As COVID-19 information was rapidly evolving, Siena’s director of health services learned the importance of keeping current with daily monitoring of the situation and utilizing credible resources to keep the campus community informed.
For her efforts, Carrie Hogan, M.S., ANC-P has been named a 2020 Empire Whole Health Hero.
Albany-based Empire BlueCross recently celebrated 25 local health care providers, business leaders and essential workers who have shown “a remarkable commitment to safety and wellness, making a difference during the pandemic.” They announced the honorees in a virtual event on March 31 hosted by the Albany Business Review. The recognition was followed by a panel discussion with local business leaders who shared their outlook on the region's recovery from the pandemic.
Hogan, who coordinated Siena’s response to the pandemic with partners at St. Peter's Hospital and the Albany County and New York state departments of health, was nominated for the award by Margaret E. Madden, Ph.D., Siena’s provost and senior vice president.
“Carrie Hogan was virtually on call 24/7 for the entire fall semester,” said Madden. “She was thorough and persistent in enacting policy while remaining unbelievably calm and patient. Her management of the activities meant Siena College was able to complete the semester without having to pause or move to totally remote instruction.”
Hogan researched and educated Siena administration and faculty on COVID-19 policy and responses, and managed testing and contact tracing, which allowed Siena to quarantine and isolate individuals to protect the campus community from extensive exposure, a challenging goal given the dense student residential population.
“COVID-19 has changed the way Siena’s Health Services communicate and provide healthcare to the college community,” said Hogan. “The pandemic presented an opportunity to be innovative in meeting the health care needs of our students by pivoting care to the telehealth platform. As the pandemic evolved, our strategy changed several times. We had to be adaptable and flexible to the needs of the College while continuing to advocate for the public health of the community.”