Gov. Ned Lamont today announced details on the latest collaboration to assist in the state’s coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He is appointing the CEOs of three of the largest hospital systems in Connecticut – Hartford HealthCare, Nuvance Health, and Yale New Haven Health – to serve as co-chairs of the Governor’s Health System Response Team.
In coordination with the Connecticut Hospital Association and the state’s other hospitals, the health care leaders will advise the governor, the Department of Public Health and the rest of the state’s Emergency Support Functions in the Unified Command structure on the proper allocation and distribution of needed resources, supplies, and personnel, throughout the duration of the public health emergency.
The co-chairs of the Governor’s Health System Response Team include:
- Jeffrey Flaks, President and CEO of Hartford Healthcare: Backus Hospital, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, Hartford Hospital, The Hospital of Central Connecticut, MidState Medical Center, St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Windham Hospital.
- John Murphy, MD, President and CEO Nuvance Health: Danbury Hospital, New Milford Hospital, Norwalk Hospital, Sharon Hospital.
- Marna Borgstrom, CEO Yale New Haven Health: Bridgeport Hospital, Greenwich Hospital, Lawrence & Memorial Hospital, Yale New Haven Hospital, Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital.
The three hospital systems represent close to 70 percent of the state’s hospital infrastructure across 14 acute care hospitals and numerous additional facilities. The CEOs will also work in close collaboration with the Connecticut Hospital Association to ensure that all hospitals are represented in discussions on resource allocations.
This group has already been consulting on a regular basis with the Lamont administration prior to the confirmation of the first positive case in the state, and that work will provide the foundation of the plans and actions as the state’s health care system handles an expected surge of COVID-19 cases.
Gov. Lamont said, “Our state is going to get through this by working together, and that includes making sure our hospitals are at the table working directly with my administration to ensure they have access to the resources they need. These are experts in the healthcare field and our state is incredibly fortunate to have such experience providing counsel as we look to keep as many of our residents safe and healthy as possible.”
Flaks said, “I am inspired every day by my colleagues in health care across the state. They are true heroes, working in challenging times. Our focus is clear: we are doing all we can to stop the spread of COVID-19, protect the health and safety of our patients and our colleagues, and make sure we are ready to serve Connecticut and those affected by the virus. This is a once-in-a lifetime public health emergency and there is no doubt – together, we are stronger.”
Dr. Murphy said, “As we continue to navigate through this unprecedented health emergency, we know our collective response for the people of Connecticut will be stronger because of this collaborative approach.”
Borgstrom said, “A virus like COVID-19 does not differentiate by town, city or state lines. It doesn’t respect how big or small a hospital is when it strikes a community. If we are to be successful in fighting the spread of COVID-19, we need to work together across regions and across health care systems.”
Jennifer Jackson, CEO of the Connecticut Hospital Association, said, “Connecticut’s hospitals are prepared and committed to fighting COVID-19 together. The ongoing, strong collaboration among all hospitals across the state will improve the care for Connecticut patients battling this disease.”