Providence Centralia Hospital
Leaders from nine hospitals across Thurston, Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, and Pacific counties plan to meet Thursday to discuss a regional approach to handling a possible influx of patients suffering from COVID-19, the disease caused by a new coronavirus.
The meeting came up Tuesday morning during a status update on the pandemic presented to Thurston County Commissioners. Schelli Slaughter, director of Thurston County Public Health and Social Services, and Kurt Hardin, director of Thurston County Emergency Services, have been presenting updates at the commission's weekly agenda-setting work sessions.
Hospital leaders in the five counties are considering options to "share in the surge of anticipated COVID-19 patients in our region," Slaughter said, such as treating COVID-19 patients at one hospital and directing patients with other needs elsewhere.
"COVID-19 — it knows no borders here," Slaughter told commissioners. "We have cases in Thurston where people work and live in other counties and vice-versa."
Providence spokesperson Chris Thomas confirmed the meeting was planned for Thursday.
Providence Southwest Chief Executive Paul Wilkinson invited hospital executives from regional hospitals -- Providence St. Peter and Centralia, Capital Medical Center, Mason General, Morton General, Willapa Harbor, Grays Harbor, Summit Pacific, and Ocean Beach -- to participate in "a dialog addressing COVID-19 surge plans" for each facility, Thomas wrote in an email to The Olympian.
"Providence in Southwest Washington has been in incident command for more than six weeks, preparing for the likelihood of a surge of COVID-19 patients," Thomas wrote. "We have explored surge capacity within our own hospitals and are now looking outward to prepare our region."
As of Wednesday morning, the confirmed cases reported looked like this:
* Thurston: 48 confirmed positive cases, no deaths.
* Lewis: 10 confirmed positive cases, no deaths.
* Mason: Six confirmed positive cases, no deaths.
* Grays Harbor: Two confirmed positive cases, no deaths.
* Pacific: No confirmed positive cases or deaths.
A status update from Thurston County
Thurston County Public Health has been coordinating with area hospitals on the status of beds, staff, space, and equipment to support planning for a potential surge in COVID-19 patients, Slaughter told The Olympian in a phone interview Wednesday.
In general, Slaughter says, both Thurston County hospitals -- Capital Medical Center and Providence St. Peter Hospital -- have room right now because of Gov. Jay Inslee's "Stay Home" order and cancellation of non-urgent medical procedures.
Providence St. Peter regularly exceeded 100% capacity before the COVID-19 crisis, according spokesperson Thomas. As of Wednesday, 76% of its beds were occupied, but Thomas cautioned bed occupancy changes daily.
Hospitals report into a system that allows them to divert incoming patients to other hospitals when they get full, Slaughter said.
They're required by the state to have "surge" plans to activate when they don't have the capacity to meet the needs of their patients, Slaughter said, and are now updating those plans specifically for COVID-19. The county is working with the hospitals to identify gaps or additional needs in case additional facilities, supplies and personnel are needed.
The state has been planning for "alternate medical care facilities," such as the military field hospital under construction at CenturyLink Field Event Center in Seattle, Slaughter said. It's slated to care for people experiencing medical issues unrelated to COVID-19.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at this point recommends people with COVID-19 symptoms -- which include fever, cough, and shortness of breath -- stay home to recover unless receiving medical care or in case of a medical emergency.
Thurston County has researched local options to isolate and quarantine people who can't do so safely on their own -- such as a person living with someone especially vulnerable to the disease -- as another way to take some of the burden off the health care system.
According to County Manager Ramiro Chavez, the county has received quotes from local hotels for leasing rooms. Two hotels, he said, extended offers for the county to buy the hotels, which the county has so far declined.
Thurston County Emergency Services director Kurt Hardin told The Olympian he doesn't believe finding facilities is going to be an issue in case of an influx of COVID-19 patients, but finding the necessary equipment, such as ventilators, plus the personnel qualified to operate such equipment will be. Those are a key shortage felt nationwide.
And there's a continuing shortage of personal protective equipment for medical staff, he said.
Last Thursday, the county received from the National Strategic Stockpile 206 N95 masks, which filter out 95% of airborne particles, Hardin said. But Providence St. Peter alone requested 6,000 of the masks to get through five to seven days. On Tuesday, Hardin said 1,300 more masks -- part from the state, part from donations -- would be going to St. Peter's.
Local hospitals have adapted and, while not "flush" with personal protective equipment, they're being creative while maintaining patient care, Hardin said.
An example: Providers with Emergency Services have been putting their masks in plastic bags and putting them aside for up to three weeks, so any potential virus on the mask will die and they can reuse them if necessary, Hardin said. He said many health care facilities are doing the same thing.
"It's better than not having a mask at all," Hardin said.
What you can do: Wash your hands, don't hoard
While Hardin says he appreciates the people who are sewing masks at home, he can't distribute them to health care workers because the masks don't meet certain standards set by federal agencies.
Local public health officials continue to repeat the same advice to people who want to help: Practice social distancing, cover your cough, stay home if you can, avoid touching your face, and wash your hands with soap and water often.
"It sounds like we're repeating that over and over, but the more we do not transmit COVID-19, the more we keep the curve flattened, the more we stay within our current resources," Hardin said.
To support first responders and public health workers, Hardin said people should avoid hoarding goods. Those workers have very little time to spend running errands right now, he says.
"If somebody's bought out the entire store, how will they take are of their own families, let alone take care of us?"
