MP-Rockford Yapp
Here's what's on the mind of DCMS president, Rockford Yapp, MD:COVID-19 is the biggest health crisis that the U.S. and the world have faced since the 1918 flu pandemic. The immense pain, suffering and stress it has caused the country is immeasurable. At the same time, this crisis has led to some of the greatest acts of courage, compassion, humanitarianism, and leadership we have ever seen among health care professionals.
The overused "heroes work here" does not begin to tell the story of how many DuPage County health professionals – and especially physicians – have heroically helped thousands of patients and their families. As this pandemic has touched every person in the US, from the poor line worker to the President, DuPage County physicians have been leading Illinois and the nation in many ways.
From physicians and nurses walking into the COVID Unit every day, to care for the sick and dying, to the amazing leadership of chief medical officers like Stu Marcus of AMITA and Gary Stuck of Advocate Aurora Healthcare (both based in DuPage) guiding thousands of health care workers to optimize and improve care for so many, area medical professionals have truly redefined leadership during this pandemic. DuPage County’s medical school at Midwestern University, led by fellow physician Dean Thomas Boyle, continues guiding the training of hundreds of future physicians in these most challenging times. And deserving more attention is the incredibly important work that our public officials have been doing. Rashmi Chugh, MD, MPH, chief medical officer at our DuPage County Health Department, works tirelessly to guide our community’s successful medical response during this pandemic and remains an important leader in our DuPage County Medical Society (DCMS).
These and hundreds of physician leaders highlight how central physician leaders have been, and continue to be, during this COVID-19 pandemic here and across the country.