SRMC’s Meredith: Appreciating Time with Family, Farming

Keith Meredith, vice president of clinical operations at Salem Regional Medical Center, is coming back strong. For more information about SRMC, visit its website.

What are some ways the COVID-19 outbreak has changed your work life?

As an organization, Salem Regional Medical Center has always taken disaster preparedness very seriously and worked hard to be in the position to be ready and proactive in any situation.  Those efforts truly paid off as we were hit fast and hard by this pandemic.  The first several weeks were exhausting and demanded a 100 percent effort from our entire team and they certainly rose to the challenge. Although I have always known how talented, caring and adaptable our healthcare providers are, I gained a whole new level of respect and confidence that we can handle whatever is to come. Going forward, I will be committing more energy to acknowledging each person’s valuable efforts and talents.

How about your personal life?

My mother passed away in the first few days of the stay-at-home period.  It was very difficult to not give her the send-off she deserved and to comfort and seek comfort from family and friends while at a distance.  Those of us that could be together have taken a more dedicated approach to being present for each other.  We have revived board game nights.  That part has been great!

What steps are you taking to hang tough?

With college classes going online this spring, my wife and I have been blessed to have our three daughters at home more.  Although we are all in the healthcare field and have worked long hours this year, we also live on a farm and have spent this spring working the farm together, gardening and generally catching up with things that needed done.  Good, hard physical labor is a great catharsis for the body and mind!

What advice are you sharing with the people you love?

This disease is not to be taken lightly or ignored.  We are not near the end of it yet, so we must maintain safe and sensible precautions.  I keep emphasizing that we have benefitted at least as much as we have lost over the past several weeks, just by making the best of our time together.