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Watch: PFCC Conference highlights resilience and strength during COVID-19

Written by Taylor Lamb

Watch the conference in full here and here.

Augusta University Health‘s Patient- and Family-Centered Care Conference highlighted resilience and strength during critical challenges and identified how “We are stronger … Because of COVID.”

The conference, which took place both in-person and virtually March 16, was quite emotional at times as people reflected on the past year and the fight against COVID-19.

“The PFCC Conference this year was decidedly different, because of COVID,” said Julie Moretz, assistant vice president and chief experience officer at AU Health. “We showcased our own internal experts who shared the tenets of patient- and family-centered care through their own experiences during such an extraordinary time. So many of our colleagues have expressed that our presenters shared such powerful messages about hope and healing.”

Augusta University Health Nurse Manager Yolanda Coar died Aug. 9. Her widower received the Patricia Sodomka Leadership Award at the 2021 PFCC Conference

The conference also paid tribute to those we lost over the past year.

“We experienced heartfelt moments when several PFCC awards were presented posthumously to those AU Health staff whom we continue to celebrate,” Moretz said. “PFCC Family Choice Awards were presented to the families of Kenneth Mass and Alan Watts, and the Pat Sodomka Leadership Award was presented to Yolanda Coar’s husband.

“We also celebrate with the Department of Spiritual Care for receiving the PFCC Partnership Award. The chaplains are the heart of our hospital and through their collaborative efforts, they have made a significant difference in how care was delivered.”