As we pass the year mark of the challenging, heart wrenching, exhausting, life altering global pandemic, I reflected on the impact that the year has made on the world.
I reflected on the startling statistics.
As of April 2021, COVID 19 has infected more than 141 million people and led to more than 3 million deaths worldwide. In the United States, we have seen more than 31 million infected with 567,422 deaths. When I read those statistics, I think about all our healthcare workers, nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists, and all the staff required to care for people. I reflect on not only the comfort and care they provided to the sick but to the families that were not able to be on hand to comfort their dying family members, friends, and loved ones.
I reflected on the lessons learned on the fly and the adjustments made under incredible stress and dismay.
I considered this quote by Allan McDonald, an engineer and aerospace consultant, who famously refused to approve the Shuttle Challenger prior to its tragic flight. Allan lived by his “laws of the seven R’s” which read “always, always do the right thing for the right reason at the right time with the right people and you will have no regrets for the rest of your life.” This struck a chord with me and what the last year was about. Our company rallied to provide the best care, the best service, and the best solutions to more than 2,000 of our clients.
I reflected on the changes that we have made as a company.
Medical Solutions provides support to healthcare facilities across our nation and with offices strategically placed across our country. Our Clinical Team had to work fast and furiously to change protocols. The Rapid Response Protocol enabled us to get our travelers to their assignments in half the time, while maintaining the high level of compliance to ensure that our hospitals were receiving the best support. In addition, our Clinical Team strengthened their pre-screen interview process, so they were able to better vet candidates to ensure the travelers were ready to handle the pressures of the pandemic.
With the competitive market for talent, bill rates became a focal point. Our leadership was exceptionally keen to be transparent with our clients. We provided thorough analysis on a weekly basis, enabling them to make the best fiscal decisions they could. Specialties such as ICU, Medical Surgical, Telemetry, became the most in demand. This put a lot of pressure on the rates and for the hospitals to compete for staffing attention. We added more sub-vending companies to our managed services program, to widen the pipeline of professionals available to our clients.
I reflected on the beginning.
At the onset of the pandemic, I asked my sister-in-law, an ER nurse from a small town, to travel to my client in West Chester County, NY, one of the hardest hit facilities. I asked her to step out of her comfort zone to help. And boy, did she ever. She did not hesitate. She said it was a life altering experience and she was proud to serve. I reflected on the nurse that I lost to COVID, who was on assignment in Georgia, leaving her only son and grandbaby. She was getting ready to start her second assignment at the facility when she became infected.
With several vaccines currently being administered, we do not know what our new “normal” is going to look like and what our future will hold. I just know that I am working with the right people, for the right reasons, at the right time and will have no regrets because I know that all of us at Medical Solutions are here to serve our clients, travelers and communities.
Gretchen Finniff
Gretchen came to Medical Solutions in 2019 as a Business Development Executive. With a background in healthcare administration, banking, and nonprofit, she brought her passion for serving others to serve the needs of our clients. In 2020, Gretchen was awarded the Circle of Excellence and Rookie of the Year. When she is not striving to deliver the best service to her clients, she is busy with her family of three sons and four dogs, enjoying nature.
