Lakewood Ranch Medical Center gets front line support

It’s not business as usual at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.

Since the coronavirus outbreak began, hospital employees have been on high alert, taking extra precautions as they care for patients who may or may not have contracted the illness.

The workers feel the stress.

“It’s difficult to be in health care right now,” said Shawn Imhoof, director of imaging services at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. “It’s a war, and we are on the front lines.”

These front lines have to deal with a budget.

Sarasota Memorial Hospital, owned and operated by the Sarasota County Public Hospital District, on April 3 announced it lost $16 million in revenue because elective surgeries were canceled, and patient volume and revenue were down. More losses were anticipated through May, so Sarasota Memorial announced temporary employee furloughs and reduced hours.

Lakewood Ranch Medical Center CEO Andy Guz said his hospital is not doing elective surgeries at this time and that otherwise the hospital is operating normally. He is monitoring how the pandemic will affect the organization’s financial health but did not release numbers about the impact.

“While we are flexing the hours of certain departments, we know that eventually the hospital will be back to operating as normal, and we always want to make sure that our staff knows they are valued and appreciated,” Guz said.

With the stress of the COVID-19 threat itself, along with the financial stresses of the time, the hospital moves forward under difficult conditions, something recognized by the greater Lakewood Ranch community. Volunteers have come forward to help the hospital navigate tough times.

The community has donated personal protection equipment — more than 400 N95 masks, boxes of exam gloves and even 20 particulate respirators.

Now businesses and individuals in the community are donating funds to feed approximately 100 hospital workers on a daily basis.

“The outpouring from the community has been incredible,”Guz said. “Our Lakewood Ranch Medical Center team is

so appreciative of the donations and the support.  It has been quite moving.”

Marketing Director Kristina Sparacino said the donated food is going to every department in the hospital.

“It goes to the ICU and ER  first,” Sparacino said. “We try to make sure every department has some sort of treat or lunch.”

Sparacino said five groups, comprising area volunteers, have been sending food daily, in addition to others who have sent meals on a one-time basis. All types of businesses and community groups are planning ways to make donations.

One of those groups is led by Greenbrook’s Ellen Honig. She and her husband, Martin, sent pizza to the emergency room from Michelangelo’s Pizza on March 23.

“As he and I talked about it, we said, ‘Gee, wouldn’t it be nice if other people could do the same thing?’” Ellen Honig said.

She posted the idea on Nextdoor, and others began messaging her to ask if they could participate. One of them, Laurie Fischer from Rosedale Golf and Country Club, began collecting donations, and she has organized deliveries to the hospital. Honig made a list of those who wanted to supply a meal and began assigning dates for deliveries. She sends an updated spreadsheet to Sparacino each morning, so she knows what to expect. Everyone who signs up agrees to buy meals for a minimum of 25 people.

“We have through [May 5] covered for most of the days,” Honig said. “I was hoping for that response.”

Honig said the idea was to show the hospital staff they are appreciated while also supporting local restaurants.

River Club’s Richard and Carole Lewis set up a GoFundMe account to provide a “pizza luncheon” every Friday for the ER  until funds run out. The first was scheduled for April 10.

Lewis’ GoFundMe effort, called LWRMC-ER Nourishment Relief, has raised nearly $1,700 from 28 donors, as of April 8.

“The outpouring of the community is so touching” said Lyn Swann, director of the cardiac catheterization lab at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. “It makes us feel the community understands we’re here for them, to take care of them, our city, our community. It’s difficult to be in

health care right now.”

“It helps us realize we are loved,” Imhoof said.

Guz said everyone at the hospital has been appreciative and moved by the community’s show of support.

“It is very humbling to work with our staff during an unprecedented crisis and see them still standing strong and committed to taking care of our community,” Guz said. “The reciprocation from the community is appreciated and has lifted spirits to know that the community is rallying with us.”