Following a Thanksgiving surge that led to record numbers of admissions of patients with COVID-19, residents and fellows from multiple disciplines have come together under the direction and supervision of critical care attendings to provide the best care to critically ill patients in Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit.

In early 2020, several groups at Vanderbilt University Medical Center were busy planning an in-person event to announce the creation of Vanderbilt Health Employer Solutions, a team designed to provide workforce health and wellness services to businesses of all types and sizes. By March, it was clear that area employers needed a trusted source of information and support to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.

A post-visit outpatient survey from VUMC’s Department of Neurology, conducted under an ongoing departmental quality improvement initiative, has turned up additional evidence of high satisfaction with telehealth among both patients and clinicians.

COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care in the early months of the pandemic were subject to a significantly higher burden of delirium and coma than is typically found in patients with acute respiratory failure. Choice of sedative medications and curbs on family visitation played a role in increasing acute brain dysfunction for these patients.

“Families being affected by the financial impact of the coronavirus made the subject of food insecurity more important than ever. Children seemed to be a vulnerable population that would benefit from a project like this."

I want to particularly encourage the African American community, which has been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, to step forward, receive this vaccine and spread the word to your families. Let’s put this pandemic behind us in 2021 — together.

Cards from local schoolchildren bring special greetings, including "You deserve 100 million candy canes."