Northern Michigan Comes Together to Navigate Pandemic
A much-needed moment of joy took place at Munson Medical Center in mid-April following weeks of dire predictions, intense preparations, and relentless uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
The first COVID-19 patient placed on a ventilator at the Traverse City hospital made a full recovery and was sent home on April 14. Masked nurses and staff gathered in a hallway to dance, sing, and celebrate as their patient prepared to leave the hospital. It was a welcome break from the anxiety of caring for people stricken with a virus that had infected hundreds and claimed a dozen lives at Munson Healthcare hospitals.
Munson Healthcare hospitals have long prepared for such an event. Decades of disaster planning have included various pandemic scenarios. But the reality of a pandemic that swept the globe, shuttered the nation, disrupted supply chains, and lasted for months, has required a massive response – from the entire healthcare team and from the community.
One of Munson Healthcare’s first steps was to designate three system hospitals as regional care sites for COVID-19 positive patients – Munson Medical Center, Cadillac Hospital, and Grayling Hospital. Those hospitals can care for up to 250 COVID-19 patients. So far, the total daily count of patients with coronavirus has been 20 or less.
The Community Responds
Everyone in northern Michigan has a part to play in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Children and teens who are finishing their school year from home, people who stay home and stay well, and workers in essential roles who bravely continue to do their jobs have all made our region a safer place to be,” said Munson Healthcare Foundations President Desiree Worthington.
“In addition to individuals who have sewn masks, donated cleaning supplies, sent cards, provided meals for our healthcare team, we have experienced an inspiring and overwhelming response from our business community,” she added.
When established supply chains became unreliable, the Munson Healthcare Foundations team was asked to help secure supplies of personal protective equipment from commercial inventories throughout northern Michigan and beyond. Foundation staff placed more than 1,300 calls to northern Michigan businesses and received a tremendous response.
The call for help was answered by cement plants in Charlevoix and Alpena. A ski resort in Benzie County. A boat builder in Cadillac. Wineries in Traverse City and on Old Mission Peninsula. Manufacturers in Gaylord and Grawn. A plastics fabricator in East Jordan. Each joined a lengthy list of companies that have shared their supplies of gloves, masks, face shields, and needed items.
Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Menards, and Lowes generously set aside their regular shipments of gloves and masks for Munson Healthcare.
Local distilleries are making hand sanitizer, including a commitment from the Iron Fish Distillery in Thompsonville to produce 1,600 gallons of sanitizer for Munson Medical Center. Grand Traverse Industries modified its production of trash bag liners to make medical gowns for hospital staff. Ford and GM auto manufacturing plants retooled assembly lines to make face shields and GM donated 50,000 masks.
By late April, Munson Healthcare had received more than 500,000 gloves, tens of thousands of face shields, 70,000 medical masks, and thousands of homemade masks and other items.
“This is an uncertain and anxious time for everyone right now, but watching our communities come together to support and protect residents of northern Michigan gives us confidence and optimism that we can handle whatever comes our way,” Worthington said. “We could not be more grateful for the love and support being shown to our patients and healthcare workers.”