Hospitals urge calm, but prepare for the worst

By Eric Seiverling

eseiverling@yourmvi.com

With the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak showing no signs of slowing down since invading Pennsylvania two weeks ago, hospitals and medical professionals are bracing for what could be a long and stressful spring.

As of Thursday, the state had 1,687 positive cases with 16 deaths.

Closer to home, Allegheny County has 133 positive cases with two deaths, Fayette County has eight positive cases, Washington County has 12 and Westmoreland County has 24.

Officials from local hospitals are saying this is no time to panic.

“The morale of our employees is very strong,” said Mark O’Hern, president of UPMC East and UPMC McKeesport. “There’s no denying this is an unprecedented challenge facing our health care system. We want to make sure our staff has the equipment needed and we want to answer their questions. 

“We’ve had a number of virtual townhalls, people are able to dial into a chat and we provide daily guidance. This is a time we have to work together.”

While UPMC McKeesport has yet to see a positive coronavirus case come through its doors, Jefferson Hospital had its first coronavirus patient admitted to the hospital nearly two weeks ago. That patient died at the hospital Saturday, making it the first coronavirus death in Allegheny County.

Joy Peters, chief nursing officer at Jefferson and Canonsburg hospitals, said the patient’s death struck a chord with the hospital’s staff.

“One of the most challenging things about this situation is the family is not able to visit with COVID-19 patients,” Peters said. “It really is much more isolating disease. As a result, our nurses became this patient’s family. We were keeping the family updated, but it isn’t the same as having the family at the patient’s bedside.

“The entire hospital was pulling for this patient, and our team jumped in very quickly. Any time a patient dies, it’s difficult. It’s even more difficult when you’re holding that patient’s hand.”

In an email statement, Monongahela Valley Hospital media specialist Andrew Bilinsky explains that MVH is preparing for whatever the virus may bring.

“The medical staff at Monongahela Valley Hospital are true professionals,” the statement reads. “They have years of training to provide the highest level of care to our patients. 

“Staff at MVH is meeting regularly to review our preparedness, monitor up to the minute guidance from the CDC and Pa DOH and evaluate what resources we have on hand. The hospital is making every effort to have proper staffings if a surge were to happen.”

O’Hern and Peters said their hospitals are prepared if a coronavirus surge occurs and are confident hospital staffs are not overworked and fatigued.

O’Hern said UPMC is using telemedicine procedures that allow patients to communicate with doctors from home, keeping the number of patients inside the hospital to a minimum.

Peters said Jefferson Hospital has postponed elective surgeries, reducing the number of inpatients.

“It’s actually unnerving now because our hospital is generally pretty busy,” Peters said. “But it’s quiet right now. It’s the calm before the storm.”

Despite the anxiety of not knowing when life will return to normal, Peters said better days lie ahead.

“It will take some time and we’re trying to stay one step ahead of it,” she said. “My sense is that people want this to go away now. It’s going to be a journey.”