Primary Health CEO Says Clinics are Overwhelmed

RISE..

THE C-E-O OFPRIMARY HEALTHMEDICAL GROUPSAYS THE DEMANDFOR TESTS IS HIGH...AND FACILITIES AREOVERWHELMED.AND AS OURRICARDO CORONADOREPORTS... THAT'STHE MESSAGEDOCTOR DAVIDPETERMAN WASTRYING TO SHARE ATTUESDAY'S C-D-HMEETING... BEFOREHE WAS CUT OFF.DR. DAVID PETERMANWITH PRIMARYHEALTH MEDICALGROUP SAYS STAFFARE WORKINGTIRELESSLY, BUTPRIMARY CAREFACILITIES HAVEREACHED CAPACITY."WE, AT THE LEVELOF PRIMARY CARE,ARE OVERWHELMED.WE NORMALLYRECEIVED 1,800 TO2,000 CALLS A DAY INOUR 20 CLINICS.THERE ARE NOWOVER 40,000."EMPLOYEE ILLESSESHAVE ALSO LEFTTHEM SHORT-STAFFED -- FORCINGTHEM TO CLOSECLINICS."OUR STAFF ANDDOCTORS HAVEGOTTENCORONAVIRUS ORSYMPTOMS FROMCOMMUNITY SPREAD.THEY DIDN'T GET IT INOUR CLINICS BUTFROM COMMUNITYSPREAD."DR. PETERMAN SAYSTHE IMPACTS OF THEPANDEMIC HAVEINTERRUPTEDROUTINE CARE FOROTHER PATIENTS."WE WOULD GETTHIS CHILDBEHAVIORALTHERAPY, THAT ISBEING ALL DELAYBECAUSE OFCORONAVIRUSBECAUSEPOSITIVITY RATE ANDTHE NUMBER OFCASES IS HIGH INADA AND CANYONCOUNTY.

IT ISINTERFERING WITHTHIS TWO-YEAR-OLD'S TREATMENTAND THAT COULDHAVE LIFELONGCONSEQUENCES.""THE MAYORREQUESTED, ANDPOLICE CHIEFREQUESTED THIS TOEND"THE CHALLENGESTHE PRIMARY HEALTHMEDICAL GROUPFACES WERE AT THETOP OF THE LISTDURING THECENTRAL DISTRICTHEALTH BOARDMEETING.

BUT ITENDED QUICKLY FORSAFETY REASONS.DR. PETERMAN SAYSHE HAD HOPED TOSHARE IN TUESDAY'SMEETING THAT IT'STIME FOR PEOPLE TODO THEIR PART ANDWEAR A MASK... TOPROTECT THEVULNERABLE... ANDENSURE ACCESS TOCARE."WHAT I'MSUGGESTING ISWHAT COULDHAPPEN TO THEHOSPITAL IN 10 DAYSTO TWO WEEKS ISHAPPENING INPRIMARY CARE NOW.WE, AS ACOMMUNITY, NEEDTO TAKE THERESPONSIBILITY TOPROTECT NOT JUSTOURSELVES ANDOUR FAMILY ANDOUR COMMUNITY,AND THAT IS DONEBY WEARING AMASK."RICARDO CORONADOIDAHO N