I have taken minutes for different organizations for most of my adult life, for the county commissioners, the health council, affordable housing committee, and for over the past 16 years for many hospital meetings. I took minutes yesterday at a clinical leadership meeting in the hospital about the health crisis we’re all facing and I decided to share what I saw and felt.

Dr. Pil, chief medical officer, opened the meeting by reminding everyone that they all signed up for a life in health care. He said this sort of crisis is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. “This is our time to do it.” It was more than the clinical expertise in the room that struck me, especially because my job at the hospital is credentialing, so I know well the clinical backgrounds of our physicians, how hard they work to maintain and extend

their medical knowledge and practices, how much experience they have. But it was the depth of that kind of devotion that moved me, and that’s why I decided to write this.

Each person at the table took his or her turn not only to make the commitment to not travel, to stay extended hours, to be on call, to remind others of special procedures they could do, to request what they needed, but to voice the willingness and eagerness to help in ways beyond their usual practice. I heard things like, “Just call me and I’ll do it,” and “I know how to do that, let me help.”

Denise Schepici and Claire Seguin offered the kind of support and help one would expect with their experience and connections, but more than that, they showed true leadership and compassion. On every level, the staff is mobilized. But again, it’s not the hard work that touches me. People always work hard here. It’s the devotion and heartfelt concern that moves me to share this.

I want to express my gratitude. I won’t forget that meeting and the concern on the faces of the people sitting around the table. We are very lucky to have these docs and this hospital right here.

Stay well.

Marsha Smolev

West Tisbury

The writer is senior credentials coordinator for the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.