Clarion Hospital president addresses virus pandemic

This current COVID-19 pandemic has impacted each and every one of us in personal ways. This letter shares with you what your community hospital is doing to prepare and respond to the evolving situation.

– Our leadership team, through its emergency operations plan, has worked hard to plan for the anticipated surge in patients; ensuring appropriate levels of staffing, supplies, training and beds.

– As a system, we were ahead of the curve in reducing exposure by eliminating visitation in the hospital (with the exception of certain exigent circumstances), canceling all elective procedures and nonurgent testing and all routine office visits in our physician practices.

– We are screening for patients for COVID-19 and have established protocols for how we process, treat and test those patients.

– We have established an open air, drive-through COVID testing station outside our hospital lab and have tested over 100 patients to date, and soon expect to have a shorter turnaround on COVID testing results.

– We are working with state and local elected officials and advocacy associations to assist in the current response, and advocate for future financial relief.

– We have a contingency plan for screening and treating patients outside the emergency department should we approach surge capacity.

– We have implemented virtual visits for our physicians to continue conducting patient visits remotely.

I am proud of the way our team at Clarion Hospital has responded swiftly, decisively and in the best interest of our staff, our patients and the Clarion community.

Aided by the critical guidance and resources provided by Butler Health System, we remain strong together in the face of this pandemic.

We are grateful for the generous support of our local businesses and individuals who have also been hit hard by this pandemic. It has been truly awe-inspiring.

While we remain unwaveringly focused on caring for our patients, operational and resource challenges loom large on the horizon.

The devastating financial impact brought on due to unrecoverable lost revenue and unprecedented preparedness expenses will challenge us as never before, but please know this – we will get through this.

 

– Steven Davis, Clarion Hospital president