fatigue.
The staff member con-
ducting the screenings
takes patients' tempera-
ture readings and oxygen
saturation levels, and
notes them on the form. A
case is immediately can-
celed if a patient has a
temperature of 99.5
degrees or higher or an
oxygen saturation level of
94% or less, which is an
indicator of COVID-19
pneumonia. In some
cases, patients can sched-
ule an urgent chest X-ray,
which, if clear, would
allow the procedure to
proceed.
LSDC's staff members and surgeons have their temperatures taken
and answer questions about possible exposure to COVID-19 before
entering the facility each day.
Dr. Marx says Upstate Hospital's patients must be tested within 24
and 72 hours of their surgeries, a tighter window that works due to
the health system's resources. However, testing has been difficult to
complete for the large numbers of patients who travel several hours
for access to surgical care unavailable in their rural communities.
"We're trying to coordinate timely testing with local primary care
physicians, but it's been challenging," says Dr. Marx.
J U N E 2 0 2 0 • O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y . N E T • 3 9
COVER YOUR MOUTH Staff at Lakeland Surgical & Diagnostic Center are
required to wear N95 masks at all times.
Nikki
Williams,
RN,
CNOR
