Image | WBJ Source: City of Worcester
April 22, 2020
UMass Memorial starts special care unit for expecting moms with coronavirus
Photo | Grant Welker
UMass Memorial Medical Center's Memorial Campus in Worcester
By Grant Welker
UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester has opened a new clinic for expecting mothers who've tested positive for coronavirus or are under investigation for it.
The clinic is located in the endoscopy unit at UMass Memorial's Memorial Campus, where moms-to-be can be seen for appointments requiring face-to-face visits such as fetal heart rate monitoring, ultrasounds and exams. When the patient is cleared of coronavirus, she can go back to the referring office to continue regular obstetric care.
The new program is meant to keep caregivers, mothers and others safe, as well as conserve the use of personal protective equipment. The effort to care for moms with coronavirus or suspected of having it in a different environment from others is one of a series of steps UMass Memorial has taken in response to the pandemic.
At least nine dedicated coronavirus intensive care units have been established at UMass Memorial's University and Memorial campuses. Doing so minimizes the risk of spreading the virus, conserves protective equipment for staff and allows the hospital to patient rooms to negative pressure, which keeps room air from circulating to the rest of the floor.
Most recently, 34 new ICU beds have been created at the University Campus's Lakeside building, and four bays have been opened in an acute care telemetry unit for medical-surgical unit patients.
Among other new steps, UMass Memorial began on Monday requiring all employees to fill out an app-based questionnaire answering whether they have a new cough, shortness of breath or fever. They are also required to report such conditions to their supervisor. On the first day, 5,615 employees reported their health status through the program.
UMass Memorial Medical Center had a reported 157 coronavirus-positive cases, including 60 in intensive care, as of Tuesday, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
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