By Richard Kaufman
As coronavirus cases have declined, at least in the northeast, healthcare services that were once closed have opened up in recent weeks.
Greenwich Hospital and all of it’s off-site locations are fully open. Elective surgeries were reopened on May 20, and services were rolled out gradually. To help with reopening, the hospital moved a lot of its ambulatory procedures offsite to the Holly Hill Ambulatory Center. Currently, the main hospital is experiencing around an 80 percent volume for what they were doing pre-COVID.
New safety measures and procedures are in place to protect patients and staff, which allow the hospital to remain fully operational and treat patients with the coronavirus.
On Tuesday evening, a panel of healthcare professionals from the surgical arena at Greenwich Hospital took part in a virtual Town Hall, via Zoom, to discuss how the hospital is functioning and what residents can expect if they need treatment or procedures done.
The panel was moderated by Peggy Lennon, the Executive Director for Surgical Services. She was joined by Carol Ann Doherty (BSN, RN), nursing manager for surgery/orthopedics; Dr. Steve Hindman, Director of Orthopedics; Helene Kimmons (BSN, RN), nurse manager for ambulatory surgery/PACU and pain management; Dr. Gavin McLeod, interim section head of Infectious Disease; and Dr. Alfonso Tagliavia, Director of Anesthesiology.
All of the panelists stressed that the hospital is safe for all patients, and that no one should hesitate coming in if they need treatment.
The hospital has designated COVID areas, and non-COVID areas, and Kimmons said plexiglass has been set up to separate patients, visitors and staff when they come in. Anyone who enters the hospital or an outpatient center has their temperature checked, and all are required to wear a mask. For those who require surgery, a COVID test is needed three days prior to admittance.
“We felt very strongly about providing a non-COVID area for our surgical cases. The rooms are kept spotless, they’re cleaned throughout the day, the staff continuously wipes down areas,” said Doherty. “Our nurses are taking the utmost pride and care in their hand hygiene, their doffing and donning of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and also encouraging hand hygiene for the patient as well. We’ve worked very hard, we’re very proud and excited.”
Hindman said there was a drastic decrease in people seeking medical attention during the peak of the coronavirus, and that most people likely stayed home even after suffering heart attacks or strokes. He urged people to see their doctors and communicate with their physicians about any health problems.
“We are going to keep you safe in the hospital if you need surgery. I think it’s time to take care of the things you need taken care of, and not to sit on them,” he said, adding that there’s currently a backlog of people who need surgery. “Some of those things get worse, and at some point you may be in a situation where the outcome is different than it would be if you addressed it early on.”
Hindman added that the transmission rate of coronavirus among Greenwich Hospital staff is “some of the lowest numbers in the nation.” The staff gets their temperature checked twice a day.
McLeod remarked that the risk of getting COVID in the hospital “very, very low.” As of Tuesday morning, there were three COVID-positive patients being treated in-house, an all-time low since the pandemic began.
“You can never say [the chance] is zero, but I think it’s extremely low. You’re more likely to get infected going into a store or restaurant where not everyone is wearing a mask,” he said. “Fortunately everyone in the hospital is wearing a mask, and I think the chances are very remote that one would get COVID now in the hospital.”
Visitors to non-COVID patients are now allowed back into the hospital. One family member or loved one is admitted per patient to the bedside.
“We’ve opened a small window [during the day] and we’re being very careful about this,” Doherty said. “It’s a beginning to bringing operations back to normal.”
Tagliava said the hospital has come a long way in the last three months, as doctors and nurses have adjusted to the new normal in providing healthcare to patients.
In closing, Lennon reassured the public that they can trust Greenwich Hospital.
“We are here, and we are safe,” she said. “We’re looking forward to taking care of all of your needs.”
To view the entire panel discussion, go to the Greenwich Hospital Facebook page.
