President’s Update

COVID-19, PPE shortages, ICU capacity, incident command, social and racial disparities, violence, rioting, brutality, unrest, physician and nurse shortages, the rise (and fall?) of FSEDs, a new administration and a return to ACA, trillion-dollar infrastructure plans, COVID relief bill, American Rescue Plan, tax changes, virtual care, virtual hospitals, telemedicine, eICUs, value-based care, population health, all-time stock market highs, mergers, acquisitions, Zoom, Google and MS Teams meetings, artificial intelligence, precision medicine, personalized medicine, crypto currencies, blockchain, wearables, mental health, isolation, substance use disorder, depression, burnout... that’s a lot to think about. 

2020 was a hailstorm of new - some good and some bad. Change came whether we wanted it or not. We were forced to adapt, learn, fail, try again and in some cases, we ended up in a better place than we started. We struggled, we fought, we braved the unknown, many of us mourned, we comforted each other and we are here now: in 2021 with 2020 vision. We all gained about 5 years of experience over the course of the last year, and as a global community, I believe we are now armed and ready for whatever unknowns may come tomorrow.

As healthcare leaders, we bear an ever-increasing burden to learn more, do more, be more effective, take more hits and be more resilient, especially through pandemics and trying times like the past year. While I hope that someday we can all retire to a simpler life and a culture of peace, balance and harmony, we are not there yet and we may never get there. We are on a long, hard journey through many twists and turns. It can be easy to lose hope, forget where we are going or why we are here.

But, each of us has a “why.” “Why” we got into healthcare in the first place. “Why” we come in early and leave late. “Why” we stress out over the little things. “Why” we risk our own lives to provide care to those who need it... We are a community of leaders, each armed with knowledge, experience, skills and abilities and most importantly, our “why.”

2021 could be no different than 2020. It could be better. It could be worse. We don’t know. What we do know is that we are all stronger now, we all have our “why,” and we are all in this together; to do more, learn more, be more, and to share in each other’s burden to improve the lives of others.

I hope you will join with us this year as we grow and develop as an active community of leaders who volunteer, connect, lead, educate, and learn together with our collective  “why” in mind: to improve the lives of our community through the advancement of healthcare leadership. I’m excited about what opportunities that may bring. 

All it takes is an active response from you to get engaged. We’ve sent you emails, text messages, social media posts, perhaps even called you directly to connect. If it is easier for you, just reach out to me directly on my cell phone (call or text) if you’d like to be an active part of this journey. I look forward to working with you and getting to know you and your “why” better this year.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve with you all. 

Sincerely,