Today’s Stats
Lee Health has:
As of today, Lee Health has:
- 185 COVID-19 patients isolated in our hospitals
- Submitted 26,376 specimens for testing
- Discharged 811 patients since the start of the pandemic
- 275 employees quarantined; 31 exposed at work and positive for COVID-19
- Click here for graphs showing a running total of specimens collected for testing and positive cases hospitalized.
Today’s News
A Message from Dr. Larry Antonucci
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it significant financial challenges for health care systems and industries across our country and around the world. For Lee Health, we experienced unprecedented declines in patient volumes across our services and health system during a time when we are usually the busiest. The (continued) financial repercussions require our leadership team to think strategically and creatively to carefully and responsibly safeguard our resources. We are our community’s major destination for health care, so it is critically important that we stabilize our finances to ensure a sustainable future for Lee Health and health care delivery in our community.
As part of our multi-layered financial recovery plan, we introduced several innovative, voluntary labor cost reduction strategies, including the Voluntary Exit Program (VEP), which provides eligible employees a one-time opportunity to voluntarily leave Lee Health with a separation package. We also introduced a Voluntary Summer Sabbatical, which allows interested team members the opportunity to take four, five or six weeks off for a summer vacation. Our team members can also volunteer to take shorter increments of time off either paid or unpaid.
Throughout our history, and certainly during the COVID-19 pandemic, our team members have shown incredible dedication to caring for our community and a strong spirit of teamwork. They have helped us achieve many successes, and their efforts helped shape Lee Health’s reputation and legacy. We recognize that the decisions to apply to exit an organization or to take extended time off are not easily made. We appreciate the service of our team members to Lee Health, our patients and communities—throughout their tenure and in their decision to serve and support Lee Health in this financial recovery effort. As much as possible, we want to stabilize our finances without resorting to involuntary reductions in our labor force.
We are on the road to recovery, but the magnitude of COVID-19’s impact on our organization, and the accelerating spread of the virus in our community, requires us to be nimble and ready to implement additional measures to remain financially and operationally ready to navigate whatever the future brings. No matter what, we cannot and will not compromise the safety of our operations and our ability to deliver exceptional care.
New COVID-19 Collection Site in Cape Coral opens Tuesday, June 30
In partnership with the Cape Coral Fire Department and the City of Cape Coral, we are opening an additional COVID-19 specimen collection site at the Chester Street Resource Center, 4816 Chester Street in Cape Coral. The site opens Tuesday, June 30, and will be operational from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Patients must have an order from their physician or provider and make an appointment before showing up to the collection site. There is a fee for this service. For patients with insurance, laboratory charges will be submitted to the patient’s insurance company and then a bill will be sent with a remaining balance that the insurance did not cover. For patients without insurance, there is an $87 out-of-pocket cost. To make an appointment, call 343-9800.
Help Us Slow the Spread of COVID-19
And Show Us Why You Wear a Mask
As the number of COVID-19 cases rises across Florida and Lee County, it is more important than ever to take every precaution to keep yourself and others safe. Follow the safety guidelines that we have been advocating for months to help slow the spread of the virus: keep distance between yourself and others, practice proper hand hygiene and wear a mask or face covering when out in public. These are all critical safety measures to protect our community. But, since the virus can be spread by respiratory droplets and asymptomatic carriers, wearing a mask or face covering is very important.
We are sharing on social media why we at Lee Health are wearing masks, and we want to hear from you, too. Use this selfie sign and share your masked selfies with us on social media using the hashtags #WearAMaskSouthwest Florida #WearAMaskSWFL. You can also snap a picture and share it with us through www.LeeHealthStrong.org.
Change a Life. Donate Blood.
Looking for a way to help the community? Donate blood on the Lee Health Bloodmobile when it is parked outside Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida between 8 a.m.-6 p.m., on Wednesday, July 8.
We conduct blood drives using appropriate infection control measures to ensure the safety of the products, donors and staff. All blood collected by Lee Health stays here to care for people in our community. As the home to our region’s only trauma center, our blood supply must remain at healthy levels to quickly care for patients needing an urgent transfusion.
If you are feeling healthy and would like to donate, please contact Liette Johnson at Liette.Johnson@LeeHealth.org or Rachel Toa at Rachel.Toa@LeeHealth.org to schedule a time to donate. The Bloodmobile welcomes walk-in donors if time permits.
Join us for Mental Health Monday with special guest, Dorian!
Learn about animal-assisted therapy and its benefit on mental health during the next installment of Mental Health Monday. Join the discussion with certified child life specialists Erika Zalecky and Anna Stephanz and meet Dorian, Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida’s in-hospital therapy dog. During this live stream, these experts will discuss Dorian’s role at Golisano Children’s Hospital, as well as the physical and psychological benefits of animal-assisted therapy. Join us at 8 a.m., on Monday, July 6 on Facebook.com/KidsMindsMatter.
A Note Regarding this COVID-19 Update
In observance of the July 4th holiday, there will not be an update sent out next Friday. We hope you and your family have a safe and happy 4th of July weekend. Look for the next COVID-19 Update to come out on Friday, July 10.