MONROE — Dr. Darren Pipp, chief medical officer at Monroe Clinic, likes to joke that he’s “the production manager” for the hospital’s physicians.

“I’m here to make sure that folks have what they need to do their job to the best of their abilities,” he said in a recent interview.

Now, with COVID-19 surging and straining hospital capacity across Wisconsin, Pipp has a bird’s eye view of how the pandemic is affecting his staff. Many are working longer hours and taking on extra shifts.

“Fortunately we have a very engaged staff here at Monroe, and I’m proud to say that people have really dug in and worked extra where they need to work extra. ... We’re part of this community and really want to do our best to care for it,” he said.

The hospital is “hanging in there at a relatively full census.” He said the number of COVID-19 patients at Monroe Clinic has risen proportionate to the overall rise in cases.

Hospital capacity is measured in beds and equipment like ventilators. Due to the pandemic, hospitals across the country have been provided with waivers that allow them to expand their number of beds.

“But all of that is still relative to the ability to staff those beds and have space,” Pipp said. It’s “a little bit of a moving target.”

Even pre-pandemic, healthcare workers were often at a shortage in the U.S. Now, with the pandemic at the worst it’s been, “staffing shortages certainly become more visible,” Pipp said.

Healthcare leaders across the country have echoed this sentiment. As the head of the Tennessee Department of Health, Dr. Lisa Piercey, bluntly told Kaiser Health News recently, “Hospital capacity is almost exclusively about staffing. Physical space, physical beds — not the issue.”

As of Dec. 2, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health, bed capacity in the south-central region was about 83% full.

It isn’t unusual for hospitals to fill up periodically, especially in the winter months during flu season. What’s different now is how long it’s lasting.

As a former ER physician, Pipp is no stranger to health emergencies. He remembers preparing for the H1N1 pandemic.

But handling a pandemic on the magnitude of the new coronavirus is a first in his career.

“It’s definitely been somewhat relentless for healthcare workers,” he said. Back in March and April, “I don’t know if we would’ve expected to still be in the middle of it in November.” 

As of Dec. 7, Green County Public Health reported a two-week positivity rate of 30% — meaning nearly one in three county residents who get tested are returning positive COVID-19 results. After a dip in confirmed active cases over the week of Thanksgiving, they’re inching back up and were at 172, close to the highest recorded.

Seven people have died so far — six with confirmed COVID-19 and one with probable COVID-19. A probable case hasn’t been confirmed by a lab test and is identified by at least one of the following: a positive antigen test, COVID-19 symptoms combined with known exposure to COVID-19, or a death certificate that lists COVID-19 disease or the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Of the seven people who died, six were women, according to Green County Public Health. Two who died were in their 70s, two were in their 80s and three were 90 or older.

One of the most challenging aspects of treating coronavirus patients, Pipp said, is just how unpredictable the disease is. COVID-19 primarily hits older people and those with underlying conditions the hardest.

But “it’s a little scary, because there are certainly times when, you know, a very young healthy person might have a really bad outcome from it. And I think that’s what frightens everybody, the unpredictability.”

There are some hopeful developments since the early days of the pandemic, Pipp said. Hospitals are better prepared with personal protective equipment. Doctors have learned more about the disease and discovered a few medications that appear to help. Vaccines are on the horizon.

“So we’ve definitely made huge strides forward compared to March or April, but ... it just comes back to the number of cases again,” he said. “At some point, if the number of cases outstrip our ability to supply those resources, that’s in a bad situation.”

With Wisconsin and Green County reporting a sharp increase in cases this fall, “we all need to be more socially responsible.”

Dr. Pipp recognizes the onset of “COVID fatigue,” but he takes a longview to missing holiday get-togethers this year.

“It’s difficult for everyone. It’s hard to wear a mask all day. It’s hard to stay away from your family and friends, (but) as much as it is hard, it really is what we have to do. We’ve got to sacrifice a little bit right now so we’re in a better situation in the future."

In the long run, he said, it’s worth the sacrifice now so more of us can gather for the holidays for years to come.

“We have to look beyond just these holidays.”

In addition to practicing the usual precautions of mask-wearing, hand-washing, physical distancing and avoiding gatherings, Pipp said flu shots are especially important this year, and it’s not too late to get vaccinated.

Monroe Clinic is offering flu shot clinics twice weekly through Dec. 22. Visit monroeclinic.org/flu2020 for schedule and details.