I see a bright and vibrant future

Though I have been in the health care arena for 30-plus years, mostly in community health, home care and hospice since graduating from Columbia University's BSN program in 1960, I have been quite impressed with your hospital. Because of my past experiences I am aware of the vast challenges of teaching hospital; perhaps that is why I am so impressed with Yale-New Haven Hospital.

Over the years I personally have had only two episodes involving your hospital and feel fortunate that our family has been considerably well. But I recall the first exposure in 1982 or 1983 when my husband's brother was rushed to your emergency room with a cardiac arrest, surviving because of a van of quick-thinking RN's who saw his car go into the ditch and ran to give him CPR and call the ambulance. The team in the coronary care unit was incredible. They gave continual high tech care to him while providing ongoing support to the family. During those 24 hours, the realistic assessments the physicians made and gave to us were not hopeful, but he improved with every hour. He had a pacemaker inserted eventually and has lived many more productive years.

I know this positive outcome is not what everyone experiences so we felt very fortunate. We had to come to the conclusion during the first eight hours that he was receiving the best possible care and expertise no matter what the outcome; there was nothing more we could do for him beside pray.

To show the medical center's diversity in handling many aspects of health care every day for people of all ethnic groups, ages, socioeconomic levels and health, I share a second experience that is at the opposite end of the scale from the ACUTE, life-threatening episode above. I was pleased to learn that Yale-New Haven Hospital has a Travel Clinic which provides the latest advice on the vaccines needed when traveling to any part of the world and offers to provide those immunization injections/medications including the booster shots six months or a year later where applicable. Last year I was fortunate to be invited by the People To People Organization to tour China with nurse administrators from six states and was well prepared by the professional staff of your Travel Clinic, a service I did not know existed.

We in Connecticut are extremely lucky to have a medical center like Yale-New Haven Hospital in our state and community. In spite of the many difficulties these days with health care providers getting adequate funding to continue this high level of quality care, I see a bright and vibrant future ahead for such a sterling institution. Thank you on behalf of ALL who have benefited by the care they received after entering your doors.

Sincerely,

Virginia S. Humphrey, RN, MPH, Ex Dir.
The Connecticut Association for Home Care, Inc.
Wallingford, Conn.