Thursday, September 17, 2020

Change is the new normal.

This is the mantra I hear almost every day during our morning huddle at the pharmacy clinic. What used to be five minutes is now easily half an hour spent on announcing the latest “workflow” to optimize patient care, safety, and efficiency. Not to mention all of the long hours spent behind the scenes trying to hash out these procedures, only for them to be changed a week later.

Guidelines, policies, and recommendations have been constantly changing throughout the course of the pandemic, but the general trend has been to transition from in-person to virtual communication. Although we are blessed in this day and age with technology to communicate and get work done on numerous platforms, not everyone has the privilege of these resources. The patient population I serve at the Queen Emma Clinic is best known to be of relatively low socioeconomic status. In late March during our first lockdown, I was scrambling to figure out how I was supposed to work from home when my remote access was not yet set up, and some of my patients do not even have telephones, let alone Internet access for video appointments.

But I knew I had to bite the bullet and figure it out somehow. As written in 1 Samuel 10:7, “Do what must be done, for God is with you.” Several of my patients were actually able to adjust to telephonic appointments. The ones who could not were seen in clinic on my one day per week in the office. The solution was not perfect, but I reminded myself that God would somehow get me through this, even though I did not know exactly how yet.

I still worry about some of my patients who I am not able to see in-person on a regular basis, as even video conferencing still has its limitations. It has also been stressful to have to change my workflow several times in a short time period in order to align with the latest guidelines and policies. But the clinic remains open, and it is still my kuleana to care for my patients.

Before I conclude an appointment, I ask the patient if they have any further questions or things they need to tell me. One patient surprised me by asking, “How have you been doing?” Another thanked me for continuing to take care of him and wished me safety during the pandemic. I was touched that they cared about my well-being, even though I am supposed to be the one taking care of them. These little pearls from heaven are what keep me going every day during this pandemic. No matter how difficult or stressful things become, our relationship with God and one another will prevail. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12).

Linnea Tokushige