La Grange Coronavirus: How Hospital Is Coping

LA GRANGE, IL — Like most hospitals these days, you can't just walk into the hospitals in La Grange and Hinsdale, both of which are run by the Amita chain. "No visitors" signs are placed in front of the doors, with smaller lettering indicating exceptions are determined case by case.

At Amita Adventist Medical Center La Grange, two face-masked employees check in people at the main entrance, and one worker performs that function in the emergency room. This is meant to stop the spread of the coronavirus in critical health care buildings.

La Grange Village Board member Bill Holder spoke at this week's virtual La Grange board meeting about how the local hospital was dealing with the epidemic. He is a member of the hospital foundation board and said he was relaying information from the hospital's chief executive, Mike Murrill.

"We have teams working around the clock to ensure proper use of personal protective equipment such as face masks and gloves as well as needed medical equipment," Holder told the board in the telephonic meeting. "We're working with our supplier to keep appropriate stock levels as time goes on."

Asked how the hospital is doing, Holder responded, "We're doing great."

The hospital, he said, has had one patient who tested positive and a few others who are under observation in "negative pressure rooms," which are meant to prevent cross-contamination from room to room.

Holder said he doubted Illinois has any hospitals without at least a couple people who are infected or under observation for the coronavirus.

Village Clerk John Burns asked Holder whether the no-visitors policy would bar a parent from visiting a sick child.

"I don't know the answer to that, John," Holder said. "I'm sure it's done in cases of small children and done on a case-by-case basis. The hospital restricts, where possible, the introduction of additional cases. There's no rigid answer to your question."

In an email Thursday, Amita spokesman Timothy Nelson said the hospital system recognizes that visits from loved ones are an important part of the recovery process. "However, in this time of crisis, we’re encouraging visits by telephone or virtual visits through Skype or FaceTime," he said.

Read more:

Coronavirus In Illinois March 25 Update: 911 Calls Down

Don't miss updates in La Grange as they are announced. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.