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.
Care Coordination
Idaho on Feb. 15 deactivated crisis standards of care for hospitals in the southern part of the state.
Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City has taken legal action, increased security and locked down its intensive care unit in response to what it describes as online threats to the hospital, The Oklahoman reported.
In an unanimous decision, the Winnebago County Board passed a resolution Feb. 10 opposing Mercyhealth's plan to end inpatient care at Javon Bea Hospital-Rockton in Rockford, Ill., the Rockford Register Star reported Feb. 11.
Four hospitals recently announced closures of pediatric services, with some citing low demand as the reason, Becker's reported on since Jan. 19.
Advertisement
Patients age 70 and older account for nearly half (48.5 percent) of all current U.S. COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to Feb. 14 data tracked by The New York Times.
Tulsa, Okla.-based Ascension St. John Medical Center plans to close its pediatric intensive care and general pediatric inpatient care units, a move families are speaking out against, 2 News Oklahoma reported Feb. 10.
Chester, Pa.-based Crozer Health is temporarily ending its inpatient hospice services at Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park, Pa., Daily Times reported Feb. 10.
Daily U.S. COVID-19 hospitalizations have dropped below 100,000 for the first time in more than a month, though three states are still seeing increasing virus admissions.
New daily COVID-19 hospitalizations amid the omicron surge appear to have peaked Jan. 15, with recent levels declining at a similar rate they were increasing a month prior, according to HHS data cited by The New York Times.