SALT LAKE CITY – Utah health officials on Tuesday set a state record for admission to an existing Covid-19 hospital, as well as 1,669 new cases and six deaths.
Under pressure, as the B5 state surpasses what it has seen during its summer hike, hospital leaders and state officials are working to address the shortage – not of beds, but of those who can care for critically ill patients.
“We’ve dealt with space and supplies, but now we’re getting an understanding that, indeed, a staffing will be available due to a critical shortage and limited factors,” said Capin M vin Quli, readiness manager with the Utah Department of Emergency Medical Services.
Currently Utah 366 patients are hospitalized with the disease in Utah, 18 more than those admitted to the hospital on Monday, according to the Utah Department of Health. Intensive care units were 73.7% full, and nonICUs were 48.1% full.
The new record comes a month after the ascending case count. Just a month ago, 175 COVID-19 cases were in Utah hospitals.
Most of the referral hospitals in the state, including the ICU – University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, Intermvanten Medical Center in Murray and McD-Hospital in Ogden – were almost completely filled on Tuesday, said Greg Bell, president of the Utah Hospitals Association. U.S. Accidental space has been added to the Health and Intermediate Medical Center and providers have worked in additional shifts.
But within the last two days, six patients have already drifted away from those hospitals and turned to Steward Health or Mountainstar Healthcare, Bell said.
About one-third of Utah residents have SelectHealth Insurance, which is part of Intermediate Healthcare. This means they are first referred to an interim hospital for treatment.
“But when hospitals are overflowing, it is not taken into account and they are only relocated where they can get the best care,” Belle said.
Patients who go to a hospital outside the network for treatment usually cost more, with federal epidemiological relief fund providers agreeing to charge patients more than they need to be paid by the network provider, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
Meanwhile, Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George and Utah Valley H Hospital Spital in Provo still have little capacity, Bell said.
There are about 500 ICU beds in state hospital systems, according to Bell. But 50 of them are in rural settings where providers do not have the training or resources to care for the most critically ill COVID-19 patients, meaning the true intensive care capacity for those patients is 453 beds.
For now, Belle explained, “The villagers (hospitals) have been told, ‘You need to hold yourself until you can, but if there’s anyone serious, call us and we’ll find a place as long as we have beds.’ ‘
Neighboring state hospitals, including Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada and Montana, also often have critical patients flying in who need special care from the University of Utah Hospital and the Intermediate Medical Center.
“When they hear that the University of Utah or (Intermonton Medical Center) is full – it’s their normal referral pattern – that makes them very nervous,” Belle said.
Eliminates staff shortages
McCully said his team is looking for nurses and other medical providers who can help the staff at the existing hospital move across the state.
“We know there are no good solutions to this shortage of staff. There just isn’t. We’re rolling every stone to see what we can do, “McCullough said.
Officials are trying to get potential workers from the state to come to the state, including retirees, through the Department of Vocational and Professional Licensing, Nursing Schools, Medical Reserve Corps and volunteer groups. The state is also looking for activists outside Utah who could potentially help respond to the increase.
Officials are also considering requests from employees from federal agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Defense and the National Disaster Medical System.
“And the reason we’re doing a lot of activities is because there’s really no magic bullet to find staff. It’s very difficult, “said McClellan.
The epidemic poses a unique challenge as crises such as earthquakes affect a relatively small geographical area, and health care workers can be deployed there to help. But while other states are also battling their own disease, Utah faces competition to bring in additional resources.
“So either we try people from inside the state and make a mess, of which there are very few, or we look outside the state. But then we’re competing on the national platform, “McCullough said.
Mutt Kalli noted that Utah also has a young population, meaning that a large number of non-retirees there may retire, Mull Kalli noted. But because of the COVID-19 disaster, the state has the flexibility to bring in student nurses in a way that is not normally allowed.
At the onset of the epidemic, state officials developed contingency plans to maximize the potential of existing hospital resources. One of those plans includes agreements with three skilled nursing facilities in Ogden, Salt Lake City and St. George.
Those facilities are filled with about 60% to 70% of COVID-19 patients who remain ill but no longer need to be cared for in hospitals.
“It’s been a really great safety valve,” Belle said.
But it will not address the issue of overflow for people who need more critical care.
The Mountain America Expo Center, available by agreement between the state and Salt Lake County, is also an overflow option. But it is not yet clear who will staff.
“Beds don’t deal with people, people treat people. So we are having a hard time getting our full ICU bed supplementary staff because we have been doing this since mid-March, ”Bell said.
“We have been giving these people 24 hours a day, extra shifts, a large amount of PPE for eight months. Wearing and living in this ventilated suit for medical workers. I mean it’s a cumbersome, difficult thing and it also flows emotionally to lose people and not be attended to by their family. They are not only caring but also emotional support. ”
When asked if the expo center could really be used, Bell said: “It depends on how extensive our growth is and how well our hospitals are filled. The state is then trying to recruit retirees, travel nurses and doctors, supplementary staff. And if you use every resource you can make something like that stand out? I do not know. ”
At the same time, Belle praised state officials for “how far-sighted they have been and how they have really tried to prepare for every contingency.”
New case
With a positive rate of 21.3%, 1,669 new cases were confirmed on Tuesday from 7,834 tests. The seven-day rolling average for new cases is 1,726 per day, and the average positive test rate is 19.1%.
Of the 1,105,427 people tested since the onset of the epidemic, 119,375 coronavirus cases have now been confirmed in Utah – meaning about 35% of the population has received at least one test, about 4% of the population is positive for the disease.
“The truth is, the more tests we conduct, the faster we can lift sanctions. By testing when you come in contact or experience symptoms, you may inadvertently contribute to the spread of COVID in Utah. If you meet the requirements for testing, don’t delay, ”Governus said. Gary Herbert said on Twitter on Tuesday.
About 90,000 people are believed to have recovered after surviving a three-week issue after their diagnosis.
Admission to the hospital after the outbreak hit Utah for a total of 5,665.
His most recent deaths include two Salt Lake County men, aged 65 and 84, one of whom was hospitalized when he died; Utah County woman between 45 and 64, who was a long-term care resident; A Sanpet County woman between 45 and 64, who was hospitalized; A Toule County woman between the ages of 65 and 84 who has not been hospitalized; And a Utah County man between 65 and 84, whose hospitalization status was unknown.
They bring the state toll to 620 due to the novel coronavirus.
