The New Normal
As I go through motions that used to be so familiar—laying out pressed shirts and pants, packing my briefcase, checking my rental reservation (THREE times to ensure it's not cancelled)—I feel both "back to normal" and also, like everything has changed.
I've been working in and traveling for my role as an outside sales rep in revenue cycle for more than a decade. Tomorrow will be my first sales trip in over five months. I went from being away three days per week to being at home every single day. It certainly was a change. I'm grateful for the time with my family, but more than that I'm grateful to those who didn't have theluxury of time with family because they had to work on the front lines.
While I will be driving, not flying, and taking far more precautions than I ever imagined, I'll do it willingly and with great care. It isn't just myself I'm protecting, it's anyone with whom I might come in contact.
Tomorrow I come in contact with the most important people in our industry—frontline and back office healthcare heroes working in hospitals. It was hard to know when this all began how I could best contribute in a meaningful way. I felt insecure about a lot, and I know I'm not alone in this. Sometimes small actions, putting one foot in front of the other as we accomplish small things is enough. So, tomorrow I'll drive a few hours—protecting myself and others along the way—to visit six hospitals and deliver face masks purchased by HRG to donate so that they can continue to feel safe as they do the hardest work any of us are doing these days.
When I return, I'm not exactly sure what the next step will be, but I imagine it will be something simple like continuing to pick up the phone daily to call and check in on the general well being of my colleagues in healthcare, especially those working in hospitals. Thank you for all that you do.
