To members of our community:

This is a personal plea on behalf of all of your health care providers. We are on the cusp of yet another COVID surge — many U.S. hospitals are already there. Many are turning hallways, floors and ambulances into makeshift treatment areas. Here too, our inpatient units and Emergency Departments are filling up quickly.

Since the pandemic began 18 months ago, our healthcare workers have come to work every day to care for those who need us.

Like the rest of the world, we were excited when the vaccine was available. Finally, we were hopeful for the end of the pandemic. But that’s not what happened. COVID-19 hasn’t ended and now, the Delta variant has emerged. Those of us in healthcare — already exhausted and having given so much — face the reality of extremely sick and dying patients once again.

But this time the challenge of healthcare workers seems different. A shift in public sentiment toward the pandemic is quite literally, putting the mental and physical well-being of our dedicated men and women on the line every time they walk in the door to work.

We’re helping as much as we can and we need the help of our community.

1. We require masks at all Davis Health System facilities to keep our staff and patients safe. Cussing and threatening our security staff, registration staff and nurses will not change our position on wearing masks while here. You will find this same requirement at all hospitals, doctor’s offices or clinic settings. If you are not going to wear a mask, you have the right to seek care elsewhere.

2. We will never run out of compassion, but we are overrun and working as efficiently as we can. In the past two weeks, we have doubled our volume in the ED and in our urgent care facilities, but have been unable to double our staff due to a national nursing shortage. It will take longer to be seen, sometimes much longer. Your patience is needed as we care for each person in line ahead of you.

3. COVID has changed the rules on how care is delivered. We base our processes (drive-through care, telemedicine) on the best science to protect you. We understand this is frustrating and difficult, we wish it were different too. Swearing, chastising and throwing vomit at us does not make the situation easier for anyone. We are providing the best care possible, please don’t make our job harder.

4. We too suffer COVID fatigue. We are caring for more COVID now than when we surged in early 2021. We see very, very sick people and unfortunately, we see death. It is painful when people call you a liar on Facebook or in Walmart.

5. We are here for every patient. Mandated by our professionalism, we focus on the disease, illness or injury in front of us. We show no bias based on any personal affiliation. We ask that you return this courtesy to our providers, nurses, security personnel and all others who work here.

Healthcare workers are caring for you and your families in circumstances that, honestly, none of us have ever dealt with. Please treat our healthcare workers the way you want them to treat you. I believe that if we work together, we can overcome this new challenge. We’re here for our you, always.

Thank you.

Dr. Catherine Chua

Mother, Daughter, Wife, Friend, Community Member

Chief Medical Officer

Davis Health System