Karen Bouffard, The Detroit News
Upgraded 4: 21 p.m. ET April 16, 2020
Amid signs that COVID-19 is easing off in City Detroit, the Henry Ford Health System stated Thursday it will resume its five medical facilities for surgical treatments that were stopped as coronavirus cases surged last month.
Henry Ford’s hospitals will resume cancer biopsies, cardiac catherizations and other “time-sensitive” procedures unassociated to the unique coronavirus, Henry Ford Health Elder Vice President Dr. Steven Kalkanis stated during a Thursday rundown with press reporters.
” We comprehend that cancer, and transplants, and cardiovascular disease and so lots of other conditions don’t get to wait,” Kalkanis said. “They haven’t been postponed just because of this COVID challenge.”
” And so for the sake of having the ability to be a resource for these critically essential patients, we have actually recognized one to 2 operating suites in each of our five severe care healthcare facilities throughout the system that are designated particularly as non-COVID operating rooms. These are groups that work just and specifically in these rooms. There’s an entire testing and sanitation process both for the clients and the staff who are operating in those rooms to ensure we can focus on these patients and get these cases in as soon as possible.”
The Detroit-based health system also is motivating clients to return to its emergency situation departments for non-COVID health emergency situations. Patients with signs of cardiovascular disease, stroke or other serious disease must not be afraid to visit their health centers, health system authorities stated.
” We have seen some reductions in COVID patients, which positions us more in a plateau phase of this pandemic,” said Dr. Betty Chu, associate chief scientific officer and chief quality officer at Henry Ford Health System.
” This is, obviously, excellent factor for hope,” Chu stated. ” Today our overall hospital admissions was 617, which represents our lowest number since April 1.”
Regardless of the plateau, using ventilators and extensive care at Henry Ford hospitals stays high, she noted.
” We’re motivated by the trend, and we’re beginning to regain a bit of health center capacity. It’s definitely not a time to get contented,” Chu said. “We do wish to stress that everyone continue to follow Gov. Whitmer’s stay-at-home instruction.”
The operating suites will begin opening Thursday and be ramped up at each of the five healthcare facilities “over the next couple of days and into the coming week,” Kalkanas said.
” We wish to be really cautious that we do it in such a way that maintains our resources so that we still are able to take whatever comes our method terms of necessity for ICU beds and other inpatient requirements. But as of right now we can declaratively say that we’re safely because plateau stage …,” he said.
Since 10 am Thursday, Henry Ford Health System was treating 617 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, according to the Detroit-based health system. Their hospitals had released 1,317 coronavirus patients in the past 30 days.
The typical stay for COVID-19 patients at Henry Ford medical facilities is more than seven days, with approximately about six and a half days invested in extensive care, the heath system reported. Of individuals the health system has actually evaluated, 5,158 tested positive for COVID-19 and 8,491 evaluated negative.
Twitter: @kbouffardDN
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