By Kirk Johannesen, The Republic
johannesen@therepublic.com
Flooding that closed Columbus Regional Hospital and displaced some doctors from their offi ces has caused inconveniences to patients and physicians.
However, no doctors in Columbus have closed their practices and moved elsewhere, according to Dr. Robert Kavelman, chief of staff at CRH and a family physician.
Efforts locally, such as expanding hours at Columbus Surgery Center, have helped keep patients in Columbus for many procedures. Hospitals in Indianapolis, Greensburg, Seymour and North Vernon have allowed Columbus doctors to treat patients in their facilities.
"No patient has received a lower level of care in what we are able to accomplish," said Dr. David Wilson, medical director of The Lung Center at CRH, and a pulmonary and critical care physician.
"But, if you put service in the equation, to go to hither and yon to get needs met, that is a hassle."
On the road
The Lung Center, located on the first floor of CRH, was among the departments damaged by flooding.
Fortunately for Wilson, the center's previous location on 18th Street was still available, and it returned there.
About two weeks elapsed before Wilson could resume treating patients.
However, Wilson and some of his patients still are feeling the effects. Wilson is an intensive care unit doctor, but the ICU at CRH isn't open yet.
He has to travel to area hospitals to treat patients requiring inpatient services and procedures that Columbus can't handle yet.
Fortunately, Wilson said, patients understand the situation.
Some doctors are spending 90 minutes or more per day traveling to see and treat patients.
Dr. David Thompson, a surgeon with Southern Indiana Surgery, agreed that travel is the biggest challenge for doctors.
"It's easy to get paged in the middle of night and travel five minutes to the hospital, but it's more difficult to get up in the middle of the night and travel 45 minutes to do a surgery," Thompson said.
Anesthesiologists have been affected the most because they need hospitals and surgery centers to work, said Dr. Larry Olson, an orthopedic surgeon with Southern Indiana Orthopedics.
Some are working at Columbus Surgery Center, but he knows of others traveling to Kokomo or Indianapolis. He said one anesthesiologist took a temporary assignment in Colorado.
Staying connected
The various physician groups Wilson works with are scattered around the region. Fragmentation among physicians has been a challenge, he said.
"It was a logical issue at first because there were so many unknowns," Kavelman said.
The hospital had no patients and it was uncertain when the emergency department and the rest of CRH would reopen.
Meetings for CRH staff and physician staff have been held several times each month to keep everyone updated and connected.
Knowing timelines for reopening parts of CRH has helped doctors plan and endure the disruption, Wilson said. Most physicians are willing to be pretty resilient, he added.
"This has strengthened the relationship between physicians and the hospital," Olson said.
If a doctor had been considering leaving Columbus, the fl ood could have cemented that departure, Kavelman said. He knows of no such cases, though.
"I don't think anyone I know of has packed their bags and said, 'I'm out of here.' Everyone's concern has been how to get things safe and get back to work," Kavelman said.
Local answer
One of the solutions for helping patients and doctors was expanding Columbus Surgery Center's hours of operation, and the services it offers.
Before the flood, surgeries were performed from 7:30 a.m. to about 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Now surgeries are performed later into the evening, until about 8 p.m. Also, the surgery center is open for surgeries on Saturdays, from about 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
"If it had not been for this facility, it would have been quite a crunch," Olson said. "It makes it a lot easier."
Columbus Surgery Center, which only handles outpatient procedures, has had an influx of patients. Its volume of procedures has increased 30 to 40 percent, said Marcy Ross, director of Columbus Surgery Center.
After the flood, it temporarily added eye services, such as surgeries for cataracts.
Wilson also has used the surgery center, as have two gastroenterologists.
Doctors are making the most of Columbus Surgery Center, Ross said.
"They've been extremely sympathetic and are working longer hours and are trying to make sure they put as many on the schedule as possible."
CRH nurses were brought to the surgery center to provide sufficient staffing for the increase in patients.
Nurses from Columbus also have been sent to hospitals where Columbus doctors are working temporarily. That familiarity creates a feeling of a surgical team, which is beneficial for patients and doctors, Kavelman said.
The greater benefit will be when doctors, nurses and patients can use CRH for all procedures.
The emergency department recently reopened. Inpatient and surgical services are expected to resume in late October.
"I would be lying if I said we would not be excited about returning," Kavelman said.