Hospitals in Massachusetts will in the reduction of on nonurgent scheduled procedures beginning on Monday due to staffing shortages and longer affected person hospital stays, in line with the state’s well being authorities.
Coronavirus instances have been rising in Massachusetts for a number of weeks, however hospitalizations have risen at a decrease charge. The strain on hospitals pertains to different penalties of the coronavirus pandemic, the authorities mentioned.
The staffing scarcity, largely pushed by the pandemic, has contributed to the lack of roughly 500 medical, surgical and I.C.U. hospital beds in Massachusetts, in line with the state. And hospitals are seeing an inflow of sufferers who want extra advanced remedy for well being points as a result of they delayed visiting the physician when Covid instances have been greater.
The authorities said the order would help prepare for the annual increase in hospitalizations typically seen after Thanksgiving and through January.
Marylou Sudders, the state’s secretary of health and human services, said in a statement on Tuesday: “Covid hospitalizations in Massachusetts remain lower than almost every other state in the nation, but the challenges the health care system face remain, and this order will ensure hospitals can serve all residents, including those who require treatment for Covid-19.”
In Massachusetts, new cases have risen from an average of about 1,300 early this month to more than 2,800, and hospitalizations are up 47 percent over the past 14 days, according to a New York Times database. As of Wednesday morning, 740 people were hospitalized for Covid-19, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
State officials worked with the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association to develop the guidelines. Dr. Eric Dickson, the board chair of the association and the president and C.E.O. of UMass Memorial Health, said in a statement: “While we recognize that delaying some prescheduled surgeries may present a significant hardship for patients, we believe it is a necessary step to assure that all of the Commonwealth’s hospitals can continue to meet the needs of patients requiring emergency care.”
