August 27, 2021 3:55 a.m.
Aviva Health is partnering with CHI Mercy Health Mercy Medical Center and Umpqua Health Alliance to provide pre-emergency room triage to patients accessing emergency services at the hospital.
An Aviva release said it’s an effort to proactively identify and redirect COVID-19 positive individuals who do not require emergency care, but may benefit from treatment in another setting.
Aviva CEO KC Bolton said, “It’s essential right now for community health care partners to support Mercy Medical Center and protect its valuable inpatient resources so people of our area continue to have access to the high-quality care the hospital provides”. Bolton said by redirecting non-emergent patients away from the emergency room to more appropriate venues for treatment, the effort will preserve Mercy’s capacity. That will enable the hospital to provide ongoing emergency and inpatient care to severely ill COVID-19 patients and individuals who present with trauma, heart attack, or other non-COVID-19 related conditions, according to Bolton.
Dr. Jason Gray, Chief Medical Officer at Mercy said the partnership is a welcome assistance to allow patients seeking non-emergent care to receive treatment and continue to serve community members in need of emergency care. Gray said, “This is great teamwork and we are very grateful”.
The release said patients will initially be screened under a tent situated near the emergency room entrance. Individuals who are COVID-19 positive but do not require emergent care will be directed to “Mobile 1”. That is the larger of the two Mobile Medical Units assigned to Aviva by the Douglas County Commissioners. A provider will then perform an exam and advise the patient of treatment options, if needed.
If it is determined that a medical intervention is necessary, patients will be transitioned to a separate on-site location where they can receive a limited set of services.
Non-COVID patients seeking access to the emergency room are triaged following normal hospital protocols.
UVA will assist with discharge planning, case management and non-emergency transportation services.
The release said the pre-ER-triage support will continue until the demand for emergency and inpatient care, which has spiked during this latest surge of COVID-19, eases.