Vaccine drives, antibody infusions and expert help allow facility to address COVID needs in Attala County
As the Delta variant of Covid-19 creates a surge in cases across the state, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Attala has expanded its efforts to prevent and treat cases locally.
“This time is more overwhelming,” said hospital CEO Robert Coleman during an interview with The Star-Herald last week. “We’re seeing patients affected who are younger and we’re certainly seeing it affecting the unvaccinated. It is much more contagious.”
Vaccination efforts
To help prevent the spread of the virus, the hospital is offering vaccinations — with all three brands available — during regular hours in the medical clinic, as well as through vaccination drives.
The next vaccination drive is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 1, from 1 to 4 p.m., and Thursday, Sept. 2, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Those wishing to be vaccinated can head into the main hospital entrance and will be guided to where the service is being provided. During past drives, about 100 people received a vaccination dose (first or second) during the two-day event. If you are unable to attend a vaccination drive, you can call the clinic at 662-290-3150 to make a vaccination appointment.
Sullivan’s Drug & Gifts is offering Pfizer and Moderna vaccinations from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, with no appointment needed according to owner David Hudson. Sullivan’s can be reached at (662) 289-3234
For vaccination information at other local facilities, you can call Premier Medical Group at (662) 289-1800, Walmart Pharmacy at (662) 289-4593, and CVS at (662) 289-1963.
Both the hospital and Sullivans c an potentially do on-site vaccinations for groups or go to the home of someone unable to get out to get their shot. To set an event up, contact your preferred provider for more information.
Antibody treatment offered
As hospitals across the state struggle with lack of facilities and staff to treat everyone in need, Baptist-Attala is now able to provide monoclonal antibody treatment to help those who contract the virus avoid the need for hospitalization.
“We can offer that here in their backyard,” said Coleman, who said the facility is currently providing the treatment to 20-30 outpatients per day.
In order to receive the treatment, patient must have a referral from their physicians to receive the treatment and meet a specific set of criteria.
“We’ve got a good workflow for this. When they come in and put a mask on, they go straight to four rooms upstairs right when you get into the hospital. So that way, they're not walking throughout the whole place exposing everybody. You get up there, get in your room, and we can do four at one time,” he said. “It's great. It's been working out so well. It’s 20-30 people a day who aren't going to wind up in the hospital.”
Inpatient treatment aided by TELE-SPECIALISTS
With hospitals across the state over-capacity with COVID inpatients, Baptist-Attala is now able to provide inpatient care for COVID locally.
In total, Baptist-Attala has 25 inpatient and 10 emergency room beds. Of the 14 inpatients at the time of the interview with Coleman, about half were occupied by COVID patients, he said, with facilities for those patients kept apart from those for other care.
“The Jackson market has been inundated… they can't take any more patients,” said Coleman. “and so we developed a process now where we have a tele pulmonary doctor from Jackson that can talk with our providers, ER, and our hospitalist via a computer screen.”
The system includes monitors, a stethoscope and video capabilities so that the remote doctor has access to all the information necessary to help local doctors develop treatment plans for COVID patients.
“She can visualize the patient if she needs to, and then they have a medication regimen — how they treat those COVID patients and the criteria to be able to provide medication,” said Coleman.
The new system has only been in place for a little more than a week, but Coleman said it has already made a difference in how much the hospital can do to treat patients locally.
“We just started that on Monday of this week. It's great. These patients are admitted to pulmonary, and they're specialized in that field and can handle it,” he said. “Our doctors — if they have the criteria to go by and the specialists they can consult with to be part of that continuum of care — we can treat them right here as long as they don't have to go on a ventilator.”
Hospital advocates vaccination for ALL
According to Coleman, the Baptist hospital system has mandated that everyone affiliated with care facilities be vaccinated by Oct. 31.
Thus far, the CEO said the facility has had good staffing levels.
“We’ve been blessed that our staff has been healthy,” he said.
Coleman said that although they have increased their capabilities for inpatient COVID treatment, the preference is for people to vaccinate, and if they do get infected, to receive medication or monoclonal antibody treatment before they wind up in the hospital.
“The main thing is vaccination and monoclonal antibody treatment,” he said. “There is proven scientific evidence, the data shows, that you are not going to be hospitalized if you do contract COVID. It’s been highly successful.”
