Hartford Business Journal

November 30, 2020

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18 Hartford Business Journal • November 30, 2020 • www.HartfordBusiness.com By Liese Klein lklein@hartfordbusiness.com M anchester Memo- rial Hospital was founded just after the great flu pan- demic of 1918-19, and on its centennial, the hospital's current leader sees clear parallels in the challenges facing providers. "We're kind of bookended — pan- demic to pandemic — in a 100-year span," said Deborah Weymouth, CEO of Eastern Connecticut Health Network (ECHN), which operates Manchester Memorial and Rock- ville General hospitals. "I do think it's kind of poignant to see where we came from and to have this now," she said of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like all hospital networks, ECHN has had to deal with steep declines in revenue-generating procedures as elective patients shun medical settings. Weymouth blames in- consistent messaging from health authorities for the lingering mis- trust of the medical system, even as updated sanitizing leaves hospitals cleaner than ever. "It's caused people to question the safety of any provider," Weymouth said of the ongoing public debate on mask-wearing and COVID-19 safety procedures. "We are far, far safer than going to the grocery store." Those paying the steepest price for the inconsistent messaging from national authorities are pa- tients in need of medical attention, Weymouth added. "It's been difficult to get to the people who truly need screenings or health care," she said. "We could have made a difference had people gotten clearer, more concise com- munication on what to do." Challenges ahead In her post just over a year, Wey- One year in, ECHN's Weymouth tackles challenges on multiple fronts PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED Deborah Weymouth, CEO of Eastern Connecticut Health Network, sees parallels between the challenges faced by Manchester Memorial Hospital at its founding and the current pandemic crisis. 107 Old Windsor Road, Bloomfield, CT 06002 (860) 242-8586 | Fax (860) 242-8587 www.pdsec.com PDS ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION, INC. THINK • PLAN • BUILD Spotlight on: Religion Shiloh Baptist Church | Hartford, CT Total Project Size: 10,000 SF Another Successful Project by PDS DESIGN BUILDERS • GENERAL CONTRACTORS • CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS This project included 10,000 square feet of historical renovations. The exterior renovations consisted of new doors, handrails, roof and repointing. Interior renovations to the 1st and 2nd floor lobby and handicap lift. This job was completed on time and within budget.

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