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‘We are in good shape’: Gov. Stitt updates on hospital surge plan in response to coronavirus Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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IS PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON THE HOSPITAL SURGE PLAN. GOV. STITT: THE OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD IS WITH ME TODAY TO GIVE US AN UPDATE. WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT OUR COMPREHENSIVE HOSPITAL SURGE THAT WE HAVE BEEN PUTTING TOGETHER OVER THE LAST MONTH. IT IS DESIGNED TO MAKE SURE OKLAHOMA IS FULLY PREPARED TO HANDLE ANY SURGE IN OUR HOSPITALS AND TO OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. BEFORE I GET INTO THE SPECIFICS, I WANTED TO SHARE A FEW UPDATES. AS THIS IS EASTER WEEKEND, I WANT TO REMIND OKLAHOMANS THAT MY SAFER AT HOME ORDER APPLIES TO ANY GROUPS OF 10 OR MORE. CHURCHES ARE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB OF INNOVATING. I WILL BE WATCHING CHURCH ONLINE ON EASTER SUNDAY WITH MY FAMILY IN OUR LIVING ROOM. I KNOW THESE ARE VERY DIFFICULT TIMES FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES. MY HEART BREAKS FOR ANYONE WHO IS HAVING TO DEAL WITH THIS TRAGEDY AT THIS TIME. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE LIMIT GATHERINGS TO 10 OR MORE. MANY FUNERAL HOMES HAVE BEEN OFFERING WAYS SO MANY FRIENDS AND FAMILIES CAN GATHER VIRTUALLY. I WANT TO THANK THOSE FUNERAL HOME INDUSTRIES, THE FUNERAL HOMES FOR CONTINUING TO INNOVATE AND MAKE IT IN A SAFE WAY FOR THOSE TO GRIEVE. I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT NURSING HOMES. MY EXECUTIVE ORDER LIMITED VISITORS TO NURSING HOMES, BUT BY NO MEANS, DID IT LIMIT THE END OF LIFE VISITATIONS. PLEASE DO NOT LIMIT LOVED ONES FROM VISITING THEIR LOVED ONES AT THE END OF A LIFE. NOW, I WANT TO UPDATE YOU ON WHERE WE ARE AGAINST THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19. WE ARE SEEING TREMENDOUS EVIDENCE RIGHT NOW THAT OUR SOCIAL DISTANCING, ALL OF MY EXECUTIVE ORDERS ARE WORKING. WE ARE FLATTENING THE CURVE IN OKLAHOMA. IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE DON’T TAKE OUR FOOT OFF THE GAS. WE NEED TO CONTINUE THESE SOCIAL DISTANCING PRACTICES THROUGH THE END OF APRIL SO WE CAN GET BACK TO NORMAL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. REMEMBER, STAY-AT-HOME IF YOU CAN, LIMIT YOUR TRIPS TO ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES AND LIMIT ONE PERSON TO THE GROCERY STORE, IF POSSIBLE. ON TESTING, WE HAVE CURRENTLY TESTED, IN OKLAHOMA, 22,000 INDIVIDUALS. WE HAVE MORE THA -- ALEJANDRA: IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE HAVING ISSUE THERE WITH A LIVE FEED. JUST TO GIVE YOU A QUICK RECAP, GOVERNOR STITT PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON THE HOSPITAL SURGE PLANE AT THIS TIME. HE IS TALKING ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TESTED IN OKLAHOMA. HE SAYS AT LEAST 22,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TESTED SO FAR. HE CONTINUES TO TALK ABOUT SOCIAL DISTANCING. IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A BACKUP. GOV. STITT: I WANT TO REMIND OKLAHOMANS THAT IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OF A TEMPERATURE OF WRATH OR COUGH, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO SOMEONE THAT HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19, I WANT YOU TO GET TESTED. REMEMBER, YOU CAN CALL YOUR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN, YOU CAN CALL 211, OR YOU CAN GO TO CORONAVIRUSHEALTH.OK.GOV TO FIND OUT WHERE YOU CAN GET TESTED. WE CURRENTLY HAVE 1600 POSITIVE CASES IN OUR STATE. 790 PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY RECOVERED. I AM ALSO CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC REGARDING OUR TRENDS IN HOSPITALIZATIONS. WE HAVE REMAINED FLAT FOR THE LAST 11 DAYS IN OUR COVID PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED ALL ACROSS OUR STATE. THAT IS A GOOD TREND THAT ALL REMODELERS ARE CONTINUING TO UPDATE. NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO STOP A SOCIAL DISTANCING. IT IS WORKING AND WE HAVE GOT TO CONTINUE THAT EFFORT THROUGH APRIL 30. THE IHME MODEL THAT THE WHITE HOUSE TASK FORCE REFERENCES, SHOWS THAT OKLAHOMA IS FLATTENING OUR CURVE. I WANTED TO SHOW THIS MAP TO YOU. WE ARE PROJECTED TO SEE 1115 BEDS NEEDED. THAT IS WHAT THE MODEL SHOWS. EVEN ON THE HIGH END OF THE MODEL, AROUND 2698 BEDS, THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT OKLAHOMA HAS 4633 HOSPITAL BEDS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR COVID PATIENTS IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA. WE HAVE CREATED TREMENDOUS CAPACITY. OKLAHOMANS ARE IN GOOD SHAPE. THE NEXT GRAPH SHOWS 229 ICU BEDS NEEDED. OKLAHOMA, WE HAVE THREE TIMES THAT MANYICU BEDS -- MANY ICU IN OBAMA -- ICU BEDS AVAILABLE IN OKLAHOMA. WHEN IT COMES TO VENTILATORS, WE ARE PROJECTED TO NEED 195 AT OUR PEAK. OKLAHOMA, WE HAVE VERY WELL PREPARED. OUR TEAM HAS BEEN SEARCHING AROUND THE GLOBE FOR MORE VENTILATORS. WE HAVE ALMOST 1800 TOTAL VENTILATORS AVAILABLE IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA, MORE THAN WE ARE GOING TO NEED EVEN IN THE LARGE END OF THE PEAK. EVEN WITH WHAT THE IMHE MODEL PROJECTS IS THE WORST CASE SCENARIO. I WANT TO REMIND OKLAHOMANS, WE ARE IN GOOD SHAPE IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA. ON TOTAL BEDS, ICU BEDS AND VENTILATORS. OUR STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO BEEN WORKING, AND I HAVE BEEN ASKING THE MODELERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA AND OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY AND THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WITH THEIR EPIDEMIOLOGISTS TO CONTINUE TO REVISE THE MODELS FROM THE DATA WE ARE SEEING ON THE GROUND IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA. I WANT TO REMIND OKLAHOMANS, THAT IS THE WAY THAT WE WILL MAKE DECISIONS IN OUR STATE IS BASED ON THE SCIENTIFIC DATA AND THE HEALTH EXPERTS THAT ARE ADVISING US. THE STATE MODEL MOVES THE PEAK UP TO APRIL 21, BUT SHOWS WE WILL NEED FEWER HOSPITAL BEDS, BUT MORE ICU BEDS. BUT STILL, WELL UNDER OKLAHOMA’S CURRENT CAPACITY. EITHER WAY, WE ARE IN GOOD SHAPE AND THAT HAS BEEN MY NUMBER ONE GOAL IN THE GOVERNOR SOLUTIONS TASK FORCE IS TO MAKE SURE OKLAHOMA IS PREPARED FOR ANY INEVITABLE PEAK. JUST BECAUSE THE MODELS CONTINUE TO LOOK BETTER OVER TIME, WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR GUARD UP. IN OKLAHOMA, WE LOVE OUR WEATHER FORECASTS. DESPITE HOW MANY TALENTED METEOROLOGISTS WE HAVE ACROSS OUR STATE, WE KNOW THAT FORECASTS CAN CHANGE OVER TIME. THE HOOK ECHO DOESN’T ALWAYS DROP A TORNADO. THAT IS WHY MY GOVERNOR SOLUTION TASK FORCE HAS BEEN WORKING SO HARD ON THIS DETAILED, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO PLAN FOR THE WORST. I HOPE WE NEVER HAVE TO USE IT, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE WILL BE PREPARED IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA. BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO OTHERS ON MY TASK FORCE, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR WONDERFUL HOSPITALS, DOCTORS, NURSES, HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS, FIRST RESPONDERS AROUND THE STATE, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING. MOST OF OUR HOSPITALS HAVE HAD TO MAKE SOME REALLY TOUGH DECISIONS, FINANCIAL DECISIONS BY FOREGOING ELECTIVE SURGERIES TO PROTECT THE PPE IN CASE OF THIS SURGE. I WANT TO THANK THE HOSPITALS, SPECIFICALLY IN WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO GET READY FOR THE SURGE. THEY HAVE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB. WE HAVE ASKED THEM TO SURGE UP TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR OKLAHOMANS AND THEY HAVE DONE A RELAY GOOD JOB. I WANTED TO BRING UP PATTY DAVIS, PRESIDENT OF THE OKLAHOMA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AND TELL YOU SOME OF THE GREAT THINGS ARE HOSPITALS HAVE BEEN DOING. PATTY: THAN YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. WHEN WE WERE TASKED WITH DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT OKLAHOMA WAS CAPABLE OF TACKLING THIS CRISIS, THE OKLAHOMA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION QUICKLY INVENTORIED OUR MEMBER HOSPITAL TO DETERMINE HOW MANY BEDS ARE AVAILABLE, HOW MANY ICU’S ARE AVAILABLE AND HOW MANY VENTILATORS ARE AVAILABLE. WHAT WE LEARNED IS AN AMAZING THING ABOUT OKLAHOMANS, THAT WE ARE READY AS WE CAN BE FOR WHAT MAY BE COMING AT US. WE KNOW AFTER TAKING AN INVENTORY, NOT JUST OKLAHOMA CITY AND TULSA, HAVE T CAPABILITY OF TAKING CARE OF COVID PATIENTS. TODAY, HOSPITALS ACROSS THE STATE ARE DOING THAT AND DOING IT VERY WELL WITH THEIR MEDICAL STAFFS AND MANAGING PEOPLE CLOSE TO HOME. THE SURGE PLAN WILL RELY UPON ORIGINAL MODEL. THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE 72 HOSPITALS THAT HAVE VENTILATOR CAPABILITY. THAT IS BY FAR, THE MOST CRITICAL NEED IN THE MOST SERIOUS PATIENTS. THE SURGE PLAN WILL WORK LIKE THIS. WE WILL KEEP PATIENTS IN THE REGION TO THE CAPABILITY OF THE REGION, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. IF A HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE IS NEEDED IN OKLAHOMA CITY AND TULSA, THAT WILL BE MANAGED BY THE TRACK, WHICH IS THE TRAUMA TRIAGE REFERRAL CENTER AND THEY WILL BE IMAGING TRANSFERS IN. WE WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT WE BELIEVE ALL HEALTH CARE FACILITIES WILL BE PLAYING A ROLE IN THIS SURGE BECAUSE EVEN IF I HOSPITAL IS NOT VENTILATOR CAPABLE, WE KNOW THAT A HOSPITAL PATIENT NOT NEEDING A VENTILATOR COULD GO BACK TO A LESSER CARE SITE. IN FACT, YOU MAY SAY, WHY ARE WE HERE TODAY AT OSU? AFTER DETERMINING THIS REGIONAL CONCEPT, WE KNOW THAT OUR HOSPITALS HAVE THE BEDS AND CAPACITY, BUT BEING IN THE ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, WE ARE LOOKING AT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF ALL OF THE HOSPITALS REACHED CAPACITY? THERE WILL BE TWO FACILITIES. TWO IN THE TULSA AREA, TWO IN THE OKLAHOMA CITY AREA, THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED SHOULD HOSPITAL CAPACITY REACH MAXIMUM PEAK. THERE WILL BE ONE COVID, ONE NON-COVID. MAKE NO MISTAKE, EVERY HOSPITAL WITH A CAPACITY TO TAKE CARE OF COVID WILL BE. OKLAHOMA STATE -- EXCUSE ME, OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER IT WILL BE THE CENTER IN TULSA. THE OKLAHOMA CITY SITE WILL BE ANNOUNCED VERY SOON. OUR REGIONS ARE FACED ON THE TRAUMA REGIONS. WE ALREADY HAVE PEOPLE IN PLACE WORKING IN THOSE REGIONS TOGETHER REGARDING EMERGENCY MEDICAL PERSONNEL, HOSPITALS AND DOCTORS. IT MAKES SENSE TO FOLLOW AN ALREADY ESTABLISHED REGION. HOSPITALS ARE ALREADY PLANNING, AS YOU KNOW, HOSPITALS HAVE DISCONTINUED ELECTIVE SURGERY TO SAVE PPE AS GOVERNOR STITT LAID OUT. WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE SURGE IS COMING. WE ARE PRESERVING OUR PPE FOR OUR WORKERS, WHEN WE KNOW WE ARE ABSOLUTELY GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE IT. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE FOLKS THAT HAVE HELPED US PUT THIS PLAN TOGETHER WITH THE NATIONAL GUARD, THE OKLAHOMA STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND MY TEAM AT OHA. AT THIS TEAM, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN THIS OVER TO THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF OSU MEDICAL CENTER. >> I WANTED TO FIRST OF ALL THANK PATTI AND GOVERNOR STITT AND MAKING SURE THE STATE IS PROTECTED APPROPRIATELY. I ALSO WANT TO EMPHASIZE WHAT BOTH OF THEM HAVE MENTIONED IS THAT THIS IS VERY MUCH A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN ALL OF THE HEALTH CARE FACILITIES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE. THIS HAS BEEN DESIGNED VERY CAREFULLY IN ORDER TO PROTECT ALL OF OUR OKLAHOMANS CITIZENS IF THE SURGE SHOULD ACTUALLY HAPPEN. ONE THING I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE IS THAT THIS IS NOT ABLE TO BE ACCOMPLISHED UNLESS ALL OF THE HEALTH CARE FACILITIES ARE WORKING TOGETHER. THIS MEANS THAT PATIENTS THAT ARE IN THEIR EXISTING SYSTEMS, IF THEY ARE COVID POSITIVE, SHOULD NOT BE TRANSFERRED OVER IMMEDIATELY TO DESIGNATED COVID FACILITIES. THIS IS A SAFETY OUTLET IF WE SHOULD IN FACT HIT THE SURGE. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT I ENCOURAGE ALL OKLAHOMANS TO DO IS MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING. MAINTAIN GOOD HAND HYGIENE BECAUSE WE KNOW THOSE THINGS ARE ACTUALLY WORKING. IN ADDITION, IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS, MAKE SURE THAT YOU MAINTAIN A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS EITHER THROUGH VIRTUAL MEDICINE, TELEHEALTH OR SIMPLE PHONE CALLS BECAUSE THOSE INDIVIDUALS PLACE SUCH AN IMPORTANT ROLE NOW SO THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR OKLAHOMANS SAFE, AT HOME IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, AND WE CAN KEEP THEM PROTECTED FROM THE COVID-19 VIRUS. AND NOW, I’M GOING TO INTRODUCE THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD, WHO IS GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A BRIEF UPDATE AS THEIR ROLE IS VERY IMPORTANT IN THIS TIME. >> THANK YOU. I AM CURRENTLY A MEDICAL ADMINISTRATOR AND PLANNER FOR THE OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD. CURRENTLY, OUR ROLE AT THE REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR IS TO HAVE THE 29 MEMBERS OF THE OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD GOING TO TAX A FORCE -- TASK FORCE, WE HAVE ACTIVATED THEM TO JOIN IN WITH THE GOVERNOR’S TASK FORCE. THE 29 MEMBERS ARE MADE UP OF VARIOUS SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN WITH VARIOUS SKILL LEVELS. OUR MISSION RIGHT NOW IS BASICALLY, WE ARE CONTRIBUTE IN PARTNERS. WE ARE CONTRIBUTING PLANNERS, ASSISTING IN THE COMMUNICATIONS, ASSISTING IN DATA COLLECTION. VERY QUICKLY, WE ARE ALSO GOING TO SUPPORT THE LOCATIONS FOR THE STRATEGIC NATIONAL STOCKPILE THAT INCLUDES THE PPE INVENTORY AS WELL AS OTHER EQUIPMENT THAT IS READY FOR DISTRIBUTION. WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THE GOVERNOR’S TASK FORCE, THE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA AND THIS VERY -- IN THIS VERY IMPORTANT ENDEAVOR. WE ARE DEFINITELY ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. THIS IS A VERY SENSITIVE TIME FOR US AND THAT IS WHY WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE, WE ARE YOUR NEIGHBOR. THE NATIONAL GUARD MOTTO IS "ALW AYS READY, ALWAYS THERE." THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE INTEND TO DO. GOVERNOR? GOV. STITT: THANK YOU, LIEUTENANT COL. MURRAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. I WANT OKLAHOMANS TO KNOW THAT WE ARE PREPARED FOR WHATEVER MAY COME. WE HAVE THE HOSPITAL SURGE PLANS IN PLACE. THAT IS OUR MAIN GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT VENTILATORS, ICU BEDS AND HOSPITAL BEDS, THAT WE ARE PREPARED FOR ANY SPIKE THAT MIGHT HAPPEN. I ALSO WANT OUR HEALTH CARE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT WE WILL BE HOLDING ONLINE INFORMATION TRAINING SESSIONS ABOUT THE SURGE PLAN OVER THE ECHO PLATFORM. PLEASE BE WATCHING, LOOKING AT YOUR EMAIL AND WE WILL BE SENDING THAT OUT SO YOU CAN DIAL IN IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. OKLAHOMA, WE ALL HAVE A JOB TO DO RIGHT NOW. WE CAN ALL PLAY A ROLE IN MAKING SURE THAT WE REMAIN SAFE. STAY HOME, IF YOU CAN. BE RESPONSIBLE ABOUT YOUR TRIPS TO THE STORE. BY ONLY SENDING ONE PERSON AND MAKE SURE YOU CONTINUE TO PRACTICE ALL OF THE SOCIAL DISTANCING THAT WE HAVE LAID OUT. WE ARE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER. STAY HOME, STAY SAFE AND STAY STRONG. GOD BLESS YOU. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.