It's been a long year for health care heroes on the front lines of the pandemic in North Texas. Something good happened the other day at Texas Health Dallas to remind them they're appreciated.
"We basically wrote thank you notes to the workers and we handed out candy on a Monday morning," said Terry Stone, managing partner at Oliver Wyman.
Health care workers were surprised by people in the hallway passing out handwritten notes along with 1,300 candy bars.
The Dallas office of the global management consulting firm showed up at shift change before sun up with the gesture of gratitude.
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"Sort of saying, thanks for all you've done. We want you to know you are appreciated and people do remember that has been a really long slog and we're really grateful for all you do," Wyman said. "Doing it on a Monday morning was great because a lot of people commented it was a start to the week to see people do remember and care."
Wyman came up with the idea to do something good after a conversation with Texas Health Resources Chief Experience Officer Winjie Miao. THR is a client, and in discussing the year-long pandemic recently, Miao compared it to a marathon.
At the beginning, health care teams were cheered and celebrated. But with one month stretching into the next, those morale boosters got fewer and farther between.
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"Terry's idea and thoughtfulness and what Oliver Wyman did definitely came at a time right after the weather event or 'snowvid,' as we called it, and really lifted the spirits of Texas Health Dallas," Miao said.
Miao said the notes and candy were reminders that health care workers are not forgotten as they continue to care for COVID-19 patients.
While the numbers are down, "there are still people every single day taking care of COVID patients and those patients' needs, and, especially their needs at end of life have not diminished," Miao said. "And it continues to take a village to ensure that we give each patient the care they deserve and each family member the time and support they need."
"Overall morale is good, spirts are high. Our teams are resilient," Miao said. "The vaccines are definitely a shot in the arm -- no pun intended -- a shot of hope for all of us and we continue to vaccinate as quickly as possible. The more people we vaccinate, the less people in our hospitals."
