In 2012, Dublin Life Magazine featured Dr. David Boehmer. The article, entitled Top-Notch Doc, discusses how his interest in medicine sparked after undergoing surgery for a benign tumor on his ankle, love for exercise and the medical field.
Since the Dublin native is the emergency department medical director and medical staff president at Dublin Methodist Hospital, we wanted to follow up with Boehmer in light of the pandemic and get some professional insight.
How Times Have Changed
The economy shutting down, social isolation, wearing a mask in public – few people expected COVID-19 to get this close to home or possibly this serious. A pandemic is scary, and the uncertainty leaves many people feeling anxious.
“It’s quite different than anything I’ve experienced in my 20-some years (of practicing medicine),” Boehmer says.
Ironically, Boehmer says the overall volume of ER patients is lower across the state of Ohio because people are finding other ways to seek help, such as having phone conversations with their primary care doctors. Most people currently visiting the ER have respiratory challenges, concerns about having the virus and are overall sicker.
Thankfully, frontline workers like Boehmer aren’t scared, even though many healthcare professionals have never witnessed anything like COVID-19.
“I would say with the staff, there are genuine concerns, but I don’t know if they’re scared because this what we do in emergency medicine,” Boehmer says. “We’re used to adjusting to situations that are different. ... The way that we’re getting through this is with tons of communication and discussion.”
Robin Oatts
7500 Hospital Dr
These shots are of the Dublin Methodist Hospital exterior taken in 2015.
Boehmer says one of the biggest COVID-19 consistencies is the people it affects. He says most of his patients are older adults and middle-aged people with underlying health concerns. He notes that he rarely treats healthy, younger adults and children since they aren’t a susceptible group.
“Younger people and, thank goodness, children are doing very well,” Boehmer says. “There are exceptions that will always make it into the local and national media, but that’s really pretty rare.”
Boehmer explains that COVID-19 is rather sneaky, though. He says some people who have the virus may not show severe symptoms, thus carrying on with their lives and going out in public. Unfortunately, this is one of the reasons it started to spread so fast and one of the biggest challenges doctors are facing.
“That’s been the challenge; finding really good ways to keep people safe and as healthy as we can to protect especially the older people and the people more at risk,” Boehmer says.
In mid-April, Boehmer said the number of new cases seemed to reach a plateau in the community. Doctors are hoping this leads to a decrease and thus a light at the end of the tunnel for this pandemic. Regardless, treating patients who are affected by a virus that has no vaccine or cure is stressful. Thankfully, the hospital staff is supporting each other wholeheartedly and the Dublin community goes the extra mile to support local health care workers.
“The community has reached out to us to show us their concern and to also really thank us,” Boehmer says.
He notes how Dublin City School District donated masks, local florists brought flowers to the staff, local restaurants offered food and meals, and a local business even brought Dr. Scholl’s shoe inserts and insoles.
“As a medical community, we so appreciate it,” he says. “It’s been really heartwarming and that’s how we’re getting through this.”
There’s A Great, Big Beautiful Tomorrow
During these dark times, turning to the inspirational words of well-known leaders is comforting.
In 1964, Walt Disney presented the Carousel of Progress at New York’s World’s Fair. The rotating theater audio-animatronic stage show takes viewers through the 20th century and beyond, constantly reminding them with a catchy tune that there’s a great, big beautiful tomorrow.
“We kind of get stuck in a grind with our job, and this has allowed us to refocus a little bit and let us explore things we might not have otherwise. It’s changing us, and I think we’re going to come out a little different on the other side.”
Speaking with Boehmer in mid-April was a breath of fresh air and he encapsulates the Carousel of Progress song. His optimism and scientific thought process are heartening, and even though he isn’t sure what society’s new “normal” will look like, he’s certain it will give us a fresh perspective.
Boehmer explains that his wife, Sue, works at the local food pantry and found that many people who experienced job loss because of the pandemic also discovered new ways to serve the community and new interests.
“We kind of get stuck in a grind with our job, and this has allowed us to refocus a little bit and let us explore things we might not have otherwise,” Boehmer says. “It’s changing us, and I think we’re going to come out a little different on the other side.”
As for Boehmer and his family, he’s looking forward to traveling again and eventually taking a trip to the Grand Canyon. Most of all, he’s excited to see his friends in person and enjoy their presence, which many have learned is difficult to capture through video chatting.
“A lot of us are people persons,” he says, “and I just miss hugging my friends, I just want to give them a hug.”
Lydia Freudenberg is an associate editor. Feedback welcome at lfreudenberg@cityscenemediagroup.com.
