Beebe Healthcare, one of the few Delaware hospitals to not be operating under Crisis Standards of Care, announced Wednesday that it is postponing all non-emergent procedures.
This decision, hospital officials said, goes into effect on Thursday and is a result of the onslaught of COVID-19 hospitalizations. The health system previously announced its postponement of elective procedures that required an overnight stay.
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Beebe also noted in its announcement that it is “facing significant pressures on staff, care teams, and providers with this latest surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations.”
“Our emergency departments and hospital are past capacity,” said Dr. David Tam, CEO of the hospital. “We are making operational adjustments to keep up with the growing demand for healthcare in Sussex County, but this is not sustainable.”
Hospital officials said some procedures and surgeries will continue, specifically those for progressive diseases that could have long-term consequences. This includes colonoscopies, biopsies, endoscopies and dialysis.
Delaware continues to face its worst COVID-19 surge yet, with hospitalization breaking new records nearly every day. More than 30% of COVID-19 tests are positive.
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The unprecedented number of COVID-19 hospitalizations has put greater stress on already fragile hospitals, which have struggled with staffing shortages for months.
Under the model of Crisis Standards of Care, the priority shifts to saving the most amount of lives over the needs of individual patients. This means treatment for patients will be prioritized, including lifesaving care.
Though Beebe is not operating under this type of procedure, officials said in the announcement that “the situation is critical and can change at any moment.”
Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 256-2466 or at mnewman@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MereNewman.
