Q3/Q4 newsletter: An update from our hospital leader, Saad Ehtisham

Home / Q3/Q4 newsletter: An update from our hospital leader, Saad Ehtisham

Download the full newsletter

Reflections on an unprecedented year in health and humanity

It’s hard to believe, but we’ve once again come to the time of year when the collective consciousness shifts toward giving thanks. At Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center, we’re doing the same. And, even in a year as challenging as 2020, we have much to be grateful for.

That gratitude must begin with recognition of our team members in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. From the beginning, Presbyterian Medical Center became the epicenter of COVID-19 within the Novant Health system. In the greater Charlotte market, we allocated 790 beds for COVID patients and took the lessons learned from cities, states and countries hit hard by the novel coronavirus to create a plan that gave us the best chance of fighting the pandemic and winning.

As I look back on the weeks of long hours and tough decisions, this was indeed a team effort. Our front-line medical workers showed up every day, despite the risks. Our supply chain team members ensured we were never short on personal protective equipment, and our environmental services workers kept our facilities clean and safe for both patients and providers. Our nurses, respiratory therapists, physicians and all clinical and non-clinical staff stepped up to the challenge to safely deliver remarkable care to our patients. Our medical group, with the support of the community engagement team, set up masking initiatives and opened clinics for assessment and screening in underserved areas. We also created public service announcementsin 7 different languages to promote hand washing and other ways to stop the spread of the virus.

Then there was the outpouring of love that came from the communities we serve. Our restaurants, themselves hit hard by the pandemic, sent meals every day for our team members.

Individuals and organizations — some from as far away as Arizona — sent letters of support and encouragement, which kept our morale and energy high.

Amid all of that, our team members have never lost sight of the future, a time when the coronavirus no longer monopolizes global healthcare communities. And throughout this year, we’ve continued advancing new initiatives that will bring even more remarkable care to our community.

On Oct. 12, the Claudia W. and John M. Belk Heart & Vascular Institute and the Agnes B. and Edward I. Weisiger Cancer Institute opened in a new $200 million facility on the campus of Presbyterian Medical Center. This facility brings our oncology and cardiology professionals together to provide comprehensive, leading-edge care to patients in our community and beyond.

We’ve also pushed forward on planning for a new hospital in Ballantyne, and we are hard at work on the creation and development of a breast clinic in Charlotte.In October, we treated our first two patients with CAR-T therapy, a new cancer treatment based on T-cells. During the pandemic, we also negotiated a contract to bring new technology to the Carolinas designed to treat patients with Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. This fall, we performed the procedure on our first patient. Afterward, the patient was able to eat soup by himself for the first time in 40 years.

These moments and milestones are just a handful of what 2020 has brought, and you will learn more in the pages of this newsletter. It’s important to note none of it would be possible without your generosity and commitment to Novant Health. In this unprecedented and challenging time, your gifts allowed us to stay focused on the important work of saving lives across our community. Now, our work must go on, and your continued support will be more important than ever.

From our family to yours, here’s to health and happiness through the rest of 2020 and beyond. And once again, thank you for all you do.

Sincerely,

Saad Ehtisham, FACHE
President
Novant Health Greater Charlotte Market &
Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center