It’s been about a month since local healthcare leaders warned the public that they were approaching a critical point and if the public didn’t help with slowing the spread of COVID-19, hospitals could become overrun with with patients.
Even two weeks after hospitalizations peaked, the shear volume of hospitalizations is still causing problems.
For welcoming us into your home tonight.
The number of covid-19 hospitalizations in northeast indiana are still having an affect on the local heal hcare system.fox 55 caleb saylor spoke with local hospital leaders today and has moree handling y the been about a month since local healthcare leaders warned the public that they were approaching a critical point and if the public d help with slowing the spread of covid-19, hospitals could become overrun with patients.
Those numbers peaked at the beginning of december at 448 in northeast indiana, and even two weeks after the peak, hospitals are still hovering at record high numbers.
Managing the growing number of covid-19 hospitalizations as well as meeting other health needs has been a challenge in the last month.
Doctor jeffery boord with parkview says thanks to planning, the been able to continue critical services, but with hospitalizations plateauing at record high numbers, its giving them problems e been able to continue doing things like surgeries and procedures hospitalizing people for other medical conditions, but it is becoming increasingly challenging because of the high volume of covid-19 cases we have in the region.
Parkview and lutheran hospital had to turn away people who need to be hospitalized because of covid just yet, but they have been shifting patients around to best position them based on medical needs.
Doctor vishal bhatia with lutheran health network says this is what they have been plhen ng for.
You see a slope continuing to go going up, you have to make sure tha reach a point wh take u can care of your community.
With the holiday season in full swing, bhatia says it important for everyone to remain vigilant in slowing the spread of the virus understand the need for being with the ly, you know it holiday season.
I do understand that people are tired of this, but they have to continue to maintain those practices.
Hospitals can continue to lessen the burden covid-19 patients are having on the healthcare system and not reach worse case scenario.
T is very very vital that we continue to follow all those safety measures so that we can preserve that vital capacity for hospitalizations for people that need it.
?to help with hospital capacity, the executive order signed by governor eric holcomb to stop elective surgeries will go into effect tomorrow, and while both bhatia and boord say that will help up to p space, it the public to limit spread and decrease covid-19 hospitalizations.
Reporting live in fort wayne, caleb saylor, fox 55 news.