Charlotte Varcoe
RESIDENTS in need of emergency care will first be screened at an external emergency department tent erected outside the Mount Gambier and District Hospital as part of the Limestone Coast Health Network’s Covid-19 plan.
Upon arrival, patients will be screened and symptom history will be evaluated by health-care professionals which will include whether the patient has travelled, is in close contact with a Covid-positive case, or has recently had a Covid test.
Depending on the outcome of a patient’s initial risk assessment, the patient will either be further assessed in the emergency department tent or in the emergency department itself.
Limestone Coast Local Health Network executive director of medical services, Dr Elaine Pretorius said if the patient was deemed a low risk they would be cleared to go into the emergency department, however if they are deemed medium to high risk, they would then undertake an allergen rapid Covid test.
“If that test comes back negative, the patient will be cleared to go into the emergency department as well, yet if it comes back positive, the patient will have to remain in the tent until it is determined what to do,” Dr Pretorius said.
“There are four things that can happen to somebody who is Covid-positive here in the region.
“One is hopefully they can go home and isolate there and we will put home monitoring into play.
“Two is if people cannot manage that, they will go into a supported accommodation which we are hoping to develop here in Mount Gambier.
“Three is that if they have a condition unrelated to Covid, then they will be here in the Mount Gambier hospital, however if they are unwell due to Covid then they will be transported to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.”
Dr Pretorius said it was expected that 85 per cent of positive cases would be able to be treated at home with constant medical care with those self isolating also receiving equipment to monitor their own oxygen levels and regular tele-calls with health officials.
“We are estimating that only 10 per cent of positive cases will require our support and there will only be a small 5 per cent of people that will require hospital admission,” she said.
Alongside the external emergency department, a Covid Care Centre will also be implemented adjacent to the hospital.
Dr Pretorius said the care centre would allow those with Covid who are feeling unwell and in need of a review to be treated following a referral by the community care team.
“We do know that a lot of people with the Delta variant have quite profound nausea and vomiting,” she said.
“People who attend the centre may need some fluid or electrolytes replacement and we will already know their diagnosis prior to entering the facility.
“The centre will have a doctor and nurses who will be able to look after positive cases quickly and efficiently and, rather than bringing the patients into the emergency department and having them wait around, we can accelerate that rapid review and treatment process.”
The plans revealed Naracoorte and Kingston would also host a care centre with Dr Pretorius stating the three facilities would allow staff to support most of the Limestone Coast while preventing unnecessary travel.
“We did explore having an offsite Covid care centre here but we have so few staff at the moment it was not sustainable for us because we don’t know what the demand will be,” she said.
“The entrance to the centre will be separate to the hospital and it will have its own entrance with patients arriving by appointment only.
“That means a lot of patients will be able to come to the centre, access the care, and be able to go home again.”
Dr Pretorius also called on the community to further support one another and express kindness to health staff in the future.
“None of us have done this before and we are all just trying our best and we have had staff abused at the vaccination centres but we really want people to be kind and gentle with each other and our health staff,” she said.
“We also want people to remember to be sensible and check for hotspots if planning to travel and, if they need to have a large gathering, to have it outside because that also helps protection.”
