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'We had to:' UMass Memorial Health President and CEO says changes to healthcare were a 'must' to fight off COVID pandemic
COVID-19 brought on a lot of new challenges for people both in and out of healthcare. Things like mask wearing and social distancing became the norm. But surprising enough, the virus resulted in some positive changes. Changes to healthcare some never even imagined.
Now we use video interpreters all the time. But we also now became much more comfortable delivering care through video. So now, we can have a paramedic go into the home through our mobile integrated health program, do labs, do a physical exam on the patient, put an iv in, deliver fluid, deliver medication.
Dr. Eric Dickson | President and CEO, UMass Memorial Health
UMass Memorial Health President and CEO Eric Dickson reflects on 5 years since the start of the COVID pandemic
Local hospitals were filled quite literally to the brim with sick patients for months on end. Field hospitals even needed to be opened. Creating challenges some healthcare leaders never fathomed.
As I think about COVID, I think about how every health care system, how every governmental agency came together and worked together to solve, really, the biggest healthcare crisis of our time.
Dr. Eric Dickson, President and CEO of UMass Memorial Health

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