

Loss prevention and control methods assess high-risk clinical areas, while other resources such as Patient Safety Newsletters, Safety Watches and Clinical Risk Alerts, are shared to mitigate risks to patient safety. Facility Risk Management programs are evaluated regularly and adjusted as needed.

The Risk Management Program includes a TERM (Technical Elements of Risk Management) document that outlines the basic tenets of a comprehensive risk management program as well as expectations to mitigate high-risk clinical processes such as patient observation, contraband, patient assessment, discharge processes, management of an obstetrical patient, medication safety and emergency department processes to name a few.

Also, both Divisions have Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs), registered under the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), to govern their respective patient-safety initiatives. The Behavioral Health Division PSO’s Dashboard reports on certain clinical outcomes (e.g., aggression rates, restraints & seclusion rates, falls, medication errors, patient injuries, patient elopements, etc.) and is used to identify deficiencies and quality of care concerns. The Acute Care PSO reports on serious safety events, wrong site surgeries, falls with injury, medication safety practices, among others. Updates on PSO initiatives from both Divisions are reported to the Board of Directors’ Quality and Compliance Committee every quarter.

Each year, the Corporate Patient Safety Council from each Division identifies their safety priorities, while facility Patient Safety Councils meet monthly to analyze patient safety data to confirm the appropriate processes are in place to prevent patient, employee and visitor harm.

The Quality Management Program measures and assesses key processes or outcomes related to patient care, patient safety and organizational functions. Data are systematically collected, whether or not problems are suspected. Assessment findings are used to study and improve the processes that affect patient care outcomes, identify educational needs and evaluate clinical competence of employees, medical staff and health professional affiliate staff. Organization-wide Quality Assurance Performance Improvement activities include restraint reduction, utilization management, infection control, medication use, safety, risk management and quality control activities, among others.

The Clinical Services Teams, Vice Presidents (VPs) of Operations and others conduct leadership audits and on-site monitoring to assess compliance, recommend improvements and provide immediate action items to the CEO and their direct report VPs.

The Corporate Loss Control team focuses on maintaining safe workplace environments for patients and staff. This includes updating facilities’ Workplace Violence Protection Plans annually and issuing Spotlight on Safety posters and/or tools at least quarterly. In 2023, the team launched a Safety, Training, Education and Prevention (STEP) campaign. “Each STEP is up to us!” and “Let’s take STEPs and band together” posters and “Patient Safety = Staff Safety; Staff Safety = Patient Safety” rubber bracelets served as reminders for staff.

Emergency preparedness

UHS’ Environmental Risk and Emergency Management (EM) team works with the Corporate Offices and facilities to have the core elements of readiness, response, mitigation and recovery in place to address known and unexpected emergencies. They work with each location to have appropriate protocols and procedures in place, sustainable supplies/inventories readily available and required training exercises and drills scheduled and executed. The team also leads after-action debriefings to review the location’s performance and identify areas for improvement.

The EM team supplies all facilities with numerous playbooks, tools and other resources to help identify vulnerable areas and to educate and prepare staff for an emergency event based on the facility’s own internal and community resources.

In 2023, the team completed Emergency Management 101, Incident Command and Hazardous Materials and Waste training modules for facilities’ Senior Leadership/Management teams and line staff. The team also shared updated Environmental Risk/Building rounding checklists and Security/Workplace Violence self-assessments with all facilities. These tools, as well as other critical training materials, are available on the online platform for round-the-clock access.

The EM team continually monitors and analyzes data and identifies priorities among the facilities and, when needed, implements risk avoidance measures to maintain safe environments. EM metrics tracked in the EOC Committees’ Dashboards and the Acute Care Division’s Environmental Risk Dashboard are monitored for early identification of serious events (e.g., HazMat spill, water intrusion), potential environmental risks and trending.

Training for emergencies

U.S. facilities participate in local, state and regional training and community emergency exercises (e.g., armed intruder, windstorms, flooding, etc.). Each year, they also perform internal exercises based upon threats and vulnerabilities identified from their Hazard and Vulnerability Assessment, previous “real-world” events and/or recent drill performances.

The EM team regularly consults with all facilities in person and/or virtually throughout the year. All staff receive training; however, facility leadership and/or Emergency Preparedness Planners may also receive specialized training (e.g., new hires, hazardous materials, emergency preparedness and regulatory readiness, among others). In addition to the trainings, the team also conducted virtual visits with more than 70 facilities and made 47 on-site visits in 2023.

Incident Command Team

The Corporate Incident Command Team is represented by several departments: Environmental Risk and Emergency Management, Clinical Operations, CMOs, Communications, Design/Construction, Human Resources, Infection Prevention, Information Security, Risk Management and Supply Chain, as well as other subject matter experts depending on the particular type of event.

The Corporate Incident Command team will receive direct, timely communication for real-world events and training drills from the UHS Emergency Preparedness Notification system. This direct communication allows for the expert team members and external partners to implement mitigation and restoration efforts to minimize potential risk exposure.

In an emergency event that requires the full or even partial evacuation of a facility, UHS’ Disaster Support Management system is activated to track patients and staff members during the entire evacuation and transfer process.

In 2023, the Incident Command Team was activated 39 times for emergencies such as hurricanes, utility outages/failures and water shortages.