MMC-BD NEWS

Marshfield Medical Center-Beaver Dam, our Medical Staff and Advanced Practice Clinicians have worked diligently over the past six months to prepare for a potential COVID-19 surge. In the face of ever-changing challenges, we have continued to provide safe, high-quality care to our communities. Attacking the COVID-19 pandemic on all fronts and utilizing a multi-faceted approach to minimizing the spread is critical to maximizing the wellness of our community and to ensuring we have the capacity to care for all of the health needs of those who entrust us with their care.

We have all watched anxiously as the number of Dodge County COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths have steadily risen over the past several weeks.

• According to data compiled and released by the New York Times on Oct. 13, Beaver Dam (Dodge County) was 12^th in the nation in new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 over the previous two weeks
• In the first seven months of the pandemic there were 1,512 COVID-19 cases in Dodge County — In the last 30 days there have been an additional 1,538
• There were nine deaths in the first seven months, but an additional 13 have died in the past month alone
• The percentage of hospitalized patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 was 7% for the first seven months, but that number has risen to 52% the past 10 days
• In the first seven months, only 2% of hospital staff were out due to illness, quarantine or a close contact with COVID-19 — In the last 10 days, that number is up to 12%

Now is not the time for us to become complacent as the numbers show we are far from being clear of danger. Nobody wants to make the difficult decisions that affect schools and businesses, but we could be at the precipice of such actions if we are not able to turn things around — and quickly.

Over the past two weeks, Marshfield Medical Center-Beaver Dam has seen inpatient census surge to greater than 90% of capacity, and has experienced 180% of the average daily census from just a year earlier. Current trends and future forecasts have led hospital leadership to take proactive measures to align staff and resources with areas of greatest community need. These measures include opening up another inpatient wing to accommodate the growing need for COVID-19 care, and implementing the initial steps of a plan to reduce some elective and non-urgent procedures as necessary to reallocate needed clinical staff.

Expanding inpatient capacity to care for our friends, family and loved ones is essential to meeting our growing need, but so is ensuring we have enough staff to provide the compassionate care we pride ourselves on each and every day. Doing your part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 can lower hospitalizations AND minimize the number of hospital staff forced to miss shifts serving those in need.

To help meet this challenge, we must work together as a community to take the steps we know are successful in combating COVID-19. We stand with our public health officials in their evidence-based efforts to keep our communities safe. Following the guidance of public health agencies by wearing a face covering, practicing social distancing, washing your hands, avoiding high-risk situations and staying home while sick, can all make a significant difference. Masking in particular has been proven to be a key element in source control as it reduces the spray of respiratory droplets from entering the air or on to other people. Evidence for mask effectiveness can be found here. Tips on wearing disposable masks can be found here while helpful information on cloth masks can be found here.

We have the power to turn this around, but we need everyone to take the current state of the pandemic seriously. We are all in this together, and together we can protect ourselves, our families and our neighbors.

Signed,

Dr. Jamie Deering, Vice President of Medical Affairs, Marshfield Medical Center-Beaver Dam

Dr. Gerard Dynkowski, Marshfield Medical Center-Beaver Dam Chief of Staff

Marshfield Clinic Health System

Marshfield Medical Center – Beaver Dam

• Family Practice and Internal Medicine
  • Lindsey Cleary
  • Cristin Newkirk-Thompson
  • Andrew Guminski
  • Mary Ann Chambers, APN-C
  • Cheryl Butler, APNP
  • Holly Graber, APNP
  • Jolene Oehlke, APNP
  • Jennifer Schaffer, APNP
  • Ruth Grams, APNP
  • Leigh McGough
• Surgical Specialists
  • Paul Palmer
  • Jay Rusek
  • William Cray
  • Ryan Gallagher, PA-C
• Orthopedic & Podiatry Specialists
  • Robert Seipel
  • Joseph Puccinelli
  • Raj Rangarajan
  • Molly Meier
  • Guoqing Song, PA-C
  • Jami Berg, PA-C
  • Caleb Mabis, PA-C
• Reference Lab
• Chiropractic Clinic
  • Benjamin Shier
• Pulmonology Clinic
  • Nestor Machare
• Wound Clinic
  • Lori Lee

Community Pediatrics

• Jay Miesfeld
• Jessica Miesfeld
• Betsy Peterson

Infinity Healthcare

Randolph Community Clinic

• Melissa Lucarelli
• Linda Mulder, PA-C
• Teresa Wiersma, APNP

SSM Health Dean Medical Group – Beaver Dam

• Erin Lambert
• Collen Cassidy
• Brad Allen
• Catherine E.M. Nelson
• Holly Anderson, NP
• Brendan Nashold, PA-C
• Jayme Quade, NP
• Danielle Scheuers, NP

UW Health – Beaver Dam Clinic

• Seth Barudin