Prisma launches regional units in response to COVID-19 surge

Listen to this article

Greenville, Spartanburg and Richland counties counted the highest numbers of COVID-19 deaths in the state since March 2020, according to a recent report from the S.C. Institute of Medicine and Public Health and the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.

The study, covering data from March 4, 2020, through Jan. 24, 2021, records 6,578 total deaths with 16% of the deaths occurring during the past month, starting on Jan. 3.

Although those counties saw the most deaths, Pickens, Dillon and Florence counties had the highest prevalence of COVID-19 cases over the past year, according to the report.

In response to the uptick of cases across the Upstate and Midlands, Prisma Health announced it will open three regional COVID-19 recovery units in partnership with the S.C. Emergency Management Division, S.C. DHEC, the National Guard and the S.C. Hospital Association. The recovery units will serve all hospital systems during a COVID-19 surge.

The first unit opened at the Laurens County Hospital on Monday with 29 beds, followed by a 12-bed unit at the Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital in Sumter today. A 12-bed unit at Columbia’s Prisma Health Baptist Hospital is slated for an opening as early as next week and could expand to 36 beds.

“Laurens was chosen because it is between the two markets, the Upstate and the Midlands, and so if we have this surge — as we did — in the Upstate and the Midlands, we’re easily able to pivot and move patients to and from either of the markets from that central location,” Dr. Karen Lommel, Prisma Health physician lead for the regional recovery unit strategy, said during today’s press conference. “So they were chosen based on need, location and where the current surge was or where we anticipate it based on the numbers we’ve received.”

Lower acuity patients in recovery from COVID-19 who still require impatient care can be transferred to the units if they meet certain criteria to open up intensive care beds for those with more critical needs, according to Lommel.  Alongside a team of 125 nurses, respiratory therapists, clinicians and support personnel, including S.C. EMD staff and 20 National Guard members will join Prisma in treating unit patients.

“This is not just about providing surge beds for COVID-19 patients,” Lommel said.

She added that the units will be a temporary solution until March or April as needed but could undergird future health care needs during natural disasters such as hurricanes.

“We’re thrilled to have been a part of the planning process for this new approach,” Thornton Kirby, CEO and president of the S.C. Hospital Association, said in today’s news release. “With it in place, we hope we can ease the burden on our health care systems and help them continue to provide the outstanding care that our communities depend on.”

On Dec. 31, 81.8% of all inpatient beds across the state were occupied, according to the Institute of Medicine and Public Health and S.C. DHEC report. Out of 60 hospitals across the state, 42 reported a critical staffing shortage over the past year, exacerbated by cases among health care workers. Since March of last year, 43 health care workers and 28 senior care facility staff members have died from the virus.

“More than 277,000 doses of vaccine have been administered in South Carolina and more than 313,000 COVID-19 vaccine appointments are currently scheduled,” Dr. Linda Bell, state epidemiologist, said in the release. “While we are happy, relieved and hopeful the COVID-19 vaccine is here, supplies are currently limited in South Carolina and across the country. Our overarching goal is to save lives, and this important brief informs us of how the initial limited vaccine supply can be used for populations indicated to be at highest risk of complications and death due to COVID-19.”

Dr. Saria Carter Saccocio, a family care physician with Prisma Health, noted that while the health care system is the largest distributor of the vaccine in the state at 82,428 distributed doses, the demand far exceeds the supply due to shortages in the national supply chain.

More than 142,000 are pre-scheduled through Prisma to receive the vaccine.

“As expected, our vaccine supply is now lower than we have requested,” she said. “Last week, we administered more than 42,000 doses and have exhausted all of that supply. This week, we have requested 58,600 doses but received 19,500 That’s only a third of what we’ve requested.”