3-18-20 st. agnes hospital president says hospital prepared for pandemic

Government and health care leaders around the U.S. are voicing concerns about the readiness of the nation’s hospitals in a worst-case scenario involving the new coronavirus outbreak.  Fond du Lac Saint Agnes Hospital officials say they are planning daily.   Officials question  whether they have enough beds and supplies should there be a large influx of patients in coming weeks. St. Agnes Hospital president Katherine Vergos says hospital officials are planning daily.  Vergos says part of the planning involves what would be needed if many patients need to be hospitalized.  “We have limited out-patient physician clinic visits, we have cancelled elective procedures at this time,”  Vergos told WFDL news.  Hospital executives say they’ve been planning for months and have set up tents to receive new patients. But in hard-hit Washington state they’ve already seen shortages of personal protective gear worn by health care workers. New York’s governor is suggesting the Army Corps of Engineers turn facilities such as military bases or college dorms into temporary medical centers.