In early March of 2020, even before the pandemic was officially declared a national emergency in the United States, Bassett Healthcare Network preparations to care for our community were already underway.
A full-time incident command response team was stood up, and network-wide standards for personal protective equipment (PPE) were quickly rolled out. A telephone triage line for worried community members and those who might have COVID was made live.
The line would eventually handle an average of just under 1,000 calls per week. Testing sites were erected outside the hospitals to evaluate patients while keeping all safe. Throughout last year, nearly 130,000 tests would be performed.
The pandemic requires a tremendous amount of PPE. Approximately 10,000,000 gloves, 500,000 gowns, 500,000 procedure masks, 100,000 N95 respirators, 10,000 tubs of disinfecting wipes, and 20,000 face shields were needed for front-line staff in 2020 alone.
It took a remarkable effort to rapidly respond to the pandemic—an effort fueled by the support and generosity of you and your neighbors. The pandemic created extraordinary expenses for Bassett Healthcare Network, and your gifts help to defray these costs. Without your help, we would not be able to do so much so quickly. Thank you!
