Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital (MDMH) has been closely monitoring the evolving
situation of COVID-19. The Hospital’s Incident Management Team began
meeting before any known cases in Montana. According to Alida Merritt,
RN, MSN, Infection Control Director for MDMH, “In response to COVID-19
surge in the State of Washington, and before the first presumptive positive
case in Montana, Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital held a tabletop meeting
to discuss Ravalli County’s preparedness for an infectious disease
outbreak. The hospital, Ravalli County Public Health, and County Board
of Health, as well as other MDMH leaders, attended this session. This
was the beginning of a collaborative effort to address COVID-19 in the
state.”
John Bishop, CEO of Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital, continued, “That
tabletop exercise marked the start of what would become a series of decisions
and steps to prepare our community and hospital for the coming months.
Our decisions are made based on careful assessments of CDC guidelines,
community health needs and usage patterns, and data around the pandemic.
These steps are a part of an ongoing effort to ensure our team remains
whole while providing the appropriate care, at the right time, in the
right place.”
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