Jacob Ogles
Florida Hospital Association President and CEO Mary Mayhew met with medical leaders in the Panhandle to discuss pandemic and beyond.
The executive, recently featured on the cover of Florida Trend magazine, spent time discussing trends in COVID-19 response but also spoke about the future of health care overall.
“The objective of these meetings is to hear directly from local hospital leaders about current COVID-19 concerns and to build upon effective regional collaborations to address other pressing health care challenges,” Mayhew said.
“While maintaining a comprehensive response to this pandemic, our hospitals are also advancing efforts to support pressing mental health and substance use disorder needs and developing programs to coordinate transitions of care for our elderly. As the third-largest state in the country, Florida’s hospitals are committed to inspirational innovation in services and treatment, driving excellence in all aspects of health care and advancing models of care to promote timely access that is patient-focused, comprehensive, and coordinated.”
Mark Faulkner, Baptist Health Care president and CEO, noted the region has dealt with various emergencies in the last year.
“As we’re reminded by the Naval Air Station Pensacola terrorist event, the COVID-19 pandemic and storm responses, accessible quality health care is critically important to any community,” Faulkner said.
“We’re grateful for the role that FHA plays in convening, supporting and advocating on behalf of health care systems to allow us to be here for our communities, especially when we’re needed the most.”
According to Scott Raynes of Baptist Hospital, the meeting was a crucial meeting of the minds. He then praised Mayhew.
“It is wonderful to have such an engaged and thoughtful leader of our hospital association. Mary brings so much perspective, as a result of her professional career to the table that will inevitably result in a more forward-thinking, effective Florida Hospital Association,” Raynes said.
“I am so grateful she took the time and has taken the approach of regional meetings and to engage locally with us in our local hospitals.”
Mike Hutchins, Jay Hospital administrator, said he felt positive that the conversation spanned a range of matters, including the pandemic.
“Our discussion was broad but focused on topics ranging from current COVID-related challenges to future approaches in addressing mental health and the health care concerns of the employer community,” Hutchins said.
“Mary’s leadership in open communication and forward-thinking are already making a difference as Florida hospitals partner with our hospital association to improve the health of our state and respective communities.”
And Dawn Rudolph, president of Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola, said collaboration was key to improving health care in the region.
“The roundtable was beneficial to elevate the collaboration that is needed, whether at a regional and/or state level, to allow us to better care for our communities,” Rudolph said.
“I sincerely appreciate that Ms. Mayhew and the FHA took the time to listen and respond to our questions and comments.”
The meetings came just over a month after leaving her post at the Agency for Health Care Administration.
One comment
Sonja Fitch
November 29, 2020 at 5:08 am
The pandemic health crisis ain’t over yet!!!!! Smaller hospitals are going to be overwhelmed and not provide hospital care for er visit or scheduled procedures! How are the needs going to be distributed? What is the plan? Hospital wards in large event facilities? Where is the Fing plan? Cause Desantis is willingly slaughtering Floridians with the Nazi herd immunity bs!
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