Idaho Hospitals Could Declare Crisis Standards Again

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

It was reported last week and over the weekend that because of the current surge in coronavirus cases, Idaho hospitals are on a course to likely go back under crisis standards of care in the near future. Saint Alphonsus Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Steven Nemerson and St. Luke’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jim Souza say the chances of making the move to crisis standards of care are likely if the COVID case surge fueled by the omicron variant continues at its current pace. Both leaders are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. Under crisis standards, it is possible that non-urgent or less-urgent care may not be provided in order to ensure timely response to the most severe life-or-death emergencies. Idaho was previously placed under statewide crisis standards of care on Sept. 6, 2021 as COVID-19 cases overwhelmed hospitals and lifted Nov. 22 as the cases lessened.

At this time both case and hospitalization numbers are rising rapidly. Idaho reported 3,266 new cases last Friday, which beat the Wednesday’s 2,821 new cases after it had already, beat the single-day high set the day before. All three were higher than the previous single-day record set way back on December 9 of 2020.

“I’d say the odds are more probable than not,” Souza said. “Because of our learned experience so far, we know in every wave there’s been a spike in cases, two weeks later hospitalizations, and two weeks later deaths.”

Because of the increasing number of COVID patients and staffing issues, Nemerson says Saint Alphonsus has begun limiting some non-emergency surgeries and procedures on a selective basis. St. Luke’s has not gotten to that point yet, but they’re getting prepared, Souza added.

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