Obesity Medicine Doctor Turns COVID-19 Infection into Learning Experience
The story of an early-infected US physician who launched a non-profit, participated in trials, and guided her peers after overcoming infection.
Lydia Alexander, MD, contracted coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) in March. A physician at Kaiser Permanente, chief medical officer and medical director at Enara Health, and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Obesity Medicine Association, Lydia and her husband tested positive simultaneously, forcing her to quarantine in her home. With four kids and a nervous partner, Alexander kept a brave face and served as the voice of reason.
Alexander did not let the virus get the best of her, though. Instead, with the help of her husband, she launched a nonprofit called “World Without COVID,” participated in observational studies, and donated plasma.
All the while, she was transitioning into her new role at Enara Health, a digital health weight management facility. The company went completely virtual during the early stages of shelter in place, but as restrictions lifted, Alexander used her experiences with the disease to inform return to work and COVID-19 protocols, whether it be taking temperatures of employees and making sure everyone felt safe back in the work environment. Alexander was key in facilitating patients going back into the facility to see physical and exercise therapists.
When she is not working, Alexander spends time journaling, cooking, and serving time as a member of OMA. She is a mentor to young professionals who are looking to make a difference in the weight management and lifestyle medicine field.
For her ability to help aid Enara Health back to the facility and her work overcoming COVID while launching a nonprofit, HCPLive® is happy to announce Dr. Alexander as a Hero of Healthcare.
