Colquitt Regional Medical Center

MOULTRIE, Ga. — COVID-19 patients are constantly filling hospitals everyday, but Colquitt Regional Medical Center assures that it has the capacity and equipment to continue service.

In Colquitt Regional’s latest update — 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 8 — the hospital reported it had performed 561 tests for COVID-19: 89 positive, 315 negative and 157 still awaiting results. Six patients at the hospital had died of the illness.

It has not said how many of those have been hospitalized or how serious their conditions are, but the hospital had room to accept a COVID-19 patient transferred from a “hospital that is seeing an influx of patients,” a hospital release read. 

When asked if this patient was from Albany, CRMC did not confirm or deny but said, “We will always work with other hospitals to meet the healthcare needs of the region.”

So, there’s definitely not a strain on space within the facility. The emergency room saw a “sharp decline” in patient volume since COVID-19 was found in Southwest Georgia, the hospital’s release read.

The hospital has created a second emergency room to keep possible virus patients separated from patients with other ailments.

“Understandably, many are concerned about potential exposure should they have to visit a medical facility,” the hospital said. “Recognizing this concern, we have opened the second Emergency Room that only sees patients without any sign of COVID-19.”

This second ER space resides in the Same Day Surgery space. Physician offices have also increased access to virtual visits in a preventative measure for patients.

As CRMC has sought to protect the public from the coronavirus, it is also aiming to protect its employees from the economic effects of the current situation. They haven’t laid anyone off, but they’ve had to adjust their services to meet the community’s needs.

A part of this has been suspending elective surgeries and routine diagnostic screenings.

“These employees have been reassigned to other departments that are anticipating an increase in COVID-19 patient volume,” the release read.

This may be to the Intensive Care Unit, where patient numbers change daily, or to attend patients placed on ventilators during hospitalization.

Non-clinical departments were asked to take furlough days on a temporary basis and the auxiliary services have stopped as well. The latter stopped as soon as COVID-19 cases were found in the region.

“Not all, but the majority of our volunteers are deemed high-risk,” the release read. “While they play a very important role in our daily operations, their health is of great concern to us.”

The volunteers aren’t allowed on campus but have been sewing masks and gowns for the staff, offering words of encouragement to them as well.

CRMC have been using these community donated masks to extend the lives of the medically approved masks worn underneath. 

Personal protective equipment is being used judiciously by all staff members. CRMC still has a supply of masks and all masks are replaced after being soiled or contaminated, the hospital said.