We Remain Hopeful

Below is my monthly message for the May 2020 edition of the MHRI newsletter, Focus. You can view Focus online at MedStarResearch.org/FOCUS.


Dear Friends and Colleagues,
 
"Life is like a rainbow….you need both rain and sun to make its colors appear"
Last month, I shared with you the word cloud we created at our MHRI Virtual Town Hall when asked "how are you feeling?" It represented the mix of intense feelings we are all experiencing, with 'anxious' being the dominant emotion. One month later, we remain in the midst of the pandemic.  Now, layered upon the intense emotions, is the fact that it has gone on for several weeks. It's therefore not surprising that when we repeated this exercise a few days ago at another MHRI Town Hall, the second most common word became 'overwhelmed'. But want to know what the most common feeling was among our associates? Hopeful! 
Hope is the feeling when we have an expectation of positive outcomes. Hope is derived from optimism. According to Webster's dictionary, hope (as a verb) is defined as "expect with confidence and anticipation." 


However, hope is NOT a wish or a dream. The psychologist Charles Snyder made the point that the difference between hope and desire is that hope includes practical pathways to an improved future.  
At MedStar Health, we have practical pathways to navigate this pandemic. Our MedStar heroes are demonstrating this every day and as a result, they are saving lives. This week, the 1000th COVID19 patient was discharged from a MedStar Health hospital to the uplifting clap line. And while this pandemic continues to evolve, we continuing to look forward, make plans, and carry those plans out in a coordinated fashion across the system. 
At MHRI, I could not be prouder of our associates, managers, and investigators in their ability to look forward, make plans, and skillfully put those plans into action. Having just completed my visits to each MHRI departmental staff meeting, the dedication and creativeness to keep research running, in a safe manner that supports clinical operations, is amazing. 
Because of early pro-active operational and protocol modifications (such as tele-health follow-up visits or remote monitoring), we have maintained over 90% of studies to some degree. Even more astonishing is the success in standing up COVID studies (now well over 40) across the system and becoming national leaders in multi-center trial enrollment.  
However, the email from Dr. Mimi Novello, VPMA at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, reminded me that research is more than creating new knowledge…. it is creating hope. Here is an excerpt: "Neil, I wish you could be here on rounds with me to see how enthusiastic our teams are about participating in these studies. The glimmer of hope that I saw in the eyes of the intensivist when we discussed the plasma study was so rewarding. Our caregivers really want to be a part of the long-term solution and you are doing so much to make that happen. So truly, the gratitude goes to you and your teams." 
Thank you, Dr. Novello, for sharing that with us and for what your team is doing to take care of patients today and advance health for tomorrow. It's a great reminder for all of us to see the brilliant colors of hope, especially in these difficult times. 
Stay safe everyone -  stay physically distanced and emotionally connected!
Neil

Read Focus at MedStarResearch.org/FOCUS.

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