Intermountain Children's pauses non-emergent surgeries as patient volumes top winter surge levels

Gabrielle Masson -

Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital has seen an "extremely high numbers of patients for many months," and is delaying all nonemergency inpatient and outpatient surgeries and procedures through Nov. 28, according to a Nov. 4 news release.

The influx of patients includes both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. 

"Our patient volumes now exceed typical winter surge levels, which is unprecedented," said Dustin Lipson, administrator of Primary Children's Hospital.

The hospital's typical inpatient volume this time of year is 180 patients, peaking at an average of 230 patients during respiratory season, Mr. Lipson said. On Nov. 3, Primary Children's cared for 249 hospitalized patients.

The temporary halt on nonemergency procedures aims to ensure staffing and resources meet patient needs while maintaining the safety and wellbeing of patients and staff, according to the news release.

"We are contacting patient families to reschedule non-urgent surgeries and procedures," Mr. Lipson said. "To be clear, patients who urgently need surgeries and procedures will receive them. We are deploying caregivers in surgical and procedural areas to care for patients in other areas of the hospital."

 

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.