As the state wrestles with rising Coronavirus cases, locally the message from our health care system urges the public to take it seriously.
STATEMENT FROM MAYO:
Our COVID-19 situation is constantly evolving with admissions and discharges, but as of Tuesday afternoon, Mayo Clinic Health System in Northwest Wisconsin had 83 COVID positive inpatients; that includes our hospitals in Barron, Bloomer, Eau Claire, Osseo and Menomonie. In addition, COVID-19 testing operations at Mayo Clinic Health System in Northwest Wisconsin are generating greater than 1,000 positive tests per week and positivity rates have recently exceeded 30% per day.
The public urgently needs to treat COVID-19 as the health emergency it is to prevent the health care system from being overwhelmed. We are pleading for everyone’s help to wear a mask and follow all public health guidelines to limit the spread of this disease. 100% of our beds are full at all hospitals for Mayo Clinic Health System in Northwest Wisconsin. This is a critically important message our community desperately needs to hear.
Approximately 50% of our intensive care capacity is occupied by COVID positive patients – our ICU is full. Approximately 40% of our medical surgical beds in Northwest Wisconsin are occupied by COVID positive patients – our medical surgical units are full. COVID inpatients routinely have hospital lengths of stay 2 to 3 times longer than non-COVID patients. We also have approximately 300 Mayo Clinic Health System staff in Northwest Wisconsin on work restrictions due to COVID-19 exposures.
While we are temporarily deferring elective procedures in order to free up beds for COVID-19 patients, the public needs to understand we continue to care for other patient populations in addition to COVID patients – we remain open for trauma, emergency care, and urgent care needs while also caring for COVID patients. We need your help and we need it now.
· Richard Helmers, M.D., Regional Vice President, Mayo Clinic Health System Northwest Wisconsin
· Jason Craig, Regional Chair of Administration, Mayo Clinic Health System Northwest Wisconsin
· Pam White, Chief Nursing Officer, Mayo Clinic Health System Northwest Wisconsin
