A Rocky Start to a Challenging Year
Charles Dickens’ famous quote, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” could accurately describe 2020. Early this year, we faced a pandemic – the likes of which we have not seen since 1918. We witnessed suffering, sickness, and death all year long from COVID-19 (coronavirus). We saw friends and family laid off or unable to go to work, kids attend school virtually from home, and local businesses struggle to grapple with new guidelines and reduced sales.
This year we all experienced the challenges of isolation due to physical distancing guidelines. I am sure this has been tough on everyone, but my heart truly aches for the elderly, the most vulnerable, and healthcare workers. Older folks who live in nursing homes have been unable to see family or friends for many months because of visitor restrictions. Those who need to remain at home because of a high-risk medical condition have also been very isolated. As a healthcare leader, there is a certain feeling of helplessness with my employees. Knowing you are asking your team to work an extra or double shift, stay a little longer, or give up time with their families to care for patients. Seeing the weariness in their eyes with relatively little we can do, feels like the worst of times.
Finding the Good
Despite the challenges we all faced this year, 2020 did have some silver linings. For one, I have been amazed by the acts of kindness I have observed. I heard stories of people making and delivering meals to family and friends in quarantine or staying home due to an illness or high-risk medical condition. Others had flowers delivered anonymously to someone who needed a reason to smile. Community groups and individuals came together to provide grants to struggling local businesses and individuals who have been out of work because of the pandemic. Small acts of kindness and positivity made an impact too. Even something as simple as sharing a joke, an uplifting message, or a heartwarming story on social media.
This year also brought some positives to the healthcare industry. Due to the rapid spread of the virus, we began treating patients in March with limited knowledge about COVID-19. At that time, we were still learning about the virus and how to care for patients in the most effective way possible. We have learned so much in the last six-plus months! Today, outcomes have greatly improved for people who get the virus. The time it takes to implement new technologies happened much faster this year, too. This expedited timeframe resulted in significant improvements in telehealth services, testing capabilities, and other services to rural areas that seemed impossible only a year ago. Additionally, I witnessed some formerly fierce healthcare competitors come together in the spirit of openness and transparency to share knowledge and support each other – proving that we are in this together.
I have always been proud of our caregivers at Perham Health and Perham Living, but perhaps never as much as this year. This year, our team went above and beyond to ensure our communities could count on Perham Health during the pandemic. They stayed up-to-date on the rapidly changing treatments, guidelines, and regulations surrounding COVID-19. They led with care and compassion no matter what was happening around them. And, they supported each other, even when the virus began to hit close to home – impacting their peers and family members. They took time to check in with each other, wipe a tear, or give a word of encouragement.
Hope is on the Horizon
Fortunately, we appear to have turned a corner in this pandemic. The number of new cases is slowly starting to decrease in our area. We have begun vaccinating our frontline healthcare workers with a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine and hope for community vaccinations to be available in early 2021. With continued diligence – proper face masking, 6-foot physical distancing, regular hand washing/sanitizing, and vaccination, I firmly believe we will get this virus under control and regain some normalcy in our lives.
A heartfelt and sincere thank you to our nearly 600 dedicated and talented team members at Perham Health and Perham living. I feel honored and blessed to lead this incredible team and walk this journey alongside them. I also want to thank our community, patients, residents, volunteers, and clients who have supported and trusted us throughout the year. Together, we have risen to the challenge of this pandemic and will come out stronger.
Perham Health wishes everyone a happy and healthy 2021! Stay safe and take care of each other.
__________
Chuck Hofius
Perham Health CEO
I agree with all of the comments listed above. However, there is one issue that has presented itself recently that begs a solution. The issue relates to the lack of information pertaining to the availability and scheduling of injections of the Covid 19 virus vaccine. There is a great deal of anxiety in regard to this threat, and not knowing when or where the vaccine is going to become available is terribly frustrating. The groups that are to receive the vaccinations have been defined, but as to when and where they will occur is a complete mystery. The sequence of who gets the vaccine and in what order appear to have been defined, but nothing further to explain when and where each group can expect the vaccinations to begin. Maybe this is strictly a federal issue and problem, but somehow it still must require the involvement of our local medical professionals. The lack of information and direction regarding this issue is terribly frustrating.
Hi, Robert. We understand your frustration and know you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. Although planning for vaccine distribution is still in the works, here’s what we know. Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and local public health are in the process of developing a fair and strategic plan for rolling out the vaccine as quickly and efficiently as possible. At Perham Health, we have started vaccinations for Phase 1a (healthcare workers and long-term care residents). MDH will determine when and where people in the remaining phases can get vaccinated. It is our goal to communicate regularly and with transparency. We will provide an update on the next phase of vaccinations when we have more information. Please feel free to send any additional questions to info@perhamhealth.org.
Thanks Chuck for keeping us in the loop. Proud to live in a community that cares.
Thank you, Chuck, for this excellent writing and reflection. Thank you for your excellent leadership and inspiration. Perham Health is a great place to work with many committed people. Keep up the good work.
Many thanks, Chuck, to you and your team. In baseball parlance you stepped up to the plate and dealt with the pandemic head on whereas you could have just sat on the bench while others took the pitches this new virus threw at us. I’m proud to be associated as a patient with such a fine organization.
Thank you for the kind words, Tim. We wish you health and happiness in the new year!