Glendale hospitals on standby as Los Angeles County sees rise in coronavirus cases
As more and more cases of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 are reported across the country, hospital officials in Glendale say their facilities are ready if cases occur locally.
All three Glendale hospitals report they currently have no patients with the virus, but they are ready to spring into action if the time comes.
Patricia Sung, manager of infection prevention and control at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, said the facility is following guidelines laid out by the L.A. County Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control called the three I’s — identify, isolate and inform.
“Because of the nature of care we provide and the kinds of patients we see, this is something that’s trained by our staff continuously,” she said. “A few months ago, it was measles, now it’s COVID-19; it could be any other highly communicable disease.”
The guidelines involve identifying the signs and symptoms of the sickness in a patient and from where it was caught, then inform health officials of a possible case and then isolate a patient for treatment if they test positive for the illness.
Sung also said staffers practice good “respiratory etiquette,” such as coughing or sneezing into their elbows instead of their hands, to avoid spreading any potential illness in the hospital.
Wednesday saw Los Angeles County officials declare a public health emergency concerning the novel coronavirus after seven people had tested positive for the illness.
By Friday afternoon the county announced the total number of confirmed cases had risen to 13.
According to the Los Angeles Times, county health officials stressed the cases don’t indicate a community spread of the coronavirus, where it’s difficult to pinpoint how a person became infected.
Instead individuals were exposed to it after coming into contact with people who have been infected while traveling.
Alicia Gonzalez, a spokeswoman for Adventist Health Glendale, said in a statement that the hospital “proactively trains for these scenarios and [has] protocols in place” to protect patients and staff members.
She said the facility can rely on other hospitals within the Adventist Health system for mutual aid if needed.
Gonzalez also mentioned hospital staff members at Adventist Health meet daily to assess their readiness in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak.
“Ongoing training and drills are underway on the proper donning and doffing of personal protective equipment,” she said.
Gonzalez also said testing to determine if a patient has COVID-19 is currently not done by the hospital, but by the CDC. She added that local hospital officials follow the agency’s and county’s guidelines.
However, as reported by the L.A. Times, a shortage of test kits for the disease has plagued medical facilities across the country, with California expected to make do with being able to administer 7,400 tests through the weekend.
Nicholas Testa, chief physician executive for Dignity Health’s southwest division, said in a statement the medical group’s Glendale hospital is “closely monitoring all development” regarding the coronavirus.
He said in the event they do see patients who test positive for the illness, the hospital has identified places in the building where they can be safely isolated for treatment in order to prevent its further spread.
“We have the necessary supplies and are prepared to identify, isolate and treat any potential COVID-19 patient who seeks care in our facility,” he said.
