Adventist Health bids adieu to Air Force medical team that arrived in July to help

Now, as COVID-19 cases wane a bit, it’s time for the Travis Air Force Base medical team to go home and tend to their own. But while they were here, they were welcomed with cheers and sighs of relief.

Local hospital officials and others gave the Air Force medical team a rousing sendoff Friday morning when the group's unexpected tour of duty in Hanford finally ended.

The local Hanford Hospital gave the Air Force a sentimental sendoff, an uplifting departure that included a gigantic American flag, an outdoor reception, several heartfelt speeches, and quite possibly, a smattering of tears – such were their contributions to the county’s needs.

Hospital officials pulled out all the stops, from erecting an outdoor tent, providing refreshments, and thanking them for their contributions to local health. The team was expected to assist in Hanford for four weeks, but the Air Force extended the team’s tenure for an additional two weeks.

“We’re honoring the Department of Defense Air Force health care team. They’ve been here for six weeks, and we have a team of four providers, two physicians, and two advanced practice. And, we have, I believe, 11 nurses,” said Laurie Taggart, a Patient Care Executive with Adventist Health in the Central Valley.  “We have a respiratory therapist and a critical care technician, and they’ve all been working alongside us and in the emergency department on a COVID Unit and in the ICU.

Members of the Air Force medical team say goodbye as they pose in front of a large American flag Friday morning.

“So, they came at a critical time when we were surging with patients, and our team was exhausted, picking up a lot of extra shifts, and we were blessed to be granted this team to come work alongside and care for our COVID patients,” Taggart continued.

Taggart has nothing but praise for the Air Force team. “They have been just amazing from the beginning. You could tell that they were here to help, and they just jumped right in. They went right to work.”

Air Force Lt. Colonel Derric Whiteside, a physician and specialist in internal medicine, with 12 years of military service, said this was his first experience with a civilian hospital. “This is our very first one,” he said and added that he’s not sure if his team will do another. He said it’s basically up to his Air Force command.

“We’ve been busy,” he said. “And with me in particular. I was working down in admissions. I would go from working in the general medicine floor, go downstairs to the ER (emergency room), help out a few of the docs (doctors) with patients that needed to be admitted, and dealing with general medical issues all the way up to COVID patients.”

What did he think of the community’s reception and hospitality? “It’s been wonderful. It’s a true blessing the way they brought us in with open arms. We really felt like a part of the family.”

The Air Force arrived when they were needed most. In July, according to Kings County Department of Public Health officials, there were  85 individuals hospitalized at Adventist Health with COVID-19. Of those patients, 52 were from Kings County, and there are ten patients in the Intensive Care Unit.

Since the outbreak began, Kings County was reporting an increase in COVID-19 cases, including cases from the state prison system and local nursing homes.

The Department of Defense clinical team arrived in time to provide additional support to hospital physicians, nurses, and other groups who continue to go above and beyond in caring for COVID-19 patients.

“Nothing is more important than ensuring the safety of our patients and providing support to our physicians, nurses, and staff,” says Andrea Kofl, Adventist Health’s president, who oversees medical facilities in the Central Valley, including Hanford, Tulare, Selma, and Reedley. “We are extremely grateful for the additional support and appreciate the collaboration from the state and Department of Defense.