The state’s largest hospital is straining to care for “a very high number of patients” amid Vermont’s rising coronavirus cases, according to information the hospital provided on Friday afternoon.
The rise of Covid-19 cases “as the Delta variant spreads,” plus other critically ill patients and those seeking care that was delayed earlier in the pandemic, has prompted staff at Burlington-based University of Vermont Medical Center to reschedule some non-urgent procedures to make space, according to an email from spokesperson Neal Goswami. The hospital is “utilizing a high percentage of inpatient beds at this time,” he said, although the number varies throughout each day.
“Although we are experiencing a high number of patients, we are confident in our plans for these types of situations,” he wrote.
Health leaders at the 562-bed facility have also approved setting up a tent outside the emergency department on Monday “to allow for continued social distancing for patients,” Goswami said, although there are no plans to treat patients there at this time. He did not say how long these surge precautions would last.
The hospital’s emergency department will continue to care for critically ill patients and its urgent care clinic will remain open, he said. Patients are not being diverted from the emergency department at this time, according to Derek Libby, deputy chief of operations at the Burlington Fire Department.
“Our hard-working and highly-skilled staff are continuing to provide the safe and high-quality care our patients deserve and we are incredibly grateful for their commitment and resilience,” Goswami wrote. “Additionally, we are carefully reviewing and tracking data to ensure we have the staff and facilities we need to care for patients moving forward.”
VTDigger also reached out to the Vermont Department of Health and Gov. Scott’s office on Friday evening.
Jeff Tieman, who heads the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, attributed the difficulties at UVM Health and elsewhere in the state to an aging population that requires more care, in addition to staff burnout and a surge in demand for mental health services.
Tieman said hospitals across the state are working together to alleviate some of the pressure on UVM. He also called on the Green Mountain Care Board, which regulates hospitals, to approve budget requests that are “absolutely critical to their ability to hire providers, build capacity and invest in equipment and get us through this challenging time.” Budget requests have been submitted and await approval.
Across the country, a large number of facilities have buckled in recent days under the increasing demands of coronavirus. Vermont’s high vaccination rate has thus far kept coronavirus hospitalizations low.
The state health department reported 112 new cases and 12 hospitalizations on Friday. State health officials said earlier this week that the rate of new infections in the state is slowing down.
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