Few would argue COVID-19 has made the environmental health landscape less challenging for the professionals that passionately serve our communities. In a matter of weeks our entire industry was disrupted by the pandemic with the risks dramatically increased, while quickly requiring new processes and procedures to implement. Factor in broader public policy, geopolitical, and technological trends and our EH industry has been thrust into a very unique time.

(Image credit Route Fifty)

As a current leader for Hedgerow Software, I’ve been in the industry for over two decades and this is the most concerned I’ve been for the future of our EH industry. 

Especially considering this article on Route Fifty that was shared by NEHA, which really caught my attention. REHS and other environmental health professionals already had a tremendously difficult job, even before the pandemic. Now, COVID-19 has created dramatic, and frequent, policy shifts in local, state, and federal laws which makes EH work difficult.  Guidelines are constantly shifting or being created on the fly, as we learn more about the coronavirus. Add in the fact that EH teams have had critical staff reassigned to other “more pressing” departmental needs, and in many cases, EH budgets have been slashed or siphoned to other areas within public health. 

While I don’t doubt these decisions were made in good faith with well intentioned rationale, it hasn’t made EH jobs any easier. Factor in the concerning trend of very experienced leaders leaving our industry by way of retirement or to simply do something less stressful, and a large leadership/expertise void has been created right before our very eyes.

Here’s a quote from an insightful NEHA video that echos my concern:

“Every day, an army of unseen protectors ensures your health, safety, and well being...if we don't receive the same support and funding as other critical personnel, we won't be there when you need us."

(Image credit NEHA)

Where do we go from here? In conversations we’re having with environmental health industry leaders, our agency customers across the US and Canada, and others, I’m excited about the pockets of quiet optimism being shared. For example, discussions about how we inspire the next generation of savvy EH professionals and the opportunity we finally have, given the power of the moment, to really define what environmental health is, and should be, moving forward.

The technology sector can do more for environmental health too. The broader trend of moving away from specialized technology, which is no longer hyper focused on EH workflows, to tech platforms that are larger in scope and feature set—dare I say bloated—make EH jobs more cumbersome. While technology companies and pundits love to talk about artificial intelligence and other exciting advancements, we must not forget to help EH professionals in the moment, today. It feels like one step forward and two steps back for EH when the technology becomes less specialized for environmental health professionals.

We all must do better. It’s time for big thinking and big action for the long term betterment of our industry. I’d love to hear your thoughts, so please leave a comment, connect with me on LinkedIn, like Hedgerow on Facebook and let’s keep the dialogue going.

John Dodson, CFO & COO Hedgerow Software