When the
global pandemic hit Orange County in January, Hoag was ready to help. Partnering with
the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA), Hoag’s highly skilled
physicians and
nurses cared for the state’s first known COVID-19 patient, who has since
fully recovered.
Since that first moment, Hoag has been working closely with OCHCA and California
Department of Public Health (CDPH) by sharing and learning
best practices as the rapidly evolving situation changes the world. Hoag’s collaborative
culture, its focus on evidence-based practices and its expert medical
staff ensures that, even during a pandemic, patients who come to Hoag
are safe and cared for with a high level of expertise and compassion.
Hoag’s
Infection Prevention team is an integral part of the ongoing organizational readiness to meet community
needs, and the strong relationships with public health agencies allows
Hoag to always be prepared to best serve our community.
Hoag’s COVID-19 management team continues to meticulously track the
number of available beds, ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPE),
pharmaceuticals and more. Keeping a close accounting of all available
resources ensures that Hoag is prepared if and when a second wave or a
surge arrives here in our community.
Hoag’s readiness includes our well-trained physicians, nurses, medical
teams and support staff, who work tirelessly on the frontlines of this
rapidly evolving pandemic to care for all of our patients – whether
seeking care for COVID-19 or another health need– and prevent the
spread of a highly infectious disease.
Hoag understands that recovering from illness involves more than watching
for vital signs and addressing medical issues. Safety protocols during
COVID-19 mean that most of our patients cannot have family members and
loved ones visit them while they remain in the hospital. To help make
patients and their loved ones more comfortable, Hoag facilitates video
chats with family and friends. And the Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute
at Hoag continues to repurpose its robust collection of virtual reality
tools, allowing some patients to “travel” to places far and wide.
Because of the hospital’s unique research infrastructure, Hoag was
one of the few sites in the country selected to participate in a
clinical trial to test Remdesivir, a possible therapeutic option for COVID-19. Hoag was also among the first
hospitals to obtain FDA permission to use
convalescent plasma in critically ill COVID-19 patients. As new testing and treatment options
are deployed in the fight against COVID-19, Hoag will deliver on its promise
to make them available to our community.
As a community hospital, Hoag is deeply woven into the fabric of Orange
County. The overwhelming message we're hearing is one of unity and
partnership. We are deeply grateful to donors who rallied around us to
donate supplies and more than $6 million to
Hoag's COVID-19 Support Fund. Together, we remain ready for whatever comes next.