COVID update from the front lines

Actually, it is in part the health care system's fault. We have a for profit health care system that is set up to provide just enough supply to meet demand in order to support profits. The public health care system is ruthlessly underfunded due to refusals to raise medicare and medicaid taxes and state government failures to raise enough revenues. This could have all been addressed with a robust federal COVID 19 response with massive aid for health care systems. But that never happened.

But lets get real. The best way to keep from blowing up the health care system is to act like grown ups and shut down indoor dining and bars and all other risky indoor activity, require improved ventilation in buildings where essential services are rendered indoors (grocery store, etc.), massive testing, tracing and isolation programs with free isolation housing for COVID 19 positives who cannot isolate at home and use the defense production act to get everyone in the US access to N95 masks.

Rock em Robot wrote:

That's terrible!

Can you tell us what hospital this is?

I'd like to notify the local news there so they can get a crew down there for on the spot coverage.

Honestly, I’m surprised runnER/DR has identified his profession, Pretty much that alone has gotten him some over-the-top hostility here. Identifying where he works or even the general area he lives would certainly be sharing far beyond what I would be willing to do.

Don't listen to Quasi-Boom. He is prejudiced against "the medical profession" (whatever that is, exactly.) Reading Quasi-Boom's criticisms of the medical profession is like reading the Unabomber's manifesto against "technologists". Don't waste your energy.

Thank you for sharing, op. Takes bravery, especially here.

jamin wrote:

Require every hospital employee to uninstall TikTok and you may find that you're overstaffed

You seem to need a reality check.

So much hate for people who are objectively better than you.

not buying it wrote:

Hope you lose your job you freak MD.

I work in one of the largest hospitals in Southern California and it’s empty in the ER and most other depts. There is no virus. You are brainwashed completely. It’s flu season , of course people are slightly ill. COVID is completely made up so you jerks can have everyone get vaccines. Hope you get sued .

trashcan wrote:

Rock em Robot wrote:

That's terrible!

Can you tell us what hospital this is?

I'd like to notify the local news there so they can get a crew down there for on the spot coverage.

Honestly, I’m surprised runnER/DR has identified his profession, Pretty much that alone has gotten him some over-the-top hostility here. Identifying where he works or even the general area he lives would certainly be sharing far beyond what I would be willing to do.

There is a reason why you don't hear physicians speaking publicly about this. I can only mention this on an anonymous message board for a reason. Hospitals are extremely sensitive about their public perception. They don't want to be perceived by the community as being overwhelmed or overrun.

Physicians who have spoken publicly have been fired over this issue. Just a couple weeks ago an ER doctor in my state was fired for speaking publicly on twitter about the situation at his hospital. It had nothing to do with his practice quality. It had everything with the hospital's public perception. They fired him with no warning.

This creates a vacuum where the real circumstances are shrouded in mystery. It's completely out of the public eye. Something like 9/11 is impossible to deny because of the numerous videos and personal accounts(conspiracy as to what caused it was the problem with that one, although to a lesser degree). No sane person could deny 9/11 actually happened.

I’m sorry for these ignorant responses, all coming from people who could not imagine what you’re dealing with. Thank you for sharing your experience - I wish more people would take this seriously. Don’t let these heartless responses get to you.

He works in Arizona a current hotspot. Utah was in a similar situation a few weeks ago as far as reported ICU space but now has plenty. Not sure how their ER's looked. It will improve shortly. It has in Idaho as well. Utah's ICU were near full but hospital beds have been constant at only 50%. ICU capacity down to 80%.

We lost our first patient to covid as he simply refused to get care. I wonder how many people are dying for this reason.

For all those saying that citizens are failing look at LA county with their crazy lockdowns and they are worse off than Arizona.

You guys should already be getting vaccinated at the hospital I would think. We're currently getting our first doses as health care workers.

Sounds like a bad deal. Get some rest and avoid burnout. This wave should be over soon. Let's hope there isn't another.

Yes, there are hot spots, but these are not in every state or every hospital. St. Louis is normal/ busy, but not overwhelmed. It's running about 50/50 of deaths with and without covid being present- according to my wife who is an ICU nurse.

What is not being talked about is the backups for funerals and such. Most hospitals don't have big morgues, some only hold a half dozen or so, so you get backups from the funeral parlors to the hosp. Some people don't want cremation and a big funeral. I'm sure the funeral business does not want to push cremation.

Training nurses? Nurses are the day workers of the medical profession. Least qualifications needed. Does the most whining about having to do stuff.

well......... wrote:

I'm also interested in the lack of preparations question given the time available. Whose fault would you say it is?

It's difficult to expand hospital bed capacity, train new doctors and nurses (and most importantly get them seasoned), etc in nine months. You also can't tell people to stop getting cancer, stop having COPD exacerbations, stop having hypertensive crises, stop having strokes, stop having car accidents.

The "blame" here, such as it is, lies with selfish people who refuse to follow basic public health guidance because it slightly inconveniences them.

old_dead_people wrote:

For all those saying that citizens are failing look at LA county with their crazy lockdowns and they are worse off than Arizona.

Yeah, those draconian lockdowns where the malls are still open ...

free shipping with purchase wrote:

well......... wrote:

I'm also interested in the lack of preparations question given the time available. Whose fault would you say it is?

It's difficult to expand hospital bed capacity, train new doctors and nurses (and most importantly get them seasoned), etc in nine months. You also can't tell people to stop getting cancer, stop having COPD exacerbations, stop having hypertensive crises, stop having strokes, stop having car accidents.

The "blame" here, such as it is, lies with selfish people who refuse to follow basic public health guidance because it slightly inconveniences them.

Well then soon all selfish people should be wiped out. Since it’s only selfish people dismissing public health suggestions they will get covid and die. Since unselfish people are taking all unnecessary precautions and avoiding those deemed irresponsible they will be just fine . One can help but see some divine power in this self resolving mechanism.

To mr ER doc,

To lament the horrors of an overcapacity ER during this time of year is a bit misleading. In fact it is such a regular occurrence that ER/ICU have protocol in place for increased capacity for times of increased demand. May I ask how many years have you been doctoring and in how many of those years did you see the demand for ICU admissions set you beyond “capacity”?

Perspective Needed333 wrote:

Under 50 people. 3 hour wait times. Sounds like normal flu season load. How many people live in your metropolis?

What state is this?

Everyone freaked out by Covid so if they have a cold, they go to ER. PCR test is so senstive, they test positive.

I see only 23 in hospital for Covid at largest hospital in major city. Strait from their websight.

I agree this overstated. It's not hard to find a medical professional to spread hysteria on this for whatever ideological purpose. Or a troll posing as a professional. They were setting up expansion tents in LA for the flu season just a couple of years ago. Hospitals are designed to run very close to max capacity because it is expensive to operate and if you have a lot of empty beds you lose money.

block1ofmany wrote:

Well then soon all selfish people should be wiped out. Since it’s only selfish people dismissing public health suggestions they will get covid and die. Since unselfish people are taking all unnecessary precautions and avoiding those deemed irresponsible they will be just fine . One can help but see some divine power in this self resolving mechanism.

To mr ER doc,

To lament the horrors of an overcapacity ER during this time of year is a bit misleading. In fact it is such a regular occurrence that ER/ICU have protocol in place for increased capacity for times of increased demand. May I ask how many years have you been doctoring and in how many of those years did you see the demand for ICU admissions set you beyond “capacity”?

1. The problem is it's a transmissible pathogen so those who choose to not follow public health guidelines may suffer no ill effects themselves but may pass the virus on to others who become ill.

2. While the ED is often busy and on some nights in the summer trauma patients may stay briefly in a neuro ICU, for instance, before moving to a more appropriate setting, there has not been an instance before where we were converting post-op recovery areas to ICUs. I understand that your vast experience using Microsoft Office for your advertising job and the several hours per day you have spent on the internet over the past nine months has given you an unrivaled perspective on this current situation, take it from people who actually do this for a living that this is an unprecedented situation (well, at least since 1918).

I used to have a low opinion of doctors, but now, having read dozens of your posts, I have no opinion. Do yourself a favor and start keeping a journal. It will save you much shame and embarrassment

1. How can a heedless person pass it on to an upstanding citizen if that upstanding citizens never comes in contact with them? If the upstanding citizen follows protocol ie washing hands regularly, social distance, mask wearing, how do they become infected? Unless of course they too are acting in a heedless fashion. Maybe this is just a selfish question.

2. Claiming something is unprecedented than repudiating that same claim in the same sentence is a great display of reaching beyond ones own knowledge, especially when you reference what is by now the most publicized pandemic, Spanish flu. Your knowlwdge is awe inspiring.

And in typical fashion you circumvent the issue, that is: increasing ICU capacity is a regular occurrence, especially during flu season, corona or no corona.

Oh? Really? Are you swamped like this hospital?

What are your credentials bro? You definitely haven't boned up on your medical history...

You have forgotten numerous pandemics which were more or as deadly as covid worldwide including Asian flu, Hong Kong flu, and AIDS all since the 50's. The Spanish flu would have killed 200 million when you adjust for population and these were largely healthy young people unlike covid with average age of death near 70 and numerous comorbidities in 95% of those deaths.