Virus is stretching resources

Nate Blackford President of Mosaic Medical Center – Maryville

Last year at this time I authored a letter to our local papers entitled, “Goodbye 2020.” At that time, I was hopeful that 2021 would look different and by now we would be settling back into some semblance of pre-COVID normalcy. The truth is, that is not the case. COVID is still a significant risk to many in our community and continues to pose a considerable population health threat.

Our rates of COVID and COVID-related hospitalizations are again stretching our health care resources.

And, instead of bombarding you with a bunch of data to that effect, I will share a couple stories with you from last week.

I received a text from the chief nursing officer of a critical access hospital in our area. She was looking for a hospital that could take a COVID patient in their 40s that needed to be on a ventilator. The CNO indicated that she had called 20-plus hospitals in Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska, none of which could take their patient. The same critical access hospital had a less critical patient they had been trying to transfer for over four days. A separate critical access hospital in our area had to transfer a COVID patient two states away, given bed availability in the broader region.

For the past 18-plus months we have focused on “flattening the curve,” but it’s imperative that we continue to do so. It’s an alarming reality for some of our neighbors in the region.

As for us at Mosaic Medical Center – Maryville, we are fortunate to be part of a regional health care system where our patient transfers are prioritized. While our system has capacity limits as well, we are focused on ensuring our patients receive the level of care they need without delay.

Our goal at MMC-M is simple: provide high quality, compassionate care, close to home. We humbly ask that you remain diligent and help us by taking the risk mitigation steps available to you this holiday season.

Let me close my note with excerpts from a message shared by nine health system CEOs from Minnesota last week. Their message captures many of my thoughts and feelings regarding the current state of COVID in northwest Missouri, and our broader health care region, where we all receive vital health care services.

“We’re heartbroken.

We’re overwhelmed.

Our doctors, nurses and people working in health care are doing everything we can to take care of you when you’re sick. And yet every day we’re seeing avoidable illness and death as a direct result of COVID19.

The situation is critical.

Our emergency departments are overfilled, and we have patients in every bed in our hospitals.

This pandemic has strained our operations and demoralized many people on our teams. Care in our hospitals is safe but our ability to provide it is threatened. At any time you or a loved one might need our support. Heart attacks. Car accidents. Cancer. Stroke. Appendicitis. Now, an ominous questions looms: will you be able to get care from your local community hospital without delay? Today, that’s uncertain.

How does this happen in 2021 – almost two full years since this deadly pandemic began? How can we as a society stand by and watch people die when a simple shot could prevent a life-threatening illness? Your access to health care is being seriously threatened by COVID19. We need to stop the spread!

I’m not easily given to drama and hyperbole, and that is certainly not my intent. However, I feel it is very important to be honest, transparent and share facts (and real stories) when I have the opportunity. We are in this together. Please consider doing your part to ensure we have the capacity to take care of those who need our services. Our caregivers and your community are counting on you.”

Wishing you and yours a (safe) Merry Christmas and (healthy) Happy New Year.