Flagstaff Medical Center Ready To Help Phoenix Hospitals With COVID-19 Patients If Needed

With cases of COVID-19 spiking across the state, Northern Arizona Healthcare is ready to step in and help the more affected areas. Josh Tinkle, Chief Administrative Officer for Flagstaff Medical Center says “we are anticipating helping the valley as they helped us out early in our COVID journey up here in Flag and we are certainly set and prepared to make the adjustments necessary to help out the state.” However, with the altitude of Flagstaff, FMC isn’t a favorable destination for COVID-19 patients due to the coronavirus being a respiratory illness. As of Wednesday, FMC has 15 COVID-positive patients with 13 on ventilators. There are 201 patients in the hospital currently, mostly due to the hospital getting back to normal in regards to elective surgeries. If capacity reaches 211, the hospital can elect to stop the surgeries until the numbers decline. As for morale of the staff, doctors and nurses at FMC, Tinkle says “the morale is mixed.” He adds “I think there are some people who are struggling more and there are some people that are taking it as it comes and are doing fine.” Hospital officials still recommend washing your hands, practice social distancing and wearing masks when you are in public to help curtail the spread of COVID-19.