Henry Ford Allegiance Health COVID-19 Update for Friday, April 3

(April 3, 2020 2:12 PM) Henry Ford Allegiance Health officials are providing reassurance to the community that, despite an expected surge in COVID-19 cases in Jackson County, their hospital remains a safe place to receive care, especially in the case of an emergency.

“We have taken extraordinary measures to isolate our COVID-19 patients and suspected COVID-19 patients from the rest of our patient population,” said Brian Kim, MD, Chief of Staff at Henry Ford Allegiance Health. “We want anyone experiencing an emergency health situation to know this is still a very safe place for them to seek care.”

Henry Ford Allegiance Health is screening all employees, visitors and patients upon entry to their facilities, taking temperatures and assessing for other symptoms of COVID-19. Any patients arriving for emergency care without COVID-19 symptoms are directed to non-COVID-19 zones, whereas those with potential COVID-19 symptoms are taken immediately to a negative pressure room in the Emergency Department to avoid exposure to other patients seeking care.

“We have seen patients for appendicitis and other emergency cases, and they’re all doing really well,” added Dr. Kim. “These patients are recovering nicely and have not been exposed to anyone with COVID-19 thanks to robust protocols that separate patients at our hospital’s point of entry based on symptoms.”

The acute care hospital at Henry Ford Allegiance Health continues to care for patients with non-COVID-19 related health care needs.

“The work of caring for our sick patients without COVID-19 goes on,” said Wendy Boersma, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Henry Ford Allegiance Health. “Our non-COVID-19 units continue to provide exceptional care for conditions related to heart, renal, sepsis and other medical related conditions and time-sensitive medical needs. I could not be prouder of our team and the excellent work they are doing in the face of this crisis.”

As of 11 a.m. on Friday, April 3, Henry Ford Allegiance Health was treating 26 inpatients in their hospital who tested positive for COVID-19. Test results are pending on another 10 patients who are being treated as “persons under investigation,” and are being cared for on isolated units in the hospital to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19 to other patients.

Henry Ford Allegiance Health is also reporting that six hospital patients have fully recovered from COVID-19 and were discharged to return home, free of any symptoms or concern of spreading the illness to others.