Just a few days ago it was two years since the first case of Covid-19 in Mexico. Since then nothing has been the same and especially hospitals and clinics have had to transform to serve patients. It has not been an easy task because in many cases they have had to sacrifice their personal time to fulfill their professional duties. Such has been the case of a talented woman who has been named as the “Pandemic Medical Director”, Do you know who is this about?
Portrait of a woman who is an example in health
In this case we refer to Dr. Araceli Gudiño Turrubiartes. One of her greatest achievements is that she was the first woman to be appointed medical director in the history of the Hospital of Specialties of the National Medical Center (CMN) Siglo XXI of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS).
About her training, she is a specialist in Critical Medicine and Intensive Therapy. He accepted this assignment in November 2019, a few months after the start of the largest health emergency that has been experienced in the last century.
For all her work during this time, her colleagues baptized her as “the Medical Director of the Pandemic”. Together with the Board of Directors of this High Specialty Medical Unit (UMAE), she assumed the responsibility of guide health workers that in this hospital they have provided care to more than 13 thousand people with COVID-19, of which more than a thousand were intubated.
Remember that the Hospital de Especialidades once had five exclusive floors for the coronavirus patient care. “The effort of the health personnel was focused on the care of these patients.”
He said that his greatest satisfaction as a specialist, with 22 years of seniority in the IMSS and since 2013 in managerial positions, is to support and serve patients.
Every day he visits this UMAE to detect and resolve administrative, technical and medical issues. At the end of this, he visits various floors at random to talk with patients and relatives, listen to them and help with their main needs. He affirms that humanity and humility are two fundamental factors that should characterize a hospital manager.
Vocational training
Dr. Gudiño Turrubiartes is a medical surgeon specializing in Internal Medicine, subspecialist in Critical Medicine and Intensive Care by the CMN Siglo XXI, subspecialist in Neurological Intensive Care at the National Institute of Neurology and with highly specialized studies in Neurocritical Intensive Care at the Hospital Clínic in Barcelona, Spain. She also has a master’s degree and a doctorate in Senior Management.
The responsibility that she assumed as medical director and her commitment as a specialist in Critical Medicine were decisive in forming the COVID Response Teams. From the leader and the support specialists who integrated it to the training so that the management of patients was the most appropriate, which translated into better results in care.
He recognized that along with his preparation, there are people who have trusted his ability as a doctor and administrative “but above all who have believed in me as a person. This has made that winding road has seen the light and has positioned me in an administrative position”.
For her part, the “Pandemic Medical Director” is a reflection of the daily work carried out by thousands of health workers. Despite adversity, they always strive to offer their best effort and fulfill their tasks. In the end, the greatest reward is the patients’ recovery and receiving their thanks. It is a priceless payment but it is the clearest sign that the right thing was done.