Specialized COVID-19 Unit Opens In Oakland County

Pontiac, MI - March 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Pontiac General Hospital (PGH) is stepping up to prepare for an expected increase in coronavirus cases, creating a designated COVID-19 unit and specialized team in just 72 hours.

The move comes as Michigan hospitals begin to fill with coronavirus cases. The hospital's new unit can already handle 50 cases and will increase its capacity each day as needed. The hospital also can accept patients transported by ambulance.

"We are ready to serve our community during this dire health crisis," said Sanyam Sharma, PGH chairman and CEO. "We have plenty of personal protective equipment and ventilators on hand, which many hospitals are running low on. We are working with the Lung, Allergy, Sleep Medicine Clinic (LASMC PC), the same pulmonology and critical care group that manages ICU's and pulmonology at the area's largest hospital systems."

In addition to the specialized COVID-19 unit, Pontiac General Hospital's 24-hour urgent care clinic will remain open to help with urgent health needs not related to COVID-19. The hospital also has its own pharmacy to fill prescriptions. 

"We have extensive protocols to help keep non-COVID-19 patients completely isolated from COVID-19 patients. We're testing patients according to state guidelines and have been serving many non-COVID-19 related cases without any infections. We have tremendous capacity to do more work as our communities see an increased burden on their health systems," explains Sharma.

Pontiac General Hospital is located at 461 West Huron Street in Pontiac, Mich. The hospital is open 24 hours and can be reached by calling 248-857-7200. For more information visit http://www.pontiacgeneral.com/.