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Excercise helps Medical Center prepare for swine flu pandemic

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Conway Medical Center is more than ready for any pandemic that might Horry County.

On Tuesday morning, hospital staff, along with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, ran through a mock pandemic situation, which also included members of law enforcement from the City of Conway and Horry County police.

"If we were to have an influx of patients, more than what is handled in the hospital, then this will prepare us for it," marketing and community relations director Julie Rajotte said. "H1N1 is in the back of everyone's minds, so if we get large numbers of people in here we can take care of them."

Rajotte said the hospital has seen an increase in patients with flu-like symptoms in the emergency room moving from about 115 a day to 160 a day.

"If it where a trend that were to continue, it would be in our best interest to have the ability to set up out here," Rajotte said, referring to a mobile facility that includes a triage tent to assess patients and a trailer full of needed supplies.

Plans also include a mobile 50-bed hospital, as well as the capability to set up an additional 75 beds inside the hospital's Wellness Center.

Members of DHEC along with Tom Russo, director of the DHEC Region 6 public health office, set up the 50-bed mobile hospital saying it is a very safe structure. Originally build for conditions in Alaska, the mobile hospital can withstand winds of 100 mph. The mobile hospital is also like mobile hospitals used in Iraq, Russo said.

"The whole thing can be put up with just six people, but today we have about 12 to 14 out here helping," Russo said. "We train more and more so that we get proficient and go over it so our people get the functions," Russo said.

Patients will be able to access the separate care facility from a road that runs behind the Wellness Center. They will 'be assessed at a triage tent and either discharged or moved to the larger mobile hospital.

"If they are not discharged and have something serious enough we have the capability to transport them over to the mobile hospital," Rajotte said.

Tuesday's drill was not for H1N1 (swine flue) only. Rajotte said it works the same for any type of HazMat situation the hospital may have to deal with.

"We have established and practiced drills before, but never for a pandemic like this," Rajotte said. "If we do not practice then we aren't proficient at it."

Steve Lanning, director of the emergency room at Conway Medical Center, said it is a great way to get every aspect of emergency services working together when something like this happens.

"We come together and iron out any barriers we have and we act out our pandemic response," Lanning said. "It also gives a chance to check our equipment and supplies." Lanning said he has noticed an increase in patients in the emergency room with flu-like symptoms, but urges people to see their regular physicians first.

"We are testing people for Type A Influenza and Type B Influenza, and then sending the cultures to the Center for Disease Control for further testing," Lanning said. Lanning said based on the results, a treatment plan that includes Tamiflu is usually prescribed. "If you are having the flu-like symptoms it's not necessary to come to the ER, I would say go see your personal physician and get plenty of rest, stay home, cover coughs and wash hands," Lanning said.

As far as Tuesday's exercise, Lanning said it was a complete success and everything was set up and ready well under four hours, which was their targeted time limit.



Copyright 2009 The Horry Independent, Conway, South Carolina. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2009 The Horry Independent Conway, South Carolina. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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