HCHC implementing further precautions to address COVID-19

MT. PLEASANT - In response to the coronavirus outbreak, the Henry County Health Center is taking extra precautions and has implemented a new process for visitors to enter the center.

During their board of trustees meeting on Tuesday, chief executive officer Robb Gardner updated members on the actions the hospital is taking in response to the coronavirus. Starting Tuesday, March 17, patients and visitors who are not in an emergent condition will be required to enter and exit the center through the main lobby entrance, where they will be screened for symptoms and will have their temperature checked by staff. Those cleared to enter will receive a sticker to indicate they have completed the screening and are permitted to be in the center.

The main lobby entrance will be open Monday through Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. On weekends, visitors and patients will only be able to enter through the Emergency Department. The main entry point will be closed off on the weekends.

These restrictions come just several days after the center put visitors restrictions on Park Place Elderly Living and their Maternity Services.

Gardner added the hospital activated their instant command center for emergency response last Thursday to determine how the facility can best respond to the situation and 'make sure the health care personnel have the safety supplies they need, medical staff have the things they need,” as well as how best to care for patients.

'It's been fluid,” Gardner said, 'There are four community spread in Iowa and no confirmed cases in Henry County.”

The CEO added the team has met daily and has worked closely with the hospital's medical staff leadership as well as the public health department and the emergency management department in the county.

'Since it's gone into substantial community spread, we have now suspended all elective surgery indefinitely. Most places are responding the same way,” Gardner said. The suspension of elective surgeries is to conserve personal protective equipment for doctors, such as goggles and masks.

Gardner added the hospital is following the Iowa Department of Public Health and Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in their response and testing.

'The most question we get is ‘do we have kits?' We are following the IDPH and CDC's guidelines for who gets screened. Testing kits are still limited in our country and right here in Henry County. We do have kits, we have the capability to screen, but we'll be following the algorithms that the IDPH and CDC give us,” Gardner added.

In preparation for potentially large amounts of patients, Gardner said the center is already having discussions about where to send patients. Following the update, a board member posed a question about the center's ability to treat cases that require ventilators.

Dr. Frederick Frank, the medical team's chief of staff, said more severe cases would most likely be transferred to larger facilities.

'I also expect downstream, things are going to get backlogged, so we may be expected to take care of what we would normally not be taking care of. We have the capabilities to take care of that but most of those patients will be transferred to a higher level,” Frank said.

Gardner also addressed protocol for off-site clinics.

'They're following the same guidelines. Everybody is getting called ahead of time and asked, ‘Have you traveled? Do you have a temperature?'” Gardner said.

Patients are encouraged to contact their primary care provider before going to any of the clinics, the health center or the emergency room. For individuals who do not have a primary health doctor, the state is also providing a hotline number, 2-1-1, for anyone with questions.

'The thing that we do not want to have happen is everyone comes to the Emergency Room and say ‘I need to be screened,' because if they are, it doesn't take the Emergency Room to screen them. That's a communication between their primary care provider or IDPH,” Gardner said.