Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) has shared details on how the hospital’s leaders, health care professionals, and staff are creating additional capacity to care for patients with COVID-19.
As of Wednesday (April 1), PRHC is providing care for three patients who have tested positive for COVID-19. Two of these patients are currently in the intensive care unit (ICU).
Preparing for an increase in COVID-19 cases is critical, as hospitals in COVID-19 hot spots around the world are struggling to manage the surge in patients with COVID-19, particularly those with severe respiratory symptoms.
The hospital’s pandemic strategy is designed to address acute care needs and to ensure PRHC is in the best possible position to care for an anticipated increase in patients with COVID-19 in the coming days and weeks.
PRHC has taken a number of key steps over the past several weeks, including:
- To prevent the spread of COVID-19 within the hospital, limiting access to the hospital building, restricting visitors, cancelling non-urgent appointments, and screening everyone coming into the hospital.
- Opening an on-site COVID-19 Assessment Centre in partnership with Ontario Health.
- Decreasing hospital occupancy to 85 per cent to create additional inpatient space (over the past several years, hospital occupancy has been at or above 100 per cent on a year-round basis).
- Converting the green zone in PRHC’s emergency department into a dedicated area for patients with respiratory illness.
- Increasing the hospital’s critical and intensive care capacity by adding 27 ICU beds, ramping up critical care staff, and working with partners at a regional and provincial level to ensure the hospital has access to additional ventilators as needed.
- Converting a 36-bed hospital unit into a dedicated area for patients with respiratory illness.
- Initiating a staff redeployment centre to centralize information about PRHC staff and their skills.
- Ramping up education for health care professionals and staff to align with PRHC’s pandemic response.
- Working with hospital and health care partners in the community and region to coordinate the hospital’s pandemic approach.
VIDEO: #InThisTogether – PRHC
PRHC has also been running a successful personal protective equipment (PPE) drive to ensure the hospital continues to have the necessary equipment and supplies available to protect patients, health care professionals, and support staff.
“Our thanks to the many organizations and individuals in our community who have come forward with a tremendous show of support through these unprecedented times,” the hospital writes in a media release.
Anyone who wants to contribute to the hospital’s efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic is encouraged to make a donation to the PRHC Foundation to support critical investments in lifesaving equipment and technology, and supports for patients and front-line health care workers. Donors can also send a special thank you message to PRHC’s doctors, nurses and staff.
To donate and to share a message, visit www.prhcfoundation.ca or call 705-876-5000.
“This hospital is fortunate to have some of the most hard-working, caring, and dedicated people out there,” said Dr. Lynn Mikula, the hospital’s vice-president, chief of staff, and chief medical officer.
“As our community has rallied around us with messages and offers of support, this incredible group of people at PRHC has worked tirelessly to be as prepared as we possibly can be for what is to come. I am proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our team as we face the days ahead, ready to provide our patients with the care and support we have trained for.”
