Dear Colleagues,
The past fiery and chaotic months have added to the burdens of a pandemic on our medical practice, teaching, research, patients and community. We’re encouraged, however, by the spirit, resolve, and ingenuity shown by everyone. Inpatient services made huge changes to prepare for COVID-19 surges while continuing to function as a Level 1 trauma center and treat non-COVID-19 patients. Although many of our ambulatory services have resumed, half of them are offered through telehealth. The struggle to give our patients the kind of care they need has increased, in part because of their reluctance to come to the hospital, but we continue to explore new ways to reach and help them. Even face-to-face interactions, hallway conversations, and celebrations require more effort and often technology.
We're inspired, however, during these troubling times by the irrepressible innovation and commitment of the UCSF community at ZSFG. Solving these kinds of problems is exactly why many of us were drawn to work here. Researchers quickly pivoted to set up new studies for treatment, best practices, long term effects and adapting their previous work to shelter-in-place standards. Teachers also wasted no time adapting their learning practices and further reforming curriculum to address health disparities and anti-racism.
Our Autumn newsletter celebrates the UCSF faculty at ZSFG. We highlight a few of the suberb research studies currently underway and our award-winning teachers. Our feature article, San Francisco Was Uniquely Prepared for Covid-19, acknowledges our 150-year partnership with the San Francisco Department of Public Health and why our affiliation has served us so well during the pandemic.
This focus and these partnerships help us greatly as we work together for the health of our City. San Francisco currently has the lowest number of COVID-19 deaths for an urban area in the United States. UCSF has provided 80% of the care of patients with COVID-19 in San Francisco, with about one third of those cases treated at ZSFG. Many of our faculty are quoted regularly in the media, explaining the science and other issues to the public.
I am truly grateful to work with those who are part of the solution and I am heartened by the strong commitment of UCSF, ZSFG, the San Francisco Department of Public Health and our own community to care for each other during this time.
Thank you,
A. Sue Carlisle, PhD, MD
Vice Dean
UCSF School of Medicine, ZSFG
When great trees fall,
rocks on distant hills shudder,
lions hunker down
in tall grasses,
and even elephants
--Maya Angelou
