2020 will forever be remembered as the year of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the pandemic response, Mayo Clinic Health System activated the Hospital Incident Command System Jan. 31. Staff worked—sometimes around the clock, 7 days per week—to change how health care was delivered so they could safely provide health care to residents in communities across Wisconsin. Some of the activities included: 
Setting up COVID-19 testing sites—first as drive-through sites and later at indoor locations 
Implementing electronic and virtual options for families to stay connected to their loved ones while in the hospital 
Temporarily halting elective in-person care, vastly expanding video and phone appointments, and implementing safety measures so that in-person appointments and procedures could resume 
Developing surge plans to accommodate a potential influx of patients with COVID-19 
Working with local health departments; advising educational institutions and businesses on safe practices; 
Educating staff and the public about COVID-19 and the ways people can protect themselves. In addition to sharing information through the media, Mayo Clinic Health System continues to post updated COVID-19 resources on its external website and in multiple languages and, to date, has published 72 articles on topics related to the COVID-19 virus. Mayo Clinic Health System providers frequently serve as subject matter experts for presentations to local organizations as well as for regional and national media outlets. 
With knowledge gained from the Mayo Clinic practice and research colleagues across the country, Mayo Clinic Health System can provide the most effective care possible to residents of the communities it serves.