DCH Coronavirus Update 9-17-20

Updating Fayette’s Walking Track

In the late ‘80s, the Georgia Pacific Foundation helped expand Fayette Medical Center’s community connectivity when it donated $10,000 for the creation of a walking track behind the hospital. Since then residents of FMC Long Term Care, DCH employees and community members have all regularly used the area for exercise and events.

Now, more than 30 years later, a similar contribution has led to the walking track’s revitalization.

The company OptumRx, which administers DCH’s employee prescription drug program, contributed a $60,000 grant to DCH for community health-related projects. Much of that funding has been dedicated to the Fayette walking track project.

Here are some of the improvements:

• The track and adjoining sidewalks have all been replaced and widened to 5 feet.
• The fence around the track was repaired.
• Permanent power was run to the pavilion.

In the pavilion, the roof has been replaced, lights have been replaced and ceiling fans have been added.

Today a small group of DCH employees and community leaders gathered to commemorate the reopening of the track. On hand to speak were Bryan Kindred, DCH president/CEO, Mike Freeman, Fayette probate Judge, and Donald Jones, Fayette Medical Center administrator. Finally, Danny White from the Fayette Area Chamber of Commerce led the group in a ribbon cutting to signify the grand reopening of the track and its facilities.

DCH expresses its sincerest gratitude to OptumRx for making this community health project possible for all those who visit or live in Fayette.

Testing and Confirmed Cases

To protect patient privacy, DCH has established a minimum threshold of five for reporting numbers of inpatients with laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19.

DCH internal counts as of 1:20 p.m. on 9/17/20:

• 44 inpatients are being treated for COVID-19.
• 11 inpatients who are positive for COVID-19 are being treated in the ICU.
• Five or fewer who are positive for COVID-19 are on ventilators.
• 9 who are positive for COVID-19 are on a BiPAP.
• 3,147 (cumulative) unique positives for COVID-19 tests including results from the ED, triage tent and inpatient. These individuals are not necessarily in the hospital.
• 20,793 (cumulative) unique negatives for COVID-19 at DCH sites.
• 4,078 (cumulative) positive COVID-19 at DCH sites. These individuals are not necessarily in the hospital.
• 30,231 (cumulative) negative tests at DCH sites.
• 892 inpatients (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have been discharged.
• 179 inpatients (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have died at DCH. This is not an indication of the cause of death, only that the individuals were positive for COVID-19 at the time of death.
• 101 Tuscaloosa County residents (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have died (per the Alabama Department of Public Health).

18-24 Demographic Information

• 3.8 percent of those 18-24 who tested positive for COVID-19 have needed inpatient care at DCH.
• 5.7 percent of women 18-24 who tested positive for COVID-19 have needed inpatient care at DCH.
• 1.1 percent of men 18-24 who tested positive for COVID-19 have needed inpatient care at DCH.