Concerned with Hospital Prepareness

[bluehende]

I honestly cannot understand how our country is so ill-prepared for a pandemic. We're so much more technologically advanced than ever and should have been looking at the future with an eye for something of this magnitude. I'm not blaming any one government administration - all of them failed in not ensuring our country was prepared.

IMHO it is pure profit motive. Like every other business inventory costs money. Keeping the beds, ventilators and staff on hand to handle this situation would cut into profits. Even non profit hospitals are always being asked to save money. Having equipment on hand that may be used once a decade or less was not going to happen. It will be interesting to see how these type of issues will be addressed in the future.

 

[Laurie]

One of the grimmest predictions I've read:

The fatalistic view from an ER Nurse on what's ahead.

Being an ER Nurse, a lot of people have asked me what I think about COVID-19. I almost inevitably tell them- first and foremost- that I really can't overstate how much of a problem it is that we don't have enough personal protective equipment (PPE)....

www.dailykos.com

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

I honestly cannot understand how our country is so ill-prepared for a pandemic. We're so much more technologically advanced than ever and should have been looking at the future with an eye for something of this magnitude. I'm not blaming any one government administration - all of them failed in not ensuring our country was prepared.

way too many SILOS / and I am not talking the farm kind .

also the world is focused on the Maginot Line of social distancing . Once that barrier is breached
by overwhelming numbers - if hospital ICU & ventilator capacity has not been increased - sayonara to those who don’t get a ventilator.

China did 3 things ( once upper management woke up)
1) - hard shut down of Wuhan area of 50+ million from the rest of the country ( 1.4 billion)
in a max. social distance manner / with no travel .

2) built some extra capacity / the 9 day hospital

3) added medical staff capacity through volunteers from non Covid 19 affected areas within China .

and probably / absolutely did #4 - fudge the numbers & control the media & social media .( probably primarily to prevent domestic unrest ....)

Yes - many jurisdictions are now looking at (# 2 & 3 ) - sooner than unfortunate Italy-
but unlikely soon enough . ( see SILOS).

as the saying goes - “those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it’s mistake “

 

[geekette]

Korea rocked it - got some titans of industry together, said, we need this. Off they go. pretty soon, entire hospital(s) were built, in came equipment, in came patients. They also TESTED EARLY, confining the virus. Confining the people. We did not do that. At All. Pandemic was foreseeable, there was even a plan, from Ebola lessons.

Apparently, too many ignored it, for far too long, thinking it couldn't happen here. It is happening here.

It has not been a mystery that our health care system has big problems. We are going to see the consequences of that. For some of us, it will be up close and personal. We are tracking to be worse than Italy.

 

[MULTIZ321]

As Covid-19 Spreads, Truckers Need to Keep
on Trucking.

As Covid-19 Spreads, Truckers Need to Keep on Trucking

The demand for hospital equipment, groceries and, yes, toilet paper has big rigs rolling and truck stops adapting.

www.wired.com

Richard

 

[geekette]

Truckers do need to keep trucking, but, big problem - lots of rest areas are closed! Truckers need sleep and bathrooms. Rest areas are the easiest, quickest and safest. I hope states reverse course and open those puppies up again. Someone has to clean, that is why they closed, to keep their employees safe.

My brother has been a trucker for about a year, hates truck stops, says they are dangerous, people driving all over the place. He much prefers the easy in, easy out rest areas. I hope if they are closed, they aren't barricaded.

 

[MULTIZ321]

Here's Why Florida Got All the Emergency Medical SuppliesIt Requested While Other States Did Not.

Here’s Why Florida Got All the Emergency Medical Supplies It Requested While Other States Did Not — ProPublica

The Department of Health and Human Services has come under fire as several states’ requests for supplies from the emergency medical stockpile go unfulfilled. A chaotic distribution plan is buckling under a big problem: Nobody has enough.

www.propublica.org

.


Richard

 

[MULTIZ321]

'Totally Unheard Of': Doctors And Nurses Aghast at Coronavirus Gear Fiasco.

One Mask Only: Coronavirus Docs and Nurses Forced to Make Terrifying Compromises

“I would feel terrible if I found out I was the person who brought it into three different nursing homes.”

www.thedailybeast.com

.


Richard

 

[MULTIZ321]

Oakland Hospital Took in Coronavirus Cruise Patients. Now, Low on Supplies, Nurses Asked to
Reuse Disposable Masks

Oakland Hospital Took in Coronavirus Cruise Patients. Now, Low on Supplies, Nurses Asked to Reuse Disposable Masks.

Nurses at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center are being told to reuse disposable safety equipment as coronavirus shortages grip the hospital.

theintercept.com

Richard

 

[MULTIZ321]

Coronavirus in the UK: 4,500 retired doctors and nurses will return to work to help fight Covid-19.

4,500 retired doctors and nurses will return to work to help fight coronavirus

Thousands of retired health professionals have signed up in the first 48 hours of the government's call to action

inews.co.uk

.


Richard

 

[capjak]

Remember when looking at number of infections, Italy is 1/5 the population compared to the US (60 Million vs 330 Million).

 

[MULTIZ321]

750,000 medical masks sit in Houston warehouse due to price-gouging allegations

750,000 medical masks sit in Houston warehouse due to price-gouging allegations

The masks were up for auction until a stop was placed on their distribution due to price-gouging allegations.

www.khou.com

Richard

 

[TUGBrian]

someone pointed out that in the US...there are approximately 2 hospital beds per 1000 people, with a tiny fraction of that being ICU beds.

I think the point many are trying to make is that there are simply not enough beds to go around to cover even if it only impacts half a % of the population...and thats even if every hospital across the country was completely empty and waiting for new patients. We all know that is not the case as nearly all hospitals run at a very high capacity if they are even remotely able to maintain profitability in this day and age.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

someone pointed out that in the US...there are approximately 2 hospital beds per 1000 people, with a tiny fraction of that being ICU beds.

I think the point many are trying to make is that there are simply not enough beds to go around to cover even if it only impacts half a % of the population...and thats even if every hospital across the country was completely empty and waiting for new patients. We all know that is not the case as nearly all hospitals run at a very high capacity if they are even remotely able to maintain profitability in this day and age.

Canada is similar
even though hospitals are all non profit with a single payer ( the province the hospital is located in)
there are always cost constraints and a focus on running close to capacity [ by having fewer (unused) beds]

 

[Conan]

Hospitals consider universal do-not-resuscitate orders for coronavirus patients

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/03/25/coronavirus-patients-do-not-resucitate/

 

[MULTIZ321]

In Just 10 Days, Dyson Designed a Completely New
Ventilator Specifically for Covid-19 Patients.

In Just 10 Days, Dyson Designed a Completely New Ventilator Specifically for Covid-19 Patients

The company famous for vacuums and hand dryers is moving remarkably fast to help fight the current pandemic.

www.inc.com

.


Richard

 

[MULTIZ321]

Test kits pour off South Korean production line.

Test kits pour off South Korean production line - Asia Times

Every few seconds, a batch of white plastic cases shoots along a conveyor belt in a South Korean factory – coronavirus test kits destined for export

asiatimes.com

Richard

 

[Tank]

I'd like to see someone put out a call for mask hoarders to drop them off at hospitals. Those guys in TN that bought all the sanitizer also had masks of various kinds. I hope if Amazon has noticed other listings of lots of masks, that they remove the ad, call the cops, masks confiscated and taken to health care workers.

I am deeply concerned for our front line workers.

This is from the Cleveland Clinic today where my wife works.

COVID-19

give.ccf.org

My beef is get our front line the protection needed!

My nephew is a new Dr in Alabama, his wife is a RN
Asked about protection

No. Reusing masks and things trying to make them stretch. Rachael not getting even a mask

Reality

Dave

 

[geist1223]

Five/ten years go many Experts warned Governments around the World that they needed to Stock Pile Medical Equipment to be ready for the next pandemic. Every Government from City/County/State/Federal levels ignored the advice and recommendations. They all got caught with their pants down. They are screaming up to the next level to be rescued from their piss poor or no planning.

 

[MULTIZ321]

They used to be oil tankers. Now they're hospital ships deployed tohelp during the coronavirus
pandemic.

They used to be oil tankers. Now they're hospital ships deployed to help during the coronavirus pandemic | CNN

Two US Navy hospital ships sent to ports in California and New York will help ease the burden of hospitals immersed in treatment of coronavirus patients.

www.cnn.com

Richard

 

[MULTIZ321]

Health officials confront new threat to speed of testing.

Health officials confront new threat to speed of testing

Public health officials are warning that a massive ramp-up in the number of tests for the coronavirus coupled with disruptions to the global supply chain are creating new shortages of some of the chemicals needed to process those tests.

thehill.com

.


Richard

 

[Rolltydr]

New York hospital now having 2 patients share a ventilator. “There’s no physician, including myself, who believes this is ideal. This is a doomsday idea,”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/a-new-york-hospital-desperate-for-ventilators-is-treating-two-patients-on-a-device-intended-for-one/2020/03/27/21c8ae7c-702a-11ea-aa80-c2470c6b2034_story.html

Harry

 

[MULTIZ321]

This one decision by the CDC will likely haunt the nation for months to come.

This one decision by the CDC will likely haunt the nation for months to come

Public health officials are just beginning to grapple with fallout from CDC's early bungling of coronavirus testing

www.salon.com

Richard

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

This one decision by the CDC will likely haunt the nation for months to come.

This one decision by the CDC will likely haunt the nation for months to come

Public health officials are just beginning to grapple with fallout from CDC's early bungling of coronavirus testing

www.salon.com

Richard

Thank you Richard for your regular news story additions and updates .

your postings - rank as one of my primary info sources on Covid 19 updates .

 

[MULTIZ321]

Thank you Richard for your regular news story additions and updates .

your postings - rank as one of my primary info sources on Covid 19 updates .

Thanks for your kind words. Glad too help keepjng the Tug Community informed.
Best Regards.

Richard