St. John’s Episcopal Hospital steps
up in the fi ght against COVID-19
BY JENNA BAGCAL
At the beginning of March,
St. John’s Episcopal Hospital
in the Rockaways admitted the
first Queens resident with coronavirus
to its facility. Since
then, the number of cases in
the borough has continyed to
grow.
In an effort to aid in fighting
the virus (COVID-19), the
hospital staff has stepped up
its health and safety protocol
in the weeks since the borough’s
first case.
“The hospital has really
been following the Department
of Health and the CDC’s
best practices to make sure
that we are prepared, not just
within the community but also
within the institution itself,”
said Dr. Donald Morrish, chief
medical officer at SJEH.
Morrish said that since admitting
the patient, an Uber
driver in his 30s, the hospital
had a “very successful outcome”
and the patient has
since been discharged.
“The patient was treated
successfully and we’re having
successful treatment of all patients
who are coming in so far
to date,” he said.
Enhanced Hospital Protocol
Morrish said that the hospital
is “fully staffed” and “functioning
as community hospital
would” with a fully functioning
emergency department,
specialists, nurses and ambulatory
clinics on site.
“What we’re doing right
now is following infection control
and prevention and training
our healthcare professional
within the organization
on what COVID is and what it
isn’t,” said Morrish.
Once the hospital works
on “rapidly identifying and
isolating patients” who are
confirmed or suspected of having
the virus, Morrish said
that staff is mindful to place
patients in the proper areas of
the institution to ensure they
receive the highest level of
care.
“The emergency department
is opened as it normally
would be but we’ve limited entry
into the hospital. We only
have one entrance into the
hospital. When folks come in,
we’re screening them, we’re
Photo courtesy of St. John’s Episcopal Hospital
asking them questions just to
determine if they may be at
risk,” added Thomas Melillo,
the hospital’s director of marketing
and strategic planning.
Hospital staff promotes
frequent and proper hand hygiene
for staff and visitors,
increased cleaning of “hightouch
points” and monitoring
who gets access to the facility.
In addition, the hospital has
partnered with federally qualified
health centers in the community
as well as religious organization
to get the word out
about best practices to screen
appropriate patients and treatment
for those who need it.
Following Guidelines
and Testing
According to DOH and
CDC guidelines, patients
who feel symptoms of the virus,
including a fever of over
100.4 degrees Fahrenheit
10 TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | APRIL 3-APRIL 9, 2020
with a cough and difficulty
breathing should contact
their primary care physician
by phone before visiting in
person.
“Running to your emergency
room, running to
your doctor’s office might
be a disservice to yourself
as well as others,” Morrish
said. “If symptoms progress
to a point that is extremely
worrisome, then you should
make a phone call to your
healthcare provider and
then only as a last measure,
report to an emergency
room.”
He added: “We don’t have
a shortage of tests at this
point in time but we’re being
very judicious in following
guidelines to test the appropriate
patient population
that needs to be tested.”
The guidelines include triaging
patients to determine
whether or not they need to
be tested. Morrish said that
those who will be tested at
SJEH include:
Individuals with a fever
or lower-tract respiratory
disease who was in contact
with a known coronavirus
patient;
Those with symptoms who
have traveled from a “geographic
area of community
transmission”;
Healthcare workers or
others who have been quarantined
due to the coronavirus
and develop symptoms;
An individual with a fever
or lower-respiratory infection
after influenza and
other causes have been ruled
out.
“Any other possible suspected
cases where we were
not particularly sure, we
would side on overtesting
the patient just to make sure
that not only is the patient
not transmitting but also so
the patient has somewhat of
a peace of mind going back
to their environment,” said
Morrish.
Open to All
Despite its new focus on
coronavirus treatment, the
hospital wants the public to
know it is still here to serve
its other patients as well.
“We’re fully open. We’re
not just treating folks who
think they might have symptoms
of COVID-19. Folks who
come in for any other thing
like physical therapy, can
still come in. We have safety
measures put in place for
staff and also for the public
and patients coming in,” said
Melillo.
Reach reporter Jenna Bagcal
by e-mail at jbagcal@qns.
com or by phone at (718) 260-
2583.
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