Dear all,
The first wave tested our responsiveness and our ability to join forces—among all of us, doctors, government officials, the public sector, and the private sector—to make a concerted effort. Amid the turmoil it caused, it brought to light the heroism of our healthcare workers, the widespread unity demonstrated by incredible outpourings of solidarity, and the almost unexpected strength of our ability to adapt.
This summer almost made us forget about COVID-19. Many of us were able to take well-deserved vacations, which seemed to signal the end of the battle. A short-lived respite, as we now know.
This second wave, which still seemed like a myth just a few weeks ago, is very much upon us. Today, our resilience is being put to the test—our ability to bounce back and put into practice what we learned a few months ago, but even better. Unity and heroism are no longer enough; we must now be both strategists and unifiers, for it is our effectiveness in the fight and our ability to stay motivated that will make the difference this time.
Coordination at the cantonal level between the HUG and private clinics was established several days ago, in a spirit of collegiality and constructiveness, with a commitment to doing everything possible to ensure a strong healthcare system in the canton of Geneva in the coming weeks. Hôpital de La Tour is prepared to be just as responsive as it was this past spring to ensure the safety of healthcare for the people around us. As such, we opened a new internal medicine unit in less than 48 hours and will open an additional unit next week. We have also made two operating rooms available each day for urgent cases from the cantonal hospital and have increased our capacity in intensive care and intermediate care units. We will adapt on a day-to-day basis to meet the need for additional capacity.
Of course, the safety of our patients remains an absolute priority. All patients are screened before admission, and surgeries for patients who test positive for COVID-19 are postponed.
The dedication I see every day at Hôpital de La Tour toward our patients, and the flexibility our teams are demonstrating as we face this second wave, continue to fill me with pride in leading this fantastic institution.
Rodolphe Eurin, CEO