South Jersey Magazine - Cherry Hill / Haddonfield / Voorhees

zoom_in

520 Pandemic Feature - v4 - FINAL - R1_Pages 5 / 6 / 20 3 : 54 PM Page 3 The experience of the last two months , with the Red Cross to secure the needed while traumatic for many who convalescent plasma . ” are working on the front lines and those who have lost In addition to participating in the Mayo loved ones , also brings stories of success . Clinic research study , Inspira’s Clinical People are recovering and research into Research Office is making a separate and RESPONDING TO THE new treatments is underway . additional effort to inform recovered COVID - PRESSURE Virtua and Inspira Health are partici - 19 patients that they may meet specific The health care industry steps up pating in a program led by the Mayo Clinic eligibility criteria to donate and subsequently when we need it most . that is evaluating the use of convalescent register with the Red Cross as plasma BY LIZ HUNTER plasma on the immune systems of critically donors . According to Abate , many of the ill patients . This plasma is collected from IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC , people they are contacting are excited by donors who have recovered from the coro - health care organizations were bracing the opportunity to help others . navirus and possess antibodies . In April , for impact , dealing with unknowns and Like most things in medicine , says Virtua performed the first two transfusions preparing for the worst . Brian Sweeney , Blaber , there are risks associated with of this type in New Jersey on a man and interim president of Jefferson Health New every course of action . “ For those first two woman in their early 60s , and reported Jersey — whose Cherry Hill hospital cared plasma recipients , the potential reward — their recovery and expected return home . for the first positive case in South Jersey — saving their lives — far outweighed any “ Convalescent plasma therapy for says he witnessed firsthand the magnitude risk . But that does not mean it is the best COVID - 19 patients is both intriguing and of caring for that patient . “ As it spread , it or most appropriate option for everyone . unproven , ” Blaber says . “ We are delighted was challenging in terms of coordinating The same can be said for remdesivir , an by the recoveries of our initial two plasma care , ” he says . “ We had to reconfigure to experimental antiviral drug that was orig - recipients and glad prepare for a surge , but the slow ramp - up inally designed to combat Ebola . There that Virtua can con - in South Jersey gave us time to plan and have been some early reports of its effec - tribute to the national research on this we are constantly scouring for all evi - tiveness , but only time will tell if there are treatment option . However , far more data dence - based practices and adopting them proven clinical benefits , ” he says . is necessary before we can speak to the locally . ” Health care organizations are leveraging efficacy of this intervention . ” Although things have been more man - technology in innovative ways , and it has ageable in our become a valuable tool for treatment area , Sweeney says that during the pandemic , potentially setting doesn’t necessarily mean there has been up telehealth platforms a slowdown . “ Some days look like there’s in particular as been a flattening , but then the next day the new norm . you have more . … It seems it hasn’t slowed For instance , Inspira launched a ded - IN A WAY , ACCESS yet , but it’s also not growing at a fast rate . ” icated COVID - 19 chatbot , dubbed “ Rosie , ” Dr . Reginald Blaber , executive vice pres - accessible from the Inspira Health home - TO CARE ACTUALLY ident and chief clinical officer of Virtua page , which walks people who think they INCREASED AS Health , says his organization is seeing signs have been exposed through a series of “ of a light at the end of the tunnel . “ The questions to determine their next steps . A TRANSPORTATION number of patients with COVID - 19 illness 16 - day self - monitoring tool was also added , admitted to our five hospitals has leveled allowing physicians to check in on a large ISSUES OR COMMUTE off and there are indicators that it may be sample of patients and their progress . TIMES WERE in its decline , ” he says . “ The surge that Dr . Joshua S . Coren , professor and experts once projected now seems signif - chair , family medicine , Rowan University ELIMINATED . icantly diminished . … I credit this to the School of Osteopathic Medicine ( SOM ) , THE TELEHEALTH luxury of time and the widespread stay - says COVID - 19 impacted the department’s at - home and social distancing measures . ” entire business model . All normal opera - TECHNOLOGY ENABLES For now , tions had to be revised , and they continue this has meant that hospital US TO STILL SEE to adapt . As a department that provides beds , ventilators , PPE and other supplies primary care and therapeutic mental have remained available among South OUR PATIENTS FACE health services to the community , con - Jersey’s health care providers . In terms of TO FACE . ” tinuing its high level of care was essential . testing kits , Blaber says their lack of avail - Switching to telehealth quickly made it ability is less of an issue now . Virtua reports — Dr . Joshua S . Coren , possible . it is testing more than 140 people daily at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine “ We its testing locations in Burlington and were able to maintain access for Camden counties , and Sweeney says Jef - our patients in a safe environment while ferson is performing about 750 tests a reducing risk of transmission of COVID - week between its three sites as well . “ The scientific community is cautious - 19 to patients and employees , ” Coren says . “ It is especially important that testing ly optimistic that convalescent serum “ In a way , access to care actually increased kits are available for health care employees might prove beneficial to people with as transportation issues or commute times and first responders . They are vital during severe or life - threatening COVID - 19 , ” says were eliminated . The telehealth technology the pandemic , and testing allows us to Dr . Sami Abate , director of clinical research enables us to still see our patients face to know if they are available to report to at Inspira Health . “ We have identified six face , which allows us to continue building work or if they need to stay home and patients in our hospitals who meet the relationships with them . ” quarantine , ” says Blaber . criteria to participate , and we are working The experience was also invaluable to SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume 17 issue 2 SouthJerseyMagazine.com 32 |

view text

zoom_in

520 Pandemic Feature - v4 - FINAL - R1_Pages 5 / 6 / 20 3 : 54 PM Page 4 S O U T H J E R S E Y P U T S U P A F I G H T people to know we are staying on top of ernment races to ease the financial burden RowanSOM’s students . “ From an educa - the updates . ” on individuals and business owners alike , tional standpoint the students were able Samaritan also turned its inpatient it’s become painfully obvious that the way to be directly involved in the care of patients center in Mount Holly into a dedicated business is being conducted these days is during a global pandemic , as well as receiv - coronavirus unit with 10 beds for hospice not what we’re used to . ing education specifically in the area of patients who have tested positive and its Many of us have been working from telehealth , ” Coren continues . “ Additionally , Voorhees center has transformed one of its the confines of home , sharing “ office ” space by adapting the family medicine clerkship , three wings for similar care . And prior to with children and juggling virtual staff meet - we are able to limit the impact of COVID - ings with virtual learning . And for the others 19 on the students ’ coursework , and ulti - he pandemic , its palliative group launched t whose jobs have been deemed essential , mately graduation date , ensuring their primary physician care for homebound they continue to operate while trying to hard work and training experience as little people . navigate new guidelines and restrictions . disruption as possible . ” “ First and foremost , we are here for It’s a less than ideal situation , but the over - Feedback has been positive from both our community . We are caring for more whelming ability to adapt — thanks to a big staff and patients regarding the telehealth than 500 patients every day and we are as lift from modern technology — has allowed environment . Coren says this may very committed as ever , ” Rosen says , adding local businesses to move forward while also well become a “ new norm ” for family that Samaritan is also continuing to accept giving them a blueprint for dealing with medicine depending on the type of visit new patients . such an unexpected event . or for patients facing transportation issues . Similar dedication is also being seen “ Telehealth cannot completely take the place of hands - on medicine , particularly for osteopathic physicians , but it is a great tool we can and should use to improve access to care for our patients moving forward at Rowan Medicine , ” he says . USING HIS LAPTOP , Unfortunately , some patients cannot DR . SCOTT SCHAFFER CONDUCTS A TELEVISIT receive the care they’ve been waiting for — WITH A PATIENT such as postponed surgeries — due to the shutdown , and Sweeney says this is a con - cern among Jefferson’s clinical teams . “ A lot of patients have been waiting for elective care — this is still care they need , and there is a risk to not getting it , ” he says . “ We are eager to get back to what we do as a full - service provider , and patients are eager to get the care . ” Blaber echoes this concern . “ We know that people have held off seeing a doctor or having routine tests and procedures . In the weeks ahead , all of us should be mindful of the risks of continuing to not seek care for our chronic medical prob - lems , ” he says . “ As much as we have to be concerned about avoiding coronavirus exposure , we also have to be thoughtful about making sure that we are getting the appropriate care of our chronic illnesses like high blood pressure , diabetes , coronary Such is the case with Samaritan Health - with Moorestown Visiting Nurses Association artery disease , and the like . Otherwise , we care & Hospice , which created a special ( MVNA ) where the staff is answering the might find ourselves in as much or more task call in more ways than one . risk than that associated with contracting force to handle its response to the “ We’ve seen nurses and therapists come COVID - 19 . ” virus . Led by its chief medical officer , the off their shift and then go straight out again task force also includes members of its to volunteer their skills when and where senior leadership as well as representatives A NEW WAY OF more help is needed . We have also seen from across the organization . The team DOING BUSINESS staff using their own time to pick up supplies handles everything from creating new pro - Learning to adapt when the typical or food for elderly patients who are scared tocols to managing the supply of personal workday becomes anything but . and have nowhere else to turn , ” says Chickie protective equipment . BY PETER PROKO Holcombe , president and “ We are constantly receiving , digesting CEO . and reviewing information and making When talking about the work that her THE COVID - 19 PANDEMIC has challenged adjustments to our plan as needed , ” says team does , Holcombe also cites the impor - different businesses and industries in varying Joanne Rosen , vice president , marketing tance of keeping a regular routine with ways , but there’s no doubt that it’s had a and public affairs . “ Keeping our staff patients . With many already isolated and direct effect on each one of them . As unem - informed is critically important — we want living alone , the current crisis has magnified ployment numbers rise and the federal gov - SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume 17 issue 2 SouthJerseyMagazine.com | 33

view text

input

view_module

keyboard_arrow_left

keyboard_arrow_right