Healthcare
More Than 200 Community Medical Centers Staff Out Due to COVID-19
Community Medical Centers is down 219 staff members as coronavirus cases continue to surge in Fresno County.
On Thursday, CMC’s website showed 40 staff members had the coronavirus. But by Friday, that same dashboard reported 104 had tested positive. In total, 219 members of the staff were in self-isolation.
(Editor’s note: This story has been corrected based on hospital reporting. The Community Medical Centers Dashboard breaks down self-isolation cases and COVID-19 positive cases. The self-isolation cases already include the COVID-19 positive cases.)
According to CMC’s website, the Fresno-based healthcare network has more than 8,600 clinical and non-clinical employees.
Meanwhile, the state COVID-19 dashboard shows Fresno County only has 7% of its 149 ICU beds available. That’s down from 16% a few days ago.
Dr. Mohamed Fayed from UCSF-Fresno is on the front lines and described the situation to reporters during a Friday Zoom call.
“It certainly has been tough,” he said
CRMC senior public relations strategist Mary Lisa Russell told GV Wire℠ by phone that fortunately she’s not heard of any staff deaths from COVID-19.
Military Medical Staff Help CRMC Out
Community Regional Medical Center in downtown Fresno recently welcomed a 20-member team from Travis Air Force Base to help with staffing.
The team includes three physicians, two mid-level providers, two respiratory therapists, and 13 ICU registered nurses. They are assigned for 30 days.
Maj. Gen. Michael Stone paid a visit to CRMC to meet with his COVID-19 medical support team Sunday. (CRMC/Mary Lisa Russell)
Remdesivir Scare
CRMC doctors had to scramble for about 24 hours when they completely ran out of the potentially life-saving drug remdesivir.
Fortunately, a new shipment of 495 doses arrived Friday morning from the state. That was 65 fewer doses than they’d hoped for.
Dr. Fayed says each patient needs about six doses.
“I think we’re in much better shape than yesterday,” Fayed explained. The county had hoped to get a double batch of the drug.
Convention Center
Meanwhile, the county is making plans to open the Fresno Convention Center for overflow patients as soon as next week.
Beds and chairs are all set up and ready to go as soon as the county determines it must open the Fresno Convention Center as an alternate care site.
“I can tell you that we’re getting closer,” says Fresno County EMS Director Daniel Lynch. “I would expect that we’re going to open up that alternate care site probably within the next week or two.”
“I would expect that we’re going to open up that alternate care site probably within the next week or two.”–Fresno County EMS Director Daniel Lynch
Lynch says he has secured an agreement with staffing service AMI that has managed alternate care sites in San Mateo and New York. This will allow the county to staff the site without competing against hospitals for medical personnel to run it.
Hospital Staffing Issues
Two other valley hospitals are running very low on staff.
Saint Agnes and Madera Community Hospitals have both reached out to Fresno County for help.
Even though Madera Community is outside Fresno County, EMS Director Lynch says he’s prepared to help.
“Staffing is going to be the most challenging thing that we have to deal with,” said Lynch.
[covid-19-tracker]City-County COVID-19 Meeting on Tuesday
The county has invited the city officials to participate in a joint workshop Tuesday to discuss the county’s ongoing COVID-19 response.
“I think it’s going to lead to a lot of good discussions.”–Dr. Rais Vohra, Fresno County interim health officer
Fresno County interim health officer Dr. Rais Vohra and health director David Pomaville are planning to attend.
The public workshop will provide a review of both agencies’ plans to spend CARES Act funds provided by the federal government in support of COVID-19 response actions. It is set for Tuesday, July 28, at 9 a.m. at the Fresno County Plaza Building ballroom.
Deborah Stanton
July 25, 2020 at 10:01 am
As an employee of CRMC in home health I am potentially exposed everyday. But my biggest stress is the inability to find a restroom. I won’t die of COVID but of dehydration and a UTI. I have been turned away at many open businesses and county offices as if I am a homeless person begging for scrapes. I have called both the mayors and governors office with no change noticed. I have had to drive 15-20 minutes out of my way to find a bathroom. I would like everyone who works to spend a day having to leave their work site to find a restroom. I know for a fact I am not the only one with this struggle as I have heard others begging to use a restroom at a gas station .
Jon Spearman
July 27, 2020 at 2:28 pm
I appreciate the concern that people have but I can’t help but point out that the phrasing used in the article and how numbers (relative and actual) have little reference in real time.
I see the change in positive testing numbers in one day (I presume). Are those numbers reflecting current infections or do they also include positive anti-body tests of people who had past infections? In relation to available ICU bed percentages, without clarification, the article seems to infer that these occupied beds are all CoVid19 cases. Is this the case?
The term “surge”, used in relation to the current CoVid19 situation, is, I believe, hyperbole where the exact situation is not being defined. Is the virus presence actually growing or is it that increased testing is showing more cases? If the proved case numbers are increasing, are these active cases or is a large portion of the number anti-body tests showing past cases?
Finally, do all of the CMC cases reflect just direct health-care providers or others employed types included in these numbers.
We need news reports that have clearly explained information. Please don’t take short-cuts or make assumptions.