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Q: Is it safe to come to the hospital for care if I don't have COVID?
Wade Ebersole, Chief Operating Officer, Maui Health: Yes, absolutely. All of our Maui Health hospital and clinic locations are safe and have protocols in place to protect our patients, visitors, providers and employees.
All COVID patients are cared for in a separate, isolated unit. They are not mixed with the general patient population. Caregivers who have contact with positive individuals follow strict PPE (personal protective equipment) protocols and have been trained to safely enter and exit patient rooms.
Additionally, all employees, providers, patients and visitors are required to wear a hospital-supplied medical-grade mask while in the hospital, even if not providing patient care, and proper PPE is provided to all care providers, including N95 masks or respirators where needed.
Every patient, employee and visitor who enters the hospital is screened for COVID-19 symptoms, and every patient admitted to the hospital receives a COVID test, with regular follow-up testing for patients who stay for an extended period.
We are limiting visitors to reduce traffic in and out of the hospital, and rearranged public spaces to allow social distancing. We've also implemented enhanced cleaning and disinfecting practices across all patient care areas including a UV disinfecting system.
Finally, more than 95 percent of our employees and care providers have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and many more are completing their vaccine series.
Maui Memorial Medical Center is a 219-bed acute care hospital that provides comprehensive medical care for our island's residents and visitors. At the time of this writing, we are caring for two COVID-positive individuals, and even at the peak of the COVID-19 surge on Maui, the majority of our patients did not have COVID-19.
As the only comprehensive medical center in Maui County offering comprehensive emergency, trauma, heart, brain and vascular care, including spine surgery and other advanced medical procedures, Maui Memorial Medical Center is always prepared to operate at a high capacity to ensure we have the resources and staff to take care of you and your loved ones. We encourage you to continue to seek care for any health issues or questions you may have and don't delay care because of COVID-19.
Q: Are at-home COVID tests reliable?
Dr. Michael Shea, Intensivist and Chief Medical Director, Maui Health: If you're having symptoms or think you may have been exposed to COVID, and you can't get to your doctor for testing, an at-home test can be a convenient option. But how reliable are they? The answer depends on the kind of test you use -- and if you use it correctly.
At-home tests, also called self-tests, are COVID-19 test kits that are available without a prescription. There are two types of tests: PCR tests and rapid antigen tests. With PCR tests, you collect a sample at home (nasal swab or saliva), mail it to a laboratory for analysis and get the results within a few days. With rapid antigen tests, you can get results in as little as 15 minutes.
The PCR test takes longer, but it is more sensitive. That means it can usually tell if you have COVID even if you're early in the illness and only have a small amount of virus in your system. It's also more accurate -- it is much less likely to give you a false result.
Rapid antigen tests are less accurate and sensitive. It's possible to get a false positive, where the test shows you have COVID even if you do not. It's also possible to get a false negative. And the test may not detect COVID if you're not having symptoms. This can give you a false sense of security.
That doesn't mean rapid self-tests aren't useful. Rapid tests can give you quick feedback on what you should do next. If you've been exposed to COVID or you're having suspicious symptoms, getting a positive result can confirm you should self-isolate and call your doctor. A negative test means you should continue to take precautions and confirm your results with a PCR test.
Finally, if you do decide to use an at-home test, be sure to read the instructions and follow them carefully to get the best results.
The best thing to do if you're having COVID-like symptoms or have been exposed to someone who is COVID-positive is to get tested. On Maui there are testing sites and clinics located all over the island -- you can find a comprehensive listing at www.mauinuistrong .info. If you cannot get an appointment for a test, you can use an at-home test but be sure to follow up with your doctor whether you have a positive or negative test result.
* Physicians, providers and administrative staff who practice at Maui Health System hospitals and clinics answer questions from the public in "Healthwise Maui," which appears on Thursdays. Maui Health System operates Maui Memorial Medical Center, Maui Memorial Medical Center Outpatient Clinic, Kula Hospital & Clinic and Lana'i Community Hospital and accepts all patients. To submit a question, go to the website at mauihealth.org/healthwise.