The One-Year Mark of COVID-19: A Thank You

The Medical Society of Virginia would like to thank healthcare heroes for working tirelessly during a year of COVID-19.

This past year has been difficult for communities across the world. We have lost many lives due to COVID-19 and have spent a year in isolation away from family and friends. This past year has been hard on all of us, but it has taken an immense toll on our frontline workers. This year included working longer hours, coming home and isolating from family members, increased burnout, and worst of all, losing a high number of patients for healthcare workers.

The Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) knows what a toll this year has taken on physicians, PAs, and the entire healthcare team. We have seen you not only care for your patients, but also continue to advocate for necessary healthcare change, so your patients receive the best possible care. You have truly made a difference in so many people’s lives and have shown the world why supporting medical employees is so important. You are all true heroes.

The MSV would like to acknowledge you, our healthcare heroes, as we pass the one-year mark of COVID-19. Thank you for all you have done throughout this pandemic. We know that so many more lives would have been lost had it not been for your tireless dedication to your patients. We are so honored to get to represent physicians, PAs, residents, and medical students. You have shown true resilience in one of the most difficult times, and we see that.

As more people are getting vaccinated and we begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel, we hope that you will all be able to get some rest and spend time with your loved ones. The MSV will always be here to support you and your profession and will continue to be an advocate for you so you can do what you do best, take care of patients.

Again, thank you for all you do.

Arthur J. Vayer Jr., MD, FACS
President
The Medical Society of Virginia

Melina Davis
CEO and EVP
The Medical Society of Virginia

Take a Look Back at the Work MSV Did During COVID-19

  • Launched a full webpage dedicated to live COVID-19 updates including information on the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Successfully led the push for an Executive Order to provide immunity to healthcare providers related to caring for patients in the COVID-19 environment.
  • Held 23 webinars with timely and relevant COVID-19 information.
  • Worked to ensure physicians and PAs had access to necessary PPE.
  • Served on Virginia’s COVID-19 Testing Advisory Council to help assure patient access to testing.
  • Aided in the recruitment of 15,000 providers to the volunteer Medical Corps for COVID response needs.
  • Passed legislation out of the General Assembly to prevent health plans from mandating the use of proprietary technology or applications for telehealth, and to assure plans reimburse providers for telemedicine services regardless of the originating site of care.
  • MSV members and staff sat on several taskforces to support COVID-19 vaccine dissemination.
  • MSV provided contact information to the Virginia Department of Health for over 8,000 physicians to ensure they received access to the vaccine
  • Hosted multiple calls with Dr. Danny Avula to ensure Virginia physicians received important vaccine updates.