Leading The Way Through COVID-19

Several times during the pandemic, I talked about how “when this was over” we would return to all of the things that we took for granted: maintaining patient safety, implementing information technology systems, managing patient flow and throughput, going through the budget cycle, managing credentialing, or undergoing peer review. We now realize that COVID-19 is here to stay and is creating a new set of chronic conditions that must be managed. We acknowledge that the routine aspects of our work have reemerged, but now with an overlay of COVID-19 and the operational challenges it presents.

I have started to transition my language with my team toward a more upbeat vocabulary and future-focused mindset. This is not about denial but an approach that helps lead our team to focus on other elements of our work. Yes, COVID-19 is here to stay, but we must continue to advance our work on the post-COVID journey as well.

To do our part at the Physician Leadership Journal, we have been prioritizing those manuscripts from leaders who are leading the way through COVID-19 with the hope that there may be nuggets of information that can help you as you lead others. We know that we have an obligation to continue to provide information on the core aspects and competencies of physician leadership. We are hopeful that this approach will provide you with the materials you need to effectively lead others as we continue to balance our work in this new context.

This issue of the PLJ is emblematic of our approach of balancing leadership topics in COVID and non-COVID topics alike.

First, there is a field report describing “An Innovative Provider Redeployment Strategy During the COVID-19 Pandemic in New York City” and the necessity to seek innovative solutions and review steps to meet patient care demands while maintaining quality and safety in the face of increased patient volumes, insufficient staff, and an evolving pandemic.

Next, we have included a field report examining the significant increase in Emergency Medical Services out-of-hospital cardiac arrests during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. Another field report examines inadequate reimbursement from insurance companies and analyzes whether a free-market, non-regulatory solution may be successful in addressing three major concerns: cost, balance billing, and surprise billing.

Finally, we offer a discussion article that examines the role of drug use-associated infections and their financial toll on healthcare systems. The author suggests ways hospital administration leaders must adapt strategies to optimize the value of patient care given to those afflicted with both opioid-use disorders and their related infections and attempt to lower costs while improving quality of care.

As the official journal of the American Association for Physician Leaders, the Physician Leadership Journal provides a platform for you to share your research with members throughout the world. Now is the time to use this platform to help inspire change in healthcare and to improve the way we deliver care to the patients, families, and communities we serve.