As Piedmont Mountainside continues to prepare for COVID-19 cases locally, Senior Communications Specialist Stacy Fentress answered some questions about the efforts the organization is undertaking.
What is Piedmont Mountainside doing to get ready for the next two weeks, which federal and state officials are telling us are going to be bad as far as hospitalizations?
Last month, Piedmont Mountainside Hospital installed a mobile unit that can expand the Emergency Department if needed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The mobile unit, which is located outside of the Emergency Department, is not a COVID-19 testing center. It will be reserved for patients who are seeking emergency care, but who do not have respiratory symptoms.
Piedmont Mountainside’s leadership team remains in daily contact with officials representing government, schools, health departments and emergency management in Gilmer and Pickens counties.
In addition, Piedmont is in an aggressive planning mode. We are examining statistical projections from four to 12 weeks out, depending on the progression of COVID-19, and considering contingency plans for various scenarios.
Here are a few ways we are responding to current and future needs:
﹣ We are actively examining recruiting efforts and exploring different options. For example, we are recruiting retired nurses, particularly those who worked in critical care, emergency departments and respiratory therapy to help cover additional staffing needs in the weeks to come.
﹣ Through the Piedmont Clinic, Piedmont’s network of 2,500 physicians, we are developing the “Piedmont Physician Reserve Corps.” We are asking physicians to volunteer at Piedmont hospitals in their respective areas across nonspecialty areas within their comfort level, such as the emergency department and ICU, in our call centers and in nonclinical support efforts.
Is there anything citizens can to help reduce the spread?
Residents should follow the guidance of local officials by continuing to maintain the shelter-in-place and social distancing efforts within the community.
If someone suspects they have symptoms of COVID-19 what should they do?
If someone suspects they have symptoms of COVID-19, which can include fever with cough and shortness of breath, they should call their primary care physician. If symptoms are mild, continue to maintain a 14 day self-quarantine and avoid contact with others.
Piedmont Healthcare has set up a hotline for people experiencing symptoms to get more information. If you are experiencing symptoms, you can call 1-866-460-1119 to speak with a Piedmont nurse who can share information and get testing for people who need it.
If someone is very ill and needs to go to the hospital, they should go to the Emergency Department. They should call the Emergency Department first, if possible, and mask themselves.
Piedmont Healthcare has also established a website where people can go to learn more: https://www.piedmont.org/covid-19/about.
In Gilmer County should they head to the ER or go to Mountainside?
If someone is experiencing emergency symptoms, they should seek care immediately and go to the nearest Emergency Department.
Is testing being done at Mountainside or in the ER?
If a patient is sick enough to be hospitalized, they can be tested at Piedmont Mountainside. We are only testing patients who are hospitalized at this time.
Patients who have
mild-to-moderate symptoms that do not require hospitalization can call their primary care physician or 1-866-460-1119 to discuss testing.
Is there anything you want people to know which I haven’t asked about?
We are incredibly grateful for the acts of kindness and support that members of the community have shown as we have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our community has prayed for us, written letters of support, delivered food, created masks and shared kind thoughts with us. We are all in this together.
If anyone in the community is interested in learning more about ways they can support Piedmont Mountainside, we’ve shared some ideas at https://www.piedmont.org/covid-19/giving-back. Community members can also email PitchingIn@piedmont.org for more information.