By Ted Shaw, President/CEO, Texas Hospital Association
The word hero means something different for everyone. Some may think of fictional characters like Superman. Other, real life heroes may come to mind, such as military personnel and professional athletes. Today, when people think of heroes, they should think of the nearly 400,000 Texans who are on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19. Our brave health care workers do not wear capes, they wear scrubs and are working day and night to protect those who have become infected with the disease that has swept across the globe and made its way into our backyards.
I know firsthand that hospital workers are our heroes. They work tirelessly and selflessly to care for their neighbors. Compassion is the hallmark of our caregivers – whether they be doctors, nurses, physician assistants, lab technicians or support staff. We cannot underestimate the sacrifices they are making to protect their communities. Being on the frontlines of this infectious disease takes an emotional and physical toll on our health care workers, and we must ensure that we are doing all that we can to care for our caregivers.
Texas hospitals always are prepared and ready for whatever comes their way, but COVID-19 has and will continue to tax Texas’ health care and hospital system. We must get assistance with the resources that hospitals desperately need. That’s why the Texas Hospital Association is pushing hard to ensure that hospitals have everything they need to protect us. Organized donations and policies to reuse and conserve masks were a step in the right direction, but we need more. Masks, gloves, gowns, googles and face shields help keep hospital workers safe, and right now, there are not enough to protect those workers.
Hospitals are closely working with state and federal leaders to better protect our patients, the public and health care workers and to ensure we have the infrastructure in place to handle COVID-19 as cases surge. We quickly asked for and received flexibilities from the government to expand our ability to care for people via telemedicine, keeping patients and health care workers safer from the spread of disease. We moved quickly to tighten visitor policies to help protect staff. We have been urgently pushing for federal funding and for increases in domestic production of medical supplies and equipment to help us fight this disease.
We are turning to social media to urge the public to adhere to social distancing guidelines to flatten the curve. We have urged leaders in Texas communities to enact strict policies to stay at home to stop further the spread of disease and reduce the burden on the health care system. Texas hospitals are disseminating critical messages to the public regarding testing, hygiene, emergency room use, visitation policies, blood donation and other key issues.
Texas hospitals and their staff play an incredible, critical role in the fight against COVID-19. Protecting our state and its people is central to the mission of every hospital, no matter the size, location or type. We are doing everything we can to protect the health care workers who protect us.