Monthly Archives: May 2020

(MURFREESBORO) Ascension Saint Thomas announced plans to begin a phased, measured and clinically led process to resume certain elective, non-urgent and medically necessary procedures at its sites of care across Middle Tennessee in accordance with Governor Lee's recent direction to ease social distancing restrictions.

Effective this Monday, May 4, the health system will gradually reintroduce the availability of certain elective surgeries and medically necessary procedures while continuing efforts to serve and support patients, associates and communities impacted by COVID-19. The timing of this development will proceed in stages with guidance from federal, state and local authorities and health officials and in accordance with Ascension's system-wide safety and infection control protocols.

"It's important we take careful and measured steps to ensure a safe and gradual return to providing full access to healthcare services while also continuing to serve and support individuals and communities impacted by COVID-19," said Dr. Greg James, chief clinical officer, Ascension Saint Thomas. "As these events unfold, patients can expect expanded access to healthcare services with enhanced safeguards to ensure our sites of care continue to serve as healing environments - where quality care is delivered with the highest levels of safety and compassion."

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In the meantime, and until further notice, all Ascension facilities--hospitals, emergency rooms, clinics and offices--will continue to implement recommended infection control precautions with enhanced safeguards to minimize the exposure risks related to COVID-19 for patients and caregivers. Ascension facilities will maintain temporary visitor limitations and screening protocols for individuals entering hospitals, including temperature checks for 99.5 degrees or higher. The health system will also require every patient scheduled for an elective or non-emergency surgery to undergo screening and, when appropriate, testing for COVID-19. Following their screening and testing, patients will be asked to self-quarantine until their surgery.

Additional enhanced safeguards for in-person visits include:

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Ascension Saint Thomas began postponing and canceling elective surgeries and non-urgent medical procedures at its hospitals and sites of care as a special precaution to help prevent the spread of infection, conserve resources and increase capacity for its system-wide response to COVID-19. Simultaneously, social distancing efforts orchestrated by federal, state and local governments were put in place to help communities "flatten the curve" and control the spread of COVID-19. During that time, Ascension hospitals continued to provide emergency surgeries and services for patients with emergency needs while also providing patients with convenient 24/7 access to providers via virtual care options and telemedicine. Now, Ascension Saint Thomas hospitals are following the guidance and direction of federal and state authorities to gradually begin reintroducing certain elective surgeries, medically necessary procedures and other in-person services that should not be delayed.

"Although COVID-19 is still in our communities, we understand that individuals in our local communities have emergency and healthcare needs outside of COVID-19, many of which cannot be delayed or deferred without serious health risks," said Tim Adams, president & CEO, Ascension Saint Thomas. "Our 'return to surgery' approach is in full compliance with Governor Lee's recent direction and led by our clinicians, who are working with our providers on a strategic process to keep our patients, associates and physicians safe and informed throughout this time of transition."

With the reintroduction of certain elective procedures, hospital staff will begin the process of contacting patients to reschedule procedures that were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, using clinical judgment to prioritize scheduling for patients with the most urgent and immediate needs. Services will also be available for patients to take a proactive role in their health and schedule appointments and regular doctors' visits online or over the phone.

For individuals experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, stroke, respiratory distress, emergency mental health concerns, or other acute illness or injury, a hospital emergency room is still the safest, most appropriate place to get care. Click here to find Ascension ERs in your area.

All Ascension Saint Thomas hospitals will continue their COVID-19 readiness and response plans to both eliminate the spread of the virus and to immediately manage any possible surge of patients in need of care for the virus. COVID-19 testing will continue to be available at all Ascension Saint Thomas sites of care.

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Ascension St. Thomas Phasing-In Elective Surgery - Murfreesboro News and Radio - Wgnsradio

Safety measures will be put in place to minimize the spread of coronavirus as hospitals work to offer more services. (Courtesy Adobe Stock)

Officials with Ascension Saint Thomas, which has medical office locations in Davidson and Williamson counties, announced May 1 it will begin a phased process to resume procedures beginning May 4.

According to a release from Ascension Saint Thomas, facilities will continue to implement precautions to minimize the spread of coronavirus, such as checking temperatures and limiting visitors. All patients who are scheduled for procedures will be required to undergo screening for COVID-19 and may be tested if needed.

Its important we take careful and measured steps to ensure a safe and gradual return to providing full access to health care services while also continuing to serve and support individuals and communities impacted by COVID-19, said Dr. Greg James, chief clinical officer of Ascension Saint Thomas, in a release. As these events unfold, patients can expect expanded access to healthcare services with enhanced safeguards to ensure our sites of care continue to serve as healing environmentswhere quality care is delivered with the highest levels of safety and compassion.

In addition to patient screenings, facilities will be disinfected frequently, all visitors will be required to wear masks, and appointments will be staggered to limit the number of people in waiting rooms.

Individuals who may be experiencing symptoms of hearts attacks, strokes, mental health emergencies or other injuries are still urged to go to the emergency room for treatment, according to Ascension Saint Thomas officials.

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Ascension Saint Thomas works toward resuming elective health care procedures in Tennessee - Community Impact Newspaper

Ascension Seton is anticipating resuming surgical procedures and other vital healthcare services for patients at its sites of care in a phased and cautious approach with a focus on quality and safety, effective April 27. All efforts are in alignment with Governor Abbotts Executive Order dated April 17.

Ascension Seton hospitals at most locations will begin scheduled surgeries and procedures, prioritizing those that are more urgent, while simultaneously ensuring continued capability and safety to provide care for COVID-19 patients. Ascension Seton will continue with many safety measures already in place, including visitor restrictions and temperature checks for any individual entering each hospital, and will also require a negative COVID-19 test for any patient scheduled for surgery. Additionally, patients within the Ascension Seton healthcare system who test positive for COVID-19 will be cohorted at Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas and Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin.

We understand that individuals in our local communities have emergency and essential healthcare needs outside of COVID-19, many of which cannot be delayed or deferred without serious health risks, said Andy Davis, President and CEO of Ascension Texas. Our return to surgery approach is clinically-led, working with our physicians and our partners at Dell Medical School to implement a strategy that will keep our patients, associates and physicians safe, and is fully in compliance with Governor Abbotts executive order.

As the only dedicated freestanding pediatric facility in the region, Dell Childrens Medical Center has been crucial to ensuring the health and safety of pediatric patients during the pandemic. Dell Childrens continues to follow the quality, safety and infection prevention protocols implemented across Ascension Seton sites of care to provide uninterrupted care at both the hospital and Dell Childrens clinics.

A number of visits remain critical to a childs care during the pandemic, particularly for children with chronic health conditions, said Christopher M. Born, President of Dell Childrens. We want to encourage you to bring your child in for essential appointments, as recommended by your pediatrician. At Dell Children's, we are working diligently to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect our patients, families and staff, while providing uninterrupted care for all essential visits, including therapy appointments and emergency healthcare needs.

Returning to surgery

Since March 22, in response to the pandemic, Ascension Seton has provided surgical and procedural care only when it was medically emergent. Ascension Seton will now begin scheduling additional surgeries, prioritizing urgent procedures which have no non-procedural alternatives that meet community medical standards and are not emergent, but cannot be further delayed due to adverse healthcare risks. All patients with a scheduled surgery must test for COVID-19 at least 48 hours prior to their planned surgery date and receive a negative test result. Following the test, patients will be asked to self quarantine until their surgery date.

Additionally, Ascension Seton will continue a number of safety measures already in place, including advanced telehealth capabilities for virtual care, universal masking, hospital visitor restrictions, social distancing and screening of all persons upon entry, including temperature check for 99.5 degrees. Associates or patients who are symptomatic will be referred for testing. Ascension Seton will also conduct terminal cleaning at each hospital prior to resuming surgeries, and each hospital will have a dedicated, separate entrance for all surgical patients.

Our recovery phase focuses on providing continued COVID-19 care and surge readiness while supporting our efforts to safely return to serving the communitys broader medically necessary healthcare needs, said Dr. Samson Jesudass, Chief Clinical Officer of Ascension Texas. We know this is a fluid situation, and we are prepared to be flexible and responsive to rapidly evolving conditions in our community and our sites of care.

Cohorting COVID-19 patients

All Ascension Texas hospitals will continue their COVID-19 readiness and response plans to both eliminate the spread of the virus and to immediately manage any possible surge. COVID-19 testing will continue to be available at all Ascension Texas sites of care.

If a COVID-19 positive patient requires admission, they will be transferred to Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin or Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas. Cohorting patients follows an evidence-based approach that allows Ascension Seton to more safely care for COVID-19 patients and more efficiently utilize our resources, including PPE and staff.

As the only Level I Trauma Center for adults serving Central Texas and beyond, Dell Seton Medical Center has implemented guidelines and protocols to ensure non-COVID patients can still receive the care they may need. Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin serves as the center of excellence for advanced cardiopulmonary care and offers the only adult ECMO program in the region.

Additionally, Ascension Seton remains committed to COVID-19 planning and support through expanded COVID-19 testing at six Central Texas drive-thru testing centers and comprehensive supply monitoring, including personal protective equipment (PPE), hospital beds, laboratory testing kits, ventilators and medication. Ascension Seton will continue to participate in ongoing community surveillance in collaboration with community leaders and local health authorities.

Our collective efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are working, but the pandemic is not yet over, said Davis. As we look ahead, we ask not only our staff but our community to remain vigilant in masking, practicing social distancing and continuing to follow local orders to stop the spread of the virus.

Excerpt from:

Ascension Seton to return to surgeries, other services - Elgin Courier

In the four NFL Drafts from 2016 through 2019, four Minnesota players heard their names called. Over the three-day event in 2020, teams selected five Gophers, the most in a single draft since 1990.

Since the modern draft era, when the NFL Draft reduced the number of rounds to seven in 1994, Minnesota had never managed to have more than four players selected in one year. That changed over the past weekend. For head coach P.J. Fleck, it is another indication that his program is on the rise.

"Huge not only for them, but for Gophers football," Fleck said prior to the draft. "I think this kicks off the multi-player draft classes from the University of Minnesota from now on."

The Gophers ended the 2019 season ranked No. 10 in the AP poll, their highest finish in 57 years. At this year's draft, they once again stood among the nations' best programs. Minnesota's five players drafted tied for the 11th most of any team.

One significant feat no Gopher accomplished this year was getting selected in the first round. Since the New England Patriots drafted Laurence Maroney 21st overall in 2006, no Minnesota payer has been selected in the first 32 picks.

However, safety Antoine Winfield Jr. did become highest-drafted player since Ra'Shede Hageman went 37th overall in 2014. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked Winfield 45th overall, the 13th selection in the second round.

"You look on ESPN yesterday and the headline, there were three people up there," Fleck said. "And one of them was Antoine Winfield Jr. in the picture, talking about the NFL Draft on the main page of ESPN. I think that is awesome for our brand, awesome for the state of Minnesota, wonderful for Antoine and his teammates."

The Buccaneers then took a second Gopher in round five, drafting wide receiver Tyler Johnson. Three more Minnesota defensive players were selected, beginning with linebacker Kamal Martin, who the Green Bay Packers selected with the 175th overall pick. In the final round, the New York Giants chose a pair of Gophers, drafting linebacker Carter Coughlin and cornerback Chris Williamson.

Afterwards, two more Minnesota players turned pro, joining teams as undrafted free agents. Running back Rodney Smith signed with the Carolina Panthers and defensive lineman Sam Renner went to the Los Angeles Rams.

For Fleck, it is no coincidence that Minnesota's most successful draft in 30 years followed its first 11-win season since 1904. He says developing players into professional prospects is a sign of the program's health and strong culture.

"It is going to propel us into the future," Fleck said. "When you start to look at next year and the year after, not only are guys going to start getting drafted, they are going to start thinking about leaving early... That's going to be really positive for our program."

Moving forward, Fleck hopes that it becomes common place for Minnesota to send multiple players to the NFL. Expectations for Gophers football are significantly higher than in years prior. With key players returning for next season and strong recruiting classes on the horizon, there is Hucause for optimism that the program's increased success in over the past 12 months will continue in the future.

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Draft day success another sign of Gopher football's ascension - Minnesota Daily

As elective surgeries resume Monday in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis and hospital officials are reassuring Floridians that it really is safe to go to the hospital.

One of the biggest problems weve had in the last six weeks is people that have heart problems or stroke symptoms deciding they dont want to go to the hospital. And sometimes that is because they are worried about being exposed to COVID, DeSantis said Sunday at a Daytona Beach hospital. If you do have those, the hospital is safe place to be, and taking care of yourself is really, really important.

Its important we take careful and measured steps to ensure a safe return to providing full access to healthcare services while also continuing to serve and support individuals and communities impacted by COVID-19, said Ascension Florida and Gulf Coast Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Huson Gilberstadt. As these events unfold, patients can expect expanded access to healthcare services with enhanced safeguards to ensure our sites of care continue to serve as healing environments where quality care is delivered with the highest levels of safety and compassion.

Ascension Sacred Heart operates hospitals in Pensacola, Miramar Beach, Panama City and Port St. Joe. Those facilities will maintain temporary visitor restrictions and screening protocols for individuals entering hospitals, including temperature checks for 99.5 degrees or higher. The health system will also require every patient scheduled for an elective or non-emergency surgery to undergo appropriate screening and testing for COVID-19 prior to their planned surgery date. Following their screening and testing, patients will be asked to self-quarantine until their surgery.Although COVID-19 is still present, we understand that individuals in our local communities have healthcare needs outside of COVID-19, said Ascension Florida and Gulf Coast President and CEO Tom VanOsdol. Our return to surgery approach is in full compliance with Governor DeSantis recent direction and led by our clinicians, who are working with our providers on a strategic process to keep our patients, associates and physicians safe and informed throughout this time of transition.

With the reintroduction of elective procedures, hospital staff will begin the process of contacting patients to reschedule procedures that were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, using clinical judgment to prioritize scheduling for patients with the most immediate needs. Services will also be available for patients to take a proactive role in their health and schedule appointments and regular doctors visits online or over the phone.

Baptist Hospital also resumes elective surgeries on Monday.

Baptist will continue to implement social distancing, universal masking and screening of all patients and visitors, according to a statement. Baptist physician offices are reaching out directly to patients whose procedures were postponed due to the order to suspend services that was issued in March. Patients visiting a Baptist facility are encouraged to bring and wear masks.

Our teams look forward to welcoming back patients into our care and will take every precaution to ensure safety, Baptist said.

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Elective Surgeries Reopen Monday. Local Hospitals And DeSantis Reassure Residents It Is Safe. - NorthEscambia.com

Ascension St. Vincents announced plans to begin a phased, measured and clinically led process to resume surgeries for certain elective and medically necessary procedures at its sites of care across central Alabama in accordance with Governor Kay Iveys recent direction to selectively ease social distancing restrictions.

Effective May 1, the health system will gradually reintroduce the availability of certain elective surgeries and medically necessary procedures while continuing efforts to serve and support patients, associates and communities impacted by COVID-19. The timing of this development will proceed in stages with guidance from health officials as well as federal, state and local authorities, and in accordance with Ascensions system-wide safety and infection control protocols.

As the number of new cases across Ascension St Vincents began to stabilize a couple of weeks ago, much of our time has been spent planning for a safe, gradual return to full operations. This planning has been led by our clinicians and we are prepared to safely reintroduce elective procedures, while continuing to serve and support individuals and communities impacted by COVID-19, said Chris Moore, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer, Ascension St. Vincents.

In the meantime, and until further notice, all Ascension St. Vincents facilitieshospitals, emergency rooms, clinics and officeswill continue to implement recommended infection control precautions with enhanced safeguards to minimize the exposure risks related to COVID-19 for patients and caregivers. Ascension St. Vincents facilities will maintain the required visitor restrictions and screening protocols for all individuals entering hospitals.

Additional enhanced safeguards for in-person visits include:

Screening. All associates are screened for COVID-19 symptoms before they come to work and have their temperature taken at our entry points to ensure they are healthy before entering or interacting with patients at Ascension St. Vincents care facilities. Additionally, we are pre-screening patients for potential COVID-19 symptoms prior to procedures.

Cleaning and disinfecting. Environmental services teams will continue to perform rigorous disinfecting measures at all Ascension St. Vincents facilities.

Visitor Restrictions & Universal Masking. Temporary visitor restrictions were put in place by the Governor to protect patients and staff. Ascension St. Vincent's facilities will maintain the required visitor restrictions. Please contact your local facility for specific information and know that masks are required for entry into our facilities.

Waiting room distancing. Waiting areas have been arranged to ensure social distancing and immediate disinfection.

Urgent care needs. Unless its an emergency, patients are asked to call ahead and not to arrive unannounced at Ascension St. Vincents care facilities. By calling ahead, individuals can learn about and follow the safety procedures for each facility and schedule a safer time to visit.

Appointment scheduling. Ascension St, Vincents is offering staggered appointment slots and procedure times to reduce the number of patients with overlapping wait times.

On March 18, Ascension St. Vincents began postponing and canceling elective surgeries and non-urgent medical procedures at its hospitals and sites of care as a special precaution to help prevent the spread of infection and to help conserve resources and increase capacity for its system-wide response to COVID-19. Simultaneously, social distancing efforts established by federal, state and local governments were put in place to help communities flatten the curve and control the spread of COVID-19. During that time, Ascension St. Vincents hospitals continued to provide emergency surgeries and services for patients with emergency needs while also providing patients with convenient 24/7 access to providers via virtual care options and telemedicine. Now, Ascension St. Vincents facilities are following the guidance and direction of federal, state, and local authorities to gradually begin reintroducing certain elective surgeries, medically necessary procedures and other in-person services that should not be delayed.

Although COVID-19 is still in our communities, we understand that individuals in our local communities have emergency and healthcare needs outside of COVID-19, many of which cannot be delayed or deferred without serious health risks, said Jason Alexander, Chief Executive Officer, St. Vincents Health System. Our return to surgery approach is in full compliance with Governor Iveys recent direction and led by our clinicians, who are working with our providers on a process to keep our patients, associates and physicians safe and informed throughout this time of transition.

With the reintroduction of certain elective procedures, St. Vincents staff will begin the process of contacting patients to reschedule procedures that were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, using clinical judgment to prioritize scheduling for patients with the most urgent and immediate needs.

For individuals experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, stroke, respiratory distress, emergency mental health concerns, or other acute illness or injury, a hospital emergency room is still the safest, most appropriate place to get care. Click here to find Ascension ERs in your area.

All Ascension St.Vincents hospitals will continue their COVID-19 readiness and response plans to both eliminate the spread of the virus and to immediately manage any possible surge of patients in need of care for the virus.

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St. Vincent's announces plans for resuming certain elective surgeries and non-urgent procedures - Newsaegis

KALAMAZOO, MI -- Kalamazoos two major hospitals have signed onto a national initiative to use plasma donated from coronavirus survivors as a treatment for current patients.

Bronson Methodist and Ascension Borgess hospitals both have recovered as well as currently hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Both are working with Versiti Blood Center to receive the plasma donations. The center has locations in Portage, Grand Rapids and Grandville.

Related: Southwest Michigan hospital treating COVID-19 patients with plasma of survivors

On Wednesday, April 29, Bronson requested its first plasma transfer for a patient, said Dr. Carla Schwalm, medical director of Bronson Childrens Hospital Pediatric Hematology and Oncology.

At that time, the downtown hospital was caring for 21 patients and has recorded 42 recoveries, according to Bronsons data.

Though Ascension Borgess has declined to disclose a precise number of patients and recoveries, citing patient privacy, Chief Medical Director Thomas Rohs said the hospital is treating about 15 COVID-19 patients on average.

Since April 18, Ascension Borgess has enrolled six patients to receive plasma donations, Rohs said.

The plasma treatment would give current patients passive immunity," said both Rohs and Schwalm.

A plasma transfusion from a survivor transfers antibodies that have been exposed to COVID-19 to the current patient. Those antibodies can attack the virus and improve the chances of the patient getting not as sick or of them recovering faster, Schwalm said.

This is different than what a vaccine can offer, she said. A vaccine is usually composed of a dead or mild strain of the virus, and then the body creates antibodies in response.

You are not exposed to the virus by receiving somebodys plasma, Schwalm said. You are only getting the benefit of that person having been exposed to the virus, and then they made these little proteins.

To be able to donate plasma, a coronavirus survivor needs to be free of symptoms for 28 days, Schwalm said.

The first person to receive a plasma donation at Ascension Borgess has since been released from the hospital, Rohs said. But it is too soon to tell what role the plasma played in the patients recovery.

Given the small pool of people who are eligible to give and receive the treatment, it will be a slow process to determine if plasma is boosting immune systems like its predicted to, Rohs said.

But, as time passes and recovery numbers increase, so will the number of eligible donors, he said.

For the precious few who are out there and truly recovered and feeling well if you line up and stick your arm out to get some plasma available to people, that would be great, Rohs said.

The median number of days patients are feeling symptomatic is around 19 days, he said. When symptoms escalate to a point where hospitalization is needed, those patients usually stay about three days in the COVID-19 unit, Rohs said.

Although the plasma treatment success rate is unknown, there are very few risks, Rohs said. For that reason, the treatment became the best defense in this unprecedented battle.

These people are incredibly sick," Rohs said. If there is any opportunity to have a treatment specific to this disease, other than what were calling supportive care, we felt really compelled to try to maximize their chances by putting this in place.

A visual representation of the increasing case counts and death toll in Kalamazoo County is shown below, based on data reported by the state. Apparent conflicts in data reported there result from slight differences in daily case counts provided by state and county health officials.

More coronavirus coverage on MLive:

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Kalamazoo hospitals begin treating coronavirus patients with plasma donations - MLive.com