April 22, 2020 Issue, Page 14 of 20

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PG6 A Local Survival Guide, Wednesday, April 22. 2020 GPRMC prepared to deal with COVID-19 cases By Don Munsch, Editor, The Elk atic, we are are cohorting those can only be sustained for a certain and the health department, and | City News patients,” he said. “So whether it’s period — he used a marathon as think all in all, we’ve done an While Beckham County has been one, two, three, four or five an example, explaining that sprint- excellent job,” he said. spared of large numbers of cases patients, those patients will be ing can’t be done throughout a cohorted to a certain area of our long-distance race — and the hard- Most people who contract conora- of the coronavirus — as of mid- April, the county has had just two hospital, and that way we, number est part of this crisis for the virus recover, with a recovery rate one, limit the exposure to the rest community to deal with is to remain of 97-98 percent, he said. cases and no deaths related to of our building, but number two, diligent and know a peak time just those infections — medical leaders “By and large, unless you have at Great Plains Regional Medical those caregivers who are assigned happened. for that particular shift, that maxi- some extraordinary health issues, Center are still prepared in case of “And there may or may not be mizes our resource from [personnel you're going to likely recover at any onslaught of cases that should another peak time, but we do have and safety standpoints].” come here. to prepare, we do have to be home,” he said. How many COVID-19 patients the ready, for what happens in the Corey Lively, CEO of Great Plains Lively said from the hospital’s hospital could handle is difficult to next seven to 10 to 14 days,” he Regional Medical Center, spoke standpoint, which includes every- gauge. said. “Because that’s really when about preparations his hospital one on staff, GPRMC is prepared “| think every individual is unique they project the possible peak for has made for the pandemic, including having enough supplies, on whether or not they would Oklahoma. It kind of comes in to handle what comes its way. He such as personal protective equip- require the same treatment path- waves across the United States. thinks a mutual trust exists way or a different treatment That’s going to be the hardest between the hospital and the com- ment, on hand. pathway, but as | said, we can part.” “Right now, we're cautiously using munity. ventilate 11 patients,” Lively said. Overall, schools, city and civic and the PPE as we need to,” Lively ‘We are strong and will get through “if other patients who were symp- religious organizations have said. “Like any organization, we tomatic or possibly had it before this together,” he said. “We appre- responded well to the pandemic, could always have more. But right they came into hospital, obviously, he said. ciate the support from our schools, now, our levels are holding steady. if we were to exceed that 11 num- And we have treated patients in “We're in contact with each of from our city, from every organiza- ber and they did not need our facility that we have suspected ventilation, then we would be able those leaders on a routine basis tion that is involved in this.” could be positive because they to care for as many that had come were symptomatic, but as we in the door.” “we are here to serve” speak this morning, only one of the individuals we have tested has Every situation is unique, he said, been positive. We are treating all and so a precise number is hard to suspected patients as if they are give. But at this point, the hospital Thru Hours positive until they are proven neg can ventilate 11 people and in the future up to 13 patients, but if they Elk City ative, if that makes sense.” 7:30-4:30 did not need that level of care, the GPRWNC has 11 devices that can hospital easily could handle 30 or be used for ventilation purposes, Sayre 40 patients who could be in that 9:00 -4:00, Lively said. He said the hospital category. M-Thurs. ordered a couple more devices 9:00 - 5:00 - Friday Lively said he thinks the county that should arrive in the next few and community — people and busi- weeks, as a target date. nesses — have done an excellent “To put that in perspective, 11 job of practicing social distancing. ventilation devices for a facility our size is pretty phenomenal,” he “We're really in this unique period First National B where, if you think back two weeks said. “That means that if we had ago, there was a lot of unknowns to, we could ventilate one out of and there was a lot of adrenaline “Together We Grow” every six patients.” running through each and every Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. The hospital has staff trained to person in our community and cer- treat patients with coronavirus, tainly our hospital because we’re ELK CITY: 2714 W. 3rd St. ¢ 102 S. Main St. 580.225.2580 Lively said. going to be the front line in taking care of these patients,” he said. SAYRE: 711 N.E. Highway « 580.928.2580 “Obviously, any patient that comes into our hospital that’s symptom- He added that peak performance https://www.fnbec.com/