Thirteen notes from hospitals, health systems and physicians on their response to the COVID-19 pandemic:
Editor's note: This list is based on the number of COVID-19 cases reported per state. Please email Mackenzie Garrity at mgarrity@beckershealthcare.com or Kelly Gooch at kgooch@beckershealthcare.com with announcements from your system related to COVID-19.
New York
1. New York City-based NYU Langone Health has expanded virtual care as it experiences record numbers of virtual visits. The health system said it added 1,300 new providers to its virtual visit platform last week, and as of March 30, had completed 5,500 virtual visits in one day.
2. The Stoney Brook University has designated a $500,000 COVID-19 grant program to support researchers and clinicians during the pandemic. Already, researchers at Stony Brook have 3D-printed face masks and gallons of hand sanitizer.
California
3. The Conrad Prebys Foundation has given a $1 million challenge match donation to help combat COVID-19, San Diego-based Scripps Health announced. The philanthropic gift, along with matching community donations, will help front-line healthcare workers amid the pandemic.
4. Joining international efforts, Los Angeles-based Cedars Sinai will begin testing an experimental antiviral drug as a possible COVID-19 treatment. The clinical trial is sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease of the National Institutes of Health.
5. Staff who have tested positive for COVID-19 at Truckee-based Tahoe Forest Health System are recovering at home, and none have needed hospitalization, system president and CEO Harry Weis said. The health system has expanded its telehealth services and made restrictions to its visitors policy.
Illinois
6. Chicago-based Community First Medical Center has launched a COVID-19 command center to address issues related to the pandemic, including the conservation and distribution of personal protective equipment.
7. The University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center is asking nurses to do some cleaning in COVID-19 patient rooms instead of housekeepers, CBS Chicago reported. Nurses were asked to clean and disinfect surfaces, empty the trash and remove linens. Housekeepers will disinfect the rooms when a patient is not in it.
Pennsylvania
8. Pittsburgh-based UPMC is protecting pay of its 89,000 employees through May 9 as it fights the coronavirus pandemic. The health system said it will pay staffers at their current rate for normally scheduled hours through May 9.
Tennessee
9. Nashville-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center is hiring nurses to support the fight against COVID-19, WTVF reported. The hospital said it seeks to fill temporary clinical roles and "does not want to turn away any qualified candidates should we need them if the volume increases."
Ohio
10. Cincinnati-based UC Health has started in-house testing for COVID-19 at the precision medicine lab at University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Initially, the testing will be available for inpatients at UC Health hospitals.
11. Battelle, a science and technology development company, and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus have created a new diagnostic test for COVID-19. They said the test will allow for faster turnaround time on test results and be administered at Wexner under its FDA certification permits.
Virginia
12. Reston-based HCA Virginia requires all staff and providers to wear masks. Masks will be optional for staff in nonpatient care areas who are practicing social distancing. HCA Virginia also requires visitors and patients who visit the outpatient testing site to wear masks.
Kansas
13. Lawrence-based LMH Health has temporarily suspended all point-of-service collections and all debt collections.