103: Dr Jo Kelly

Reading Pediatrics

The pediatric population needs special attention during a pandemic and Dr. Jo Kelly and her staff at Reading Pediatrics are providing that specialized care to a very vulnerable population. Dr. Kelly described how she and her team faced treating children during Covid-19. Well offices continued to provide routine pediatric care in addition to treating children diagnosed with serious illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, obesity and more. She and her team provided mental health screenings and social- emotional support to children who needed them. During the pandemic, a  large part of her job became guiding, reassuring, and supporting families as they dealt with the disease. 

Many practices were implemented to ensure safety for patients and staff during the public health emergency including separate sick and well visits, no waiting rooms, N95 masking, enhanced disinfecting between visits, exam room air purifiers, and telehealth appointments. One office was designated as the sick office and three offices were designated well offices. 

She estimates that she has seen approximately 200 kids with covid and that the entire practice served 60,000 patients during the pandemic remaining open every day. During the course of the pandemic, her staff additionally volunteered many hours to provide 3400 vaccinations for the community.

One of the greatest stressors Dr. Kelly described was going to work meant being exposed to something potentially deadly and  in turn,  she could unwittingly expose family and friends to the disease. This created an additional sense of isolation and fear.  Many providers from the front lines described that same fear. Fortunately, getting vaccines reduces that risk significantly.

Turning to nature and art helps Dr Kelly cope with the intensity of her work. She bikes, kayaks, writes, and paints. She is especially proud of the compassion her staff showed during the crisis. Dr Kelly’s wish is that we all pull together to end this. She states, “Everything we do affects everyone in the community. Everyone plays a role in stopping this disease.” We are so grateful for the positive impact Dr. Kelly and Reading Peds has had on our community.