Kadlec Regional Medical Center: Steadfast in challenging times
“Kadlec is currently treating a patient who has tested positive for COVID-19. We are working closely with our partners at the department of health and CDC and following established containment and treatment regimens. Our caregivers are well-trained to treat this patient in a safe and compassionate manner.”
These words are from a message I shared with Kadlec caregivers on March 15, 2020, the day we confirmed our first COVID-19 positive patient. Over the past year, more than 1,600 patients with COVID-19 have been hospitalized at Kadlec Regional Medical Center, and our team has been steadfast in managing through the many twists, turns, peaks and valleys that we’ve experienced through it all.
Over the past several weeks, we have begun to see the high tide of the pandemic finally begin to recede and are hard at work on plans for the future. As our battle with the virus slowly draws down, we know that the pandemic will have caused new challenges for us all – some that are predictable and others that may be surprising, and yet I am more optimistic than ever that we are well positioned to handle whatever comes our way. This is entirely due to the adaptability, resilience, commitment, ingenuity and compassion that I’ve witnessed from our team over this past year.
We are extremely proud of the world-class healthcare services we provide, but we also believe in the old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure – the best healthcare services are the ones you don’t ever have to use! This is reflected in our vision of “health for a better world,” and I’m proud to share that we continue to take steps to live up to this creed.
Kadlec invests in many programs and services designed to improve health and increase access to health care in the communities we serve. Through the third quarter of 2020, Kadlec contributed more than $46 million to community benefit in Southeastern Washington in areas including financial assistance, community health services, education, and research. An example is our partnership with the Tri-Cities Union Gospel Mission and Grace Clinic.
This past year, together we implemented a respite program that provides a dedicated health care worker at the mission to support homeless patients after they leave the hospital. An area of focus for us in the future is continuing to strengthen cancer care. The recent integration of the Tri-Cities Cancer Center services with our other oncology programs will allow us to build on the tremendous legacies of both Kadlec and the Tri-Cities Cancer Center to ensure the growth of well-integrated cancer care services in our community.
The Kadlec Foundation and the Tri-Cities Cancer Center Foundation recently partnered to fund a nurse navigator to support the unique needs of patients receiving oral chemotherapy, just one example of great work supported by community donors through our foundation. Kadlec remains a not-for-profit, community focused organization that has never stopped growing or evolving since its founding in 1944.
A key milestone for us was joining Providence in 2014. Since then, we have repeatedly seen the benefits of our affiliation as we’ve continued working to improve our value proposition to the community. Through the pandemic, sharing clinical practices, sourcing scarce supplies and providing mental health and financial resources are just a few ways that Providence has helped sustain us.
As we prepare for our next chapter, I want to extend my thanks to the Kadlec team, all local healthcare workers and first responders, and all the other community members who came out in droves to cheer us on, provide meals, cards, prayers and so much encouragement for our tired caregivers as we pushed through this past year. Because of you, the future is bright.
This story was originally published April 30, 2021 at 12:38 AM with the headline "Kadlec Regional Medical Center: Steadfast in challenging times."