Mercy Hospital going its own way?

Mercyhealth Rockton Avenue campus to treat COVID-19 patients; City, area hospitals react

Mercyhealth Rockton Avenue campus converted to COVID-19 hospital

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By WIFR Newsroom |

Posted: Thu 10:20 AM, Apr 16, 2020  |

Updated: Thu 5:54 PM, Apr 16, 2020

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) -- On Thursday, Mercyhealth announced a plan to convert its Rockton Avenue hospital into a singular location to treat Rockford’s COVID-19 patients.

At the Rockton Avenue Hospital, Mercyhealth made numerous adjustments to accommodate a COVID-19 surge including enhancing airflow by changing hospital units into negative pressure units and adding a number of critical care beds.

From the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mercyhealth has moved COVID-19 patients to the Rockton Avenue Hospital campus, maintaining the Riverside Hospital campus for NON-COVID-19 patients.

“We feel we can safely begin to perform select procedures at our Riverside Hospital campus,” states Javon Bea, President/CEO of Mercyhealth. “We have had numerous requests from patients to open outpatient services such as elective surgeries and radiology imaging services. I am sure the other Rockford hospitals have had similar requests. These services can be safely performed using appropriate protocols and precautions at our Riverside Hospital. We are confident in our plans to care for COVID-19 patients at our Rockton Avenue Hospital and NON-COVID-19 patients at our Riverside Hospital,” Bea adds.

Bea said the hospital had reached out to OSF and SwedishAmerican about their interest in participating in the plan, which would leave their hospitals open to accept NON-COVID-19 patients and perform elective procedures.

Dr. John Dorsey of Mercyhealth says, "We are certainly not looking to be the only ones doing elective surgery, what's good for us is good for everyone in the community... but I also want to make sure that absolutely everybody understands that all three health systems have risen to this along with the government, crusader, etcetera and we are all in this together..."

For the plan to be put in place, . Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara says he's disappointed in this news and says its a unilateral approach to combating the virus.

McNamara says, "We are disappointed that Mercyhealth CEO Javon Bea has chosen to act unilaterally without working through the proper channels and emergency operations center and the COVID-19 policy group... I have reached out to Javon during this crisis and have not heard back nor has he chosen to participate in any of our policy group discussions..."

SwedishAmerican Hospital President and CEO Jennifer Maher responded by saying, “We are shocked and disappointed by Mercyhealth’s announcement today. From day one, SwedishAmerican has been working in close partnership with the City of Rockford, Winnebago County Health Department and area health systems to have a coordinated plan to best care for COVID-19 patients. SwedishAmerican remains confident in our abilities to care for our community.”

OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center responded by saying, "Today’s announcement by Mercyhealth was unexpected as we have been working collaboratively with the Winnebago County Health department led Emergency Operations Center (EOC) as a coordinated COVID-19 Policy Group. We are all operating under Governor Pritzker’s executive order to not resume non-essential health care procedures until the order is lifted. We believe it is in the best interest of our communities to support the cohesive response through the EOC during this national pandemic.

Above is from:  https://www.wifr.com/content/news/MercyHealth-Rockton-Avenue-campus-to-treat-COVID-19-patients-569692571.html