During COVID-19, Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) has made numerous changes to meet the evolving demands of the pandemic.
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.
