Supporting Healthcare Professionals during COVID-19
By Rodney D. Reider
These are extraordinary days to be a leader in the healthcare industry. In this unprecedented time of uncertainty, there are many reasons for concern, and I don’t want to trivialize the impact of COVID-19 on our families, neighbors, and communities. However, I also see many reasons to be encouraged, particularly when I look around me and see my fellow healthcare professionals tirelessly caring for our patients.
From physicians to support services staff to nurses to hospital leadership, I see people who are thinking deeply and creatively, trusting each other fully, doing whatever it takes to meet the needs around them. Healthcare professionals are coming together to find ways to better educate their colleagues about how to properly use masks and other protective equipment so they can feel safe as they care for our patients. They respond with compassion and empathy to patients who are waiting for test results or who can’t have family members visit them while they’re sick.
When I talk to friends across the industry, I hear much of the same. Their leadership and hospital staff are asking, “What can we do differently? How can we help? How can we make sure our team is getting what they need?” They’re observing what is happening in other states and learning how to better prepare for a possible increase in coronavirus cases. Healthcare professionals are coming out of retirement or crossing state lines, courageously risking their own health to do what’s right for those in need. They are an inspiration.