EMSA, Pioneers brace for COVID-19 surge

In response to the growing cases and hospitalizations of COVID-19 across the nation, state and community, the California Emergency Medical Services Authority has dispatched additional beds and accompanying equipment to Pioneers Memorial Hospital, the hospital announced Tuesday.

The 10 additional beds will be assembled and added inside Walker Auditorium and will be an extension of the hospital’s medical-surgical department.

EMSA will also equip and staff an additional 10 med-surg beds on the second floor adjacent to the hospital’s Definitive Observation and Intensive Care Unit beds.

The hospital also received some supporting nursing staff on Monday and is hoping to have many more arrive later this week.

Two intensivist physicians will also be added from EMSA in the hospital’s COVID-19 surge preparation, PMH said.

As of noon Tuesday, the county’s ambulances retrieving patients from the border will be alternating hourly to transport patients to El Centro Regional Medical Center and PMHD, respectively.

This method will be tested in hopes the patient load can be better balanced between the two facilities prior to sending patients out of the county, the hospital said.

PMH spokesperson Karina Lopez said there were 54 patients at the hospital as of Tuesday afternoon. Of those, 18 were being treated for COVID-19. She there were eight patients in the intensive care unit, including five COVID patients. The hospital’s total capacity was 107 bed prior to the addition of beds in the auditorium.