Embarking On a New Chapter

By Roberto Colon, MD, chief medical officer, Miami Valley Hospital

As we enter a new chapter in our health care journey, we face unprecedented challenges.  We are still facing the threat of a COVID resurgence, and Influenza and RSV infections are also on the rise.  In addition, health care systems across the country, including ours, continue to adjust to staffing limitations.  As if that were not challenging enough, the system’s decision to become a critical access hospital during the COVID-19 crisis, coupled with the rising expenditures needed to deliver care, has impacted our current financial posture.  Emerging from such a confluence of hurdles will not be easy; nevertheless, we are committed to taking the necessary steps to survive and set our organization to thrive long into the future. While there is reason to be optimistic about the future, this period brings great uneasiness to many of us.

During times of uncertainty, we must remain committed to our mission to improve the health of the communities we serve.  This patient-driven approach will guide us as we navigate difficult decisions and sacrifices required to forge a path forward for long-term and short-term success. Our next chapter will be written in partnership with our physicians and other providers.  We have committed to greater transparency with our medical staff as we engage more physician leaders on important decisions affecting our system. Numerous physicians from across the system have participated in ideation sessions, system integration teams, and innovation groups tasked with envisioning the next evolution of our health care system.  If you have questions about decisions that are not clear, I encourage you to reach out to any of our chief medical officers or other Premier Health leaders for clarity.   

We remain committed to the quality care of those we serve.  This is a time for new ideas and greater agility in our actions.  We must be daring in how we think of the future to reach new heights. Success will take everyone engaging, innovating, and embracing the changes needed for success. Countless organizations have faced periods of great adversity only to emerge stronger and more successful.  I believe in our mission and our teams. I believe that, together, we will succeed.  

Back to the November 2022 issue of Premier Pulse