November 24, 2020
When announcing a broad range of mitigation orders and guidance yesterday, Governor Tom Wolf pointed to the increasing number of COVID-19 infections in both Pennsylvania and across the nation stating, “As our hospitals and health care system are facing greater strain, we need to redouble our efforts to keep people safe.”
Dr. Rachel Levine, Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Health, described the new and updated mitigation efforts, including:
With respect to hospitals, the Secretary announced a three-pronged regional test that would trigger a reduction in scheduled procedures within a region where the region experiences two of three benchmarks around staff shortages, available beds, and COVID-19 hospital admissions.
A full listing of the state’s new and updated efforts announced today is available in the Governor’s press release. The Department of Health’s order related to hospitals also is available online.
Pennsylvania’s hospitals are closely monitoring the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in their individual hospitals and have a number of tools at their disposal when capacity is stretched. Additionally, hospitals are sharing information with one another through the Health Care Coalitions, organizations that help facilitate mutual aid and collaborative transfers to support hospitals in managing capacity.
HAP will continue to work with Governor Wolf and Secretary Levine to safely care for every COVID-19 patient and anyone else who needs care in Pennsylvania’s hospitals and health systems.
For more information, contact Laura Stevens Kent, HAP’s senior vice president, strategic integration, or Robert Shipp, PhD, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, HAP’s vice president, population health and clinical affairs.
Tags: Public Health | COVID-19
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