Category: patient flow

Amid the latest COVID-19 surge fueled by the omicron variant, some Southern California hospitals are facing a bottleneck in their ability to move patients treated in the emergency room to a hospital bed, the Los Angeles Times reported Jan. 20.

New daily COVID-19 hospitalization rates in the U.S. have risen 42 percent over the last two weeks, with a daily average of 158,638 virus patients hospitalized, according to HHS data cited by The New York Times.

Heights Hospital in Houston, which closed a year ago, has been acquired and the new owners plan to reopen the facility, according to The Leader. 

Omicron and staffing constraints pushed hospitals and health systems to once again suspend nonurgent, elective procedures — a move that care teams and patients dread.

At least four hospitals or health systems have enacted crisis standards of care in the last week as staff shortages and rising COVID-19 patient volumes continue to strain capacity.

Several healthcare organizations have closed medical departments or ended services at facilities to shore up finances, focus on more in-demand services or address staffing shortages. 

COVID-19 hospitalizations are at an all-time high nationwide, with at least four states reporting new records this week. 

Rhode Island has the most intensive care unit beds in use as of Jan. 14, while Wyoming has the fewest in use, according to HHS data.

Louisville, Colo.-based Centura-Avista Adventist Hospital, which is temporarily closed after its evacuation during the Marshall fire on Dec. 30, said it will reopen Jan. 18.

Hospitals are urging the public to not use emergency departments for routine COVID-19 tests amid rising COVID-19 hospitalizations and crowded facilities.