Hartford Business Journal

HartfordBusiness.com | February 8, 2021 | Hartford Business Journal 13 I t's been just about one year since doctors started tracking the first COVID-19 cases in the United States, and what a year it turned out to be. While households searched for toilet paper, made masks, and self-quarantined, the team at Trinity Health Of New England rose to the challenge to continue serving the community. Through this rapidly changing world, they started off with virus testing, moved into specialized respiratory clinics, continued with telehealth advancements, and now, are leading the way in distributing COVID-19 vaccines. "We are able to do so better than many health care systems across the country, because we planned accordingly," says Trinity Health Of New England's President and CEO, Reggy Eadie, M.D. " We learned so much from the testing aspect that we took our learnings, areas of opportunity, strengths and weaknesses, and transitioned them into what we think is the most important initiative in this para- pandemic era, and that is vaccinating." With that attitude, Trinity Health Of New England has become one of the only health care systems in Connecticut to open their vaccine clinic doors early on to all health care workers, including first responders. Trinity Health Of New England leaders developed a turn-key operation and had it ready for when the first Pfizer vaccine became available. "Then, we hit the ground running," says Eadie. "Now, we're using the same approach for the next phase, using vaccines to inoculate those eligible to receive them regardless if they are existing Trinity patients or not." "It's sort of like building the bridge as you cross it," says Dr. Eadie, who is also the co-chair of Governor Ned Lamont's Vaccine Advisory Board. "Vaccine updates are coming out daily, but from the day we received our very first shipment, we have been operating vaccine administration efficiently and effectively ever since." So why the focus on vaccines? The science tells us that in order to get back to any degree of normalcy, stop socially distancing and to be able to remove our masks, we have to get to herd immunity. Dr. Eadie believes that will happen when 75 to 85 percent of the population are immune to the coronavirus. He says there are two ways to get there. One is through natural exposure, allowing the virus to spread through our country. But, with 4,000 people dying every day, the death toll from that method would be catastrophic. The other way is through vaccination, and he says that's why medical providers are rolling up their own sleeves, then rolling out ways to vaccinate those eligible." "Our colleagues are taking it upon themselves to get educated," says Dr. Eadie. "They sought more information on quality, safety, and efficacy for their own personal reasons, and then they gave themselves their own target to aim toward. Leadership listened to their ask for more information, and partnered with colleagues to host weekly educational webinars to arm them with the information necessary to make an informed decision to receive the vaccine and be the ambassadors for the vaccine within their local communities." He points to Saint Francis Hospital, where employees challenged themselves and expanded vaccine administration from 200 people a day, to about 1,000 a day, and are prepared to expand beyond that as supply becomes more readily available. Teams at Trinity Health Of New England have also started informational webinars, first to educate staff, then to reach out to the community. Every Monday a webinar is open, and free, for anyone to log in and learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine. Their experts have offered a Spanish language webinar and are also working directly with smaller groups throughout Connecticut to communicate with vulnerable populations. Trinity leaders say they plan to keep these outreach sessions running as long as they are needed, likely until we reach herd immunity. It's been an unprecedented year in our modern history, and one that will impact us for many years to come. But, Dr. Eadie believes if we pay attention, there are lessons to be learned here. "We as leaders need to take a step back and realize that we don't have all the answers to the questions," he says. "Instead, we go to the community, and ask the community what they want and need, and how we can satisfy those needs. We show up and prove to them, with our actions, we are here to serve them. That sort of leadership style is what we need so that we never have to face such a tumultuous time once again. That's Trinity Health Of New England's brand promise." Leading the Way in Vaccine Distribution SPONSORED CONTENT Reggy Eadie, M.D. CEO, Trinity Health of New England

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