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In the face of a severe winter storm in January, UVA Health employees stepped up to the challenge. Over several days of hazardous conditions, you kept our University Medical Center running smoothly, maintained safe operations in and around the hospital, and cared for our patients and each other. Thank you again! 

Following the storm, the operations team distributed a survey to gather feedback on what went well and where we have opportunities to improve. More than 1,400 team members took time to respond. Overall, the feedback was positive, with team members also identifying some areas to strengthen. Positive feedback included:  

• A large majority of you agreed that you received adequate communications to respond to the event. You appreciated the advance notice, frequent updates, and transparency about why decisions were made. 
• You appreciated clear operational status updates and expectations. 
• You felt that staff safety was prioritized. 

In other areas, we received mixed feedback: 

• Lodging and accommodations | Some of you said you appreciated receiving advance notice and instructions, but others commented that it was unclear how lodging assignments were made, felt that instructions weren’t easy to understand, or experienced other logistical hiccups. Action: We will explore how we can simplify and clarify the lodging request process to provide earlier confirmation and communicate how we prioritize spots. We will improve coordination with partner hotels. 
• Parking | While many employees expressed appreciation for clear parking instructions, shuttle adjustments, and parking guidance during modified operations, others shared concerns about the pace and consistency of snow removal and salting. Action: Facilities leadership will look at how we can improve snow removal sequencing and communication about which lots are prioritized. We will explore how we can provide real-time updates on lot conditions. The team will simplify the format for communicating parking guidance. 

You also identified areas to improve: 

• You expressed the need for earlier and more decisive operational decision making, particularly for surgical cases and clinics. You also asked for us to avoid late-night messages and/or early morning announcements that take effect the same day. Action: Where feasible, we commit to moving up decision timelines where possible and clearly communicating when the next update will occur if a final decision isn’t ready. 
• You had feedback about food and the meal voucher process. Action: We will look at how we can streamline voucher distribution including earlier distribution for designated staff, and communicate food service capacity expectations earlier. 
• Some employees expressed confusion about their designated vs. non-designated status, citing inconsistent messages from managers and uncertainty about compensation rules. Action: Human Resources will determine the best way to communicate designation definitions before storms and equip managers with information, including pay and compensation explanations. This will include clear explanations of pay policies during modified operations. 

Your contributions helped University Medical Center succeed in a very challenging situation. Thank you for sharing your feedback, so we can improve.