October 2020 Construction will soon begin which is concerning with the rise of COVID patients. 

There is anticipation with the holidays coming that there will be a great spike with Covid patients.

There has been an increase in staff LOA, with several babies anticipated to be born soon. 

 Word of several companies creating a vaccine is giving us hope. ED volume has dropped dramatically and managing FTE's has been difficult.  Most of the ED staff have been amazing, coming to work daily working with the sickest patients we have seen. Patients holding in the ED have increased as units are full. Conversion of 2 units to total COVID has been occurring with ICU beds at a premium.

COVID swabbing has increased to where we will be creating a symptomatic testing site next to the ED.

 I have neglected this blog site which is a shame as there have been so many things that have happened at CMC.

1st I became the official Director of the Emergency Department, scary right!!! Never thought I would see myself in Emergency medicine. I am still overseeing the informatics department, as this is my true love. 

Although we are still in a pandemic, Covid patients continue, but at a manageable pace. Restrictions to visitors have been adjusted several times which is a catch 22. No visitors more complaints and calls to update families, allow visitors more complaints and crowding.

The staff has been getting sick with COVID, but so far it has been minimal.

We continue to try to function and await vaccines to help with the pandemic.

Pictorial Journey

2-2020 to 5-2020

The Beginning

The ending of February 2020 CMC began to experience events of the Covid Pandemic. The CMC Emergency Department began to see patients that had some form of a virus presenting in unexpected forms. News outlets began reporting the virus had reached the United States.

On February 25, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned the American public for the first time to prepare for a local outbreak.

The CDC warned that widespread disease transmission may force large numbers of people to seek healthcare, which could overload healthcare systems and lead to otherwise preventable deaths.^[36] On March 16, the White House advised against any gatherings of more than ten people.^[37] Since March 19, 2020, the U.S. Department of State has advised U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel.^[38] Travel restrictions on most foreign nationals who had recently traveled to Iran or 28 European countries were implemented in March.^[17][39][40] By April 11, the federal government approved disaster declarations for all states and inhabited territories except American Samoa.^[41] State and local responses to the outbreak have included prohibitions and cancellation of large-scale gatherings (including cultural events, exhibitions, and sporting events), restrictions on commerce and movement, and the closure of schools and other educational institutions.^[42] Disproportionate numbers of cases have been observed among black American populations, and there were reported incidents of xenophobia and racism against Asian Americans.^[43] Clusters of infections and deaths have occurred in nursing homes, long-term care facilities, prisons and other detention centers, meatpacking plants, houses of worship, and urban areas; large gatherings that occurred before widespread shutdowns and social distancing (Mardi Gras in New Orleans, a conference in Boston sponsored by Biogen, and a funeral in Albany, Georgia) accelerated transmission.^[44]

CMC TIMELINE

Below are the chronicled events that took place as an organization.