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KEMH creates more isolation rooms

Monday 13 April 2020: Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) today announces the addition of nine more negative pressure rooms at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH). Four additional rooms in the Emergency Department, two operating rooms, two rooms on the Post Anesthesia Care Unit and one additional room on the Dialysis Unit have been converted to negative pressure/isolation rooms.

These nine rooms are in addition to the 28 converted on the Ace Barber Unit, announced last week. (The 28 conversions brought the total negative pressure rooms on the unit to 30, i.e. every room on the unit.)

Creating negative pressure within a room results in the air being confined to that room. This greatly reduces the ability of infection to spread.

The Acute Care Wing opened in 2014 with two negative pressure rooms on each of the three wards and 15 in the Emergency Department. Patients who present or develop infectious conditions in the hospital are routinely housed in isolation rooms.

Black & McDonald, facility manager of the Acute Care Wing (ACW), were able to increase the number of negative pressure rooms through the ACW’s automated building management system.

“We are doing everything we can to help BHB prepare for this pandemic,” said the Black & McDonald Facility Manger for the Acute Care Wing, Warren Moulaison. “Our team of engineers, just like everyone at BHB, is committed to doing our best to serve our Bermuda community.”

“Increasing the number of isolation rooms in the Emergency Department will help us better stem the spread of COVID-19 within the hospital,” said BHB Chief of Emergency and Hyperbarics Chikezie Dean Okereke, MD.

“We are pleased with the progress of our pandemic plan,” said BHB CEO and President Venetta Symonds. “I thank the dedication of staff across our organisation, from the Facilities Departments who expand our negative pressure room capabilities, to our frontline clinical staff, dietary and environmental services staff, our partners in security services and our administrative staff – all of us are working to care for and keep our patients  and employees safe.”

13 April 2020 Home Page, News

Hospital request those with respiratory infections not to visit patients

Friday 22 December 2017: Due to an increase in the number of people admitted to hospital with influenza, King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) has restricted visitors to patients on Gordon Ward. Only immediate family of patients on that ward will be allowed access.

Additionally Bermuda Hospitals Board is requesting that members of the public with respiratory and flu-like symptoms not visit patients in the hospital. These symptoms may include sneezing, coughing, body aches or fever.

Hospital patients are more vulnerable to infection from flu and respiratory viruses.

KEMH has seen an increase in recent weeks of confirmed influenza cases in patients that were admitted to the Emergency Department and those that were already inpatients.

So far there have been several confirmed influenza cases – five adults and two children were diagnosed in the Emergency Department and admitted.  In addition, six inpatients with flu-like symptoms are currently Gordon Ward.  All patients with the flu are in isolation.

How can we protect ourselves from catching influenza? Take preventive actions to stop the spread of germs. The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta recommends the following:

  • A yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses.
  • Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
  • While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
  • If you are sick with flu-like illness, you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone for 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
  • Frequent hand hygiene.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.
  • While there are many different flu viruses, a flu vaccine protects against the viruses that research suggests will be most common.
  • Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every year.
  • It is most beneficial for people at high risk of serious flu complications that include: young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease and people 65 years and older.
  • Vaccination also is important for health care workers, and other people who live with or care for high risk people to keep from spreading flu to them.
  • Children younger than 6 months are at high risk of serious flu illness, but are too young to be vaccinated. People who care for infants should be vaccinated instead.

 

If you suspect you have the flu visit your family doctor.

22 December 2017 Home Page, News

Holiday hours at Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Centre and King Edward VII Memorial Hospital Emergency Department

Thursday 21 December 2017: The Bermuda Hospitals Board wishes the public a happy and safe holiday weekend. If urgent medical care is required the Emergency Department at King Edward VII memorial Hospital (KEMH) is open 24 hours a day. Additionally the Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Centre (UCC) in St David’s will be open from noon to midnight on Saturday and Sunday and from 4pm to midnight on Christmas Day – Monday 25 December and Boxing Day – Tuesday 26 December.

Please note that if your condition is serious, attendance at KEMH may still be necessary.

On New Year’s Eve, Sunday 31 December, opening hours will be from noon to midnight and 4pm to midnight on New Year’s Day Monday 1 January.

BHB also reminds the public that emergency physicians attend to patients in the order of the severity of their condition. The poster below details the expected wait times, but please note this is a general guideline.

If you need to contact the UCC call 298-7700. To contact KEMH Emergency Department call 239-2009.

21 December 2017 Home Page, News