Having entered the holiday season of gratitude and giving, it is an appropriate time to pause and thank the dedicated nurses, providers and staff at Bradford Regional Medical Center and Olean General Hospital for all that they do.
The last year has continued to present multiple challenges — including COVID-19 surges, changing guidelines and mandates, high patient volumes and staff recruitment and retention — yet these healthcare heroes continue to show up for our patients, their families and our entire community.
The challenges we are facing are not unique. In fact, hospitals across our region and the entire country are dealing with high patient volumes and staffing challenges. Many hospitals in our area are struggling to care for patients, often having to hold patients in the Emergency Room as they await inpatient beds to open.
Our community especially is also dealing with lower vaccine rates than other areas in the state, leading to a higher volume of COVID-19 patients at our hospitals.
Given the current crisis, we urge the community to do their part to support our healthcare heroes by using all available tools to slow the spread of COVI — wear a mask, wash your hands, practice social distancing and get your COVID-19 vaccine or booster.
It is an honor and privilege to witness the resilience and commitment of our care team who remain focused on our patients when they need us most. Thank you again for your perseverance, and we wish you all a safe, healthy and happy holiday season.
Mary LaRowe, interim president/CEO and Dr. Jill Owens, interim chief medical officer Bradford Regional Medical Center, Olean General Hospital, Upper Allegheny Health System
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