Coronavirus continues to spread quickly throughout the nation, and the death toll from the virus is rising. Those who work in health care and at our hospitals are truly heroes, stepping up in a way that deserves our gratitude and admiration.
Life in hospitals right now is volatile and hectic, as other segments of life seemed to have slowed down: auto manufacturers have closed plants; conference calls rather than meetings are the order of the day; the state Legislature is on hiatus until at least April 13.
Like all of you, we too are focused on coronavirus — supporting hospitals with advocacy at the federal, state, and local levels.
Statewide, the emphasis now is on the push for capacity in space, human resources, equipment, and more to handle the expected influx of patients.
On the federal side, our push is for financial relief and resources, so you and your teams have the staff, equipment, and physical space to get the job done.
Despite the pause in the state legislative calendar, we’re still working through bill language and sharing feedback and comments on legislation that will impact all of your organizations once we all get through the current crisis. Work on reforming seismic regulations and the surprise billing issue, and providing input on the Governor’s Office of Health Care Affordability, cannot stop in spite of the ongoing challenges.
For those who are strained by the pressure from this pandemic (and I think that applies to many of us), I’d like to offer this thought: in some ways, the steady work that we do that’s separate and apart from coronavirus — paying vendors, facility maintenance, advocating on other issues — is comforting, because it signals a shared understanding that there will be a point when things start to return to normal.
We are preparing and working for a life that exists after coronavirus subsides, and that’s something we can all look forward to. For now, we will focus on just one thing — caring for the patient in front of us who needs us now more than ever. We’re here for you and your teams during times of crisis and afterward, when life begins its slow return to normal.
– Carmela