Jordan Beck | Daily Press A screening tent for emergency department patients is set up outside of OSF HealthCare St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group Thursday. Recently, several hospitals in the area shared information on what they have done to get ready for COVID-19.

ESCANABA — Hospitals around the world are working to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. Local hospitals in the area shared information on what they have done to get ready for COVID-19.

OSF HealthCare St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group staff have been working “around the clock” in response to coronavirus.

“As the pandemic evolves, our efforts have shifted from a sole focus on preparedness, to actively caring for patients impacted by suspected or confirmed COVID-19,” hospital officials stated.

Safeguards taken at OSF St. Francis have included the cancellation of non-essential procedures and surgeries and the implementation of a no-visitor policy, with exceptions as outlined in Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive orders. The hospital is following the executive orders when making decisions about the delivery of care for patients. All people entering hospital facilities, including people working there, are asked if they have any symptoms, if they have traveled recently and if they have been in contact with people with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19.

With non-essential procedures at the hospital cancelled, President David Lord said OSF St. Francis has actually been less busy than normal in terms of patient numbers.

“Across the board, our business is down significantly,” he said, noting hospital employees have still been hard at work implementing changes related to COVID-19 and caring for patients with and without symptoms of the virus.

OSF St. Francis has switched to offering telephone and video appointments when possible in order to limit the number of people entering and leaving the hospital. While these services had been in the works before COVID-19 was a concern, efforts to implement them were ramped up as a result of the virus.

“We’re starting to do quite a few of those, and it seems to be very well-received,” Lord said.

Lord said the hospital plans to continue offering phone and video appointments after the pandemic passes.

“I believe this is one way we will be providing access to care in the future,” he said.

OSF St. Francis has also set up additional testing sites.

“Certain patients, and only those directed by our triage center, have been tested at an alternate testing site, which allows for our Mission Partners to collect (specimens) without having the patient enter the building,” Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer Lacey Crabb said.

A screening tent has been set up for emergency department patients to separate those at risk of having COVID-19 from those who are not at risk. The hospital’s walk-in clinic has been divided into two areas for patients with and without respiratory symptoms.

Hours for the walk-in clinic have been extended. The clinic is now open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Along with these precautions, OSF HealthCare is making use of technology to fight coronavirus. “Clare,” OSF’s assistant chatbot, is asking patients who may have COVID-19 follow-up questions on travel history and potential exposure to other people with the illness. It can direct patients to the COVID-19 Nurse Hotline (833-673-5669), as well.

“Anybody who reaches this line in Michigan will be directed to our local triage center, which is staffed by registered nurses and advanced practice providers. They can conduct further screening and then guide patients to the appropriate care site for testing, if necessary,” Crabb said.

People can also make use of OSF COVID Companion, a texting tool that can provide them with tips on preventing and addressing COVID-19. To use this tool, text “OSF” to 67634. Usage of the hotline, texting tool and Clare is not limited to OSF patients.

Those interested in supporting OSF St. Francis can do so by donating personal protective equipment (PPE) — as well as handmade non-clinical masks — and taking steps to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Masks and PPE can be dropped off Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the entrance of OSF St. Francis’ medical office building.

Lord said people can also help the hospital by following Whitmer’s executive order.

“It will reduce suffering and save lives,” he said.

As is the case at OSF St. Francis, business at Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital has been slower than normal lately due to restrictions on non-essential procedures.

“We’ve been rather slow, but we’ve been using that time to prepare for any surge that we would get from the virus,” Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital CEO Bob Crumb said.

Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital thanked people in the area for their support at this time.

“We want to assure our community that we are taking the necessary steps to prepare for the potential spread of COVID-19. Our Emergency Preparedness Team and clinical departments have been preparing for this pandemic for weeks,” a press release from the hospital stated.

Preparedness efforts at the hospital include the reinforcement of appropriate infection prevention protocols, the introduction of a no-visitor policy, the evaluation of current PPE supply levels, the conducting of screenings and temperature readings of people entering the building, the conversion of its ambulatory care department to include a separate space for suspected COVID-19 patients to be assessed in, and the creation of staff contingency plans.

“We are assessing our surge plans to ensure that we have adequate space on our units if we are unable to send critical patients to other larger heath care facilities,” the press release stated.

Patients are advised to call 906-341-3200 before going to the hospital. A questionnaire will help them determine if they should make an appointment, self-quarantine or use the hospital’s drive-up testing service.

A hotline answered by a nurse practitioner has been set up at 1-833-568-0133; patients who need further assessment will be called by a triage nurse to find out if testing for COVID-19 is an option for them based on state priority testing guidelines. The hotline is active from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday.

Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital is continuing to offer medical services across its departments. The hospital’s wound care team is now seeing patients in the main hospital building on Thursdays and Fridays. Chemotherapy and infusion appointments have been moved to the wound care clinic building at 101 Walnut Street. Schoolcraft Memorial HomeCare services may also be an option for people during the pandemic; for more information on these services, call 906-341-3284.

The Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital HealtheLife Patient Portal is also available for scheduled virtual visits. Patients can access the portal from a mobile phone, tablet or computer, and can use it to meet with their primary care providers via video chat. To get started, visit scmh.org and click on the orange Patient Portal button on the top of the website banner.

UP Health System (UPHS) has identified multiple patients who tested positive for COVID-19 at its hospital in Marquette.

“These patients were transferred to UPHS – Marquette from other facilities and are now in isolation at our hospital,” a UPHS statement read.

UPHS is working with the Marquette County Health Department and following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as it works to respond to the pandemic. It is also working with other hospitals in the Upper Peninsula.

“We have been preparing for the potential of COVID-19 in our community for many weeks, building upon the robust emergency operations plan we have in place year-round,” the statement read.

As part of its efforts, UPHS has moved to a zero-visitor protocol and has limited entry points to the hospital. Exceptions to the visitor protocol can include pediatric patients, the maternity unit and neonatal intensive care unit, and patients receiving end-of-life-care. Everyone entering the facility will be screened for temperature, respiratory symptoms and travel history.