By Dan Hounsell

From doctors and nurses to maintenance technicians and environmental services workers, the COVID-19 presented a constant series of threats to safety and health. Key personnel had to face daily problems related to personal protection equipment, sanitization practices and airborne illness. The toll on these workers was heavy.

Now, 10 hospital and health system CEOs have created a Declaration of Principles to protect their healthcare workforce, according to Healthcare Finance. The CEO Coalition came about earlier this year as CEOs from across the country convened virtually to examine standards of safety and trust for healthcare team members at every level of their organizations, according to the CEO Coalition.

The goal is to collectively take action to protect the wellbeing of essential team members and ensure they have the systems, tools, technologies and resources they need and deserve to feel safe at work. The initiative was spurred by the coronavirus pandemic, while the Declaration of Principles acknowledged that workplace violence, burnout and disparities existed long before the outbreak of COVID-19.