Columbia Memorial | Health Compass | Summer 2020

COVID-19 update By Erik Thorsen, CEO The COVID-19 pandemic produced a year that no one anticipated. Despite the unprecedented circumstances, I’m proud to say CMH and its caregivers have risen to the occasion. We have been blessed to weather the storms so far and are well-prepared to serve our community should any future COVID-19 surge occur on the coast. On March 1, our Emergency Operations Center opened, and our Incident Command team has been meeting multiple times each week since then. We have adopted many new policies, including requiring masks, social distancing and wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) during direct patient care. Visitors are limited, and employees are screened daily for COVID-19 symptoms. Since July, we’ve acquired over $1 million in additional equipment and PPE. Equipment includes seven ventilators, seven negative air pressure machines, three BiPAP devices, brand-new powered air purifying respirator systems, and two Ortho chemistry analyzers that allow us to run COVID-19 tests in-house. We have increased supplies of various kinds of masks, including N95 masks, exam gloves, gowns, sanitation wipes and protective eyewear. In September, CMH gained the ability to perform point-of-care rapid COVID-19 testing with the Abbott IDNow devices in our three urgent care clinics and main lab. Now we can achieve same-day test results and send fewer tests to outside laboratories for processing. The same month, many Oregonians suffered devastating losses when the historic wildfire season began. At CMH, we were compelled to help. We made a $10,000 donation to the OREF Health Care Heroes Relief Fund to help health care workers who were displaced by the fires or other, future disasters. Flu shots became available at the end of September, and it’s been important to help our community get vaccinated to avoid many flu and COVID-19 cases this fall and winter. Please know we are thinking of all of you during these heavy times. The health and safety of our community and caregivers is of the utmost importance. Take care of each other. We’ll be here when you need us. We are always working to serve you better. Stay up-to-date with the latest COVID-19 information at columbiamemorial.org/ covid-19-updates . CMH HEALTH COMPASS is published as a community service by COLUMBIA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, a Planetree Gold-Certified Person-Centered Care Facility. 2111 Exchange St., Astoria, OR 97103, telephone 503-325-4321, website: columbiamemorial.org For information about CMH HEALTH COMPASS: Nancee Long , Director of Communications Information in CMH HEALTH COMPASS comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questionsaboutspecificcontentthatmayaffectyour health, pleasecontactyourhealthcareprovider.Modelsmaybeused in photos and illustrations. 2020 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Erik Thorsen Chief Executive Officer Nicole Williams Chief Operating Officer Zach Schmitt Chief Financial Officer Jarrod Karnofski Vice President, Ancillary and Support Services Judy Geiger Vice President, Patient Care Services Constance Waisanen President, Board of Trustees Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention DO’S & DON’TS of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Don’t Touch your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. Spend time with people who are sick. Go out in public if you’re sick unless it’s to get medical care. Share household items, like dishes, drinking glasses, eating utensils, towels or bedding with other people if you’re sick. Do Wash your hands often with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or use the inside of your elbow. Throw tissues in the trash. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily, including tables, doorknobs, countertops, desks, phones and keyboards. Call your health care provider if you have symptoms. Let them know you may have the virus. Wear a cloth face mask in public. 2 HEALTH COMPASS FALL 2020