As Community COVID-19 Cases Rise, Renown is Prepared
7 de noviembre de 2020
Across the country, we are seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases including significant surges in hospitalized patients in many communities. As our nation experiences the impact of this international pandemic, the Renown Health team continues to make preparations for our community.
Renown staff continue to safely screen, diagnose and care for patients with respiratory illnesses, including those at risk for COVID-19.
Renown continues to use current local and national data, analytics, and public data sets for predictive modeling and is prepared to serve the community.
At this time, based on the number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 and seasonal fluctuations, Renown Regional Medical Center and Renown South Meadows Medical Center are experiencing inpatient hospital capacity challenges. We have prepared for these patient census increases and the need to serve an increased level of hospital patients.
Out of an abundance of caution, Renown has deployed the Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) to address the ongoing high census and increasing community COVID-19 test positivity rates. Command Staff are in place to ensure the beds, procedure capacity and spaces are in place to accommodate staff, technology, supplies, equipment and services to meet the needs of patients and ensure the safety of our care teams.
The following health and safety measures are in place.
Still Caring for Scheduled Medically-Necessary Surgical Patients
In an effort to continue to meet the medical needs of all those needing care at Renown hospitals and in alignment with national professional societies, and the American Hospital Association, Renown continues to successfully schedule medically-necessary inpatient and outpatient cases at both Renown hospitals. Criteria continues to include pre-testing patients for COVID-19 prior to their scheduled procedure date, having patients remain in isolation following the test and up to the time of surgery. Based on the data, Renown has no plans to cancel medically-necessary surgeries. In fact, these surgery patients only use less than 7 percent of staffed beds on average, and do not add significantly to the capacity management challenges we are experiencing.
Temporary Deployable Medical Structure Outside Renown Regional Emergency Department
As another way to manage influx and limit the exposure between individuals suspected of having respiratory illness and assure health and safety measures for other hospital patients and providers, Renown is again working with the State Public Health Preparedness team and has requested a deployable medical facility through the Washoe County Emergency Manager. We expect that the Temporary Deployable Medical Structure will be erected over the next week outside the Renown Regional Emergency Department. This proactive step to serve our community, was also taken back in March. (Medical Structure photos.)
Alternate Care Site at Mill Street Parking Structure at Renown Regional Remains Ready
If needed, the temporary patient care area created within the Mill Street parking structure is ready to serve additional hospitalized patients diagnosed with COVID-19 but not needing intensive care. This Alternate Care Site (ACS) location allows caregivers and patients to remain on campus, and still have accessibility to existing hospital infrastructure such as lab, pharmacy, imaging, food services and other critical services. The Renown ACS contains flooring, electrical infrastructure, lighting, water, technology, and is equipped with beds and basic patient care support equipment. It was built within a 10-day period in April by local partners including Clark/Sullivan Construction, Curtis Bros. Construction, PK Electrical, Ainsworth Associates Mechanical Engineers, Intermountain Electric, Mt. Rose Heating & Air Conditioning and Frank Lepori Construction. (Alternate Care Site B-Roll.)
For up-to-date information on Renown’s approach to keeping our community safe, visit our website at https://www.renown.org/covid-19/.
Acerca de Renown Health
Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally owned and governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. Con una fuerza laboral diversa de más de 7,000 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. Renown’s institute model addresses social determinants of health and includes: Child Health, Behavioral Health & Addiction, Healthy Aging and Health Innovation. Clinical institutes include: Cancer, Heart and Vascular Heath, Neurosciences and Robotic Surgery. Renown is currently enrolling participants in the world’s largest community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project® . For more information, visit renown.org.