By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer
Advocate Aurora Health is preparing for an influx of COVID-19 patients by setting up emergency department overflow tents outside of each of their hospitals, including those in Burlington and Elkhorn, according to officials.
LeeAnn Betz, media relations manager of Advocate Aurora Health, said the overflow tents offer better protection for staff and patients.
“They are part of proactive preparations for a surge of volume in patients who present to the ED with mild COVID symptoms,” she said, adding the tents are not testing locations.
“The tents allow for greater protection of our team members and patients by segregating suspected COVID patients and not bringing them into the main hospital unless they require further treatment after their screening.”
The overflow tents will also allow hospital officials to effectively use personal protective equipment while treating probable COVID patients.
Nationally, personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves are in demand, which has forced state and local officials to request donations from the community.
“The tents also help us efficiently conserve personal protective equipment as they are designed in a way so that staffing is kept to a minimum,” Betz said.
Advocate Aurora Health has offered a resource guide for people experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to someone who tested positive for disease.
The resource guide is accessible online and includes a COVID-19 symptom checklist.
“If you think you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 or are experiencing fever, cough or shortness of breath, start with our COVID-19 Symptom Checker or call 866-443-2584,” the website states. “Our symptom checker is the quickest way to find out what to do next.”
People seeking a test will need prior authorization from a physician because of a limited supply of test kits both statewide and nationally, according to multiple news sources.
Equipment in need
Advocate Aurora Health has enough personal protective equipment to satisfy current needs.
Like other hospitals across the country, Advocate Aurora Health expects to see an increase in demand of personal protective equipment.
“Amid the challenges nationwide with PPE shortages, we have supply to meet our current needs but expect the demand will increase significantly,” Betz said. “We continue to work diligently to secure additional supplies from all available sources.”
Betz, meanwhile, said the current supply chain of PPE remains low, but items are being sent to facilities as needed to conserve and manage use.
“As a result, team members may not see the same level of supplies that they are accustomed to seeing,” she said. “We are also forging direct partnerships with manufacturers, including one that will soon result in production of our own face shields.”
Donations sought
Advocate Aurora Health officials, however, said they remain committed to keeping their medical staff safe as more COVID-19 cases are confirmed locally and nationally.
“As COVID-19 continues to impact our communities, we are committed to keeping our heroes – our doctors, nurses, and team members – safe,” Betz said.
“As you know, the broader health care community is at risk of running low on critical personal protective equipment across the country. Health care workers need these essential safety items on the front line of this pandemic to effectively provide care.”
Advocate Aurora Health is accepting several items to help alleviate some of the demand, according to Betz, who said the equipment must be new and unused.
Items include masks, hand sanitizer, eye protection as well as disinfectant wipes.
“Both N95 and procedural masks will be accepted,” she said. “These masks can be found across many industries and have been deemed appropriate to use in the health care setting by the CDC. Commonly found in the construction and landscaping industries among other, we will gladly accept any new and unused masks.”
Meanwhile, under CDC guidelines, personal-sized hand sanitizer must be unopened and consist of at least 60 percent alcohol.
Eye protection includes any new or unused goggles, safety glasses or face shields, she added.
For people who have questions, or if they are unsure their items qualify, Betz has asked them to contact Advocate Aurora at COVIDAAHSupplyDonations@aurora.org.
Betz said contributors can drop off donated items at any Advocate Aurora Health hospital’s shipping and receiving dock.
Advocate Aurora Health is not accepting handmade masks, but that could change depending on the need.
How to help
Industries or individual people looking to donate personal protective equipment can drop any new or unused items off at any Advocate Aurora Health hospital shipping and receiving dock. People with additional questions can send an email to COVIDAAHSupplyDonations@aurora.org.
Aurora is now accepting hand made masks. There is a pattern on their website.