pandemic

Strategic Prioritization and Deselection: Being transformative in the beginning stages of an endemic

Strategic Prioritization and Deselection: Being transformative in the beginning stages of an endemic

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

On the cusp of entering an endemic state, organizations are deciding what to turn their attention to “after COVID.” Wise leaders will recognize that this is not as simple as carrying on with their pre-COVID strategies. No organization has been immune to the shockwave of disruption that the pandemic has caused (Lagasse, 2020). This is especially true in the healthcare field. Hospital staff and resources are strained from bearing the weight of pandemic changes and regulations as well as the loss of skilled staff in the Great Resignation. You simply cannot “pick up where you left off” strategically when your workforce—the essential piece to actually accomplishing any strategy—is burned out and struggling. Something has to give.

COVID in 2022: Key components of moving to an endemic state

COVID in 2022: Key components of moving to an endemic state

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

There can be no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic is ongoing, serious, and unpredictable. But based on current data and past patterns, we can forecast what Spring 2022 might bring and how to best respond.

COVID Wars: Attack of the variants

COVID Wars: Attack of the variants

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

As an increasing portion of the global population continues to receive the COVID vaccine, public health experts, government officials, and healthcare professionals continue to monitor variants emerging around the world. With recent spikes of infections in India that have brought devastating death tolls and an overwhelmed healthcare system, it is clear that reaching the “end” of COVID and moving forward into a sense of normalcy will not be a straightforward process.

A global pandemic calls for global response: The importance of equitable global vaccine distribution

A global pandemic calls for global response: The importance of equitable global vaccine distribution

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

According to the United Nations, 75% of all COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered among just 10 countries, while 130 countries have not received even a single dose of the vaccine, as of mid-February 2021 (Al Jazeera, 2021). Global health and political leaders have condemned this unbalanced distribution of vaccines and are taking action to ensure vaccine equity. Dr. Tebros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), said in a recent address, “The world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure—and the price of this failure will be paid with lives and livelihoods in the world’s poorest countries” (United Nations, 2021).

Overcoming barriers to provide patient-centered care

Overcoming barriers to provide patient-centered care

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

The term "patient-centered care" is in vogue and utilized by health system administrators, marketing gurus, hospital staff, and clinicians alike. It's a catchy phrase that resonates with stakeholders, and it sounds like something every healthcare organization would heartily embrace. However, the heart of patient-centered care and its implications for how care is actually provided to patients is not well understood.

Managing the effects of pandemic-induced burnout among healthcare professionals

Managing the effects of pandemic-induced burnout among healthcare professionals

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, healthcare workers face unprecedented levels of stress, fear, and anxiety. Situations that trigger chronic stress have always been present within the important and weighty work of caring for patients, but routine stressors are now intensified by the serious risks of working on the frontlines of a pandemic. Together, this creates a perfect storm of heightened risk of burnout.

Providing compassionate care while wearing a face mask

Providing compassionate care while wearing a face mask

Interpreting facial cues is a central component of effective communication. In his 1865 book, Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals, Charles Darwin argued that our brains are able to extract a tremendous amount of subtle detail from just a glance…