Like Brown, Kraus noted that elective surgeries have been canceled, which frees up beds and ventilators.
Kraus said the hospital system is preparing to obtain more gowns and masks and other equipment that physicians will need, and they’ve been working closely with their vendors.
“From the HSHS standpoint, we are OK,” Kraus said. “We are taking measures to conserve, but we aren’t panicking. We are using our (supplies and equipment) as needed.”
Marshfield Clinic Health System Foundation has started collecting homemade face masks that will be distributed to patients in the hospital system. The foundation posted on its Facebook page asking people who are staying home and need a project to sew masks. If they cannot obtain elastic, they will accept masks with ties.
“Sewn masks will alleviate the shortage and will be distributed to patients to help provide a protective barrier, so that medical-grade N95 masks may be conserved for our health care providers,” the Facebook post reads.
Those homemade masks can be dropped off at the Acoustic Café, 505 S. Barstow St., in Eau Claire 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Kraus praised the collaboration efforts of all the area medical systems as they prepare for more cases.
Erma Radke, OakLeaf Surgical Hospital spokeswoman, said she couldn’t comment at this time, other than to say they are in contact with the other area hospitals and working with them.
