Officials with CHI Mercy Medical Center say they are ready should the number of local COVID-19 cases ramp-up, but also hope they will be allowed to resume some elective surgical procedures soon, so normal staffing levels can be resumed and the hospital can stop the flow of red ink on its finances.
On Wednesday, staff with News Radio 1240 KQEN and the News Review toured the hospital’s SURGE COVID-19 unit. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jason Gray said 30 patient rooms are ready, plus 6 critical care rooms. They are in an isolated area and would not be accessible except for COVID-19 patients and medical providers caring for them. Personal Protective Equipment and other supplies are ready as well. Gray said those working on the unit would stay in just that area.
Gray said he is “really proud of what we have been able to do”. Gray said in mid-February an Incident Command protocol began and the hospital started working with the Douglas Public Health Network, and others to be ready should a surge of COVID-19 cases hit the county. A number of partnerships have been formed with other organizations and private groups assisting in different ways.
Gray said the SURGE unit has not be needed so far, as the hospital has only had 1 COVID-19 patient at a time, and is easily able to keep them isolated. Gray said if 4 COVID-19 patients needed care at the same time, then the unit would be put to use.
While Gray wants to “preserve” the SURGE Unit until it is needed, he said the inability to do other procedures is taking its toll on other potential patients. While saying Mercy supports Governor Kate Brown’s Executive Orders, Gray said he is hoping for “an incremental approach” that could allow select other procedures to resume. Gray said some whose procedures have been put on hold suffer from progressive diseases or situations, and are seeing their conditions decline while they wait.
President and Chief Executive Officer Kelly Morgan said the hospital is the biggest employer in the county, but for now is not able to keep all its staff working. Morgan said all departments have been affected, with the equivalent of 350 full-time positions impacted. Communications Director Kathleen Nickel said workers are being “low censused”, which generally means they are working less. Nickel said instead of working 36-40 hours a week, many are working fewer hours and sometimes not any hours at all. Morgan said the hospital expects a negative financial impact for the month of April of around $9 million. Morgan said the number of patients in for surgery is down 75%.
Gray said Mercy can both meet the goals of the Governor and not neglect their regular work in caring for other needs of patients if they can make their case with state officials.