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It has been almost one year since I have had the privilege to join and serve this community as Meritus Health’s President and Chief Executive Officer. The pandemic thrust our community into a new normal – one that no one could have imagined. The strength I have seen among our providers, nurses, staff and neighbors is astonishing. We came together in these trying times, and I am honored to lead Meritus Health as we continue, as a community, to care for one another in unprecedented times.

Recently, a patient who is a lifelong member of this community shared the story of her recent visit to Meritus and the story was one of appreciation and gratitude for her Meritus Medical Center care team. The patient shared that when an emergency arose and she sought care at the Emergency Department (ED), she was taken aback by how well the providers, technicians and nurses were able to navigate the restrictions and concerns that COVID has presented while attending to her care. She shared that although 2020 has brought concerns unimaginable for many of us, she was so grateful that lifesaving healthcare here in our community continues to be a mainstay. She shared that while looking around the ED and seeing staff in masks and face shields, she was struck with gratitude for the care providers who continue to provide healing and help even during extreme times.

Being a patient during unprecedented times is no easy task. There are tests, scans, procedures and frightening moments in any emergency but please feel comforted and confident that Meritus Health has thoroughly trained and educated our health care providers and staff to assist our patients during an emergency. In spite of COVID precautions and the extra testing necessary to assure safety for all, the patient spoke of her gratefulness for the team of health care providers and her appreciation for Meritus Medical Center for the excellent care she received while being treated during one of the scariest moments of her life.

Our hospital workflow has been altered. There are more steps to our processes, changes to our workflow and expenses that could not have been foreseen. There have been logistics to work through, challenges to overcome and successes to be celebrated during these many months, one being our patient’s story. She specifically mentioned the extra precautions she saw and remarked on how appreciative she was that our extra steps in providing health care delivery didn’t delay her treatment and care - within 24 hours she went from the ED, into surgery, through recovery and was discharged home.

In her story, I am reminded of the importance of our teams being at the ready, our doors open to those who need us anywhere, whether in the ED, our drive thru testing center, our doctor’s offices and all places we touch patients. We are moving forward to achieve our 2030 Bold Goals, all while caring for our community of sick, ill and injured. We cannot accomplish our Bold Goals of Improving Health, Improving Healthcare, Joy at Work and Affordability without you. We need your encouragement, your support and your participation as we move to accomplish these goals, even during unprecedented times.

Will you join us? With your support, it will be possible for us to move forward in our mission to relentlessly pursue excellence and achieve our 2030 Bold Goals. Your gift today will make a difference for you, your neighbors, your family members and your friends, and on behalf of them, thank you!

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