It’s only May, and already H&HN is brimming with tales of how hospitals and their staffs have added more than a little joy to their communities this year.
None of these anecdotes mention the more dramatic ways in which hospital workers come to their patients’ aid every day, because only in the hospital field is saving lives routine.
There is the hospital housekeeping staff that formed a choir to sing to patients; the social worker who arranged for a clothes closet for homeless patients; and the physician who has made it her life’s work to care for those below the federal poverty level.
In short, really from-the-heart stuff.
It just so happens that “health care from the heart” is the official theme behind National Hospital Week this year, which falls on May 8–14. That reminds me: to those in the field that are reading this, we'd like to say thank you.
Want to stand in support of hospitals this week? Share photos or videos on social media highlighting the important role hospitals play in their communities by using the tag #MyHospital. Another way to stand in solidarity is to change your social media profile image to the blue hospital 'H.' You can snap up the ‘H’ image on http://www.aha.org/myhospital.
Also, a #HospitalWeek Twitter chat on Wednesday, May 11, 11:00 am ET, will recognize how more than 5.6 million hospital and health system employees are providing health care from the heart. Feel free to chime in with your own examples.
It feels as if 2016 so far has been an especially trying year for those in the health care field. With so much change underfoot, this week is a well-deserved time to tip hats in hospitals' direction. As H&HN editor Bill Santamour said in a column, “It’s the leaders and staff of hospitals who are working their tail ends off to make [health care reform] happen. And even as they’re doing all that, they continue to press their shoulders to the wheel every day to deliver quality, compassionate care to their communities.”
With that in mind, I think this next bit bears repeating: Thank you.
