most other health care organizations , found ourselves unprepared to make decisions . With little notice , Kentucky Eye Care transitioned from our multi-office , thriving practice seeing hundreds of patients per day , to seeing a few emergency patients only . Logistically , we were on overload . What to do first ? The management team spent hours huddled in an office . With heavy hearts , we created a plan to shut down Kentucky Eye Care for the first time in over 120 years . We needed to suspend all routine patient care until further notice .
From an administrator ’ s perspective , I compare that specific COVID-19 planning meeting to the task of planning a large field trip for thousands of people . We were tasked to plan this field trip to an unknown destination , not knowing how many people were permitted to go , not sure how long to stay and no idea how we would return home . With the limited information we had , we planned . The management team took stock , and made plans to shut down . Suddenly , we were left with the unthinkable decision : we had to furlough our beloved staff .
On March 16 , 2020 Kentucky Eye Care furloughed over 50 hourly staff . As the Practice Administrator , this was the toughest day of my career . We stood in front of the staff from each department , our extended Kentucky Eye Care family . We had to explain that we were temporarily closing the office . The room instantly filled with questions , frustration and tears . There was no reassuring timeline for reopening . COVID-19 ’ s dangers demanded significant restrictions and offered no quarter . We said over and over , “ Kentucky Eye Care will reopen as soon as possible .” After several one-on-one discussions , countless hugs and a few tearful goodbyes , the dreadful day was over . No one knew what would come next .
Walking in through the staff entrance on March 17 , 2020 was so eerie , I will never forget . The lights were dim : no hustle and bustle of patient activity , no one yet to greet , just calm , dark and quiet . On this very day , the once highly anticipated St . Patrick ’ s Day celebration was a distant thought . As I entered my office , I was drawn to the sacred “ pot o ’ gold ” sitting in the middle of my desk . It was filled to the rim with gold coins . I moved it on to a shelf in my office . I kept that “ pot o ’ gold ” in my sight , always able see it out of the corner of my eye . It offered a constant reminder of better days and the laughter that would fill the office again . Until then , it was time to work . We started to explore the power of flexibility .
Through the next few months , a small skeleton crew kept the office running . Patient interactions were limited but essential . Although we worked on a fast-paced schedule to respond to COVID-19 requirements for reopening , we held tight to our traditions . Manager meetings continued . We never stopped responding to and planning for excellent , personal patient care . Plan A , then plan B were created and tried . We slowly picked up the pieces of our day-to-day operation , revised necessary sections and planned each phase of our reopening . Each manager worked on new protocols including COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions for each team . We expanded the role of technology in our practice . We immediately implemented telemedicine and offered text communication to and from patients . We reinvented ourselves , using our office space in different ways . Carefully , we watched and were sensitive to the energy of staff and patients as everyone learned to navigate through COVID-19 experiences . Plans C and D came and went . We learned quickly to embrace new protocols pushing us forward with best practices in patient care . We began to embrace the power of flexibility .
Slowly but surely , we invited our staff then patients back into each office in small increments . We created new patient workflows , specialized sanitization protocols , and embraced revised regulations including personal protective equipment . We re-opened in waves , carefully and methodically , learning from each plan E , F and G , creating and revising our plans H and I . With each trial and error , we discovered more efficiencies , and felt a renewed passion for practicing medicine , despite the anti-viral protocols . Greeting and talking with patients created social interactions we all appreciated . As we navigated all the COVID-19 challenges , it became obvious we should listen more and talk less . Our team worked diligently to appreciate and honor our dedicated staff as they embraced our newest plans , and some version of normal appeared . We are so grateful for the power of flexibility .
On March 17 , 2021 , Kentucky Eye Care celebrated St . Patrick ’ s Day with our staff and patients . We offered a delicious spread of green treats in the breakroom . With profound pride and appreciation , I pulled that black “ pot o ’ gold ” off the shelf in my office . Energetically , the managers and I dispersed the coins and corresponding prizes to our cherished staff throughout the day . Laughter and excitement filled the halls . We giggled together . More deliberately than ever , we made memories . This remains one of my favorite Kentucky Eye Care traditions .
Practicing medicine in today ’ s ever-changing environment requires us to self-reflect regularly . As leaders , we must challenge ourselves to keep our eyes on the prize , on that “ pot o ’ gold .” Never give up on yourself or your practice . There is always another plan , another way . Most importantly , never underestimate the power of flexibility .
FEATURE
Cortney Burden is the Practice Administrator at Kentucky Eye Care and a United States Navy Veteran . ( office manager to a GLMS Member )
JUNE 2021 21