A New Mexico hospital offered a public “Thank You” to Jogan Health for assistance it provided during a healthcare crisis that hit the region late last year. The San Juan Regional Medical Center (SJRMC) ordered emergency care standards in November 2021 as COVID case numbers climbed and its Intensive Care Unit had to be expanded.
Emergency Care Standards: Explained
Crisis standards of care are described as “peer-reviewed guidelines that help health care providers and health care systems decide how to deliver the best care possible under the extraordinary circumstances of a disaster or public health emergency when there are not enough resources.”
The New Mexico Department of Health turned to Jogan Health to facilitate the deployment of caregivers who worked tirelessly to care for the community during the crisis. The emergency care standards of care declaration was rescinded at the end of February.
“We cannot thank these incredible caregivers and the lawmakers who helped us secure their help enough. They came without hesitation and joined in immediately, providing immense relief and hope for our frontline caregivers who have been working nonstop since the pandemic began,” Jeff Bourgeois, President and CEO of SJRMC, said. “More importantly, I want to thank and recognize the caregivers’ loyalty to San Juan Regional and the patients we serve in our community.”
Throughout the standards of care declaration, SJRMC was able to support inpatient and outpatient care, as well as ancillary services for both COVID and non-COVID patients, thanks to the assistance it received, Bourgieois added.
Along with Jogan, the United States Department of Health and Human Services National Disaster Medical System deployed three separate Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) and one critical care team to SJRMC to provide needed assistance and staffing. The United States Department of Defense, at the request of FEMA, sent two Navy Medical Response Teams to the hospital over the holidays to help caregivers during the surge.
Jogan’s caregivers were welcomed warmly as they were integrated into SJRMC’s clinical care model, according to Jogan President Dan Dietrich.
“It says a lot about the healthcare professionals we work with to staff hospitals and healthcare facilities around the country,” Dietrich said. “Throughout the pandemic, our people have stepped in a done what it takes to help care for communities in need.”
