North Florida Regional Medical Center, one of the two major hospitals here in my town of Gainesville, Florida, is where I had both my TURP operation and IMRT done, and both successfully.
The link below is to a current page on the hospital's website set up to inform readers of how NFRMC is getting ready for what it anticipates could be a wave of COVID-related cases coming into the hospital soon, with possibly overwhelming consequences.
I thought it would be useful to post their statements about
this on their page, to show that this is one hospital and staff that asserts that it is going to be ready to deal with a possibly enormous surge of CV patients and work that may be coming at them very soon. And their attitude is "we'll be ready."
They insist that while there are likely going to be challenges, those challenges are going to be met by experienced professionals who have great confidence, and are right now making their hospital as ready as it can possibly be for what could be coming.
They may well be facing logistical and technical shortages, but it is encouraging to sense their positive spirit that comes through in the words on their website.
For example, they say:
"NFRMC has protocols in place to care for patients with infectious diseases, and we have been working diligently to help ensure our hospital is prepared for any potential issues related to COVID-19. NFRMC recently received a patient in our emergency room who presented with symptoms. We immediately activated protocols for handling COVID-19 cases, including isolating the patient and following precautions to ensure the safety of our patients, colleagues and visitors."
"Our facility is a safe place to seek care, no matter what your health need. Since well before the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic, our facilities have taken measures to create a safe environment. Now, as ever, we have strong protocols in place and are following all guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Along with many other precautions, we have been proactive and ready with all supplies related to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including masks, gowns and any resources necessary for precautionary isolation of symptomatic patients. The safety of our patients is and always has been our first priority and we will continue to provide safe, effective, patient-centered care." That is encouraging to hear. And having been a patient in the place twice, and having gotten a feel for the place and its staff, I think they mean it.
That attitude may well come to be tested over the coming weeks or months, as possible exhaustion and frustration over lack of supplies may set in, but it is very encouraging that they seem ready to take on this monster of a virus with confidence and determination to succeed.
I hope their attitude is typical of hospitals everywhere today.
https://nfrmc.com/covid-19/