Bellevue, NE, rehab center accepts COVID-19 patients to help hospitals

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    OMAHA, NE (WOWT) — A woman receiving care at Hillcrest Rehab in Bellevue following surgery said she was terrified to find out days before leaving the facility, of a COVID-19 outbreak.

But it turns out there’s a bit more to the story.

Hillcrest operates a long term care facility and a health and rehab center in separate wings of one building. Still, when Margaret Steele, 73, found people battling the coronavirus shared her temporary address, she was worried.

Steele recovered from open heart surgery in the rehab facility for a few weeks following a heart attack. While there she said a nurse told her there were seventeen virus cases. “It did scare me.” she admitted, both because of her age and also because she had just undergone such a serious treatment.

Jim Janicki, Hillcrest’s Vice President of Communications confirmed there were roughly 30 cases, but explained only half were originated from their long term care facility. The remaining cases, were brought into the facility from the outside; through a partnership with Nebraska Medicine.

“We reached out to Nebraska Medicine to say ‘would it help you to take some of your COVID positive patients?’ and the response was overwhelming.” No one else had stepped up to do that.” said Janicki.

He further explained his facility had both the capacity and the resources to take about 32 patients. “It’s the right thing to do. Of course no one wants to be dealing with COVID, but this partnership allows them to save those hospital beds for more people.” The medical staff are also in regular communication with the health department to ensure all safety measures and protocol are adhered to, Janicki outlined.

All of the residents with the virus, whether temporary or permanent, are in a separate area too, with separate staff. The area is also divided into colors; red yellow and green. Red zone is for people confirmed to be positive. Yellow is for individuals who are still waiting for test results and green is for residents who have been cleared as healthy and virus-free.

“Most of the people are doing well and as they surpass the 20-day mark and they have a negative test, they can move back into the rest of the community.” Janicki stated, reiterating that the phrase ‘outbreak’ can sound scary, but all of their cases are controlled.

An outbreak is defined as one or more cases of a disease in time or place than expected, therefore once any establishment reaches three cases, it too will be considered that way.

Janicki said their facility doesn’t take COVID lightly and pleaded for the public to wear masks, reminding them that every time they don’t, it puts everyone around them at risk, and that has a direct impact on the surge in cases seen throughout Nebraska.

Janicki also hoped to appeal to the public’s sensibilities as it relates to the toll the pandemic has on healthcare workers and the people who use and live in their facilities.

In a COVID unit, all staff are donned with a gown, mask, gloves, face shield, etc. “Think about how scary that is for an elderly person who may be a bit disoriented or confused.” Janicki brought up.

Also, it’s mandated that staff be tested twice a week if the positivity rate is above10 percent. If it’s between 5 and 10 percent, they’re tested once a week, and below 5 percent is once a month. So staff are directly impacted by the actions of others, the residents and their loved ones who cannot visit; which is why Janicki reiterated the importance of understanding what behaviors have a higher risk for spreading the virus.

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