MercyOne North Iowa sets aside 45 beds specifically for any future COVID-19 surge

MASON CITY — The president of MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center is applauding the good response and hard work by his staff that has taken place since the COVID-19 crisis started.

Rod Schlader says a lot of that hard work went into establishing the off-site testing location at the North Iowa Events Center which opened a week ago. “I’m really proud of our team for working diligently and quickly to put those testing options out there for our patients. This is an example of how we innovate to lessen the exposure to the community as well as our colleagues.”

Schlader says they have been transitioning part of their 228 available patient beds in case there’s a surge of COVID-19 in the region.   “We’re putting the finishing touches on making available to COVID patients, we’ll have 45 beds available just for either suspected patients or COVID-positive patients. I want the community to know that we do have a surge plan.”

Schlader says they are also making plans in the event those 45 beds aren’t enough.   “That’s not our only surge plan, we’re doing it in phases. We’re trying to play the ‘what if’ scenarios if that 45 beds isn’t enough. We’re working on our next tier, and then the next tier after that with Cerro Gordo County Public Health.”

MercyOne North Iowa this week increased their visitor restrictions, with no visitors being allowed into the hospital except in cases of children being admitted to the hospital, maternity unit, and patients receiving end-of-life care as determined by medical professionals.