LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — The word out of Geisinger Wyoming Valley is that it can take care of the area's medical needs through this coronavirus crisis
"We're in a good place. I can tell you we are not stopping, though. We are functioning on a 'what do we do now?' but also 'what do we need to be thinking about 2, 3, 4 weeks from now. So I am confident that what we are doing to prepare to take care of our community is right in line with what we should be doing," said Dr. Alison Brodginski, an infectious disease specialist at the hospital.
Dr. Brodginski says Geisinger is learning from the hard-hit cities and working to make sure staff members are protected.
"We do have more shipments of PPE that are coming in. We're getting a lot of donations that are coming in. So we are not in a situation where we don't have any, but we certainly are with the mindset that we are forward-thinking. We don't want to be in a situation weeks from now where we don't have anything, so we are taking precautions," Dr. Brodginski said.
That includes using protective gear wisely. The hospital is also thinking about using it's beds and spaces wisely.
"We are certainly ensuring and preparing how to, basically, our surge capacity plan and how to utilize our beds for critical care, if needed, so all of that has been decided and implemented. We are not at a spot that we need those surge spaces, but they are there if needed."
Whether you have a question about symptoms you are experiencing, or you want to donate materials to the hospital, you can call these numbers.
Geisinger donation hotline: 800-739-6882
Geisinger care hotline: 570-284-3657