Dignity Health MTMC Releases Pandemic Policy Statement
San Andreas, CA — As state and federal officials warn of a surge ahead in COVID-19 cases, a local hospital is clarifying how it is preparing.
In a statement released Monday afternoon, Dignity Health Mark Twain Medical Center (MTMC) officials shared its pandemic or surge capacity policy as follows…
“In anticipation of potential surges, we have identified locations at our facility where we could care for infected patients to avoid exposure to the general patient population. This could involve creating barriers within our hospitals or installing a surge tent as we have done outside our Emergency Department, where we can triage patients outside of our care site.”
“If there were an influx of severely ill patients, we would triage the most critically ill who need a higher level of care. Patients could also be transferred to our sister facilities or to other nearby health systems.”
“Any capacity concerns at MTMC would involve a coordinated effort with our local public health and with other nearby hospitals. We have created collaborative networks with public health and CDC and other health systems in our community to ensure the patients who need care can get to a facility with capacity.”
MTMC officials emphasize the hospital continues to partner with all local, state, and federal public health agencies and regulators to ensure that its response to the COVID-19 situation is informed by and consistent with their guidance. They add, “When these agencies ask us for information that helps inform their perspective, guidance and actions, we provide it. Because these agencies have all of this information for Calaveras County, they have the ability to analyze that information and provide appropriate context and perspective.”
To that end, they say they are referring those requesting insight about how the county is positioned to respond in connection with changing COVID-19 circumstances to the public health agencies.
