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News

March 2, 2022

CBS21: Voices of the frontlines two years into the pandemic

HARRISBURG, Pa. — There’s frustration on the frontlines two years into the pandemic.

“People are so tired of it that they are ready to move on and they want to go back to life as normal,” Family First Health George Street Center Lead Physician Dr. Hetal Patel tells CBS 21 News’ Samantha York.

“Then we see what’s going on in our hospitals,” UPMC Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. John D. Goldman continues.

“This has been our life, our entire life, for two years,” WellSpan Health Critical Care Nurse Erin Hammond adds.

As the U.S. nears the two year anniversary of living with COVID-19, CBS 21 News visited healthcare systems throughout the region for a check-in.

“It’s become very difficult when you’re not seeing people get better anymore, despite everything you’re doing,” Hammond explains, her voice breaking.

“It’s making providers feel like they’re a failure,” Dr. Patel says.

Healthcare heroes say they’re fading.

“There was a point at the start of this when we were healthcare heroes,” Dr. Goldman remarks.

“We certainly don’t feel like heroes,” Hammond continues.

“I’m here to take care of them,” Dr. Patel says. “So when I’m not able to, that hurt feeling is there.”

Inside Penn State Health’s Emergency Department, Emergency Room Nurse Kristin Jens cares for patients battling COVID-19.

“Seeing as many sick people as many people die, I’ve seen more in the last two years I feel I’ve seen in my career as a nurse,” she says. “You hear all the monitors, there’s always somebody very sick in the Department.”

Some patients are fighting for their lives.

“I try to give them comfort that, you know, they can hold my hand still,” she adds.

“Especially when they’re here alone,” Hammond continues. “We’re all they have.”

In WellSpan Health’s Critical Care Unit, Erin Hammond fights a battle of her own as a Critical Care Nurse.

“This [winter] was the worst part of the pandemic for us and that’s a shame because we now have the vaccines, we have treatments, we have knowledge to help keep the community safe, to keep ourselves safe,” she explains. “And, unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be working.”

“You go into the room with the pictures of the kids up, pictures of the family members up and if somebody’s on a ventilator, you know they have less than a 50% chance of leaving the hospital,” Dr. Goldman says.

“Having to tell those families their mom, their dad, their brother, their sister, their child in some cases is not coming home, having to do that day after day, it gets really hard,” Hammond continues.

“There are the cases that you remember that kind of weigh a little heavier on you once you get home,” Jens says.

The patients who do get out have long recoveries ahead.

“When they do come out of the hospital, they’re short of breath, they can’t go back to work and they’re angry,” Dr. Patel says. “If I didn’t have it all in me, I could really be upset and be in tears that I did everything possible.”

Family First Health caters to a medically-underserved population and faces increased demand for services.

“There’s still ongoing COVID care, there’s still ongoing catch up care, there is post-COVID care and then we are still going back to the preventive care,” Dr. Hetal Patel adds. She has half the staff needed to manage it all.

“Those who are working, are working double the effort to try to fill the void,” she explains.

It’s a healthcare crisis on every level.

“There’s a lot of burnout, you know,” Geisinger Western Region Director of Hospital Medicine Dr. John Pagnotto says. “Particularly in the last six months, we’ve just been at pretty much 100% capacity.”

“A lot of people have decided they just can’t do this,” Dr. Goldman explains. “We have tremendous staffing issues.”

“I’ve been picking up the help just because we do have so many holes,” Jens adds.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 7% growth rate in the nursing industry from 2019 to 2029. That estimation puts it ahead of the national average of a 4% growth rate for all occupations.

However, the American Medical Association projects 1 in 5 doctors will likely leave the industry within two years, and reports show 1.2 million new registered nurses will be needed by 2030.

“There aren’t more providers in the pipeline,” Dr. Patel says. “So we haven’t been able to replace those providers.”

“Not only do you have high volumes, a lot more patients than usual than we used do, but you have fewer people to treat those patients,” Dr. Goldman explains.

Burnouts are expediting retirements.

“People get frustrated thinking their wait times are because we don’t want to see them but behind-the-scenes, we are working our butts off,” Jens says.

At UPMC Harrisburg, over 90% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated.

“There’s some aspect of this pandemic still going on being a choice,” Dr. Goldman says. He is working around the clock for care.

“He comes in on a call, is called all night, he’s doing notes all night,” his wife, Maureen O’Toole-Goldman, says. “He’s exhausted.”

“If we don’t do it, who will?” he says.

As cases decline once again, healthcare professionals are keeping their guards up.

“As soon as you get a breath, there’s another wave,” Hammond explains.

“We take it one patient at a time, one day at a time,” Geisinger Emergency Physician and Assistant Medical Director of the Emergency Department Dr. David Rupprecht says. “That’s the best we can do.”

Voices on the frontlines – begging to be heard.

“Everyone has given a part of themselves to this pandemic, where it’s going to take us a long way to recharge that part,” Dr. Patel says. “Slowly, we’re going to get there.”

Watch video here

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January 11, 2022

ABC27: Family First Health opens COVID testing site in Lebanon; new dates added

LEBANON, Pa. (WHTM) — A new COVID testing site opened on Tuesday at WellSpan Dixon Foundation Health Center.

Family First Health says walk-ins are welcome as tests are free and the need for them is tremendous.

“Demands for testing here in Lebanon specifically is in the hundred and hundreds a day,” Becky Wilson of Family First Health said.

Find the full article here

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January 7, 2022

ABC27: Family First Health to host COVID-19 testing events in Lebanon

YORK, Pa. (WHTM) — Family First Health Services, in partnership with WellSpan Health, is providing free daily COVID-19 testing from Tuesday, Jan. 11. to Friday, Jan. 14. Testing will be done between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Find the full article here

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December 20, 2021

Fox 43: COVID-19 heading into 2022: developments you should know about

The pandemic situation is always changing, from changes in vaccine eligibility to variants and masking recommendations.

YORK, Pa. — The York community had an opportunity to get their COVID-19 questions answered Dec. 20 at a Q&A run by Family First Health.

The event focused on the latest information from the medical community regarding recent pandemic-related trends, including changes in vaccine eligibility and masking recommendations.https://5bb5b4b51093dad920c0c8c9a672ff0c.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

The COVID situation in Pennsylvania is currently heading in the wrong direction; cases were up nearly 80 percent from late October to late December, according to data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

The rise, however, is likely not due to the Omicron variant of the virus, which has been widely discussed in the media in recent weeks as it spreads through the U.S.

“Everyone wants to prepare and that’s why constantly hear about it. But as of today when I last checked, 96 percent of COVID cases in Pennsylvania are still due to the Delta variant,” said Dr. Hetal Patel, family medicine physician with Family First Health.

Because both the Delta and Omicron variants appear to be more contagious, Patel said families still need to stay vigilant over the holidays, even is everyone is vaccinated.

“If somebody’s been exposed them, as much as you love them, they do not come to the event,” she said.

It’s not all bad news. From understanding how coronavirus spreads to having accurate testing, the medical community has many more tools to combat the virus than when it began spreading widely in early 2020.

“That is a wonderful infrastructure that we didn’t have 21 months ago,” Patel said. “From inventing our test to making sure that they’re accurate to making sure they’re available in a timely manner, that’s progress.”

Public health officials continue to urge everyone eligible—now anyone age 5 or older—to get the vaccine and the booster if applicable. The vaccine remains the most effective way to prevent severe COVID-19.

Read the full article

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December 1, 2021

York Dispatch: A healthy turnout for LifePath vaccination clinic

Dr. Asceline Go, Family First Health vice president of medical services, speaks with Twanette Walker of York City prior to Walker’s vaccination at a vaccination clinic at LifePath Christian Ministries Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. LifePath partnered with community organizations to offer the clinic, providing free COVID-19 shots, boosters and flu shots at its York City men’s shelter. Vaccines for age-eligible children were also available. Bill Kalina photo

Find the full article here

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November 30, 2021

ABC 27: Family First Health in York hosting free rapid HIV testing for World AIDS Day on Wednesday

YORK, Pa. (WHTM) — On the eve of World AIDS Day, one local organization is giving out information, supplies, and tests.

Family First Health in York will be doing free rapid HIV testing all day Wednesday. ON Tuesday, they handed out condoms and information about safe sex at Central Market in York. Patients and organizers agree that although AIDS has slipped from the headlines, it remains a major threat.

“We need to make people aware that HIV and AIDS are out there and people need to get tested to know their status,” Julio Rivera said.

Find the full article here

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October 26, 2021

York Daily Record: Why Family First Health is installing diverse author library in York

By: Jenny Englerth, President & CEO of Family First Health

As Hispanic Heritage Month concludes, now is a time for celebrating and embracing the racial and ethnic diversity that makes up our community and makes it strong.  It also creates a time for reflection.

Family First Health’s foundation is rooted in social justice and equity.  For the past 50+ years, we have continued work to advance our mission of improving lives by understanding, advocating for and valuing the various perspectives and experiences of our patients, our workforce and the diverse communities where we exist and serve.

Read the full article here

Because our organization’s work has focused on improving equity in health outcomes, we are disappointed in the Central York School District’s previous decision to ban a list of more than 300 resources, which reflect the diverse people, cultures and perspectives that make up our community.  Such a decision is shortsighted in limiting the learning of our students and fostering understanding; and, decisions like these are bad for our health.

Research indicates that individual and structural racism denies opportunity to people of color and robs them of their physical and mental health.  The life expectancy of people of color is often a decade, or more, shorter than their white neighbors.  People of color face higher risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and mental illness.  These health inequities, and often the diseases themselves, stem in part from the stress of being silenced, ignored, oppressed and targeted for violence.  We see this impact on our patients every day.

The Central York School District Board has reversed its previous decision and we applaud and stand with the students, families, staff and community members who bravely protested the ban.  The collective action required to prompt the reversal of this decision will create many positive ripple effects. However, we know that our community will require ongoing action to address ongoing, systemic racism to begin to mitigate the impact of racism on the health of our community.

Family First Health strives for our work to be relevant, compassionate and responsive to all by closing the gap and raising the bar in addressing inequities in health.  Through this, we all have the opportunity to achieve enhanced understanding to work together to build up our communities by changing systems, addressing challenges and seeking unity.

To demonstrate Family First Health’s ongoing support of diverse learning, we are installing a “Little Free Library,” supported by the United Way of York County, outside of our School-Based Health Center at Hannah Penn K-8 School.  The library will include books by diverse authors and about diverse cultures.   Through this effort, we will encourage and promote some of our youngest learners to remain curious about themselves, others and the world around them and pave the way for a healthier next generation.

Jenny Englerth is CEO of Family First Health.

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September 25, 2021

Fox 43: COVID-19 rapid tests are in short supply

“It’s supply and demand, so a lot of manufactures of these rapid test kits are experiencing a high need and they’re just not able to produce them at the rate they’re needed right now,” says Erin Schmidt of Family First Health.

Schmidt recommends patients find other alternatives such as the PCR test.

“You can get a PCR Test from your doctors office, yes it takes a couple of days so just planning ahead,” she said.

Family First Health is offering free rapid testing across Central Pennsylvania and no appointment is necessary.

Find the full article here

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September 21, 2021

York Daily Record: From tiny corner store in York, shop owner brings vaccination clinic to neighbors in need

By Katia Parks; York Daily Record

The governor of Pennsylvania stopped by the bodega at Pine and Princess to encourage people to use the vaccination clinic planned there this week.

Read the full article here

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