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Across the country, we are seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases including significant surges in hospitalized patients in many communities. As our nation experiences the impact of this international pandemic, the Renown Health team continues to make preparations for our community.  Renown staff continue to safely screen, diagnose and care for patients with respiratory illnesses, including those at risk for COVID-19.   Renown continues to use current local and national data, analytics, and public data sets for predictive modeling and is prepared to serve the community.  At this time, based on the number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 and seasonal fluctuations, Renown Regional Medical Center and Renown South Meadows Medical Center are experiencing inpatient hospital capacity challenges. We have prepared for these patient census increases and the need to serve an increased level of hospital patients. Out of an abundance of caution, Renown has deployed the Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) to address the ongoing high census and increasing community COVID-19 test positivity rates. Command Staff are in place to ensure the beds, procedure capacity and spaces are in place to accommodate staff, technology, supplies, equipment and services to meet the needs of patients and ensure the safety of our care teams. The following health and safety measures are in place. Still Caring for Scheduled Medically-Necessary Surgical Patients In an effort to continue to meet the medical needs of all those needing care at Renown hospitals and in alignment with national professional societies, and the American Hospital Association, Renown continues to successfully schedule medically-necessary inpatient and outpatient cases at both Renown hospitals. Criteria continues to include pre-testing patients for COVID-19 prior to their scheduled procedure date, having patients remain in isolation following the test and up to the time of surgery. Based on the data, Renown has no plans to cancel medically-necessary surgeries. In fact, these surgery patients only use less than 7 percent of staffed beds on average, and do not add significantly to the capacity management challenges we are experiencing.  Temporary Deployable Medical Structure Outside Renown Regional Emergency Department As another way to manage influx and limit the exposure between individuals suspected of having respiratory illness and assure health and safety measures for other hospital patients and providers, Renown is again working with the State Public Health Preparedness team and has requested a deployable medical facility through the Washoe County Emergency Manager. We expect that the Temporary Deployable Medical Structure will be erected over the next week outside the Renown Regional Emergency Department. This proactive step to serve our community, was also taken back in March. (Medical Structure photos.) Alternate Care Site at Mill Street Parking Structure at Renown Regional Remains Ready If needed, the temporary patient care area created within the Mill Street parking structure is ready to serve additional hospitalized patients diagnosed with COVID-19 but not needing intensive care. This Alternate Care Site (ACS) location allows caregivers and patients to remain on campus, and still have accessibility to existing hospital infrastructure such as lab, pharmacy, imaging, food services and other critical services. The Renown ACS contains flooring, electrical infrastructure, lighting, water, technology, and is equipped with beds and basic patient care support equipment. It was built within a 10-day period in April by local partners including Clark/Sullivan Construction, Curtis Bros. Construction, PK Electrical, Ainsworth Associates Mechanical Engineers, Intermountain Electric, Mt. Rose Heating & Air Conditioning and Frank Lepori Construction. (Alternate Care Site B-Roll.) For up-to-date information on Renown’s approach to keeping our community safe, visit our website at https://www.renown.org/covid-19/.   About Renown Health Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally owned and governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest, locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown’s institute model addresses social determinants of health and includes: Child Health, Behavioral Health & Addiction, Healthy Aging and Health Innovation. Clinical institutes include: Cancer, Heart and Vascular Heath, Neurosciences and Robotic Surgery. Renown is currently enrolling participants in the world’s largest community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project® . For more information, visit renown.org.

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Renown Health Adds Proactive Level of Protection to Address COVID-19 Deployable Medical Structure at Renown Regional Erected as Precautionary Measure WHAT: As we continue our planning and preparation for the impact of COVID-19, Renown Health now has an alternate care site – a deployable medical facility to serve as an additional respiratory illness evaluation and screening center for Emergency Room patients at Renown Regional. Media is invited to tour the tent before it opens and learn more about how Renown Health physicians and staff are prepared to ensure the safety of patients, staff and our community. It’s important to note there are no confirmed COVID-19 cases at Renown at this time. This deployable medical structure is simply a precautionary measure and adds a proactive level of protection if needed because Renown is committed to doing everything possible to protect patients, staff and community members. WHEN AND WHERE: Thursday, March 12 at 1 p.m. in the parking lot outside the Renown Regional Medical Center Emergency Room at 1155 Mill St, Reno, NV. All media must be escorted on hospital property. Mill Street Parking is most convenient. WHY: Due to increasing levels of respiratory illness in our community, as a way to manage influx and limit the exposure between individuals suspected of having respiratory illness and patients and care providers in other areas of the hospital, Renown Health worked with the State Public Health Preparedness to request a deployable medical facility through the Washoe County Emergency Manager. REMSA, the Reno Fire Department and Renown staff also play an integral role in setting up the tent and getting it ready with appropriate supplies. This proactive step to separate patients with symptoms of respiratory illness who need emergency medical care will protect patients in the Emergency Department and other areas of the hospital. Transmission of respiratory illness from patient to patient is not the only concern as healthcare workers can get sick, too. This is a precautionary step Renown is taking as a way we can further help protect patients, staff and community. Renown Regional Medical Center is the only certified Level II (2) trauma center between Sacramento, CA and Salt Lake City, UT. We receive and care for critically-ill and injured patients from as close as our Reno-Tahoe backyard and as far away as Mammoth Lakes, CA, as well as distant rural locations across northern and central Nevada. Additionally, Renown Regional Medical Center has successfully been re-verified as a Level II trauma center through Feb. 11, 2023 from the American College of Surgeons, continuing 30 years of certification. Renown Regional Medical Center has also been awarded the The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Hospital Accreditation based on compliance with hospital standards related to emergency management, environment of care, infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management. Renown’s Roseview, Sierra and Cardiac Intensive Care Units have each been awarded a Beacon Award of Excellence from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) based on patient outcomes that exceed national benchmarks. Renown has the only intensive care units awarded this distinction in Nevada.   WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING RESPIRATORY OR INFLUENZA-LIKE ILLNESS OR POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19: Renown is encouraging people to use online tools first, such as virtual visits covered by many insurance companies, including Teladoc, for those insured by Renown’s health plan, Hometown Health. Renown Medical Group patients may also call the Respiratory Health screening line, free and available 24/7 at 775-982-5000 For up-to-date information on Renown’s approach to keeping our community safe, visit our website at https://www.renown.org/covid-19/.   About Renown Health Renown Health is a locally governed and locally owned, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. Renown is one of the region’s largest private employers with a workforce of more than 7,000. It comprises three acute care hospitals, a rehabilitation hospital, the area’s most comprehensive medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest and only locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown has a long tradition and commitment to continually improve the care and the health of our community. For more information, visit renown.org.

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CARSON CITY, NV – Today, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak signed Senate Bill 342 into law. The bill authorizes the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents to enter into an agreement to affiliate with a publicly or privately- owned medical facility or related entity, whether for profit or not for profit, to further promote and enhance a medical education or health education program at a university. "Throughout the pandemic, we have relied on doctors, nurses and medical professionals to care for Nevadans in need. Legislation like this will help strengthen existing partnerships in the State so we can recruit, train and keep more medical professionals in Nevada,” said Gov. Sisolak. “I look forward to these continued partnerships to help our state for years to come.” Governor Sisolak was joined by University of Nevada Reno President and former Governor Brian Sandoval for the bill signing.  “I wish to thank the members of the Nevada State Legislature and Governor Steve Sisolak for their support of this bill,” University of Nevada, Reno President Brian Sandoval said. “This collaborative and forward-thinking framework will provide cutting-edge patient care delivery, greater clinical research opportunities and will ensure that the next generation of medical providers in Nevada will receive the highest possible training. As the past year-plus has demonstrated, the health care environment in our state and throughout the country continues to be dynamic. The passage of this bill ensures that Nevada has the proactive tools to look to the future, so that we can meet our health care and medical education challenges.” “I appreciate and am so pleased that Governor Sisolak and the legislature approved Senate Bill 342 today, which provides support for integrating the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine with Renown Health,” said Anthony D. Slonim, MD, DrPH, FACHE, President and CEO, Renown Health, who was present at today’s signing.  “This partnership will improve the health and healthcare of Nevadans and all of the communities that we serve. With this new level of affiliation, we will be able to drive innovation, research, medical education, grant funding for public health, clinical trials and integrate our medical practices to improve access and affordability of care. Together, we are excited to create a healthier Nevada.” “We are so appreciative of the unanimous support of the legislature and now the Governor’s signature and support of this bill that provides guidance to the NSHE Board of Regents as it considers the approval of this critical affiliation between UNR Med and Renown Health. We are excited to move to the next step of seeking approval from the Board of Regents for the affiliation and the establishment of an integrated health care system that will enhance medical care delivery and medical education, will improve health care, and will benefit the health and well-being of all Nevadans,” said University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Dean and Vice President, Health Sciences, Thomas L. Schwenk, M.D. “The opportunities to take medical care, medical education and clinical research in Nevada to an entirely new level are unlimited and we thank Governor Sisolak for moving us to the next step in this endeavor.” Photos from the bill signing can be requested from the Nevada Governor's Office. In addition, Governor Sisolak also signed the following bills today:  Senate Bill 17 -  Revises provisions governing the renewal of certain instruction permits to operate a motor vehicle or motorcycle.  Senate Bill 23 - Revises the boundaries of the area from which certain members of the State Conservation Commission are appointed.  Senate Bill 53 - Authorizes the Administrator of the Division of State Parks of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to organize the areas under the jurisdiction of the Division into regions.  Senate Bill 65 – Revises provisions relating to the composition and administration of the State Department of Agriculture.  Nevada Governor's Office Public Relations Media Contact E: press@gov.nv.gov

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