29 Are Positive for COVID-19; Others Are Awaiting Test Results
On Saturday morning, April 18, 2020, Lakeland Regional Health took over the medical care of more than 35 residents at Opis Highlands Lake Center in South Lakeland. These residents had either tested positive for COVID-19 or were experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, such as high fever, and were transferred by Polk County Emergency Medical Services to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center on Saturday morning. As of Saturday night, 29 had tested positive for COVID-19 and test results are pending on the others.
“After ongoing communications with the leadership of Opis Highlands Lake Center throughout the last week, it became apparent to us and to their administrators that immediate hospital-level intervention was necessary for these residents,” said Elaine C. Thompson, PhD, FACHE, Lakeland Regional Health President and CEO. “This will allow Highlands Lake Center to focus on the safety and well-being of the other residents in their care and hopefully will slow the COVID-19 outbreak at this facility. These frail patients are now receiving high-level emergency care from our skilled providers.”
“We are so grateful for the exceptional care our customers are receiving at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center during this pandemic,” said Everton Spencer, Administrator for Opis Highlands Lake Center.
All families of affected residents have been contacted by Highlands Lake Center and Lakeland Regional Health.
“The families of these patients are very appreciative and have been in regular, ongoing communication with our team,” said Timothy J. Regan, MD, President, Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center/Chief Medical Officer, Lakeland Regional Health. “Our clinicians are diligently following protocol established by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to care for and treat these new patients.”
“We recognize this can be a time of concern for those who have loved ones in nursing homes,” said Francisco Chebly, MD, Executive Medical Director, Lakeland Regional Health Physician Group. “As one of the leading healthcare providers in our region, we have long-established relationships with the skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities in our area and remain committed to ensuring that proper medical care is provided to residents of these facilities who are testing positive for COVID-19 or exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.”