A Q&A with the chief medical officer of Augusta University Health System.
By now, all of us have heard more than we ever wanted to hear about COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. In early April, however, Dr. Phillip Coule, vice president and chief medical officer of Augusta University Health System, shared valuable information about the disease. At that time, the Martinez resident, who graduated from the Medical College of Georgia in 1996, said the area could pass its peak load of cases by late April. The Q&A has been edited slightly for clarity and space considerations.
Q: What is it like working in the hospital on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic?
A: The team and our ICU staff are working incredibly hard, and they’re doing a fantastic job. There are lots of cases in the community as well as patients transferred from Albany. The patients in the ICU are very sick. We have two designated COVID-19 ICUs, but morale is high in the COVID-19 medical ward.
Q: How was AU Health able to develop a test so quickly?
A: If there’s a hospital version of “Doomsday Preppers,” we’re it. We have a leadership team that’s forward thinking. We have people who are constantly monitoring the latest trends in healthcare and what’s emerging. We were closely following the coronavirus developments in China and knew we needed to be ready. Everybody realized what could happen here and started preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. We started pursuing multiple testing platforms early on.
We knew the world was coming to town for Masters Week. Our goal was to have testing available by late March. We were pursuing different test platforms with different supply chains. We realize that Augusta is an international city and travel-associated cases were occurring early on in this. We realized Augusta needed to be prepared for a pandemic.
We didn’t make any changes after the Masters was postponed. This was widespread, and it accelerated our response.
Q: Which departments at the hospital have been affected by staff reductions?
A: These are unusual times. The shelter-in-place order is causing some people to defer some of their healthcare needs. That has decreased the need for surgeries that can be postponed, but we’re looking at ways to get patients back in the system.
Q: Can you tell if social distancing and sheltering in place are working?
A: We certainly do not want to let up now, but there is some reason for optimism, cautiously so. The combination of business closures, identifying and testing cases, and other measures have helped. There’s some evidence that we’re bending the curve. We need to keep doing what we’re doing.
Q: When do you think things might return to normal, and what will that look like?
A: My hope is that by the end of May or the beginning of June, we start to see things return to normal. We might see a loosening of mandatory closures. Restaurants might reopen with caution. We have to wait and see what happens before we get back to completely normal, but we don’t want to loosen up and then have things get out of control again.
We’ll feel a little better about the relaxation of the measures going into the summer. If we can get the ability to do antibody testing, it would allow us a better opportunity to know what’s really happening with this disease. Since some people only have mild symptoms, we haven’t been able to identify the true denominator. We hope to see signs of herd immunity where a lot of people don’t get the disease in the short term, making it harder for it to be transmitted.
Q: When do you think you will be able to start testing for antibodies?
A: Hopefully, by summertime. We are pursuing different options to test for antibodies, but we don’t have funding yet.
Q: How does this pandemic compare to anything else you’ve seen during your career?
A: This is unprecedented. I was involved in the response to 9/11, and I thought that was the only time I would see a disaster of that magnitude. Then I responded to Hurricane Katrina, and I thought that was the only time I would see another disaster of that magnitude. Then COVID-19 happened, and I’ve never seen anything like it.
It’s also remarkable to me how quickly people have adjusted to social distancing. We went from handshakes to fist bumps to elbow bumps to waving from six feet away. I’m hoping we go back to hugs. I’m hoping we go back to normal.
Q: What do you think things will look like in May?
A: I think we’ll know by then how we’ve weathered the storm.
Q: Is there a silver lining in any of this?
A: I’ve never seen a team pull together like the AU team has pulled together. We’ve done a world-class job in responding to this pandemic. That includes our pastoral staff, volunteer services and patient family services.
There are so many bright spots in this, I can’t count them all. Companies large and small have offered to donate masks. We can’t accept hand-sewn masks because there is so much variability in them, but we have accepted hand-made caps. My wife helped organize a sewing brigade to make the caps. They have been wildly popular. Everyone has loved them. People have fired up 3-D printers to print face shields.
We’ve had an incredible outpouring from the community. The support from the community has been great and very much appreciated. The parking lot prayers* were especially inspirational, and the food donations have helped to lift the morale of the staff.
Q: If there is one thing you would want people in the community to know, what would that be?
A: The importance of social distancing. It’s incredibly important for us to remember. Houses of worship and funerals will present the greatest risk to our most vulnerable populations. It may be necessary to modify things like that in the short-term so we can get back to normal in the long-term. And I’ve never been prouder of our entire team and the com
Columbia County native Josh Kelley is heading home for his first public performance in the area in 10 years.
All of the venues on his spring tour have a seating capacity of 200-500 people. However, Kelley plans to offer a little something extra to the local audience, where he expects to see plenty of fellow Lakeside alumni and friends.
Country star Jake Owen is bringing his first-ever acoustic tour to the area
Greetings From…Jake, which debuted with more than 154,000 album equivalents to date, has yielded Owen’s seventh number one hit.
“It feels amazing. It’s a feeling of being elated, but there is also a big fear to play music live for people,” Owen says. “I’m just scared enough to be inspired to be better. I don’t want to let people down. There are so many emotions you can have at once on stage, but it’s the best feeling to have the ability to make someone feel good.”
The Columbia County Food and Wine Festival is back in a new rooftop location.
Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit the American Heart Association, the Leukemia Lymphoma Society and the Augusta Technical College Culinary Arts Program Educational Scholarship Endowment Fund.
Innovative concerts blend music and entertainment.
The tax also can be used for facility improvements such as replacing HVAC systems, renovating science labs, repairing parking lots, adding lights, replacing roofs, upgrading auditoriums, resurfacing gym floors and adding new bleachers. The funds cannot be used for instructional supplies or salaries.
Sample signature culinary and beverage offerings at Bonne Santé.
Drinks will include signature cocktails from Bar on Broad, craft beer from Back Paddle Brewing and gourmet coffee from 7 South Coffee, whose owner Lance Shay donated a kidney to his mother 29 years ago.
“I like to incorporate local dialysis and transplant patients as speakers to share their thoughts and highlight the importance of kidney disease,” says Dr. Laura Mulloy, division director, nephrology, at MCG at Augusta University and chairwoman of the fundraiser.
Music lovers can court their sweethearts with musical trips over the rainbow and across the ivories.
On Saturday, February 23, the symphony will perform “Mentors” with Meyer and Alon Goldstein on piano. Goldstein’s artistic vision and innovative programming have made him a favorite with audiences and critics alike throughout the United States, Europe and Israel.
Who doesn’t love to laugh? Comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias does, and he is bringing his standup routine to Bell Auditorium on February 28.
Wilson danced with Ailey II, which features young dancers and emerging choreographers, for a year, and after auditioning for AAADT in April, he joined the company in May.
He believes the dance company gives people a platform for expression.
Professional Lego artists will showcase almost 100 creations.
Visitors can build their own masterpieces in the Building Zone, the Lego Friends Building Area, Big Brick Building for younger fans and the Star Wars Zone. Lego merchandise also will be available for purchase in the Lego Retail area. 
Buttliere will bring 50-plus massive Lego models of famous landmarks from around the globe such as the world’s tallest skyscraper in Dubai and the Westminster Palace in London.
Where: Augusta Convention Center
