LANCASTER, Ohio — A surge in hospitalizations due to COVID-19 has put stress on Ohio hospitals. Not necessarily over bed space, but the strain the surge is placing on staff.
Jack Janoso, the president and CEO of Fairfield Medical Center in Lancaster, spoke to 10TV this week about the issue.
“They care about what they are doing. Their hearts are in it but at some point in time they are going to exhaust themselves. They are only human beings,” he said.
Janoso’s warnings echoed similar remarks made by other healthcare administrators who spoke earlier this week during one of Gov. DeWine's coronavirus briefings.
The chorus was familiar: new infections of COVID-19 are spreading throughout the entire state and hospitalizations continued to soar. It has led to remarks urging the public to continue to wear masks, practice social distancing and alter or cancel holiday get-togethers.
“[Staff] do an amazing job, they do it from their heart but the… the longevity of this pandemic and its increasingly severe number of people walking through our doors is alarming to me.” Janoso said.
Fairfield County’s current standardized rate of cases is 840 per 100,000.
Less than a month ago, that figure was 233 per 100,000.
Hospitalizations statewide have been rising for weeks.
“I think the greater concern – as you are probably hearing from our colleagues across the country - is that the demand is beginning to exceed the supply,” Janoso said.
In terms of the hospital’s financial footing, Janoso said they have been able to stay in solid footing through the help of CARES Act loans and grants, but acknowledges that the length of the pandemic could present the possibility of future financial challenges.
His focus during most of our interview, however, was on the nurses, doctors and other frontline healthcare workers who are spending the holiday caring for those sick with COVID-19.
He encouraged others to alter their behavior to help curb infections , and thus, reduce future hospitalizations.
“If you have a safe bubble, right now is not the time to cross those bubbles because two weeks later we are going to see another rise in sickness that comes from people trusting their loved ones not to make them sick. They don’t intend to, they just don’t know that they are sick,” he said.
Janoso says in addition to canceling holiday plans, wearing a mask and social distancing, there are other ways we can help frontline healthcare workers.
He suggested sending a healthcare worker a ‘thank you’ note - letting them know you’re grateful for their efforts.