Like all healthcare leaders, I have found myself in a world I would not have recognized when I wrote my 2020 goals at the end of 2019. As we work around the clock to procure PPE and keep our workforce safe so they can be here for our communities, the weight of the decisions and the pace and intensity of the work can be overwhelming. I stood in my back yard after a call last night and I was mesmerized by a million tiny lights – and I realized – they only appear so bright and beautiful because they are penetrating the darkness. So I took a few minutes this afternoon to share a few points of light penetrating the dark of this COVID crisis. I hope other healthcare leader will join the conversation and add to the lights. May it give us just the boost we need to lead through these unprecedented times.
- PPE Donation – It started with a local subcontractor who saw the news about healthcare workers facing shortages of PPE and donating his stock of N95 respirators. That brought a tear to my eye. Then other companies joined in. Then individuals. I am so humbled by the outpouring of love and concern from our communities as they rally together to ensure our healthcare workers are protected.
- Innovation – My teams amaze me! Setting up a drive-thru screening and testing site in less than 24 hours that was capable of seeing 80 cars per hour and screened 790 people in one day – wow! Turning an online visit platform into a vetted COVID screening tool and making it available to the general public for free – amazing! Moving 900 providers onto phone and video visit capabilities and switching templates overnight – unbelievable!
