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Shadows and Light: An Interview with Heather Patterson
1served for many years as a partner and practice leader in the Canadian healthcare consulting practices of PricewaterhouseCoopers, and then IBM. Neil is on the board of Health Standards Organization and has an adjunct faculty appointment at the University of Toronto's Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation in Toronto, ON. He can be reached by e-mail at neil.stuart@bell.net.
Insights
This book captures the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital staff and patients through powerful photography. It highlights the resilience and compassion of healthcare workers during a challenging period.
Area of Science:
- Medical Humanities
- Public Health
- Sociology of Health
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to healthcare systems globally.
- Healthcare professionals faced immense physical and emotional strain during the pandemic.
- The pandemic significantly impacted patient care, hospital operations, and family support systems.
Abstract:
The editors of Healthcare Quarterly (HQ) recently had the opportunity to speak with Heather Patterson - emergency physician, photographer and author of the recently released book Shadows and Light (Patterson 2022). Through the photographs she took at Calgary-area hospitals during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Patterson created a poignant record of how the pandemic affected hospital staff, patients and their families. The book has struck a chord with many Canadians as it offers both an honest appraisal of the dreadful toll of the pandemic while also demonstrating the grace and compassion of healthcare workers.

