Columbus Business First: Hospitals Brace for the Storm

In anticipation of the expected surge of COVID-19 patients, Ohio’s health systems are doing everything they can to make sure their facilities are as prepared as possible.

Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, OhioHealth senior vice president and chief medical officer, was recently interviewed by Columbus Business First about how OhioHealth is collaborating with other health systems to take on this unprecedented pandemic for a recent front page story.

“We think about all community health issues in the same way,” Dr. Vanderhoff told Business First reporter Carrie Ghose. “This one is forcing us to think in real time.”

With the projected peak in COVID-19 cases expected to come as early as mid to late April, OhioHealth is working to increase its capacity within its own walls before sending patients to the Greater Columbus Convention Center, the patient surge site location should central Ohio hospitals reach capacity.  

“We want to keep patients as close to home as possible,” said Dr. Vanderhoff. “We can aggregate patients by diagnosis in units within one facility, but also move patients around our 12 hospitals so COVID-19 patients access the greatest critical care capacity at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital and OhioHealth Grant Medical Center.”

Some of the steps being put in place right now could become more than temporary. For example, OhioHealth has sent nearly 500 smart tablets to hospital rooms for COVID-19 patients to help reduce the amount of protective equipment used. It’s also released mobile technology and increased video visits for patients of its home health services and primary care practices.

“It enables us to maintain a level of connection and intimacy with our patients,” Dr. Vanderhoff said. “We’re going to continue doing a lot of that virtual work because we’re discovering it’s better care. It’s more efficient, it’s more effective.”

To read the story by Columbus Business First, click on the logo below.