Adventist Health Hanford welcomes clinical team from the Department of Defense

As COVID-19 cases surge in Kings, Tulare and Fresno counties, Adventist Health Hanford welcomes additional resources from the Department of Defense (DoD).

On July 22, the hospital greeted an approximately 20 member DoD clinical team consisting of physicians, intensive care and emergency nurses, clinical nurses, respiratory specialists, intensive care technicians and liaison officers. The team will help care for COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit, medical-surgical area and emergency room.

The opportunity for assistance was presented by the Kings County Department of Public Health Emergency Preparedness, which worked with the California Emergency Medical Services Authority to request resource support from the federal government that is only being allocated to heavily impacted areas in the country.

The DoD clinical team will provide additional support to hospital physicians, nurses and other teams who continue to go above and beyond in caring for COVID-19 patients.

“Nothing is more important than ensuring the safety of our patients and providing support to our physicians, nurses and staff,” says Andrea Kofl, president of Adventist Health in the Central Valley, which includes hospitals in Hanford, Tulare, Selma and Reedley. “We are extremely grateful for the additional support and appreciate the collaboration from the state and Department of Defense.

“The state of California, the hospital teams and administrators and the communities here have been most supportive and welcoming,” says Maj. Gen. Michael Stone, Commanding General, Task Force 46. “Our Soldiers and Airmen are proud of the role we play in supporting FEMA, California and the larger effort to fight COVID-19 and support our communities.”

The partnership will be evaluated after 30 days to see if there is a need for an extension.

More information about COVID-19, as well as a COVID-19 symptom checker, is available at AdventistHealth.org/Hanford