Children's hospitals seek federal help amid 'capacity crisis'

Children's hospitals nationwide are urging the federal government for help addressing national staffing and bed shortages amid rising COVID-19 cases.

In recent weeks, many facilities have seen an uptick in admissions for children with COVID-19 or respiratory syncytial virus. Combined with staffing shortages, these factors are creating a "perfect storm" that may threaten the nation's pediatric hospital capacity, Mark Wietecha, president of the Children's Hospital Association, wrote in an Aug. 26 letter to President Joe Biden. 

"With pediatric volumes at or near capacity and the upcoming school season expected to increase demand, there may not be sufficient bed capacity or expert staff to care for children and families in need," Mr. Wietecha wrote. 

"We ask for your immediate help to address the growing national pediatric hospital capacity crisis," he added. 

The association, which represents more than 220 children's hospitals nationwide, is asking the government for more provider relief funding and any other federal workforce support to help meet growing patient demands. The association also backed stronger mask and vaccination mandates.

Weekly pediatric COVID-19 cases jumped fourfold in the last month, from 38,000 cases the week ending July 22 to 180,000 in the week ending Aug. 19, according to data from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Among 23 states reporting hospitalization data by age, children represented 1.6 percent to 3.6 percent of total hospitalizations. 

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