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COVID-19 UPDATE

and included a hospital stress score for each.
The subcommittee collaborated to share strategies
which were successful for our respective health systems.
We followed national and state level trends closely and
inquired how our local hospitals were being impacted by
these trends. For example, how many staff were leaving
San Antonio for other opportunities around the coun-
try? And how many supplemental staff were being re-
ceived by the Texas Department of Health and Human
Services?
Careful and continuous monitoring of hospital needs,
staffing and collaboration between systems allowed the
TEA (Texas Education Agency), UIL (University Interscholastic
subcommittee to inform the broader BCMS on its communication
League) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC),
and actions on behalf of our members and our patients.
3) recommendations put forth by the American Academy of Pedi-

atrics and the Texas Pediatric Society, and
Wrap-up
4) varied special interests, such as special education, insecurities
As the taskforce winds down, the question has been posed, “What
(food, internet access, child care), etc.
did we accomplish?” Well, our meetings maintained situational aware-
We were also involved with the local Metro Health preK-12 Con-
ness of the status of the community response. Through posts on
sultation Group in an advisory role. I am very proud of the work of
BCMS social media, The Physicians Link newsletter and articles in
the members of this subcommittee. This group developed a Pediatric
San Antonio Medicine magazine, we disseminated information to the
COVID-19 Symptoms Severity Chart (in both English and Spanish)
larger society and San Antonio citizens. We were ever ready, waiting
which was printed in San Antonio Medicine magazine, then elevated
in the wings should our assistance be needed. Our willingness to serve
to the state level through the Texas Medical Association (TMA). We
was tangible evidence of the spirit of service of the Bexar County Med-
also drafted a position statement on school face-to-face re-openings
ical Society.
for BCMS last summer, and worked on a letter to the Governor con-
During the last year, the pandemic exposed gaps in health coverage
cerning the state of education during the pandemic.
of certain vulnerable groups. Issues of health equity that were actually
A personal thank you all subcommittee members, as well as staff
chronic became apparent as the community-wide response developed.
person extraordinaire, Mrs. Mary Nava.
Community-wide concerns regarding food insecurity and unmet

Zeke Silva, MD mental health needs persist.
Now we consider where we go from here, as a medical society and
Hospital and Workforce Subcommittee
a larger service community. Many of the unmet needs remain, and
Policymakers recognized early on that protecting our nation’s health
the Public Health and Patient Advocacy Committee will continue to
care infrastructure was a key consideration in fighting the COVID-
address these issues. Unaddressed needs and health equity issues offer
19 pandemic. The BCMS COVID Task Force, therefore, included a
the chance to respond as valued health care leaders to inform and
Hospital and Workforce subcommittee to monitor our local health
guide our fellow residents of Bexar County.
care facility status. The subcommittee was populated with physician
I welcome any BCMS members who have an interest in participat-
leaders from our city’s various hospital systems.
ing, and extend an open invitation to become more involved.
The subcommittee monitored local data closely, particularly data
In closing, I express my gratitude to all the members of the BCMS
from the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC) Pan-
COVID-19 Task Force, the four subcommittee chairs, and all of the
demic Medical Operations Workgroup, where BCMS had several rep-
BCMS staff, without whom our efforts would not have been possible.
resentatives who participated on their calls several times a week. The

STRAC data was tabulated daily and included specific numbers on
John J. Nava, MD was the Chair of this BCMS COVID-
the number of COVID-19 positive inpatients, new admissions, ICU,
19 Task Force and is the current Vice President of the Bexar
ventilated and ECMO patients. The data was also broken down by
County Medical Society.
hospitals within Bexar County and those outside of Bexar County
Visit us at www.bcms.org 31