Hospitals and health systems in San Diego and Imperial counties engage in collaborative efforts to identify the most important health needs in their communities. Incorporating feedback from community members and the providers who care for them is essential to identifying the top health needs and understanding the social drivers that impact them.
In the wake of the recent COVID-19 surge, due in large part to the highly transmissible omicron variant, it remains to be seen what the future holds. This fourth surge has shown us that we must be prepared for anything. After plateauing for a bit, hospitalizations started to climb after the holidays, steadily increasing for a few weeks yet not quite reaching the levels of last winter’s surge.
As COVID-19 cases surge not just in our region but throughout the state, a longstanding issue is wreaking havoc on the health care system.
What a difference a year makes. Last year around this time, a massive vaccination effort began as COVID-19 shots began rolling out to sites around the country — and it hasn’t really stopped. Although many had been hopeful that the vaccines could help us put the pandemic behind us once and for all, that reality hasn’t quite panned out. But that shouldn’t stop anyone from taking time this holiday season to celebrate and reflect on how far we’ve come.
Thank you to all who attended the HASD&IC annual meeting on Nov. 15-18. It was a chance to gather — albeit virtually — to hear about the issues important to hospitals and our members.
Next week, many of us will gather with our families and friends and pause to reflect on all that we are thankful for. For some it might be the food and drink, for some it might be a new member of the family, and for still others it might just be the simple act of getting together — something that wasn’t advised last year.
HASD&IC’s Annual Meeting, which will be held virtually Nov. 15-18, is fast approaching. If you haven’t done so already, I encourage you to register now.
Although we haven’t been able to gather in person since 2019, HASD&IC is happy to announce that we will once again host our annual meeting — albeit virtually — next month.
With COVID-19 cases now trending in the right direction, it’s certainly welcome news and should help ease the strain that your health care workers have been facing since the start of the pandemic. This is due in large part to the vaccine, which has kept the virus at bay and patients out of the hospital.
September is Hunger Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raise awareness — not just locally, but across the U.S. — of individuals and families who face food insecurity, and the impact hunger has on overall health and well-being.
