Telluride Med Center: Public Ask, Med Equipment Ahead of Potential Surge

07 Apr Telluride Med Center: Public Ask, Med Equipment Ahead of Potential Surge

A COVID-19 Telluride Medical Fund has also been established by the Telluride Medical Center Foundation to meet the needs of the coronavirus response.

Questions?

Find latest news releases, public health orders, and FAQs that are regularly updated on the San Miguel County website.

San Miguel County Hotline at 970-728-3844 (non-medical questions only, please)

Email Tri-County Health to volunteer, donate or ask for assistance, including help if you get sick and are quarantined volunteer@tchnetwork.org

If you need medical assistance, please call TMC 970-728-3848 or use the patient portal at tellmed.org

As always, if you have a medical emergency, please dial 911.

More than one month into the local coronavirus response, and ahead of projected surges, the Telluride Regional Medical Center is now asking the community to borrow their medical equipment — namely pulse oximeters and oxygen concentrators.

“Our goal is to have 100 pulse oximeters and concentrators on hand before we ever need them, ” said Melissa Tuohy, emergency department nurse manager.

The latest surge projections from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment warn that in the next 2 – 3 weeks San Miguel County may see 30 – 40 people a day who may need to be evaluated for respiratory illnesses.

These projections are changing frequently, according to Dr. Christine Mahoney, acting medical director, “but we need to prepare for the worst while hoping for the best.”

“Supplies sourced from the community would be managed by medical center staff and used only if a surge scenario becomes a reality,” said Tuohy.

If you have a pulse oximeter or oxygen concentrator to lend to the coronavirus response efforts, use this form to coordinate with med center staff.

“Together we can create an even broader safety net to care for the community,” said Tuohy.

A contract between the medical center and the owner of the equipment will be issued to ensure that all items will be cared for properly and replaced if necessary.

What is an oxygen concentrator?

“An oxygen concentrator is a device that concentrates the oxygen from a gas supply (typically ambient air) by selectively removing nitrogen to supply an oxygen-enriched product gas stream, explained Tuohy,BSN RN CEN TCRN.