The current pace of COVID-19 infections in West Michigan offers a troubling outlook for the coming weeks, Spectrum Health leaders said during a media briefing Thursday.
Of the roughly 4,000 COVID-19 tests conducted each day within the Spectrum Health system, about 18% are now testing positive for the disease, said Darryl Elmouchi, MD, president of Spectrum Health West Michigan.
Last week, about 15% of tests were positive for the virus.
“The situation is definitely worsening since last week, as we had all imagined,” Dr. Elmouchi said.
That trend is also developing elsewhere in the state.
“You can see that whether it’s southeast Michigan, West Michigan, Northern Michigan or the UP, we are seeing increases in COVID across the entire state,” Dr. Elmouchi said.
Unsurprisingly, the hospitalization rate is climbing in tandem.
At the current trajectory, by month’s end Spectrum Health could be treating anywhere from a low end of 600 patients to a high end of 1,200 patients, according to Dr. Elmouchi.
Also, the patients with COVID-19 who are being cared for in the intensive care units of Spectrum Health are far sicker now compared to patients admitted to the ICU this past spring.
This is because better therapies and treatment are available now, as compared to earlier this year, which means those requiring hospitalization are in far worse condition.
“By the time you make it to the ICU, you are very sick,” Dr. Elmouchi said. “Walking though those units, it is very hard to see.
“When you talk to some of our doctors and nurses, they have never taken care of this many very sick patients at the same time.”
Still, promising developments have emerged.
While Spectrum Health had been inching toward full capacity in its ICUs, health teams have worked quickly to increase ICU space by about 30%.
“Our teams have been spectacular,” Dr. Elmouchi said.
The hospitals are now positioned to expand further as the need arises.
“We have additional capacity in both staff and beds—it’s just a matter of moving things around,” he said.
Skilled team members are also being moved from other specialty areas to help treat ICU patients, which will help address any staffing shortages.
Of Spectrum Health’s 31,000 team members, last month more than 700 tested positive for COVID-19. Many team members are working extra shifts throughout the pandemic to help cover gaps in staffing.
“That certainly has helped us get through this,” Spectrum Health chief nursing executive Shawn Ulreich said.
While the health system has taken many additional precautionary steps amid the rise in COVID-19 cases—recently limiting COVID-19 testing to symptomatic people, for instance—leaders continue to share the critical importance of community members doing their part.
Those who have contracted COVID-19 and recovered from the disease are encouraged to donate antibody-rich plasma to help doctors treat other patients.
In West Michigan and nationally, families are being asked to limit Thanksgiving celebrations to their immediate household.
“We are very worried—as everyone in the country is—about Thanksgiving and how that might drive those numbers further into December,” Dr. Elmouchi said.
Frequent hand-washing, maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet and wearing a mask remain essential steps, Ulreich said.
Community members need to recognize that health teams are working hard to keep people safe, Ulreich and Dr. Elmouchi said.
“Honestly … you see it on the faces of so many people,” Dr. Elmouchi said. “People are working so hard. It’s a scary time.”
It’s concerning when some folks may question the reality of the disease, or snub warnings about how large gatherings could ramp up the spread of the virus, they said.
“If you were to talk to our doctors and nurses, they’ll say, ‘That just means I’m going to have to work that much harder,’” Dr. Elmouchi said.
“The more we can get the word out that this is real—real people taking care of real people—hopefully that’ll impact some folks and change their behaviors,” he said.
Nationally, COVID-19 deaths could close in on 300,000 by mid-December at the current rate, according to modeling by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Spectrum Health teams are well-positioned to receive, store and administer COVID-19 vaccinations as they’re rolled out in the near future, the health leaders said.
The hospital system’s additional precautionary measures amid the uptick in cases includes:
- Expanding ICU capacity and dedicating more space to care for patients battling COVID-19.
- Further limiting visitors to keep patients and the community as safe as possible.
- Moving services to outpatient facilities as much as possible and emphasizing curbside and virtual services.
- Deferring some inpatient surgeries that require an overnight stay.
And yet so many people are shopping at Walmart, Meijer, etc without masks.
PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK THIS WILL GO AWAY….,NOT!!!! DEATH ALERTS ARE EVERYWHERE NOW BECAUSE we do not have a grip with everyone to understsnd the importance of DO NOT GO THERE in public except if absolutely need to be out. I stay home due to so many possibilities that could take me out due to my illness’s. No challenges needed!
Glad you’re staying home and staying as safe as possible, Judith. You’re right – this isn’t going away anytime soon, but we’re hopeful that if people practice safety precautions – wearing masks when out in public, keeping their distance from others, limiting indoor gatherings/meals to immediate households, and washing/sanitizing hands, we’ll be on a better path moving forward. We need everyone to do their part, and we thank you mightily for doing yours. Thank you.
Is it safe to go into the doctor’s office for a scheduled annual physical or should I postpone it for the time being?
Hi Kay, I appreciate your concerns. Mask use is required in all Spectrum Health facilities, and protocols are in place in regard to expediting appointments with minimal wait time and reducing potential exposure and contact with others. Annual physicals are helpful in identifying health issues that might be more easily treated with early detection. We urge you to share your concerns with your family provider’s office, and inquire as to the procedures and other practices they have in place. If you don’t feel comfortable with going to the office at this time, they might have virtual options available for you, or would be able to reschedule at your convenience. Hope this helps! Cheers, Cheryl
Is it safe to go into Health Pointe (a Spectrum facility) for my annual mammogram or better to delay?
Hi Sue, thanks for asking. Mask use is required in all Spectrum Health facilities, and protocols are in place in regard to expediting procedures and screenings. The team will also screen you as you enter the facility and check-in. Mammogram screenings are important for detecting abnormalities early on, when cancer could be more easily treatable. I didn’t delay mine for this reason. When I went in for my mammogram at the Spectrum Health Cancer Center at LHCP a few weeks ago, I was in and out within 15 minutes. It was great. There was minimal (a few minutes, tops) waiting, and I went directly into the mammogram room with the technologist who would be doing the imaging. She was quick, efficient and yet thorough. I personally felt as safe as possible and appreciated the care taken by the teams to limit potential exposure. Hope this helps. If you have further questions, please reach out to the Health Pointe team for their facility’s procedures and guidance. Best wishes to you. Cheers, Cheryl
It’s amazing how many people still do not believe COVID and that masks do not work. Some say, it is just like getting the flu, no big deal. What is it going to take to get the message across?
I found one comment replied on the Washington Post that says “You may be tired of Covid, it is never tired of you. You may not believe in Covid, but Covid believes in you.”
I think this is a strong message that maybe could be shared. But then again the nonbelievers still most likely will kick it to the side.
All I can think of is when the nonbelievers get it, they are learning the hard way. Sad that is what it will take. Hopefully many will be lucky and never get it.
Thank you, Sue, for being a health care hero and sharing this message with others. It is difficult for those who are not on the front lines, or who have not experienced the ravages of COVID-19 within their circle, to truly understand the toll COVID-19 is taking on our community, state and nation. All we can do is continue to share our truth as a health care organization and team members… and keep doing our part. Thank you for doing your part. A million times over, thank you.
What is further frustrating as a healthcare worker for 15 years and a current student with a major of Nursing at KVCC, is the tedious process for getting in to the nursing program. Which by the way has still not expanded. All of this expectation of illness and the need for nurses, and still only 40 applicants accepted. I am thankful for the future for frontlines program coming about but average admitting GPA is a 3.8 at KVCC with only 40 seats available still for admission despite everything going on! Get the gates open on education and quit making qualified candidates jump through hoops for years, and waste time retaking a class where a B+ was earned and a A- is needed. Get the nurses in the door!! We are waiting to learn and serve.