Perry Memorial Hospital has an emergency response plan in place which we update daily based on the evolving situation with the COVID-19 national emergency. The Incident Command Team comprised of our Infection Control, Emergency Response, Leadership Team and Communications Team meets daily to ensure we are providing for the safety and well-being of Perry Memorial Hospital patients and staff. This includes Perry’s readiness to work in concert during the crisis with business continuity to allow for uninterrupted delivery of the Hospital’s essential functions.
Perry is prepared for an influx of acutely ill patients while we provide care for emergent and urgent care patients. Current capacity and contingency plan implementation include:
Space
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Referring patients who do not need emergency or hospital level care to clinics or prompt care
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Leveraging nurse triage call lines to reduce the number of patients being seen within the clinics
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Advising patients who are mildly ill to self-quarantine for 14 days.
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Expanding inpatient care ability with the use of alternative spaces within the hospital
Staff
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COVID 19 preparedness training to front line staff updated daily and in response to changing Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance
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Adjustment and adaptation of staffing schedules/level to best meet patient needs as the crisis advances
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Expanding scope of all providers to do more
Supplies
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Sourcing supplies from alternate vendors in addition to those normally used
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Implementing conservation strategies to effectively manage the limited supplies
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Careful allocation of critical lifesaving resources
Perry triage nurses are currently fielding a significant number of health symptom questions from our community. The triage nurses are guiding those who should remain home to do so and who should be seen by the medical provider to arrive in the best location for their symptoms. We are doing health medical management via the phone for wellness needs. Our primary care clinics continue to assist patients with urgent medical needs that require in-person care and assist with medication refills.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the related CDC and IDPH restrictions have caused a reduction of elective and non-urgent care services. Like many other rural hospitals across the nation, Perry is operating at about 30% of our normal workload. We have temporarily adjusted our staffing to meet current needs and conserve necessary resources for the community.
When the need arises, Perry is prepared to recall staff immediately to meet the community needs should the COVID-19 pandemic evolve. Upon return to normal business staff will be recalled to their normal work schedule.
We appreciate the community’s cooperation with our efforts to reduce exposure risk through our screening process. Schnabel said, “If our community residents continue to follow social distancing recommendations to curb the spread of the virus, we can get through this together.”