Inside one of the temporary rooms being offered to health care workers at Mercy Medical Center, located at the 600 Building on the Mercy campus. CREDIT MERCY CR
By CBJ News Staff
news@corridorbusiness.com
Cedar Rapids hospitals have begun providing health care providers on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis with alternative temporary housing.
UnityPoint Health is working with area hotels to provide temporary housing for eligible team members and providers at the hospital’s expense. The guidelines were presented to team members on Wednesday, according to Sarah Corizzo, senior marketing communications lead at UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital.
“UnityPoint Health identified the need for temporary housing during this critical time for team members and providers providing direct patient care to COVID-19 patients,” Ms. Corizzo said. “UnityPoint Health is offering these accommodations to aid in the prevention of transmission of those living in the same household, as well as offer support to those team members and providers with fatigue attributed to work, long commutes or work multiple days/shifts consecutively.”
Mercy Medical Center today made available 17 private rooms in the 600 Building on the Mercy campus for caregivers working long hours or in need of an alternative to place to stay. Each room is equipped with a bed, shower and bathroom, among other things, and available by reservation. According to Mercy Public Relations Specialist Karen Vander Sanden, two Mercy employees have already made reservations.
Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids will soon have another 80 rooms available to Mercy health care workers.
“Mercy Medical Center and Mount Mercy University have a deeply-rooted and long-standing relationship as Catholic-based organizations in the Cedar Rapids community, grounded in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy,” Ms. Vander Sanden said. “Mercy Medical Center is grateful for its partnership with Mount Mercy University in supporting our caregivers in this way.”
Both are sponsored by the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas.
Nancy Hill-Davis, Mercy Medical Center’s senior vice president and chief talent officer, said making provisions for temporary housing was part of its emergency operations plan.
“It’s an important way Mercy can support staff who are unable to commute, have a long commute, would like a comfortable place to rest between shifts, and/or prefer to stay separate from family while responding to the COVID-19 crisis,” she said.
Mercy Iowa City and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics were unable to confirm temporary housing options as of this morning’s deadline. CBJ
UPDATE: This story was updated on 4/10/20 to add late quote from Mercy’s Nancy Hill-Davis.
