Dr. Camasta halted operations at his elective surgery center during the COVID-19 pandemic, like many of the other 350-plus Medicare-certified surgery centers in Atlanta. He estimated that these centers are equipped with around 1,000 ventilators and anesthesia machines.
A coordinated community response is needed to get those supplies to hospitals on the COVID-19 front lines, according to Dr. Camasta.
“Gowns, gloves, masks. There’s a lot of that in the community. It just needs to be coordinated, and the state has a record of where all these facilities are,” he told FOX 5 Atlanta.
Dr. Camasta even has a group of physicians “willing to get a pickup truck and haul them into the hospitals,” but they’re unsure whether the donations would be accepted. However, when FOX 5 Atlanta reached out to Atlanta’s Emory University Hospital, officials said they’re working to coordinate a supply drop-off with Dr. Camasta’s surgery center.
Dr. Camasta wants other surgery centers to find ways to get needed equipment to hospitals on the COVID-19 front lines.
“It seems we’re being a little more reactive than proactive to try and get these to where they need to be used the most,” he said.
More articles on orthopedics:
Dr. Daniel Yoshor excited by new challenge at Penn Medicine
New York neurosurgeon recovers from COVID-19, volunteers at hospital ICU
Neurosurgeon, dentist’s 3D printed masks evolved production, being made worldwide: 5 details
At the Becker's 23rd Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC + The Future of Spine Conference, taking place June 11-13 in Chicago, spine surgeons, orthopedic leaders and ASC executives will come together to explore minimally invasive techniques, ASC growth strategies and innovations shaping the future of outpatient spine care. Apply for complimentary registration now.
