Clark County has 30 confirmed cases, one death and one probable death, according to the Clark County Combined Health District. Out of those cases, a total of nine have been listed as hospitalized.
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Due to the pandemic, SRMC began screening all patients last month at entry points using a questionnaire. Visitors were also restricted as well as outside vendors.
Mercy Health also established a task force focused on the coronavirus pandemic that has been working with each of its properties. In addition, the hospital network announced earlier this month that it had furloughed some employees while redeploying clinical staff in preparation for a potential surge in coronavirus-related patients.
Gov. Mike DeWine called on hospitals across the state last month to postpone elective procedures to keep beds, staff and equipment available due to an anticipated surge in coronavirus cases.
“In response, we are acting quickly to redeploy or temporarily furlough associates who are unable to work due to temporary closure, cancellation and low census in primary care, outpatient and surgical services,” said a statement from Mercy Health earlier this month.
In Ohio, officials have reported more than 15,000 confirmed and probable cases and more than 600 confirmed and probable deaths. There have been more than 3,000 hospitalizations and nearly 1,000 ICU admissions.
Groshans said in terms of preventing cross contamination, the hospital has negative pressure rooms and is able to do that to an entire section of the hospital in order to prevent airborne bacteria from escaping and spreading to other areas.
Representatives of the hospital said they have not needed to dedicate specific areas of the hospital to coronavirus patients at this point. However, Groshans said they have the ability to do so if that changes and have put plans in place to increase bed capacity in the hospital in case of a surge.
He said, through talks with other hospital systems in the region, area hospitals as a whole, including in Dayton, could increase their internal capacity by 40 percent.
Groshans said more information regarding the coronvirus as well as average length of stay for patients who require hospitalization has given area hospitals a better idea of where they stand in terms of preparedness.
Last week, the hospital joined the FDA’s national Expanded Access Program (EAP) for Convalescent Plasma as a treatment protocol for COVID-19, according to a news release from Mercy Health.
That plasma is collected by those who have recovered from the virus and is administered to patients with COVID-19 who are at risk of it progressing to a severe or life-threatening stage.
SRMC also has the capacity to accept coronavirus patients, who require a higher level of care, from Mercy Health Urbana Hospital, according to a statement released by the hospital network last week.
Champaign County has seen a total of eight confirmed cases and one death, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
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Representatives of Mercy Health said there have been large donations of certain types of personal protective equipment, including N-95 mask.
The hospital network is also seeking donations of supplies including goggles, face shields, masks, latex gloves and tyvek suits. Those seeking more information on how to make a donation or find facilities to donate to can call 1-888-383-8000.
Representatives of Mercy Health said that donations should not be brought directly to their facilities in order to protect the health and safety of patients and their care teams.
Those who do not have supplies but would like to make a financial donation can do so by visiting foundation.mercy.com/covid-19 or by calling 1-800-999-2744.
Groshans said his hospital has not experienced a shortage in those supplies at this point. However, they want to continue to prepare in case they see a jump in coronavirus patients. That means having access to equipment as well as sustaining it.
Mercy Health has also been in talks with other nearby hospital networks such as Kettering Health and Premier and participates in bi-weekly virtual meetings with the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association.
Groshans said he has also been in touch with the leadership of the Ohio Valley Surgical Hospital in Springfield. He said that is important as area partners are working together to make sure they have enough supplies as well as keeping an eye on a potential surge in cases.
The surgical hospital temporarily closed its doors, starting in March, as a vast majority of its services were elective. That decision led to 300 of its employees being temporarily furloughed.
Representatives of the physician-owned hospital said they have been closely monitoring the situation. They added that they have put measures in place in order to quickly ramp up when hospitals began transitioning back to normal operations. That includes quickly bringing back furloughed staff when needed.
Additional personal protection equipment may be needed in the near future as hospitals across the state look at potentially rescheduling certain types of surgeries and elective procedures.
During a press conference on Thursday, DeWine asked that doctors and health care workers reach out to patients who had procedures delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic to see if it now qualified as an essential procedure.
Mercy Health has set up a task force that is planning for the resumption of elective surgeries and other procedures that had been temporarily suspended.
“The task force is diligently working with local and state health agencies to make decisions that put the health and safety of every patient, resident, associate and visitor first,” said a statement from the hospital network.
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Health care providers are asked to consider patient’s overall health and quality of life when making that assessment.
State officials said they are looking to update the order that temporarily suspended non-essential procedures and surgeries.
“The main reason for the closure was to preserve (personal protection equipment),” said Ohio Valley’s President Steve Eisentrager. “The surge has not been nearly as severe. The question has now changed to ramping back up. What that will look like and how not to be in a situation were we run out of PPE.”
In order for some of those services to return, hospitals need to make sure they have additional preventative measures in place as well as adequate supplies amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Eisentrager said that those details are still being discussed. However, there has been talk of hospitals in the state ramping back up in phases. Starting with certain procedures and gradually adding services, while ensuring that the best safety standards are in place for both patients and staff.
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