Hospitalizations ‘at a critical state,’ says county hospital CEO

MT. PLEASANT - Henry County Health Center CEO Robb Gardner emphasized the state is 'at a critical state” in hospitalizations and with coronavirus pandemic during a Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

In response to growing case numbers, the health center has decided to suspend all inpatient elective surgeries but will continue performing emergent inpatients surgeries as well as outpatient surgeries for the time being.

'We're being sensitive about those surgeries that require any sort of bed capacity,” he said.

In his report to the board, Gardner said hospitalizations in the state doubled in two weeks with more than 1,500 Iowans hospitalized due to the coronavirus.

'We're deep into it. It's tight, the beds are tight,” he said.

Gardner added the hospital continues to have the capacity to serve and the staff to care for patients in Mt. Pleasant and Henry County. The health center continues to work with other regional facilities to care for patients.

Gardner urged the board to continue to model good mitigation practices including wearing masks, social distancing and good hand hygiene while in public.

Dr. Frederick Frank, the medical team's chief of staff, said the emergency room and outpatient clinics are performing several hundred coronavirus tests each week.

'We have the testing capacity … trying to find adequate higher level of care can be frustrating,” Frank said.

During the meeting, the board accepted a $219,284 bid from Schumacher Elevator Company for the hospital administrative building's elevator project. The project, initially projected to be $159,000, will include aspects not included in the original scope of the project including making stairs and air conditioning.

The board approved a leasing agreement for orthopedic power equipment for the orthopedic department to continue performing surgeries. The bundle package for the Sterrad NX, Medivator and System 7 will cost $500,000 and save the hospital $93,000.