Local hospital leaders admit that the new conoravirus will be a challenge in Cincinnati, but say, “we are prepared.”
Local health leaders along with Mayor John Cranley held a press conference at 3 p.m. to discuss the new coronavirus pandemic.
The group discussed how the local health network is prepared for the virus. Officials also told the public how best to engage with hospitals and doctors during this time.
TriHealth CEO Mark Clement wants people who think they may have the virus to call their doctor or the Ohio Department of Health call center at 1-833-4-ASK-OHIO.
Clement said that people should not go directly to emergency rooms, urgent cares or hospitals.
Freestanding assessment and triage stations are being set up. Officials said rapid testing sites are being created near – but not at – emergency rooms as soon as this weekend.
Dr. Dustin Calhoun of UC Health gives a briefing during a press conference to give an update on the region’s hospital response at Christ Hospital in the Mt. Auburn neighborhood of Cincinnati on Thursday, March 12, 2020. Representatives from Cincinnati, Hamilton County, and the region’s hospital systems collaborated on an update on the COVID-19 situation around Cincinnati. (Photo: Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
Next week other sites for testing could be set up.
Suspected coronavirus patients will likely be sent to those stations with a doctor referral.
There is a limited capacity for testing, so doctors will assess symptoms and history before making a recommendation.
“This is a significant challenge for our community,” said Dr. Rick Lofgren, the CEO of UC Health. “We are prepared.”
Officials said that the hospitals work together frequently and train for surges in the health system.
A task force for the coronavirus has been formed and is meeting multiple times a week to ensure ensuring that hospitals are well stocked and nurses and doctors are supported.
Dr. Dustin Calhoun is working with that task force. He reiterated that he hasn’t met anyone new during this process because they’ve all trained together.
Officials said that hospitals recently drilled for a hospital evacuation in which other facilities must absorb a large amount of patients in just 90 minutes.
During this drill, area hospitals have shown they have a “surge capacity” of 20% to 50% if more beds are needed.
The CEOs of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Christ Hospital, Bon Secours Mercy Health, UC Health and TriHealth attended the discussion.
Mayor John Cranley said this is the first time he can remember that all the major CEOs of the hospitals were all in one room working together.
Cranley said Cincinnati will get through this, but that mean “doing things differently.”
The mayor said that virus prevention will be “devastating” to the local economy, but that it is completely necessary.
Cranley said city services such as fire, police and utilities will keep running.
“They are literally going into harm’s way,” Cranley said, but he explained that some responses may be slower.
[Sign up to get the top 5 stories from Cincinnati.com in your inbox each morning]
Read or Share this story: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2020/03/12/cincinnati-hamilton-county-health-officials-hospital-leaders-speak-covid-19-3-p-m/5032392002/
