A Forward From LHCC Board Member Dr. Cedric Francois
The Co-Immunity Project, launched just weeks ago by LHCC with member companies Norton Healthcare, Baptist Health, and the University of Louisville with the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute and CPM, began testing this week. This is a combination of live virus and antibody testing of healthcare workers at Norton, Baptist and UofL Health, and includes identification of the most effective convalescent plasma to use in treating patients, this is one of the most comprehensive testing programs in the nation, and coming together so quickly is a testament to the ingenuity of UofL scientists and the agility of Louisville’s healthcare leaders. This will expand to include Long Term Care and eventually all healthcare workers in the Commonwealth. Next phase includes building a real-time “virus radar” which will help inform decision-makers in re-opening Kentucky safely and keep us protected from a second wave of COVID-19. This work will save lives, accelerate Kentucky’s response and recovery to the COVID-19 pandemic, and be a model for the rest of the nation.

Cedric Francois, MD, PhD
President/CEO, Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
LHCC Board Member

Louisville Healthcare Community Comes Together to Fight COVID-19

This collaboration is unprecedented in many ways, but briefly, here’s what makes it effective: a widespread virus testing program to identify and isolate the sick; a three-step antibody testing program to understand where immunities lie; a contact tracking program to help slow the spread; and a wastewater testing system to act as an early warning system that lets communities know when the virus is intensifying in their area.

This project was made possible through private donations and a generous grant from the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence.

If you are interested in contributing or learning more about the Co-Immunity Project, click here.

LHCC Collaborates with Future of Work

The emergence of user-friendly tools for data-science and artificial intelligence was already transforming healthcare before the COVID-19 epidemic swept the planet, creating disruption and opportunity across the health ecosystem. In Q1 of 2020, the labor intelligence service Burning Glass reported that more than 700 companies in the Louisville area had posted at least one job in Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics, User Interface/User Experience, or Digital Marketing. More than 25 companies posted 10 or more openings and 100 companies posting 5 or more openings.

To help address this increasing talent need, the Louisville Healthcare CEO Council is collaborating with the Microsoft Future of Work Initiative, the University of Louisville, IBM, and Louisville Forward on a series of trainings and upskilling opportunities with partners across the region, specifically targeting those whose jobs have been disrupted by COVID and communities who have not traditionally been well-represented in tech careers. Visit www.futurelou.com to learn more and to access the first phase of self-paced resources, available for free.

LEAP Supports Small Businesses through The Grind Virtual 5K

The Small Business Continuity Loan Fund Program is partnering with Louisville Entrepreneurship Acceleration Partnership (LEAP) and startup Moolathon to host “The Grind,” a virtual 5K walk/run event to help raise funds and encourage people to get outdoors. 

“We thought this would be a fun way to motivate the community to do something almost anyone can still safely enjoy – going outside. And, by using Moolathon to track and share socially it can help us all feel a little more connected right now,” said Larry Horn, Executive Director of LEAP, a public-private partnership that aims to amplify the Louisville region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.“The Grind” 5K walk/run has a $10 entry fee, which includes a finisher’s T-shirt, and participants are encouraged to raise additional funds to help contribute to the Small Business Continuity Loan Program’s goals. Sign up now at www.louisvilleleap.com/thegrind.

GLI Works With Industry Leaders to Develop Healthy at Work 

GLI, in partnership with our Renewal Task Force, has worked with industry leaders to develop Healthy at Work, a recommended re-entry proposal to engage the economy. This proposal was submitted to Governors Andy Beshear and Eric Holcomb, and it sets forth the recommended operational guidelines and phased recommendations to ensure that workers in Kentucky and Indiana can report to their stations with minimal concern for their safety. The proposal looked at five core industries for recommendations – advanced manufacturing & logistics, hospitality & civic assets, retail & business services, education & training, and health-related businesses.
 
However, we know that there are reasons to be concerned. Without adequate available testing and contact tracing, ample PPE, and a solution for childcare, many of the recommended solutions will not be enough. For companies looking to find PPE for their workers, we encourage you to visit our Crisis Support Hub  to access vendors who are providing PPE in Greater Louisville.

LHCC Strategy Advisor William Altman and Director of Operations Rebecca Rice conducted hours of interviews inside LHCC member companies to trace the roadmap for how innovative technology gets deployed, and to uncover pressing challenges related to social determinants of health. Stay tuned for TWO calls for innovations this summer: the first is focused specifically on barriers related to social isolation and loneliness, issued alongside our partners at Aging 2.0 in June, and the second is a broader call for technologies that address a wider scope of social determinant challenges, to go live in July. 

Our next newsletter will focus on innovation in the wake of COVID-19. We’ll catch up with some of last year’s CareTech finalists and profile other innovators adapting to a new post-pandemic world. Want to share your story? Tell us about it here.