Our mission to promote the health and wellbeing of the people of North Carolina and beyond has sustained us through the many challenges we have faced. I am grateful to each of you for how you have come together to develop solutions that improve the ways we work together, and the ways we care for our patients across the State and beyond.
Dear Teammates,
Many will remember 2022 as the year that we slowly resumed a more familiar way of life. In times of reflection, it truly is amazing the extraordinary work that was done over such a sustained period the last couple of years. One of the most difficult things though is that COVID was only one of the challenges that we faced. That remains true today. We have mounted an incredible response to this fall’s “perfect storm” of COVID, flu, as well as caring for some of our youngest, most vulnerable patients sick with RSV. We have developed new and innovative approaches to behavioral health care, working to address an overwhelming need in our state. We have done all of this, and much more, as we and health systems across the country continue to face struggles with staffing and significant financial pressures.
That is to say nothing of the constant stream of bad news. It feels like each day begins with reports of violence and mass shootings, hatred, natural disasters, and reminders of the extreme political divisiveness we face in our nation. It’s enough to make you want to turn off the television or get offline. Some of you may have chosen to do that this year and I really cannot blame you. It is hard to imagine these events not affecting us as individuals, and they impact our relationships with each other and influence the ways that we care for our patients.
None of these problems have quick or easy solutions. I would continue to encourage you to seek support when you need it, whether that comes from our UNC Health well-being resources, your friends, colleagues, family, faith leaders, or others.
Our mission to promote the health and wellbeing of the people of North Carolina and beyond has sustained us through the many challenges we have faced. I am grateful to each of you for how you have come together to develop solutions that improve the ways we work together, and the ways we care for our patients across the State and beyond. We are truly One Great Team.
I hope that you all find time to rest over the Holiday Season and spend time with your loved ones.
Thank you sincerely for all you do each day,
Wesley