InTouch with Southern Kentucky July 2020 | Page 34

“Overall, we’re following
the governor’s
guidelines. In some
cases, we’re a little bit
more strict in terms
of what we’re doing
internally just to be
extra careful.”
Robert Parker
Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital CEO
According to Lake Cumberland
CEO Robert Parker, the hospital
has loosened its visitor policy
from strictly no visitors except in
compassionate cases (end of life
or new births, for example) to one
visitor per day per patient. He
estimates that it will be early fall
before the normal visitor policy is
back in place.
Other services such as imaging
and elective procedures have
been reopened in phases, with
the hospital gauging at each
phase whether they are meeting
criteria involving PPE, testing
kits, beds and more. The CEO
said the region has been blessed
in terms of keeping the number
of COVID-19 cases relatively low
and not overwhelming medical
infrastructure.
“Overall, we’re following the
governor’s guidelines very closely,”
Parker said. “In some cases, we’re
a little bit more strict in terms of
what we’re doing internally just to
be extra careful and to ensure the
best level of care for our patients.”
Parker noted that for elective
procedures, the hospital is
following the Governor’s three-tier
classification system for phased
reopening. “It’s a matrix approach
requiring different criteria to
be met in order to reopen, and
we’ve been careful to stay in line
with that,” he said. “We’ve been
fortunate to meet all of our targets
and have passed all of the outlined
goals”
The changes that may prove more
long-lasting, Parker said, include
the wearing of masks, screening
questions and temperature checks.
“We have integrated technology
that allows us to automatically
scan temperatures of those
entering Lake Cumberland, are
continuously evaluating and
updating our cleaning guidelines,
and will continue to take COVID
precautions as we have for the last
few months” Parker said, adding
that other facilities like sporting
arenas, schools, airports and
governmental buildings will also be
grappling with the same issues.
As the hospital moves forward, it
continues to work on a number of
key projects, which were underway
before the pandemic began.
These include the installation
of a new inpatient, large bore MRI
(magnetic resonance imaging)
to help those who may have
issues with claustrophobia, the
construction of a new cardiac
cath lab, and new office spaces
for cardiology and orthopedic
practices, among other projects.
These efforts join new technologies
in the lab and a new navigation
system for spinal surgeries in the
neurosurgical department.
Cumberland
Lake, Inc.
“Working together for
a better community.”
P.O. Box 430
150 Railroad Drive
Somerset, KY 42502
Office: 606-679-6316
Fax: [phone]
34 • In Touch with Southern Kentucky July 2020