Reflexión tras un año: miles de trabajadores de atención médica y ciudadanos del norte de Nevada se vacunaron contra la COVID-19, lo que da esperanzas para esta temporada de fiestas
21 de diciembre de 2021
La mejor protección sigue siendo recibir una vacuna y un refuerzo contra la COVID-19, usar mascarilla, mantener una distancia mínima de 6 pies de las otras personas, evitar las multitudes y lavarse las manos con frecuencia.
For the thousands of physicians and health care workers of Renown Health, this week is etched into the pandemic timeline as the start date of a nationwide wave that signaled the first vaccinations against COVID-19 and a beacon of hope for the future. A year ago, the nation’s health care systems in communities across the U.S. first began vaccinating physicians and health care workers caring for patients with COVID-19, and thousands received their first vaccine.
One year ago, Renown Health, the Washoe County Health District (WCHD), the state and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began to distribute the initially available, limited supplies of the COVID-19 vaccines in Washoe County. Media representatives viewed the first healthcare workers as they obtained their first dose of the life-saving vaccines.
Luis Martinez, first health care worker vaccinated, now plans to attend medical school Luis Martinez, who served on the front-line of the pandemic at Renown Regional Medical Center, received the first of his Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine a year ago this week, after it received emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. Recibió la segunda y última vacuna de la serie 21 días después.
Luis forma parte de Renown desde 2016. Aquí comenzó como flebotomista y lo alentaron a seguir una carrera profesional en el campo de la medicina. He works as a technician on Renown’s Clinical Decision Unit — a short stay unit within the hospital for people who need clinical care, but do not need admittance to the hospital. Luis worked with patients and clinicians in the Clinical Decision Unit for a year before requesting to work in Renown’s Alternate Care Site, built in the Mill Street parking structure as a place to care for patients recovering from COVID-19 before they returned home.
Today, Luis is working to fulfill his dreams of becoming a doctor. A principios de este año realizó la Medical College Admission Test® (prueba de ingreso a la Facultad de Medicina), tuvo una entrevista virtual y se postuló para 24 facultades de medicina. Luis has shadowed physicians in a number of medical fields, including internal medicine, emergency medicine, cardiology and orthopedics, and would be thrilled to train in any one of those areas. As for medical school, Luis was excited to hear about Renown’s new clinical affiliation with the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med). He is enthusiastic about becoming part of the next generation of Nevada's health care professionals, and his first choice is UNR Med. He expects an admission decision by UNR Med this winter. If that doesn’t work out, he says, he has an interview with leaders at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV in January.
Luis is bilingual and understands that Nevada continues to face a shortage of physicians and affordable medical care. He volunteers with CARE Chest of Sierra Nevada, a non-profit organization that provides free medical equipment, supplies, and prescription assistance to underserved populations when he is not working at Renown. His dream is to graduate medical school and stay in the community to provide medical care as a physician.
Luis knows the importance of excellent medical care, and the importance of the vaccines against COVID-19. El pasado octubre, Luis cumplió 33 años y se contagió de COVID-19 después de una fiesta de cumpleaños familiar. Because of his experience, his interest in medicine and his research, Luis obtained his COVID-19 vaccines- and his booster, and is pleased that everyone in his family is triple vaccinated too. He says they are all feeling well and looking forward to being together at the holidays.
“As we celebrate this holiday season, we give thanks for Luis and the thousands of health care heroes who have been fighting this pandemic with care and compassion; continuing to safely screen, diagnose, care for and vaccinate thousands of employees and community members,” said Tony Slonim, MD, DrPH, President & CEO of Renown Health. “It has been an honor to assist local and statewide health partners in the herculean vaccination effort. Durante el año pasado, el equipo de vacunas de Renown administró más de 58,000 vacunas de primera dosis y 2 de segunda dosis a los residentes de Nevada mayores de cinco años. We continue to work closely with our community health leaders and are always ready to assist. We are proud to be part of the solution for our community and pleased to have made a genuine difference in the health and well-being of others throughout this unprecedented time in our history.”
Renown continues to use current local and national data, analytics, and public data sets for predictive modeling in service to our community. When there is heightened concern around an illness, enhanced infection prevention strategies are in place to ensure Renown is ready with the appropriate supplies and alternate plans should the need arise.
Vaccination is still the best protection against Omicron and Coronavirus
Today also marks a dark new milestone for Washoe County — over 1,010 confirmed COVID-19 deaths, and over 70,549 total cases in our population of nearly 500,000. El punto positivo es que más de 65,714 personas se han recuperado en el condado de Washoe, aunque muchas aún lidian con los efectos a largo plazo de la enfermedad.
El mundo y los EE. UU. continúan experimentando un aumento en los casos de COVID-19 y las hospitalizaciones por la altamente contagiosa variante Ómicron, que ahora representa el 50 por ciento de los casos de coronavirus en partes del país. In some areas, there is a significant stress on the hospital system, particularly where vaccination rates are low.
“The most important action you can take to protect yourself from the Delta and Omicron strains and the COVID-19 virus is to get fully vaccinated,” says Susan Lee, DO, MBA, Chief Medical Officer, Acute Care. “El virus de la COVID 19 y sus diferentes cepas son prevenibles y controlables mediante vacunas seguras y eficaces contra la COVID-19, que son gratuitas y ahora están ampliamente disponibles en nuestra área. Los CDC recomiendan que todas las personas mayores de 5 años se vacunen contra la COVID-19. Data shows that nearly all COVID-19 deaths are now occurring among unvaccinated individuals.” A list of providers in our area offering vaccines is available at vaccines.gov.”
“The best protection from COVID-19 has been a combination of getting a COVID-19 vaccine, wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds, and washing your hands often,” says Amy McCombs, MSN, RN, CCRN, CNML, vice president of Quality for Acute Services for Renown, and a champion of the vaccination effort for Renown. “No one tool alone will stop this pandemic; it will take a combination of all of us using all of these efforts to fight the spread of this virus, especially through the holidays.”
“Vaccinations have been a game-changer in terms of improving the health of our community,” said Rahul Mediwala, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Health Services. "Given the demands of this COVID-19 pandemic, we have been pleased to help in the fight by providing vaccinations. Our goal a year ago, was that all Renown physicians; employees and their family members; and all Hometown Health members and Renown patients interested in receiving the vaccine would have an opportunity to be vaccinated, we are excited to help make that dream a reality for all.”
The COVID-19 vaccine is now mandatory for all Renown employees in an effort to protect those who are ill and physically vulnerable, and ensure a safe environment for patients and health care workers. Renown is covering all costs of the vaccine, and it is being offered free of charge to employees. Al día de hoy, el 97 % del total de 6,750 empleados de Renown Health están vacunados o tienen una exención o aplazamiento aprobado.
“This year was a year no one will forget. For everyone- and for our health care workers at Renown, the year presented countless challenges and opportunities. Those of us who choose healthcare as our life’s work answer a true calling to serve others; this field requires a self-less commitment and a tireless dedication to caring for people when they are at their most vulnerable,” said Renown’s Chief of Staff, Sy Johnson, MBA. “I applaud the entire team- every physician, nurse and health care hero for their valor, their strength and perseverance in serving our patients and community during these unprecedented times.”
What follows are highlights of some of the most remarkable moments and events that have taken place at Renown Health over the past year in relation to the response to COVID-19.
Temporary Deployable Medical Structure Outside Renown Regional Emergency Department
On 12 de marzo de 2020, Renown erected a deployable medical facility to serve as a respiratory illness evaluation and screening center for Emergency Room patients at Renown Regional Medical Center. A similar tent was also set up outside the Emergency Room at South Meadows Medical Center. An additional layer of protection, this proactive measure helped to care for people with symptoms of respiratory illness, and to protect patients and staff in the Emergency Department and other areas of the hospital. Las carpas se desarmaron el 20 de enero de 2021. (See photo here.)
Alternate Care Site at Mill Street Parking Structure at Renown Regional
As many communities across the nation experienced an increase in COVID-19 cases, including significant surges in hospitalized patients, Renown’s leadership had the foresight to create an Alternate Care Site (ACS) in the Renown Regional Medical Center Mill Street Parking structure. The ACS served additional hospitalized patients and allowed caregivers to remain on campus and still have access to existing hospital infrastructure such as lab, pharmacy, imaging, food services and other critical services. This solution also supported an efficient level of care escalation and other emergent interventions as needed. Después de solo 10 días de una complicada construcción, que incluyó pisos, infraestructura eléctrica, iluminación, agua, tecnología y paredes divisorias, el ACS estuvo listo el 3 de abril de 2020 con espacio para hasta 1,400 pacientes. El 12 de noviembre de 2020, Renown inauguró el ACS para atender a más pacientes hospitalizados con diagnóstico de COVID-19 que estaban clínicamente estables o en mejoría. Healthcare workers at Renown cared for hundreds of patients in this site. A principios de enero de 2021, los pacientes restantes regresaron a sus hogares. The Site has been decommissioned and leaders expect the area to be available for additional parking later this winter. (Alternate Care Site B-Roll.)
Renown invests in Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) ‘Hospital at Home’ Monitoring Systems
Appropriate patients (including those recovering from COVID-19) are now offered a telehealth solution using wearable, continuous pulse oximetry, and the convenience of being in their own homes, with the confidence and security of knowing that Renown clinical staff are closely monitoring their health data through the Renown Transfer and Operations Center, and regularly communicating with them through their recovery process.
The Renown Transfer and Operations Center spans 6,000 square feet, and is one of the largest centers of its kind in the nation, equipped with 28 high-definition dashboards on the front wall, two in the center of the room and four hanging monitors toward the back. Large plasma screens display important metrics such as patient vital signs, bed availability, facility capacity, staffing, technology and more. Los enfermeros certificados y despachantes registrados monitorean continuamente la actividad durante todo el día, en el área de servicio de 100,000 millas cuadradas de Renown, con más de 100 ubicaciones e instalaciones asociadas para tomar las mejores decisiones para los pacientes, proveedores y equipos de atención.
“LOVE” Makes its Way to Renown
On 16 de abril de 2020, during a time of darkness and uncertainty, Artown loaned the “LOVE” sculpture, a one-ton, welded-aluminum artwork created by artist Laura Kimpton and fabricated by Jeff Schomberg to Renown, where it lit up Regional Medical Center’s main entrance on Mill St. The sculpture formerly debuted at Burning Man in 2019. El 13 de julio de 2020, gracias al apoyo del expresidente de la junta y defensor de la comunidad Blake Smith y a la Keyser Foundation, “LOVE” sigue resplandeciendo cada noche en el púrpura característico de Renown, con un brillo radiante para el disfrute de los pacientes, empleados, visitantes y transeúntes. Throughout the pandemic, this sculpture has served as a source of inspiration, hope and positivity for our community. (LOVE sign B-Roll.)
When Words Fail, Art Speaks
Recognizing art’s powerful healing capabilities, Renown collaborated with prominent artist and fine art photographer, Anicia Beckwith, to immortalize the many battles fought against and amidst COVID-19 within the healthcare system’s walls. Beckwith captured portrait images of Renown caregivers, patients and their loved ones, showing raw and touching scenes from the COVID Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Departments, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Wilbur D. May Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and the Alternate Care Site field hospital. A group of Renown caregivers hold a COVID patient’s hand. Tears well up in their eyes as the patient takes his last breath. Care providers respond to a patient’s only request – a facial shave. The man beams at the sight of his freshly groomed face, and is visibly touched by the tender care he received to make it happen. Lupe, una trabajadora de servicios ambientales, pone especial cuidado en sus esfuerzos por limpiar y desinfectar las habitaciones de los pacientes, una destreza en la que se ha perfeccionado y que le ha dado orgullo durante los más de 25 años en los que ha trabajado en Renown. These are just a few of the captivating moments Beckwith illustrates through her art. Beckwith’s full photo gallery of images from Renown are located here; and downloadable visual assets are available here.
Evolving in an Ever-Changing World: Long-Term Remote Work for Renown Employees
The COVID-19 pandemic pushed healthcare leaders throughout the world to determine how best to provide care in this ever-changing environment. Leaders in Renown’s Human Resources department evaluated the thoughts and opinions of employees working remotely throughout Renown Health. Debido a los comentarios positivos de los empleados, que incluyen menos tiempo de viaje, menos distracciones, un mejor equilibrio entre el trabajo y la vida personal y una huella de carbono reducida, más de 700 empleados de Renown continuarán trabajando de manera remota.
Renown Offers In-House COVID Testing
In June 2020, the Renown Laboratory team sprang into action to help meet Washoe County residents and businesses’ growing demand for COVID-19 testing. Renown invirtió en ampliar la plantilla de personal y la capacidad de hacer pruebas de forma interna, lo que les permitió hacer hisopados y procesar hasta 1,000 pruebas de COVID para pacientes cada día y entregar los resultados en cuestión de horas. El director ejecutivo de Renown, el Dr. Tony Slonim, también colaboró con el grupo especial del alcalde dedicado a la COVID-19, con líderes comunitarios y religiosos locales desde el 2020 de octubre para abordar la equidad en la salud mediante pruebas gratuitas de COVID-19 para las comunidades de color. (Lab B-Roll).
An Extraordinary Year of Service
Renown’s leadership remains steadfast commitment to keeping our community safe. “We thank the community for standing by us and helping us all emerge as stronger people with hope for the future. We continue to fight the good fight,” said Dr. Slonim. “With COVID now imbedded into our daily lives, it’s remarkable to reflect on the progress we’ve made and the obstacles we’ve overcome. I will be forever grateful for the precautionary measures, innovation, and acts of service and love implemented by our dedicated team over the past two years. We hope by demonstrating our caring values and exhibiting hope and determination, we are inspiring others.”
Stay Up-to-date on COVID-19
Renown Health está preparada para evaluar, diagnosticar y cuidar de manera segura a pacientes con enfermedades respiratorias, incluida la COVID-19. To stay up-to-date on communications regarding Renown’s distribution of the COVID19 vaccine, FAQs and the scientific evidence behind the vaccine, visit https://covid.renown.org/
Join the Renown team
Renown Health remains committed to hiring key roles in our organization to support the health and well-being of our community. To join the Renown family to Fight the Good Fight, apply on line at https://careers.renown.org/
Support the Renown team
Renown Health, a charitable, not-for-profit organization, is grateful for our community’s support during these unprecedented times. If you are interested in supporting Renown Health, a charitable, non-profit health organization, please consider giving to Renown Health Foundation. Donations are accepted through the following ways:
- Make a gift at www.renown.org/give
- Call Renown Health Foundation at 775-982-5545
- Mail a check to Renown Health Foundation, 1155 Mill St., O2, Reno, NV 89502
- Venmo: @RenownFoundation
Acerca de Renown Health
Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. Con una fuerza laboral diversa de más de 6,500 empleados, Renown ha fomentado una cultura de excelencia, determinación e innovación de larga data. La organización se compone de un centro de urgencias, dos hospitales de cuidados agudos, un hospital infantil, un hospital de rehabilitación, un grupo médico y una red de atención de urgencias y Hometown Health, la compañía de seguros sin fines de lucro más grande de la región y de propiedad local, Hometown Health. Actualmente, Renown está inscribiendo participantes en el estudio genético de salud poblacional basado en la comunidad más grande del mundo, el Healthy Nevada Project®. For more information, visit renown.org.