U.S. Kansas Senator Jerry Moran joined doctors at The University of Kansas Health System during the Friday morning briefing to announce the first wave of money made available to health care providers through the Care Act was arriving today. The Senator announced $417K arrived to a central Kansas hospital and The University of Kansas Health System would receive money today as well. The Senator was expecting more good news as the day progressed. “I can’t imagine any hospital in Kansas operating in anything but the red right now.” Senator Moran said.“This money is vital to caring for Kansans,”
Dr. Hawkinson, MD, medical director of infectious prevention and control at The University of Kansas Health System said there are currently 33 inpatients with COVID-19, ten in the ICU and 9 remain on ventilators. “We are beginning to see the numbers creep up a little and that is concerning as we go into the religious weekend,” Dr. Hawkinson said. He reminded people to stay home and stay safe.
Both Dr. Hawkinson and Dr. Steve Stites, Chief Medical Officer at the health sytem wore t-shirts created by Charlie Hustle and made possible through a community campaign sponsored by the CORE 4 - Johnson County, Wyandotte County, Jackson County and Kansas City, Missouri, as well as the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, the Civic Council, the Kansas City Area Development Council, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City and other regional healthcare providers on a lifesaving campaign with a simple message Stay Strong - Stay Safe - Stay Home. The campaign calls on the community to #stayhomeKC as a reminder to avoid big gatherings during the upcoming, traditionally big family and church weekend.
Also, a special treat ended the media update. A rap music video written and performed by Ethan and Charlie Gunn, children of pediatric ICU nurse Jamie Gunn and including fun images with pictures from the health system, tells us all to Go With The Flow.
Monday, April 13, at 8:00 a.m. is the next daily briefing call and will include news of a new drug trial being launched by physician researchers with Kansas University Medical Center at The University of Kansas Health System The feed is now available via TVU grid. The TVU source is UoK_Health and is being made available to all. You will still need to call-in to ask questions.
Telephone dial-in Participants:
Dial: 1-913-588-2222, and enter 50041981# when prompted for the Call ID. Feel free to send questions in advance to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu.
