Modern Healthcare: Preserving Personal Protective Equipment With Telemedicine

In times of need, OhioHealth continues to receive overwhelming support from the community. After a chain of local optometry clinics recently closed, the organization donated its protective gloves to help keep OhioHealth’s medical supplies stocked.

OhioHealth has seen similar support from a Columbus-based construction company that donated extra protective masks.

"There is an altruistic sense behind it because all of us are in this," Andrea Darby, vice president of IT integration at OhioHealth, told Modern Healthcare reporter Alex Kasik on March 24. “The community wants to know how they can help."

Darby told Modern Healthcare that OhioHealth is working to conserve PPE by giving around 500 iPads to its intensive-care and surgical units who have patients with COVID-19 or are awaiting test results.  This strategy is expected to cut in-person visits in half. Where possible, OhioHealth is also replacing face-to-face appointments with audio or video connections, with the goals of reducing infections and preserving PPE.

While OhioHealth isn't short on masks, scrubs, gowns, gloves, hand sanitizer or other personal protective equipment yet, conserving resources still remain a top priority.

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