KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce hosted a virtual COVID-19 discussion with chief medical officers from hospitals around the region Wednesday morning.
The conversation focused on their concern for the health of the Kansas City community as students return to school and residents get back to work.
Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor David Alvey, Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas and Jackson County Executive Frank White joined the doctors on the call.
The briefing began with a recap of Dr. Deborah Birx's visit to the area. The White House coronavirus task force coordinator warned both states that they do not want to become the next Florida in terms of case numbers and outbreaks, and must take immediate steps to prevent further spread.
Dr. Steven Stites, chief medical officer at the University of Kansas Health System, said the CMOs have been meeting regularly and decided to hold a public conversation to try to bring a sense of urgency to the situation in Kansas City.
"We see the impact every day. We are not public health officials. We're not going to recommend public health policy," Stites said. "But we are chief medical officers who see the pain and the toll this takes on our patients, and what it means with their families, and we see it all the time in our hospitals."
Stites added the pain from COVID-19 is "much, much, much greater than the pain of influenza."
The group also discussed preparedness ahead of flu season with COVID-19 added to the mix this year, cutting hospital capacity at facilities that are typically full anyway.
"Hospitals are very stressed by this. We're all full. We're heading into the flu season — we're heading into the hardest part of the year — and yet we're full, and often COVID is a significant percentage of those patients," Stites said.
Area residents' willingness to follow COVID-19 safety precautions such as wearing a mask, social distancing and hand washing, has a direct impact on public health, as well as schools' ability to stay open or reopen.
"[COVID-19] is not a school problem. I really believe that. But it's a problem that we're going to tackle — that we have got to — if we want to keep our schools open," said Dr. Kenny Southwick, executive director of Cooperating School Districts of Greater Kansas City. "If we want to keep our businesses and our hospitals open and our economy thriving, we have to have a higher level of community responsibility. Schools will not be able to do it by themselves."
Stites echoed the sentiment, urging residents to take responsibility for their own health and that of their community.
"There’s no better way to say 'I love you' than to do it with a mask on," Stites said.
Participants included:
- Dr. Raghu Adiga – Chief Medical Officer, Liberty Hospital
- Dr. Ahmad Batrash – Chief of Staff, Kansas City VA Medical Center
- Dr. Larry Botts – Chief Medical Officer, AdventHealth Shawnee Mission
- Dr. Mark Steele - Executive Chief Clinical Officer, Truman Medical Centers/University Health
- Dr. Jennifer Schrimsher – Infectious Disease Specialist, Lawrence Memorial Hospital
- Dr. James Stewart – Chief Medical Officer, North Kansas City Hospital
- Dr. Steven Stites – Chief Medical Officer, University of Kansas Health System
- Dr. Kimberly Beatty - Chancellor, Metropolitan Community College
- Dr. Kenny Southwick – Executive Director, Cooperating School Districts of Greater Kansas City
- Joe Reardon – President & CEO, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
