Page 28 - FLIPMAG.NET

‘We needed to provide
for emotional and mental
health services for them’
After the first COVID-19 patient showed up at a New York-Presbyterian hospital, Dr. Laura needed to eat. And we said,
“Don’t worry about that.
Forese, the system’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, began what
We’re going to provide food
would be a weekslong effort of daily communications with staff. Listening to the concerns
for you every day.”
of front-line staff is important, she says, in developing a safe and sound response to the
I’d say the biggest change
pandemic. She spoke with Modern Healthcare Managing Editor Matthew Weinstock.
over time was really thinking
The following is an edited transcript.
about people’s emotional
MH: You started daily live as we go back and look at of, “We’re not sure exactly well-being. We encouraged
updates and broadcasts some of those broadcasts, what’s going to happen. people to have opportunities
with your workforce at the we can see that they evolved Here’s what we’re doing to speak about it and in all
beginning of the pandemic. because, of course, the to prepare. Here’s what different forums. We would
How did that come about? pandemic evolved. we need from you, and encourage them to send us
We also use it as an here’s how we’re going information. We had a lot of
Forese: We had the first opportunity to have two- to support you.” different ways people could
inpatient who had COVID way feedback. So we always As we started to get more take what was happening
in New York, and we were solicited the opportunity for and more patients, then to them; each person as an
anticipating that there would people to send us emails or we had to shift to, “Here’s individual had experienced
be patients coming in. What to give us other feedback. what we’re going to provide it a little bit differently.
we didn’t anticipate was “What else do you need for you.” There were a lot And then we were also
exactly what was going to to know? How can we, as of (personal protective very concerned about the
happen. the leadership, makes sure equipment) discussions. trauma that everyone was
As soon as we had a that we’re keeping you Then we were talking feeling, particularly those
positive patient, the CEO, informed?” about supports. So we who were on the front lines
Dr. Steve Corwin, and I got wanted the people to be and who were right in … the
on a broadcast video to the MH: How did those physically safe, but we also battle. We needed to provide
entire organization saying, conversations evolve? knew that people had things for emotional and mental
“Here’s what’s happened. going on in their lives that health services for them.
Here’s where we’re going to Forese: When we first started they had to be thinking And that changed over time
go next. And we’re going to out, we were literally saying, about. So childcare, once as it became clear that this
keep you informed.” “Today the number of the schools shut down wasn’t a single event, this
From that very first one, patients,” and it started out in New York City and the was going to extend. And it
which was the first week with one and then two, and surrounding areas, we extends to this day.
in March on a Tuesday, we it went on. And we wanted knew that we had to talk
then did seven days a week to give people information to them about childcare. MH: New York-Presbyterian
for a number of weeks, and and say, “Here’s what’s Mass transit, people weren’t isn’t unique in this situation,
it really continued through happening. Here’s what necessarily feeling safe. but we’ve heard criticism from
several months. The goal will happen next.” So very We were providing certain those on the front lines that
really was to make sure that factual. things in childcare. Parking, their concerns haven’t been
we were giving the broad Within a couple of days, a lot of people wanted to responded to. Are there things
team as much information it starts to be clear that we park. It became those kinds that you wish you had done
as we possibly could. And had to give our team a sense of things. Food. People differently?

26 Modern Healthcare | June 8, 2020