Things have been relatively quiet at Franklin Memorial Hospital, like other health care entities in our region. Our procedure volumes and inpatient census are down dramatically. As we at Franklin Memorial Hospital continue to navigate through the COVID-19 outbreak, I want to share with you what we are doing to serve our community, as well as provide resources to help you, your family, and your friends get through this increasingly challenging time.
Here is what we are doing to protect our patients and care team members, and help keep our community safe in order to “flatten the curve,” and reduce transmission of this virus.
- Modified Services: We have cancelled non-essential appointments and procedures.
- Telehealth Services: Many of our practices are offering secure telehealth video visits for patients. Contact your physician’s practice directly to check for availability.
- Screening all patients: We are screening all patients for symptoms and isolating those who show signs of infection.
- No visitors: To learn more about the new restrictions visit: https://mainehealth.org/franklin-community-health-network/patients-visitors. We are screening all who enter our facility for symptoms and if they answer yes to any questions they are asked to leave.
- Universal Masking: All persons in all of our health care facilities are required to wear a mask. This includes: employees, visitors, vendors, and all patients when they are interacting with a caregiver.
- Infection Control Measures: Repeatedly cleaning and sanitizing frequently-touched surfaces, vigilance in hand hygiene, wearing masks, and appropriate use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are all key infection control measures being used to help prevent transmission.
- Monitoring Supplies: We are monitoring our supplies daily and reaching out to area businesses that may help with our needs. For example, Origin USA in Farmington has produced 3,500 face shields for our use.
- Employee Food Exchange: We have opened a cafeteria food exchange for employees to enable them to purchase hard-to-find staple items on a weekly basis and limit visits to more crowded retailers.
- Plan to increase inpatient capacity: We have a surge plan in place in the event we have an increased number of inpatient COVID-19 positive patients.
Here’s how you can help:
- Keep Your Distance: Social distancing is the most important thing you can do to help. Keep plenty of space between yourself and others (6-foot minimum) and wash your hands often. You may be contagious even if you do not have symptoms, and your choices directly affect the health of others. Please stay home as much as possible and follow Maine’s emergency orders.
- Wear a Cloth Mask in Public: The U.S. CDC now recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
- Donate Supplies: Anyone wishing to donate masks, gowns, gloves, protective eyewear, or other PPE is requested to complete an online form at https://mainehealth.org/healthy-communities/coronavirus/donations first before arriving at the hospital with supplies. We will accept unopened supplies, as well as cloth masks for community use.
- Thank our Care Team: Join the many people who have shared videos, chalked sidewalks and left flowers to show their deep appreciation for our brave and hard-working care team. View the MaineHealth Kudos Board at https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/mainehealth#edit.
- Share Trusted Information: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention continues to be the best source for current information on COVID-19. Visit Maine CDC coronavirus online at https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/airborne/coronavirus.shtml#testing. You may also visit the MaineHealth coronavirus/COVID-19 website at https://mainehealth.org/healthy-communities/coronavirus
Our employees are on the front lines of this fight against COVID-19, and we are continuing to find innovative ways to support them. I am amazed at the talent and resilience of our caregivers throughout the organization and specifically those in the trenches as they take care of each other and our neighbors, families and friends. Please thank them when you see them.
Thank you all for your support, now and always. We know that we can get through this together.
Trampas Hutches
President
