Theta Xi - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

www.alpha6294.com Theta xi I t goes without saying that our brotherhood is comprised of men who have made an immense impact in their respective professions, all while utilizing Theta Xi's values. The leadership and service shown by our brothers in the medical field have always made Alpha Chapter proud, but even more so since the COVID-19 outbreak. We caught up with six of our brothers on the front lines to see what they've been doing to combat the coronavirus. What has a typical day looked like for you during the pandemic? Pete Kebbekus '88 (A1266): The most ominous impact of COVID-19 has been the extra training sessions I have been doing to get back up to speed on the management of general inpatients in case we are pulled in for general medicine work when our clinical care teams and hospitalists get a surge of COVID patients. Our planned overflow ICU space is the outpatient endoscopy center since it is plumbed with oxygen lines and can support ICU level of care. Since the endoscopy center shares the other half of our building, we would need to move all of our outpatient cancer care to another facility. Please, everybody, wear your masks so this does not happen. Eric Maiorino '06 (A1543): Much of our elective surgical practice was placed on hold to make space for the influx of COVID patients. Most of the patients we cared for were trauma patients requiring reconstruction of their face or extremities. Our protocols had to change in the operating room, especially for our facial trauma patients or anyone who required an emergent or urgent surgery and were COVID positive. It required a specialized anesthesia team donned in complete PPE from head to toe with no other surgical staff in the room at the time the breathing tube was placed. It also required us, the surgical team, to wear N95 masks for the duration of the case, with some cases taking anywhere from one to six hours depending on the degree of trauma. The reverse procedures were required for removal of the breathing tube at the end of the case. How have your job duties changed since the COVID-19 outbreak? Brendan Bagley '94 (A1363): I practice the full scope of family medicine from cradle to the grave. Everyone is required to wear masks to enter our facility. I generally wear a surgical mask all day unless I am in my office. The challenge comes from the fact this is rural Missouri and too many people refuse to wear masks. For those that make a stand, I have to don an N95 and goggles so that they can receive medical care. Any visits to hospital patients who haven't received a negative test back yet requires full PPE. I am one of the few people who can visit the locked down nursing homes and that also requires an N95 mask. Mitch Weiser '05 (A1513): Patients are required to wear masks at all times in the hospital and must undergo COVID testing prior to elective surgery. We are rolling out a new program of ambulatory (i.e., going home the same day of surgery) for joint replacement surgery patients. Previously, most joint replacement surgery patients would spend one to two nights in the hospital. Now, we are pushing to get them out of the hospital as soon as possible to reduce their unnecessary exposure to COVID. Is there anything else you would like to share with your brothers about COVID-19? Greg Vachon '87 (A1251): Know that the virus is a double-whammy for the Black community. With social determinants of health leading to more cardiovascular disease, the Black community has had extreme excess mortality. The economic hit has been and will be harder on a group that continues to be economically disadvantaged, particularly in regard to wealth. Charitable giving is not enough. What we really need is our country, through the federal government, to invest. And we will all be better off for it. Eric Jordan '12 (A1618): Do the simple and effective things to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Maintain social distancing, wash your hands frequently, and wear a mask. It's been a tough year for all of us, but unfortunately COVID-19 is still very prevalent in parts of the country. Despite this, I am confident that Theta Xi will successfully endure this pandemic, just as we have successfully navigated many challenges throughout our storied past. You can read more about our brothers' experience with combating COVID-19 on the Zoo Alumni Facebook page. AN EXPANDED FRATERNAL BOND AMONG ALPHA'S FRONTLINE WORKERS eta Xi Brothers Combat COVID-19 ALPHA'S HEALTHCARE HEROES Greg Vachon '87 (A1251) Occupation: Principal at Health Management Associates and Chief Medical Officer at GreenBax Health Solutions, LLC. Both are located in Chicago. Email: gvachon@ healthmanagement.com Pete Kebbekus '88 (A1266) Occupation: General Hematology-Oncology Physician in Duluth, Minnesota Email: pkebbekus@gmail.com Brendan Bagley '94 (A1363) Occupation: Family Practitioner, Lab Director, Hospice Medical Director, Home Health Liaison at Golden Valley Memorial Hospital in Clinton, Missouri Email: bpbagley@hotmail.com Mitch Weiser '05 (A1513) Occupation: Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Adult Reconstruction Fellowship Director at Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, New York Email: mitch.weiser@ gmail.com Eric Maiorino '06 (A1543) Occupation: Plastic Surgeon in Washington, D.C. Email: eric.maiorino@ gmail.com Eric Jordan '12 (A1618) Occupation: Academic Hospitalist/Instructor at Yale School of Medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital Email: ejordan1618@gmail.com

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