SARASOTA (WSNN) – Things appear to be looking brighter for at least two Suncoast hospitals.
At one point, SMH devoted the entire fifth floor to coronavirus patients. As cases diminished, eight beds were consigned to COVID-19. But as of Saturday, there is no one ill enough to require an ICU stay. And the staff is overjoyed.
“It was exciting, we clapped, we gave him a high-five,” ICU Nurse, Casey Weismann, said. “It was great that he was able to “graduate” out of the ICU, kind of moving on up. One step out of the ICU is another step closer to going home.”
Since Saturday, SMH ICU medical director, Kirk Voelker, M.D., says they haven’t seen patients sick enough to go to the COVID-19 ICU pod. He credits SMH participation in national research trials with the antiviral drug remdesivir, and with using convalescent plasma.
“We can give it to them much earlier in the course,” Voelker said. “Previously we had to wait for them to be sick enough to be on a mechanical ventilator. Now, we’re able to give it to them as soon as they become symptomatic.”
On Facebook Saturday night, Weismann wrote “Man did that ever feel good to say goodbye.”
SMH Spokesperson Kim Savage says since the beginning of March, they hospitalized 167 people who tested positive for COVID-19. Among them, 40 COVID-19 patients were put in ICU. But, they have safely discharged 117 people.
Weismann says the most rewarding part was being able to see them win the fight.
“You get to know these patients, not by a bed number, not by their last name, but by their first name,” Weismann said. “And you really got vested in really pulling for these people, because you become a part of their life.”
Doctors Hospital Chief Medical Officer Michael Schandorf-Lartey, M.D., says they’ve also seen a decline in cases.
“At the current time we only have 3 in the hospital,” Schandorf-Lartey said. “None of them in the ICU, and none of them on the breathing machine. So hopefully it won’t get any worse than it is now, and it will continue to get better.”
Doctors Hospital reported the state’s first coronavirus case in late February, with a Manatee County man being released to home about a week later. Dr. Schandorf-Lartey says out of the 300 patients they tested, they’ve had 16 positive cases.
“Things are letting up, it’s time to breathe a sigh of relief,” Voelker said.
SMH and Doctor’s Hospital doctors say they are prepared if the coronavirus cases are to increase again.