Dr. Jamison: More Exercise, Better Rest, More Education
Dr. James P. Jamison, a surgeon with Youngstown Orthopaedic Associates, is coming back strong, along with his family (shown here on vacation last year). You can learn more about Dr. Jamison at his bio on the YOA website.
What are some ways the COVID-19 outbreak has affected your organization, and how is it rebounding?
Like most other businesses locally, nationally and around the world, my business has been affected by COVID-19. Elective surgeries were suspended from mid-March to early May, office visits were significantly decreased, some employees were furloughed and one of our office locations was temporarily closed as a result.
Fortunately, we have a very proactive administrative team which has done a nice job of staying on top of governmental developments and managing staff, finances and scheduling to keep us moving. We are grateful for the hard work of our employees and their persistence through the seemingly daily changes necessary to move forward. Three months later, it seems that we are slowly getting back to normal, though we are not there yet.
How has the outbreak affected your personal life?
The COVID-19 outbreak led to much more time at home, as with everyone. My kids are all young adults, so only the youngest, who was still in a dorm at college, had to come home, while the other two stayed where they were. Another relative ended up with us for six weeks as he was in transition. We are fortunate to have plenty of room for us all.
I look to the positives of this experience. I enjoyed the time with my family, exercising more regularly, getting better rest and going for regular walks on the Mill Creek Park bike trail at the Experimental Farm. We had just gotten a new puppy, which also helped to keep us moving. My wife moved to teaching her classes at YSU online, as my kids in college and grad school moved to online classwork. I used the extra time to catch up on continuing medical education, also online. I made sure that I did something purposeful each day.
What steps are you taking to come back strong?
As a physician, I feel that we need to set the example for safety in our community. My business has remained open to provide orthopaedic care while taking the appropriate measures to protect our patients and staff. We are wearing masks in the office and the hospitals, asking those who are sick or have been exposed to stay home and cleaning exam rooms between patients. We are being safe, yet progressive.
What advice are you sharing with the people you love?
The most important point is to stay positive. We have taken important and necessary measures here in the Mahoning Valley and the state of Ohio to protect ourselves over the last three months. There has been COVID-19 related illness and difficult loss, but it could have been a lot worse. It is not yet the time to feel that the pandemic is completely behind us. We are not out of the woods, but we will recover.