Atrium's Gene Woods led effort to bring COVID-19 tests to at-risk communities

One of the biggest challenges facing healthcare providers in recent years is the lag time often encountered when serving the patient. While other industries have found a way to provide services on demand, insurance and other hurdles have prevented healthcare from transforming into a direct to consumer model. The pandemic, however, changed everything nearly overnight. As a result, Gene Woods, president and CEO of Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health, took one of the industry’s boldest moves—bringing COVID-19 testing to peoples’ doorsteps.

Your riskiest decision: We recently launched a four-part COVID-19 strategy to specifically serve at-risk populations, which includes data analytics; multicultural education and outreach; screening and testing; and high-risk interventions. We’re using real-time data to pinpoint and deploy our mobile health unit to bring COVID-19 testing to our city’s most underserved areas—specifically, communities with greater levels of poverty and people of color.

Why was that move risky? The real risk is going into these neighborhoods without first linking arms with their trusted leaders, including the faith community, in order to bring the right solutions forward. Through these alliances we help our communities heal and remain a credible voice during a time when many have lost the trust of those they serve. This is nonnegotiable because we’re simply doing what’s right. We had to activate what would normally take months to plan in only a matter of days, and this meant accepting that, while we don’t know everything about COVID-19, we had to act boldly and decisively anyway.

The outcome: Our strategy has almost completely closed the gap in testing for at-risk populations in our communities, with African Americans representing 25.6% of our COVID-19 testing and 23% of our overall patient population, and Hispanics representing 6.2% of testing and 6.9% of our patient population.

What was the response from those involved? Overwhelming. After a busy day of testing at a local church, the pastor shared with our team that several members of the African American congregation had tested positive for COVID-19, with other underlying chronic conditions. This pastor is now sharing word in the community that our extended access to testing, combined with our COVID-19 virtual hospital at home program, literally saved their lives. These actions—these “mission moments”—are building new bridges and helping us to bring health, hope and healing for all.

Advice for execs in similar positions: I have seen so many of my CEO colleagues lift their communities in incredible ways, so I do not have advice, per se. Instead, I would share that I couldn’t be prouder of our profession and the leadership we are demonstrating during this time. Across the country, there is a unique combination of forces that are shining a light on some of the most pressing health issues of our time. Together, we are affirming the aspiration that no one should have their lives cut short due to inequities in care.

How would others Describe your leadership style? I think others would say I keep the organization connected to our purpose daily, so that we never forget why we do what we do. And they would also say that I never miss a chance to find the “bright spots” in any situation. Rather than just focusing on what needs to be fixed, I like to focus on individual and organizational strengths and leveraging the things that we are doing well. And what these times have demonstrated to me is that the biggest bright spot of all is to serve in a profession surrounded by people dedicated to helping others; it’s the reason I get up every morning.