Infusion treatments, rapid tests offered now in Luverne

Sanford Luverne started offering outpatient infusion treatments this week for higher-risk patients who qualify, according to hospital director Tammy Loosbrock.
The goal is to prevent patients from getting sicker and to keep hospital beds open and staff available for the sickest patients.
“Hopefully this will help and keep people out of the hospital,” Loosbrock said Monday.
After a patient tests positive for COVID-19, Sanford prioritizes care for those who are most vulnerable to the virus — those who are 65 or older and have one chronic condition or those 55 or older who have two or more chronic conditions.
Patients who qualify will be given a Bamlanivimab, a Covid-19 antibody treatment administered in a one-time infusion.
The treatment recently received emergency use authorization from the FDA, and Sanford first started the therapies over the past two weeks.
The main outpatient infusion center is on the medical center campus in Sioux Falls, but the therapy is now being used in Sanford’s network hospitals and skilled nursing home facilities.
 
Rapid tests offered
Starting next week, Loosbrock said Sanford Luverne will utilize a more rapid test for symptomatic patients, “but that does come with some limitations,” she said.
For example, the rapid test must be administered within seven days of the start of symptoms.
Negative tests will have to be confirmed with the traditional test, because the rapid test so far has a history of false negatives.
“People need to reminded that they shouldstay home until that second negative is confirmed,” Loosbrock said.
“The good news in this test is it will confirm the most likely of cases with an expedited timeline.”
The rapid test is also not for those who are asymptomatic or have just been exposed to a known positive case.
 
Steady numbers
Loosbrock said Sanford Luverne has been fortunate in that it’s not been inundated by too many patient admissions at once.
“It’s been busy but we are managing. We are not in a crisis staffing in Luverne,” she said. “We changed some of our shifts and have people cross-trained to help out with coverage for when we have staff out or the couple weeks when our census was higher.”
She said Sanford Luverne has been affected similarly to other businesses with some staff being out due to testing positive or quarantine.  
“We have been fortunate that it is only a few at a time and that we have a great team that has stepped up to help cover the schedule,” Loosbrock said.
Testing numbers and positive cases have been steady as well as inpatient admissions, with 68 patients admitted so far with an average length of stay about five to six days, some longer and some less.  
There were about 60 transfers to Sioux Falls for those needing a higher level of care, such as ICU, that isn’t available in Luverne.
Other medical procedures have continued as planned, Loosbrock said.
“We have a plan in surgery to continually review our hospital patient census and staffing needs and determine if we need to do anything differently,” she said.
“At this point, we haven't had to limit that in Luverne. Most of our procedures are outpatient and don't require a stay in a hospital bed. 
Sanford Luverne, and the Sanford system as a whole, has been preparing for several months for the deployment of a possible Covid-19 vaccine.
“We are fortunate to be part of the integrated health system, and expect we will be administering the vaccine based on CDC and other governmental guidelines as soon as it receives final approval,” Loosbrock said.