The Kittitas County Incident Management Team (IMT) along with partners like Kittitas Valley Healthcare (KVH), KVH Hospice, Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), Washington State Department of Health (DOH), and local long term care agencies, have been working together to provide the best care for COVID-19 patients in Kittitas County. In partnership, the decision has been made to provide an additional level of support through what is called an Alternate Care Facility.
An Alternate Care Facility (ACF), is a location that provides medical services for patients outside of the traditional hospital setting (i.e., non-acute care). For example, a patient in the ACF may be someone who needs intravenous fluid, but they do not need intensive care. Acute care, such as ventilation support, is provided in the hospital and not at an ACF location. The ACF in Kittitas County, which will be physically housed at Pacifica, will be managed by the IMT and operates under state required standards of care. This new ACF expands the continuum of care for COVID-positive and recovering patients within our community.
“The ability of these organizations to come together to create an Alternative Care Facility is another example of how the strong partnerships of Kittitas County agencies enhance our ability to serve our residents,” states Dr. Mark Larson, Kittitas County Public Health Officer. The ACF will be in place as long as there is a need to provide this additional patient support in response to COVID-19.
“The comfort and care of the patient is our utmost concern and patient care doesn’t just happen in a hospital,” states Dr. Kevin Martin, KVH Chief Medical Officer. “By creating this ACF, we can honor the wishes of patients who do not wish to be transferred to a hospital by keeping them in a familiar environment while providing the social and medical care they require. This is an effort with multiple partners who have worked and trained together for years.”
If you have questions about your health, please contact your healthcare provider or you can call the Temporary COVID Clinic at KVH at 509-933-8850. If you are having a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the Emergency Department at KVH. If you have general questions about COVID-19, please call the EOC at 509-933-8315 or 509-933-8305.
