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By LISA EISENHAUER
May 29, 2020

When the 100th patient to recover from COVID-19 left SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital earlier this month, she was sent off, like others who have overcome a severe bout with the virus, with cheers and applause from caregivers and Justin Timberlake's "Can't Stop the Feeling!"

At Trinity Health's Nazareth Hospital, the music for farewell fetes for COVID patients is "Gonna fly now" the theme from Rocky. It's an appropriate choice based on geography and the arc of the script since the hospital is in Philadelphia and the movie about the underdog fighter who goes the distance against a mighty opponent was set there.

Paula Harlan gives a thumbs-up to her caregivers as she leaves SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital on May 11. Harlan was the 100th patient with COVID-19 to be discharged. The hospital plays "Can't Stop the Feeling" when COVID patients go home.

At Mercy hospitals in the St. Louis region, a "Code Sunshine" is called when a COVID patient is being discharged and the song selection, appropriately, is the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun."

Staffers at Catholic hospitals across the nation are savoring the brief timeouts from their frontline role in the national emergency caused by the pandemic as they rejoice in the victories of patients who have survived serious or near-fatal complications of the virus and are going home. To date, more than 1.7 million Americans have tested positive for the virus and more than 101,000 have died, according to tracking done by Johns Hopkins University.

"We've had patients here who haven't seen their family in over 30 days and so the first time that they get to do that, you can imagine the emotion that comes with that moment," said Jennifer Garnica, the administrative director of nursing operations at SSM Health's SLU Hospital. "It's emotional for the providers as well. It's a really exciting thing for us to see people getting better and getting out of here."

Up for a vote
Garnica, who is known among her colleagues as "the cheerleader," led the charge in arranging the sendoffs for COVID patients and selecting a theme song. She decided to get the whole staff involved in that selection by narrowing the choices to five and then putting the finalists up to a vote. Timberlake's catchy "Can't Stop the Feeling!" won in a landslide over rivals that included the Bee Gees' disco anthem "Stayin' Alive" and the Beatles' "Good Day Sunshine."

"It's just an upbeat song," Garnica said. "When you hear it, you can't help but get excited and you want to get up and dance and clap your hands."

Staff at Amita Health Resurrection Medical Center Chicago hold up congratulatory signs as a patient, who had recovered from COVID-19 complications, left the unit for home. The hospital plays "Eye of the Tiger" from the movie Rocky III when COVID patients are released.

Other hospitals have also put the song decision for their farewell events up to a vote too. At PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, Washington, the popular choice was Journey's enduring smash "Don't Stop Believin'."

"Gonna fly now" pours from the PA system at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, when a COVID patient heads home. A "Code Rocky" is called for the occasion.

Tammi Aidt, manager supportive care services at the hospital, said the choice was meant to mark a milestone as it did in the movie when Rocky Balboa was finally strong enough to charge up all 72 steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. "As with COVID-19 patients reaching the goal of being discharged, it represents a great show of triumph and overcoming barriers," Aidt said.

Going the distance
Amita Health Resurrection Medical Center Chicago plays a Rocky theme, too, but the facility opted for "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor from the third installment of the movie franchise. The song's lyrics include "Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet. Just a man and his will to survive."

Holly Seletos, the hospital's director of patient experience, said the song "instills the feeling of building up of stamina. It makes our discharged COVID patients feel as though they have made it through the fight of their lifetime and come out strong and it gives the COVID inpatient hope and encouragement that they too will hear this song played for them one day soon."

Seletos said the hospital has dubbed its discharge celebrations Code Joy. "It makes our staff so happy each and every time we hear it played, it brightens our day with a sigh of gratefulness that we could send another one home," she added.

Lifting spirits
The Beatles classic "Here Comes the Sun" is a popular discharge choice for COVID patients at hospitals across the nation, including at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver, Washington. At the suggestion of Dr. Dayna Groskreutz, a pulmonary/critical care physician on the front lines of the COVID-19 fight, it's the parting serenade at several Avera Health hospitals.

"As we treat patients and prepare for an increase in cases, we need something to lift the spirits of staff and emphasize that people are getting better," Groskreutz said in a press release in late April when the selection was announced. "Hope is important right now. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Romans 5:5)"

The song is also being played at Avera hospitals when babies are born.

At Mercy Medical Center in Canton, Ohio, the hospital lets COVID patients pick which song they want to hear as they are heading out. Among the choices so far are "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Staying Alive." So far, no one has requested James Brown's "I Feel Good."