ROBERT:LITTLE OR NO PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT. FEARS OF CLOSING
THEIR PRACTICES. FAMILY
DOCTORS IN DESPERATE NEED OF
MASKS AND GOWNS SAY THE'RE
BEING LEFT BEHIND. GOVERNOR
ABBOTT SAYS MORE ESSENTIAL
SUPPLIES ARE COMING.EARLIER
TODAY HE SAID THE STATE WILL
BE GETTING MORE THAN A MILLION
MASKS A WEEK.
THE TEXAS MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
TELLS US ABOUT 30-PERCENT OF
DOCTORS MAKE UP SMALL
PRACTICES IN THE STATE. AS
KXAN INVESTIGATOR AREZOW DOOST
EXPLAINS THOSE DOCTORS DEMAND
A BETTER PROCESS AS THEY
COMBAT
COVID-19.
UP UNTIL YESTERDAY... DR.
ABILIO MUNOZ WAS DESPERATE FOR
THESE N95 MASKS. "THE LAST BOX
THAT I OBTAIN WAS ACTUALLY
FROM A HARDWARE STORE IN
AUSTIN BECAUSE I COULDNâ(tm)T
GET THEM THROUGH OUR USUAL
SUPPLIERS." AFTER REPEATED
CALLS AND PLEAS... HE FINALLY
GOT 120 OF THEM.H'S ALREADY
OUT OF GOWNS. "IF WE GET SICK
THEN MORE PEOPLE WOULD BE
GOING TO THE HOSPITALS AND
THEN THAT MAY EXASPERATE THE
PROBLEM." OTHER DOCTORS ARE
RUNNING OUT OF THERMOMETER
COVERS... MAKING IT HARD TO
PRESCREEN AND CHECK FOR
TEMPERATURES.DR. ERICA SWEGLER
WITH BEACON FAMILY HEALTH CARE
IN NORTH AUSTIN SENT US THIS
PIC. HER STAFF IS WEARING
SCRUB JACKETS AND CLOTH MASKS
THAT THEY WASH EVERYDAY. SHE
SAYS IF SHE GETS SICK THIS
PRACTICE WILL BE IN JEOPARDY.
THE TEXAS ACADEMY OF FAMILY
PHYSICIANS HAS HEARD LOTS OF
THOSE STORIES. THE
ORGANIZATION REPRESENTS
PHYSICIANS AND SAYS THE
PROCESS IS NOT WELL SUITED TO
DISTRIBUTE SUPPLIES TO FAMILY
DOCTORS.
DOOST/@AREZOWDOOST"THE GROUP
SAYS SUPPLIES ARE GETTING
DISTRIBUTED TO THE REGIONAL
ADVISORY COUNCILS WHICH ARE
ESSENTIALLY PRIVATE
CONTRACTORS. BUT THOSE
SUPPLIES ARE GOING TO
HOSPITALS AND LARGER
PRACTICES." THE TEXAS MEDICAL
ASSOCIATION IS CALLING THE
SHORTAGE UNACCEPTABLE AND SAYS
"PHYSICIANS AND THE REST OF
THE HEALTH CARE TEAM CANNOT BE
THROWN INTO BATTLE POORLY
EQUIPPED."TMA IS URGING
CONSTRUCTION, OIL AND GAS
COMPANIES ALONG WITH DENTIST
AND VETS OFFICES THAT USE THIS
TYPE OF PROTECTIVE GEAR TO
DONATE THE SUPPLIES.
"LETâ(tm)S NOT FORGET ABOUT
THE COMMUNITY PRACTICES...
WERE OUT THERE DAY IN AND DAY
OUT TRYING TO SEE THE
PATIENTS. I THINK THAT BY
HELPING US WEâ(tm)RE GOING TO
ALSO HELP THE BIG HOSPITALS
HOPEFULLY TRY TO TRIAGE THE
PATIENTS BEFORE THEY GET TO
THE HOSPITAL." DR. MUNOZ SAYS
MOVING TO TELEMEDICINE WILL
HELP WITH HIS MASKS. BUT THAT
WILL ONLY GIVE HIM A FEW
WEEKS. AREZOW DOOST, KXAN
INVESTIGATES.
ROBERT: AREZOW REACHED OUT TO
THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT
AND OUR REGIONAL ADVISORY
COUNCIL ABOUT THE DISTRIBUTION
PROCESS, BUT WE HAVE NOT HEARD
BACK YET.WE WILL KEEP YOU
POSTED. OUR TEAM STARTED
LOOKING INTO THIS AFTER A TIP
FROM A DOCTOR. HELP SHAPE THE
WAY KXAN COVERS THE NEWS THAT
MATTERS THE MOST TO YOU BY
SENDING US YOUR TIPS,
QUESTIONS, PICTURES AND PHOTOS
TO REPORTIT@KXAN.CO
M.OR YOU CAN FILL OUT THE FORM
ON OUR WEBSITE.JUST HOVER YOUR
MOUSE OVER THE CORONAVIRUS TAB
ON KXAN.COM TO FIND IT.
