Hindsight of 2020: Lessons from the pandemic
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Most of us would rather forget the pandemic, but thinking back, we might take away some important lessons to guide us every day. Here are my top 10.
1. Stick to your values in managing a crisis. People should always come first, but nobody keeps their job if your practice goes bankrupt.
2. Jump on opportunities. Benefiting from government grants and the upsurge in elective procedures required quick, decisive action, and the rewards were high.
3. Don’t let a crisis go to waste. Implement long-needed changes you thought would be too destabilizing during more normal times.
4. Mark Twain was right: “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.” And COVID is the leading cause of statistics. Distrust those with confidence, and embrace uncertainty. The scientific method never joined a political party.
5. Communicate, communicate, communicate at work, with staff about your intentions, with patients about their expectations and with colleagues about their fears.
6. Exercise melts stress and is the fountain of youth over age 40. Get outside and “just do it.” Every day.
7. Virtual meetings are a lame substitute for learning together and hanging together. I’m still going to major meetings. Every year.
8. Talk with patients about refractive lens implant options. They are interested. You’re not selling. You’re educating.
9. Don’t be afraid to try things. Drive-through eye pressure check clinics were a really good idea for the time.
10. A dog is a pain in the butt but makes your family way happier. Thanks, Lucine.
Many of these lessons have stayed with me, and I hope at least a few resonate with you. I’m keeping them in mind in the event that we should ever face disaster again.
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