In the News

“You really can’t verbally describe how extreme it is,” said Amy Scott, an ICU nurse at Hennepin Healthcare.

Hospital chaplains like Sarah Lindberg are helping patients and staff cope because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She works at Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis. Chaplain Nicole Smith of Hennepin Healthcare said she spends much more of her time comforting hospital staff members during the pandemic.

Kerri Miller spoke with Kris Ehresmann, the Minnesota Department of Health’s director of infectious diseases and epidemiology and Dr. David Hilden from Hennepin Healthcare about how the state has dealt with the pandemic so far and what may be down the road in addressing the

Hennepin Healthcare on Tuesday announced that it would be repurposing its capacity of 1,000 diagnostic tests per day to help identify and limit outbreaks in long-term care facilities and group homes and shelters.

Dr. Glen Hansen said more aggressive identification of these outbreaks and then testing of at-risk residents — even before they show any symptoms — could reduce the spread to other vulnerable individuals living in these facilities.

“We are picking up a number of kids with COVID, but again, they have quiet symptoms. They often come in with an adult that’s a lot sicker,” Dr. Stacene Maroushek said.

“This virus–and this pandemic–has changed a lot of the way we think because it’s such a contagious disease,” said Dr. Thomas Wyatt, Medical Director of the ER at Hennepin Healthcare.

Supplies have been bolstered with the help of Minnesota business leaders negotiating purchases from international locations, though one large supply of masks was halted this weekend when the Chinese government nationalized a plant, said Dr. John Hick, a Hennepin Healthcare doctor who is managing the statewide healthcare coordination center.

Hennepin Healthcare regularly trains for major incidents. “We’ve trained for some nasty things, but I don’t recall training for a pandemic,” William Marks, director of food, nutrition and environmental services at Hennepin Healthcare, says.

“These boxes allow for a physical barrier that have been shown to prevent nearly 99% of the exposure that doctors have when doing this procedure [intubation],” said emergency physician at Hennepin Healthcare Marc Martel.

“From a poison control standpoint, there is absolutely no safe way to use household cleaning products or bleaches internally,” said Dr. Jon Cole, the medical director for the Minnesota Poison Control System. 

Theses are things Dr. Michael Belzer, Hennepin Healthcare Foundation, says we need now more than ever.

Police cars, motorcycles, firetrucks and ambulances flooded downtown Minneapolis Thursday afternoon to honor health care workers and Hennepin County EMS paramedic Karl Meek, who died Tuesday.

Director of the Hennepin Healthcare Mother-Baby Program Dr. Helen Kim says she is hearing from patients who are struggling with the isolation.

The COVID-19 pandemic is not only having an emotional toll on our health care workers, but it can also take a physical toll — specifically from personal protective equipment. One example is strain on ears from wearing masks. Not only can they cause physical pain, but Mary Willner, a senior staff nurse with Hennepin County Medical Center, tells KSTP they can also cause headaches.

“We have essentially decades of data that tell us homelessness is worse for your health than a majority of our usual chronic conditions combined,” said Dr. Danielle Robertshaw, who has worked with homeless populations for 20 years.

Most pollen starting to emerge into the air will attack a different part of the body than the virus, and Dr. John Sweet with Hennepin Healthcare says that should be a big clue.

Hennepin Healthcare has launched two clinical trials for a drug to see if it will help COVID-19 patients. The trials are being doing through the Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute.

Alex Lee surprises his bride Kelsey Christiansen with a drive-by wedding reception outside Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis on Friday after their small wedding, with help from his friends and co-workers in the physical therapy department.

Alex Lee and Kelsey Christiansen had a private ceremony with a special “drive-by” reception at HCMC, where Alex works.

Alex and Kelsey Lee’s wedding plans were upended by COVID-19, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t have a wedding reception. After a small ceremony, Alex surprised Kelsey by driving by HCMC, where his co-workers planned a surprise drive-by wedding reception.