Aspen Valley Hospital

There were a few days during the second week of Mar. 2020 when the coronavirus started to feel present and immediate in Aspen. Like it was no longer a distant problem. Like there was a pandemic knocking on the front door. 

All three counties in the Roaring Fork Valley are experiencing their highest rates of new COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began about nine months ago. Area hospitals are worried that increasing spread of the virus could bring an overwhelming burden in the coming months and bracing for a grim road ahead.

Cases of COVID-19 in the Roaring Fork Valley are on the rise, and many of the new infections are in young people. Health and government officials say the uptick in cases among those under 30 could be a harbinger of increased hospitalizations and halt the rollout of reopening plans.

When the pandemic took hold, Tracy Doherty kept going to work as a pediatric nurse at Valley View Hospital. Her line of work usually comes with some stability, so she was surprised when she was laid off earlier this month. 

 “Being a nurse you kind of never expect to lose your job,” Doherty said. “I knew they were going to be cutting staff, but I didn't think it would be nursing staff.”

Pitkin County’s plan to gradually return to normal life relies in part on adequate testing for COVID-19, which will be carried out by Aspen Valley Hospital. The hospital is cooperating with the county and using nasal swab tests to identify new cases of the virus. 

Operations are more or less normal at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff are wearing extra protective equipment, but they are not overwhelmed. David Brooks, the hospital’s chief medical officer, said the fact that things are relatively calm is a direct result of people staying home. 

Aspen-based company Detailing HQ usually provides cleaning and paint touch-ups for cars. But now, owner Jake Greene is offering disinfecting services for essential businesses and workers on the frontlines of COVID-19.

Listener Jody Guralnick said she has a sewing machine and asked if there’s a way to help make protective clothing and masks for local hospitals. Below are some ways you can help Aspen Valley Hospital in Aspen and Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs.

Aspen Valley Hospital sends its most critical COVID-19 patients to other hospitals at lower altitude. Doctors say that's partially because treatment is easier outside of Aspen’s thin air.

While shops and restaurants around the Roaring Fork Valley have shut their doors to slow the spread of coronavirus, healthcare workers are gearing up for an overload. Dr. Ben Peery, a physician in the emergency department at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs, said medical school doesn’t prepare doctors for situations like this one. 

The Valley Health Alliance is a group of six of the largest employers in the Roaring Fork Valley. They've joined together to lower healthcare costs for employees and their dependents -- currently, about 6,000 people.

Aspen Valley Hospital began directly employing orthopedic surgeons one year ago, and the arm of the organization known as OrthoAspen is now hosting a popular lecture series.

The 100 or so inmates jailed on both ends of the valley will enjoy holiday meals.

  The Colorado End of Life Options Act was signed into law by Gov. John Hickenlooper last week. Monday, the Aspen Valley Hospital board of directors will hold a special meeting to decide if they will opt in to the physician-assisted suicide program.

  In a closed executive session on Monday, the Aspen Valley Hospital board of directors solidified a contract bringing Dave Ressler back in as chief executive officer.

  The Ninth Judicial District Attorney’s Office is resurrecting a program for sexual assault victims in the valley. The SANE program, which stands for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, has been dormant for four years. Aspen Public Radio’s Carolyn Sackariason spoke with District Attorney Sherry Caloia about the effort.

After three years away from his post, Dave Ressler, the former CEO of Aspen Valley Hospital, is taking his old job back, because like many who move to Aspen and then leave, he realizes that life is good here. Aspen Public Radio’s Carolyn Sackariason asked him what drove his decision to return.

A supervisor can have a bigger impact on a worker’s health than a primary care doctor. That’s according to the The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The federal office recently sent experts to Aspen to teach managers how to handle that power wisely.

Four months after Aspen Valley Hospital CEO Dan Bonk resigned, the vacant position has been posted on an elite recruiting website.

Roughly 10 percent of the total ballots mailed to Pitkin County voters have been returned so far in this spring’s Aspen Valley Hospital board election. Aspen Public Radio News interviewed the doctors who are running for a board seat.

Profession: Registered Nurse

Age: 47

Where do you live? Snowmass Village

How long have you lived in the valley? 15 years

In what capacity have you used AVH?  How would you rate your experience and why? I am a frequent consumer of healthcare because of my juvenile diabetes so I'm a patient as well as an employee. My patient visits at the hospital have always been tremendous. The staff are second to none. What we lack is a modern facility with privacy for patients and that is now being built.

Profession: Entrepreneur

Where do you live? Citizen of Aspen, Resident of Pitkin County

How long have you lived in the valley? Homeowner since 1999

In what capacity have you used AVH? How would you rate your experience and why?  For the past 17 years, my family’s experiences with the Aspen Valley Hospital have been exceptional.  My concern is for those whose experiences have not been as good as ours.