Bryan Health CEO: Influenza is on the Decline

In a press briefing Friday afternoon, John Woodrich, President & CEO of Bryan Medical Center said 167 patients have come through the drive-thru service at Bryan to be tested for COVID-19 and other respiratory infections, including influenza. Of those 167 patients, none have tested positive for COVID-19 and only 6% tested positive for influenza.

In reaction to this news, Woodrich said “we think we’re basically on the downhill trend, so we will no longer be testing for influenza. Because of having approximately 10% of the people test positive using the respiratory pathogen panel, we’re going to forego that as well and just do the COVID testing.”

Woodrich said one of the main reasons behind the decision is that the respiratory pathogen testing is generally used for more severely ill patients and the materials used in the testing are difficult to keep in stock at the hospital.

“We think this is a good opportunity for us to be very prudent in rationing the supplies that we have. Should we be availed additional supplies, we could result back to that but when you have such a low percentage coming back positive, we’re going to just implement doing the COVID testing,” said Woodrich.

Woodrich also said Bryan facilities will be opening up a unit that will be designated as an isolation unit. All rooms on that unit will be negative pressure rooms and have space for 14 beds. “We have plans to open up 3 additional units should the surge dictate us to do so,” said Woodrich, “and depending on the demand that’s needed, we could convert procedural areas into rooms.”

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