Checkup

Vital Signs: Hurricanes and helping hands

Dr. George Bartley

Dear Readers:

One of the jokes circulating around Florida in the wake of our unprecedented string of hurricanes and tropical storms is that we no longer live in "The Sunshine State" but rather in "The Plywood State." Now that I've taken down the boards from the windows on our home, it's time to enjoy the return of pleasant weather, to count our blessings, and to recount a few inspiring episodes from the storms of '04.

All in all, we were extremely fortunate here in North Florida compared with other parts of the state. Damage from Jeanne's water and wind made several rooms at our hospital, St. Luke's, unusable for a few days, but the Davis campus escaped pretty much unscathed from the wrath of Bonnie, Charley, Frances, and Ivan. Many of our employees, however, fared far worse — loss of power at home, flooding, felled trees — yet they stepped up magnificently to provide care for our patients throughout the tempests. Let me share a few examples.

First, the spirit of volunteerism is alive and well. Despite disrupted schedules from school closings, the need to ensure the safety of their own families, and significant travel hazards, our hospital shifts were covered around the clock because many of our employees offered to stay as long as they were needed — often not knowing when they reported for work when they'd be able to leave. This was particularly helpful when patients were transferred from other hospitals that were more directly threatened by the storms.

In addition to caring for our own patients, several of our allied health and physician staff served at a community special-needs shelter, which provided a safe environment for individuals who were too sick to remain at home but not sufficiently ill to warrant hospitalization. Jacksonville's mayor visited the shelter to express his appreciation to those who shared their time and expertise.

Mayo's emergency response team worked tirelessly with local and state officials to stay abreast of the storm tracks, which often changed by the hour, to provide senior leadership with the necessary information to make decisions about staffing, whether to close the clinic, etc. It's hard to imagine what it must have been like before Doppler radar and satellite imagery — like flying without instruments.

One unanticipated challenge resulted from the mass evacuation of people from central and southern Florida as the hurricanes approached. Because St. Luke's Hospital is near Interstate 95, quite a number of patients with chronic kidney failure stopped by for renal dialysis on their way north. Several of them let us know that they so appreciated the service provided by our dialysis team that they made arrangements to stop for a "tune-up" on their way back home. Our staff accommodated these extra patients with great skill and care.

Finally, we are grateful to you, our patients, for your flexibility: coming in early for examinations or working with us to reschedule appointments after the threatening weather had passed. We appreciate your confidence and loyalty.

To paraphrase the Roman poet Lucretius, adversity tears off the mask. (And so will gale force winds!) Our staff showed its true face when the weather turned against us, and their grace and commitment shone brightly.

Sincerely,

George B. Bartley, M.D.
Chair, Board of Governors
Mayo Clinic Jacksonville