Health Homepage Highlights

COVID-19 Preparations in Full Swing at UM Shore Regional Health

March 28, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is intensely engaged in planning to care for our community in the event of an influx of patients needing hospital care as result of the possible impact of COVID-19.

Fortunately, as of this moment, in all UM Shore Regional Health locations, the overall number of hospital admissions and emergency department visits are down, largely due to messages from the community and media that have helped to direct concerned people to the appropriate community provider settings and reduce unnecessary hospital volumes.

Planning for a potential surge of patients at the hospitals began more than a month ago and continues to evolve on a daily basis.

“As part of University of Maryland Medical System, Shore Regional Health is actively preparing for the presence of COVID-19 in our communities,” said Ken Kozel, UM SRH president and CEO. “Every day, our medical and nursing staffs and team members in every aspect of our health care system, are working together to plan for various contingencies in the event of a surge of patients who need hospitalization.”

Key developments to date are as follows:

• Enacted system-wide (UMMS) and regional (UM SRH) incident command structures in mid-February staffed by appropriate personnel to coordinate resources and direct actions for the entire organization in relation to COVID.

Duties include:

monitoring the rapidly changing state, national and global, COVID situation
real time monitoring of staff availability, supplies and bed capacity in all three hospitals
preparing to maximize surge capacity in all three hospitals
participating in planning efforts undertaken by local government and health officials in all five counties
keeping in daily contact with those officials

• Postponed all elective, non-emergent surgeries and procedures, beginning March 18 to managing a potential increase in patient volume. This action was designed to provide additional capacity for UM SRH hospitals to treat those patients in greatest need.

• Revised visitor policy, effective March 19, prohibiting all visitors into the hospitals unless they have a special exception.
In partnership with UMMS, created a fully staffed 24/7 Nurse Hotline to answer COVID-19-related concerns. That number is 1-888-713-0711.

Renee Edsall, intensive care clinical specialist at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, is shown working with clinical team members during a drill held at the tents outside the hospital’s Emergency Department on Friday, March 27.

• Erected tents adjacent to the three hospital emergency departments and the Emergency Center at Queenstown. (While not in use today, these tents could serve a variety of purposes should the need arise; in particular, they may be used to expand Emergency Department triage capacity in the evaluation and treatment of patients for fever and upper respiratory symptoms.)

• Consolidated laboratory and imaging services at certain locations to maximize efficient use of resources and deployment of staff.

• Ceased all elective/non-urgent imaging at all facilities, effective March 25. Only critical imaging is being performed. (Critical imaging services include; trauma, oncology, infection, ischemia, acute bleeding, and acute neurologic changes. Other requests are reviewed on a case by case basis by our radiologists.) Affected patients are being contacted directly regarding cancelled appointments and rescheduling options.

• Shore Regional Health has identified its surge expansion plans at all inpatient and emergency facilities. As of March 25, the system has the ability to double inpatient capacity and quadruple ICU capacity across the system if needed.

• On Friday, March 27, conducted a drill at UM Shore Regional Health’s four emergency departments to test and evaluate the functionality of the triage tents in the event of a surge in patients requiring hospitalization.

“Today Shore Regional Health conducted a drill to test and evaluate the operational effectiveness of the triage tents located at our four emergency departments,” said Dr. William H. Huffner, senior vice president, medical affairs, and chief medical officer. “As a routine aspect of our operation as a health care system, emergency drills enable us to identify the strengths and weaknesses of emergency plans, and this one was very useful in that regard. Our medical and nursing care providers and a wide range of support personnel worked together to put our strategy for the tents in use and ensure that in the event of a patient surge, our plans can be operationalized seamlessly.

“We also are in close and continuous contact with our state and county health departments, emergency management officials and a host of community organizations that are all working in concert to help minimize the spread of the virus and to assist vulnerable populations in need of food, shelter and transportation during this time,” said Kozel. “I am infinitely grateful to have the support of highly capable, dedicated and focused teams at UMMS and here at Shore Regional Health, and going forward, I am confident that our preparations will help us face the demands of COVID-19.”

The public can help reduce the severity of this pandemic by:

Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
Avoiding close contact with people who are sick and practice social distancing
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and throw it away immediately.
Avoid touching your face.

Shore Regional Health Announces Imaging Changes due to COVID-19

March 26, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Shore Regional Health has announced a reduction in diagnostic imaging services for the time being due to COVID-19.

According to Dr. Kim Oster, president, Shore Radiology, and Dr. Dale Johnson, chairman, Shore Regional Health Radiology Departments, and in keeping with the directive of the state health secretary, as of March 24, 2020, all elective/non-urgent imaging at all facilities are postponed and only critical imaging is being performed.

Critical imaging services include trauma, oncology, infection, ischemia, acute bleeding, and acute neurologic changes. Other requests are reviewed by the imaging team on a case-by-case basis.

“We are calling patients with appointments scheduled in the next several weeks to inform them of this change, but we also want potential ‘walk-ins’ to know that their test will not be conducted at this time so they will not make an unnecessary trip,” says Penny Olivi, director, Diagnostic Imaging for UM Shore Regional Health. “We expect to begin accepting appointment requests for elective/non-urgent imaging in mid-April. If you have a question about your appointment or whether or not an imaging location is we open, please call 410-822-1000, extension 2600.”

In addition, the Diagnostic & Imaging Center has cancelled Saturday hours until further notice.

UMMS Announces Visitor Restrictions At All Facilities

March 20, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

With the first confirmed COVID-related death in Maryland, more than 100 confirmed coronavirus cases across the state and an 88 percent increase in cases statewide during the past 48 hours, the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is enacting updated visitor restrictions at all 13 system hospitals and other UMMS healthcare facilities.

Under the Strict Patient Safety Policy, which will be implemented by 3 p.m. Friday, March 20, there will be no visitors allowed, except under specific circumstances, and by prior approval of the physician administrative officer or their designee. This policy applies to all patients within UMMS hospitals and other facilities, is in alignment with Johns Hopkins Medicine, and is consistent with approaches taken by other leading health care institutions nationwide.

“Due to rapid escalation of COVID cases across Maryland and increased community spread of the disease, we have decided to enact this more aggressive and comprehensive, systemwide policy, which will be in effect until further notice,” said David Marcozzi, MD, COVID-19 Incident Commander for UMMS, associate professor and associate chair of population health within the Department of Emergency Medicine at the UM School of Medicine (SOM) and assistant chief medical officer for acute care at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Exceptions to the Strict Patient Safety Policy include:

For in-patient facilities

• End-of-life care or end of life decision making. For these situations, two visitors will be permitted.

• One parent or caregiver of a child in the neonatal intensive care unit

• One parent or caregiver of pediatric patients as long as they are not symptomatic

• One visitor inclusive of a professional support person or postpartum helper of a patient in the labor and delivery and the postpartum units

• One visitor for patients in inpatient hospice units

• One visitor to accompany patients for hospital discharge

• One visitor for patients undergoing emergency surgery

• Visitors who have been asked by the patient’s care team to be a part of scheduled family training for patients with rehabilitation needs.

For all outpatient appointments

• One visitor will be permitted to accompany a patient to facilitate care or treatment such as an ambulatory visit, procedure or same-day surgery

UMMS experts urge the public to practice vigilant hand hygiene, follow respiratory etiquette (cover mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing), maintain social distances when possible and avoid shaking hands. These strategies are fundamental to protecting our workforce, patients and the community.

More information about the Strict Patient Safety Policy can be found on the UMMS dedicated COVID-19 information webpage, https://www.umms.org/covid.

COVID-19: On the Front Lines with St. Vincent de Paul’s Alex Handy

March 17, 2020 by Dave Wheelan Leave a Comment

For many people in need on the Mid-Shore, whether it be food or other essential needs, St. Vincent de Paul has been the go-to organization for more than two decades. Running one of the most used food banks on the Eastern Shore, St. Vincent has been playing a critical role in providing over 400 families with basic food needs. And now, with the coronavirus threatening the most vulnerable, the Spy thought it would be a good time for a check-in with its leadership.

This morning, we sat down with St. Vincent’s president, Alex Handy, to provide an update as Maryland faces a surge of more families, many of them paycheck to paycheck, needing their help.

This video is approximately three minutes in length. For more information about St. Vincent de Paul in Easton or to volunteer, please go here. For the Kent County Food Pantry, please go here.

For All Seasons Open with Screening Measures in Place

March 17, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Beth Anne Langrell, CEO

With continued evolving public health concerns, For All Seasons has announced screening measures for patients and staff during this outbreak of COVID-19. All patients entering any For All Seasons facility will be directed to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds upon entry. All individuals should limit their movement within the facility to only those areas that are necessary for the purpose of their visit.

If someone has cold or flu-like symptoms such as a cough or fever, newly developed shortness of breath, or has recently traveled to an area inside OR outside the United States with known coronavirus (COVID-19) within the last 14 days, or have been in contact with someone who has traveled or contracted the virus, he or she should call For All Seasons at 410-822-1018 to reschedule an appointment.

According to Beth Anne Langrell, CEO of For All Seasons, “We are actively monitoring information from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local officials regarding the COVID-19. The safety and well-being of our patients and staff is our highest priority. We are conducting an illness screening and we have increased the frequency of how often we sanitize and clean our office spaces.”

For those who are not patients of For All Seasons and may have had a reason to visit an office, For All Seasons will be observing a more structured agency visitation procedure until further notice. Visits to For All Seasons will be by appointment only. Patients are being encouraged to be sensitive to any presenting symptoms, and if need be, consider rescheduling an appointment or phoning in to the agency for support.

For further information, call 410-822-1018 or visit forallseasonsinc.org.

Univ. of Md. Medical System to Postpone Elective Procedures

March 16, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

The University of Maryland Medical System/University of Maryland Baltimore, in coordination with Johns Hopkins Health System, is postponing all elective, non-emergent procedures, beginning Wednesday, March 18, and continuing for a two-week period until April 1, as part of the system’s COVID-19 response to managing a potential increase in patient volume. This action is designed to provide additional capacity for UMMS hospitals to treat those patients in greatest need.

“Consistent with our priority to protect our patients and staff, our decision is guided by the need to minimize the risk of exposing surgical patients to COVID-19, minimize the potential for high-risk exposure to surgical and peri-operative staff from unrecognized and asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19, minimize risk within the hospital environment from potential exposure consistent with social distancing principles, and ensure adequate availability of supplies and equipment that can be redirected to the care of COVID-19 patients,” said Dr. David Marcozzi, UMMS COVID-19 Incident Commander. “This is a rapidly-changing dynamic and we need to plan ahead. Emergent and urgent procedures as defined by a patient’s care team that are necessary for a patient’s health and time sensitive will continue.”

CDC Recommends Postponement or Cancellation of Events, Gatherings of 50 or More People for Next Eight Weeks

March 15, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities. Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies. These events can be planned not only by organizations and communities but also by individuals.

Therefore, CDC, in accordance with its guidance for large events and mass gatherings, recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States.

Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing. When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual.

This recommendation does not apply to the day to day operation of organizations such as schools, institutes of higher learning, or businesses. This recommendation is made in an attempt to reduce introduction of the virus into new communities and to slow the spread of infection in communities already affected by the virus. This recommendation is not intended to supersede the advice of local public health officials.

Md. Dept. of Aging Secretary Orders Senior Centers to Close Indefinitely

March 12, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Dr. Rona Kramer, Maryland Department of Aging secretary, has ordered senior centers across the state to close indefinitely as a precaution to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19.

Although no cases have been reported in connection with senior centers, officials are particularly concerned about the state’s older population. Older adults with COVID-19 have been particularly hard-hit by the disease.

The state health department offers the following information:

Older adults (age 60+) and those with pre-existing medical conditions have a greater risk for serious illness, and in some cases death, if they become infected with COVID-19. Examples of pre-existing medical conditions include: cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other conditions that impact the immune system’s ability to fight germs.

Currently, people are at risk for contracting COVID-19 who:
• recently traveled to geographic areas of concern
• have close, personal contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19
• care for people with COVID-19

If you are an older adult or you have one and more chronic health conditions, you can take action to reduce your risk of exposure to COVID-19:
• take everyday precautions to keep space between yourself and others
• when you go out in public, keep away from others who are sick, limit close contact and wash your hands often with soap and water or hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol content
• avoid crowds as much as possible

UM Shore Regional Health Announces Cancellation of Meetings and Classes in All Facilities

March 12, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Effective Friday, March 13 at 5 p.m., all support group meetings, classes, seminars and professional meetings scheduled in UM Shore Regional Health hospitals, outpatient and other facilities are cancelled until further notice.

Earlier this week, free blood pressure screenings conducted by hospital volunteers were cancelled and the hospital gift shops are temporarily closed.

“These cancellations are implemented in an abundance of caution to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus, COVID-19, throughout our five-county region,” says Dr. William H. Huffner, senior vice president, medical affairs and chief medical officer. “The health and safety of our patients, their families, our staff and volunteers are paramount. We are undertaking all measures possible to minimize the possibility of exposure and infection in our hospitals and outpatient facilities, and in our communities.”

Cancelled events include: support groups for behavioral health, cancer, diabetes, hospice, stroke and behavioral health; meetings for members of AA, OA and NA; childbirth and parent education classes; nursing education classes, educational seminars and meetings of special-interest and professional groups.

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