Capital Campaign: Every Minute Counts

Garnet Health Medical Center’s Emergency Department was expected to accommodate roughly 50,000 patients annually. However, the ED provided care for nearly 62,500 patients in its first year, and over 79,000 in 2018.

In addition, in 2019, the ED earned the designation of a Level II Adult Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS), making it one of only 11 hospitals in New York State to offer this high level of emergency care, and the only one of its kind in Orange County.

Rapid Increase in Patient Volume

Such a rapid increase in patients and services has posed significant challenges for the ED staff, and necessitates additional care space.

• Nearly 1 in 5 adults, or 18.6%, visited an Emergency Room at least once in 2017.*
• An est. 6.5% of adults visited an Emergency Department at least twice in 2017.*
• Emergency Department visits at Garnet increased 58% from 2011 projections to 2018’s actual patient volume.

*Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Challenges by the Numbers

Emergency Department volume has increased 23.4% from 2015 through 2019, a pattern that is anticipated to only continue in the coming years due to rising population and healthcare needs in the community.

ED Volumes

Rising Population + Healthcare Needs

Orange County’s proximity to the NY metro area and other major population centers has made it an ideal location for both businesses and families. The last few years have shown significant growth, contributing to a growing community population.

• Resorts World Catskills Casino Resort
• The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark
• New York Stewart International Airport
• Merlin Entertainments
• Amy’s Kitchen
• Amazon

Patient Case Study #1

It was a normal Thursday evening for Kelly Kryzak. She was working at a local nursery school, cutting out paper hearts for the kids in celebration of Valentine’s Day when she started to feel unwell. A few hours later at home, she began experiencing chest pains, pain in her left arm and shoulder, and vomiting.

Her husband immediately called 9-1-1.

Shortly after arriving at Garnet Health Medical Center Emergency Department, blood work confirmed that Kelly had suffered a mild heart attack.

“The doctor came in and told me I suffered a mild heart attack and they were going to take me to the Cardiac Catheterization Lab to see what kind of damage it did to the heart,” Kelly said.

When she reached the Cath Lab, Kelly suffered cardiac arrest. It took nearly 50 attempts with the automated external defibrillator (AED) to get Kelly’s heart to beat normally again. She was quickly outfitted with the Impella® heart pump to temporarily assist the pumping function of her heart, and then airlifted to Westchester Medical Center.

“I woke up 12 days later with a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD),” Kelly said. “I had that for 13 months and then I had a heart transplant.”

As with most heart emergencies, time was pivotal to Kelly’s survival. Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart malfunctions and stops beating unexpectedly. Death occurs within minutes if the victim does not receive treatment.

“I was 45 years old when I had the heart attack that night,” Kelly said. “I went on and had three more heart attacks in that same night, the last one being massive. Garnet Health Medical Center’s fast response saved my life.”

Patient Case Study #2

In 2016, Veronica Rodriguez rushed into Garnet Health Medical Center Emergency Department with her 14-year-old son, EJ.

EJ had a serious head injury as a result of a fall at a friend’s house, and needed immediate treatment. Garnet Health Medical Center’s emergency care team went to work right away, and quickly assessed that EJ’s fall had caused a brain hemorrhage. In fact, his brain bleed was so severe that the pressure it caused had pushed his brain from one side of his head to the other.

With brain injuries, like many other injuries or illnesses, the possibility of recovery can hinge on just a few precious seconds.

“When EJ came to us, he was having what easily could have turned out to be the worst day of his life,” said Medical Director & Chairman of Emergency Medicine for Garnet Health Medical Center Dr. Mathew Meigh. “We were able to mobilize our team of specialists and get him what he needed and turn that around for him.”

“You think your child is going to die,” Veronica said. “They told me that if I’d brought him in any later, the results might not have been as positive as they were.”

“The feeling I had waking up, knowing what happened before, but feeling ok - like nothing happened… I don’t think I’ll ever have a feeling of relief like that ever again,” EJ said. “It was truly a miracle. “

Download our Patient Case Studies

Serving as the frontline during the Novel Coronavirus pandemic, Garnet Health Medical Center’s Emergency Department was tasked with an immense responsibility. The ever-evolving healthcare landscape during COVID-19 included challenges such as increased patient volume, identifying and diagnosing contagious patients, infection control, and access to supportive departments and treatments.

In order to ensure Garnet Health Medical Center is prepared to meet the expeditious operational requirements necessary to care for the community in a post-COVID-19 world, the Every Minute Counts capital campaign now includes the addition of a Mass Casualty Pandemic Treatment Area.

The Mass Casualty Pandemic Treatment Area will not only help Garnet Health Medical Center meet the unique circumstances of COVID-19, but also improve healthcare in our region for future infectious disease outbreaks by providing the following solutions:

• Additional triage care space for increased patient capacity
• Management of patient flow and entry points into the ED
• Designated area for patient identification and diagnosis, including symptom screening and rapid testing
• Mitigation of infectious spread through reduction of infected patient proximity
• Separation of routine medical/surgical/maternity/trauma patients with possible infectious patients
• Maintain expeditious ED workflow

With the Mass Casualty Pandemic Treatment Area, Garnet Health Medical Center will be better prepared during not only this pandemic, but for any that may occur in the future.

IN FOND REMEMBRANCE

As for many essential workers, the selfless act of caring for a community at times demands an immeasurable cost. Garnet Health Medical Center itself lost dedicated members of its team. We remember their sacrifice, and the impact they had on our hospital community and all the patients they touched.

“I look at this photo now and I go back to our darkest day. It reminds me of how emotional and frightening that time was for all of us. God bless us all as we went through the most horrific time of our careers.”

- Debora S. Snyder MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CEN
Vice President of Nursing
Emergency Services, Observation
(CDA and 2 West)
Women & Children Services
Behavioral Health Services