Albany Med Health System

SEE SCHEDULE O.

GLENS FALLS HOSPITAL PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM THAT STRETCHES ACROSS 6,000 SQUARE MILES ACROSS 5 DIVERSE COUNTIES. WE PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY CARE TO PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR ABILITY TO PAY. WE ARE A 391 BED FACILITY WITH MORE THAN 380 CERTIFIED PHYSICIANS IN OVER 25 SPECIALTIES. OUR SERVICES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, EMERGENCY CARE, SURGICAL SERVICES, MENTAL HEALTH, CANCER CARE, PRIMARY CARE, AND PREVENTATIVE HEALTH EDUCATION. IN 2020, WE HAD 46,180 PATIENT DAYS AND 11,043 DISCHARGES. THE EMERGENCY CARE CENTER PROVIDED CARE TO 38,579 PATIENTS. OUR MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROVIDED 39,846 OUTPATIENT TREATMENTS AND 6,617 INPATIENT DAYS. OUR SURGERY CENTER PERFORMED 9,149 PROCEDURES. SEE CONTINUATION ON SCHEDULE O. THROUGHOUT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, GLENS FALLS HOSPITAL HAS DEMONSTRATED THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF OUR SERVICES FOR THE REGION AND HAS CONTINUED TO BE THE SAFETY NET HOSPITAL FOR OUR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. AT THE HOSPITAL, A COVID COMMAND CENTER WAS IMMEDIATELY ESTABLISHED AT THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC TO MANAGE COMMUNITY-BASED TESTING, SUPPLIES (ACQUISITION AND DEPLOYMENT), EQUIPMENT NEEDS, STAFFING, NEW DIRECTIVES AND LOCAL AND STATE-WIDE RESPONSES, INCLUDING DATA REQUESTS. IT WAS OPEN 7 DAYS PER WEEK FROM 7AM TO 7PM TO COVER ALL SHIFTS OF THE HOSPITAL UNTIL IT WAS SCALED BACK IN MAY 2020. IT WAS STAFFED BY AT LEAST TWO SENIOR LEADERS AT ALL TIMES, AS WELL AS A SUPPORT PERSON WHO ASSISTED WITH ANSWERING CALLS, SECURING SUPPLIES AND COORDINATING WITH OTHERS THROUGHOUT THE HOSPITAL. DESPITE SIGNIFICANT DECLINES IN VOLUMES AT THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC, THE HOSPITAL SECURED AND RETAINED AGENCY CONTRACTED LABOR AT PREMIUMS DURING THIS TIME TO MAINTAIN STAFF FOR THE NYS SURGE PLAN AND REQUIRED PREPAREDNESS MEASURES, AS WELL AS SECURED APPROPRIATE PHYSICIAN COVERAGE. THE HOSPITAL ALSO SET UP EMERGENCY TESTING TENT SITES IN OUR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT PARKING LOT TO ADDRESS THE COMMUNITY TESTING NEED EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC. ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANT COSTS WERE INCURRED TO: INCREASE PPE AVAILABILITY, SECURE CAPITAL NEEDED TO EXECUTE A SURGE PLAN, IMPLEMENT ADDITIONAL CLEANING PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES, IMPLEMENT TELEHEALTH, MAINTAIN OVERHEAD STRUCTURE, AND EXECUTE TESTING (AMONG OTHER ITEMS). EXAMPLES OF CAPITAL ITEMS PURCHASED INCLUDE IV PUMPS, A TELEMETRY SYSTEM, A UV MASK REPROCESSING ROOM, AIR PURIFYING EQUIPMENT, VACCINE FREEZERS, AND IPADS/EQUIPMENT FOR TELEHEALTH AND PATIENT/FAMILY COMMUNICATION. ADDITIONAL SUPPLY EXPENSES INCLUDE PATIENT SEPARATION BARRIERS FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING, N95 MASKS, HAND SANITIZER AND DISINFECTANTS, AND REFERENCE LAB COSTS RELATED TO THE PROCESSING OF COVID-19 TESTING RELATED TO IP, OBSERVATION, AND ED VISITS. FACILITY RELATED EXPENSES INCLUDE LEASED TENTS/TRAILERS SET UP OUTSIDE FOR COVID TESTING AND SCREENING. WE ALSO ADJUSTED OUR HVAC SYSTEMS TO CREATE NEGATIVE PRESSURE CARE ROOMS FOR COVID PATIENTS. THE HOSPITAL ALSO INVESTED MONEY IN ADVERTISING AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION TO PRODUCE COVID-RELATED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, BROCHURES, AND VIDEOS TO HELP THE COMMUNITY BETTER UNDERSTAND COVID AND THE SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE AT GFH FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. THE HOSPITAL ALSO RAPIDLY, EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY SET UP A MASS VACCINATION CLINIC IN DECEMBER AS VACCINES BECAME AVAILABLE. THE HOSPITAL NOT ONLY SERVICED HOSPITAL-EMPLOYEES IN GETTING THEIR VACCINE ADMINISTRATION, BUT ALL ADMINISTERED TO COMMUNITY AGENCIES AND OTHER FIRST-RESPONDERS, THEREBY ENSURING THAT THESE GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY WERE ABLE TO ALSO BE VACCINATED IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER.