Department of Pediatrics News

You may know him as Dr. Sam Dominguez, MD, or our COVID Diva, but now we have a more affectionate moniker for him: Superhero!

Dr. Dominguez is one of the country's leading pediatric infectious disease specialists and has been instrumental in CHCO's COVID-19 response and in our work with MIS-C illness in children. This work led to his nomination as a Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) Superhero under the trait of "Great Sense of Responsibility." 

Dr. Dominguez has dedicated his career to studying coronaviruses and quickly became a local expert in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. He knew that diagnostic testing would be critical to fighting the pandemic, swiftly leading a team to set up rapid, in-house testing at Children's Hospital Colorado, making us the first hospital in the state to bring an assay online. Dr. Dominguez also understood the importance of community response, so he expanded efforts to support area hospitals and providers in need of testing. 

He and his team are no strangers to working long hours during the pandemic – participating in virtual townhalls and evening forums with providers in the region – in addition to meeting with and educating members of the media to ensure COVID-19 coverage is accurate. This has been a priority for Dr. Dominguez as he strives to provide the public with factual and easy-to-understand information in order for the community to take the correct precautions.

Dr. Dominguez and the team have worked tirelessly to amend policies and procedures almost daily as new information about COVID-19 comes in. And while it's easy to feel overwhelmed and overburdened by the work, Dr. Dominguez believes it's the sense of friendship the team has developed that keeps them focused on achieving their collective goals.

It's hard to believe CHCO team members and providers have been working in this new normal for nearly a year. The pandemic has brought with it fear and anxiety — Dr. Dominguez acknowledges that he feels these emotions, too, and worries about the safety of his own family.

However, when it comes to modeling the CHA superhero trait of "Great Sense of Responsibility," it's clear that "his courage, love, self-sacrifice and commitment to the sick and vulnerable have been stronger and more visible than his fears," says Children's Colorado Chief Operating Officer, David Biggerstaff. "And because of that commitment, those of us at Children's Hospital Colorado and everyone throughout our community, our state and the seven-state region we serve has been better off. I can't think of a better individual to personify the CHA's Superhero award."