One year ago, I took a photo in front of the St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton sign at Charlton Campus. Beaming, it was my first week as president of the hospital. Flash-forward to a photo of myself today, and I am still beaming. Oh what a year this has been!
Like everyone else, COVID-19 has impacted so much of my own life — with kids out of school, a grandmother who is in long-term care that I can’t visit, a friend’s father passed away from COVID, and not being able to see my parents in person. I have had my moments, but I remain optimistic largely because of this community I have embraced.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown me there is so much more to Hamilton than meets the eye. Here are five ways I see it:
1. Hamilton is courageous
I’m constantly in awe of the front-line workers in our hospitals. Our doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, environmental services workers, porters, nutrition services staff, security officers, administration and therapeutic clinicians across medicine and mental health programs are daily examples of true courage and compassion.
Essential workers across the city such as police officers, firefighters, grocery store workers, waste management workers, delivery couriers and mail carriers have faced this time of uncertainty with bravery.
2. Hamilton is collaborative
In Hamilton during this crisis, the region’s health care and community partners are working hand-in-hand (figuratively of course!) to move mountains (or, if you prefer, the escarpment).
The different organizations that make up the Hamilton Health Team acted swiftly to prepare for COVID-19. Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joe’s, the City of Hamilton and Public Health, all of our addiction and mental-health partners, primary care and family health teams, as well as a number of community health providers including long-term care facilities are all working together every day to care for people in Hamilton.
In our region, we may have begun to flatten the curve, but it’s not yet time to ring the victory bell. The virus has had a detrimental impact in long-term care and congregate care homes. I’m heartened by the many helpers and clinicians across our region that are coming together to help prevent infection, detect the virus, provide care and protect our most vulnerable community members in these group settings.
3. Hamilton is innovative
One of the many reasons why St. Joe’s is proud to be affiliated with McMaster University is because researchers, clinicians and learners come from across the globe to practice, teach and study at Hamilton’s hospitals. From robots in our laboratories amping up the number of diagnostic tests we can complete, to St. Joseph’s Health System’s pilot surveillance project testing for asymptomatic positive cases in congregate living spaces, to researchers studying the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, Hamilton is full of people innovating and doing groundbreaking research focused on combatting the virus.
Hamiltonians are also embracing new technology. In April, the number of patients using virtual care at St. Joe’s jumped from 100 patients to about 5,000 patients. With our city partners, we launched a virtual care for long-term care program. Physician instructors are teaching group sessions on Zoom. Our resident physicians are now learning by assessing patients using video-calls on St. Joe’s secure patient portal MyDovetale. Our clinicians are helping hospital in-patients connect to their loved ones on iPads. In our seniors mental-health program, patients with dementia are having powerful interactions with their loved ones — so much that some are hugging their iPads.
4. Hamilton is generous
Our hospital continues to receive donations of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as N95 respirators and procedure masks from local businesses and community members. While we have adequate stock of PPE in our hospital in the short term, this will continue to be a priority for us to keep our patients and staff safe. The food and restaurant community brought meals, treats and coffee to health-care workers. These generous gifts are also strengthened by the incredible philanthropic donations our community continues to provide to St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation.
5. Hamilton is connected
Although we’re practicing physical distancing, the sense of community is alive in this city. Messages of hope and encouragement are chalked on sidewalks and displayed on signs in windows. There is even a sense of connection to Hamilton’s history as we channel the spirit of the Sisters of St. Joseph, who first came to Hamilton in 1852 to care for people during what was then a cholera epidemic.