COVID-19 Task Force

On April 5, 2020 the Marin Healthcare District Board of Directors declared a state of emergency in the district and voted to commit funds for use during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the health and wellness of our community.

The Board established a COVID-19 Task Force to assess the community’s most immediate needs and make funding recommendations throughout the year.

Meet the Task Force

	Brian Su, MD Director, Marin Healthcare District Board Medical Director - Spine Surgery, MarinHealth Medical Center
	Ramana Naidu, MD Medical Director - Pain Management MarinHealth Medical Center
	Jason Ruben, MD Medical Director - Emergency Services MarinHealth Medical Center
	Gregg Tolliver, MD, MPH Medical Director - Infectious Disease & Prior Chief of Staff MarinHealth Medical Center
	Matt Willis, MD, MPH Public Health Officer Marin County
	David G. Klein, MD, MBA Chief Executive Officer Marin Healthcare District

Possible Funding Opportunities

• Portable pulse oximetry kits that measure oxygen saturation in the blood of patients who have been identified as COVID-19 positive would help guide whether transfer of those patients to a hospital is needed. These kits would also include a digital thermometer, personal protective equipment (PPE), and disinfectant. People who are have tested positive should otherwise remain self-quarantined. The county potentially would need potentially 10,000 kits.
   
• Mobile testing centers to test all residents and staff members of the 10 skilled nursing facilities, 50 residential care facilities for the elderly, and 2 two behavioral health facilities in Marin. A mobile testing center consists of a van staffed by one physician, three physician extenders, nurse practitioners or physician assistants, testing materials, and PPE. Regular repeated testing may be needed for up to a year at these facilities.
   
• Population antibody testing, when a reliable method is established, to help quantify the regional prevalence of COVID-19 exposure in the community.
   
• Pop-up testing centers for areas of outbreak, including underserved communities like Marin City and the San Rafael’s Canal area, and the homeless.
   
• Housing for COVID-19 positive patients in hotels, dormitories, etc. or other facilities when it is not possible for those patients to self-isolate /or self-quarantine because of their social or living situation.
   
• PPE and staffing personnel for skilled nursing or residential care facilities if there is an outbreak and subsequent staffing shortage. On-call nursing and other workers will be needed. 
   
• Contact tracing training to quickly find and reach prior contacts of a patient found to be COVID-positive within 24 hours is needed by the county public health department who needs at least 50 volunteers including 10 Spanish speakers, along with full-time nurse supervision.

The Marin Healthcare District will be tracking costs for staffing, supplies, and equipment for all COVID-related services and will try to recoup these costs thorough FEMA. 

This page will continue to be updated throughout the year as decisions are made and/or circumstances change.