Hospital CEOs discuss pandemic challenges in candid conversation
In a candid discussion with Dominican College, the Montefiore Nyack and Good Samaritan Hospital CEOs described the nightmare of last spring, when COVID-19 first overwhelmed hospitals.
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Jan 14, 2021, 11:23 PM
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Updated 1,289 days ago
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298ds agoTwo hospital CEOs are opening up about the pandemic and all its challenges.
In a candid discussion with Dominican College, the Montefiore Nyack and Good Samaritan Hospital CEOs described the nightmare of last spring, when COVID-19 first overwhelmed hospitals.
"The first week in April the floodgates opened, and patients came in by the dozens," said Dr. Mark Geller, CEO of Montefiore Nyack.
The silver lining was that the strenuous time strengthened the system.
Hospitals now have a 90-day supply of PPE at all times and transfer patients when a hospital becomes overwhelmed.
To help with burnout, Good Samaritan provides weekly mindfulness sessions for staff.
"Having meditation yoga services via Zoom, meditation services," says Dr. Mary Leahy, CEO of Good Samaritan.
The current hurdle is vaccinations. Good Samaritan has administered 5,000 doses, vaccinating over 90% of its staff.
Montefiore has administered 4,000 doses but didn't confirm with News 12 how much of its staff has been vaccinated.
Both hospitals confirmed they are out of doses.
"We finished our vaccines early this week we have not yet received word on next allocation," says Geller.
Calling the vaccine scarce, the hospital CEOS urged the public - if eligible - to book any appointment if they can.
"Trying to make sure you have vaccine for everyone is dependent on what the state gets to distribute through the entire state," says Leahy.
New York currently only receives 300,000 doses a week from the federal government - a number the CEOs hope increases once President-elect Joe Biden takes office.
Biden says he is aiming for a bold goal of distributing 100 million doses in his first 100 days.
