Together We Can Take a Stand Against COVID-19
Dear Friend and Supporter,
As the world began to watch the development of the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus emerge in China, and spread across various regions of the world, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare’s (HDGH) team was tracking the development, providing education to staff and working with our local Health Unit and Executive Leadership Team to implement a plan. When the World Health Organization declared the pandemic of COVID-19 on March 11, 2020, HDGH was ready to support the healthcare needs of our community. Our Incident Management Response Team was established and the planning and resource allocation has been a top priority on a 7 day per week work cycle.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to hospitals across the country. Our teams have been working tirelessly to keep our community healthy and safe during this crisis. While this situation is ever evolving, we wanted to take a moment to share with you some of what we have been doing here at HDGH to help overcome this pandemic.
As a major partner in our regional healthcare landscape, HDGH is assisting our acute care hospitals by creating regional bed capacity for the much anticipated impact and demand for hospital beds. At this time, we are working collaboratively with Bluewater Health in Sarnia, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, Erie Shores Healthcare (Leamington) and Windsor Regional Hospital. In fact within the first 15 days of the declared pandemic, we discharged over 140 patients to home and community with supports while accepting nearly 120 new admissions from Erie Shores (Leamington) and Windsor Regional Hospital. We have also been asked to prepare to take patients from out of our jurisdiction as the need arises.
To do this, we have opened a new unit with additional beds and patient care spaces to care for patients that are not yet well enough to be discharged home, who continue to deal with healthcare challenges that require hospitalization and specialized care but can be safely transported to our facility where our interdisciplinary team will continue to provide outstanding care. Our plans contemplate adding nearly 100 patient beds on our campus with plans for additional capacity as needed. We have also been asked to prepare to accept COVID-19 patients who will not require a ventilator however do require quarantined hospitalization and monitoring.
Further, we have developed a Family Support Team, providing companionship and support for our patients who unfortunately, due to the current circumstances, are unable to be visited by their families. This support team demonstrates HDGH’s commitment of providing patient-centred care for the mind, body and spirit by ensuring that their emotional needs are being cared for along with their physical needs. We continue to work closely with the family members of our palliative care patients supporting them with end of life support and comfort.
These additional demands and measures come with budgetary implications, and while unplanned, are necessary to implement the required resources and support for our patients needed right now in our community. The additional staffing resources required for our new beds which include: frontline care providers, environmental service workers and dietary staff as well as those required for our new campus screening methods, increased specialized care, amplified infection control measures and an increased demand for personal protective equipment (i.e. masks, gloves, gowns and face shields) are a sample of these implications resulting from the extra measures we are putting in place.
During times of such uncertainty, it is natural to experience a sense of wonder, anxiety and fear of the unknown. We at HDGH want you to know that you are not alone in this. While our staff are working tirelessly, around the clock, to ensure that our patients are receiving the exceptional care they deserve and that our hospital is a clean and safe environment, there are ways that you too can help from home.
We encourage you to demonstrate your appreciation by visiting our Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare Facebook page to send a message of hope, thanks or inspiration to our dedicated staff who are working the front lines against this pandemic to keep us all safe.
If you are able, consider making a donation to the Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare Foundation where a new fund has been established to help the hospital mobilize to respond to the fast-evolving needs resulting from the COVID-19 virus. And now, more than ever, we ask you to continue to keep our staff and community in your thoughts and prayers.
As the Executive Director of our Foundation and as a member of our Incident Management Response Team, I commit to keeping you informed and apprised of any further developments. We will keep you informed through our website. For for the most current information and updates please visit www.hdgh.org/coronavirus. As the only post acute care hospital in the entire region, HDGH is proud of the steps we are taking to overcome this crisis. With your support, we can continue to meet the ever changing demands brought on by COVID-19. We’re in this together, and together we can change lives.
On behalf of our entire staff, our patients and their loved ones, thank-you for your prayers, your concern, your support and your commitment to our community!!
Bill Marra
Vice President External Affairs, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare
Executive Director, HDGH Foundation
Make a donation to the Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare Foundation to meet the ever changing demands brought on by COVID-19.