It’s been over five weeks since COVID-19 was officially declared a pandemic. Cooley Dickinson Hospital has been taking actions to reduce spread in our community and preparing for the projected increase in patients needing care.
It’s been over a month since most visitors were permitted in the hospital, elective procedures were canceled, almost all outpatient visits performed over the phone or video, and over a week that all must wear masks on Cooley clinical sites.
During these weeks, we also continue to reach out (virtually) to our community, to keep you informed about what we are doing for you, for our workforce, and about what you can do to minimize the spread of COVID-19. We know you are nervous about the virus and the many changes it is bringing; we are here for you for both COVID-19 related concerns and all your other health care needs.
I’d like to share with you the most recent information and guidance.
The good news is that the increase in hospitalized COVID-19 patients has been slower than anticipated and, in fact, has recently plateaued. The trending suggests that social distancing and other infection control practices are making a real difference. While we may still see an uptick in cases, the number of COVID patients requiring hospitalizations is likely to be much less severe than projected. Our entire community deserves credit and thanks for making a difference! Thank you!
Does this mean we can relax? Absolutely not! It means that social distancing, hand hygiene, wearing masks, cleaning of surfaces – all of these actions are slowing the spread of this virus. What it means is that we should remain diligent.
While there is so much focus on COVID-19, other medical needs are still important to address. If you have a chronic health condition, injury and are experiencing symptoms of a stroke, heart attack or other life-threatening emergency, please don’t wait to seek care and risk developing a more acute illness.
We are following best practices in infection control and providing care in a way that’s safe for our staff and patients. If you need medical care, call your provider and you can get a phone or video appointment or, if needed, an in-person appointment.
We have procedures to minimize the risk to you and our providers/staff, including waiting in your car rather than a waiting room until your provider is ready to see you, masks for all staff and all patients, and separate sites so those with respiratory illness are seen in a different location than people with non-respiratory illnesses and injuries.
We have greatly expanded our ability to test for COVID-19 and therefore are continuing to expand the criteria for who can get testing and are able to get results much more quickly. A referral from your primary care provider is required for testing. If you are experiencing any respiratory symptoms, please call your primary care provider. If you don’t have one, our community call center is here to help. Call them at 1-888-554-4234.
We are particularly grateful for how our community has stepped forward to support us. From donations of supplies to food for our frontline staff to heartfelt expressions of support and financial gifts, we feel and appreciate how much you care and appreciate us and, particularly our staff. We continue to welcome and need your generous support.
I’d also like to thank our staff, who are going above and beyond for you every day. They are committed to providing the highest quality, safest care – now more than ever.
The sacrifices you are making every day in social distancing, diligent hand-washing and mask wearing, and more are having a positive impact! While we are experiencing less of a surge in cases than was projected, please continue to follow these important measures. It will help keep you and others healthy and help Cooley Dickinson be able to meet your health care needs now and into the future. Thank you for all you are doing to slow the spread of this disease.
Joanne Marqusee is the president and chief executive officer of Cooley Dickinson Health Care.