May 20 Community Engagement Virtual Meeting

Community Engagement Virtual Meeting - Thursday, May 6, 2021

QUESTIONS FOR 05/20/2021 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETING

1. CURRENT NUMBERS FOR COUNTY
   1. Positive Cases
      49,931 cumulative since beginning of pandemic
   2. Positive Cases in Kaweah Delta
      10 adult COVID-positive patients in the acute medical center; none in ICU or on ventilators
   3. Deaths
      842 cumulative deaths; 1.69% of COVID-positive cases
   4. Recovered Cases
      48,790 or 97.7% of those testing positive for COVID
   5. Positive Employees at Kaweah Delta
      16 on COVID LOAs
   6. Positivity Rate
      1.3% overall; 0.8% Health Equity positivity rate
   7. Hospital Census
      90.7%; 10 ICU beds and 12 ICCU beds available

1. Are you planning on restoring visiting hours and visitors to pre-pandemic access?
   We have plans to increase visitors to two per patient; hours will stay the same for now. We will continue to restrict the number of visitors per patient/area/unit and not return to pre-pandemic access but we will work toward loosening restrictions to two visitors at a time and unlimited rotation throughout the day. We have not moved to this yet since it creates a lot of logistical needs for screening and ensuring volumes in the Medical Center still stay manageable and safe. We either need software or people resources to ensure we keep up with tracking visitors in and out.

2. When is valet parking going to be available to the community?
   Valet parking is currently available at the Mineral King Wing entrance from 8:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. on weekdays and 8:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. on weekends. Current volume is 40 cars per day, down from 200 cars pre-COVID. As we reopen the Medical Center to visitors and now with a larger parking lot, we will reevaluate valet services. Demand will certainly increase as visitors return. But, with a larger lot, we might be able to cut back on valet services. If we ever get to the point of needing to add valet to the Acequia Wing, it would add approximately $25,000 per month in additional valet cost.
3. Now that the CDC has said vaccinated people do not need to wear masks, how does that affect the masking policy at the hospital?
   Fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance AND in healthcare settings (e.g., hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, doctors’ offices, etc.) and on planes, buses, trains and other forms of public transportation.

4. What is the status of the ED opening?
   Still waiting on final approval from the Bakersfield Field Office of the California Department of Public Health. Last threshold to clear is to provide an acceptable staffing plan to the State demonstrating we will have a sufficient number of physicians, other providers, nurses, techs and other staff to support the physical space and expected patient volumes.

5. Can you give us an update on the April financials?
   For the month of April 2021, Kaweah Health posted a net operating loss of $1,033,000 before recognizing any federal or County COVID-19 stimulus funds. Including stimulus funds, the reported net operating loss for the month was reduced to $113,000. Year-to-date through the ten months ended April 30, 2021, Kaweah Health has a cumulative, pre-stimulus funds operating loss of $29.1 million but a positive cumulative operating margin of $1.5 million after including approximately $30.9 million of stimulus funds received throughout the 10-month period. With just two months to go before the end of our fiscal year, we remain hopeful that we will achieve the “break-even”, zero operating margin we budgeted for the year. Keep your fingers crossed.