Coronavirus Pandemic: Concierge Service Helps Hospital Staff Get Goods During Life-Saving Shifts

DENVER (CBS4) - As Colorado hospital staff prepare for what could be an influx of patients, those in charge are finding ways to help staff in their personal lives. While healthcare workers need masks, they also need groceries and their long shifts make stocking the fridge a challenge.

"A nurse said man it's really difficult because I get off at 7 p.m. at that point, the grocery stores are picked over and there's nothing for me to get," said Laura-Anne Cleveland, Associate Chief Nursing Officer for Presbyterian St. Luke's hospital. "You have single parents that aren't able to go anywhere after they work and they don't have the ability to get groceries."

On Monday, Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center (PSL) opened its concierge service to all staff, for free.

"Now our staff can call, they can text, they can email, so they don't have to leave their patients which is huge, and they can say what needs that they have," Cleveland said. "We have fridge space that we opened up so that they can ask for the things that are out, the milk, the eggs that go quickly by the end of the day and even yes, toilet paper."

The hospital was quiet Tuesday, but that doesn't mean staff aren't busy. The shifts are still long and because of the precautions staff have to take, mentally taxing.

"I think that there's always a little bit of fear because we're with patients that have symptoms that we don't know if they're positive or not. We have patients that are positive, and we're really trying to take care of those patients and make sure that we're safe."

Cleveland says inside the walls of PSL is a well-oiled machine but they are feeling the pressure of what's to come.

"We know that there might be a peak. A lot of people keep talking about, 'when is this going peak?' and so we're planning for that," said Cleveland.

The concierge service is one way they are planning. If they can make sure basic needs of their staff are taken care of at home, they can better focus on their task inside the hospital.

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