During Lt. Gov. Coleman’s visit, PMC Vice President of the Board of Directors and CEO, Donovan Blackburn announced the expansion of registration options for COVID-19 vaccinations. As of 3pm on February 25th, PMC will begin accepting online registrations for the entire 1C group as defined in Kentucky.

“We have been working diligently with Governor Andy Beshear and Steven Stack, MD, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health to be able to vaccinate as many of our residents as possible,” explained Blackburn. “Dr. Stack recognized the need for more vaccines in our region and the ability of PMC to administer them. We are excited to be making this announcement today.”

In Kentucky, the 1C category includes anyone 60 and over, anyone age 16 or older with increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 according to the CDC and all essential workers. Those who fall in the 1C category and live in PMC’s service area preferably in Pike, Floyd, Knott, Lawrence, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, or Johnson Counties will be eligible to register at www.pmcvaccine.com for the COVID-19 vaccine. When scheduling vaccine appointments, priority will still be given to those 60 and over as well as healthcare workers as defined in Kentucky’s 1A group.

“I was honored to visit Pikeville Medical Center and witness many Kentuckians receiving their Shot of Hope. I am so thankful for all the health care workers I met at PMC. They are heroes for the way they are caring for southeast Kentucky during this pandemic,” said Lt. Gov. Coleman. “With an increase in vaccinations, Team Kentucky is turning the corner in the fight against COVID-19.”

“Today’s announcement essentially doubles our regularly scheduled allotment of first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, allowing PMC to increase to nearly five thousand total doses each week,” said Blackburn. “This is a wonderful opportunity PMC has been given, and we are thankful to those who are part of the process in helping our community get healthier and back to a sense of normalcy.”

PMC COVID-19 vaccinations are administered via a drive-thru method at 150 Healthcare Drive Pikeville, KY 41501, between the PMC Administration building and the Landmark Hotel.

“We are working extremely hard to accommodate the demand of people who are registered,” said Blackburn. “We are taking every step to streamline the process and ask that everyone remain patient as we all work through this together.”

PMC AVP of Surgical Services Andrea Akers RN, BSN explained, “We have never been closed, even during this pandemic. Our teams have continued to provide emergency surgery for multiple cardiac cases, traumas, stroke and more. We are excited to extend our services to once again, perform elective procedures. We are ready and so are our patients.”

Akers says patients have been anxious to get the go-ahead to reschedule their surgery.

She added, “We have procedures in place for screening upon entry to the hospital, safe social distancing and hand hygiene, all designed to enhance safety measures for patients and visitors. Exposure to additional people is held to a minimum as personal vehicles become waiting areas during surgery. Discharge information is explained car side when the patient is delivered back to their designated driver and is ready to leave.”

Extra steps are taken to keep patients, visitors and staff safe including a required patient pre-surgery Covid-19 test.

Akers explained that her staff works hard to communicate with visitors and deliver any necessary updates during procedures. They also provide a cell phone for patients to talk with their loved ones before surgery begins.

A healthier workforce in the region will give an extra boost to steps already in place to help the community settle into a new normal.

The most recent advancement in the fight against COVID-19 is the development of antibody testing. When people get an infection, their immune systems make proteins called antibodies which help fight the infection.

Antibody tests show two different types of antibodies to COVID-19, IgM and IgG.

IgM antibodies develop early in an infection, whereas IgG antibodies are more likely to be present after a patient has recovered.

On-site testing is available for 10 individuals or more and no physician order is required.

For more information about COVID-19 testing options through PMC, or to schedule testing for your employees, contact Leann Hubbard at 606-218-3560.

As the hospital continues to follow the recommendations of the CDC, the PMC Infection Control Department is consistently searching for ways to eliminate as many different types of bacteria as possible.

PMC has recently begun using a product that eliminates many types of bacteria found inside the nose, specifically, a type of staph bacteria called Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). PMC nursing staff recently completed training on Nozin® Nasal Sanitizer®, which is applied inside the nostrils twice a day.

“Using Nozin is going to be a powerful tool in our treatment of patients with MRSA,” explained PMC Director of Infection Control Nina Reynolds. “Previously, patients with MRSA were automatically placed in isolation, which resulted in an increased use of PPE for anyone entering the room. Now, in many instances, those patients will be able to remain in a regular room, which will hopefully reduce some of the stress placed on patients and their families.”

According to the CDC, as many as 30 percent of people can be nasal carriers of a staph bacteria.

Those statistics prompted PMC officials to add the use of Nozin to the daily treatment plan of every patient admitted to the hospital. Nozin will also be administered to patients before outpatient procedures.

“We are continuing to search for ways to keep our patients and staff safe, while we strive to ensure patients are pleased with their treatment while at PMC,” said Reynolds. “We feel the addition of Nozin will address both of those goals.”

For more information about Nozin call the PMC Infection Control Department at 606-218-3990.

PMC Director of Infection Control, Nina Reynolds said, “We have been reviewing the benefits of utilizing ultraviolet (UV) disinfection at our facility. It is amazing technology that gives us an extra edge on eliminating harmful pathogens and is becoming widely used in hospitals and laboratories.”

After rooms have been thoroughly cleaned these UV sterilization lamps are brought into certain areas for advanced decontamination. They are designed to enhance the potential for increased sterility.

“In the battle against COVID-19 these UV techniques can also extend the life of our personal protective equipment (PPE),” said Reynolds. “Our staff does an excellent job and we are excited to provide them with this advanced method to disinfect.”

Reynolds says they strive to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to patient safety and are consistently looking for proactive measure to keep everyone safe.

She reports that PMC has three large units on campus now and two more units have been ordered in addition to the purchase of six smaller units that will bring the hospital’s total to 11 units.

One of the first areas to re-open is the surgery department. Special measures are being made with a focus on safety.

PMC’s temporary visitation policy is still in place. Family members are currently not allowed in the facility with a patient for outpatient surgery unless the patient is less than 18 years of age.

For all scheduled surgical procedures, patients are required to undergo a COVID-19 test prior to the procedure. They are also required to self-quarantine after the test until their surgery is completed.

Patients will need a designated driver on their surgery day. Their driver will be asked to remain in the vehicle for the duration of the procedure. Staff will be available at the 3rd-floor parking garage entrance if needed for assistance or updates on the patient’s procedure.

Information will be collected, upon arrival, to identify the designated drivers’ vehicle make, model, color, and their phone number. The driver will receive a numbered tag that must be placed on the vehicle for patient discharge identification.

Staff will also enter the driver’s telephone number into the tracking board system allowing them to receive updates on the procedure. If drivers do not have a cell phone and would like an update, staff will be available to call and get updates for them.

When the procedure is complete and the patient has recovered, the driver will be called and directed to a designated parking space. Staff will bring the patient to the vehicle, where discharge instructions will be discussed.

Again, these measures are designed to keep patients, visitors and staff safe during this ongoing pandemic.

For additional information regarding surgical procedures, call 606-430-3500.

Due to the number of people taking advantage of free COVID-19 testing at Pikeville Medical Center (PMC), the number of tests that can be performed each day has nearly doubled.  PMC officials say they are pleased to see the number of people throughout the region taking an active role in trying to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus.

“We began the drive-thru testing for the public Tuesday morning, and knew almost immediately we needed more testing capability,” reported PMC Chief Operating Officer Kansas Justice. “On Tuesday, we reached our maximum allotment of 70 tests by 1:00 pm.  On Wednesday, we hit that number before noon.”

As soon as it was evident that more tests were needed, PMC Vice President of the Board of Directors and CEO, Donovan Blackburn, reached out to state leaders in Frankfort.

“PMC has a great working relationship with Governor Andy Beshear and Steven Stack, MD, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health,” explained Blackburn.  “Dr. Stack recognized the need for more tests here in Pike County and began working immediately to help make that happen.  On our third day of drive-thru testing, our capability jumped from 70 to 125, and we are extremely grateful.”

The free COVID-19 testing is the result of a partnership between PMC and the Pike County Health Department, who are working hand-in-hand to minimize the effect the worldwide pandemic could have on Eastern Kentucky.

COVID-19 tests are performed Tuesday through Friday from 8 am until 4pm behind the PikevilleFamily Practice Center on South Mayo Trail.  The testing site is easy to navigate with clearly marked directions.  Testing begins with a quick stop at a patient registration area, and instructions for completing the test will follow. PMC staff will collect samples car-side, resulting in limited exposure to others. The entire testing process takes a minimal amount of time, making being tested for COVID-19 more convenient for everyone.

No appointments or physician orders are required for testing.

Until recently, there has been no telehealth option for a patient who does not have an established provider at PMC, or who is a candidate for an urgent care visit. However, there is now the possibility of a telehealth option for patients considering visiting one of PMC’s Urgent Care centers.

“We are thrilled to be able to extend a telehealth option to many of our patients who would normally visit one of our Urgent Care centers, such as our Walmart Clinic in Pikeville,” explained PMC Senior Vice President and COO of Physician Practices Melissa Thacker. “We understand that patients may still not be comfortable going into public places due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This gives many of them the option of being seen without having to leave their home or vehicle.”

A dedicated phone line has been established for patients who would normally walk into a clinic to be seen by a medical provider. Patients are asked to call 606-437-0123 and speak to someone about their medical issue.

If their concern meets the criteria, the patient will be given instructions for setting up a telehealth visit that day from their home computer, smartphone or tablet.

Patients considering walking into an urgent care clinic are encouraged to call 606-437-0123 to see if they qualify for a telehealth visit.

For more information about how Pikeville Medical Center is addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, visit pikevillehospital.org/covid19/.

The needs of patients, visitors and staff have been evaluated daily, resulting in policy changes, departmental relocations and the appointment of special COVID-19 committees.

PMC Assistant CEO, Sr. VP and Chief Medical Officer Aaron Crum, MD recruited a COVID-19 Physician Task Force to play an active role in guiding clinical responses and protocols to be used during this pandemic.

The team members include Hospitalist Director Tiffany Salyers, DO, Hospitalist Director Alexis Salyers, DO, Surgery Chair Mark Swofford, DO, Anesthesia Director, John Blackburn, MD, Anesthesia Director, Curtis Koons, MD, Emergency Room Director John Fleming, DO,  and Medical
Director of Infectious Disease Fadi Al Akhrass, MD.

A few examples of the accomplishments and actions of the team include the development of mitigation strategies, use of portable
x-ray machines and phlebotomists in the clinic, review of policies for screening, visitation and use of masks, guidelines for a respiratory screening tent, and surge plan reviews.

They also helped develop drive-thru lab testing, telemedicine,  negative pressure rooms, staffing, procedures to allow patients to wait inside their car for appointments, infection prevention, specimen collection, and social distancing policies throughout the organization.

These physicians have worked hard to promote the safety of patients, staff, and visitors during this extraordinary time while also seeing that medical needs of the patients can be met.

These individuals go above and beyond daily, honoring the oath they took to provide quality healthcare.

PMC’s Emergency Department (ED) is among those on the frontline of this pandemic.

The ED is comprised of 123 employees consisting of 11 doctors, eight mid-levels, 53 nurses, and 51 essential staff totaling a little over one thousand years’ experience.

Dedicated employees are ready to treat patients amid this pandemic we face as a community.

“This is a time nobody could foresee. It is something you study and read about but never really imagine you would be living through as healthcare workers.

Preparing for this kind of care is what we are doing,” said PMC Director of the Emergency  Room, Dale Morton. “We have trained for this and we are ready.”

Morton says, walking away is just not an option. He says his staff is a courageous group who stand ready to care for their own.

“We are showing up every day just like normal,” said Morton.  “Our entire staff is comprised of all local people who take pride in treating their own community, so together, we can all fight this.”

PMC is following all guidelines set by the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Governor, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and  the Kentucky Department of Public Health.

PMC will remain open during regular business hours and offer 24 hours, seven days a week, emergency services to the region.