Joan: (continued) Then we also have three of our clinics right here by the hospital that we are praying have restored power today. The tree damage around here has just been extraordinary. Those three clinics, at 1010 Polk St. are our Cardiovascular Clinic as well as our Surgical Clinic, Northlake Surgical Associates – all are on generator power. We do believe we will have municipal power back to them today.
And then I guess I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our Folsom Clinic. It has power, and they are doing fantastic with (internet) downtime procedures but with five different IT hotspots we are able to function out of there. But we really need a long-term support solution because it sounds like it will be weeks to restore internet there.
But overall, our team has done a fantastic job. I think that public officials and these linemen have done an extraordinary job at getting all of us back up as soon as they can.
Charles: Are you aware of what is operational in other parts of the state? Maybe areas of the state that were harder hit? And does that have any impact on you? In other words, if you have got a medical system down there or maybe a small hospital that is no longer in operation, are you seeing more traffic as a result of that?
Joan: Great question, Charles. I won’t say I am a subject matter expert on the entire state, but the Louisiana Department of Health has been very challenged across the state with this storm. Our friends in Houma, Terrebonne General, took a major hit. They are coming back temporarily in sort of a field hospital scenario. That’s an incredibly resilient group, and their intention is to truly rebuild. They are fighting hard to restore not only medical care services but services for their team so that they can do that. I have no doubt that they will.
Our partner, Ochsner, had a hospital (in Houma) called Chabert that also was significantly damaged – roof damage and other related damage. They just opened up the Emergency Room yesterday. They will not be able to open up the rest of the hospital for the foreseeable future.
Our Lady of the Sea (in Cut Off) is another hospital that I heard had significant roof damage. There are others across the state as well.
What I would say, in terms of the latter part of your question, we noticed a unique difference in the population. First of all, we are busting at the seams. We have a census of 200 today. We have 61 COVID positive patients, 21 of those are on ventilators. We have 30 patients in our NICU. We are down to, and I say that literally, only eight boarders in our Emergency Room. Our Emergency Room both here on main campus and the free-standing ED in Mandeville have been saturated. What we are seeing is not only our own residents, locally and regionally, but also folks who have either come to the area to seek shelter before the storm and are now here needing healthcare services, or EMS vehicles from out of the area bringing patients here.
I would also tell you: You know they had this tragic event in Independence with one of the nursing homes. Our friends at North Oaks have been impacted tremendously by that in Hammond. They have seen as many as 60, as I understand, residents coming to them throughout that course of time. They are just really, really busy in their Emergency Department. I would just simply say, say prayers for all of our healthcare heroes. They are here to serve, but, boy everyone across the industry across the state has taken a big hit.
Charles: So, I am curious. You and I have talked about this a good bit: the burnout factor. I mean, I just don’t understand how some of the folks are still standing. You have been through this marathon of COVID. Then, to have the stress of this hurricane on top of it – talk a little bit about how your staff is holding up.
Joan: You know, I can’t say enough about the team here. I kind of get choked up when I say this. They have been through a lot. They are amazing. When you walk the halls and see them in action, it is truly a calling, and that is why they are here. But they are stressed. You know their families have been challenged. Their properties have been challenged. I mean, it is just a lot to deal with. But we try and do our very best.
This morning, we recognized some of our colleagues for our vaccination incentive. We are distributing $500 to all of our colleagues who have been fully vaccinated thus far. The rest of them have until Oct. 31 to get vaccinated and receive that $500 payout.
We were so fortunate, so fortunate: Chip Lavigne and Lavigne Oil provided us with a tanker so that we could distribute fuel to the team. The Southern Hotel has given us access to their ballroom with blow-up mattresses so our team could have some downtime and keep them engaged to work. Ballard Brands coordinated with Chevron down at our Cancer Center with our partner Ochsner Health with the opportunity for free fuel for healthcare professionals, EMS, and others, not only for their vehicles but for their gas cans. So, the outpouring of the community support and certainly our support of our own team, has been amazing.
Charles: I am curious about COVID. We have been through this awful storm, and we have gotten ourselves into this recovery mode. How do we turn people’s attention back to COVID to make sure that we continue to get rid of this last surge?
Joan: Well, I think we continue educate and communicate. But I will be honest, it appears, and this is not statistically significant, but that we have seen a number of people seeking, scheduling appoints for vaccines. We have been using our Be Well Bus in the parking lot of the Covington Clinic to provide vaccines. We have started to see an uptick in that. … So, I do think people are paying attention. They have seen the situation that their friends and relatives have gone through that have been exposed to the virus. I think they are taking heed to that now.
Charles: All right, very good. And as far as somebody who has maybe had their first shot and then did not get to get their second shot, my understanding is, go ahead and schedule that second shot. Don’t wait and (hope) you are going to be OK. You don’t have to start over so to speak. Is that accurate?
Joan: Absolutely, and I would encourage that because what we are hearing, haven’t validated it, is that CVS and Walgreens, who were vaccinating folks, obviously took a big hit also. So they are postponing those vaccines for up to two weeks. I think that is another reason we are seeing an uptick both here and down the street at our partner Ochsner Health in Covington and around us. I think that we just want to spread the word that vaccines are available, and you definitely need to get your second shot.
Charles: Alright, we are talking to Joan Coffman of St Tammany Health System. What else should I have asked Joan, before you have to go. Is there anything else you wanted to get out there?
Joan: I think that as we look ahead, we are very positive with where we are going. We are positioned very well. Our plant services team does a proactive approach to maintaining our premises in a way that is in “new” condition, is what I would call it. We are very fortunate to have such a stable environment here of four different generators to support our main campus as well as a water well, which we did not have to tap into. City water was available to us. Seek proactive care. I see a lot of people with very, very significant illness. So, I would just say seek proactive care to avoid an adverse outcome.
Charles: I want to thank you for your time this morning – I know you are busy – and the work you are doing on our behalf out there on the Northshore.
Joan: Oh, thank you, Charles. We so appreciate the partnership with you. Stay safe.