Better Than Normal with Hartford HealthCare President & CEO Jeffrey A. Flaks

Hartford HealthCare President and CEO Jeffrey A. Flaks discusses lessons learned over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. He’ll explain how new safety precautions and other initiatives are taking us beyond a new normal – to a “better than normal” future in healthcare. 

Hartford HealthCare has treated thousands of COVID-19 patients, many of whom are still struggling with lingering side effects. 

If you or a loved one needs help after recovering from COVID-19, Hartford HealthCare’s COVID Recovery Center can help. Call 860.827.3200 to schedule a virtual or in person appointment.

Transcript

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SPEAKER_00 0:00

And she described a patient who had come into the hospital who had been experiencing stroke-like symptoms for about three days, and eventually the symptoms got worse and the patient became more incapacitated. And the nurse felt so terribly because she said to me, had that patient come in routinely within that first 24-hour window, she would have been left fully restored of all her capabilities. And instead, she left with great deficits by virtue of having that delay in care.

SPEAKER_01 0:26

Welcome to Hartford Healthcare's podcast series, Coping Through COVID. I'm Enron DePierre. In this episode, Hartford Healthcare President and CEO Jeff Flax describes the extraordinary measures now being taken to keep both patients and staff safe. First, Jeff Flax.

SPEAKER_00 1:19

We said throughout this pandemic, we never closed. Hospitals across Connecticut, across the country continued to provide emergent surgeries at all times of the day, under all circumstances. And it really is one of the great recognitions to the healthcare heroes that have been able to stand ready to take care of people when those emergent circumstances presented themselves.

SPEAKER_01 1:42

In one such instance, 81-year-old Maureen Schiller was in pain and needed medical attention at the height of the pandemic.

SPEAKER_03 2:15

Again, this happened during the height of the pandemic, and some of the aspects of her care were challenging, but Maureen did extraordinarily well and uh fortunately is joining us here today. Maureen, how are you doing?

SPEAKER_02 2:28

I'm doing fine.

SPEAKER_03 2:29

You look lovely. And I see all I see all the pictures of your uh grandchildren behind you. How many grandchildren do you have, Maureen?

SPEAKER_02 2:36

13.

SPEAKER_03 2:37

Oh wow. Well, that's that's great. So if you don't mind, uh Maureen, if you could share a little bit from your perspective, your story. Obviously, we know the whole process was very nerve-wracking, and and to have it happen in the middle of this uh pandemic. What can you share about how uh you were able to get through all of this?

SPEAKER_02 2:57

Well, I struggled a lot with the pain and tried to ignore it because I did not want any part of the hospital. With the coronavirus out there, I didn't want to go anywhere near it. And we did bunker down. We did not go anywhere. We had a vacation cancel, and it was a tough time. But I finally got to the point that I could not deal with the pain anymore. And our kids were all over us to go in the emergency room, and I said no.

SPEAKER_01 3:26

Thankfully, Maureen's children ultimately convinced her it was safe and time to go to the hospital.

SPEAKER_03 3:34

So when you finally got here to Harvard Hospital, as you remember, your care was actually uh in the Bone and Joint Institute, which was not a usual situation, but to protect you, we had to give you your care over there. And I was uh very impressed with how we were able to adapt and still provide you with good care, even though we had to adjust things to keep you and all of our patients as safe as possible during this trying time.

SPEAKER_02 3:58

That worked out beautifully. It was a beautiful hospital. They went beyond what I would have expected. I knew I was in good hands, and that made it easier to go to the hospital. As much as I didn't want to go.

SPEAKER_03 4:12

Well, we really appreciate you having the trust in us and our team here. Uh, obviously, the staff over at that other part of our hospital deserves a lot of credit, but you deserve the most credit, and I'm so glad that you are doing well after this challenging set of circumstances.

SPEAKER_02 4:27

Yes, I am, and I have you to thank for it.

SPEAKER_03 4:29

Well, thank you.

SPEAKER_01 4:31

Again, Hartford Healthcare President and CEO Jeff Flax.

SPEAKER_00 4:36

Marine story is a living proof and example of the amazing ingenuity that was put forth in hospitals during this time period. You know, as Dr. Devon Grassi described, we took our freestanding Bone and Joint Institute, effectively a separate hospital, tunnel connected on the Hartford Hospital campus, and redeployed it to take care of patients who were not suspected to be COVID positive, uh, who needed these emergent operations. And we put special precautions in place. When Dr. Devon Grassi and the team would have been operating, they would have had their normal surgical mask, an N95 mask, as well as a face shield, and a whole series of precautions about the circulators and how many people would enter the room and under what circumstance. I'm extraordinarily proud of these examples, the difference we're making for people for their lives in this process and what we've been able to do. And it just underscores, again, going forward, all of the safety and security precautions that have been put forth in our institutions today to ensure that nobody stays home.

SPEAKER_01 5:33

While making the rounds at Hartford Hospital, Hartford Healthcare President and CEO Jeff Flax talked with a nurse and shares a compelling story about the consequences we risk by waiting to seek care.

SPEAKER_00 5:57

And she goes, Let me tell you why. And she described a patient who had come into the hospital who had been experiencing stroke-like symptoms for about three days. The family was evaluating those symptoms, and eventually the symptoms got worse, and the patient became more incapacitated. And the nurse felt so terribly because she said to me, had that patient come in routinely within that first 24-hour window that normally would happen, she would have been left fully restored of all her capabilities. And instead, she left with great deficits by virtue of having that delay in care. And the delays in care that have been in our communities in a number of its situations are affecting people in very significant ways. And I want to urge everybody that all hospitals across Connecticut are working together, we're coordinated, we're putting all the necessary precautions in place to ensure that we can take care of everyone when they need that care, when when the moment matters most. And I'm extremely confident in all of the safety provisions that have been initiated.

SPEAKER_01 6:54

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Hartford Healthcare has never closed. But to help contain the spread of the virus, nonessential services were suspended. Those services are phasing back in at all Hartford Healthcare hospitals, surgery centers, primary care offices, health centers, and other facilities. As we begin scheduling additional services again, several precautions are in place, including screenings for Hartford Healthcare employees and patients, increased cleaning, pre-surgical patient testing, new surgical visitor policies, and enhanced patient communications. Hartford Healthcare reminds you not to delay emergency care. Your life could depend on it. Signs of heart attack, stroke, cancer, or other serious medical conditions require immediate attention. In an emergency, get to the ER quickly or call 911. Learn more about our services before you need them. Visit HartfordHealthcare.org. Thanks for listening to Hartford Healthcare's podcast series, Coping Through COVID.