Update On Hospitals And Medical Staffing From Governor

Governor Hogan announced his plan to support public health infrastructure and aid medical staff

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annapolis, MD (KB) A number of measures were announced on Tuesday by Governor Larry Hogan to help prevent the overburdening of Maryland’s healthcare system during the coronavirus surge.

At a news conference in Annapolis, Hogan urged colleges and universities to allow students in their health care programs to finish up their requirements early so they can get to work immediately.

“We’re also urging our counties to tap all non-deployed school nurses, health services staff, and other county employees to help staff our testing and vaccination sites,” said Hogan.

He recommended hospitals and nursing homes utilize unlicensed individuals to do less critical jobs so nurses can concentrate on treating their patients.

He also said hospitals need to be prepared to handle the COVID-19 surge.

“Effective immediately, hospitals are also required to submit a surge plan, which includes detailed strategies for the expansion of hospital bed and staffing capacity adjustments,” announced the Governor. “These plans must be submitted to the Maryland Department of Health no later than December 8th.”

The Governor said hospitals need to make plans to add or redeploy staff, reduce non-critical elective procedures, and transfer patients to other facilities.

He said when the total number of COVID-19 patients reaches 8,000, hospitals must expand their staffed bed capacity by 10% within seven days.

Currently, there are just over 6,000 Marylanders in state hospitals with the coronavirus.