As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread and severely impact our region, I want to share my perspective regarding what we are facing.
The United States is now at the center of this global health crisis, and nearby New York City is the epicenter. Here in Stamford, we have more cases than any other Connecticut city or town, and Stamford Health is continuing to accelerate and intensify efforts in line with our vision to be the most trusted healthcare partner for the communities we serve.
WE ARE BRINGING RESOURCES FROM ACROSS THE STATE TO STAMFORD
The magnitude of this crisis is larger than any single hospital or community can handle on its own. In recent weeks we converted operating rooms into COVID-19–safe environments, established four new intensive care units to care for those severely impacted by the disease, procured hundreds of thousands of pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to safeguard patients and staff, and taken countless other steps to prepare for today and tomorrow.
We recognized early on that collaboration across the state was critical to caring for the people of Stamford and our region. Today, we are actively collaborating with Americares and hospitals from across Connecticut to bring much needed staff and supplies to Stamford, and we are gratified that Governor Lamont has deployed the Connecticut National Guard to Stamford Health’s Bennett Medical Center Campus (home to Stamford Hospital, the Bennett Cancer Center and more). The National Guard provided assistance in creating an additional patient care space. In addition, the U.S. Army Reserve’s Urban Augmentation Medical Task Force clinicians will work side-by-side with Stamford Health to take care of our community.
YOU HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY
It is inevitable that people in our community—family, friends, neighbors, coworkers—will continue to become sick and need hospital care, and being here for you is our job and our privilege. The community’s job is to help lessen the number of people who need hospitalization by taking every possible step to stop the spread of COVID-19 and practice self care during this pandemic. Reliable sources of information include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.gov), World Health Organization (WHO.int), Stamford Health’s COVID-19 Hotline (203-276-4111) and StamfordHealth.org/covid-19.
We have been humbled by your generosity and hope you will continue to support our work. Gifts both large and small save lives. Please learn more at StamfordHospitalFoundation.org.
On behalf of the patients Stamford Health has and will care for...
On behalf of our staff and physicians, whose spirits are lifted each day by your generosity and heartfelt messages of thanks...
On behalf of communities in other parts of the country, who will in the weeks ahead confront what we are facing and learn from our experience...
We thank you,
Kathleen Silard, MS, BSN, RN, FACHE
President & CEO, Stamford Health