Our normal has always been a little extraordinary. Before the world turned upside down in so many ways due to COVID-19, we found familiarity in the way we took care of our patients, developed revolutionary ideas, implemented bold strategic moves and supported each other.
Socrates once said, “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but building on the new.”
We are constantly building the new, and the recent pandemic has only accelerated the urgency of our quest. The lessons we’ve learned from the coronavirus pandemic will only further our mission of providing outstanding patient care, conducting breakthrough research, and creating new educational initiatives.
1.We will continue to take action, fighting for the health and well-being of our patients and the communities we serve.
The last few months have demonstrated that we are all in this together. From administering chemotherapy to cancer patients right in their own home, to providing residents in West Philadelphia with coronavirus testing and educational resources, to swiftly standing up clinical trials to learn more about potential treatments to fight this virus, every single one of us stepped up to answer the call of our patients and our community.
Virtual care has grown tremendously during the pandemic. In the first week of March, 150 patients were remotely evaluated. Since then, hundreds of thousands of patients have received care through our virtual health network. We have come to value the role of virtual care, and it will continue to be a critical piece of how we provide care moving forward.
There is no organization more dedicated to its patients and community than Penn Medicine.
2. We are accelerating the pace of innovation and new technology, despite being in the midst of a pandemic.
Technology played a crucial role in the rapid development of solutions to meet the unique needs of our patients and the community in this new era of patient care. The cover story of this month’s System News tells more of this story.
COVID Watch, a Way to Health program, was created as a way to check up on infected patients twice a day by text message. Those with minor or no symptoms are reassured, while those who are developing shortness of breath have an express pathway to nurses and doctors available 24/7. Thousands of patients have been monitored since the program began, and at any one time, one thousand patients are being actively monitored. This is a powerful way technology enabled us to provide personalized human connection.
In a matter of weeks, we also launched several new digital tools in partnership with Google. The COVID-19 Bot on the PennMedicine.org website helps patients find answers to their questions about the outbreak, and the Triage Tool connects people with the appropriate level of care, whether that’s going to the ER, speaking with a clinician, or staying home. These tools were deployed rapidly, providing patients help in what felt like no time in the early days of the pandemic.
Our team continues to make the seemingly impossible, possible, and I couldn’t be more proud.
3. Last, but never least, the safety of our employees and patients remains our number one priority.
For months, employees have been working in alternate locations, on different schedules, and adapting to new ways of supporting our mission. On behalf of the entire leadership team, thank you for your dedication, determination, and resilience.
We will continue to scour the world in search of personal protective equipment. Through PennCOBALT, we will also continue to provide mental health resources for all of our teams.
It’s also essential that patients feel safe coming in for care. We have instituted policies and procedures to minimize waiting room crowding, contactless check-ins, and communications to reassure them about entering our facilities.
Until research yields an effective vaccine, the safety measures in effect across our organization will remain in place.
When we stick together, we are an immovable force for good.
As we keep moving into a new way to deliver care, we can’t forget the lessons we’ve learned. We must remain committed to our core values established over 265 years ago. With our great team, I can’t wait to see what we achieve next.