SMH asks public to help bring numbers down as procedures and processes are streamlined

Sheridan Memorial Hospital leadership want to drop the rate of transmission in Sheridan County from the current 1.22.

That number gives the leadership of SMH an idea of how quickly the coronavirus is spreading through the community, Sheridan Memorial Hospital CEO Mike McCafferty.

The rate of transmission of COVID-19 in Wyoming is currently between 1 and 1.4, with an average of 1.17, McCafferty said. Meaning, in Sheridan, anyone who has an active case of the virus can possibly, during a seven-day period, infect an average of 1 to 1.4 other people. 

SMH are asking residents to assist them in dropping that number below a 1, McCafferty said. SMH leadership has a goal to try and reach a .9 or lower. To best achieve this, residents are being urged to follow Centers for Disease Control guidelines, such as wearing a face covering, regularly washing their hands and social distancing to name a few.

An increased number of calls at the testing center and increased number of tests being administered at SMH have created a bottleneck, slowing the process down. To better serve the community during the surge in COVID-19 cases, SMH has spent two days adjusting staff placement and streamlining testing procedures. Triage calls have averaged 140 calls a day and SMH has averaged 100 tests administered per day over the last seven days at the testing center located 1435 Burton St.  

Result turnaround times from testing labs utilized by SMH are inconsistent due to the rising need both in the state and the nation. 

As the weather begins to turn colder, SMH leadership are exploring new processes and procedures for testing, in an attempt to keep those waiting on a test from having to stand in the cold.