Dr. Kevin Churchwell

Right.

So as the nation was confronting the COVID crisis, the pandemic, we saw what was happening in New York.

We saw what had happened in Italy.

The state of Massachusetts began to really develop a plan of action to counter what was occurring elsewhere.

At Boston Children's, I remember vividly St.

Patrick's Day weekend.

That was in March of 2020.

where during that weekend, there were significant crowds outside, parades, individuals having a great time.

And as I was sitting at my desk, I realized we were going to head to significant problems if we did do something drastically.

All the other hospitals also realized it at the same time, that we had to change our practice.

So during those days, I actually called all of our leadership, both physician, nursing, administrative leadership, and let them know that we were going to have to change our practice dramatically, meaning that we were all going to have to go remotely.

And what I meant by that was that if you needed to be in the hospital, you could come to the hospital.

If you didn't need to be in the hospital or in your office, you were going to work from home.

And I gave everyone a week to get that done.

It was incredible how we just all came together to figure out how to make that happen.

And it happened in less than a week.

It happened in about three days that we were able to put processes in to have over 8,000 individuals work from home to actually see patients remotely.

via telemedicine or other opportunities, and to actually really decide who needed to be at the hospital, who needed care, and who didn't.

And we've been working through that ever since in terms of how we are working together to make things happen, to actually adjust to what this pandemic has continued to show us and ask us to do.

Well, I appreciate you saying that, Megan.