Milford MA Regional Medical Center shares COVID-19 update, future plans
MILFORD – Impact of Pandemic on Milford Regional Medical Center has at times been destructiveoverwhelming staff and create budget deficits in the millions that hospital administrators shared in a community interview last week.
However, they noted that COVID-19 also presented opportunities to innovate and improve patient care, resulting in lasting changes to community-based health care.
Omicron ‘blew through’
When the number of COVID-19 cases increased in January, “it was our third increase and truly an unprecedented demand for our system,” said Edward Kelly, President and CEO of Milford Regionals, during Wednesday’s remote event.
From January:Hospitals are asking the public for help getting through the COVID wave
In the recent increase, staff proved to be a challenge for the hospital, which “did everything we could to staff our place, to take care of patients, including bonus salaries and an all-time high of agency help to meet demand, said Kelly.
Dr. Peter Smulowitz, the hospital’s chief physician, said the COVID-19 omicron variant “just blew through incredibly fast, incredibly heavy in terms of the number of cases and the amount of people infected, and unfortunately also resulted in a significant number of hospital admissions. and intensive care units for people who were really sadly just ruined by this disease. “
While case numbers has been improved recently, the virus remains unpredictable and has not disappeared, Smulowitz warned.
More:Months after the COVID-19 increase, MetroWest hospitals report a fraction of cases
“We can not be too Pollyanna-like about this,” he warned. “We simply do not know if another variant will emerge that will escape the immune system further, and we need to do what we can to continue to protect our susceptible populations.”
A loss of $ 17 million
COVID-19 has also taken a toll on Milford Regional’s economy. Over the past two years, the hospital has faced a total loss of $ 17 million from its operating budget, a figure that would have been higher if there had not been funding for the federal law on Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security. (CARES), according to Kelly.
“If you just look at the numbers for themselves, it’s scary,” he said. “It’s not going to put us out of the market, but in terms of our future plans, it’s challenging.”
Related:FEMA makes sure that early pandemic response pays off for Milford hospital
Kelly said, however, that he hopes there will be more relief through state and federal channels as so many hospitals have found themselves in similar predicament.
Milford Regional has asked Massachusetts for American Rescue Plan Act funding and must also receive nearly $ 1.6 million in funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Nurses are still at work
While the hospital is navigating pandemic increases, the hospital is also negotiating its first contract with its nurses, who voted last year to organize with the Massachusetts Nurses Association.
“We’re going through that process and we understand that first-time contracts take a lot of time, but I would like to share that both sides are really very committed,” said Milford Regional Chief Nursing Officer Judy Kelly. “We work together, we meet often, and our goal is to get that contract in place as soon as possible.”
Asked later what union would mean for patient care, Kelly said the hospital does not expect any changes for its patients.
New possibilities
However, Milford Regional has used the pandemic as an opportunity to implement one vertical treatment model in its emergency room, adds a section of chairs where less critical patients can be seen while sitting upright, instead of waiting for a bed.
The change has cut waiting times for patients with lower sharpness, and Milford Regional now sees about 20-30 patients a day in that room, Smulowitz said.
Another option in the pandemic era came in the form of supply management, according to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Nicole Thyne.
The hospital diversified its suppliers and built a more robust warehouse after navigating supply challenges and increasing demand for personal protective equipment earlier in the pandemic, Thyne explained. For example, she said, the Milford Regional went from wearing 10,000 dresses every month pre-pandemic to wearing 2,500 dresses every day during the height of COVID-19 hikes.
One of the biggest bright spots of the pandemic was the growth of telesealth treatment, according to Dr. Elizabeth Siraco, Medical Director of the Milford Regional Physician Group. Virtual visits allow healthcare providers to treat patients who would otherwise not be able to reach an appointment, she said.
“We want to see our patients in person, but there are times when it makes sense to see people over a telemedicine evaluation,” Sirocco said. “I think the technology and the ability to turn on a penny … is definitely a positive option in the COVID-19 pandemic.”